That'll teach me.

I finally got the Internet working in my room (although for how long remains to be seen), so I decided to go check out some news from back home. I found out that one of my very good friends, the woman who played a large part in my decision to live and study in Guelph, has been murdered.

Shirley ran a lovely bed and breakfast in Guelph, where my mother and I first met her when we stayed there in the fall of 1999. Shirley's warmth and hospitality were part of what made me decide I wanted to study and live in Guelph, and my family and I stayed with her many more times over the last few years. Shirley is one of the only people ever to have met both my parents, too. We exchanged Christmas cards, gifts, and she even let me store some of my stuff in her garage when I was between houses (which is a sign of true friendship, in my opinion).

I also hope that her son, who is schizophrenic, is treated with the respect due him during this investigation and that the police don't hesitate to explore every avenue whether or not he is guilty. It's all too easy to assume that schizophrenia equals murderous rage, but it's not true, and I hope he's either cleared of all charges if he's innocent or given justice if he's guilty. Steven Truscott's case was bad enough... I don't want any of my acquaintances to have to go through that.

So, any good vibes to Shirley's family would be so much appreciated.