Lunar Eclipse and farewell

Lunar Eclipse last night.

During dinner, Nate comes rushing into the kitchen like a house on fire. "Come outside! There's a lunar eclipse right now!"

I rush out to join him. It is about 7:30, and the full moon has just risen a few degrees above the treeline to the east. Sure enough, it is almost totally covered in shadow. I yell at Jessie to come and see. We all stand there in awe, staring at the dark face of the moon. The symphony of peepers, the local frogs, are silent. Amazing. I grab my camera and take a few photos. After a few minutes, I go inside and clean up.

Nice timing.

I retire to the White House and call home. Lots to tell Jim and Mom. Mom loves ceramics, too.

Sunday morning:
I'm going to explore Greensboro. It is Sunday, so nothing will be open. Just get to look around.

At 9:00am I walked up to the barn to join the family for breakfast. I walk in and greet everyone. Steve comes over to me and tells me that I missed some excitement last night. I wonder, "Did the raccoons get the chickens again? Did a goat get loose?"

Steve breaks through my musings and tells me, "Norma died last night. Ginnie found her collapsed on the floor, dead."

Oh, my.

Oh my goodness. I give him a hug and tell him how sorry I am for him. He tells me that she died around 7:30. Does it mean something when someone dies during a lunar eclipse? Jessie and I speculate that she wanted to give us something to remember her by. Wow. I am still in shock and sad. She seemed like a really nice, warm woman.

She hadn't been feeling well, and her minor complaints this week must have been serious. She was ready to go and had been talking about her departure since I arrived. On several occasions, she mentioned that if anyone should find her on the ground, don't call 911. She doesn't want to be revived.

When she died, no one called 911.

She will be buried next to her husband in Illinois next Saturday. The memorial will be on the farm when Gareth Tate, the other son, returns from Ecuador in May.

Norma Sager Tate, age 87 will be missed.