I know it's nothing compared to the tsunami disaster or what the people in Iraq are dealing with or the AIDS crisis in Africa (or lots of other big issues), but I have to say I am sooooooo glad those of us living in southern California have been allowed to get reacquainted with El Sol. There were torrential rains when I was away for the holidays, apparently, and they continued once I got home. My power has gone out twice - once for 36+ hours, which has NEVER happened to me before. Finally, this past week, the clouds parted and the sun emerged. I know this sounds like nothing but day after day of biblical amounts of rain makes you realize we're spoiled and somehow have started believing that "weather" only happens to everyone else.