HAPPY NEW WEEK!!!
Last week's chat thread is here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/f/915/p/111088/854210.aspx#854210
The code for this week's thread is WC130414.
On Monday night through Tuesday morning (14-15 April), there's a TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE in the Americas and the Pacific. In the U.K., you'll see a PARTIAL LUNAR ECLIPSE. Sky watchers in the U.S. have the chance to see a series of four total eclipses in the next 18 months, beginning with the one early Tuesday.
The moon will shine red during the eclipse. A vocal minority of folks here believe that this rare tetrad of total lunar eclipses -- the four "Blood Moons" -- will be a harbinger of doom and perhaps herald the apocalypse. Personally, I'm really looking forward to watching this first one. It should be beautiful!!!
Also on 14 April, Mars will make it's closest approach to Earth. It will be 10 times brighter than a star and will put on its best show in 6 years!
The Slooh Observatory is hosting a special online broadcast of both events. Check out the Slooh site for times: http://events.slooh.com/ I'm supposed to have thunderstorms, so I'll probably have to watch online. Dang it.
Also, the Lyrid Meteor Shower begins on Wednesday, 16 April, but it won't peak until 22 April.
Info: http://astronomy.com/observing/sky-this-week/2014/04/april-1120-2014
Info: http://www.space.com/25464-lunar-eclipse-tax-day-blood-moon.html
Info: http://www.space.com/25409-four-blood-moons-tetrad-lunar-eclipse.html
I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL week.
Evening all: Lovely chatty breakfast with friends followed by haircut, so now I'm not as scared to look in the mirror. Went to gym this p.m., plan to work in the garden tomorrow.
Diane: THANK YOU AGAIN.
Lindybird: A half-way decent docent would be fine too. :-)
Has anyone seen NiteOwl or Mulberry on any of the other pages?
OH was sitting at his desk today with Lightning apparently snoozing at his feet when he was startled by a howl of outrage from said puss and looked up to see formerly abandoned-but-now-adopted-by-new-neighbors black cat exploring our kitchen! Much ado ensued. If one of them could catch the mole that's digging so many holes in my dymondia I'd be thrilled to bits. (Reminds of me of that Beatles' line "...and now I know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall." Trust me, they're all in our garden. :-(
Have a good Sunday all.
Oh dear, Annette. I hope the kitties didn't fight. Moles can sure mess up a garden. I used to have a lot of them. They'd make wicked hills, and I had to watch closely so I didn't turn my ankle when I mowed the grass. But since the red foxes have taken up residence, the mole population has declined significantly. Have to say that I prefer the foxes.
Well, darkness and dread descended on the land tonight. I worked on my taxes. After a salvo of sweary words and the onslaught of a migraine, I've finally finished them. I usually procrastinate until the very last minute, but Tuesday is Tax Day here, and I didn't think I could face the Blood Moon Portent of Doom AND my taxes. LOL!!!
So it was a productive day. I managed to get all of my passwords changed (avoiding ruination twice in one day), plus finish and submit both my federal and state tax forms.
I promise I'll catch up with everyone in the next couple of days. I'm also fighting a freelance deadline. :-(
Dr. Jane Goodall has appeared in my dreams for six straight nights. I have no bloomin' idea what that's about. I admire her tremendously, but I don't know why she's visiting me in my dreams.
Take care, everyone!
Good Morning Every one. I feel it only right to speak to you all today as everyone has been concerned about mine and Mulberry's whereabouts recently.
Well it is with great sadness I have to tell you that at the beginning of March he told me he was leaving to be with a woman he had been having an affair with for a very long time at work, as you may imagine this has destroyed me, and I'm finding it really difficult to cope and take in, I have to move as I can't afford to stay where I am, and everything seems to take forever getting benefits and housing applications in place, I may be waiting for quite some time yet, and just to add to the stress and misery, my skin complaint is not getting any better, I've to go for biopsies next month and begin photo-chemotherapy while I wait for my prognosis, it is not looking good.
I'm sorry to air this in public. I will not be posting as I have to put everything I once used to love in the past, he is now my past and the 10 years we were together feel like a wasted memory, I can't move on while clinging on to anything which involved us both together, I hope you all can understand this, I have enjoyed my time with you all, and wish everyone lots of love and happiness in the future, and long may all our beloved ospreys around the world stay safe for a long time to come.
NiteOwl.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
NITEOWL - LINDA has put into words,so well, what must be the thoughts we are all sharing on reading your news. Please look after yourself and feel the cyberhug that I am sending with this message xx
NiteOwl so sorry to read your devastating news. Cannot begin to understand how you must be feeling but my thought are and will be with you. I quite understand your reasons to close this part of your life but as Lindy and Heather have said we will always be here for you giving support the best way we can. Please look after yourself and I hope your health issues will improve. Love Margo xxx
Nite-Owl - I was so very sorry to read of your sad news it must be dreadful for you. I understand that you wish to put the past behind you but as the others above have said, you would receive a lot of caring and support from us if you would feel like coming back to us sometime. I am sorry that you are having health problems on top of everything else and hope it can be helped satisfactorily. I will be thinking of you often.
Because of NiteOwl's sad news I have been reluctant to come on and post what I was going to say this morning, but here goes.
Last year, a relative of my OH had prostate cancer, which surprised us all. He is now OK, having gone through an operation and treatment, and is on the usual "3 monthly check" now which most cancer sufferers have, to make sure it has not returned. When my OH heard that it can be something which runs in families occasionally, a bit like breast cancer, he decided to go to the Doc's for a check. When our GP got the results of the blood test he was not happy, and recommended a visit to a specialist and more tests. These were gone through before we went away for most of March, on our holiday. We then had to wait to hear the results: these came through during a visit to a Consultant last Friday, when we were told that my OH has indeed got prostate cancer, and will need treatment.
At present he is in a course of tablets which will take one month. Then he will be going to Christies Hospital in Manchester, which is a world wide famous facility, for a series of Radiotherapy treatments. We count ourselves lucky that we are so close to such a centre of excellence, and are told by my Friend, who has had the misfortune to become very familiar with them, that the staff there are very good indeed. Anyone who knows my OH will not be surprised to hear that he has taken all of this with his usual stoicism, and is determined to "just carry on as normal". I will support him in this, and we will continue as much as possible to do all the usual things we always do. We have just spent this weekend telling all our nearest relatives and friends of the news, which was the hardest bit. We have, after all, had weeks to get used to the idea, so I found I was not emotional, just very determined that we will just "get on with it". Both our sons partners are doing well in their pregnancies and our joy at their coming babies, our new much longed for grandchildren, is paramount in our minds.
Lindybird I am so sorry to hear the news about your OH. What a shock for you both. I am quite sure that I and everyone will be with you giving support to you both. Hugs to,you both xxx