Auntie Sarah waits in vain for the sky lantern to develop enough lift to battle the wind
Plans for seeing out the old year and welcoming the new had been meticulously planned. A fondue meal of rib-eye steak, baked potatoes and more than enough salad to make us feel virtuously healthy, all washed down with a bottle of bubbly, was consumed with much merriment. No risk then, that Mission Contol’s premier launch crew – Sue, Angie and Aunt Sarah – would suffer hunger, thirst or alcohol deficiency as midnight approached.
A sky lantern was prepared for launching, along with 5 rockets left over from November 5th. Chief Stewardess Angie opened a second bottle of champagne and topped up the glasses. On BBC1 the countdown approached its climax…. 3… 2… 1…
Champagne glasses chinked. ”Happy New Year!” The first rocket shot skyward and the sky lantern was prepared for launch…. and there is stayed, held down by a stiff breeze. Another rocket whizzed into the Cornish air, but the sky lantern simply gave up the struggle, descended into the fish pond and gave up with a fizz and a puff of steam.
The news from Mission Control is that inclement weather will persist for several days, so Sky Lantern 2012′s replacement is destined to stay earthbound for a while yet. An inauspicious start to the New Year, perhaps, but one that failed to dampen spirits.
Happy New Year, everyone!
You would think they would all work the same. We let off two in early December, one hurtled skywards, and the other barely made it over the neighbours house – that was scary, LoL. Haves super 2012 any way
Hugs, Anna x
Happy New Year, Angie!
It rained hard in Brighton, too, and in fact New Years Day has been a washout. I’ve stayed indoors.
Lucy
Whose pond did it land in Angela? I have a problem with sky rockets and lanterns because I feel people selfishly launch them and do not consider where they may land. One year we had numerous spent rockets strewn around our garden, an untidy mess at worse but one I shouldn’t have to clean up. It isn’t just that though, some may have lodged themselves upon the roof out of sight and reach and fallen into gutters causing blockages later. Some rockets and especially lanterns have been known to start fires remote from their launch site. Out of sight out of mind. I am not against folk having fun but why the need to use fireworks and lanterns? Personally I would ban the sales of such items to the public. I hope you enjoyed yourselves nevertheless.
Shirley Anne xxx
Ah, the joys of city life! In 14 years living here I’ve only once found a spent rocket in the garden. For the record, if our sky lantern had launched it would have headed up the coast towards a small RAF establishment; as it was it landed in our pond, about 3 feet from the launch site!
You’re right, though, that sky lanterns can be hazardous. However, my Aunt Sarah informs me that, with plans to launch 15 at a recent conference, the Quakers sort advice from the Fire Service, the Police, Air Traffic Control and the National Farmers’ Union. None could see a problem. They are, however, best launched in still air (the lanterns, that is, not the police), where they eventually extinguish themselves harmlessly before the ashes return to earth.
ps. The fish were not impressed!