I was telling my sister about that hiking trail we did last fall and she asked if I thought she could handle it. Honestly the first mile is a bit steep but after that it opens up into this really beautiful meadow with wildflowers. We took so many photos. I told her to bring good boots and poles if she has them and plenty of water because there is no shade until you reach the tree line near the summit. She is excited to try it next month and I might join her again. It would be fun to go back and see the fall colors this time around.

A friend at work asked me for a good pasta recipe and I shared the one I learned from a cooking class years ago. It is a simple lemon garlic pasta with a little parmesan and fresh basil on top. She tried it over the weekend and sent me a photo and it looked amazing. I told her to add a pinch of red pepper flakes if she likes a little heat. She said her kids even ate it without complaining so that is a win in my book.

I have been trying to read more before bed instead of scrolling on my phone and it actually makes a difference in how well I sleep. I started with a mystery novel someone recommended and I am already halfway through. The chapters are short so it is easy to stop at a good point. I am not usually a mystery person but this one has me hooked. I might look for more from that author after I finish.

I ran into our old neighbor at the grocery store yesterday and we ended up chatting for almost twenty minutes in the produce aisle. She told me her daughter just started college and is loving it so far. It is hard to believe she is that old already. We talked about how quiet the street has been since they moved and she said she misses the block parties we used to have every summer. I might try to organize one this year just to get everyone together again. It would be nice to catch up with people in person instead of just waving from the driveway.

My car has been making this weird noise when I brake and I finally took it to the shop today. They said it is just the brake pads wearing down and nothing serious but I need to replace them soon. I am glad I took it in when I did because I do not want to wait until something actually breaks. The mechanic said I have another thousand miles or so before it becomes urgent so I have a little time to shop around for a good price.

I started listening to a new podcast about urban planning and it is way more interesting than I expected. The host interviews people who design bike lanes and public parks and talk about how small changes can make a neighborhood feel completely different. I learned why some intersections are so confusing and what makes a street feel safe to walk on. I never really thought about any of that before but now I notice it everywhere I go. My commute is a lot more interesting now that I am paying attention to the layout of things.