Easter By NorthEast

DRIVING INTO D.C. late yesterday on Good Friday--- via the beautiful-in-spring I-81, I-66 and 495 Beltway, The Terrible---in unrelenting rain and traffic that would make LA envious, I'm reminded again of my ongoing love-hate relationship with our nation's capital. As I prepared emotionally to morph myself from country mouse into city mouse--complete with sheath dresses, pearls, death-defying heels and my Easter Sunday best, I thought of how one of the most beautiful cities and capitals in the world has become over the last few decades everything my small-town upbringing frowned and still frowns upon: spending wildly beyond one's means, printing and debasing our monetary system, living a lifestyle of credit, debt and opulent unaccountability and saying one thing but doing another. Today, I consider D.C. completely out-of-control.

If that's not bad enough, as I inched my way through Tyson Corner traffic and crossed the Potomac, I heard on the radio that D.C. authorities had given Charlie Sheen---are you ready for this?!---a high-speed, police escort into the Capitol this week, a privilege provided and reserved only for visiting heads-of-state and other high-level dignitaries. My jaw dropped in speechlessness. But don't worry, his handlers paid $455 for it. AND D.C. authorities are looking into how this happened.....What a relief!

It was a bribe no doubt, but only highlights the depths of our depravity both in culture and our nation's Capitol. The end must be near.

Still, making my final approach into western Washington via the absolutely resplendant Clara Barton Parkway momentarily made me forget even our debasement. Dogwoods, redbuds and greening trees along the Potomac overshadowed the darkening political and fiscal times here. With emphasis on momentary.

It's great to be here at this time of year with family, friends and one of my favorite churches--McLean Bible Church. Even though it's still raining here this Saturday morning, it's scheduled to clear, making the gorgeous pink dogwood outside my window here in a beautiful neighborhood, just around the corner from fellow conservative, Karl, even more lovely.