Is that seat level? Looks like it might be angled down a bit. Level is usually better unless you have a specific fit issue.
Nice work on squeezing 10 miles in - riding with friends is superior to riding alone, IMO. As for katie, gotta start somewhere! I distinctly recall not being able to ride up my own street when I got back on my bike after a hiatus. It was awful. Yeah, it's a steep street, and yeah, the gearing in my old bike was wrong and yeah, those are excuses. You just have to find a way to do it.
Enjoy your "new" bike!