Fadder’s Day 2010

By lex, on June 20th, 2010

So, not to toast to one’s own and that, but happy father’s day to those in the audience that had the audacity to collaborate in the act of procreation (a trivial task in itself, a labor of love, really) but only to the extent that it enables you to be an actual, you know: father. Which is a great deal more than just making contributions to the gene pool’s complexity.

Card’s there will be, and “what would you like to do’s?”, but I don’t know that I myself can – at this stage of my fatherhood – know whether or not I’ve been worth a damn at it, take things as a whole. Spent an awful lot of time away on the briny back during the formational, so all the good things – and there are many – in my lovely brood I attribute to the Hobbit’s good sense and where there are flaws (however trifling) I tend to hold myself accountable.

Easing Sheets

By lex, on May 1st, 2010

It’s been dern hectic at work and at home over the last several. As is the custom, I arise fairly early, quick scan the headlines and throw something up in this space to keep the plates spinning ’til I get home around supper time. A wee bit of a promotion at work added some overhead to the daily routine, that and the two new hats I’m wearing. Finally found a candidate to wear the old one though, so hopefully things will become a bit more sane in the not too distant.

Burdens too on the domestic side, if only at a distance. Son Number One has been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster down in Pensacola. He successfully vaulted the first of many hurdles months ago, the grueling physical examination given by the Naval Aero-Medical Institute – NAMI – back in November. The “NAMI Whammy” has broken many a young man’s heart, for while it is the duty of the squadron flight surgeon to keep you flying safely if every you might, NAMI’s purpose – or at least it seems that way – is to do their best to ensure that you never come near a set of flight controls, if ever a reason can be found. Your squadron flight doc supports – NAMI screens.

The Itch

By lex, on January 9th, 2010

We’ve been here in Sandy Eggo now for, what? Almost nine years. Which is three times longer than we’d ever lived anywhere else. Kids have grown up here, gone away to school. It all seems so unreal, after 20-odd years of living as gypsies. But it still feels like somewhere we live, not somewhere we’re from.

Home Again

By lex, on April 7th, 2009

We’re back, we’re safe, we’re smoked.

Woke up yesterday, got breakfast at a nice cafe, visited the aquarium. Which you really orta do, if you get ’round Monterey. Tell ‘em you’re retired Navy and you get a $10 discount on the admission ticket.

It reads, “Disabled.”

A short flight to Oakland from Monterey. Up the coast and over the top of San Francisco International. Like it didn’t matter. On the way across the bay a 747 carrying God knows how many paying passengers was held down at 3000 feet until they passed us by. Didn’t seem fair. But it did seem right.

We were there first.

California Travelogue – Day 1

By lex, on April 6th, 2009

An eager drive down to Montgomery, filled with no small amount of trepidation. Have I planned properly? What don’t I know that I ought? Will she get frightened? Sick?

All these doubts I kept to myself – we were going, and it’s no use scaring the pax.

Herself saw the airplane and must have blanched a bit, at least on the inside if such a thing is possible. If you’ve never flown in anything smaller than an Embraer, the Cessna Skyhawk is an unprepossessing vehicle even when new, but a 1978 172N will also have a “patina of use” to go with its diminutive stature. People have been flying them about the country since shortly after the Wright brothers got some air at Kitty Hawk, though, and it did have dual comm/nav and distance measuring equipment.

Airport Saturday

By lex, on January 17th, 2009

So, got the holler from the weekend employer that there was a cancellation for the 1300 go, ergo an empty seat. Would Son Number One like a hack at it?

He would.

Turned the corner into the airport parking lot today and saw something bizarre on final. Couldn’t make out if it was a helicopter or a fixed wing single for a moment – I was on the motorcycle, so my attention was divided. Turned out to be a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) known as a “Sky Boy.” Looked like a barcalounger with fabric wings and a lawnmower engine driving a pusher prop.

Took a few quick pics around the ramp. There was the SNJ ready to go, with the big Pratt & Whitney ready to bark out its song. I was on the ramp anyway, so this lovely example of a Ryan Navion Myers 200D had to make the cut. As did this slick Mooney and the Cirrus SR-22 right alongside.

Thanksgiving 2007

By lex, on November 23rd, 2007

Last year I told my secret about I how I get the family to smile so broadly just before a picture is taken: “If there’s one sure thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that the only way to make everyone really smile for a picture is to say something absurd or entirely out of character and then give them three seconds to realize why you did so.”

It turns out there’s an easier way –