Thursday Miscellany

 1.  I'd planned on going out to the lake this evening and watching the moon rise over the water, but I didn't make it.  I was letting the cat out, and thought, "Hmmm, I wonder what time moon rise is..."  Then I glanced over and saw it peeking out from behind a tree.  Um, oops.  But I did get out and take a photo anyway.  

Then I took a picture of Jupiter and a few of its moons. 

2.  This is my friend Peggy. 

I took that picture when I went to Missouri in 2017 to watch the solar eclipse with Peggy and her husband Ed.  

By the way, if you ever get a chance to see a total eclipse, you need to take that chance.  There is one coming up in 2024.  Do whatever it takes to get yourself into the path of totality.  Not the path of 99%-ity.  The path of  To. Tal. It. y.  Trust me on this one.   

But this story isn't about that.

This morning Peggy told me a funny story.  See, she's recently had knee surgery and can't really put any weight on that leg, so she uses a wheelchair to get around her house.  It's just easier that way.   Last night, she was wheeling herself down the hall ...well, I'll just let her tell it: 

I was rolling down the hall in my wheelchair a little before 9 last night. Ed was sitting in the living room and said, "You made the house shake just now". I said, "Nope, must have been an earthquake".

Lo and behold, when we turned on the local news, their lead story was about the earthquake just before 9. I didn't feel it, since I was rolling in my wheelchair, but Ed did.

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Yep, there was an earthquake about 60 miles from where they live, and word is, you could feel it as far South as north Mississippi.  I asked Cody if he felt it, but he said no.  A lot of people up there were talking about it, but he didn't feel anything himself.  

Now, you may think this is an odd location for an earth quake, but it is right along the New Madrid Fault line -- which they say is even more volatile than the San Andreas fault. 

3.  Early Monday morning, I got to work and noticed that the guy who brazes our tap fittings wasn't there.  "Hmmm," I thought to myself.  "Roger"  -that's his name, Roger --"isn't here.  I guess I'll fill the flux pots."  Not that that's any big deal, but Roger usually does it.  I filled the flux pots and went on about my day.  Most of the day passed uneventfully, except for the line sending back an entire order that had been messed up by someone on a different shift.  

Along about 45 minutes before quitting time, Roger came around to pick up the scrap copper to take to the scrap dock for recycling.  That's another thing he takes care of.  I got my box of scrap and poured it into his box.  "There you go, Rog."  I said.  "All right," he said.      It's the same conversation we have every single day when he picks up the scrap.  No big deal.  He finished collecting the scrap and wheeled the buggy towards the scrap dock. 

About five minutes later, it hits me.  "Wait," I said, turning to my coworker, "When did Roger get here?"  

She looked as confused as I felt, and replied, "When did Roger get here?"  And we both dissolved into paroxysms of hysterical laughter.  I guess you had to be there. 

As it happens, Roger had jury duty that morning, and came to work shortly after 12:00.  I guess he didn't know they'd changed the company policy.  Back in the day, you had to report to work when they released you, now matter what time it was.  A few years ago, they changed the policy so that if they kept you past 4 hours into the normal shift, you didn't have to come in

4,  One day, I'd like to have a really nice telescope, strong enough to see the rings of Saturn and the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.  Oh, and one of those smart tripods where you just program in what you want to see, and it finds it for you.  But those are some high dollar telescopes, and I could never afford one. 

5.  I cast on a new hat last night, from a pattern I'd printed out several weeks ago and had forgotten about.  I don't have a picture, because two rounds in, I found a pretty serious mistake and had to rip it all out.  As soon as I'm done here, I'm going to cast it on again.  Maybe by tomorrow, you'll have a picture.  

6.  I finished my first Michael Aaron piano book this week.  I'm still practicing up those last few songs, but I'm at the end of the book.  I want to spend the next month just playing Christmas songs for fun, but if you're going to get a Christmas concert this year, I'll need to get serious about learning at least a few of them.  

7.  My computer mouse is messing up.  I think I've dropped it a few too many times. 

8.  That's about it for tonight.  Have a great Thursday, everyone.