I would like to extend an official blessing of gratitude towards my friends Sam, Amanda, Matt and Clara, all of whom helped Laura and I move our big heavy stuff into our new place yesterday. It was, as moving often is, a string of questionable adventures – but, all told, the big problematic stuff is hopefully done, and now Laura and I are settling down to the long, arduous task of actually settling in. Which will involve, we expect, somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 more trips back and forth with the Jeep and her Ford. Tonks and Albus, for their parts, are spending the day while Laura and I are at work sunning themselves on our new sun porch, which is, incidentally, the same sun porch that enabled us to get our great whopping leather couch into the apartment. Said couch is now even more banged up than before. Said friends assure me that said marks add more character. I remain somewhat dubious.

Still, the new place is shaping up nicely and is gaining in warmth even as it drains out of these last days of summer. The air is crisp and cool now, and, as I mentioned to Sam and Matt yesterday, in a way this feels like the real, true graduation – the shift in life from studenthood back into adulthood. The streets around our new place feel like Shreve or Wooster, the house is becoming a home, the job is finding its groove, and, for now at least, I am very tired but very happy.