Beth, take it as a good sign that he responded and he seemed to be positive. Respond back tomorrow...Keep it light...maybe tell him to have fun in NY and tell him what you did with the garden...or what you are into now.
As we know, the more we GAL, as you are doing, the better this will draw him back.
Regarding begin solution oreinted...that is not limited to the legal profession. My biggest mistakes early on were due to my trying to find a solution that would work. That is the hardest thing about this process...there is not a button to push.
