This past week was especially nice because I got to spend a few days in Asheville, North Carolina. We drove down from Philadelphia, which takes about 9 1/2 hours. That’s a drag, but once there it’s all worth it. I love Asheville and hope to retire there in a few years. It was my second visit there. We’d explored some of the tourist stops last year, so this year we just spent time in the city and in the surrounding mountains, testing out what it might be like to live there. The weather’s fine there, even in July, since the mountains protect from the humidity. The restaurants there are amazing, especially since we’re vegetarians and most eateries there serve southern food with a vegetarian twist. There’s lots of diversity of race, age, lifestyle, etc. There’s lots of art, which I love to look at, and great music in the parks and in the bars after dark. I even made contacts with people who could help me become involved in volunteer projects and a new friend who sat down next to us with her husband at an outdoor cafe that locals frequent. All in all it was a great week–at least until we returned to Philadelphia and the heat and humidity hit us. But I’m a pretty positive person and am just happy that I have opportunities to see new things.