Later in the afternoon we moved the T-6 over to Jordan's big hangar, and parked behind the B-25 there. They had a USO event, followed by a 40's Swing Hangar Dance all afternoon. AE and I stuck around until just after 4 pm, but we didn't stay for the hangar dance. One lady asked me if I was in costume early for the hangar dance because I wore a flight suit. That made me laugh, but no, I wasn't in costume, at least not for that. :) We answered questions about the T-6, I let some folks climb up into it and take photos; one little boy, about six, wore my helmet and barely got it on his head. I spoke to a Korean veteran who used to fly SNJs over in Korea, and another WWII pilot who flew T-6s in training. Several older ladies wanted to meet me and shake my hand, and there was this one older gentleman who was I think I'd say a downright fan. He was so impressed that I was flying the T-6, and he kept wanting to hug me. He gave me a big hug to start with, and was joking about how I still had all my teeth, when leading horses around with a bit caused them to lose teeth and I had a lot of horses to lead around. He kept commenting on my freckle face, in a sweet way, not a weird one, and then he asked for another hug, only this time he stayed in real tight, hands on my sides, inches from my face, and started talking to me nose to nose, and I had to tell myself to relax, don't get weird, don't push away...he was so sweet and enamored and excited. Steve said he couldn't wait until he got old enough that he could hug on pretty girls and not get accused of being inappropriate. ;)
AE and I flew home after 4 pm, and we all grilled out at the hangar and just hung out until shortly after dark, after which we came home and had a fire in our back yard with a few folks and relaxed until late. It was a good day, an enjoyable flying day, smooth and clear and cool, got to meet some neat people, got to spend some time with folks I enjoy being around, and got to just relax a little.
This morning, Sunday, I had a paid T-6 rider. She had said she wanted to do "everything", so I had the chute in. She was having so much fun from the get-go, that from the moment I got her strapped in she was giggling. When I started the engine, she was laughing and giggling. Taxiing...loved it. We did a fly-by of her husband after takeoff, during which she laughed hysterically, and then we went up to do some maneuvers. As I usually do, no matter what they say, I always start off slow. So she said "Just do it all, I'm up for everything!" The first thing I did was just a steep turn. I roll smoothly into the turn, and she says "Well, maybe not everything." I shallow it out asap, ask if she's feeling okay, and she is, but that tells me what to do and not do. I did a few very gentle, easy, slow, non-aggressive wing-overs, which she liked a lot, and then we looked around at stuff for awhile, before doing one more pass down by Glenndale, because she liked the speed part of it, just not the bank/pitch part of things. I'd tell her what I was getting ready to do, and used words like "nice and easy", and she said "I'm glad you're not doing it super hard and aggressive. This is so much fun!" I told her our goal is for her to enjoy herself, not be hanging on for dear life. The bad news is that is a lot of times if someone says to a pilot "I want to do it all, I'm up for everything", the general public pilot assumes the person knows what they want and are capable of, and that's not true a lot more often than it is true. The good news is that I'd venture to say any pilot who actually gives rides with any regularity does know this. :) I've heard too many horror stories of pilots showing off their Mad Skillz and traumatizing people for life out of it...you only get one chance with them, and it may be their last time in an airplane, so pilots need to take that seriously, save the showing-off for someone who will appreciate it, and give folks a ride they'll enjoy, even if the pilot doesn't think it's "exciting" enough. They're in an airplane--it's exciting enough right there most of the time!
One thing on weight I've been working on; I had been losing an average of 2 pounds a week, until the last two weeks when it decided to take a break and stay where it was for the most part. I didn't change anything, I just kept going. I normally take one day a week where I eat more than normal, just keeping the metabolism up, a little reward, etc. But even on those days I've been pretty tight, because I just didn't like the thought of unnecessary chowing down. Yesterday I deliberately chose to go off the reservation. I had a small, healthy breakfast, and a small, decent lunch, but then we had a cookout at the hangar, and I had chips, and a big ole brat, baked beans, and ice cream with chocolate sauce, and a homemade cookie, and a bottle of red wine, and I was so far over I didn't even track it, I just went with it and enjoyed. This morning I stepped on the scale to see what the damage was--and I was down a pound. This made me laugh, because you want to say "Hey, I ought to eat like that EVERY day then!" ;) I liked it better when it came off faster, it was motivating, but hey, I feel pretty good these days health-wise, and that's the important part of the goal.
Unfortunately, Steve woke up this morning with a headache that has only gotten worse. It seems to be sinus related, but nothing is helping, and he's pulling a Laura and curled up in a dark room in bed on a beautiful Sunday afternoon trying not to get sick. :( Normally if I rub his head and sinuses it helps, but even that didn't kick it, nor did caffeine or water or sleep or food or pain killers. I hate that for him, wish I could help. I know how it feels...
Kaylee is also not feeling well today, so I am having her stay home from church. She off and on has a sore throat, is getting hot and cold flashes, and gets a little light headed sometimes too. I woke up feeling a little off, but not too much, and I seem to be the last man standing in the household right now. Hope everybody is back on their feet and feeling better fast.
This photo is from Terre Haute. The B-25 "Show Me" is in the foreground, and under its wing you can see the T-6 back there. Glad we could go, and glad I had company. I'm an only child, I'm used to entertaining myself. I have no problem going to a movie theater alone, or to a restaurant to eat alone. I go to all sorts of things alone, even flying stuff. But this time I didn't want to go alone, it was something that required company that wouldn't mind being there all day, and it worked out great that AE could come along. We both had a nice time. :)
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