The Good News: It Can't Get Any Worse!

As some of you have deduced, and I know because I've had a ton of e-mails on the subject, the photograph in the preceding post is of my father... who did, indeed, pass away on July 8th. A number of my correspondents have commented on his smile and the twinkle in his eye, and the reason for such an extraordinary expression is that he's holding his first grandchild, my oldest son, a new-born then, now 14. That was a beautiful day.

To add insult to injury, my mother-in-law passed away last week. I've just returned from Chicago where I attended her funeral on Sunday. She's pictured, above right, as she sat for our annual family portrait, this one in December 2001 (below). Yep, you counted right, she had 14 grandchildren. Claire was all about her family, and we all miss her.

So... July was a rotten month, that's why you haven't heard from me. I just didn't feel very much like writing. The good news: it can't get any worse! Thanks to all of you who wrote-in with expressions of sympathy, I truly appreciate it.


See you in August.