Thanks for the ma. Update: Dad has a few broken ribs, lots of cuts and bruises and a sprained foot. His CT scan was clear, so he doesn't have a concussion. He's spending another night in hospital and my sister will stay with him for a few days until I can get there this weekend.

My brother refuses to let us see him, won't talk to us or release his medical condition. But he called my sister tonight and asked if she would come pick him up if they let him out. She said no.

We not have to navigate the legal situation--whether they plan on filing charges against my brother or my dad, and whether they can catch Joe before he leaves the hospital and arrest him.

We also need an order of protection to keep my brother away from Dad and the house altogether.

This is a goddamn nightmare but, for all that, it could have been a lot worse.

I missed Matthews' on-air flounce.

Cashmere, my heart breaks for you and yours. Healing thoughts all round.

The politics and MSNBC drama is interesting and distracting.

Cash, who would be filing charges against your dad?

It would depend on the DA's office. The officers on the scene definitely described it as "clear cut self-defense." And Indiana is a conservative state when it comes to guns. I don't think they will but you just never know.

It all sucks. If we could have gotten Joe better treatment, we would be in this position and now that he has done this, we can I get him treatment.

I do hope so, Cashmere. Our mental health systems are so deficient. He is lucky to have loving people fighting to help him. So many have no one to advocate for them.

Talked to my cousin who lives in Virginia and works at Costco. She says everyone is flipping out over the Coronavirus, wearing masks and are lined up all the way to the back of the store buying up all the bottled water and toilet paper. She wanted to know how California compares to their panic factor. I said we haven't seen anyone wearing face masks, but tomorrow I'll cruise by my local Costco to see if the parking lot is unusually full.

Good thing my earthquake preparation will be suitable to face a pandemic?

Wow, I was out shopping at both the grocery store and CVS, and everything was under control. The worst was that there were no 100-count bottles of Aleve Arthritis and I had to bring back a 40-count instead.

I prefer to think that MA is braver than other states, but it's probably more that we're saving up the panic for real emergencies.

We are blessedly free from panic in Wisconsin. As long as there is enough brandy for Old Fashioned and vodka for the Bloody Marys, we are solid. And it's fucking snowing. Again.

Long planning session on Dad with my Lawyer!Sister this morning in protection orders and power of attorney for Dad. Ooof.

I hope Super Tuesday is not a Super Dumpster Fire. Safe voting, Buffistas.

There's an article in the Washington Post today about the run on masks - people have stripped the stores, so people who need masks for work (painters, construction, etc.) can't get any. Seemingly, big companies that buy in bulk are now back ordered to April. I've seen a few people wearing masks, but not lots of them. I have a small box of dust masks that I bought about a year ago, but I'm not wearing one until there's some kind of advisory to do so.

In other news, the DC area grocery store workers - the unionized ones - are deciding tomorrow if they're going to go out on strike. They're in negotiations with Giant and Safeway management over some issues - primarily pensions, as I understand - and they'll decide on Wednesday. I'm pretty well stocked up, but there are limits on how much I can store, so I'm hoping for the best.

My aunt, who works in a large local hospital, said they were keeping their masks locked up. She said they weren't in panic because they have always had regular training on infectious disease. She's a Trumpster, but appalled at the disregard for the CDC warnings and the impact on the PNW. My doctors said they haven't been hearing too much concern from their patients.

My biggest concern is the lack of testing. We all know someone sick as a dog, but is it just a cold, or food poisoning, or the flu? My son has all the list of symptoms and stayed home from work, we assume something other than COVID-19, but there isn't a test option if it was a possibility.

That said, poor Nashville! Tornadoes are super scary to me. I've only seen water spouts safely off shore.