Oh good god

I was out all yesterday with my parents and missed the news on the new shooting. And this is getting closer and closer to home. Please catch him soon. This'll just make me worry about my parents more being here.

Yesterday was fun but stressful. We went out to the Green Valley Book Fair out in Harrisonburg or thereabouts. The Book Fair is one of those remainders and overstock type sales. Odd collection. I bought some books but nothing I absolutely *had* to have. That's when the fun started. My father kept making stops until it was dinner time and he gets irritable. Even more so when our favorite restaurant was filled to capacity and another one closed down.... we finally found some place to eat. By the time I came back, I had basically enough time to shower and change for bed. I hate going to bed early.

What a day

I just *love* long weekends. I announce that newspapers aren't allowed to publish on those weekends. I leave out a cart for the news service to desposit them on, only to see them all piled high on the floor while the cart remains spotless and clean. So I spent most of the morning carrying the papers in and then unbundling all the business and financial news that's fit to print. Fortunately everything appeared to be there. A few of the regular departmental pickup people weren't there, prompting a "Is that all mine?" expression. Several people needed reminding about the extra papers for the weekend and Monday and Tuesday. Be glad when tomorrow is back to normal.

My office is not far from the Law Enforcement Memorial. Today the place was crawling with dress uniformed police officers from every stripe and every district. I had the feeling today was a general tribute day because the memorial was covered with single roses to one of the lost. Two uniformed park police officers stood guard. I saw many officers getting out of patrol cars and changing carefully from dress down to full regalia. Quite impressive, even for someone used to commuting with the Pentagon crowd every day for several years.

My parents took me to dinner at Pulcinella. We had tried to go there last night only to discover the place was mobbed. They were apparently having several receptions, plus celebrating Columbus day in high style... Chris being a good Italian after all.

Returned home to discover that the writing class website wasn't working, ruining our scheduled chat session. I'm still working on the show piece. I think I figured out an ending though. A brainstorm in a bathtub as it were... someday I'll explain that.