> > They say this is a bad time of the year for something like this to happen, but is there a good time?
>
> No, Howard, there isn't. I'm just old enough now to have watched babies grow into adulthood, an unexpectedly profound perspective to have acquired, but not enough to witness someone I once taught progress through such stages of life afterward. This is disheartening news. You and he have my thoughts.

Thanks, Sam. They still haven't found Herbie yet, but high-tech sonar equipment has been brought in. Even during the festive events of our anniversary, he was never very far from my mind.
Howard