The Week that Was

We had a bit of a weather cooldown on Tuesday. It was still hot, but bearable, so I was able to log in a mile around the complex.

Saw that a unit, which had recently been vacated — the resident located elsewhere on the complex, has an obvious new resident. Obvious because the previous resident wasn’t this kind of decorative.

Elsewhere on the complex was this creatively decorated patio.

I'm guessing this is where those people relocated to.

While sitting on the patio, I’ve often grabbed the phone to take a pic of my favorite sight — my two elderly boys on the walkway but, slow walking as they are, I've not been able to get to the phone quick enough to capture a photo … that is until on my walk that day.

The boys, who look like they could be twins, do not live together. At the end of the walkway, one hangs a right, the other a left. So, I don’t know how they came to be such seemingly close friends …… always together.

I may have to one day come up with an excuse to approach, while the two are sitting outside the gate, engaged in their favorite activity of watching traffic go by, start a conversation, find out what their story is.

I bet drivers passing by, seeing not only the two boys but often other residents, sitting on walkers, with nothing better to do than watch traffic go by see it as sad.

I, on the other hand, think us residents to be content, at peace. Don't need a lot of what those driving by have and do to make us happy, feeling blessed just to be able to sit and watch the world roll by.

Wednesday was another day of bearable weather.

I’d planned to watch the eclipse that day, eclipse glasses at the ready.

Then learned, California would experience no visible eclipse activity as the path was restricted to far northern regions — Alaska, Canada. So, I decided instead to join the Usual Suspects in the Community Room for crafts but took the long way around …… twice around the complex to log in another mile.

Told myself this was doable …… that I could, at the very least get up and out, manage one mile a day, so long as the weather cooperated.

That motivation lasted about as long as you readers probably expected, as today is Saturday and I’ve not been out walking since Wednesday.

Oh well.

I didn’t participate in Wednesday’s craft session, just watched, took photos for the residents’ facebook page, as they made picture frames using stencils, plexiglass, cardboard.

As for what I’ve been doing locked in my unit, other than watching Korean and Chinese Dramas on TikTok and Facebook, lusting after the handsome young Asian men I see on the screen, I’ve been finishing up yet another scrapbook …… one I started in '23, which chronicles my own personal activities, got sidelined due to the birth of great grandkids, making books chronicling their activities.

Once my '23 book is finished, the plan is to do one more, that will cover my activities between then and now, which I sense will be the last chronicling my own personal activities.

The hardest part of scrapbooking is coming up with a title page. I've come up with a system where I sometimes make the title page look like magazine covers, like this one ……

Since this next book will be the last of my personal activities, I'm thinking of doing something with one of the few photos I have of my toddler years, titling it HOW IT STARTED.

In addition to scrapbooking, I've also been throwing together tropical wear for the Resident’s End of Summer Event.

Not finding, in storage, the grass skirt I’d previously made, I grabbed raffia when I was at the craft store purchasing that Venus Flytrap and, in between scrapbooking and lusting after young Asian men in K/Cdramas, building a skirt.

Also, while at the craft store, I looked for blocks and letters to arrange in 8647, but didn't find anything usable.

The fact is, I tried, LOL.

So, anyway, as I was saying …… in addition to scrapbooking supplies, there's currently grass-colored raffia everywhere.

Still not sure I’ll actually have the guts to wear the skirt … won’t know until the day of; but if I don’t wear it, it will turn into Skelly the Skeleton’s outfit for this year’s Halloween patio display.

What a Week!

I’m beginning to think Catalyst’s comment on my last post "Eclipse, Schmeclipse, who cares anyway. It only means the Apocalypse is getting close" is right on, because so much has happened in the world this week.

Last weekend’s rain ………… third weekend in a row we had rain to deal with, plus rain expected this weekend, not to mention the up and down weather during the week of freezing cold one day, 90 degree heat the next, had me not feeling my best as I fought off an ear infection and sore throat.

Along with the up and down weather, there was the Eclipse, sentencing of the Goon Squad Cops that tortured two Black men in Mississippi, news that Paul Flores (purported unaliver of Kirsten Smart) had been knifed in prison for the second time and, lastly, ta ta so long to O.J. Simpson.

That was a lot for one week.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Goon Squad, it consists of six white Mississippi cops (Brett Morris McAlpin, 53; Christian Dedmon, 29; Jeffrey Middleton, 46; Hunter Elward, 31; and Daniel Opdyke, 28 and a former police officer from the city of Richland, Joshua Hartfield, 32).

A white neighbor took exception with mixing of races and reported seeing two Black men (Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker) living with a white woman.

Not illegal in this year of 2024 but hey, it’s Mississippi.

At any rate, the cops illegally entered the home, kicked, waterboarded, shouted racial slurs, assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns and a sex toy, then Elward shot Jenkins in the mouth.

Their vicious acts were then covered up by planting drugs and having Jenkins and Parker arrested.

With McAlpin and Middleton threatening to kill the other officers if they spoke up, those false charges stood for months until pressure mounting from a Justice Department civil rights probe caused one of the six to break rank and spill the beans.

This week was the Day of Reconning for the six.

Jeffrey Middleton 46, Daniel Opdyke 28, Hunter Elward 31,
Brett McAlpin 53, Christian Dedmon 29, Joshua Hartfield 32

I’d have liked to have seen the neighbor that set this whole thing in motion charged for something ……… anything, but what I don’t get is why can’t people with this kind of bias hatred just stop?

You want to hurt someone because you don't like the color of their skin, you don't like them mixing with other races, you don't want them as your neighbor, you hate for whatever reason, and you act out on that hate. People are harmed, people are unalived but, inasmuch as 9 out of 10 times you are caught, called out, imprisoned, your own reputation gone, life in tatters, so what purpose did it serve to act out on your hatred?

It just boggles my mind that folks can’t live their own lives, leave others alone.

Also of note this week was the Eclipse (Partial in my neck of the woods).

After reading reports of those who experienced the Total, I’m jealous and wishing I were more the adventurous type as I could travel to Spain to view the projected 2027 Total.

In the meantime …..

My Kinda Eclipse with Guacamole

As for Paul Flores, second time in a row he's been knifed while under protective care, so I don’t think he’s going to survive much longer in prison. He should probably just tell what he did with Kirsten’s body.

Speaking of telling, the least noteworthy event this week, on my scale, was the passing of O.J. Simpson without clearing his conscious and confessing.

No surprise though that he was a liar to the end as he’d lied at reports of his health not being well, saying his health was good just before that was proved a lie by his demise.

He always reminded me of my abusive egomaniac ex. He too could never accept responsibility for his actions.

In fact, when the ex learned he had six-months to live, something in him, possibly conscious, prompted him to call, give me the news.

As if I cared.

But my humanity took over and I offered forgiveness, saying "I hold no ill will for anything".

His reply was to get pompous, arrogant, "I? I did nothing."

Okay, I thought to myself, You tell that to St. Peter at the gate that torturing, abusing women was nothing. Then, after he passed away, I guess reality hit because there were visitations ... many visitations with he begging for forgiveness.

By then, my heart had hardened. All I could think of was his saying "I? I did nothing", so I told him forgiveness had been offered, he'd gotten his usual arrogant self, now it was too late, so F off and go straight to hell. (Yes, I spoke to a dead person).

After a time he did. I'm assuming both the F'ing off and going to Haydes.

One interesting thing I ran across in reading comments about O.J. was that thousands of Ford Broncos (the car made famous by the 1994 slow speed police chase) were recalled the same day he passed away.

Though the recall had nothing to do with his death, but involved possible cracked fuel injectors that could cause a fire, comments were "They both ran out of gas".

Odd that the recall happened the day he passed away and, inasmuch as I don't believe in coincidences your guess as to its cosmic meaning is as good as mine.

Recap

I was so expecting a total eclipse (didn't learn until after the fact we were not in the path of a total) that I was tempted to call off yesterday morning’s workout, because I didn't want to be in the back of the studio, away from the windows, miss the eclipse.

Instead, I suited up and headed to the Cave with a plan.

The plan was to annoy Trainer by letting him know I'd be going rogue that morning ......  instead of following his routine of having me keep the heartrate up on the treadmill between sets, I’d instead run outside, check progress of the eclipse, run back in.

Arriving at the Pain Cave, I could see (with the protective glasses of course) that the eclipse was already at a partial stage. There was some mild protestations upon informing Trainer of my plan, with his doubting the importance of viewing the Eclipse until I guilted him by saying, "It’s a phenomenon. I won’t be around for the next one".

He got onboard after that, changed the routine to no strength training, just 15 minutes on the treadmill, then we went outside and had a watch party with the owner of the liquor store next door.

Seeing no progress beyond the partial by end of my session, I returned to the complex, again checked for movement towards a total eclipse, but noooo, still partial, and then a car pulled up.

Of course, it was Meat Man, stopping to say hey and ask about my take on the eclipse, as he was heading out of the complex.

Before driving away, he did the usual pursing of his lips, made kissing sounds, and waved the kisses towards me.

That used to amuse me. This time I actually shuddered.

Meat Man would never harm me or anyone. I don’t think he’s that guy. However, now knowing how sleazy he is, the gesture made my skin crawl.

This morning was the 15-minute and now once-a-month Walking Club.

Homegirl happened to be out walking, so I invited her to join Activity Director and I.

The pace was fast. I logged in 1,500 steps, 1.17 miles in the allotted 15 minutes.

Mouths were running as fast as the pace ... which is why I prefer walking alone, no talking, listening to music.

However, some interesting tea was spilled. Like, though I've seen Red Light preparing for the move ... bagging up, tossing out, in actuality Red Light won't be moving for another two months.

She has been approved for the new apartment, but paperwork is involved in getting her transferred from one County's program to another, and bureaucracies are slow moving.

Eyes on the Sky

Super Blue Blood Moon

What was I thinking?

I nearly froze to death.

Sky watched from 3:30 to 6:00 this morning, wearing two pairs of leggings, two hoodies, gloves, boots in 40 something degree weather and, when it was all over, I was chilled to the bone and couldn’t feel my fingers. I don’t see how people who live in the degrees below areas manage. I’d die.

To top it off, none of the photos came out well enough to use because there’s not a night setting on my cellphone.

My cell phone being several generations behind, I do believe it’s time to look into an upgrade to something that works as well night/early mornings as it does during the day.

The first hour sky watching was just Apache and myself. Later, a resident out walking her dog was the first to join us, followed by The Baker, The Seer and a resident making a reappearance in this blog, after a long period of no mention -- The Lady that Wants Braids.

The Seer, having finally gotten over being angry at the Universe, is back to her old feisty self and, cold as it was, we had a good time.

Too good.

We’re sure other residents are going to complain to the office about a rowdy group at the pool disturbing their peace 4:30 to 6:00 in the morning, and decided in advance we’ll just apologize and promise not to do it again for another 35 years.

Trying to thaw out later, I used the new coffee machine for the first time and OMG, what a difference. Making coffee is now so much easier.

I wouldn’t say I’m cheap, more like fugal in that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and why buy a pour over brewer when, with a little ingenuity, I can make do with the stainless-steel percolator?

I’d first boil water, then put grounds in the percolator’s holder, and manually slowly pour the boiling water through. Now that I tired of the struggle and upgraded, I simply put coffee in the FlexBrew holder, pour water in the reservoir, push the little red button and go about my business, coming back seconds later to good hot fresh coffee.

So, it’s out with the old, in with the new, but I’ll hang onto the percolator for when new breaks down, as new always does. Old lasts forever, new … not so much.

Lastly, looks like I won’t have to return to the dealership at all because, driving back to purchase the coffee machine yesterday, I’d forgotten the driver side mirror needed replacing and couldn’t be adjusted to where I’d get maximum coverage to see what’s coming as I drove onto the freeway. Without thinking I pushed the adjustment control and the mirror moved to where I needed it.

I think what happened was, when whoever it was bumped it out of placement and the mechanic removed the mirror to put in the new part, saw the new part damaged/unusable, he put the old mirror back on and that resolved the problem, saving me $450 and another 3 hours in the waiting room.

Now how to tell the Service Analyst I don’t need the new part he’s rounding up.

Pizza Tuesday

Not having to return to the dealership this morning, because no word yet that the driver side mirror had been received, plan for today was to hang out with the folk in the Community Room, people watching this Pizza Tuesday.

First, however, I made a run, few cities over, to a market where I’d seen something the previous day that I should have bought but passed on.

It was just yesterday morning I had the thought, this is such a drag, while making morning coffee.

I’d gone from driving to Starbucks every morning for a cup, to purchasing a pound and making my own using the pour over method with my trusty little percolator.

Then, after running across an article about a coffee that was purported to be an aid in healing angry guts, PLUS detox toxins out of one’s system, enhance mental clarity AND lower blood pressure, I switched to making Bulletproof Coffee every morning, pour over method, with that same trusty little percolator.

I’ve not given up Starbucks completely, but now it’s more like an occasional treat, as Bulletproof is definitely living up to the hype. Along with clean eating, my previously dead metabolism is coming back to life, I’m losing weight without trying, feel better, have more energy and, best of all, haven’t had a gut episode since shortly after Thanksgiving when I survived the trifecta – ear infection, gut episode, influenza, all at the same time.

So anyway, yesterday morning I heard myself say to myself, “I am so tired of having to do this every morning. I think it’s time I looked at some of those machines that make coffee for you, preferable something with a timer”.

It just quickly flashed through my mind and, just as quickly, disappeared as I went on with my day, which included a run to the craft store for yet another needlepoint floss color I’d run out of, gassing up the car, and a stop by the only market with a 30-mile radius to carry tofu shirataki noodles, so I don’t have to always order online.

Leaving the checkout line, with tofu angel hair and fettuccini, I saw a wall of kitchen products, like crockpots, egg cookers, microwaves, coffee makers, and my eyes landed on a Hamilton Beach Flex Brew Single Serve Machine.

Hmmmmm?

The box indicated:

·       Takes K-Cups or grounds

·       Lets you brew into a coffee cup or 8" tall travel mug

It didn’t have an automatic timer but, at only $48, that would have been too much to expect.

Thinking this was just the Universe suggesting which coffee maker to purchase, and that I could beat that price at Walmart, plus it would be easy to return if I didn’t like it, I passed on the deal but, once back at the unit had second thoughts and decided to drive back this morning to opt for the one, which pretty much had been an instant manifestation.

I made sure I could get a refund if the coffee maker doesn't work out.

Once back at the complex, I checked into the Community Room and found a few folks nuking their pizzas, sitting around chitchatting.

It’s a good thing I checked in because I learned folks were beginning to worry … “I hope she’s alright” because no one had seen hide nor hair of me for some time.

I also received confirmation of a rumor that I’d heard in the Laundry Room just this past Sunday – that Assistant Maintenance Guy (AMG) had gotten into an argument with Head Maintenance Guy (HMG) about HMG putting all the work on him. At the end of the argument, AMG had gotten in his truck and left -- walked off the job.

Totally true, I’m told. And AMG had not only walked off the job once, but twice, stayed gone a long time, ultimately came back, but consensus is “Third time’s the charm – he’s looking for a new job and won’t come back next time”.

My buddy Apache wasn't in the Community Room, but earlier had sent me an email about his quest to catch the guy who'd danced naked in front of a resident's patio window. I'm unclear as to whether there's been a second sighting, but Apache said -- “I’ve been out at night trying to catch him. Wish I knew height and length make sure got the right guy.”

ROFLMAO! -- Not height and weight, but height and length.

If anyone does catch the guy, it’ll be Apache because he’s relentless and very protective of us ladies.

In fact, Apache is wanting me to attend a Lunar Eclipse viewing by the pool, 6:15 PM, Wednesday night and offered to be my escort just in case Naked Guy is around.

I said yes, but the Baker tells me 6:15 PM tomorrow night will be waaay too late. That if I want to view and take photos I’ll have to be outside Wednesday morning, not night, between the hours of 3:30 and 6:00 A.M.

I’m game, but I don’t know about anyone else. It might just be me, Apache and Naked Guy.

She Lost Me at Wicked

This morning’s Pizza Tuesday was an hour behind schedule.

Activity Director showed up at 11:00, instead of 10:00, drove to the pick-up point, and didn’t make it back until noon, but at least she showed up – first time in three weeks. She’s probably been on vacation, but I don’t know for sure, as she didn’t tell any of us she was going and none of us asked where she’d been.

At any rate, because so many residents were waiting, things so far behind, instead of the one or two residents who usually help her set up, four or five stepped up to the plate. As a reward for the help, Activity Director allowed them to sign in first, pick up their items first -- which I thought was fair, and instructed everyone else to line up.

Wouldn’t you know … Old Guy who touches the food, instead of lining up, tried to muscle in and join the rewarded helpful group. Activity Director said something to him I could not make out, he did his usual act of pretending to not understand what he was being told until Activity Director slightly raised her voice and said, “Well then, now you have to sit and wait!”

He understood THAT well enough, because he took a chair, sat and waited.

Having arrived at 10:00, I’d been engaged in conversation with one of the residents who’d joined us on Eclipse Day.

She’d been awestruck by the Eclipse. In fact, she had a religious experience over it. I’d photographer and taped her as she raised her hands up to heaven, danced and shouted praise to God that, “It’s a miracle! A miracle I tell you! A miracle from God!”

She tells me she’d been here for two years and, when I said I’d only noticed her 8/9 months ago, she said that’s because she hadn't come out to join the community until about then. I remember, upon seeing and observing her those times she was out and about, I’d commented to someone, “That’s a cute little lady. So full of life”.

Getting to know each other had come slowly. We’d just nod and say good morning to each other while passing in the Community Room, then she began coming over to where I was seated to say, “Good morning, how are you”. Then she evolved to “Good morning, my Sister”. This was the first time we sat side-by-side and actually talked to each other.

She recounted to me a horrible childhood, but seems to have come out the other side well, strong and what I thought of as spiritually minded. I was finding her interesting to talk to and somewhat of a kindred spirit (though I didn’t have a horrible childhood, just a horrible marriage).

When I arrived at the Community Room, Colin Ferrell and Eddie Redmayne were on the screen. I couldn’t name the movie, but knew it was something quite new and, from what I saw happening on the screen, something I’d like to see.

How strange, I thought, for it to be on TV so soon and glanced over now and then, but was not able to focus because of this new friend talking to me (let’s call her M) and all the activity in the room. Later on, while I was still chatting with M, I learned it wasn’t TV at all, it was a DVD – Fantastic Beasts.

I said, “I’m going to have to get that DVD for myself so I can focus.”

M said, “What is that?”

“Fantastic Beasts”.

“What’s it about?”

“Witches and wizards”.

“Oh No, Honey, No!”

“I like mystical and fantasy. I watched Harry Potter, but never could get into it that much.”

She turned up her nose, shook her head and said, “That stuff is wicked. I didn’t let my children watch stuff like that. It’s evil.”

“I don’t see it like that, I see everything as a part of the Universe”, said I and couldn’t tell you what else she said because she’d lost me at “wicked/evil”. Finding her no longer the kindred spirit I was beginning to think she was, whatever else she said went in one ear and out the other.

I don’t know how to explain it. It’s not so much that she sees fantasy and mystical as wicked/evil that turns me off, it’s that she’s at a level where she thinks in those general, closed minded terms -- that something is evil, wicked, a sin, the devil's work – especially something as simple as a movie or a book.

I think she eventually concluded that I wasn’t who she thought I was as well because, when The Seer showed up, she gave The Seer her seat next to me and moved into a chair on the other side of The Seer.

ROFLMAO!

After all the pizzas were divvied up, I headed out to order a box of Starbucks coffee for 10:30 pick up tomorrow. We’ve throwing The Seer a surprise birthday party – though I doubt it’s much of a surprise, as we do it every year on her birth date.

Arriving at Starbucks, I learned the proper term is “A traveler”.

Who knew?

Speaking of who knew … Asking residents why they’d not come out and joined us yesterday to view the Eclipse, most said they’d watched on television. One resident said, “What eclipse? I didn’t know anything about it?”

Seriously.

Post-Eclipse

Well, that was fun.

Setting the alarm for 7:00, so I could be up, fed, washed and ready, I started off looking for signs of the eclipse through the patio windows.

It was overcast, the sun had not yet risen high enough over the roof of the building blocking my view, so I saw nothing.

Having decided to skip the patio and view at the college, I headed out the door at 9:00 sharp in walking gear -- iPod strapped to my arm, list of Pokémon I needed to evolve while on campus, then happened to glance over and saw Apache already at the pool, eyes on the sky.

I walked over and that’s as far as I got towards heading for the college, as others began joining us and we all had so much fun watching the sky, discussing the phenomena, taking photos, posing for photos.

Even management came out of their offices and got in on the fun (I guess no one had reason to escape the pressures of work and be sick today).

Residents who don’t particularly care for each other, some who had actually stopped speaking to each other, put aside their differences and joined in on the fun.

It was a real kumbaya moment.

I ended up with over 100 photos on my cellphone, some of which I’ve been asked to forward to various individuals, a few will go into my personal scrapbook, others I’ll provide prints for the Community’s Scrapbook, which someone has started.

As most others who’d joined us had failed to prepare, there weren’t enough glasses to go around. That is, except for the woman who brought a pin hole paper viewer and another who brought something called a welder’s shield (a little black square thingy) – neither of which appeared to work as well as the glasses.

Consequently, with not enough glasses, there was a lot of sharing – except for me.

I’m not exactly a full blown germaphobe but, when you factor in I’m always washing my hands, always cleaning the unit, won’t go to the movies because I can’t sit in a movie chair behind countless others for fear I’m going to catch something, carry disinfectant wipes wherever I go, I can admit to being somewhat a germaphobe.

Consequently, when asked for my glasses, I said, “Sorry. I’m funny about things like that”. I’m sure I’ll hear about it later, but ask me if I care. There was one time I left the glasses in the chair, but put the selfie stick and something else on top as a “Do not touch” signal while I snapped a photo and, when I returned, the glasses had gone missing yet and still.

Someone had loaned them to one of the maintenance men. Fortunately, the maintenance man didn’t seem too icky poo to me, so I didn’t spaz out. But, I didn’t put the glasses on my face again, just sort of held them up so I could see through. After that, I kept the glasses in my hand and when it looked like someone was going to ask to borrow, I held them in a protective way that signaled, “Don’t even ask”.

When the eclipse reached a crescent, which was the maximum we were to see in this area, we went inside to watch the full eclipse on television.

It was fascinating.

Hopefully the kumbaya after glow extends through tomorrow’s Pizza Day.

I doubt it though.

Pre-Eclipse

Other than cycling 7 miles to qualify for the Game of Throne’s themed Run for 7/Winter is Coming medal, this past weekend was mostly housework, of which I can’t figure out why there’s always so much of it when the unit is small and I’m the only one living in it. Seems I’m always cleaning, washing, scouring, dusting, vacuuming, in addition to adding laundry to this weekend’s to-do list.

Having raised two little girls on my own, while working full time, attending night school, sewing, quilting, dating, partying and keeping a two-bedroom apartment spotlessly clean, I’m befuddled at how it is I’m so overwhelmed at times now that it’s just me, this little unit and no outside commitments.

I’m beginning to see why some of the seniors let things go to a disgusting level. I’m too finicky to let things go, but I can see the day coming when, like some of my neighbors, I have a cleaning service come in.

On the other hand, all the effort in doing it myself has its benefits. Today’s housework netted 64% towards my daily exercise goal.

This being the time of year when Elvis Presley passed (August 16, 1977), Friday’s movie was one of his – Speedway.

With Apache in charge of movie night and soon to have a cornea and two knee replacements, I began thinking his hospitalization might be the end of Movie Night. Consequently, I made time on Saturday to view A Cure for Wellness before passing the DVD on to Apache for Movie Night while there still is a Movie Night.

A Cure wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I can’t say it was a bad movie, but it isn’t a movie I’d view again or recommend to others, so no. Let’s just say I’m glad I viewed before I offered.

My other weekend accomplishment was finally getting around to putting up the new medal hanger I got over a month ago -- not the new medal/bib board I’m planning to make, but a hanger just for medals that I saw online.

One Mile At-A-Time

As for those pictures, lying around since 2012, to be hung in the bedroom, I’ll get around to it.

On tap for tomorrow is the Solar Eclipse.

Some of our residents plan to stay indoors for lack of proper eyewear. The Baker was one of those, until I told her I had glasses for her.

She picked them up this morning.

The Seer is to stop by after church for hers, and Apache said he bought extra for others, so should be fun and interesting; but I have three choices for viewing. I can sit on the patio and view leisurely, I can go down to the pool area and watch it with the folks or I can drive to the college and view it there, where the college is setting up solar telescopes and pinhole projectors on the Library Lawn.

That sounds quite exciting, plus I can hunt Pokémon at the same time.

I don’t know for sure but, inasmuch as the eclipse starts at 9:06, ends at 11:47, I may hit all three viewing locations.

Eclipse

Got my glasses ready, just in case such a sign is given us next week.

I can remember, in 1991, standing with two coworkers at the 52nd Floor window of the law office skyscraper, looking at that year's eclipse ghetto style -- though pinholes we made in a piece of paper.

It worked, we didn’t go blind, but older and wiser I played it safe this time around.

NASA Approved

Having seen on the news that some glasses were being recalled as unsafe, I made certain the glasses I bought were the real deal. I would have liked to have bought glasses for safe viewing by all residents. However, the approved glasses were too pricey to be purchased in bulk, so I settled for a package of three.

One pair is strictly for me, not to be shared because to do otherwise, in my finicky world, would be gross. I’m thinking The Seer and The Baker for the other two and, if they wish to share and trade off, that’s on them.

I don’t imagine we'll see much from our vantage point but, what we do see should be interesting.