Oh interesting — I was wondering if you’d be able to join us for the picnic next weekend. I think we’re planning to meet at the park around noon if the weather holds up. Let me know if you want to bring anything, like potato salad or maybe some drinks. My sister said she’d bring her famous brownies and I’m thinking of picking up some fresh fruit from the farmer’s market. It’ll be a small group, just family and a couple of close friends. We’ll have some lawn games too if anyone wants to play. Feel free to invite your neighbor if you think she’d enjoy it. I haven’t seen her since the block party last summer. Anyway, no pressure at all — just wanted to give you a heads up. Hope you can make it!

By the way, I finally got around to reading that novel you recommended. It took me a while to get into it but once the mystery started to unfold I couldn’t put it down. The character development is really well done and the pacing picks up around chapter eight. I think you’d love the author’s earlier work too — have you checked out anything else from her? There’s a short story collection that came out last year that I found even more gripping. Let me know if you want to borrow my copy. I’m planning to hit the library this weekend to see what else they have. I also started a new baking project: sourdough. The starter is alive and bubbling and I’m nervous about the first loaf. Any tips for shaping? It always seems to flatten out on me. Hope your week is going smoothly. Talk soon.