On my second visit to Sonoma to see my newfound daughter, she took me to General Vallejo’s home with my newborn grandson. This was June of 2000. I brought along Laurence Gardner’s book someone had give me to give Heather and her mother an idea of what my book about my Rose Line was going to be a bout. Not only were they not impressed, they were alarmed. Meeting my daughter for the first time was not supposed to be anything about me. Heather was the designated star. How did Jesus get in the picture?

Heather showed off her town and vineyards, and told me how rich her friend’s fathers were. We did not visit a winery because I had thirteen years recovery. I told her her cousin, Drew Benton was kin to John Fremont, and thus much of California’s history is in our family tree. My daughter was…