Nothing goes exactly as planned...
Nothing goes exactly as planned...
Except the countdown to a solar eclipse.
I was ready for it.
The crowded roadways.
Heavy traffic.
Mayhem on the way to Central Indiana, followed by bumper-to-bumper cars in a normally low-key city.
I even pictured some of the end-of-the-world predictions coming true.
As you might have guessed, I’m talking about the 2024 Solar Eclipse and my family’s road trip to Terre Haute for the event. Six of us (my husband, me, and adult kids/partners) traveled this past Sunday morning to view the eclipse from my mother-in-law’s house as it happened to be smack dab in the Path of Totality.
Before we left, I was sort of a nutjob, anticipating the big road trip. I kept telling my husband, “We’ve got to start early, gas up, and take plenty of water and food.”
I was also freaking out about our car situation. Because there were six of us, we needed to rent an SUV- which can be pretty pricey. However, my husband discovered an app called Turo, which is like Airbnb for cars - people “rent out” their cars, only for a lot less. (In our case, $500 less.) As great as this sounds, I was skeptical - how would we know to trust this person and their car?
At any rate, we picked up the SUV Sunday morning and were on our way.
And… all of the things I imagined going wrong- car troubles, getting ripped off in some way, etc.- didn’t happen.
And the traffic?
See for yourself…
Besides a little rain and maybe a few more people at the truck stop gas stations… it was actually pretty quiet - not any worse than a typical trip through Chicago.
What about the masses that would take over the Path of Totality (including Terre Haute)? Not so much. While the locals said things were definitely busier, it wasn’t out of control by any means.
Most important… how about the Eclipse? Was it worth it to travel to the Path of Totality?
ABSOLUTELY. It was awe-inspiring.
My husband had a tripod/phone (with glasses🕶️)rigged in his mom’s beautiful garden. It was perfectly positioned to capture the event.
Meanwhile, he had an Eclipse Countdown running on his phone and would give us updates as we waited… 55 minutes, then 45, 25… And then, just as the app told him, the darkness came. We took off our glasses in awe.
Pretty soon after, my husband said, “Get ready to put your glasses back on; we’re approaching Third Contact.” (While I had no idea what Third Contact was, I put my glasses back on.)
A second after he said this, his app said aloud, “Put your glasses on in five seconds. 5-4-3-2-1… get your glasses back on.”
Right on cue, it started to get light again.
It was amazing and inspired What I’d Rather Be Talking About this week…
I had all sorts of visions of what our trip to see the Eclipse would look like.
A million scenarios swirled about in my head.
But none of them happened.
The only thing that went according to plan was something orchestrated by a force far greater than any of us.
The Eclipse was perfectly timed and went according to schedule.
Unlike life.
That’s a little less predictable.
But still as awesome.
Here’s to stopping everything to look up at the sky every now and then.
Don’t forget your glasses.
And now, for the fun stuff… podcasts, streaming, dining, and a special feature, What My Friends Dig.⬇️
Enjoy!
In my ears and on my mind🤔
No matter our age, what we do today shows up tomorrow. (Am I right?) Get tips for your aging well toolbox from the Be Well Podcast, where JJ Virgin tells us about Aging Powerfully.
Speaking of super-aging, the guest on this Feel Better Live More episode doesn’t want to talk about it. Instead, Dr. Gabor Maté wants us to appreciate the time we have now and shares five lessons people learn too late.
Planning a trip with family or friends? The Know Before You Go Travel Show tells us The Top Resorts for Group Travel & Friend Trips.
If that trip involves a long plane journey, don’t forget these end-of-long flight travel essentials.
Had it with city life? Get the pros and cons of small-town living in this episode of Townsizing.
Can’t sleep?😴You know I love my sleep meditations, and this Let It Rain Sleep Meditation sure did the trick.
Photo by Mark Olsen on Unsplash
In my kitchen and on my plate. 🧆
What would it look like to eat NO SUGAR in a week? (asking for a friend) See how delicious it can be in What I Eat In a Week - NO SUGAR, or check out how to Reset Your Gut with an easy-to-follow meal plan.
Are you like, thanks, no thanks? Here’s how to have your smoothie and drink it, too… without a blood sugar crash. More smoothie ideas for anti-aging and weight loss, some veggie-packed smoothies, and the magical smoothie a 95-year-old Chinese doctor drinks every day.
Have you noticed these food trends? Food truck innovations, spicy condiments, and more… get them all here. While we’re getting trendy with our eats, have you tried Calamansi?
Things my friends dig👯♂️
Since I consider Jenna Bush a co-worker and friend (she’s with me in my office every day from 11-12), I’m sharing the Read with Jenna Book List.
I also think of my Substack community as friends, and many of them loved Substacker Elissa Altman’s “The Things We Almost Do.” - It’s powerful - one of those pieces that literally stops you in your tracks.
One of my (real-life) friends, Jenni, has the dreamiest skin. She just shared her secret - HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator (it’s on sale too!).
Speaking of creams… a podcaster I follow (Betsy Pake) recommended this hand cream. Would you just look at the packaging? OMG.
A practical tip from my friend Moira - Eco-Friendly laundry detergent sheets (from Target) or Tru-Earth Eco Strips (from the Container Store). Tried them? 👍 or 👎?
Remember last week when I asked for green drink alternatives to AG1? A few friends shared their top green picks - Kim loves 8greens, Tiffany suggested Garden of Life Raw Organic Perfect Food, and my CPA even gave his two cents worth - thanks, Bob, for the Primal Greens suggestion.
Do you have tips for this section? Leave them in the comments, or send me a message!
*Please note that I have no affiliation with any of the links listed above. If I’m ever compensated for mentioning a product, I will always let you know and that product will always be something I use and love.
On a serious note…
This past week’s eclipse showed how a major astrological event can cause the world to stop, pause, and look in the sky for a few minutes. It showed us how there’s a force at work outside of ourselves - whatever your beliefs are, maybe it’s a good reminder to pause every now and then and consider that taking time to stop, pause, and look into the cosmos might be good for the soul. Also, it’s a reminder that even when our otherwise sunny day suddenly goes black, the sun does appear again.
Maybe not as planned, but it comes back. 🌞
And that… you can count on.
See you Saturday,
Abbey