Thanks Tim for your frequent updates. The story keeps getting better with each installment. Seems your wife is getting much more comfortable in general letting more skin being shown both in person with your friend and in photos, still with the occasional 1 step forward / 2 backward bumps in progress you mentioned last year. Would guess she suspects your friend has seen more than the "officially sanctioned" photos and lets the casual fun continue - all good!
As the weather gets warmer [eventually] and people wear less to start with it will be easier for things to progress further.
Keep up the great work!