Excursus

We tried to drive up to the snow today on the Catalina Highway. The road was too treacherous and crowded for us to get out and play -- though I did snare Skylar a bowl of snow to eat -- but we had lots of fun walking next to the waterfalls of Molino Canyon.

It's so rare for there to be much flowing water in the desert, so you have to bask in the roar when it comes.

Hi Neighbor

For the sake of documentary closure, I present you the letter that Kim sent to our neighbor in reply to the "Hanoi John" e-mail he sent me:

Hi [NAME DELETED],

I'm not really sure why you forwarded this message to Charlie. We appreciate your views. But just to clarify, ours are very different. For the future of our daughter and the planet that she lives on, we choose not to vote for the Republican Party. We do not support the murder of innocent people, the decimation of our planet, the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries, the decimation of our schools, or the current illegal occupation of the office of the President of the United States.

Like I said, we appreciate your views, and we know that many share yours. That's why we live in a democracy. Freedom of speech is something we have in this country. Although it's another freedom which will be in jeopardy should the Bush regime stay in office.

For my daughter's future and the future off all the children of this country and the world, I choose not to support the current leaders of our country, and I hope in the name of God and His creations and the miracle of life which He has given us, that they are voted out of office this November.

Respectfully yours,

Kim

There's no going back. And, while I was annoyed that she sent the message without consulting me -- I had forwarded my neighbor's e-mail to her, but would have preferred to reply to it myself -- I now stand in admiration at the simple power of her words.