Good morning from Chicago. Really thought I’d sleep in, considering we are on west coast time and we were up real late with all the sounds of fireworks outside.

But here I am, up at 5am.

We had a quiet, isolated, slow-paced week in southern California.

Ishu caught some sort of virus and, though we all continued to test negative for COVID, we wanted to play it safe and stay away from people.

It was a real low-key week/weekend and it was exactly what we all needed.

No plans, no obligations, no rushing around to be anywhere.

Ankur got in on Friday night. And, maybe it was the comfort of having his dad by his side, but Ishu took a turn for the better. He slept through the night – after three sleepless nights – and his appetite came back.

We BBQed on Sunday, hung out in the backyard, but mostly lazied around the house for the weekend.

Exactly what we needed.

We got into Chicago yesterday evening and our hearts and minds were consumed with all that happened at Highland Park yesterday. It seems like an event that we would have taken Ishu to. It seems like an event that any one of us could have been at. And, every time something like this happens, it hits closer and closer to home.

Ironic that it happened on “Independence Day,” when it is in fact a really chilling message that we will never truly be free.

On that depressing and disheartening note, I’m going to sign off and get my day started.

I really did have a great weekend with my family. I just wish everyone else could say the same.