For years, I sent out, every holiday season, an uplifting and witty newsletter encapsulating the events of the previous year....births, deaths, marriages, new jobs, home projects, updates on family members, vacations....all with the implication that life was wonderful for the Silva family.  What wasn't included was the bad stuff...the pain of addiction and mental illness.  This memoir covers two decades of "cheesy family newsletters," each followed by a narrative of the events purposely left out, and a reflection of past generations that influenced my own emotional health.