mom's returned from trekking in bhutan. the business didn't burn down, and i even managed to find time to go camping while she was out of town. (it's the perfect time of year - i don't like sweating when i'm trying to sleep, and i'm willing to sleep in a warm sleeping blanket and a hat to enjoy that.)
actually, the 'being outdoors' bug has caught me lately. it's probably a good thing that the campgrounds in the mountains where we usually go close after the last weekend in november and don't open again until mid-march. (but that leaves the desert!) even if we do have to listen to the kids in the campsites around us for most of the weekend, it's worth paying for the extra day to enjoy sunday afternoons when everyone leaves.
as much as i don't like being cold, i do enjoy when the weather turns crisp. california doesn't really have a fall, per se, unless you're up in the higher elevations. it makes me want to nest in and think about the holidays.