Babbling

“I just kept walking.”

I was missing walking along the Thames with Tess — stopping at each pub along the way — so I headed out of the house to walk in city-adjacent nature. This is easy in Roslindale since the Arnold Arboretum is just a mile’s walk from where I’m staying.

I could have grabbed a Dunkin’ iced coffee along the way, but I’d already had at least three cups this morning. I just kept walking.

I went along a residential stretch, then under the commuter rail, and came to the edge of the park. I hiked through a field, crossed a street, hiked through some woods and then, whoa, a delightful babbling brook. The city disappeared. I stood watching the water, walked up to a little bridge, played Poohsticks for a few minutes.

Then I walked a few hundred feet to the main part of the Arboretum, with informational signs and labels on the trees. The nerdy part.

I sat on a bench, checked my phone, greeted people as they walked by.

Then I decided to head to Papercuts Bookshop in JP, to check it out. Out of the park, across 203, twenty minutes of walking, and there’s a cafe. I get a double macchiato and a slice of banana bread, sit for a bit. Then I continue on to the bookstore. It’s so good. Great setup, fabulous staff, cool vibe. I hung out for a bit.

Then I crossed the street, hopped on a bus, rode that for ten minutes, got off and hopped on another bus. That one dropped me off around the corner from the house.

All in all, pretty impressive, Boston. I sometimes forget what a great city this is.