Hey, just got back from the hike we were talking about. It was amazing. The trail was mostly shaded and there was a cool breeze the whole time. We stopped at the summit for about an hour just taking in the view. I brought that sandwich you recommended and it hit the spot. We're already planning the next one for next weekend. Let me know if you and your family want to join. It's a moderate trail, about 6 miles round trip, so totally doable for a day trip. The parking situation was fine too, we got there around 8 AM and there were plenty of spots. Anyway, just wanted to share how it went. Talk soon!

Oh, and we saw a deer about halfway up. It just stood there staring at us for a few minutes before calmly walking away. Pretty magical moment. The wildflowers are starting to bloom too, lots of purple and yellow patches along the edges of the trail. A few folks were trail running past us, but it wasn't crowded at all. If you end up going, definitely take the loop on the way back — it adds maybe half a mile but the views are totally worth it. Alright, that's all for now. Catch up properly soon!

I finally started reading that book you lent me. I'm only a few chapters in but I can already see why you loved it. The writing style is really engaging and the main character is so well developed. I had a busy week so I only managed to read on the train, but I'm looking forward to diving deeper into it this weekend. Also, I tried that pasta recipe you sent me. It turned out great! The sauce was so flavorful. I added a bit of extra garlic because you know me. Thanks for sharing it. Let me know if you have any other recommendations. I'm slowly getting back into reading regularly and it feels really good. Hope you're doing well!

I also started listening to that podcast you mentioned. The episode about urban gardening was surprisingly fascinating. I never thought about how much you can grow on a small balcony. Might try starting with some herbs this spring.