Dawn Patrol

Had to get up early to see these guys off this morning. And what a beautiful morning! Took off right after sunrise and had these two as escorts. I turned back just east of Lake St Louis and they continued on to their fuel stop at Boonville. They're trying to make it to Denver today.

Thanks Andrew and Mark.

Piper PA-12 Air-to-Air.

Rudy Haug's Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser.

Football Hero

Sky came to me last night and asked if he could practice catching the football. Seems like they were playing flag football in PE Class and he wanted to make a catch and score a touchdown.

I readily agreed as I like playing catch, especially with a football and always with my son. We went out and played for about 30 minutes. He was getting tired and I pulled an old trick of my dads out of the book; he could go in after he caught 5 in a row. He made it to 4 twice but dropped the 5th one each time. I had him keep at it and it wasn't long before he caught 5 in a row.

He came floating home from school today. He had caught a pass and scored a touchdown! He scored his teams only points! I was sooooo proud of him.

This is the first thing he has practiced at to get better and it paid off. It's the first time he's been a hero. Now he wants to play catch again. Gotta go!

New license plates...ugh.

I went and got the new license plates from the Department of Nothing-logical (Motor Vehicles) today. I have to say, it wasn't too bad.

First, my wife made sure that I had everything specified in the thoughtful-reminder post card to take with me. This included tax receipts for two years, two inspection certificates, a copy of my childen's birth certificates and a drop of blood to verify that I was a red-blooded American.

Then, after having checked I had the correct size wrenches to takeoff the old plates, I drove down to "The Bureau" (sounds like a TV show). They wanted the old plates for recycling.

I lucked out and found a parking spot without having to drive round and round the parking lot for 30 minutes. I got out of the car with my trusty socket wrench and took off the front plates. I walked around to the back of the car only to discover the locknuts were rounded off (Who did that?) and the wrench wouldn't fit. Crud!

I had two choices. I could go back home and get a pliers to take off the offending rear plate or I could take my chances that the agent wouldn't care. I sucked in my beer gut and went with the latter. I gathered up the ream of paper required quickly checking I had everything, took a deep breath and presented myself to the Bureau.

I had arrived 10 minutes after they opened. I was the 12th person in-line counting the four standing at the open windows at the counter. I figured I had an hour wait...

I was surprised. The line was moving quickly. A couple of folks were there together, so I was only about fifth in the line. Next!

I apprehensively approached the window. I was greeted my a young lady with a disarming smile. "I'm here to renew my plates," I said, thrusting my handful of papers forward to her.

"Oh thanks, you have everything," she said.

"My wife is very efficient," I replied.

"Well, thank her for me. It's $52.xx. Here are your new plates," she said as she took the single old one not even mentioning the one still stuck on the car.

I walked out of there in under fifteen minutes...ecstatic.

Fire-breathing Beast!

Bill Milton takes off for home in his chesty Cessna 195 businessliner. The 195's were having their yearly fly-in at Creve Coeur this year. 22 braved the rainshowers and thunderstorms to show up.

Culver Cadet

Went up with Ken and Lorraine Morris tonight to take pictures of their freshly-restored 1940 Culver Cadet. Lorraine flew my plane while Ken did the honors in the Culver. What a pretty little airplane!

9/21 Cub Progress - Ironing down the tail tape edges.

Another of those boring tasks that seem to take forever but are critical to being done. I spent most of yesterday and all of today polybrushing the tail and ironing down the tape edges in preparation for the spray coat of polybrush going on later this week.