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Dear Dev, I know it's been far too long since I last wrote. It must be nearly a year, I think, since your wedding. I've been meaning to tell you about the rather dramatic turn my life has taken, so pour yourself a coffee. Back in March, I finally did the thing we used to joke about at university: I walked away from a perfectly good office job. Fifteen years of spreadsheets at the accounting firm was enough. I'd been feeling restless for years, but after my father passed away last winter, I realized I didn't want to spend another decade in a grey office tower. So I handed in my notice, sold the condo, and moved out to Elk Falls, a small town about three hours north of the city. Here's the part that'll really surprise you: I've bought a lavender farm. Twelve acres of it, plus a crumbling old farmhouse that needs more work than I'd like to admit. The previous owners let it slide, so my first months here have been all weeding, pruning, and learning from my neighbours, who have been endlessly patient with my questions. Just last week, one of them spent an entire afternoon teaching me how to tell when the flowers are finally ready to cut. I won't pretend it's been easy. I've never been so tired in my life, but I haven't once missed the commute. The best surprise is how much I enjoy the quiet. Do you remember the week in second year when a storm knocked out the power across campus, and we played cards by candlelight because there was nothing else to do? It feels a little like that, every single day. Anyway, the real reason I'm writing: the farmhouse has a spare room, and the guest bed is finally assembled. You and Priya should come out for a weekend in late August, once the harvest is in. There's a summer fair in town that you'd both enjoy, and the drive up here is beautiful at this time of year. Let me know if you can make it. Your friend, Marcus