It is now the end of the first week of October, but we definitely haven’t had October weather yet. The first two days of the month were eighty degrees, and we’ve been hovering in the mid seventies the rest.

The lingering warm weather might be nice, except for the fact that because of no rain and no wind, the smoky air is also lingering. The AQI is constantly in the moderate category, which means you smell smoke when you walk outside, and all our eyes and throats are itching after day after day of it. It definitely has me thinking about this article by Emma Pattee.

Friday’s Frugal Five

1. Last Saturday was a rare good-air day, and my in laws picked the kiddo up for a day at their house, so I took advantage of the weather and went for a long bike ride. I went up around the lake and stopped for lunch in the U District – bahn mi, which I then rode over to eat at the University of Washington.

Then I rode down across the 520 bridge, stopped for bubble tea in downtown Kirkland, and rode home. By the afternoon, the smoky air was starting to roll back in.

2. Sunday morning again had pretty decent air, and the kiddo had a birthday party at a local bowling alley, so we decided to walk the 3ish miles there. He had a great time, and we got to watch most of the Seahawks game in the bowling alley.

Another family from school had bussed down the hill, so we all rode the bus home together. The three boys had fun playing on the bus together, and it was fun to realize how there has been a little shift where more families are choosing the non-car option. Here’s to hoping we continue to see more and more of that.

3. I mailed out the welcome cards for our newest WPF Insiders cohort. While it’s a lot of work to hand write the cards and fill them with the sticker swag, it’s one of my favorite things. It’s such a tangible way to see how many people we’re touching, and dropping them off in the mailbox always feels like such an accomplishment.

We’ve continued to buy Statement Cards for these letters, which I love. Stefanie O’Connell creates these as a way to have greeting card options to celebrate things beyond just weddings and babies. It’s so important, and I love that the cards give options to celebrate new homes, new jobs and promotions, and other important life milestones.

4. Realizing it was October, I cleaned up and prepped the garlic for planting this fall, but then I looked outside, realized it was almost eighty degrees, and decided I probably shouldn’t plant them yet. After all, we are still getting tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini ripening this late in the year.

I’ve been gardening for over a decade now, but the weird weather is throwing me for a loop. I think I’m going to wait until the days cool off a bit, even if the days are shorter. But hey, at least I don’t have to buy more garlic cloves to plant – I’ve been saving my own for years now.

5. After the #WeekWithoutDriving, I’ve been driving a little bit, but I’m definitely replacing more of my car trips with walking, the bus, and my bike. I take the kiddo to school in the bike trailer 2-3 days a week, and I just picked up a new bright light for the back of the trailer for when the mornings are darker and foggier.

I’m well over 500 miles traveled on my bike now, and closing in on 150 on the bike trailer. And of course, I’m evangelizing about e-bikes to just about everyone I meet now, because I wish I’d gotten mine years ago. Pre-kid, I occasionally biked to and from home, but the 700 feet of elevation gain is a commitment. With the e-bike, it still takes a bit of effort (when I have the trailer in tow), but it’s a completely doable amount of exertion for a daily trip.

What’s the weather like near you? Does it feel like fall yet?