Dirty Nails and the Man

I wasn't born a pilot. I wasn't born a mechanic. Yet, I love wrenching, dig working on my plane. Its a sweet achievement that I can't always put to words properly.  When I look at my dirty nails I smile...grease, grime...

I didn't dream of flying when I was young.  It grew in me slowly, surely and eventually I became a pilot.  I worked hard for it and wouldn't change my life's path.

He encouraged me and supported me, he wanted me by his side and I wanted to be no where else. Here we are 32 years this year and going strong. 

In our intimate conversations, he will tell me the things that I can't share, we have "our" conversations, whether they are vocal or quietly felt. He is my true course, my loving partner who led me towards my destiny.

The ease of this man, allows me to revel in my wildness, my independence. He never realized his love of this 'flying' bug would grow in his woman so strong, sometimes we laugh I have surpassed his passion...I live and dream often to be an eagle.  He understands my love of flight, he understands my need to inspect my plane solo, he gets it.

I hunger to be in the sky hanging from the edge of the clouds, to sweep my wings through the clouds...closing my eyes I giggle as I come out the other side...shush, its our secret, ok?

Often we depart from our home field at the same time and if we see each other, we chase, we dive, we parallel park in the air...his pigtail flying behind and when I see him turn his face towards me and give me "that" smile...all mine.

I am the luckiest woman in the world to be able to share the same passion he has...its a dream come true.

We four was the crew

It's not important who the players are.....it's only important that I spill forth what I need to say. Crew = hubby, two buds and me.

I don't remember how we became the "crew"....it just came to be and we all "referenced" that we four were the "crew".  Not meant to keep others out or isolate - just a simple label....we four were close in ever facet...it was easy...and fun....the laughing came easily, carrying on was rampant, and constant daily razzing was the norm. 

We four are pilots, not the kind that fly kit planes that come in a box from the store (not that there is anything wrong with that, ha) we fly real planes that lift off the earth and head towards the sky, soothing our hearts.  It was the glue that bound us close,  re-kindling our inner child. The kind of joy that can grasp your innocence and bring back, that which we often times misplace when we become adults. It was that kind of flying, that kind of passion. That kind of friendship.

Then it changed, it's not important the how.....or why.  It just changed.  They told me over and over, it will be fine. They told me it was temporary. Then they said sometimes things in life change to never go back. I wasn't prepared, I was blindsided and confused. I hate change.

Then the story changed again.  There were stipulations, things were quiet and distant. There was no laughing, there was no razzing, no contact, there was silence. Then the elephant came to visit my barn and I struggled.  I don't particularly care for elephants now.  I am at a loss, still.  It's gone on too long, It's hurtful, it's painful....truth. 

I have always been one of the "boys" yet I look different. If I was paid for every time that was said, I'd be rich.  I wish it was that easy, it isn't.  I own two "X" chromosomes, they float in me and have wreaked havoc on my mental outlook this time.  I am not a "flat-liner", my emotions are written on my face - laid out, it's hard to battle them and sweep them under the rug.  I want to cut the emotion out, I want to ignore, I cannot as the universe has other plans for me. Is this what they call a life lesson? I'm tired of thinking, I'm tired of the elephant visiting my barn. I am of a logical mindset, yet, I'm not able to resolve this....friends to deathly silence.

Truth be told, I am very selfish...there I said it out loud....mainly with my airport buds...shared passions, like interest, same humor...was a good recipe for a long time. The recipe has changed and I don't want to heed the new directions laid out for me on the small recipe 4x5 card,, I'm stubborn like that.

It is my wish, my 2015 resolution that I conquer this. Its been hanging on me like a wet leaf...it has been trying, how do you go from a great friendship to nothing overnight?  What are you supposed to do if it just stops and ends?? Splain.

I feel a great dishonor...It's hard to put to pen....realizing some people aren't meant to continue on my path of life. I must not hold tight, it will soon slip through my fingers, falling on the ground.  While painful for me it is time to let it go. I don't want to close my heart off, it's not how I am made up.  It's one of those things, or it used to be, a best friend that you could afford to be stupid with...we had the best fun - gone now.

I am waiting for the universe too wrap her arms around me and settle my unsettled thoughts....I struggle as I want the harmony I once had in my world, with all of my buds in place, my passion steadfast, the peace my barn held for me..it's time, I need to surrender to something that is bigger than me.

It has been said that when one door closes tight, and you lose a special friend, another door opens. seems somewhat cliche to me....I'm not interested right now...I know you will say don't be closed off.

Today I am looking ahead as I can no longer sacrifice the person I am to something that has ended. I will forge ahead knowing that the universe has other plans for me.  Seems my timing was off.......IWBF (I will be fine, my bud always told me that) - YUP my head held high I need to focus ahead.

I don't think our friendship will ever be right again...that makes me sad. 

Did I tell you I hate change......it's tough when your friend begins to ignore you. It's even tougher to pretend you don't mind.  A broken friendship can be a comma or a full stop.......it's a choice.

This is not the an uplifting share, I know. It was something I had to put to pen, and while my feelings have been raw for some time, who knows where things will end up.

Have faith, because believe it or not, I do.

Peace.

FRENCHY

I have always called her Frenchy and he is okay with my moniker.  I have always created names for inanimate objects as well as a chosen few people that happen to fall into our barn...(our hangar)...its how I roll.

Frenchy is a 1948 French Stampe Bi-Plane and my bud Pat has owned her for quite a few years. There is nothing more welcoming than seeing an open- cockpit plane setting on grass ready to make a leap into the crisp autumn air.

I have flown her once from the front and Pat lobbed out a question while we were pulling her out the other night, I wasn't expecting.."you wanna get in the back seat"? I hesitated for a bit, I don't know bud, are you sure? Sure I'm sure he said...well? Welllll, okay. I climbed in quickly before he changed his mind I thought maybe, just maybe,  this would be the kick I needed to get back into my zone.  I can't explain this to you, about the zone we pilots have or feel, taste and breathe...and it was not palpable for sometime, something I shared with only a few.  Now you know.

He made me put the soft leather helmet on my bean head while he showed me the instruments "which were in French numbers and letters". This should be a breeze..ha. He then explained what the gauges were, airspeed, oil temperature, along with everything I needed to know to be 'PIC' pilot in command. 

He got Frenchy started and he climbed in the front seat and off we went.  Now imagine you are in your buds favorite plane, taxing down to the end of the runway using s-turns because you can't see a dang thing in front of you.  I was grinning wing to wing with the stick in my right hand, the throttle in my left hand.

I couldn't wait to feel the wind on my face as I tilted Frenchy slightly on takeoff to see the wind jostling the corn stalks. The leaves were blowing off the trees gently.  Breathing in the fall scent, opens your senses, my pilot palate was in overload. We could feel the cool air, the crispness and the sun made shadows all around us. We pilots have a special view.  Tonight she wrapped me or cloaked me completely, while I roamed the sky, sliding wing to wing, floating close to heaven as my eyes reignited back to flight. Welcome back, to my destiny. My light had dimmed but not gone out and Frenchy touched me deep showing me the peace that had eluded me.

I wanted to land her, I was ready.  I hung my head to the side and slipped her slowly to touch her wheels gently to the grass....Pat wasn't too happy with me...my landing was good...sorry bud I laughed..I really wasn't...ha.

After the second landing, Pat says I'm hopping out...time for you to solo her...now the ante was raised and I was ready to grab the key...and solo my first bi-plane!! My insides were giddy, I couldn't stop smiling, it felt as though this was my first solo. She held the secret for me, she had been waiting to share it and I was simply holding on.

I will tell you this, unashamed that I kept saying "is this really happening"??? No crying here... I was ecstatic , crazed, confident, delirious.  I wanted to play with the sky. I had to slice her gently back around for him to hear her purr, watch her against the backdrop of the setting sun, see her shadow on the ground. He said it was a beautiful sight to see..way cool. Our backyard view is not the same...we don't look away, our eyes wonder the sky lazily as we pilots are treated to mystical sights from above our splendid earth.

It was time to come back to earth..I dawdled. The sky had made something special for us tonight.  I was forced to come down from my natural high she had willingly given me. It wasn't easy. I felt the air on my my face  I felt renewed .I settled her down and taxied back to his hangar, it was time to say goodnight.

I was beaming, smiling, laughing out loud. I yelled that was so amazing!!! Thanks bud! It's the time spent in sharing our passion, this gift of flight that we are beyond grateful for.  My friends have the coolest toys..

Now I want to fly Frenchy again ...can I Pat?? can I? can I?

Wishing upon a dream...not if I can help it

I have had quite a summer this year.....what some might consider a lost one.  Not me, it was a time to be grateful for all those things that mean the most...it was a time for a true "dish it out" life experience, I worked on focusing on being grateful, with my predicament this was easy and difficult at the same time. 

I have so many things that make me happy, of which truth be told it sometimes gets lost and pushed back in the former back of our mind until life decides to set you back.  I share this with you in raw fashion only to give you a glimpse of how it forced me to hunker down and enjoy the moments of life that are a daily gift we often times ignore. 

Time as measured in milliseconds, minutes, hours roll by quickly even though I'm not ready...It's been hard to fathom that seven weeks have gone by or I just blinked and summer is over.  My life gave me a "blip" in the road and I'm working to get better and when I think it's so close and I'll be ahead, my laid out destiny takes a few steps back.

I was in a car accident; my first in 52 years, my first ride in an ambulance, my first ER visit, my first concussion, busted teeth and those closest to me saw the spark of ME dim.  I would dig deep to show bravado, to be playful while mostly I struggled, truth.

I do believe that struggles aka life lessons are needed for us all... While it doesn't mean I have to like them while in the throes of it....it simply is what is.

How I envision it; it's my life, the walk on my path and while it's hard right now, I must forge ahead and grin and bear it...it's life baby.

So, tonight while I set here I am looking ahead to my favorite month  September, where I am a wanderer, I float above the green earth, I search for nothing in particular, I am simply me, alone with my thoughts, no demands, no duties, no rules, smiling large I am at the most peace forging towards surprises, new experiences and awe through my own eyes.  I cannot spill out what colors my mind, that is mine alone, just as your view is yours alone.

I normally have a "plan" of where Girly Plane and me will go and I organize my itinerary in general terms and continue to fine tune over the summer months, while this year I had not been well enough to plan, yet, I dreamt of it in the recesses of my mind while I rested and rested and rested.  Can you taste the palpable distaste of this "resting" I mention? I am not one to rest, I run through life living large, boastful of razing, playful as a wild child with my innocence and curiosity spilling forward.

I needed to keep the trend of my journey this year and plan to explore a place (s) I had never been. Even if I am not able to take this trip I had to look on the map, plan a route of some sort that I could simply envision and have a target to dream and reach for.

I came up with a short challenging trip of what my mind might see, would the sights look the same up close and personal? I really didn't care, I prefer the element of surprise, the wonderment of what might be ahead.  I'm excited to plan, and thinking of what we might see, who we might meet....me and Girly Plane my cohort.

I push ahead focusing on getting my own pilot self to be current, to be sure I'm ready for any of the weather my long cross country is liable to toss at me.  It's been some time since I've been PIC in my Girly Plane, yet I feel she will embrace me, squelch my nervousness as she has a way of doing that.

While emergencies fester in the back of my mind, I will be ready to tackle them if they arise.  I plan on packing a few items for unexpected issues...tools (and they always come in handy), first aid supplies and such within reach.

I have looked over the flight planning, marked fuel stops, reviewed airports, looked at lodging and depending on flight conditions I always have a back up plan, it's a must.

I'm giddy, setting here thinking of what I have planned...it's a month away.  I'm exciting to collect sunsets, piling them up next to some thunderstorms, with racks of rainbows, baskets of full moons and how my eyes see the light reflect all around  me will be the calmest of calm.

It is flying that is the essence of my spirit, nurturing my soul in its awesomeness splendor.  Emotionally my being will fill up and I will slip into the nirvana only I am able to feel...what a splendid idea to look forward to. 

FRIENDS, Warbirds and LOTS of LUCK

I have some really good friends......really.........I'm a little late in the post, at the time when I started this post, I was on vacation and enjoying my time off and dropped off the "net", a good thing....we all should drop it and live in the moment with no posts, no likes, no contact except for who is setting next to you.

My oldest friend, Gene Breiner 89 years old works for the FAA and he knows I have an addiction to planes, and anything to do with flying.  He inspects experimental aircraft and gives them their certificate and he asked me if I wanted to see a Gruman Avenger on May 27th 2014 that was temporarily based at Hagerstown, she was to leave for her home base in Culpeper VA. I said sure, I'm always up for anything having to do with aviation...now who could I ask to join me.....hmmmm...my bud Pat wasn't sure...my bud Matt...couldn't.......I decided hell I'm going solo no problem I had to see her, I have a love for old flying Warbirds, how can you not?

Early Tuesday morning at the crack of dawn, cause that's how I roll,  I got to the barn (our hangar) and pre-flighted my Citabria known as "Girly Plane"...all set to go and the storms would give me the morning free.....and my bud Pat contacted me asking...you have a seat open?...in my wicked humor..nope, no room!! HAHA...we headed west and talked of how cool is this going to be, to see a Warbird and hear her roar up close and personal.

We landed and could not see her, the tower directed us towards where the Fairchild planes were manufactured and as we turned towards the buildings there she was setting, a stunning 1945 TBM 3E Grumman Avenger...the most awesomeness airplane..I parked Girly Plane near by and was so excited to be able to get close to the Avenger with no ropes to hold us back, no one to tell us to not touch her, and in fact we we were able to climb the ladder, climb in and set in the pilots seat...how is it we can be this lucky...yes we have pictures...

While we were walking around her a T-6 came cresting the corner our second favorite all time plane.......really?? Like two kids, we quickly circled the pilots and asked questions of them and the T-6 pilot said sure climb up and set in her...I kept looking at my bud Pat saying "can you believe this" we both had the biggest smiles.

Here's the deal the T-6 pilot Fran brought John Fuentes to fly the Avenger to her home base in Culpeper VA.  After the check was delivered to Gene, he would sign off and she would head off.  While roaming the Avenger, Gene scrambled and yelled for me to come over to them.......asking me
"look there are two seats open, do you want to ride in the Avenger and Pat can go in the T-6"? , the only thing is you will need a ride home from Virginia? I quickly said noooo, I don't have a ride, storms are approaching and we would probably be stranded....did I really just say nooooo??? WTH is wrong with me?

I called my hubby Barry and told him...he actually laughed and said "hun, you have to do this"!! 

I actually walked away and sighed, then practically started stomping my feet...I walked towards Pat and said "we have to make this happen", I quickly thought through my options and it seemed simple..all I needed was a car, drive back from Culpeper..how hard is that?  Lady Luck was making this difficult...no rental car to be found...resigned to the fact this was not going to happen, I walked over to both pilots and thanked them for waiting for us to try to make this happen.  I then walked over to Gene and Joe and explained where we stood, no where...and Gene, saved us,  tell you what, we will drive down and get you......now you know why I said I have "good friends".

I climbed in the hatch of the Avenger and was told I was in charge of the 30 caliber gun and torpedo drop...yea man, I can do this. After we lifted off I could climb up to sit in the co-pilot seat...and sitting in that seat, I really couldn't stop smiling...You know how you can remember a memory to all of the minute details of that moment? I'm setting here again smiling..... Meanwhile, my bud Pat was smiling ear to ear as he hopped in one of his favorite airplanes, the T-6...at that exact moment we loved our lady luck.

So, I setting in the belly and wondering how many young men have sat in this very seat...looking around the inside of her I was seriously humbled I was doing something very few people have the opportunity to do.

We departed Hagerstown Airport and headed south west down to Culpeper and I kept telling the pilot, John that I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and he shared with me that his passion was having the opportunity to fly these warbird's. Here he was living his passion....how many people get to do that? It was a beautiful flight and she lumbered through the sky and we landed to a small local crowd in Virgina. When I crawled out, I saw the glint of spark in Pat's eyes...I don't think I have ever seen him smile that big.  He insisted in giving her a kiss and then I had to ante up, while only reaching the prop...cause I'm short stuff, an no I didn't care about any bugs.....;-)

Our ride of Gene and Joe showed up and we were chatting, rambling and giddy as kids.  We continued this awesome day and headed up to see Kenny Hyde's place where the Wright Flyer is built....you see sometimes, these old timers have a plan and Kenny's place was 10 miles up the road, but we didn't mind at all.  Pat and I agreed it's the times like this of time slowing and us getting the opportunity to get an inside look see into special places due to Gene's connections, that we never rush through.  We were not permitted to take any pictures, however, the tour, led by Kenny showcasing his #59 original Wright engine was one of the highlights...seeing the planes, wood props, and meeting the employees and interns is forever engrained.

Just about now, we were all hungry...eats, ice cream and off we went heading north back to Hagerstown airport where Girly Plane was waiting for us and we all agreed with the weather and storms moving in we needed to make a decision in Frederick.  The closer we got the sky's darkened and rain was close and the winds were expecting to get wicked and I made the decision to head back to the barn and leave Girly Plane in Hagerstown and when we got back the wind sock was as calm the sky was clear as could be and I looked at Pat and we were both thinking...WTH, how's that weather forecast and wicked wind working out?? I coulda...I shoulda...oh well better to be safe than sorry.

13 hours later I pull into the driveway at home and while I'm glad to be home I am glued to the puter (what I call computer) watching the forecast and see more storms moving in for the next few days and I might have a small window to get her out early tomorrow.......I am lucky to have a good friend that fly's a jet and text him, are you around tomorrow early....he is off and farm boys are always up early.  At the crack of dawn I text him it's now or never.....Matt picks me up within minutes, we highjack another buds plane and head to get Girly Plane home.....as we arrive the sky is getting dark and it's raining.  I ask Matt to stay close and we roll out quick.  We hit some rain showers and as soon as we crested the mountain we were in the clear.  I did my signature fly-by over Pat's house (yea I have a habit of doing that to my closest buds, just to say "hay guys I'm flying", gosh I love to razz them, wing-girl style).

I don't have anything real special or poignant I can say about that special day....it's in the memory bank, we laughed so much the four of us.  I had to tell them the next day that riding around with them two was a treat for both of us...and Gene in his way, said "I didn't know we were the entertainment"?

I love that I have close flying friends who understand my addiction and while they might not admit it, they dig the passion I exude......they will be forever engrained in my heart, mind and man I treasure them..just don't tell them I said any of that mushy stuff...would never live it down....still smiling......#flyingbugforever#

Plane Jane and the Goodbye

It is at the strangest time, usually late at night that I sometimes suddenly wake to the quiet of the house and I find myself thinking of days gone past..is this what we do as we get older or simply a case of reminiscing?  What does it cost to take pictures of a plane or tell its story and share it with everyone...the answer, it costs nothing, but could cost all a great deal if we don't share...amazing stories sheltered in our mind and not shared...well I needed to spill or share...

I have a good friend named Gene Breiner, whom I've been lucky to have known for over 25 years. We spend a lot of time with him at our hangar aka "barn" located in Pennsylvania, a grass strip ~ Bermudian Valley Airpark - 07N. Just recently we were reminiscing about a trip we had taken, a memory that my emotions ebbing and flowing through various stages, hey it's life baby, let me explain what I mean...it's worth the read, at least I think so.

I remember when he asked me to be a part of her last trip....I was rather pensive at first, that I would be delivering her to her last resting place and she wouldn't be heard rumbling, stumbling and coughing as only she could sound. She often would make her presence heard during the early summer evenings, when she flew the most.  For some reason now it bothered me that a few years had passed and she was still in the back room at the Udvar Museum...not out showcasing her beauty, her history and the amazing sight she was for the world to see .  There is a beautiful strength in the nature of a fabric airplane that perhaps can be said to mimic our lives and connects us to them in amazing ways. I have known many aircraft owners to have a symbiotic relationship with their planes, I know a few close friends that do.  It's almost hard to put to words how we "fly-babies" feel about our planes.

It was around this time three years ago when I accepted his ask of me,  I really should say for us, my husband feels the same way about Gene's flying lady. I discussed with him what would be entailed and we both agreed I had to say yes. I had a seat open and there was only one person who would be the perfect co-pilot... My husband and thankfully he said yes!

Her name is Plane Jane NC8689 a Reuben Fleet Biplane Model 2 and my friend Gene has been her caretaker since 1975 and he has lovingly cared for her the last 30 years.

The decision made and now I needed to sharpen my skills and get Girly Plane ready...back to 2011. This was going to be a great challenge for me to lead our party of four aircraft (nordo radio and negative transponder except for me) flying into Dulles airport to the Udvar Hazy Museum. I had to get busy, we only had two months...We practiced formation flying, I had many calls with ATC on the entry into this special airspace - {SFRA-Special Flight Rules Area}, and filling out forms, sharpening my communication skills, etc... Truth be told at times my focus of what we were actually doing slipped my mind as I was learning and all of my energies were soaking up this new experience that I was undertaking.  I had many glitches while preparing, radio issues, communicating with ATC of the special approval that was required, knowledge of {SFRA} airspace to be learned, formation flying, but, let's get back to focusing on the gift the museum was receiving.

The day arrived and while we wished for the day to be raining, it was almost perfect...we all departed from our home base and headed to Frederick MD where we would look to depart on the flight plan I filed as agreed with ATC for this special formation flight into Dulles.

When we arrived at Frederick Airport and everyone fueled up Gene lumbered into Plain Jane for her last flight....I mentioned to my hubby, how emotional that must be...it was tough to watch, yet I realized all of us pilots will walk a very similar path such as this one day.

As we had practiced, the four of us embarked down to Dulles in a diamond formation...Fleet on my left, Waco on my right and C-120 on the tail.  My hubster would check our parties location to Girly Plane as I was focused on my task to get us safely to the final designation. I can vividly recall being handed off to the Dulles tower - Citabria 7507F cleared to land "party of four" 19L....I mean we're talking Dulles, baby!!!

We touched down and we taxied to the museum where the officials had a podium set up for the donation of the Fleet - Plane Jane...a part of our airport family.  Gene had written a speech and spoke about her history and what it meant to his family realizing we were saying goodbye to her for the final time.  Many of us had teary filled eyes, we might have looked away from each other but the emotions were tangible in the air.

The sun was slowly setting and it was time to depart and make our way back to home base, now a party of three and I led us out to 19L and was advised to intersect the runway with 5000 feet remaining which at the time made sense as the remaining party were capable of departing on that distance.......what was unbeknownst at that moment was we would set for over 45 minutes my two wing-men and me...while I called the tower twice the 767 and RJ's inbound kept us grounded, waiting.....here it was June 18, 2011 and a very warm day at that, engines running etc..the story takes a turn here.

Finally, we got the go ahead Citabria 7507F cleared for take off maintain 2500 cleared as filed and since the other two had no radios they had to follow me out of Dulles back home...we three lined up and I throttled forward and within seconds I realized I had a problem. I normally climb out at 2600 rpms, and she was only indicating 1700 rpms and I wasn't sure we would clear the trees and buildings looming ahead...are you kidding me??

I had to vocalize to my co-pilot (my hubby) hun, I'm not liking this.......He said I'm not either.....within one second here is what happened - 

ME - "Dulles Tower - Citabria 7507F party of three, we need to land" 

Dulles-  are you declaring an emergency?

ME - NO - we need to land we are not climbing

Dulles - Citabria "cleared to land 19L, party of three" 

ME - Dulles confirm party intact please 

Dulles -yes, party of two following

Dulles - Citabria do you need services 

ME- NO

It was at this time, on a the downwind leg that I told my I hubby, hun "I got this - don't worry" and he simply said okay....I slipped Girly Plane well before base and we three landed with Fire Trucks racing towards us...

We taxed as a group to the Signature FBO and proceeded to get out of our planes and I was apologizing to the guys..and the bottom line was we were okay and acting as PIC I did what I felt had to be done...and my buds all agreed.

 A few hours later we were able to get my two wing-men back in the air while my hubby and me stayed.  I knew we just needed to clean the lead out of my spark plugs, I needed two items a 1/2 inch driver and 7/8 socket and we could fix this.  We called everyone, no one had tools, and finally a mechanic in another shop came in for coffee and I asked him if he could help us, and the stars lined up and he offered to help us with the tools we needed and my hubby and me cleaned the lead loaded spark plugs...good to go and the sun was sinking fast!

Finally, it was close to dusk and we had to go...I re-filed party of one and they said are you the Citabria that made 2 767's go around..niceee....hey shit happens....I lined up on the runway and they kicked us out of Dulles.  

We finally crested our home base at sunset and our two Fischer buds had our hangar doors open with two cold brews on hand.

We slid Girly Plane back in her spot in front of our Stearman and slumped in our chairs and we talked about the emotional day, which is forever etched in our minds and I simply stated we just said goodbye to a wonderful piece of history, Gene's plane"Plane Jane", and saying goodbye is hard, period.

He asked me, I said yes, and for some reason I remember that summer event now and that day is forever engrained in my mind and I simply had to tell my story today...perhaps because I recall how the summer of 2011 was so much fun with my buds and well today things are different...life ever changing.

Between what was and what can be, lies what is.  I always try to focus on seizing the moments of life with conviction knowing that my future is greater than my past and I move forward.

I do know that when I'm on the ground sometimes things just don't feel the same, is that wrong? I don't believe so, I simply trust without wavering, that the sky is where I am meant to be.

"Flight is the essence of spirit. It nurtures the soul.  It is awesome often ethereal, glorious. Emotionally wondrous and all pervading, intangible".  Louise Thaden

67 DAYS

Not that I want to rush my life ahead, yet I do this every year around this time.. I countdown to SPRING , longer days, warmer weather, and more time at the airport.

Yet I must admit winter does have beauty my eyes have seen, snow drifting down from our heavens to paint our drab colors of the resting of natures brown colored ground into a spectacle of awe.

This year we are fortunate that a few of the planes based here have skis and we have such a group here, that will say what's mine is yours. Flying with skis is a challenge and flying above a fresh white snow is peaceful..we are lucky to have a great airport gang that will brace the cold to help tame the winter weather to share in flying on skis.

While we also spend allot of time in the airport lounge this time of year being lounge lizards, we have a 1000 piece puzzle we are putting together, hot cocoa, and our friends always stop by knowing we will be there. Hangar talk is always rampant, as it seems the winter engages the imagination more so among us pilots. I mean just yesterday my bud told me his Chief files as high as 40,000 feet... Really??..☺

My Girly Plane goes in for annual soon, and that in itself is something I look forward. My mechanic and me tear her down and I always insist on doing most of the work. This helps me understand the mechanics and gives me more knowledge, you can never have too much.  Afterwards,I will be assured that she will be ready to embark on all the adventures I have planned come spring time.

So go visit your airport , pull your plane out if you can (some are grounded due to weather)...try something new such as flying on skis, or simply catch up with your fellow pilots and tell stories over a beer if you can't fly.

The camaraderie itself should be enjoyed..nurturing of friendships is the very root of life.

Happy flying and countdown with me!!

1. Taking off on skis, 2. My bud landing his Chief on skis, 3. My friend Gene (89) after having landed his J2, 4. Our grass strip downwind, 5. Our winter digs, lounge where we are lounge lizards.