Well, as intrepid readers may have come to expect by this point, our status has . . . changed. This time, decidedly for the better: Emil has been offered a job - a Real Job this time, with benefits and vacation time and sick time and a decent salary - at a place that's about ten minutes down the freeway, if you choose to go by freeway; it's about twenty minutes if you take the back roads. He gets his own office, which is a first for him. He's working with people he worked with years and years ago, at Massoglia and Associates, his first programming job. He's now in that halcyon period between when he accepts the job and when he has to go do it . . .

So at this point, we seem to have achieved our objective: Two paychecks, one house payment, all in the city where we both work (more or less; he's technically not in Lansing, but close enough). We are both looking forward to the sensation of having spare cash; it'll be nice to be out of the paycheck-to-paycheck rut.

He starts work on the 20th, just like me. So our summers will end simultaneously. And then we have to figure out a way to get another one like this; it was simply wonderful.

* * * *

Today we're waiting for my friend Barb to arrive from Chicago; she'll be spending a few days with us. It'll be an interesting few days, as we're (well, Emil and Charlie) are moving his stuff over this afternoon, and then tomorrow, when he really has to vacate his apartment, we'll (well, they will) get the rest of his possessions, and we'll cram them into the already-full garage, which contains half of Emma's possessions already. The next few weeks will be interesting. We'll see if Emma lands at home, too.

Ah, well, but I don't have to think about that today. Today I just have to think about entertaining Barb. I sure hope she wants to go swimming; it's a kazillion degrees outside and I would be much happier if I were up to my neck in water, that's for sure. Since Barb is the only person I know who likes to swim more than I do, I'm optimistic . . .