Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 7 April 2024

Hi, all.

The eclipse was magical, meaningful, and transformational!

My plans to be in the Hoosier National Forest fell through, so I was at home. I was still in the 100% totality zone, and I was glad to be here, where I felt the presence of my ancestors.

On Sunday night and Monday morning, I was disappointed, because predictions were for 50% cloud cover during the eclipse. However, as Monday progressed, the temps rose and the day became very warm. By eclipse time, the clouds had burned off and the sky turned blue.

I put my chair outside and watched the partial eclipse through the appropriate glasses. I was having a hard time relaxing (common for me), and I was ready for the whole event to be over.

THEN...

The sky began to darken, and the woods around me dramatically changed color. Everything took on an odd silvery hue. VERY suddenly, the moon covered the sun, turning it into a black orb that seemed to be right in front of me. The corona danced on the sun's surface. Million-degree plasma radiated in silvery filaments with red streamers.

I had a rush of awe, exhilaration, and timelessness. I felt like I had a glimpse of my existence far beyond this short life of mundane struggle and adversity.

Too soon, it was over and I had to put on my glasses. I was shaking. I felt uplifted, empowered, and oddly relieved that this life we're living isn't all there is.

Now to try some real replies!

DIANE – thanks again for all you do to keep us together by starting every week! – much appreciated.

ANNETTE – great for you to have all the “girls” nearby now – and I believe you also had Grandson and wife over at the weekend so a full family gathering.  Glad to see Ms D likes the new school.

LINDY – sounds like you and OH have both been ill on and after the holiday – so sorry.  Love the cool peach tones of Amaryllis.  The one we had a few weeks back was from an earlier year, so it did well to have its four trumpets.  Now looking after its leaves and will cut it down when they die off so hope to get a third year next winter/spring.  Sorry to see you had a funeral in the family – hope your OH and passengers return safe and sound – is it a long journey?  Glad the furniture arrived satisfactorily – fun for the dogs!

PAT – your Amaryllis sounds just normal – so whatever you did to keep it must have been the right thing!

RUSTY – not getting the prolonged rain here – just varied showers – some heavy, most light or even drizzle.

DIANE – so pleased to see an update after your eclipse viewing!  What a wonderful description of your spiritual experience – I am so glad the weather got it right for you!

What a great description of the eclipse from your section of the universe, Diane.  Thank you so much for sharing it with us.  The wonders of creation, in all their rawness, are indeed transformational.  We just need to keep our hearts and minds open to experience them.

OG - Good to see you posting again.  We've missed you.  Hope you continue to progress.  Yes, I must have done something for my amaryllis to perform so well for its second year.  I don't think I've ever seen one flower stem get to 30 inches before ... and now the leaves are doing really well and looking extremely healthy.  I just wish the flowers and the leaves had arrived at the same time ... but we can't have everything!

I was watching the south-east news at lunchtime and saw the path we had walked along by the sea at Shoreham this time last week.  We would have got extremely wet had we been a week later - the waves were crashing right over the path!

Diane:  I heard that the skies were clearer farther north in spite of forecasts; what a lovely development. Was interested that you were also taken aback at the suddenness of the totality.  It seemed that way when we were watching the Texas coverage.  It does seem to have been a transforming experience for so many people.  Someone on TV was saying that Iceland is the place to be for the 2026, event.  We should make our reservations now!  :-)

ANNETTE: If I had the money, I'd book a flight for the 2026 eclipse today. Seriously. I'd have to research where to go.

Hello everyone 

Thank you for all your news, A special thank you to DIANE for her meaningful description of watching the eclipse.

Life here remains quiet - I'm still hoping that my left arm/shoulder will improve in terms of pain and restricted movement. I received a long awaited phone call from the hospital . It was the hip fracture specialist nurse. She was very pleasant but my hip/ femur fracture is the least of my worries ! Anyway, there are others far worse off.

The weather here in the Highlands has been miserable. Where is Spring?

Sending regards to all

Glad you made it and feel so good about it. The only real good place for the 12 August 2006 eclipse is in Spain  


The next "big one" is    2 August 2027   That one is south of Spain and north Africa.  Next one in the USA is  2045. 

Look after yourself Heather.  

Didn’t mean to be so late today – the day kind of lengthened as it went on!  Started with my breathing test at the GP – result expected next week.  We then went shopping at garden centre with greengrocer – also had a good lunch there.  Food shopping first, then lunch, then chose some plants for fence-hanging planters (put them in the cold frames in their pots for now as weather is not very good).  Got a good buy at the greengrocer – had blueberries on the list for M&S next week (we buy larger boxes and use them from the freezer) but ggrocer had a huge box at special price, so stocked up there instead – giving E-E an extra job washing and portioning them this evening.

J was nearer home all day, with blood test this morning then optician this afternoon.  He has had to revert to two pairs of glasses – doesn’t lift his head, so not enough difference to focus properly with varifocals.  He arrived home just after us and went straight to bed feeling ill and unsettled.  Ate no dinner but he is now doing his ironing!  He is having a bad time waiting for something to materialise from the various applications sent in by his social worker – all quite confusing., and he doesn’t cope well with confusion and potential change.

HEATHER – good to hear from you after so long.  Sorry that your shoulder movement is so restrictive and still causing pain – are you having any physio now?

DIBNLIB – I shall be sending  an email soon as my reply to your email – that came as a lovely surprise on my birthday!

Cleaners are coming tomorrow as we couldn’t have them last Monday, and they can’t do next Monday – good that they can be a bit flexible.