A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and moon align. During a full lunar eclipse, the moon falls completely in the Earth’s shadow.The phenomenon causes the moon to appear red, often nicknamed a “blood moon.”
When to watch:
The real show begins at totality, when the entire moon enters Earths’ umbra. On Nov. 8, this will occur at 5:17 a.m. EST (1017 GMT) and will last about 85 minutes, ending at 6:42 a.m. EST (1142 GMT), according to NASA. “The moon will turn a coppery-red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view,” NASA wrote.
Where to watch:
As long as skies are clear, the Nov. 8 lunar eclipse will be visible from anywhere across the United States and the rest of North America, according to TimeAndDate.com. People in Asia, Australia, most of South America and parts of northern and eastern Europe also will be able to see this eclipse.
Aah . . . that’s bella!
The next full lunar eclipse will occur on March 14, 2025, but there will be partial lunar eclipses before then, according to NASA.
No nursing home for me. I’ll be checking into a MARRIOTT!
With the average cost for nursing home care being min. $275.00 per day, there is a better way when we get old and gray.
Check in to The FAIRFIELD:
For a combined long-term stay discount and senior discount, it’s $79.00 per night.
Breakfast is included, and some have happy hours In the afternoon. That leaves $196.00 or more a day for lunch and dinner in any restaurant we want, or room service, laundry, gratuities and special TV movies.
Plus, they provide a spa, swimming pool, a workout room, a lounge and washer dryer, etc. And most have free toothpaste and razors, and all have free shampoo and soap. Spread around $10 worth of tips a day and you’ll have the entire staff scrambling to help you. They’ll treat you like a customer, not a patient.
There’s a city bus stop out front, and seniors ride free. The handicap bus will also pick you up (if you fake a decent limp). To meet other nice people, call a church bus on Sundays.
For a change of scenery, take the airport shuttle bus and eat at one of the nice restaurants there. While you’re at the airport, fly somewhere . . . to keep the cash from building up.
It takes months to get into decent nursing homes. Marriott will take your reservation . . . today!
And you’re not stuck in one place forever ~ you can move from Marriott to Marriott, or even from city to city.
Want to see Hawaii? They have COURTYARD there too.
TV broken? Light bulbs need changing? Need a mattress replaced? No problem ~ they fix everything, and apologize for the inconvenience.
The Marriott has a night security person and daily room service. The maid checks to see if you are OK. If not, they’ll call an ambulance . . . or the undertaker!
If you fall and break a hip, Medicare will pay for the hip, and Marriott will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.
And no worries about visits from family. They will always be glad to find you, and probably check in for a few days mini-vacation.
And the grandkids can use the pool.
What more could you ask for?
So, when I reach that golden age,
I’ll face it with a grin.
Aah . . . that’s the ticket!
Source: E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joan M.)
Who knew that retirement planning should include consultation with an astrologer as well as a financial planner?
Not me.
While I often find horoscopes amusing and entertaining, I have never made a major change in the trajectory of my life based upon a daily, weekly, or monthly horoscope.
But there is a first time for everything, right?
If not now, then when?
Caveat: I have no idea whether your astrology sign will align with the stars’ prediction of a perfect retirement spot for your given predilections, but this article suggests that my decision to retire to the Gulf Coast of Florida was the right move for me.
More specifically, the article encourages those of us born under the sign of Cancer to consider Boca Raton, Florida:
iStock / 6381380
Forget what everyone says about you being too emotional or dramatic, Cancer. You’re actually one of the more laid-back signs of the zodiac and have a natural ability to adapt to every phase of life. When it comes to choosing the perfect retirement spot, all you need is a view of the ocean, some nice weather, and delicious food. If spending your golden years reading romance novels on the beach sounds like a dream come true, Boca Raton is the place for you. The laidback Florida city has a go-with-the-flow social scene that’s sure to hit just the right note.
Even though I don’t live in Boca Raton, Sarasota and the surrounding area offers many of the same amenities ~ ocean views, lovely weather, delicious food, and excellent libraries for Beach Reads!
So that’s the good news ~ I located to the best retirement destination for me.
Huzzah!
Now for the bad news:
BFF is a Scorpio and the Stars are sending him to South America.
I hope our long distance romance survives the separation.
Remember the Good Old Days, when you would take a photo of your dinner, mail the film in for processing (after you finished the whole roll), wait for the photos to be developed, and then run around to all your friends’ homes to show them photos of what you had for dinner?
No.
Me neither.
***
Have you ever been in parking lot watching someone haplessly look for their car because they didn’t pay attention to where they parked it? Want to have a little fun with them?
Every time you see them hoist the key fob into the air, honk your horn and flash your lights.
***
Aren’t you glad you were young and stupid BEFORE there were camera phones?
***
I like to make lists. On paper. I also like to leave them on my desk so that I can guess what’s on the list when I get to the store.
Fun game.
***
I don’t know how to use TikTok . . . but I do know how to write in cursive, do long division, and tell time on clocks with hands.
So I’ve got that going for me.
***
You think you know stress. When I was a kid, if you missed your favorite TV program, you just missed it.
Forever.
***
These days, we have SMART phones, SMART TVs, SMART refrigerators, SMART thermostats, but our smoke detectors are still dumb.
We need a smoke detector that shuts off when you yell:
I’m Just Cooking!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Source: E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joan M.)
We have a white board outside the clubhouse for announcements of interest (or words of encouragement) to the human residents of PBC.
If the birds, the coyotes, the otters, the occasional gator, the raccoons, and the squirrels ever stop to admire Frank’s handiwork, their admiration has taken place without notice by me.
Of course, that’s understandable since there is much I miss these days.
Anyway, getting back to the Signs of Fall . . .
On August 31st, we went for our evening bike ride immediately after answering ALL of the questions on Jeopardy. (And we even got a few answers correct!)
When we reached the clubhouse, the board was blank. WHAT? OMG!
We were astonished because the board is never blank. It may be out-dated, stale, redundant, repetitive, or irrelevant, but it is NEVER blank.
Hmmm . . .
This is one for the record books . . . Frank must have drawn a Blank!
Perhaps he fell down on the job . . .
And came up with nothing!
Perhaps he has a bad case of the grumps . . .
Or he’s lost in a perpetual swirling fog . . .
Or worse.
What if he’s got a bad case of dreaded writer’s block!
Relax. Breathe. Free Write. Repeat.
The next morning, which happened to be September 1st, I biked up to the clubhouse for water aerobics.
As I swung into the parking lot, I saw that the board had been dressed at some point during the last twelve hours.
“ At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint, or even remember it. It is enough.”
— Toni Morrison, Pulitzer & Nobel Prize-winning African-American author
Aah . . . so true!
Do you agree with Toni? Have you reached that point in life yet? Are you taking fewer photos and smelling more roses?
There is something to be said for just enjoying the moment, without trying to preserve it for posterity . . .
I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual . . . O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches. No run on my bank can drain it for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment. ~ Henry David Thoreau
Here’s to enjoying the moment HERE and NOW without trying to capture or possess it in perpetuity.