This month’s issue includes a nice story about working from a park and a fantastic handmade sign I found on vacation.

A Croissant and Spontaneous Conversation

I was going to write about proofreading outside of spelling and grammar this month, but I'm pivoting because I had such a great experience getting outside of my office last week.

Last Friday morning, I dropped off my daughter at school and then went to a park close by to work for a few hours. This meant I wouldn't have to drive home in rush hour traffic, I wouldn't have to be around all the busyness in my house, and I could enjoy the beautiful outdoors for a while as I got some work done.

I sat on a bench along a walking path busy with activity: a grandpa and grandson holding hands, a retired couple on a power walk, a babysitter with her two young charges, a woman on a long phone conversation, people walking dogs, with strollers, running, scootering, and many more.

I stopped to stretch at one point and ended up chatting with a dog-walker for a few minutes. Our quick hello turned into a longer conversation about students heading to college and a particularly difficult and personal experience he had when one of his children went off to school (I have two heading to college this week, so this resonated with me greatly). It was a really nice conversation and we ended up thanking one another and he wished me luck as he walked off. I felt so happy when we finished talking.

‘We over-ordered’

I sat down and got back to work. Minutes later, a couple walked by with a large pastry box. One of them said, “Excuse me, but we over-ordered.” They had stopped at a nearby bakehouse but weren’t able to finish all they bought, so they gave their remaining bakery item to me — which was the wonderful looking pistachio chocolate croissant in the photo below. I, again, was so happy when they walked away.

What a lovely morning in the park! There's no lesson here on writing or proofreading. Instead, you can take this as a reminder to step outside of your office every now and then if you're able to. And it's a tribute to kind people and spontaneous conversation and the power of connecting with others in person. The bulk of my work is communicating with others through written messages, but last Friday in-person communications won out by far. We can talk about proofreading next month.

P.S. The croissant was uh-MAY-zing!

P.P.S. The couple I accepted the food from did not look the type to be trying to poison unsuspecting park-sitters with the lure of free food, so I chose to trust the situation. If you don't hear from me next month, it quite likely could mean I shouldn't have trusted them. 😬

Check It Out: Found a Great Sign! Vacation did not disappoint this year: I came across a fantastic handmade sign with a misspelling I find so charming. “Fushable” is perfect here. And “Hopes or dreams” made me laugh out loud (and as its own sentence no less)! I was so happy when I found this. Previous post on my love of misspelled signs

Something You Might Not Know About Me... I loved my time off among the trees last month. And I am a sucker for a bear sculpture in a cabin.

What's Been On My Plate Recently I’ve written about: • Drowning risks and water safety • Procrastination in teens • A local nonprofit’s expansion worldwide

What’s up? I'd love to hear from you! Some things you might want to share: What spontaneous conversations have you had recently? When is the last time you over-ordered and what did you do with your extras? What advice do you have for parents sending kids off to college? Reply to this email or comment here. Thanks for reading! Kate Harold Writer | Editor | Proofreader Kate Harold Freelance Writing LLC August 20, 2025 | Issue 11

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