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Bond....James Bond

I'm scheduled for a trip to Pennsylvania next week. I feel a shiver just thinking about it as I remember my unfortunate three night adventure in Pennsylvania back in October. Fortunately we are going in the corporate aircraft, so huge delays due to a little crappie weather will be held to a minimum. I'm going there to engage in some Industrial Espionage under the guise of a vendor audit. Happens all the time. We are growing, and as such we want to outsourcing less so I go look around, ask a few questions and then come home and set up a new shop. It's great fun but I don't get to drive a Jag, fly a jet under a bridge, or even carry a gun.

Sharing my new office

I came back from a meeting the other day and someone had left me a note. Some squirrel wanting to winter in my office. It seems like someone is always picking on me. Around here you will know if you aren't liked because people quit picking on you. If you get a daily ration then you're in good shape.

I'm Back

I made the trip to Louisiana and Texas. I had to take a helicopter from New Iberia to Fort Worth. I was an excellent trip. On the way home from Texas I experienced virga for the second time in my life. NO!... you bunch of Sicko's... I said virga not Viagra. Viagra is for Bob Dole and others who need...you know...help for a very unfortunate disability. Virga, on the other hand, is a weather phenomena that occurs at altitude when it either snows or rains but dissipates before it reaches the ground. Witnessing virga is pretty rare because you have to be at altitude to see it, and conditions have to be just right for it to take place. The first time I saw virga it was in the form of snow. I descended out of it but I could still look up and see that it was snowing above me. This time it was raining below me but the sun was shining on the ground.

An office with a view.

The feds just left. I've just went through a two day inspection of my repair station. I'm beat. Everything went well but It always drains me. I'm flying tomorrow and Thursday in Louisiana and Texas which promises to be a hoot. They are moving my office tomorrow while I'm gone. I'm worried that when I come back the guys will have moved my stuff into the John. I know they will play some sort of horrible trick on me...filling my desk with packing peanuts....40 layers of duct tape around my coffee cup...who knows. Well we will see.

They call me Daddy

Being a Dad is pretty cool.

The Day Known as DARK FRIDAY

Over the Hill, Long in tooth, Too old to cut the mustard, Seasoned, Fartin' Dust, Wise, Blue Hair, Senior Citizen, AARP card Holder, Complains about the government, Wears pants too high, short timer, Drives slow with blinker on, OLD. Today is Dark Friday, the day I turn 33. It really doesn't bother me but I wish I was turning 22 instead. I know there is plenty of fun still ahead but I just don't like getting older. Being a kid was fun.

Now I R 1

I finally got to take the check ride, and I passed. Now if you will draw your attention to the third line of the ratings and limitations block you will see the words ROTORCRAFT - HELICOPTER. I've worked hard, studied hard and last night took the time to simply veg out in my chair.

Weekend Rundown

We had an excellent Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving is Cristy's Shopping Day, which means I get to stay home and be Mr. Mom for a day, which is always a day of discovery for Daddy.

Saturday we went to the Christmas Tree Farm to pick out a tree. We both wanted a "pretty" tree. Cristy wanted a tree that was pretty and/or aesthetically pleasing. I wanted one that was "pretty" close to the truck. She won.

I have had a small redneck relapse. First I made deer jerky from this years bagging. Yum! Then last night I shot a possum on the back porch that was eating what we put out for the cat. This is just one of the joys of living in the country. Cristy really hates possums since she picked up the fallen trash can and one growled at her from inside. I always laugh about that but she still doesn't see the humor in it.

The check ride is softly scheduled for the week of the 6th of December. Maybe It will work out as a good birthday present. That's right the 10th is my special day.... 33...Groan. God I'm getting old.

Grrrrr!

Bad Grrrr! My checkride got postponed again. I'm trying to think happy thoughts but it's really not working. Grrrr! Very Grrrrrr!

Check Ride Blues

No, I didn't Fail. I just haven't taken it yet. There was a minor problem with the scheduling. Now everything has been taken care of, and the ride is scheduled for Friday. I have been studying very diligently for the oral exam and actually I'm quite glad that I got a couple more days to study. So for now un-cross your fingers and then cross them again on Friday.

She would have Smiled

This weekend was the opening of deer season. Deer Season is a bigger holiday for our family than Thanksgiving or Christmas. Those of you who knew my grandmother wouldn't need to read any further to know why she would have been smiling. She loved all the hustle associated with deer season. This year was really no different that the other years. Any kind of food you can imagine was there. We played cards, told deer hunting stories and set out in the old house rubbing our miserably full bellies. I usually take the picture the she always requested one of us to take but didn't get to this year. She always had me take a picture of all the cars and trucks in her driveway. It always made her proud to see all the people that had showed up at her house for a good time and loads of good food. We have a ton of these pictures, all just about the same. The cars change style but the people are mostly the same. Deer season is important to all of us but it really doesn't have much to do with hunting deer. I think I love it just like Granny did.

Keep Your Fingers Crossed

I finished my final three hours of training in the helicopter yesterday. I felt confident by the end of the day that I would do just fine on my check ride. I would have preferred to not do three hours in one day but the aircraft and instructor were available so I had to go for it. We did one maneuver right after another to include all the emergency procedures. I sorta goofed on a stuck pedal procedure but other than that I did pretty well. The instructor demonstrated the procedure with the pedals stuck and brought it in perfectly and then took off again with the pedals stuck. He looked over at me calmly while we are taking off sideways and going through ETL (what a goober) and said OK Aaron try it again. I aced it on the do over. Anyway, I'm taking my check ride on Monday so keep your fingers crossed.

I've been every where man...

That old song seems to be the story of my life lately. On Wednesday I went to Fort Worth to audit a new contractor. Things happened. The day trip turned into an overnighter. The words my wife spoke Wednesday morning rang through me head...
"you better take some clothes". Then I remembered my bold statement. "Naaah...We'll be back FOR SURE". After a brief visit to a couple of stores I had the essentials for an overnight stay. We went to downtown Ft. Worth to the Cattlemens's steak house. The cobble stone streets and old stores would have made some nice pictures but as usual I left my camera in the plane again. The next day we went to New Iberia, LA. We ate some killer crayfish and shrimp for lunch and proceeded home. 50 KNOT headwinds kicked our butts.

Trying something New

Hello picture quality is awful.
Trying something different

Rocky Falls

Rocky Falls is a place that you will never find unless you know where it is. It's one of my favorite places in the Jacks Fork River area. In the summer people come here and use the falls as a water slide. I've not tried it myself but it looks like a very easy way to mess up your back.

The trip from Hell!

This sexy machine has been my office for the last six days. Dual GPS, stereo Intercom, CD Player. I picked it up out of the seller's back yard. The bankers transferred the money without a flaw. If only they could have arranged the weather for me. I spent three days in Selinsgrove PA. waiting for the weather to clear enough to make it through the Appalachian mountains. Then I got caught in weather again in Kentucky. On the good side of things, I belive I have seen the absolute best fall foliage of my life. I flew back across Connecticut and New York and the colors were so brilliant that It almost appeared to be a painting that I was flying over. Sorry! I didn't get any pictures because I left my camera in the rental car and departed without it. Fortunately my boss got my camera out of the rental car and took it back to my office for me, but, no pictures. My flight plan was as follows, Old Lyme, CT. Danbury, CT. Selinsgrove, PA. Morgantown, WV. Georgetown, KY. Owensboro, KY. Cape Girardeau, MO and finally after much toil West Plains, MO.

Here I sit.

That's right, I'm weathered in at Selinsgove PA. Tomorrow isn't looking good either. The trip so far has been beautiful. More later!.

Alley Spring

Alley Spring is another stop on our annual trip. They say the trick to taking good pictures is all in where you point the camera. Alley is one of those places where you can capture a good picture no matter where you point the camera. This is the mill house as seen from across the spring.

Blue Spring

We took our fall drive Sunday afternoon. One of the stops is always Blue Spring. It's one of those places that I can't seem to capture and do it any justice. The one thing that has always stood out is the dark blue color of the water. The water is absolutely clear when you look down but as you look across, refraction takes over turning the water into this wonder dark blue. I took this shot of the leaves floating on the water because it was the only way to get a contrast.

It's that time of year again!

Well it's that time of year again. Nope! I'm not talking about Halloween. It's time for the annual homecoming at my company. We are a company that exists primarily in rural Midwestern America. Our president pushes for a rural America family atmosphere so we have a big "shin-dig" that closely mirrors the fall harvest festivals that used to take place in our country schools. Tonight we have a costume party where people dress up, gets sloshed, and has a lot of fun. Tomorrow we have carnival booths in which we play games and hand out prizes. Everyone gets a helicopter ride since we are a helicopter EMS company. Tomorrow night is a formal banquet and awards ceremony.

Something's Gotta Give!

Yet one more dismal day in Missouri. Yesterday was the first day the bright thing in the sky showed itself, but only for a short while. It is amazing what effect the lack of the sun shining has on a persons mood. It's almost like having five Mondays in a row. There has been many days just like this, that I count it a pleasure to get in an airplane and climb on top of the cloud layer. It's absolutely amazing that you can go from the scene above to needing sunglasses in about 5 minutes. Usually, when it's like this, I'll try to find something to inspect in another state but my imagination just isn't good enough to be able to justify goofing off under the guise of company business today.

Stoked one minute, Bummed the next.

Well I will have to wait until next week to pick up the helicopter in Connecticut. The attorneys, banks and title searching folks are involved and they work on their own schedule. I guess the fact that I am having to wait is fortunate for me because there is an ugly weather pattern that would be a problem. My friend started out in Louisiana last Thursday and will finally make it in today sometime all because of crappie flying weather. Sitting at small airports, waiting for the weather to clear is not an especially exciting way to spend time.

I'm Stoked Dude!

That's right I'm Stoked. I'm going to pick up a helicopter in Connecticut next week and the course puts me right across the top edge of LaGuardia/Teterboro airspace. I've never flown the eastern corridor but I'm told it's a happening place. The trip should be really cool because fall foliage is starting in that area. This is pretty cool for a country boy like me. I'll be posting some picture of the trip when I get back.

Family Reunion...Hillbilly Style!

This is the way we have a family reunion. No meeting halls or pavilion's for us. We go to the edge of a field, build a big fire, set up lawn chairs and eat like pigs. The location of "this here" get together can only be found if you've been there once before. I didn't get a picture of the restroom facility this year but is a beautiful "two holler" that sets by the old barn. We tell stories, shoot guns, play games, make fun of each other and in general have a wonderful time. The only topic of discussion that is off limits is politics because this is a deeply divided crowed in that respect.

I'm Still Here...Really!

My world had been soooo busy that I haven't even blogged lately. The wedding photography went very well in my opinion. Work is absolutely obnoxious. I have been playing golf lately. I'm glad I enjoy golf because I definitely don't do it because I'm so awesome at it. Don't worry Tiger I'm not going to challenge you any time soon. My boy Josh has a set of clubs that has been cut down to his size and he is getting pretty handy with them. It's so cute to watch the little guys. I think If I challenge him a little he will get pretty good but for right know I want it to be fun for him. He loves driving the cart and is completely intrigued with the ball washers. He shushes' the group if they are talking when he is on the tee box or when he is putting. I have also been doing some helicopter flying recently, which is cool but I haven't flown an airplane in a while. I know this is a pretty lame posting but I've had a pretty lame life lately.

Who's got cold feet? The Groom or the Photographer?

I may actually shoot some film this weekend. Since I bought my new camera I have not shot a single frame of real film since. My old Mamiya and Minolta looked real sad in their cases so I think I'll have pity on them. Actually I'm quite nervous because I'm shooting a wedding and I'm still not sure if I'm good enough with my new camera to get good results. Fortunately I'm going to shoot rehearsal tonight and check the results. If I'm not pleased then film it shall be. I just don't want to take any chances with this kind of one shot only type of project. So the question is does the Groom have cold feet? I don't know. Does the Photographer have cold feet? YES!

EEEK's that's cold.  

Everyone has an Ivan story...Here's Mine

The whole Gulf Coast is a flurry of activity because, Ivan the hurricane is coming ashore. Tuesday evening I got one of those phone calls from my Boss saying "We have a window of opportunity". Our company had just bought a helicopter in the Gulf Coast area and it needed to be recovered, and Oh! by the way a hurricane in going to hit, so make it snappy. I went home Tuesday evening, packed a bag, and tried to explain as best I could to my wife why I was going to the place that everyone was leaving because they feared for their life. It was a tough sell considering I wasn't completely sold on the project myself. As we flew over south Louisiana I could see cars on the interstates, bumper to bumper for at least sixty miles. Fortunately, Ivan took a turn in the middle of the night and we had no problem at all. I felt very sorry for the people in that area. They were evacuating there homes and leaving with what stuff they could get in there cars. Some of them had no place to go and were camping out in their cars in gas station parking lots. I must say, I felt very fortunate to be able to climb in my airplane and leave.

My Little Friend

Little is right, becasue this baby tree frog was about the size of a dime. He stood very still for a macro shot. When I was done he hopped one more time and then my cat pounced on him. Evidently my cat likes frog legs as much as I do.

I PASSED!!!

I passed the test, thus securing night abilities for another 3 years. We will not discuss how I passed...but I did. I studied hard. I thought that now I would finally get a good nights sleep but wouldn't you know it the absolute height of my seasonal allergies kicked in. Today I'll pat Dr. Ishihara kindly on the back and will now take out my aggressions on ragweed. Ragweed should not be allowed to exist as it is a dirty, awful, and useless plant which makes my life miserable from now until the first frost, which in southern Missouri is about the second week of October.

Shame on you Dr. Ishihara!

I go tomorrow for a flight physical. I have been getting flight physicals with the same doctor since I was 15 years old. My old Doctor retired. The new doctor gives the Ishihara test for color blindness. I am a marginal red-green deficient person and Ishihara plates are the worst possible test for me. This Sucks! I've not been sleeping well for the last month or so because I'm worried about all of this. Keep your fingers crossed for me. If I don't pass then night flying will not be allowable for me until I can somehow circumnavigate the FAA in this matter. I love flying a night. The stars are very brilliant and the cities can sometimes be seen for sixty miles or more especially on cold winter nights. PS. Dr. Ishihara may shame fall on you for inventing this dreadful test. You have singling out us poor deuternopes and making fun of us for years. Shame on you!

A Big Day For Me

Howdy! One of these days I'll let you all know how I got the nickname of "Boyhowdy" which has over the years been shortened to Howdy. Well yesterday I made my solo cross country in a helicopter. I can sum it up in three words, Thunderstorms, Thunderstorms and more Thunderstorms. The shortest distance between two points was definitely not a straight line yesterday. The storms were scattered all over the Midwest and I am convinced if you had to fly anywhere that you would have to deviate. I still had a good trip and built a lot of confidence in the process. I didn't get any pictures of the event cause...Well...I was solo and you just don't let go in a helicopter like you do in an airplane. I'm so completely stoked!

Thanks for the Comment!

First of all I must say thanks for the very first comment to my blog. This means that someone has actually looked at my blog and identified with what they saw. Way Cool! In regard to Sabik's comment I would like to say that at least I know I'm not alone with the whole Pilot vs. Height Phobia thing and must also admit that I'm a bit jealous because Sabik can actually get to the third rung of the ladder. I enjoy the view from a lofty perch but there has to be the feeling of absolute security or I'll freak. Last year the family and I went on our annual fall foliage drive and came across a fire tower that I attempted to climb. Four flights up, right at the tree line, My legs froze and I had to carefully make my way back down. My legs were so tensed up that they hurt for the next four days. Cristy will not let me live it down.

Major Time Building

Today was a big day in my life. I got to solo a helicopter this morning. First I looked over the logbook to see if there were any problems there. I looked at the status sheet to see if any inspections or components were coming due. I performed a complete preflight. Documented the preflight. I Started the helicopter and ran it up. I then picked it up and flew all the way to my destination...across the airfield. That's right .1 hrs. total...Six minutes baby.

Another First

This is Josh's first day of kindergarten. He is a little apprehensive. Mom is a nervous wreck. I know he'll be O.K. but I'm not so sure about Cristy. We are fortunate that Cristy can be a Stay at Home Mom, but separation anxiety is at a maximum.

Facing My Fears

I have a phobia of heights, which is extremely weird, considering I'm a pilot and all. Look up the word weird and my picture will be there. Me and Hannah road this huge Ferris wheel this weekend. Hannah seems to fear nothing which I think goes with the territory of being three years old. I on the other hand was clutching the pole in the center of the compartment with all my might, which is an indication that I may be a wus. But Hey! I'm O.K. with being terrified with something that a three year old little girl does without any fear.

Self Portrait

My life hasn't been very interesting lately, so when that happens I go through my archives to find something to post. Today the posting is a self portrait from my moonlight collection. I know, I make it sound as though I am a serious photographer, but that is a fallacy. I have always had the ability to take something of little significance and describe it as something grand. Some people call that the gift of gab while others describe me as being full of bovine poo. I think the latter of the two is right on the mark. Notice that this image is composed with me being in silhouette to the moon causing a lack of detail on the subject (me). Trust me, that lack of detail is for your benefit.

More Memories

My world has been very hectic lately. I was out of the office all day on Friday but as a result I was able to get my helicopter solo endorsement renewed...way cool. I got to fly into the Thayer airport Friday night. I haven't flown in there for several years. Thayer is were I took all my primary flight training and soloed back when I was 15 going on 16. It's funny how something as simple as flying into an old airport can bring back so many memories. Then something very ironic happened which really took me back. My mom picked me up at the airport but this time it was different because, I am now 32, and also because my son was with her. When I started flying I couldn't drive myself so mom would drive me to the airport and then pick me up after the lesson. My friends back then always said that I was doing some pretty cool stuff for a 15 year old but I didn't realize it because flying airplanes was ordinary for me. As I look back at it Mom and Dad must have had nerves of steel. I'll never forget when Dad and Me were looking at an airplane he had just bought when he tossed me the extra key and said here put this on your key chain. A couple of years later he traded one of the airplanes for a Corvette...He didn't let me have the extra key. I still haven't figured that out.

Chip off the Old Block

When I was seven years old my dad took me to the airport with him. Dad asked me if I wanted to put the inspections panels back on the airplane he was working on at the time. I said yes and my interest in airplanes and aviation was sparked. I had already been exposed to airplanes when dad was building the airplane in the basement but when I actually started working on them I was completely hooked. Yesterday I took Josh to the airport with me and asked him If he would like to put the inspection panels back on the airplane I was working on. He said yes. It was just like I had stepped into a time machine. Up to this point I didn't understand how dad could stand by an let me work on an airplane with all the worries of messing something up or breaking a very expensive part in the learning process. I now understand that it worth the risk to pass something that I love to my son. When I was putting the panels back on my first airpane I felt ten feet tall but now I realize the dad felt twenty feet tall.

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Are you wondering why the exposure is a little dark? There is a real good reason. I took this a midnight last night. The moon was especially full and bright and I was feeling like messing with some timed exposures. Fuji S7000 400 ISO 15 Sec.

One Potato, Two Potato....

Josh and his Grandma dug the potatoes they planted in our back yard in the early spring. His mind went to work thinking of the way these two very special potatoes would be cooked. It's nice to be able to watch a child as they discover something absolutely amazing to them. Some children grow up and never get to experience something as simple as growing a potato and as I think about it I realize that we are indeed fortunate to be able to spend time with our children in happiness. Two potatoes from the grocery store, $0.50...A child making a lifelong discovery, priceless.

When Skies are Drippy Part II

Well flight service was correct when they said the weather would improve. I only ran into isolated rain showers. This shower was fairly intense. I even saw the proverbial cats and dogs inside this one.

When Skies are Drippy

300 feet overcast, 1.5 miles.... Sorta puts a damper on my plans for this morning. Flight service says that maybe I'll fly later in the morning. Who Knows? 

I don't know why I even captured this picture. Some things catch my eye and I am driven to taking a picture. It's not the best shot or most interesting but it was a picture of where I was yesterday and what I was doing and I guess that's what blogging is all about. I was also out working on my redneck skills again yesterday. We were looking for more ponds to visit in the near future. 

You Silly Goose!!!

This goose was sitting on some eggs down at the Mammoth Spring State Park the other day. She didn't get too nervous and it sort of surprised me. Come to find out from other people I have talked to she lays in the same place all the time and doesn't get bent out of shape unless you try to mess with the eggs. Geese of this size can take quite a bite out of you if they want to.