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.

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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."