No solo'ing for me today

I got in the left seat and my instructor got in the right seat. He looked at me and said, "The winds are kind of interesting today. Let's see what you think."

I taxi'd us to the runway, ran my takeoff checklist and then announced to the local air traffic I was departing on 3-2 and remaining in the pattern.

I rolled out and took off.

About 10 feet off the runway, the plane suddenly lurched to the right and I had to fight it to get it back on a straight line.

Then, about 150 feet off the runway, it was like someone grabbed the plane and tossed it over to the right again. I straightened us out and then dealt with a whole bunch of thermals coming off of I-91 as I climbed to 800 feet.

When I turned into the crosswind, the aircraft suddenly decelerated from 85 knots to 60 knots. I pushed the nose down to keep the airspeed at least in the flying range.

When I turned downwind, which is a leg of the flight out over nice flat farm fields and normally the smoothest part of the ride, the aircraft started bouncing around like it was a boat on the ocean.

That was when I said to my instructor, "Nope. You aren't leaving me alone in this shit."

And that was the end of that. I won't even tell you what it was like landing the aircraft.

I went through 9 of the most difficult touch & go's to date and that was when I called it a day.

There was no way my first time alone in a plane was going to be in a wind that has no idea how strong it's blowing or which direction it's coming from. I'm no coward but I'm no fool either.

Maybe next time.

•

I still find it hard to grasp the idea that in six and a half months, either Monica Lewinsky's ex-boyfriend's wife or The Donald will be President of the United States.

This is the kind thing that normally only happens in those wacky 1960's movies staring Tony Curtis, Red Skelton and Donna Reed.

We are all screwed in some many different ways....

•

I'm going to watch Eduardo Rodriguez in his first major league start of the year.

While I'm doing that, you can visit these links:

• I guess they don't like vegans.



• This is why you should follow Bill Clinton's advice and never inhale.



• They take this very, very seriously.



• Only in Florida.

Memorial: Something designed to preserve the memory of a person or event as a monument or a holiday.

Because of the rain, I almost didn't put my flag out but fortunately we caught a break this afternoon and you get a Memorial Day picture.

Now go buy a vet a beer.

•

Good day for the Red Sox. They beat the Orioles 7-2 and they now occupy first place in the ALEast by 2 games. They are also in first place in the AL by a game and a half.

Steven Wright went a full nine innings today so they did not have to go to the bullpen. That means the bullpen will be fresh tomorrow and that is a good thing because Eduardo Rodriguez is scheduled to make his first start of the season.

A well-rested bullpen may be essential tomorrow.

They have three more games against the Orioles so lets hope they keep winning.

•

Here are some links:

• You gotta admit, this is kinda cool.



• Key phrase in this Only In Florida story: "People always think that they're not gonna get caught..."



• Yes, alcohol was involved.

That was a knuckle-biter.

Yet another game where the Red Sox have a lead going into the 8th, give up a run and go into the 9th tied 3-3.

And into the 10th tied 3-3.

And into the 11th tied 3-3

In the 11th, the Red Sox managed to score two runs and then hold the Blue Jays

This is good because the Orioles won today and if the Red Sox had lost, they would be tied for first place going into a four-game series in Baltimore.

Now if they can stay on track and take 3 of the 4 games from the Orioles, they will have a pretty good lock on first place.

That would make me happy.

I should mention that the Red Sox newest reliever, Clay Buchholz, came out and pitched a scoreless 10th inning which was enough to make him the winning pitcher. Maybe putting him in the bullpen will turn out to be the best thing that's happened to him in the last few years.

•

I went out with John this evening so you only get a couple of links:

• The headline for this story should read: "Brilliant One-Armed Criminal Gets His Ass Kicked."



• Here's your Naked Guy In The News story.

Things are not going well

The Red Sox lost today and they lost badly. They had a nice 3-run lead going into the 8th inning when the Blue Jays managed to tie the game 8-8. In the 9th inning, Ortiz hit a home run making it 9-8. All they had to do was hold the Blue Jays and they managed to do that throw two outs.

Unfortunately, with 2 outs, they managed to give up two runs and the Blue Jays won the game 10-9

Fortunately, the Orioles managed to continue their losing streak and the Red Sox managed to hold their first place position in the ALEast.

•

It appears my daughter will have a roof over her head when she moves out to Iowa.

My wife and my daughter were out there for the last few days looking at apartments and finally settled on one yesterday. They signed the lease and her & the pup, The Small Emergency Backup Dog, will move into it in early August.

Shortly after that, she'll commence to learnin' about veterinary stuff and the pup will become known as The Medium Regular Main Dog.

•

You might like these links:

• Here's your Naked Guy In The News story.



• This guy is what we like to call a "multi-tasker"...



• Vancouver's most notorious crow,



• Key phrase in this story: "...the level of homegrown weird that they get to encounter on a daily basis."



• Key political non-answer in this story: "Of course I have an opinion, but as I said, I’m focused on my campaign."

I am medically fit

I passed my flight medical today with no restrictions. That means I can fly solo (if my instructor signs me off) without any requirements for those pesky things like eye glasses or sunlight.

That brings me one step closer to becoming a private pilot. After that, I'll look into becoming a commercial pilot and then a flight instructor. Maybe even get my multi-engine!

Then again, I should probably just focus on solo'ing before I consider the next phase of this grand adventure I've undertaken.

•

The Red Sox lost last night and they aren't doing all that great tonight.

I'm really hoping they win this game tonight.

Oh, and by the way, they put Buchholz in the bullpen today and replaced him in the starter roll with Eduardo Rodriguez.

I don't see a problem with this move. Buchholz has pretty much lost his starting roll ove rthe last two year sand it's about time they decided to make it official.

•

Here are a few links:

• This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.



• Researchers: Contributing to the betterment of our society or a complete waste of perfectly good oxygen. We report, you decide.



• In case you need more proof that the world is filled with idiots...



• If you are in New York City and you need to take a leak, go for it.

It's kinda warm

I'm not a fan of warm weather. I like it cool & dry, not hot & damp.

It's specially hot and sticky in the cockpit of a small plane doing touch & go's.

If I was calmly flying at an altitude above 5,000 feet, the plane would stay nice & cool and I would be nice & relaxed. Instead, I'm performing the most stressful part of flying over & over again and I never exceed 1,100 feet.

I was soaked when I got out of that plane today.

But that didn't bother me because my landings were great, I learned a few more things about the way an aircraft handles on a hot, humid day and even though I was hot & sticky, I loved every minute of it.

•

The Red Sox have a two game lead on the Orioles and are in sole possession of first place in the American League with a one game lead over the Mariners.

The Red Sox will finish their series against the Rockies this evening and then head up to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays haven't been playing up to their abilities lately and they have been swapping last place in the ALEast with the Rays for the last few days.

I'm hoping that the Blue Jays aren't going to suddenly turn it around and go on a winning streak. I'm hoping it means they are going to continue to lose.

•

The dogs and I continue to maintain our sanity while the ladies of the house are off apartment hunting.

Reports from Iowa indicate that things are moving along nicely and at some point in the near future, my daughter will have a place to live while she continues her education.

•

While you are clicking on these, I'll be watching the Red Sox:

• Yes, alcohol was involved.



• You just know all that beer ended up in some sheikh's refrigerator.



• Key phrase in this story: "...a distinct lack of meat, guacamole and sour cream."



• What. Are they saying this is wrong?



• Australia: It's not like were we live...



• Only in Florida.

Let's see if they can stay in first place

With last nights win and the Oriole's loss, the Red Sox took sole possession of first place in the American League. If they win again tonight, they will maintain that first place slot and perhaps even widen the lead if the Orioles lose.

•

No flying today, just some meetings and a trip to the airport to drop off my wife & daughter. They are out in Iowa doing some apartment hunting while me & the dogs are at home and watching baseball.

I'm pretty sure I got the better end of that deal.

•

While I offer my vast baseball experience to the Red Sox via my special coaching TV, you can visit these links:

• "Drive Crazy Y'all"



• This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. (Also, it's your Naked Guy In The News story)



• I think I'll stick with Budweiser....



• Presenting this episodes Brilliant Criminal of the Week.

This will be short.

I had a meeting this morning and then I had lunch with a ex-coworker who explained that he is in the process of getting screwed over and they won't even let him have a cigarette.

After that, I went flying and man, it was a great day of flying.

My takeoff runs were right on the centerline, my pattern was a nice 2.5 mile by 1 mile rectangle and despite a 10 kt right cross wind, my landings were right on target and for the most part pretty damned smooth,

Got myself a nice ego boost today when I was joined in the pattern by another pilot who I know. (Yes Beth, you know him. He's related to us.) He followed me through three or four landings and after we had both landed, he came over and wanted to know why I hadn't solo'd yet,

I told him because I won't have my medical certificate until this coming Friday.

My instructor looked at him and said, "Trust me, he was ready two weeks ago."

So basically, a guy who I know is damned good pilot watched me fly and wanted to know why I'm not yet solo and my instructor told me if I was on the ball and had scheduled my medical sooner, I'd be solo now.

It's nice to know that two guys I respect think I'm well on my to becoming a pilot.

•

Enjoy these links while I watch the Red Sox play baseball:

• Yes, alcohol was involved.



• Key phrase in this story: "...you never know what you're going to find when you are digging into a vehicle."



• Key entry from our favorite police log: "12:25 p.m. Several gophers met their untimely end on Fichters Way in Kila."

I hate wakes.

Today I went to the wake for my friend Brian and in case I've never told you, I really hate going to wakes.

His mom had a nice little breakdown when I hugged her and it took everything I had to not breakdown with her. She was my substitute mom when I was a little kid, just as my mom was Brian's substitute mom.

So now I move forward. I remember him as he was and I laugh at things we did. I am grateful for the time we had together and I will think of him often.

And that is all I have to say about that.

•

The Red Sox are off tonight and tomorrow the Rockies will be in Boston to start three game inter-league series, Hopefully they will take all three games.

•

Here are a few links:

• Here's your Naked Guy In The News story.



• I'm thinking that Sean Whittal might be gay because no straight guy would ever do that.



• Well, so much for lower natural gas prices...



• Another reason to not have a fish tank.



• Enjoy this.

First place is nice.

The Red Sox started the day one game behind the Orioles in the ALEast and finished the day tied for first with the Orioles in the ALEast after they defeated the Indians and the Orioles got their butt kicked by the Angels.

Now if the Orioles can continue losing and the Red Sox continue winning, it will be a good week,

•

Our youngest was home for a quick visit. He looks good, feels good and seems pretty damned happy to no longer have to be attending classes.

One thing he did in his last semester of school was take a wood tech class and apparently one of his projects was my birthday present, which he presented to me yesterday:

I love it!

It's made of ash, has a great heft & weight and feels like it could send a ball a mile. He hand-burned the label and aligned it with the grain so if I ever decide to use this bat, I'll be able to figure out how to hit with it without shattering it.

Here's a close up of the label:

The kid has a talent.

I feel like I should start playing baseball again but I'm afraid I'd damage it, or myself. Instead, I think we'll figure out how to mount it on the wall above the 30th anniversary picture collection our daughter put together for us last year.

That places it strategically near the door so I can use it to protect myself from those annoying and dangerous Jehovah Witnesses.

•

Here are a couple of links:

• Key entry from our favorite police log: "1:34 p.m. There were no loose dogs on Fox Den Trail or Fox Den Loop."



• He's the reason Connecticut is falling apart faster than any other state.

Maybe Clay Buchholz needs a vacation

I'm not saying he sucks but I am saying that it seems like whenever he pitches, it's a crap shoot as to whether he's going to be good or bad.

Last night was no exception.

He started out okay but then seemed to give up around the third inning. Then, after a stern talking to by his imaginary friend, he came out and pitched like an ace. Then his imaginary friend told him to take it easy or something because he fell apart.

Granted, he lasted 6 innings but those innings were a roller coaster of good to bad to good to bad.

As for today's game, Joe Kelly finished up his stint on the DL and is back in the rotation. He started today's game and I was pretty impressed with his performance. He threw a no-hitter through 6 innings and had 2 outs in the 7th when the Indians finally got their first hit.

Not bad for a guy that just came back from a rehab.

If the Orioles win their game tonight, the Red Sox will remain one game behind them. If the Orioles lose, they will be tied for first place.

Let's hope the Orioles lose.

•

Time for an update on the current body count in the war between me and the chipmonks:

Ol' Bess - 3
Small Emergency Backup Dog - 3 (1 chipmonk, 1 mouse and 1 mole)
Chipmonks - 0

As you can see, I now have an assistant and let me tell you, she has a nose for critters.
We have dubbed her "The Huntress".

This has been your updated body count in the war between me and the chipmonks.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled program.

•

The links are here:

• Presenting this episodes Brilliant Criminal of the Day.



• Instead of inventing cheap efficient solar panels, we're inventing shit like this...



• Here's your Naked Guy In The News story.



• Key phrase in this story: "A fire, in a pizza oven, on the freeway, with a car."



• Key entry from our favorite police log: "8:20 p.m. An obnoxiously drunken man was upset that an employee of a Columbia Falls gas station refused to sell him alcohol."

Yet another great day of flying.

I flew yesterday and it was kind of okay. Not the best of landings but not the worst and each one was survivable.

Today was a different story.

I told my instructor, who is fast becoming a friend, about Brian and that I felt like I wanted today to be a good day. I wanted something positive to happen.

Let me just say that Nadia Comaneci got nothing on me.

I stuck the landings.

All eleven of them were quality landings. And by that I mean a landing that didn't break either the plane or the people. Even the landing that started to get away from me because I came in too short ended up a success. The plane started to settle too soon and suddenly stalled about 5 feet above the runway. I landed a little hard on all three wheels with a bit of a bounce but I landed just the same and was able to get it back into the air without so much as sideways look from my instructor.

I am looking forward to getting my medical certificate because as soon as I get that, I can solo.

That means I will have met the requirements to fly a plane and it's only a matter of time before I meet the requirements to not only fly a plane but to fly it to different locations and carry passengers.

I am looking forward to the day when I can say, "Hey! Guess what? I'm a freakin' pilot!"

Oh, and just to frighten any small children that might be looking at this, here is a picture I took of myself while I was pre-flighting the aircraft.

Ain't I adorable...

I hate pictures of myself.

•

You can click on these if you are so inclined:

• Only in Pennsylvania.



• That thing wasn't going to come out the way it went in so that leads me to ask, "Who was going to use it after it came out?"



• Key phrase in this story: "...public defecation."



• Only in Florida.



• We call guys like this, "wusses".

Terrible day

My oldest and dearest friend passed away today.

I've known him since we were three years old. He was my first friend, my best friend and a great friend. He lived two houses down from me and if he wasn't at my house, I was at his house. My mom was his mom and his mom was my mom.

He was 58 years old, a loving husband, a wonderful son and a great dad. He was generous to a fault and, as a friend, his loyalty was beyond compare. There was nothing he wouldn't do for me and nothing I wouldn't do for him.

There's an old joke that says a friend will bail you out of jail. A great friend is in the jail cell with you.

His name was Brian. and I can say with complete conviction that if I had ever been arrested, Brian probably would have been right there with me.

This sucks. The world needs more people like Brian, not fewer.

I'm going to miss him.

A lot.

Great day for flying.

Today was the day that things clicked nicely for me. The wind was a little interesting but it was either not bad or I've gotten used to flying in constantly changing winds.

I did 11 landing approaches and 10 of them resulted in nice landings. On one of them, I got hit by a sudden gust of wind that pushed me over the side of the runway and rather than attempt to right the aircraft, I opted to go around.

Go around's are interesting because the pilot and the aircraft are in landing mode.

My landing mode has me focused entirely on how fast the runway is coming u at me and how far above it I am.

The plane's landing mode has it in a stall with almost no lift under it's wings. The flaps are fully extended and the engine is at idle.

To go around, I have to get my mind and the aircraft back into flying mode.

First thing to do is apply full power and stop the plane from sinking. I have to also stop it from rising because if it tries to climb, it won't build up any airspeed and it will stall. Once the plane as stopped falling, I can take off a notch of flaps which will allow it to build up more air speed.

Once the aircraft has reach flying speed, I can retract the flaps entirely and start a gentle climb into the pattern.

But more importantly, I was able to land the plane without any problems. Granted, one or two of the landings weren't perfect but they were pretty good and I'm happy with my performance.

•

The Red Sox lost last night and they lost again this afternoon. That means they are now half a game behind the Orioles.

They'll play again tonight and hopefully they'll win.

•

You should click on these:

• Maybe he was just trying to get a date.



• Being entertained by a clown always makes things so much better.



• Yes, alcohol was involved.



• I never thought I'd say this but I agree with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.



• Why?



• It's the old, "I'm too lazy" defense.

Issues of the heart

It's been an interesting week for me:

My aunt is in the hospital after suffering some heart stoppages due to an infection.

My brother is going to be having heart surgery due to a childhood issue.

My best friend had a heart attack yesterday and is in a medically-induced coma.

I've about had enough bad news.

I would like someone to give me some good news. I would like someone to say something like, "Hey Steve! A guy you went to high school with is opening an upscale dive bar down the road and he says he knows you and you can drink your crappy Budweiser there for no charge!"

•

Speaking of good news, I spoke with my finance guy this afternoon.

Despite the fact the economy is in the trash and the market is weaving & bobbing around like Mohamed Ali going up against Joe Fraser (look it up young people, look it up), my retirement accounts are surviving and I can actually look forward to a reasonably mediocre lifestyle.

And that, my friends, is really all I ever want when I finally decide to retire.

•

There will be baseball this evening.

The Red Sox are out in Missouri where the Missouri River is flooding but there is little or no rain predicted. Hopefully they will start the game at the scheduled start time of 8:10 this evening so I can maybe see a few innings before I fall asleep in my recliner.

•

You can click on these if you want to:

• Key phrase in this story: "...be mindful when shopping for gardening supplies."



• When I read this story, all I could think of was Steve Martin, Wild and Crazy Guy, explaining how he breaks up with a girl: "I say I break with thee, I break with thee, I break with thee. Then I throw dog poop on her shoes."



• Employee of the Month.



• Key phrase in this obituary: "Faced with the prospect of voting for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, Mary Anne Noland of Richmond chose, instead, to pass into the eternal love of God..."



• I want to fly this airline.

No baseball tonight

Apparently it's raining like hell out in Kansas City so tonight's Red Sox - Royals game is postponed. They will play tomorrow night and then play a double-header on Wednesday.

Guess I'll have to find something else to watch this evening.

•

You should click on these:

• Only in Florida.



• Key phrase in this story: "You can't miss it. You really can't."



• Key phrase in this story: "Police said they suspect alcohol could have been involved."



• If you want to kill a few minutes, click around this site.

It's Peace Officer Memorial Day.

Back in 1962, President John Kennedy declared May 15th as Peace Officer Memorial Day and the week within which it falls to be National Peace Officer Week.

Just thought I'd let you all know that.

•

The Red Sox came very close to blowing Saturdays game and they did it again this afternoon. They get themselves a commanding lead and then give up enough runs to have the game end up in a tie.

Today, Farrell left both Sullivan and Ross in the game for two or three batters too long and those two or three batters managed to rack up 5 runs that tied the game. I fail to understand why Farrell leaves a pitcher in who is obviously having a bad day.

On the upside, the Red Sox won and the Orioles lost. That means the Red Sox are once again tied for first place in the ALEast.

•

Baseball is done for the day and the damned dogs woke me up at 4:00 this morning so I think I'm going to fall asleep watching some dvr's.

While I do that, you can click here:

• I think some of them are still alive and living in Miami.



• Oops.



• Only in Florida.



• What's wrong with Taco Bell?

It's Saturday

Today was "clean the garage" day and I'm pleased to say that I actually managed to get my garage cleaned.

It's always nice to accomplish those small goals.

*

I've said it before and I'll say it again: He's descended from wolves....

*

You should visit these:

• I'm betting someone had to go home and change their underwear after this.



• I always loved this song.

Clickity click click. Kinda....

For the last few weeks, my CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) has been telling me, "All of a sudden, it will click for you. You will see the picture you want to see and know automatically what you need to do to land the plane just like you know how to park a car, catch a baseball or cook a steak."

I told him I didn't really know how to cook a steak....

Well, today it clicked a bit and I felt great about the first 3 or 4 landings. After that, I got to deal with a 10mph crosswind that was gusting to 16mph. That meant the last 7 or so landings were a crap shoot.

Also, if you don't know the airport, Northampton is located along the Connecticut River just north of the Mount Holyoke range. The wind today was from the south.

When departing the airport in a southerly wind, you fly directly towards the mountains (hills?) and when you reach 900 feet, you get to experience the wind swirling and tumbling over the peaks. It is truly amazing how a small aircraft can be tossed around by a 15mph wind.

•

Getting back to my landings, you don't really "land" a plane so much as you allow the plane to slowly fall from the sky by decreasing its speed it to the point where it begins to lose lift. You control that fall from the sky by applying flaps, decreasing or increasing the power and gliding it to the runway.

Then, just about 2 or 3 feet above the runway, you pull the plane level and force it to fly in the ground effect until it settles. As it starts to settle, you pull the nose up slightly so the main gear touches down. Once the mains are down, you allow the nose wheel to land and then you apply the brakes.

This is all done by sight and feel. Despite what you see in the movies, there is no computer voice telling you how far above the runway you are. It's all what you see and feel.

You have to know how far above the runway you are by looking at the runway and the surrounding terrain. You have to know when the plane starts to settle by feeling the sink and seeing the runway come towards you.

I'm getting better but still not quite ready to do this on my own.

•

The Red Sox are still in a tie for first place in the ALEast simply because the Orioles refuse to lose.

The Orioles need to lose because it looks like the Red Sox may get rained out.

If they do get rained out and the Orioles lose, the Red Sox will be in first place by half a game. If the Orioles win, the Red Sox will be in second place, behind by half a game.

•

You can visit these links:

• Trust me folks, Facebook should not be your news source. You should get your news the old fashioned way: From an old, opinionated white guy who works for one of the three major television networks.



• Key entry from our favorite police log: "8:28 a.m. Two unrestrained labs and a one hound dog chased a better-behaved dog that was being walked on the Rails to Trails path."



• Who is going to clean the littler box?



• Key phrase in this story: "Sadly the dinosaur did not survive."



• I watch The Antiques Roadshow. It's a great show.

No flying today

I did, however, manage to get my oil changed and my lawn mowed.

I always say, "Be proud of the small accomplishments because they may very well be your only accomplishments..."

•

Time for a quick update on some going's on within my family.

My youngest son Matt received his bachelors degree from Keene State this past weekend.

My daughter Stephanie received her masters degree from North Carolina State University this past weekend,

My nephew Joe was named as the National Young Marine of the Year this past weekend.

Some people like to take pride in their family and brag about them. I'm those people.

Deal with it.

•

The Red Sox swept the Athletics and tonight they start a 4-game series against the Astros.

They are currently tied for first place in the ALEast, tied for second place in the American League and tied for fourth place in the MLB.

Considering they sucked last season, this is a fairly significant improvement. If they can continue playing this way, it'll be a pretty good season for all concerned.

•

You can click on these if you would like:

• Whatever you do, don't step in it.



• Twanged the Elastic Knickers would be a fantastic name for a 1960s British Pop group.
  (Also, the term "knickergate" sounds slightly racist if you say it quickly)



• I like the way the word "subdued" is in quotes. It implies, along with his mug shot, that he was a little more than subdued when all was said and done.



• It will be funny as hell if Haliburton or Exxon buy the naming rights. The damned tree-huggers will all have a collective heart attack.



• Key phrase in this story: "He also demanded hugs from flight attendants."



• How did I miss this story...

It was an outstanding day to fly.

I did ten more touch & go's today in conditions that were basically ideal for flying. There were some thermals rising off of I-91 during my approach but they were manageable and I successfully landed the aircraft almost every time.

I will admit that the instructor had to take over on at least one of the landings when I pulled up a little too soon and started to do what is called "porpoising". That is were the nose of the aircraft oscillates up and down due to an inexperienced pilot pulling and pushing on the controls in an attempt to land.

I also noticed that I had an audience today. A couple of cars were parked on a road just off the arrival end of the runway and the people were standing there watching my touch down. I'd like to think they didn't notice that I was a rookie who was sweating and flinching while trying to look like I had "the right stuff".

Trust me, I don't have "the right stuff".

It's not that I have the wrong stuff but I'd like it to be a lot righter than it is. That is where all this practice comes into play.

•

You should click on these:

• It is going to be interesting to watch this play out.



• Key phrase in this story: "I don’t think everybody else should control what one person wants or doesn’t want."



• Oops.



• Oops.



• Key phrase in this story: "She needed professional help..."



• Key phrase in this story: "Why you would want to do that remains unclear."

You shouldn't see the runway out the side window.

The wind was fairly mild today but it was changing directions at the drop of a hat. When I was landing, the wind was blowing from every direction. There were right crosswinds, left crosswinds, tailwinds and headwinds. You name it, it was wind.

It made for some interesting landings but I am proud to say that not once did we see the runway suddenly appear in the side window.

One thing I do know is that I am not ready to do this on my own. I may have the skills but I lack the confidence.

•

Here are a few links:

• Key phrase in this story: "Hospital officials say the staff had been alerted a visitor's pet snake..."



• Key advertising slogan in this story: "You bring the people, we’ll bring the party!"



• Key research finding in this story: "Democratic women in Congress were less feminine than Republican women."



• Only in Japan.



• I'm not entirely sure what a "cheeter" is. Is it someone who is unfaithful or is it a fast, large, spotted cat from Boston?



• I guess it's now okay to sell Iran nuclear arms and stuff.



• I don't give two shits for soccer but I like beer...

Quiet day

I was not scheduled to fly today and in keeping with my promise to adhere to a schedule, I did not fly today.

•

Springfield had it's fourth murder last night.

Just thought I'd mention that.

•

The Red Sox are back in Boston tonight for game 1 of a 3-game series against the Athlertics.

Oakland doesn't have a great record (they are below .500) so I'm hoping the Red Sox can take all three games.

After that, they will start a 4-game series with the Astro's.

In case you didn't know, the Astro's have the second worst record in the American League. That means I'm also hoping that the Red Sox manage to take all four of those games.

It's nice to have hope.

•

You should enjoy these links while I watch baseball:

• Pfftttt..... Lawyers.....



• Only in Florida.



• Apparently it's possible to fart your way to sobriety.



• It's because we're old.



• Oops.

Happy Mothers Day to all you mothers.

Once the downpour passed, I fired up the grill and cooked a nice steak on the grill for my wife and mother-in-law.

It was a nice quiet day after yesterdays all-day-long-celebration.

•

So the team formerly known as The First Place Red Sox don't seem to be doing very well against the last place Yankees. They have dropped the last two games and are now a half game behind the Orioles.

This needs to change.

Soon.

Hopefully they win tonight.

•

Here are a few links to click on:

• I bet all the other cats make fun of her.



• I wonder if he got anything in return, if you catch my drift...



• It wasn't me.

Give me a minute to brag.

No post today because we spent the entire day celebrating with our youngest.

Today, our youngest son Matt graduated from Keene State College and I am, as always, the proud dad.

Here is a terrible picture I took of him receiving his diploma:

This means that all three of our children have graduated from college and are well-positioned to be successful in life.

Now you would think that I am done bragging but you would be wrong

Let me add that today was also the day that my daughter Stephanie completed her masters degree from North Carolina State University.

I can't say it enough - I am, as always, the proud dad.

There is much apartment hunting

My wife and daughter have been spending numerous hours looking at apartment listing for Ames, Iowa on the internets. It seems like it's a lot of work but the more I got to thinking about it, the more I wondered how people looked for apartments in another city before we had the interwebs.

What they are doing is difficult but I can't imagine what it would be like if you couldn't sit down in the comfort of your own home and look at apartments 1,100 miles away.

How did people find places to live back in the dark ages before AlGore invented the intertubes?

•

So the Red Sox beat the White Sox last night, taking 2 out of their 3-game series.That, my friends, is a good thing.

Tonight they are in New York to start a 3-game series against the Yankees. I'm kind of hoping they do what they did last week and take all 3 games from the Yankees.

That would be excellent.

•

You might like these links:

• Okay, if you're stupid enough to pack $200,000 and a Rolex into a bag and carry it onto a plane, you deserve to get robbed.



• Key phrase in this story: "...nasty money that we don’t want to accept anymore."



• Anyone that thinks it's funny to do something like this is the person that I want to smack in the forehead with a 2x4.



• Only in New Jersey.

KFC BOWL!!!

Today was lunch with The Bills and my buddy Jim.

There are two Bills: One is retired and the other is really, really, really hoping to retire in the next few months. We have been getting together for a quasi-monthly lunch for the last few years and today was the day.

Also, much to my surprise, Jim decided to join us. Yes, he's retired but he's working part-time just so he doesn't lose his mind.

We always pick a different chain restaurant to go to. Sometimes it's Five Guys, sometimes it's The Backyard Bar & Grill and sometimes it's The 99. This month we decided it was time for some serious cholesterol and we went to Kentucky Fried Chicken for the infamous KFC Bowl.

To quote my wife when I told her this morning, "I can hear your arteries hardening..."

My response was, "Hey. I've managed to lose almost 15 pounds in the last month or so. I deserve big ol' bowl of cholesterol that's been deep-fried in a trans-fat."

•

Has anyone figured out who to vote for yet? Let me know because I'm still not seeing anything that makes me want to vote for either one of them.

•

With the Orioles losing to the Yankees last night and the Red Sox beating the White Sox, the Red Sox held on to first place in the ALEast. I was kind of amazed that the Red Sox won because the White Sox have been playing some seriously great baseball this season and they are the number one team in the American League.

Tonight Henry Owens will be pitching so I'm not sure what to expect. He is kind of 'streaky' and I'm hoping this is one of those nights where his tall, gangly body decides to work correctly and he throws smoke past all of the White Sox batters.

•

You should click on these:

• He's right and I'm pretty sure that's a good thing.



• I think I'll just call her Psycho.



• I can't say that I blame them.



• I don't see how this new team will do any better than the Falcons did.

Once again, the clouds spoiled my fun

My instructor called me and cancelled today's lesson because the clouds were dropping below 1,100 feet.

Again.

To quote Joni Mitchell:

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way

Hopefully I have better luck next week and the weather is more conducive to flight because I would really like to be able to solo after I get my medical.

•

Now that Donald Trump has secured the republican nomination, is it possible that the republican party will finally take a long hard look at itself?

I mean, let's face it, Donald Trump is caricature of a human being who got nominated by catering to the lowest common denominator. He appeals to the basic American mindset of people who are sick and tired of being told what to do and how to do it by their government.

The democrats represent a population of Americans that think the government should tell us how to behave and take care of us so they'll happily vote for Hillary Rodham (Surely you remember when Bill was president and she insisted that she be called Rodham.) Hell, some of them even think Bernie Sanders is a good choice.

The republicans however seem to have stepped in a big pile of shit called "The Tea Party" and they just can't seem to scrape it off their shoes.

As long as that faction continues to influence the party of Lincoln, we will have a federal administration controlled by the democrats.

Get ready for more taxes because I have a feeling that there is no way the majority of Americans will vote for Donald Trump. This means that the psycho Rodham will be elected.

•

My daughter started her journey to veterinary school today when she went to see her doctor and received the first of three rabies vaccinations.

Good for her.

•

Time once again for me to sit back and watch some baseball.

While I do that, here are a few links you might like:

• Best baby announcement ever.



• Whoa....



• I'm always amazed at how ballsy some people are.



• This is a sport that needs to come to America.

No flying today.

Northampton Airport is listed at 120 feet above mean sea level (MSL). When you enter the pattern at any airport, you want your altitude on the downwind leg to be about 1,000 feet above the runway's MSL. That means that landing at Northampton requires that the aircraft be at 1,100 feet on the downwind leg.

Today, the clouds base was below 1,000 feet.

Student pilots are not allowed to operate in the clouds. Ever.

That means there were no touch & go's for me today.

I did, however, complete my pre-solo exam and we (my instructor and myself) went over it. When we were done with that, he said, "So when do you get your medical? Because once that is done, I'm going to let you solo."

Looks like I might actually get my pilots license one of these days.

•

The Red Sox are out in Chicago to play the White Sox. According to the Weather Channel, it's going to rain in Chicago this evening so they may not actually get to play baseball.

Only time will tell.

But trust me, if they do play, I'll be watching until I fall sound asleep in my recliner.

•

You can click on these links:

• Only in Florida. (Warning: In typical NBC fashion, the annoying AutoPlay feature is turned on and the video starts when the page opens. Attention NBC local affiliates: AutoPlay sucks.)



• Also only in Florida (and no AutoPlay!)



• Key phrase in this story: "They have no Internet, they don’t know what a sex toy is."

No one told me it was May

I just noticed that it's May already.

Man, I need to pay more attention to the date.

•

The Red Sox are on a day off while they travel to Chicago to take on the number one team in the league, the White Sox. I'm hoping they manage to take two of those three games.

After that, they head to New York for another three game series against the Yankees. Perhaps that will be another sweep.

•

Here are some links:

• Key phrase in this story: "The cruiser had to be professionally cleaned for spit, snot and mucus stains, plus a very bad fecal odor."



• My question is, who hired this guy?



• These are the same people that claim to have ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.

No yard work today.

The front of the house is spruced up and looking pretty damned good.

Except for the one chipmonk hole.

Ol' Bess and I need to start doing a better job....

•

So the Red Sox managed to kick the Yankees butt last night and the Orioles managed to lose to the White Sox this afternoon. That means the Red Sox are tied with the Orioles for first place in the ALEast. If they win tonight, the Red Sox will be in first place with a half game lead over the Orioles.

The Yankees, however, have a commanding lock on last place in the ALEast. They need to get their pitching in shape or they are going to have a terrible season.

•

Here are some links:

• Just another reason why I think baseball is a great sport.



• It's the old, "I'm alien royalty" defense.



• Key caption in this story: "...drivers will find other ways to occupy themselves behind the wheel."



• Key headline in this story: "We look forward to the bunny being vindicated."



• Only in New Jersey.