"Home" Day

Yesterday the Cub needed flown to Kokomo so Jon could repair the tailwheel. The tailwheel had a couple of issues, making for a little bit of difficulty taxiing, but more interesting landings on concrete. When I went to take it over, it looked pretty well out of fuel to me, which meant another trip to the fuel pump. Chuck, who must have read about my previous pulling the Cub to the fuel pump experience, or saw my red face afterwards, or both, had a much better idea. He put a tow strap on the Cub and hooked it to the golf cart and towed it to the pump. Now that worked...

My surprise childhood friend from yesterday made me smile today too when she said that "the fact that you fly planes doesn't surprise me a bit. I expected to be reading some of your Pulitzer winning novels by now, but you are still young and have plenty of time to get around to that." I used to write, all the time. I wanted to write a novel, and I had a bunch of them started, a lot of chapters of various stories from Westerns to Sci Fi to Christian Fiction to horror to short stories of how to get rid of your freckles once and for all. ;) The problem was, I read enough books to know when what I was reading is a good book and when it is not a good book, and when I would read my own writing, I would know it was not a good book. "It" wasn't there, whatever that undefinable "it" factor is. I could/can write a great letter, or do a great research paper, or an editorial piece, or any kind of informational thing, so that's basically where I quit trying to write the Great American Novel. Maybe some day I'll be able to write a book-I even have some things in an outline for one-but I wouldn't hold my breath on 1) me ever getting it done or 2) anybody ever reading it if I do. ;)

I had two flights scheduled for today, but both canceled right before I was supposed to go. This was really a blessing, because I actually got to be Mom today. I have so many things I haven't been able to get done because either I've been running around, flying, or...pooped, and Kaylee has just been patient. So aside from all the personal and household things that I did all day, I got a lot of work stuff done too, while still being able to have a good day with Kaylee. Her grandparents took her to swimming this morning, where she won two contests in a row--one was for the best cannonball into the water, and the other was she swam the farthest across the deep end of the pool. She was pretty proud of that! Plus, she was supposed to be in Level Four, but her swim class is Level Four and Five kids combined, and apparently she's doing the Level Five stuff, and her instructor said that at the end they'd test, and she could theoretically pass Level Five, too. She really likes that idea, too!

Kaylee is doing sewing lessons at a nearby church, led by Judy and several volunteer ladies. She is working on a tote bag project, and a stadium-seat cushion. When I came in to pick her up today, Kaylee was working the sewing machine, pulling out her project, snipping the thread, etc. It's a neat thing the ladies are doing for the kids, and a good thing to be exposed to and learn a bit about.

There is a little ice cream place on the main road by our house, and we have never stopped in there--so today I fixed that. Kay and I were sitting outside at the little table watching traffic going by eating our ice cream and enjoying a little time together. From there it was time to work. ;) I took her to Wal-Mart where we looked for luggage for her as well as a few clothing necessities. We found almost nothing, so I took us to Meijer next. Jackpot. Kaylee found matching luggage that, as she put it "has some pizzazz and is something I like without being too kiddish." We found the last of the clothes she needed for her camping experience, some of which she is wearing right now because she likes it so much, and she had a lot of fun picking stuff out. There is still a fair amount of paperwork I need to do tonight, but hey, The Main Missions for the day: Accomplished. :)