Sam Heffer on CBC, Michael Moore, Roz Chast

It is the most sublime day - will be 26 later, but right now sunny, fresh, sweet. Has the air ever been this fragrant, the city so still, the birds so happy? I was awake at 5 and up at 6 again, and at the market by 7. We lined up outside but only for a few minutes and all wore masks. The nut lady was back - the best crunchy almonds ever - the Mennonite butchers, the Merchants of Green Coffee, tons of asparagus, leeks, two pots of leafy basil to plant, $3 each. Only my favourite bread guys were not there.

Today I garden in the jungle of green awaiting me outside. Also lilac, lilies of the valley, viburnum, and Wayson's gardenia - the smell!

Last night, Michael Moore on Bill Maher was apocalyptic. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HIM! he told us, straight to the camera. "He knows his base. He could still win the electoral college. We must mobilize."

So, moving on to the good news: longtime home class writing student and friend Sam Heffer wrote a beautiful piece for our first Zoom class last month, about teaching children online. We gave her our critiques, she rewrote for the next class, and we said, Send it now to Karen Levine at the Sunday Edition. She bought it instantly, and Sam taped it in her basement.

Yesterday, I received this. Hope you give it a listen. It's powerful and moving. Brava, Sam!

Hi Beth,

I hope you’ve enjoyed this gorgeous day! 

So, when Karen emailed me back about my essay early on, she said she wasn’t crazy about the last two sentences, but could live with them. And that’s when I “heard” you asking me, “Sam, what’s this story really about?” Lol. That’s when I added some things - wrote more about grieving, getting outside, and missing the kids; the stuff that makes the piece matter, I think. And if you hadn’t scheduled our first Zoom class, I may not have found time to write this essay at all. So, thank you Beth. 

I hope you like the final version.

xo Sam 

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/stream-announce-assign-post-comment-sam-heffer-learns-to-teach-from-a-distance-1.5575637

I like it very much, Sam.

The last word to Roz Chast: