The Away Thread



  • Busy time of year at work for me too, but I'm staaarting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Come next week, things should be calming down considerably and leave me with more creative power to spend on fun and games.



  • FYI apologies for my prolonged absence, this is my busy time of year at work. Hopefully should quiet down over the next few weeks and I'll try get back in game over the weekends!



  • I'll be out from 12 Sep - 1 Oct as I chase ungulates across an Alaskan mountain range for my annual "how miserable can I make myself" challenge.



  • I'm back! Seeing the eclipse was great. We had a mostly sunny day in Middle Tennessee. Since my son, his wife, and two grandsons (one three, one four-months) were with us, we couldn't really move far from the timeshare house so we watched it from the back porch.

    I set up my telescope with the solar filter I built and watched it from First Contact until after Totality. About two minutes before Second Contact (when the sun is completely blocked by the moon) the sun went behind a small cloud. We all groaned and my wife was really angry. But it came back out when there was still 40 seconds of Totality. I had taken off the solar filter, but didn't have time to refocus the telescope so I used my binoculars to look at the corona. The rest of the family took off their solar glasses and oohd and aahd.

    I got dark during Totality and the street lights came on. As soon as I saw the start of the Diamond Ring (when the very edge of the sun begins to emerge from the shadow of the moon), I shouted for everyone to put their glasses back on. The most amazing thing was how quickly it became light again. The next total eclipse visible from most of the USA is in April 2024. We already are making plans for it.


    AubreyMaturin



  • On Sunday (August 20th) I'm taking my family to Tennessee to view the total eclipse of the sun on Monday. I reserved a timeshare unit in central Tennessee a year ago for this event. I'll have my telescope (with solar filter) and a set of solar glasses for each family member (including the three-year old grandson). We'll spend a few days down there after the eclipse so after Saturday, I won't be back in Narfell until at least Thursday, Aug 24th.


    AubreyMaturin

    Characters: Romulus Grey, bard the bowman
    Trotter, spooky halfling ranger
    Shesarai Foutopolis, red-haired cleric of Mystra



  • I'll be mostly only on the forums for the next few weeks as I'm travelling for work, see you soon!



  • Hey guys,

    I won't be around at all this weekend, but should be back Monday early. Don't burn the place down without me!



  • Uh… Hey guys.

    I was so excited to be fighting ettins the other day that I threw my laptop across the room... it made such a miserable grinding sound before it turned off. Anyway, hopefully I'll have a replacement soon, but until then I'll be sparse if present at all.


  • The Halfling Defence League

    It's that time of year again for me. I'll be at my family's cabin from August 5 to August 13, with no access to the Internet and very little to the outside world. I will still be on my phone and on the forums, but cell coverage out there is spotty and unreliable on the best days.

    In addition, I've got things going on during August's other weekends as well. So I won't be around much for the whole month, though week nights I'll still be popping in.



  • After a brief lookin, I'm off again Friday on family vacation to the mountains. There's a rumor that we might have WiFi this year. I haven't been able to connect to the Internet from my mountain vacation unit for the past several years. No telling how fast it will be or if Narfell can be run, but I will have my computer with me so I might check in. Otherwise, I'll be back on July 28th.


    AubreyMaturin



  • It's vacation time, and my family demands my attendance for (gasp) fun and sun! I'll be checking the forums every so often, but I'm unlikely to manage that sweet IG thing until the weekend approaches. Keep Narfell warm 'til then!



  • I'm leaving Sunday morning (9 July) for my annual trip to the Berkshire Choral Festival in Massachusetts. I will have no Internet access until I return late on July 16. Don't let the vampires, demons, or the Night Parade take over while I'm gone.


    AubreyMaturin

    Characters: Romulus Grey, bard the bowman
    Trotter, spooky halfling ranger
    Shesarai Foutopolis, red-haired cleric of Mystra


  • The Halfling Defence League

    Will be away today, tomorrow, and most of Sunday due to a trip to my cabin. Play nice while I'm gone!


  • The Halfling Defence League

    @2325a2e6fb=AubreyMaturin:

    I must make a quick trip to Ohio for a family funeral. I'll be back late Tuesday (27/6). You'll probably see me online Wednesday evening after the grandson leaves.


    AubreyMaturin

    Condolences. Have a safe trip.



  • Sorry for your family's loss. Travel safe!



  • I must make a quick trip to Ohio for a family funeral. I'll be back late Tuesday (27/6). You'll probably see me online Wednesday evening after the grandson leaves.


    AubreyMaturin



  • wishing for fast recovery.



  • @3e1f686abb=Fadia:

    Surgery's done. They had to remove a mass which was (thankfully) benign. She's recovering now, should be released Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Gonna be spending the next few days after work with her, as well as the whole weekend. Sorry if any events were planned that Ros or Rhona would need to be at!

    Thanks everyone for your concern/thoughts/prayers. They're really appreciated!

    Hear hear, I wish you guys a speedy recovery! 🙂



  • Hoping for fast healing 🙂


  • The Halfling Defence League

    Surgery's done. They had to remove a mass which was (thankfully) benign. She's recovering now, should be released Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Gonna be spending the next few days after work with her, as well as the whole weekend. Sorry if any events were planned that Ros or Rhona would need to be at!

    Thanks everyone for your concern/thoughts/prayers. They're really appreciated!