The Great American Eclipse - Sunday, August 20, 2017

Deb has headed off to Alaska in order to avoid the darkness of the great American eclipse.  I, on the other hand, am going to embrace it by heading out into the great expanse that is Nebraska, traveling to Kearney to see what I can see.

Since today is Sunday, I slept in until almost 7:00 AM.  Up to feed my housemates Sushi and Harry P. Covert and then to leisurely read the paper.  Not to be.  Abby called to give me a play by play of the wonderful Lady Gaga concert she attended last night.  From all reports, it was an amazing show.  Then Jake checked in to give me an update on his family adventures.  Ed then called to report on Avery's first days of college at Towson and to confirm that he is arriving for Thanksgiving this year.  Ed also announced he intends to bring Avery and Spenser to Omaha for Christmas - looks like a busy time at 6208 this fall.

Although I intended to be out of town around 9:00, I finally filled the tank and pulled away from 60th & Center at 10:45, headed onto I-80 to join all the other 500,000 estimated eclipse watchers flooding into the state.

I checked out an audible book for the first time in my life and listened to a Donna Leon mystery, one of the Brunetti series, all the way into Kearney.  It was so engrossing that I pulled into the shopping center once I arrived in order to get to the end of a chapter.  This looks like a new way to travel.

I arrived at Beth and Dick Loeffelholz' home around 1:15 in the afternoon.  Beth is the daughter of Dell and Karen Sennentz; they have built a lovely new home about 10 miles north of Kearney on a rise from which you can see almost 20 miles in all directions.  They have agreed to allow me to pitch my tent in their backyard.  Dell and Karen flew in on Friday and are staying in the guest room.  Dick's grandson is celebrating his first birthday so great grandma and grandpa had to celebrate!

Since I didn't exercise this morning, I erected the tent and then set out for a  3-mile walk in the 90 F heat (I am not too bright in my old age). Dell got nervous when I was gone over an hour so he struck out searching for me.  I did get my 10,000 steps in.

Dick's parents and uncle came over for dinner, along with a nephew and his girlfriend in from Omaha, and Dick's son, daughter in law and baby Braxton all arrived for hamburgers, brats and sundry other items on the grill.  Wine and beer was available and we enjoyed the evening. 

I crawled into the tent around 10:30 for my attempt at a great camp-out.