I finally got in touch with TCG to tell him that he didn't have to go to work today as he was approaching work (hour+ commute). I'm angry at him for not having his cell where he could hear it on a day like today, and he's angry at me for being angry at him. He's also angry at work for not calling earlier. Fun morning.

sj, is it safe for him to come back, or should he stay where he is? If work is closed, does he have a place he can go? Or maybe the best thing is to come home. And I'm sure you'd feel better having him home.

The closer he is to home the further he is from Boston, so he's safer coming home. He is outside the Boston area where he works and it is not a town on lock down. He doesn't have to pass through any of the locked down cities on the way home.

I believe the local news just broadcast the suspects' parents house on live television.

I believe the local news just broadcast the suspects' parents house on live television.

I want to get mad about this. (Someones will now make the parents' lives miserable, and there's no evidence of their involvement in anything at this point.) But things have been so screwed up for so long that I'm not sure I'm capable of that sort of anger anymore.

TCG is home safe.

well, my morning was ... fraught, shall we say.

As I was getting ready the fire alarm in my building went off. It's a new alarm and it was, well, alarming - set off every dog in the area. So the alarm's going off, the dogs are barking, and I'm not dressed. Pull on some outdoor pants and shoes and run for the fire stairs. Get outside ... and it's a false alarm. Of course, we have to wait for the OK to go back inside. Then, of course, the elevators are out and everyone's schlepping up the stairs. Needless to say, my nerves are jangled and I need some time to calm down before I can continue getting ready.

Couldn't eat, so I got dressed as quickly as possible (running late, of course ... luckily, my boss and all the other people in authority are out of town today) and headed for the bus. Two blocks up a steep hill, which seemed longer and steeper this morning. Get to the bus stop and there's a bus stopped there, waiting, with the doors open. And two police cars; total of four cops, in two groups, each interviewing a couple of people. After a while, they check with the people on the bus to make sure no one else has anything to add, and let the bus leave. Interviews continue. Another car pulls up and two more cops get out and join the fun. (As near as I can tell, someone accused a teenage boy of ... lifting a wallet? something or other and yelled for others to keep him from getting away.) Interviews continue, and ANOTHER car pulls up and THREE cops get out. So ... we have NINE cops, four cars, all because some kid may have done something.

Of course, traffic was backing up - this is on a major commuter route, lots of public transit buses, commuter buses, tour buses (it's tourist season, oh joy), and a constant stream of cars ... all of which slow down to see what's going on.

Finally, my bus pulls up and can get close enough to the stop that those of us waiting can pile on and be on our way.

I treated myself to coffee with half-and-half and a scone.

Good grief, Todd. A scone seems more than appropriate.

I was tempted to opt for Irish coffee ... but it's not something Starbucks carries. At least not the one near my office. Or maybe just not at 9:00am.

Starbucks with a liquor license is a fortune waiting to happen.

Quick, someone on go sell tptb on "Bucks Plus" and we can fund Buffista Island with it.

To brighten your morning - something old but still nice from CNN.

edited to add: you'll have to watch a stupid ad first. sigh.