Finally, the much-ballyhooed total solar eclipse has come and gone, and while there was maaaaaybe some increased traffic in our area, we all pretty much survived no worse for wear.
I don’t know about you, but I’m sure glad it’s over.
I mean, for the last few days I couldn’t turn on the radio or TV news without hearing the announcer giving dire warnings about not using proper sunglasses, or dire warnings about the near-apocalyptic traffic problems we could expect. You couldn’t even avoid it when you were traveling 104 or the Thruway, where every half mile there was another flashing sign warning of “severe” traffic delays.
Fortunately, those severe traffic delays didn’t seem to materialize (at least not around here), leaving us with just one main thing to gripe about: the weather.
It certainly could have been sunnier, and granted, it would have been nice to actually have to use those funny sunglasses to see the partial eclipse. It would have been cool to see the crescent-shaped shadows and the sun’s corona. Having said that, it WAS pretty neat to watch the light noticeably fade, and to experience the darkness in the middle of the day. People around us actually cheered when the totality passed, thankful for the show.
I enjoyed the spectacle with old and new friends at a home off of Schlegel Rd. One of the more interesting things we experienced was a raucous flock of seagulls which flew over the neighborhood during the pitch darkness, raising an unbelievably huge ruckus which probably reflected their total confusion.
The whole day brought me back to 1969 (I believe), when I was living in Owego, when my mother (who worked at the small-town newspaper) handed us some photo negatives so we could view that year’s partial solar eclipse. In the photo below are my brother Chris (left), my sister Mindy (right) and me in the middle, outside the newspaper office.
Actually, I DO have one more thing to gripe about:
Back before Christmas I thought I was smart to purchase my solar eclipse glasses before they became unavailable. Who knew that in the weeks before The Event you’d be able to pick up a free pair in pretty much every business you entered?
Ah well, the next time a total solar eclipse tracks over Webster, I’ll know better.
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Important note: Thanks to everyone who has informed me about the places where you can recycle your glasses. Stay tuned tomorrow for information about how.
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(posted 4/8/2024)
































