This is self-indulgent I know (nobody’s ever accused me of that!). But it gives you a sense of why and how much I appreciate the kindness of my readers over the years:

Subject: Belated Happy Anniversary
Jonah, I just re-read your Pendleton, Oregon dispatch from 2001 , which inspired the subject line above. My how things changed so quickly from your August pre-wedding road trip (which I still re-read) to the post 9/11 trip home with Cosmo the Wonderdog. I have written to you previously, sometime with myrthful comments, and upon the death of your father, with deepest condolence. I wrote to congratulate you and fair Jessica on the birth of Lucy, and counselled you to seize these years as they will quickly pass, and in the blink of an eye, you will be moving her to college. While Kindergarten is not college, I suspect that you now have a greater appreciation for those sentiments. Your various composition styles are all enjoyable, although I do have to confess a certain fondness for the G-file. We were born on opposite ends of the 60′s, myself in 1960, the waning days of the Eisenhower Administration, and you on the threshold of Woodstock. So on this 6th anniversary of the day that the world changed for our generation, I wanted to drop a line, to say thank you. While our backgrounds are disparate we share a love of good beer, smoked meats and loyal dogs. I’ve extended this invitation previously, and offer it again, should your schedule include a landing in flyover land, drop me an email. I know several great brew-pubs in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia,and Springfield, Missouri, not to mention several great barbecue joints. And if Cosmo is riding shotgun, I am certain that we can find some squirrels in need of his particular attention. Kindest regards