August, 2015

Janice in the hospital

It feels like it's becoming a yearly ritual. Janice had a little surgery this month, again. Fortunately, it had nothing to do with the cancer thing but rather 'women's issues'. After spending the night in the hospital, she is back, in recovery mode and will be ready for our return home to California by the end of September. Maybe she just has a thing for doctors.

Meanwhile, I woke up to bad news the other day. Turning three times twenty + five is nothing to celebrate, except for the fact that I am here to complain about it and not be pushing up daisies. Nearing the almost half way mark of my life with such a long bucket list is daunting, especially when things are being added to it at 3 times the rate I am checking them off. I guess I just need to stop being so lazy and push myself harder or life will just pass me by.

 Mother's day and other bits

Turning 91, mother was all in for a party so we joined the festivities in Toronto on her special day. 

Meanwhile the partying doesn't let up around here either. It seems that we are either hanging out on the dock (unless I am flying), out in the boat or jet skis (unless I am flying), having or joining friends and neighbors for 5 o'clock cocktails (unless I am flying). It is not an easy life we lead.

Yvonne, Janice (sort of) Pat and Wally

I did manage to build a stone faced staircase for Janice when she climbs down a rather steep hill to water our flower boat we put in the river. She simply uses a water jet on the hose to spray from the island.

The big wonderful news is that son-in-law Markus got a job as an aeronautical engineer for the Airbus Defense and Space division in Manching Bavaria, about 45 minutes north of Munich, Germany. He will be working on aerodynamic analysis of aircraft configurations. Cool. As for me, I remain unemployed as I would rather just fly.

At least we had one daughter with enough sense to marry a pilot. Speaking of which...

The view from the cockpit

3 hours a day, that's all I ask. When flying, I have yet to cease my open-mouthed, ear-to-ear, can-I-really-be-doing-this, bugs in the teeth smile. All I wanted for my birthday was more gas for the plane. After getting my pilots license stamped for passenger carrying  privileges this month, I am now certified to not only go up and kill myself, but I can take you along to meet your maker too. 

 Step right up, the line forms here! Who wants to be first to go for a ride on the magic carpet?
Email me at: 
are-you-out-of-your-mind?@ you-gotta-be-kidding!.com 

The flight examiner (who happened to be my flight instructor and has become a good friend) said the process would be simple. After the verbal portion of the  exam, he would sign me off after the actual flight test if he was willing to put my 8 year old niece in the back seat and send her up with me. He then assumed the role of an 8 year old, acted just like one and thru in a couple of emergency scenarios in the mix just for effect.

Being more than half way through the summer, I was anxious to get my amphibious floats installed and start training for water operations.  I then built a proper dock for my aircraft carrier (well, what do you call a device that carries an aircraft?) in preparation for the official activation of this wing of the TIAF (Thousand Island Air Force) later this month.

I currently fly out of a small airport that is primarily used by sky divers so they often have friends and family who come out to watch. While there, I am always amused at some people's reactions when they see my plane. One fellow said my plane looked "dangerous". When I asked him why, he said "because it is a lot smaller than an airliner" (!) "Besides" he said, it can only go up a thousand feet and doesn't do well with 'wind shear', right?" 

I think he meant wind, but thought he would throw a little aviation lingo in there for effect. "Gosh" I said, "I just landed from a flight at 11,000 feet and the only reason I didn't go higher was because I would need oxygen and I could run into an airliner".  As for 'wind shear', no plane does well with it but I fly in good weather so it is not usually a problem. 

I am  now a 170 hour pilot with 408 very good landings. [ You will recall the difference between a good landing ( where you get to walk away) and a very good landing ( where you get to use the plane again). Still pretty wet behind the ears as experience goes, but a real fan of this aircraft. 

Landings are a lot like the magic I used to perform. I would always remind myself that you are only as good as your last show. As for my worried visitor, he would probably not believe that my flight examiner and 3 other guys just returned from a 5000 mile trip in 4 airplanes identical to mine. 

Just think. 2 more months and you won't have to read any more of my blah-blah-blah about the plane for the next 8 months!