Monday Eclipse

Monday is the one night of the week when Stacia may be home to eat with us - and sometimes the weekend. We try to have a dinner she will enjoy, and we do a variety of things focusing on connecting with each other.   I made a favorite Country Chicken Pot Pie. We ate and talked and cleaned up while the hot tub warmed up. It was well into the negative temps, but the girls and I thought a nice soak would be a great idea. 

I finally fell out of the hot tub. I had swung my legs over and thought I stepped onto the top step leading from the hot tub. Evidently, I did...but the steps were icy and I bounced down three steps, hit the icy deck and slid. I was happy to have stopped before I went over the unfinished edge of the deck. Stacia was sure I'd broken something. Not to worry. I have bruises and road rash wherever my skin touched the ice...my face, my lip, my legs, my thighs... I came in and immediately took 800 mg of ibuprofen.  Michael is considering finishing the deck. I have decided during the winter I will no longer sit in the tub when home alone. I will make sure someone is out of the tub to help me in case I slip again. I don't know how you'd add a railing to the stairs but that may be nice in the winter. 

All that to say I didn't much feel like driving up into the mountains at midnight to watch a lunar eclipse. Stacia and Melia, however, were not to be denied the adventure. Off they went to Independence Mine in Hatcher's Pass to meet up with college friends of Stacia's. 

They took snacks, a thermos of hot chocolate, winter wear, toe warmers and settled in to watch for the eclipse.  They were rewarded with an eclipse, surrounded by dancing Northern Lights. Melia shares it was her first time to drive way up into the mountains. 

📷by April 

Yeah, I do kind of wish I'd dragged by aching body out. LOL  Oh, yes, they also had a close encounter of the moose kind. Stacia was driving well below the speed limit or they would have hit the moose. As was she slammed her brakes on and they stopped with Melia having an up-close look at the moose's bum.