WELL, MY WIFE IS BACK, AS BEAUTIFUL AS EVER. SHE SEEMS FINE AND APPRECIATES ALL THE NOTES OF CONDOLENCES SENT. AT O'HARE, THEY DON'T LET YOU SIT AND PARK AT THE CURB WAITING FOR ANYONE. SO I CIRCLED 10 TIMES BEFORE SHE SHOWED UP. ONLY $20 WORTH OF GAS.

BUT IT WAS AN INTERESTING TIME AT MY DAUGHTER'S. LAST NIGHT WASN'T TOO BAD, BUT THE FIRST THREE HOURS OF THIS MORNING HAD TO BE OUT OF A TORTURE MANUAL. THE SIX YEAR OLD CAME DOWN TO THE DEN WHERE I WAS SLEEPING AT 5:30 AM WITH A FEVER AND BAD COUGH. AT 6AM, THE TWO YEAR OLD CAME DOWNSTAIRS WITH A RUNNY NOSE AND PROCEEDED TO THROW UP ALL OVER THE FLOOR. TIME TO WAKE MOMMY UP FOR CLEAN-UP. AS IF THIS WEREN'T TRAUMATIC ENOUGH, DOWN COMES THE BARKING DOG. A TRUE THREE RING CIRCUS.

SO , I SHOWERED, GOT DRESSED AND TOLD MY DAUGHTER I WAS GOING TO STARBUCKS FOR COFFEE. I TOOK MY SUITCASE WITH ME, AND WENT TO A LOCAL RESTAURANT FOR A NICE, PEACEFUL BREAKFAST. I PHONED MY DAUGHTER FROM THE CAR AND TOLD HER I WOULD SEE HER WHEN THE KIDS LEFT FOR COLLEGE AND THE DOG LOST HIS ABILITY TO BARK.

OUR CLOSING DATE IS SEPT.28, SO IT'S PACK, THROW-OUT AND CLEAN-UP.

SHOULD GO WELL, THE GRANDKIDS ARE BARRED FROM OUR HOUSE.

MARTY