Fall Bike Ride

The weekend before last weekend (I’m about a week or so behind because of being buried in work) we had the most spectacular Fall weather. We needed to be outdoors in nature immediately and decided to go bike riding up in Dobbs Ferry, NY. They have a public trail that follows the route of the old Croton aqueduct. Although Dobbs Ferry is quite near the city, we haven’t spent any time there. It is a very quaint town with very interesting architecture. The homes range from pretty to spectacular. We had to pull off the trail to see the most amazing house. It looked like Willie Wonka lived there. I had to accost strangers on the trail to get more information on it and was told it was called the octagon house.  Take a peek at this link to see some interior views. It’s really amazing – especially the dance room! I’m going to have to read more because I have no idea why there’s a phrenology model with the other photos.

It was nice to ride through the woods with the gorgeous fall foliage. I loved that this trail runs behind, and in some cases, through huge estates. Public access!

Here are some photos of the day.

Kids Volunteering

We have a no-kill animal shelter in Brooklyn named Barc. I had always wanted to volunteer there, but never found the time. When I proposed going to Lindsay she was excited to go there and pet the kitties. I wasn’t sure how she would like it, but she did and suggested we go every wednesday after I pick her up from school. It has become a very nice ritual for us and the cats.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how well-cared for the animals are, and also how often they get adopted. There was a group of about 18 cats that came from the house of a little old lady who passed away. We fell in love with a couple of them. However, we have an elderly cat ourselves, who would hate company. That combined with the fact that hubby found out he’s allergic to cats, made us vow that no matter how cute the cats are, we wouldn’t bring any home with us. It’s been hard. Especially when you see…

KITTENS!!

I highly recommend doing some sort of volunteer work with your children. It’s very rewarding for all parties. It’s also nice for the kids to step outside of themselves and think about the lives of someone/something else.