In addition to keeping busy with random things around the house, and socializing, and adapting to the return of the school year (when the mice are away, the cats will play, so to speak, but now the mice are back, so the cats have to work again), I've been keeping one eye firmly planted on the American economy. It's not wonderful. There are a number of factors that seem to be pointing towards trouble on the horizon (or rather, more trouble on the horizon). The number of areas things are bad is impressive, although, given how much of the pre-crash economy was based on, effectively, interconnected delusions, it's not surprising everything that went up together now seems to be going down together. I consider myself extremely lucky to be, for the most part, escaping the mess unscathed, though if the housing value decline is as bad as some assert, I am either barely above water or underwater on my house. Fortunately, I like living here, and intend to continue doing so, so I don't pay too much attention to what the current situation is in my neighborhood. I haven't decided yet if we're actually in for a 'double dip recession'. My heart says 'yes', my head says 'no, but barely'. Happily, if I just wait long enough, I'll have my answer!