Reason Number 297,546:

As if we didn't need another reason to despise our ill-fated invasion of Iraq, the world is now faced with yet another crisis caused directly by our actions.

The kidnapping and detaining of the 15 British sailors and Marines are potentially an act of war. It is this serious. This could escalate rather quickly.

And here's the real zinger: a British-Iranian war would ultimately be caused by the Bush administration.

You see, none of this would have happened if we had focused our post-9/11 energies on combating fundamentalist terror rather than an uninvolved and handicapped nation. The Britons would not have been in the position to be captured if Britain wasn't involved with us in Iraq. So, yes, this is ultimately George Bush's fault.

This is not to suggest that Iran's actions are justified. In fact, I believe it potentially is an act of war. It is an act of state-sponsored terrorism and warrants swift and harsh action.

And that's the whole tragedy of it all. It never should have happened in the first place.

Die, Winter! Die!

Good. I think we got rid of it. Winter 2006-07 has breathed its final breath.

Yesterday was so beautiful outside. It was the first time in a long while I actually stepped out to lunch. Today was a little cooler, but nowhere near the chills of winter.

Looking back, I believe this was a particularly bad winter. To me, bad winters consist of cold without snow. That's what we had.

It was warm through mid January. So late December, when we should be enjoying our first sips of hot chocolate outdoors, Jonathan and friends were still playing baseball. And we live in Connecticut. While I love the warmer weather, this was ridiculous.

Then the cold hit us. However, it came empty-handed. No snow -- or at least very little of it. The few storms we did have were relatively minor. What we had instead was the bitter cold without the benefits of snowfall.

And to me, that's a miserable winter.

So I am even more happy than usual to say good-bye to hats and gloves, to heavy coats and boots. Welcome back, springtime. I missed you.

Jonathan has his first team baseball practice today. How perfect.

Life Catches Up

I know. And I apologize.

It's funny. I've written almost every weekday for so long that I had never anticipated not being able to write. However, the last few weeks have been even more hectic than usual at work and all my creative juices were spent elsewhere.

And we missed so much, too!!

I'm going to forego my usual baseball predictions this year -- far more important things to discuss. Things like:

• The exact temperature of the hot water our Attorney General is currently in
• The continued failures of the man in the White House
• Iran's new hostage crisis
• The Milford Warrior (my son)
• Whatever else pops in my head

Needless to say, I am back.

Thank you for your patience.