(Callaluna, are things okay where you are in Belgium? I cannot remember where you live but when I heard about what's been happening I thought of you and your adorable family)

I touched on this in Natter this morning, but it was long before most of you were awake. I don't think I personally am in immediate danger, but things are bad enough that I've been battling anxiety attacks all day. There were 12 raids on suspected terrorist cells last night. The raid that resulted in a shootout was in a town about 40 miles from me. And rather than being comforting, because hey, attempt thwarted, they keep mentioning that they don't think they have uncovered all of the cells in Belgium. They keep saying things like "an attack on Belgian soil is imminent." The evidence they have uncovered so far suggests they had planned not only random beheadings, but also kidnapping and public beheadings of police officials. The terrorist threat level was raised to a three overnight (out of 4). And (I swear I am not making this up!!), many local police stations are closed. Seriously. Isn't that comforting? They have closed Jewish schools throughout the country, but the rest of the schools are still open. So far we are still sending Luna to her public school. We live in a small town, and I guess its relatively safe. If a small town is safe - which I suppose is questionable, seeing as Verviers (where the biggest raid was) isn't exactly a booming metropolis. If that changes, if it gets to the point where I don't feel its safe to send my child to school, we are out of here. We're lucky enough to have a place to go.

Pshhhh. Carrot Top WISHES he made out with ita. No way, no how.

Jesus

Pshhhh. Carrot Top WISHES he made out made out with ita. No way, no how.

Even Carrot Top has a glimmer of sanity it seems.

Wow, Callaluna, that's rough. I hope it calms down quickly.

Oh, Callaluna, how scary. Please keep us posted.

Its rough for me, but only because I am from rural Maine where these things decidedly do not happen. But in the grand scheme of awful things people must live through? Barely a blip. That's how I have been talking myself down all day. I could live in a war zone. There could be explosions and chaos and looting and blood. So far, my days have proceeded as normal, except with CNN on in the background. As long as I am surfing the Internet and eating cookies, I have no right to complain.

short-lived darling of her people

Well, I thought I was finished crying, but apparently not.

Callaluna, that is scary, and you can totally complain. Just because some people live in worse situations doesn't mean yours isn't scary. Because it is.

I think there's a hip-hop chick named Eve.

Well, I thought I was finished crying, but apparently not.

Yeah, that line hits me where it hurts.