Well, I think we've pretty much decided to move back to the Lansing area. It has become clear to both of us that there are real economic advantages to it, as well as lifestyle issues; it doesn't make sense to either one of us to have me driving off to Lansing and Emil driving off to Southfield just so we can live here.

So we talked to a realtor for real on Friday. He put us in touch with a banker and we learned that we will be able to get all kinds of financing if we want it. Then we talked to each other and set up some financial parameters.

And what we've discovered is, we can live pretty much anywhere we want in the Lansing area, and still live comfortably within our means. The choices are mind-boggling, though. We could, for instance, buy

• A house to which we've both delivered pizzas
  
• One of the houses that Kathy and Richard looked at before they bought their present house
  
• One of the houses my brother lived in when he came to Lansing for law school
  
• A house in the country, on 1/2 an acre, with an in-ground swimming pool
  
• A big old farmhouse in Williamston, Lansing's answer to Chelsea
  

There are so many choices here, we're practically paralyzed by it all . . . I guess the next step is to talk to a realtor around here, and to start cleaning the house . . .