Clear Eyes, Open Hearts, Can’t Lose

Semi-Bummer Summer

Hey dear readers! I wanted to update you on a stressful summer, starting with my mom Krissi’s open heart surgery which she underwent on Tuesday and which was successful. She is now recovering in the hospital and is far too groggy and wobbly to see anyone. So my brother Gabe has been slipping in and taking surreptitious “proof-of-life” photos and even though she’s still feeling awful, she’s looking great. This was her second open heart surgery, the first was when I was in High School and assumed she was far too old to be undergoing something like that. She was 48, and therefore extremely young depending on how close to 48 you are (I’m now 48.) Obviously teenagers don’t know anything.

I’ve also just recovered from my second bought with a mystery illness which may or may not have been stealth, undetectable Covid and also may have been walking pneumonia. I’m doing okay now thanks to Magda force feeding me great spoonfuls of a garlic ginger lemon concoction, and having followed my hippy Doctor’s prescription of: “laughter.” And I’m cured now, so one of these things worked. Also I took antibiotics.

Very soon I will be returning to update you on my Mom’s progress and also make an impassioned pitch for you to buy my first picture book, “Big and Little Meet in the Middle,” the pitching of which is about to become a large part of my life and surely very annoying for you all. Especially if you’ve already pre-ordered a copy or two. Please don’t cancel your orders. Release date is October 18th and I’m finally allowing myself to feel a little bit proud. Which we’ve been taught comes immediately before a fall so keep an ear out for a falling 48 year old and be prepared to help me back up. I’m not as young as I once thought I was. Or as old.