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dernwyn
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Sun, 11:04pm
Post #26 of 41
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Has Disneyland ever had to shut rides down, due to heavy rains? I hope it's a fun, relaxing day for you!
And I do hope they give you a decent Thanksgiving break at work.
Stay dry!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
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Sun, 11:05pm
Post #27 of 41
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Wow, it must have been crazy fun! 
Best of wishes for all your travels and all the things you and your family have going on. Are all your leaves off the trees now?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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cats16
Gondolin
Tue, 12:30am
Post #28 of 41
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and thankfully it shouldn't be one of those "national headlines" kind of storms. Our bigger concern is whether the whole group still wants to go with the prospect or rain, or to reschedule. 
Thanks! And sounds like the wedding was a lot of fun, glad you had a good time!
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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Ethel Duath
Gondolin
Tue, 1:44am
Post #29 of 41
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Through (or in?) The Looking Glass
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Similarly, but not at all on the same level, when my daughter was new at her court clerk job, she got an email from someone in a related office, and during the exchange the other person asked her to verify that she was human, not an AI bot. Not giving any parameters, ways or means, just the request. My daughter dithered a bit, not sure how to prove she was in fact human, and before she could reply, got a swift email back saying "well I guess you are AI," and was never heard from again (at least by my daughter).
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Kimi
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Tue, 3:06am
Post #30 of 41
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That looks an amazing trip, Altaira! A great mix of history, scenery, wildlife, and the all-important feasting :)
We got home on Saturday from a small adventure of our own. First a few days in Taranaki for their annual Garden Festival. This stay included a great catch-up with Ataahua. We had fabulous weather during our time there, and the mountain was at its loveliest, with enough snow to make it even prettier.
We then went on to Tongariro National Park, the recollection of which is giving me very mixed feelings. We had an absolutely fabulous time there, with perhaps the loveliest weather I've experienced in our many trips to this area over the years. We did what are probably my two favourite walks in this park, https://www.doc.govt.nz/...apids-walking-track/ Silica Rapids and https://www.doc.govt.nz/...ks/tama-lakes-track/Tama Lakes. The latter lived up to its description of being tricky for the last (optional) section, and I managed to come a cropper on the way down, acquiring some lurid bruises in the process (a particularly impressive one on my hip, where I came down hard on a rock). But nothing broken - I had a bad moment when I landed on the wrist I smashed a couple of years ago.
So a lovely time there, staying in a charming old railway cottage. But mere hours after we left, a fire broke out in the park, and has burned thousands of hectares of this precious, fragile ecosystem. No humans were injured (many animals undoubtedly were), but it will be a long, slow recovery.
We returned to a garden in serious need of attention - this year there's been an actual spring flush, which didn't happen last year. My seedlings all survived our absence, and over the next few days I'll be planting them out. Also gradually getting through many loads of washing. And thinking about the next holiday.
Wishing everyone a pleasant week.
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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Tue, 2:06pm
Post #31 of 41
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The Silica Rapids walk looks very pleasant, full of smells and sounds. I'm glad you weren't more badly hurt on the fall, especially that that wrist went uninjured!
But so sad that the park is dealing with a fire, do they know what caused it?
Happy gardening!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Annael
Elvenhome
Tue, 6:51pm
Post #32 of 41
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that's an interesting question
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how best to "prove" one is human in an email?
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Annael
Elvenhome
Tue, 7:20pm
Post #33 of 41
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Falling becomes much more of an issue as one gains years. I remember how I'd bounce right back up from tripping when I was a young thing. That does not happen now. I usually rely on hiking poles out on the trail just to be safer.
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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cats16
Gondolin
Tue, 8:02pm
Post #34 of 41
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Glad you had a wonderful time, but am sorry to hear about the fall.
Aw, I've been following the fire situation - I'm glad you had such good timing and were able to enjoy it just before it broke up, but it's very sad to see what's happened. I believe this coming week would mark 1 year exactly since we did the Tongariro Crossing, so I'm glad we chose 2024 for that trip. I hope the land is able to recover properly!
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
(This post was edited by cats16 on Tue, 8:02pm)
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Ethel Duath
Gondolin
Tue, 9:04pm
Post #35 of 41
(79 views)
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and I'm pretty sure my daughter is as well!
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Kimi
Forum Admin
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12:58am
Post #36 of 41
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And the aches and pains have mostly gone :) It could've been a lot nastier.
Yes, we were extremely lucky with the timing - and so were you! 2024 turned out to be a good choice, as the Crossing will be closed for a while. Lots of disappointed people, and another blow for a region that has been struggling even more than most. I'm so glad you managed that amazing trip (we did it some years ago).
The recovery will be long and difficult, and I have my fingers firmly crossed that the dedicated people on the ground will get the resources they need. Perhaps the largest risk is the area's vulnerability to exotic weeds, which tend to be far more vigorous than the native vegetation.
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
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3:09am
Post #38 of 41
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I hadn't thought about you being in same area as the fire!
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No excuse for it. I knew "Kimi's in Tongariro" and "There's a fire in Tongariro" but I never put the two together.  I'm so glad that you and MrKimi got out of there before it lit-up.
I was listening to a DOC spokesperson on RNZ this morning and he pointed out that it's nesting season; while plenty of adult birds would have been able to fly away, the eggs and chicks are toast. On top of that, the area's barren of food for them now so they won't return until the vegetation and little critters are re-established. 
The description of your fall onto the rock made me wince. How's your mobility right now?
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Fantasy novel - The Arcanist's Tattoo
My LOTR fan-fiction
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Kimi
Forum Admin
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4:56am
Post #39 of 41
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We're very good at compartmentalising information
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so I'm not at all surprised you didn't make that link :) Yes, we really were very lucky - it was only a matter of hours. And the tracks we walked may be closed for some time, I think. If it was this week rather than last, we'd have had to cancel the whole stay.
Oh, I hadn't thought of the nestlings! That's so sad. They have some very vulnerable ones like whio (and even the adults aren't great fliers).
I think I might be able to claim "tough old bird" status with this one. My mobility right now is remarkably good - I actually went for a run this morning. Still some great bruises, and sore in places I'd better not mention, but it doesn't look as if I've broken (or even badly wrenched) anything. I'm pleasantly surprised - it was quite a painful tumble and on to rocks - and then a fair walk back out.
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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Ethel Duath
Gondolin
2:50pm
Post #40 of 41
(12 views)
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Suggest that to her for next time. 
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Ethel Duath
Gondolin
3:38pm
Post #41 of 41
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The process of falling is so alarming, it's almost a relief when you land (depending on what happens then)!
That's horrifying about the fire--it's just unbearable to think about. The poor animals. Hopefully with all hands on deck the recovery will go well. I hope any endangered species there won't be threatened to the point where they can't come back, at least to where they were before the fire.
We had a very similar experience last summer, leaving Rocky Mountain national Park. Altaira and Aunt Dora will know exactly where we were. That's the location of the flood many years ago that Aunt Dora has written about here.
We were attempting to leave Estes Park--what you might call the access town to the park--and as usual headed out towards Big Thompson Canyon, but were met by a road block and highway workers directing us to the other main way out. And that's when we saw the smoke. As we drove the alternate route, for quite a while we could see the first firefighting plane to make it there dropping orange chemicals. It had just broken out. After we made it out, some nasty person started another fire on that other route where where we had just been!
Here's a video I found of the view you can see driving through big Thompson Canyon on the way in, not the way out. I have it starting where you can really begin to see the part with the sheer walls. The fire didn't make it in to that area, or really all that far in, which is a good thing, because I would think it would just funnel it right through. (It was called the Alexander Mountain fire.) I haven't heard anything about how things are recovering, but fire is common out there, so I'm sure they've been doing everything possible since then. https://youtu.be/...26O4imEix2e&t=83
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