Stuff

I was grumbly about having to wake up early to go flying this morning when I didn't feel like it, but I didn't have to get up until 7:45 am, and I woke up at 4:30 am and never went back to sleep anyway. I tried though. At 5 am Steve got up, and he stayed up until like 7 am, and then he went back to bed for awhile and I just gave up and got up anyway.

The flight in the morning wasn't as bad as I expected from a heat standpoint. By 9-11 am it was warm, but with the vent on you in the airplane, it was actually fine.

The flight itself was less fine. He is consistently really, really not good at this. In a lot of ways I won't spell out. In fact I can't think of anything I should type here, so I'll move on.

Steve, Chuck and I met for lunch, and then I went right over to my hair appointment. I was then supposed to fly with the new T-6 checkout guy. I didn't feel like it. I mean, really didn't have the right energy for that at all. It is hotter than hell and muggy and starting with a new guy takes a lot of...energy. That part is one of the worst parts of instructing for me, always has been. The initial meet, assessment, talking, getting started. Once you're rolling it's usually okay, but that first part takes a lot out of me. So when he texted and asked if we could postpone until tomorrow morning, I was all in. Yes. Sure. You betcha. No problem. Thank you. lol So instead I went home and did home things, including my arm exercises.

I've been using these little 2 lb weights just to do various arm exercises, and at the end of 10 reps each exercise, of 4 different exercises, my left arm would feel it and even be sore. Then it wasn't, so I went to 15 reps, and now I'm at 20. Today I tested it, and my range of motion is back; it's just as good on my left arm as my right arm. That made me happy. I'm going to have to go up to heavier weights too, with fewer reps, which is great. There's one position it still hurts, and it "clicks" or pops sometimes where the other one doesn't, but the range is back and I'm gaining strength and I'm really pleased. I think my right knee is actually back to normal. Left, well, still working on that one. I can straighten it out now, carefully, even though the feeling of that skeeves me out still. I've started some gentle stretching exercises on them, too, carefully. I've also gotten more dedicated at losing weight, as my weight is the hardest thing on my joints and my joints are obviously firing warning shots at me. So over the last month I've lost about 4 pounds. A whopping 4 pounds that I could probably eat a few big cheeseburgers and have be back up, but so far it's continuing to slowly (slowly) go down. Just the old version of smaller portions, minimal desserts, minimal sugar as a whole actually except for the occasional coffee treat. Lots of water. Try not to eat after 7-8 pm. Better choices when I do eat, more fruit, protein, walnuts, fewer carbs. It's annoying and tiring to have to think about everything you do and eat. But I'm back on the wagon, and hopefully will at least get healthier and maybe even a little smaller. 

Kaylee is at a rodeo right now, as her friend says you can't go to Wyoming without seeing a rodeo. She's also going to do a zip line off a mountain tomorrow, one that gets up to 60 mph and has a more than 1000' drop. So cool! I hope she's having a really fun time, she seems to be. :)

Molly is hanging out over here, head butting us occasionally, and doing well. She's a sweet cat. Even Steve loves her a lot. You can't not like Molly. Unless you're a monster. ;)

We're having some CAF issues. We have an event this weekend that Steve just found out is getting dropped on its head and full of problems. So he's jumping in and trying to make it happen. It's at Exec. We also are having an issue with our unit and HQ and the guy who toasted BOB's engine. We're having what's called an FEB meeting which is basically a "Fit to Fly" committee that gets together and hashes over everything that happened, and then decide how to punish the guy and how to move forward. Problem is, some people want blood and other people don't want anything other than what he's already trying to do, but either way this is not going to be a pleasant meeting and I have to go as the instructor. I don't even know how to be. I am NOT happy with him. I didn't teach him that way. He's made people question me as an instructor and it reflects poorly on me and our unit with the whole organization, whereas we were one of their golden children prior to this. Steve firmly doesn't want to lose the guy because he's all about 3rd chances and redemption and the fact the guy is trying really hard now to make everything right. If the wing does something to boot the guy out, Steve may get mad enough to quit. He hasn't said that, but he's threatened it before over less. And that would be a real mess. So I am *not* looking forward to Tuesday's meeting, fight, whatever this will be.

Tomorrow morning around 9:30 I start flying with new T-6 checkout guy, Matt. Here's hoping this goes smoothly and well and we can get our 5 hours in on the hottest and muggiest day of the year so far and I actually hope he IS as good as he says he is. It's just much less scary for me when they're good.

Kaylee & Bri at a rodeo. It's apparently cold there. It is not cold here!!