Labor Day

So, today was supposed to be a "day off for working citizens", but alas, it doesn't always work that way. :) I had my flight down at Sheridan this morning, until noon, then went back to Glenndale where I ate Steve's lunch. One of our instructors ended up having the gear break on one of our airplanes, which fortunately happened on takeoff and didn't cause any damage to anyone or anything. It was at a private little grass strip somewhere else, so five of us loaded up and drove over to the runway and a couple of guys looked over the temporary repair work that had been done on it to make sure it was airworthy to be flown back home. It was, so Dale flew it back to Glenndale uneventfully. It was a neat picture though, I wish I'd had my camera with me. Four guys pushing a little yellow Cub out onto a short grass strip in the middle of nowhere, a little dog running around. I ended up backing over a set of peonies off the side of the driveway on my way out while trying not to run over the dog, but that is the extent of the damage caused by the whole incident. :)

The other day Steve took Kaylee for a quick Corvette ride. They went down through the park with the top off and some music up, and Steve started acting like Mr. Cool, putting his hands up out the window with a "Yo dude" kind of thing. Kaylee was telling him to cut it out, and that he was embarrassing her. So of course he ramps it up a little bit, and Kaylee slinks down in her seat, hides her head in a little pillow she brought along, and says "Daaaad, Seriously!" She's only seven you know, and yet he's already capable of totally embarrassing her. He told us he's got his brown knee-high socks with his bermuda shorts all picked out and ready to wear to pick her up at school. ;)

This afternoon I actually fell asleep again for over an hour. I'd be worried that I would be up too late thanks to it, but it's only 10 pm and I'm already yawning again. I am obviously in dire need of beauty rest still!

Tonight we all went out to dinner to celebrate one of our students who passed his private pilot checkride. In the old days, a student bought soft drinks for whoever was at the airport when he soloed for the first time, and bought a steak dinner for his instructor after he passed his checkride. It's still a tradition of sorts, but less often "enforced". After all, times have changed and it's more 'business' than the fun, relaxed atmosphere it used to be, and instructors are paid, so... :) But tonight he took us and the Riders out to celebrate the achievement of joining the "I can fly an airplane any time I want with passengers without asking anyone for permission" pilot crew, and we had a good time.

I'm glad that Gustav didn't pack quite the punch they originally thought it did, and that the SMA families I know in that area are safe and sound. Unfortunately, we did lose another SMA child today. His name is Ethan Burnett, he was 8 years old and perfectly healthy (other than the SMA). He is another I've known for, well, 8 years. My heart goes out to his parents, who are reeling right now...