TIE O’ THE DAY rides again, after an unintentional two-month break. Everything was fine, fine, fine—then, FWHOOMP! I stepped into a deeply debilitating bipolar black hole. Couldn’t write. Couldn’t find one thing in the world that seemed clever or funny or worthy of words. My brain felt like a whirling Milk Dud. Gradually, my head settled down and seemed to find its way back into a bit of light. That’s when my brother, Rob, made a final bigly decision. Well, that set my noggin back into a whole different kind of darkness. I turned to the bilgiest light I’ve ever known: my mother, Helen, Senior. What better way to fight the gloom than to get back to TO’TD with a summery Bow Tie o’ the Day and a visit with Mom. That woman joyfully keeps going through every twist and turn. I’m proud of her gumption. And I’m glad to be posting again. I have much to tell.