From the very beginning, I was enchanted by the eclipse and found it hard to look away.
We had fun posing for eclipse pictures.
Occasionally clouds drifted by, which gave the eclipse a different nuance. We took a lot of pictures, hoping to capture it, but we never could.
It was a great way to spend the afternoon. I ignored the directions on our glasses, and I spent time on a lounge chair, staring at the eclipse for longer than 3 minutes at a time. And then I looked away to take some pictures.
Later, I felt a bit ill--a combination of heat, not drinking enough fluids throughout the afternoon, and staring at the sun (like staring at an extra bright monitor all afternoon). But some food, some iced tea, and some time in the air conditioning made me feel better.
I enjoyed everyone's posts on Facebook. Here's a post of mine that generated a lot of response from my friends:
"Make plans now: August 12, 2045, my house will be on the path of full totality. If the rising seas haven't washed it away, you're all invited to my house. Full totality will be at 1:37 p.m."
Later, I added this: "Yes, I'll be 80 years old, but I plan to be a very young 80 years old." And then this: "In the morning, we'll collect all our friends who are at neighborhood old folks homes and we'll have brunch and then get settled in to watch the eclipse. We'll drink salty dogs and bloody marys and tell ourselves that we're getting our full day's supply of vitamin c. And because I will be 80, I will eat a pound of bacon!"
I ended with this: "And of course, there will be yummy cakes for the vegetarians and non vegetarians alike. And an egg casserole, because we are never too old for egg casserole. It will be a bit like Christmas morning, only in August."
It's a vision that speaks to me--and of course, the other question that lingers: if it speaks to me, why wait for an eclipse?
1 comment:
I will be there, if not bodily, then in spirit!
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