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Today is a BIG trigger


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Dave,

The funny part is, I went to it with my kids' dad right before our divorce.  We came back home and he said, "You know, I could have pushed you down there."  ??!!  Wow, you think you know somebody, and that was after 23 years of marriage.  It's a good thing he didn't act on it.  It was a pretty amazing sight to see though.

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Today, August 21, 2017, I drove to an area just north of St Matthews, South Carolina, in order to be as close as possible to the center point of totality for the Eclipse of 2017.

If Dana were still here, we would have instead been in Salem, Oregon, and would have traveled to a place north of Depoe Bay to watch the eclipse come ashore from the Pacific Ocean. We had reconnected with an old friend from Salem last September, and would have been visiting this week with our friend from 34 years ago. The eclipse was to be icing on the cake.

In March I decided to make the trip anyway, and to take some mementos and toss them into the Pacific. I also was going to release a lock of her hair in the Pacific. Recently her sons released some of her ashes to me, and I was going to take them out there and spread them during the eclipse. Unfortunately a series of family emergencies, health issues for my son and a monstrous financial burden occurred, and I had to postpone my trip.

So today I had to settle for a "local" viewing instead (4 hours' drive). I am deeply saddened that I could not do this for her, for this specific event, but I hope and feel she would understand. I thought about her constantly during the drive to and from it. I will reschedule the trip to the Pacific as soon as I am able. I promised her over a year ago that if she should go before me, I would get her ashes to the Pacific. The ashes went to her sons, as next-of-kin, but they were very gracious in sending some to me.

Dana grew up a surfer girl in Southern California, and her heart was always tied to the Pacific Ocean. Oregon would have become special for the two of us. So I will still get there, when I can.

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Dave, my son lives in Aumsville, and works in Salem...he took the day off and had an eclipse party, including a photographer.  They had a perfect view of the eclipse.  I'm a little off the beaten path so my view wasn't 100% but still neat to watch.  I would have driven there to watch it but for my knee, I'm still healing from my fall and putting in the clutch isn't comfortable. Unfortunately with bumper to bumper traffic like that, you have the clutch in a lot.  I'm very sorry I wasn't able to make the drive because this really is a special event.  I thought if George were alive he would have gladly driven me.  I guess we never get over thinking thoughts like that, just as you thought about how if Dana were alive how the day would have gone.

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12 hours ago, DaveM said:

Today, August 21, 2017, I drove to an area just north of St Matthews, South Carolina, in order to be as close as possible to the center point of totality for the Eclipse of 2017.

If Dana were still here, we would have instead been in Salem, Oregon, and would have traveled to a place north of Depoe Bay to watch the eclipse come ashore from the Pacific Ocean. We had reconnected with an old friend from Salem last September, and would have been visiting this week with our friend from 34 years ago. The eclipse was to be icing on the cake.

In March I decided to make the trip anyway, and to take some mementos and toss them into the Pacific. I also was going to release a lock of her hair in the Pacific. Recently her sons released some of her ashes to me, and I was going to take them out there and spread them during the eclipse. Unfortunately a series of family emergencies, health issues for my son and a monstrous financial burden occurred, and I had to postpone my trip.

So today I had to settle for a "local" viewing instead (4 hours' drive). I am deeply saddened that I could not do this for her, for this specific event, but I hope and feel she would understand. I thought about her constantly during the drive to and from it. I will reschedule the trip to the Pacific as soon as I am able. I promised her over a year ago that if she should go before me, I would get her ashes to the Pacific. The ashes went to her sons, as next-of-kin, but they were very gracious in sending some to me.

Dana grew up a surfer girl in Southern California, and her heart was always tied to the Pacific Ocean. Oregon would have become special for the two of us. So I will still get there, when I can.

Don't beat yourself up too much Dave. You did the best you could under the circumstances. The Pacific will be there when your are ready and able to make the trip. I'm sure she would be proud of your efforts and with the knowledge that you intend to keep your word. I hope you can make it soon.

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