The Sun Comes Out!!!!

I didn't have my camera with me this morning when I visited the rocky part of the beach and the sun was shining...I will take it tomorrow. The view is spectacular in the right light.

My trips to the beach today were mostly to search for sea glass. For those of you who do not know what sea glass is, it is glass that has been tossed in the ocean and then gently placed on the shore line for you to find. Pieces that are not yet "finished" need to be tossed back into the ocean to "cook". It is hard to throw a piece of green or blue glass back in...but you must if you want to find a good piece later. Today I found a few so-so pieces and was reluctant to toss them back. Sure enough, as soon as I did, I found some great pieces...I hauled in some good sea glass today...no big pieces, but a nice variety of colors.....

Sunday - Max Goes Home

Wow. What a quick visit Max and I had here. But it was so nice - I haven't been alone with him for that much time since he was a kid and we would go to our lake house. Even then there were distractions - like his brother - or friends...this was two days of alone time and I enjoyed every minute. He loved the area - which was part of my plan. I wanted him to see New England before he makes a decision about what he will do next. He loved it here...and he loved going up to S. China to see Lee - a fellow photographer. She gave him some good advice.

I dropped him at the airport yesterday afternoon...there were actually breaks in the overcast at Manchester...the first time we saw the sun in three days. Of course, I drove right back in to the rain as I left there, but Monday promises little bitty sunshines in the hour by hour forecast starting about 2 o' clock. Looking forward to that!

At Home in Biddeford - FINALLY!!!!!!

After leaving Mark and Terri in Clinton, I drove north to meet Andy R. for lunch and then on to get Max, my son, at the airport in Manchester, NH. He is visiting me during my first weekend here in Biddeford Pool. Andy was as delightful as I thought he would be - and I am looking forward to meeting his wife and child this coming weekend when they visit Phil and me in Biddeford Pool.

The house is GREAT!!!! Max and I both fell in love with it the minute we pulled into the garage. Of course that could be because it was pouring down rain and we were just excited there WAS a garage...

Here are a few pictures of the house and Max on the beach in the fog Saturday morning:

Clinton CT and MidlifeMark

MidlifeMark is my "internet boyfriend". We became friends writing limericks on the AOPA "red" board and Phil and I met him the last time we were in Maine. When he heard I was travelling to Maine by way of Connecticut, he invited me to spend the night with him and his wife at their home in Clinton. After leaving Middletown, NY, I headed their direction. Mark called me at about 1:00 and asked where I was. We made a plan to meet north of Clinton and I followed him to his airport, Goodspeed Airport, for a short flight in Lucky Dog, his old but VERY NICE 182. He's done a great job restoring his airplane...it's beautiful. Mark, I didn't take a picture of your airplane...if you send me one, though, I will post it here...

We took a short flight down the river and then down the Connecticut coastline of Long Island Sound...

After his spectacular landing - let me put it this way, there is NO pressure whatsoever for me when I give Mark his first bird dog ride ; )...we went to his house where his beautiful wife and I drank red wine and got to know one another. She was so kind not to make me sleep on the porch seeing as I was a woman her husband picked up on the internet. They were great folks and will be joining us this next weekend in Maine...

From Middletown NY

Today was a beautiful day! I roamed around Bloomsburg and Berwick, PA most of the morning and somehow ended up at the Bloomsburg Airport sitting on the bench watching the airplanes take off and land. I decided it is the best part of Bloomsburg. I grew up across the street from that airport - little did I know what a significant part of my life aviation would become. A guy I was talking to took me into the big hangar there and showed me some airplanes - an RV6 they are working on and a beautiful J3...not a whole lot of tail draggers there, but there was a very nice Ercoupe I watched take off...

The airport is next to the Susquehanna River and I used to walk behind it when I walked from our house on Old Berwick Road to the Bloomsburg swimming pool. It was just an overgrown road back then - sort of scary even. The McGee Carpet Company had some buildings back there, too. An old outdoor stage and a kitchen building. It was called the Carpet Club...and my friend, Pam Davies, and I used to play there. We would pretend we were performers and dance on the stage. I often went there alone as a child. It was a magic place for me - a place where I could be whatever I wanted to be. Really, it breaks my heart it isn't there anymore...just a ratty piece of property there by the river now. A boat launch and a compost yard...

From Bloomsburg, I traveled north to Rickett's Glen state park then wound around the Pennsylvania country side for several hours - turning north and east when the opportunity presented itself...all roads lead to other roads I've learned...some slow you down...but you eventually end up where you need to be.



I have lots of pictures and stories from today, but I am so weary from my travels posting them will have to wait until morning.

Later in the day I was driving north of Wilkes-Barre Scranton and saw a J3 flying low and slow like it had just left the runway. I turned south and found the airport - Skyhaven. I talked to some folks there who were restoring old Stinsons with radial engines...we got so busy talking about creepers, I forgot to ask what the airplanes were - and I don't have pictures of them either. There were some fine vintage airplanes at that field...what a place...

Pennsylvania - YAY!!!!!!

After driving in the "drizzle" every day since we left Kansas City, I finally woke up to sunshine and blue skies today. What a welcome sight!

Last night I left the Metzingers in Virginia and drove up old higway 15 to Frederick, MD to my hotel. It was a very black night and I could not see a thing - which disturbed me very much when I crossed the Potomac River....I like to cross rivers in the daylight so I can watch the water moving.

This morning I actually took an hour to do some laundry and "regroup"...living out of my trunk for 5 days was starting to feel a little chaotic. After I pulled it all together, I drove up to Gettysburg to meet Sixie (Rick), Tim, Gary, and a couple of others for lunch. After 14 hours of driving on flat, pine tree lined, straight freeway I looked up this morning and saw Pennsylvania mountains! WOW! What a beautiful sight. I enjoyed the whole Gettysburg experience...I arrived at the airport as Gary was landing. Tim and his friend had just taxied in as well, although I missed Tim's approach and landing. What a cute little airport that is tucked into the valley. Sixie chose a great little restaurant you all can read about here:

http://www.farnsworthhouseinn.com/tavern-gallery.html

My camera battery was dead, so I was not able to take any pictures...but others did and they are supposed to email them to me. So I will post them here when I get them. We had a nice chat over lunch about UAV's...I think another girl would have helped keep the conversation a little more "balanced"....but I learned a lot about UAV's - mostly that those guys know a whole lot about them.

I made a short trip through the Gettysburg battlefields after I left the fellows. Sixie followed me down the road - I think he was making sure I found my way - that was so nice. The sun was shining and I was remembering my dad - and how much he loved that part of the country. It is truly hallowed ground, Gettysburg, and it was an absolutely beautiful day to do exactly what I was doing. I got a little teary when the song Calling All Angels played on my iPod just as I made the turn onto the battlefield grounds...

I have a very good friend in Kansas City who is dying from metastatic colon cancer...he has put up one heck of a fight these past couple of years, but is not well now and I am so sad I haven't had the opportunity to visit him this summer as either he was away from home or I was - all summer long. I had a dream about Bob last night. He and I were going out to lunch. Bob was driving and I was feeling so good about how well he looked as he pulled into the restaurant parking lot. However, as we were sitting at lunch I began to notice he seemed to be deteriorating until it was apparent he was not feeling well at all. I called Phil this morning and asked him to please call his wife to check on him. Sure enough...he is not well. I hope he will be okay until I get home...but that is such a selfish thing for me to expect. I love you, Bob. I'm in our part of the country and I think about you every day...

So...being with my dad and Bob in spirit, driving through rural Pennsylvania in the sunshine and listening to Jane Siberry and k.d. lang singing Calling All Angels makes for a soulful kind of day...

...and every day you gaze upon the sunset
with such love and intensity
why it's...it's almost as if
if you could only crack the code
then you'd finally understand what this all means

but if you could...do you think you would
trade it in
all the pain and suffering?
ah, but then you'd miss
the beauty of the light upon this earth
and the sweetness of the leaving

calling all angels
calling all angels
walk me through this one
don't leave me alone
callin' all angels
callin' all angels
we're tryin'
we're hopin'
we're hurtin'
we're lovin'
we're cryin'
we're callin'
'cause we're not sure how this goes...... -Jane Siberry

Monday - Kingsland GA to Frederick MD

What a day yesterday was...what a long haul up the coast...but I had two great breaks, first with Kelvin, Karen, Tom, and Billy in Fayetteville, NC. Then I forged on to Fairfax, VA where I had dinner with Tim Metzinger and his wife and adorable child.

The actual driving - from 6:oo am to 11:00 pm was a grind and much of the way was boring.

Here are a couple of fuzzy pictures of Kelvin, Kim, Karen and Haley (the dog) and Billy, Kim, Tom, Haley, and Kelvin.....

Losing the "Ball and Chain"

I dropped Flippy off at the airport about 1:30 p.m. today. I was surprised at the wave of emotion I felt as I pulled away from the curb. I didn't just cry, I actually sobbed. I guess I really like that guy after all...I was looking forward to feeling "untethered" - but I didn't realize I was going to feel "unanchored" and somewhat adrift. It will be almost two weeks before I see him again.

I wanted to take this time off from my real life...so we'll see what I discover as I journey up the coast.

I had dinner tonight with Frank Brown. We had very delicious fish at a local fish restaurant in Jacksonville and a very nice visit. I was on the road again by 6:30-on my way to Kingsland, GA where I am staying the night.

Tomorrow I have a long drive to Fayetteville, NC to meet Kelvin and his wife Karen, Tom Sisk, and Bill Janke. We'll be having lunch, then I'm hurrying to Fairfax, VA to have dinner with the Metzingers. Lot of eating going on.

First song on the iPod after I dropped Phil at the airport was Secret Garden by Bruce Springsteen. Reminded me of how much I've kept inside for such a long time. I do that not to deprive the people around me of my thoughts and feelings...it isn't that at all. It is more the feeling that I don't really NEED to share them in order to enjoy them. I am happy to just have that as my own. Expression makes me vulnerable - once you put that stuff out there it is subject to manipulation and discussion and who knows what else...thus, I keep it all inside where it's safe and simple.

...She'll lead you down a path
There'll be tenderness in the air
She'll let you come just far enough
So you know she's really there
She'll look at you and smile
And her eyes will say
She's got a secret garden
Where everything you want
Where everything you need
Will always stay a million miles away,

I gotta' work on that part of my life......I love you, Phil. ; )

The Wedding Weekend

This post is for my mother. She will want to see pictures of Mike and Mena and the boys...and hear all about the wedding.

Friday night we went to the rehearsal dinner at a brew pub right on the water in downtown Jacksonville. Mena looked fabulous! Here are a few pictures....this is Mena with Jake and Molly, the groom and bride. And this is a better picture of Mena. Since Jake is in the Navy, Mena had a cake made in the shape of a submarine...his is the USS Georgia. This is a picture of the cake with Flippy and Jake and my flash in the mirror.

...the other pictures from the rehearsal dinner are of John and Frank Granatino with their cousin Katie Wiltrout...then of Mike and Mena when they were talking about Jake. Mike cried and Mena didn't. They're pretty proud of him. There is also a picture of Mena with Vince Granatino, their youngest who somehow is old enough to be a freshman in college. Amazing.

I remember the time Phil and I went up to dinner at Mike and Mena's and Vincent took two sticks of butter off of the counter and unwrapped it behind the sofa. My job was to scrape the fuzz off of the butter so we could use it for dinner...they were a wild bunch.

The rest of these pictures are from the wedding - Flippy and me and Mena and me...and my wedding shoes...so cute!!

Thursday - Day one of the "Prequel"

Phil and I left Westwood at about 7:30 a.m. and headed south. We chose the "scenic" route, which turned out to be a great choice because it enabled us to meet Jim Rice (N3368K on the PB) in Memphis. He directed us to his office and we walked a few blocks to the Peabody Hotel, then turned into an alley where we discovered Charlie Vergo's World Famous Rendevouz...Phil was hungry for ribs and this was a good place to have them. We enjoyed meeting Jim...as it renewed his faith in Purple Board people. He thinks anyone you meet on the internet is liable to be a bad guy. Jim passed the test! We talked about...you guessed it...AIRPLANES!!!!

We headed south from Memphis thinking we would stay in Jackson, but decided another 90 minutes down to Hattiesburg would make Friday a better day on the road.

So, we were 14-1/2 hours on the road - Flippy drove 5 of them...wants me to get a lot of practice in for when I'm on my own, I guess.

The first song on my iPod this morning was "Celebrate Me Home" by Kenny Loggins. Seemed like a strange way to start a trip, but it got me thinking about home and what that really means to me. I moved five times during my K-12 years...I mean to five different cities/towns. I lived in 7 different houses during that time and attended 8 different schools. In many ways, I am like a turtle - I've had to carry my home with me...so much of it I carry in my heart. Home has become an amalgam of places and people and experiences no one will ever be able to take away from me...

...Play me one more song,
That I'll always remember,
I can recall,
Whenever I find myself too all alone,
I can make believe I've never gone,
I never know where I belong,
Sing me home..... (Kenny Loggins)

On to Jacksonville

Woke up in Hattiesburg MS this morning at 5 a.m. with Phil poking me along to get me moving. He finally ended up asking me, "Are you ready??" just one too many times. Didn't really talk until we got to Mobile and I got a cup of McDonald's coffee....icky.

The trip across Florida is SOOOO BORING. Not even someone with my level of imagination can make it fun. I wish I would have gotten Sunshine's comment about Birmingham earlier....I don't know why I didn't think of that route myself. I would have LOVED to have met her.

We are now comfortably tucked away at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront in Jacksonville getting ready to attend the rehearsal dinner this evening. Have no clue what to wear.....brought too many choices.....need to always remember it doesn't really matter once you get there....

Looking forward to two days of visiting and catching up with old friends. Tomorrow I need to find new tires for my car. We thought they were okay....but they really aren't.

Anybody know what is up with the little black bugs that are swarming all over Florida today? Looks like they're mating. Got some pictures....my only pictures of the day are Phil doing what he does best in the car. For some reason I can't get them to load right now. Must be a "cookie" thing.....I'll try again later when I have more time.

First song on the iPod this a.m. - appropriately so - Under Pressure by Queen. Need I explain this one? But, like everything else in life....there's a good message in that song....you just have to pay attention.

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And loves dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure

The Pre-Solo Check Ride

Phil and I are leaving Kansas City in a few minutes - heading down to Jacksonville for the wedding of our dear friends' son. Phil is going to teach me how to put gas in the car (just kidding) and air in the tires (not kidding). We'll check in along the way...but mostly it will be a trip where Phil is sleeping in the right seat while I'm driving and listening to my iPod.

I'm excited...I love adventures. Most of you don't think driving to Jacksonville could be an adventure...but we have to make our own fun along the way...

Stay tuned.