Aurora Borealis

The Observatory is located on a hill underneath a wide, open sky, and on a clear night this time of year, if the gods are generous, a most magical and breathtaking performance takes place.

The show started at about 17.20 and continued to almost midnight, in varying intensities.  It was -5 degrees, so we were allowed to borrow thermal suits.  I stuffed myself in a suit 2 meters long and looked and waddled like a troll ... hahaha!  But no matter!  What I especially appreciated was that we didn't have to get into a car and chase it as it was dancing right above our heads.  We left the comfort of our oh so warm rooms and went outside with our cameras, eyes riveted to the skies as we could not get enough of it.  Sometimes, we returned to our apartments because the cold was too biting, but after half an hour of thawing inside we found ourselves outside again.  I remember opening my front door and it had just formed into a circle 'just right there' and I had to remind myself to fetch my coat and jump back into the suit.

Earlier in the day, I got a free Messenger phone call from M in Manila, whom I think I'll call Mimi as she's just had her fifth grandchild, a lovely boy.  Mimi shared with me that the opposing party now knows about my having filed an Adverse Claim and they're going to have a 'board meeting' to decide what to do about it.  You can't 'cancel' or 'demand to cancel' an Adverse Claim, can you?  It was a long story punctuated with loads of laughs as she described how she was approached by someone claiming to be 'outside' the affair but who was actually involved at the start of it.  We are very cautious about sharing confidential information, so Mimi played dumb and blind, and simply told me everything afterwards.

Another thing that happened was that the viewer of my camera refused to operate.  I took pictures through the peephole and they turned out good, and also practiced with my mobile, and they were also good, but I wondered about the evening as the forecasts for the aurora were very positive.  After three days of thick clouds, snow, and rain, we were going to get an evening of clear, cloudless skies, perfect stage for the aurora.  When a couple of ladies asked if they could go to the supermarket in the afternoon, I said I'd like to come along, and then they said they wanted to look for a camera, and so I was glad I came along ... and promptly bought a new one.  As luck would have it, though, the battery needed a long time to charge (logically, as it was brand new) so I snatched up the old one, and the act of snatching it up jogged the viewer ... and suddenly it worked again!  A little tap on the bottom can go a long way.  So now I have two cameras, but the old one is on its way out.  Battered, bruised and proud to say it has done its best.

During one of the performances, I phoned AW and shared the thrill and the majesty of the show and it was so hard.  I posted a live-streaming video being rolled out by the resort owner and his guides, and found time afterwards to post my own shots, which were nothing by comparison.   In the end, though, seeing it beats taking pictures of it.  AW wants to come here one day, and I told him not to get sick next time.  We have to talk about that.

Finished some bookkeeping (yup, all kronor accounted for) and finished packing except for the laptop.  Got into bed and then got out again a couple of times and even went out so as to watch more of the show.  By midnight, the dance was done and I fell into one of those deep sleeps I wish I could get more often.

There's an extra -- a day shot -- the view from my apartment!  All the apartments here have super large windows, the better to watch the aurora.  The observatory is expanding with a couple of new buildings, some of which have walls made up of windows.  A beautiful place and so quiet and clean.  I hope it stays that way.