A year ago, yesterday, East Tennessee experienced the amazing phenomenon known as totality; that is a total solar eclipse. I wrote about it at the time.
It was a big news story then and it’s still on our minds a year later.
Yesterday, there was a great deal of local news coverage to remind us of the excitement from a year ago. I reminded the ones of this anniversary and noted that, at the time, we were at the following locations:
Lisa and Holly were together at a large, historic cemetery near our home.
Paul was with his colleagues from Florida Repertory Theatre in Ft. Myers.
I was at work, sharing the event with a number of co-workers.
A few other notes from that day.
Each of us had some of the special eclipse viewing glasses.
I purchased one each of us. Paul shared his with his fellow thespians so each could take a moment safely viewing the eclipse. Holly and Lisa were joined in the graveyard by a number of other citizens looking for a serene location to look skyward.
The commute home was challenging. I utilized my so-called “Thanksgiving Route” (the one that takes me home without jamming the expressway). Just as it is with the day before Thanksgiving (or even the day before the day before), there were a number of travelers passing through town. During the commute, I suppose, you’d more accurately say they were leaving town.
We were one of the best viewing locations. I remember seeing cars from the Midwest—citizens from Indiana and Ohio—who had ventured south to see the eclipse.
In their wake, they spent good money in our area. So, just by being in “the right place at the right time” (so to speak), East Tennessee communities enjoyed a bit of an economic boon.
More than anything, we all enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. And we did so one year ago.
