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<div><font style="background-color: transparent;">Gazers and visitors alike were horrified yesterday (September 18) when a strong gust of wind tore an open umbrella from the hands of a visitor and blew it quickly into Grand's pool. We hoped that the eruption (1134) would blow it out, but it did not. It was sitting handle-up inside the crater on the Rift side. I ran to the visitor center immediately to report it, but there was no one whom Rich could contact that could retrieve it yesterday. I did not sleep well.</font></div>
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<div>Today (September 18) I watched as Dr. Heasler's properly-outfitted thermal cleaning team retrieved from a full and overflowing pool the battered - but intact - umbrella using a long-handled spoon. Barbara Lasseter took a picture of Rich returning triumphantly from Grand with the umbrella. </div>
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<div>Jim Scheirer</div>
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