Yesterday was the flight from Lakeville to Sioux Falls. The flight should have been an easy 1 hour and 10 minues...right...it was a long, hot, sweaty, bumpy, slow because of head wind 2 hour flight. I didn't know I could sweat that much! It was so humid it was ridiculous. I was literally drenched when I finally landed, and it wasn't my best landing which made me unhappy. I was supposed to be on the ground long enough to pick up Jon (my colleague) and then head on up to Aberdeen. The weather wasn't supposed to get any better, so I hangared the Whiskey Girl in Sioux Falls and we drove 3 hours to Aberdeen, yuck! The best thing is that Jon is really interesting to talk too, we had a lot of business stuff to catch up on and there were some huge fields of sunflowers along the way.
Our meeting went really well with our business partners in Aberdeen, I was expecting a really hard day since we had just fired 3 people from their shop that they all seemed to really like. Well they got over it pretty fast and the day went better than expected. I wish I'd have known that so I wouldn't have tossed and turned and worried all night. I was pretty wiped after the meeting and the 3 hour ride back. When we got back to Sioux Falls, I walked across the parking from my hotel to the mall, got a massage and when I came out had to wait about 45 minutes for a beautiful lightening storm and then a torrential down pour of rain. The rain eased long enough for me to run back across the parking lot. I was drenched when I got back to my room. A hot shower, a little blogging, a funny half hour of Will and Grace then it will be good night Irene!
Tomorrow a day in the office catching up, Yee Haw!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
First Stop - Lakeville Minnesota
A beautiful flight into Lakeville yesterday. The young guy at the FBO at the airport let me take the crew car, an old Mitsubishi Gallant, for some exploring. I found the lake! I also went in search of the Mall of America but I guess I really didn't want to spend my time at the mall, cuz I never did find it.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Cross Country
Tomorrow, bright and early, I launch into a week long cross country adventure in the Whiskey Girl. I will be flying to Lakeville, MN which is the airport circled on the map. It is just south of Minneapolis, the big yellow spot on the map. The first leg of the flight I will be stopping in Yankton, SD for fuel and a potty break, then on to Lakeville. The total flight should be about 4 1/2 hours. I am seeing a client who is very unhappy right now. In fact, the only way I have a shot at saving the deal is to be there in person on Monday morning....it's a huge deal, so I'm going. The rest of the week looks like this...
Lakeville to Sioux Falls, where I pick up 2 colleagues and then it is:
Sioux Falls to Aberdeen - Aberdeen back to Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls to Grand Rapids, MN - Grand Rapids back to Sioux Falls then next saturday
Sioux Falls to Denver
It will be about 15 hours of flying time for me, but otherwise it would have been triple that in a car. So I jumped at the opportunity to build some cross country time. The weather looks pretty good for the whole week so I am PUMPED!
I will take pictures and try to keep you updated as I go, 373WhiskeyDelta, cleared for take off!
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Camera Caper
Last weekend I was at the airport, doing my flying thing and soaking in the jet fuel. I took these pictures while they were moving Joe's 2 planes around. The Red one is the Sea Fury and the yellow one is the Mustang. I love the bright colors on the planes almost as much as I love the planes themselves. Of course the beautiful blue one is my Whiskey Girl and she's #1 in my heart.
This is Ryan, his dad has a plane in the hangar next to Joe's. Whenever I am at the hangar and Ryan is around, he is my constant shadow. I took him flying one day and we both like rocks. He brought a bag full of rocks he had picked up to trade me, I'll have to get a picture of my cooga. He told me the other day that I'm the most fun girl he ever knew, he's 7. He's told me some other things that would make his dad turn green, but he's a little boy so what do you expect? So what does this all have to do with a camera?
We'll when I got home from the airport and went to download pictures, I couldn't find my camera. I torn my car apart, dumped out my flight bag and sent Bruce in to look around the hangar with no luck. I had gone back in to the hangar last night for one more fruitless search and was pretty devastated that I had lost all the pictures AND my camera when Joe pulled up to my hangar. He asked me if I had lost my camera, duh, yeah! Well someone had found it and given it to Joe. I assumed that I dropped it in front of my hangar or something. Joe gave me the phone number of the guy who had found it so I called him and left a message thanking him for getting it back to me. I guess they had turned it on and saw the pictures of Joe's plane, that's why they brought it to him.
Turns out the story has a bigger twist and a lot more luck to it. The guy who found it called me back today. He hangars a few rows over from me and happened to be driving home. He spotted the camera (in its case) laying in the middle of the road at a very busy intersection where I would have turn to leave the airport, probably a mile from my hangar. He stopped and picked it up. Of course my name or nothing was in the case so he had no idea, except for they recognized Joe's beautiful planes. The guy had never met Joe, just admired the planes from afar like a lot of people, you see, Joe is a legend at the airport. The restaurant is decorated with pictures and trophies and memorabilia of Joe's flying career. He's just a great guy that is very much admired. So taking the camera back created the opportunity for this guy to meet Joe, he was totally gobsmacked. After thanking him, I told him that both Joe and I would be at the hangars on Saturday this weekend and that he should come over and hang out for awhile, the guy was giddy...almost as giddy as me getting my lucky red camera back. And now you know the rest of the story!
This is Ryan, his dad has a plane in the hangar next to Joe's. Whenever I am at the hangar and Ryan is around, he is my constant shadow. I took him flying one day and we both like rocks. He brought a bag full of rocks he had picked up to trade me, I'll have to get a picture of my cooga. He told me the other day that I'm the most fun girl he ever knew, he's 7. He's told me some other things that would make his dad turn green, but he's a little boy so what do you expect? So what does this all have to do with a camera?
We'll when I got home from the airport and went to download pictures, I couldn't find my camera. I torn my car apart, dumped out my flight bag and sent Bruce in to look around the hangar with no luck. I had gone back in to the hangar last night for one more fruitless search and was pretty devastated that I had lost all the pictures AND my camera when Joe pulled up to my hangar. He asked me if I had lost my camera, duh, yeah! Well someone had found it and given it to Joe. I assumed that I dropped it in front of my hangar or something. Joe gave me the phone number of the guy who had found it so I called him and left a message thanking him for getting it back to me. I guess they had turned it on and saw the pictures of Joe's plane, that's why they brought it to him.
Turns out the story has a bigger twist and a lot more luck to it. The guy who found it called me back today. He hangars a few rows over from me and happened to be driving home. He spotted the camera (in its case) laying in the middle of the road at a very busy intersection where I would have turn to leave the airport, probably a mile from my hangar. He stopped and picked it up. Of course my name or nothing was in the case so he had no idea, except for they recognized Joe's beautiful planes. The guy had never met Joe, just admired the planes from afar like a lot of people, you see, Joe is a legend at the airport. The restaurant is decorated with pictures and trophies and memorabilia of Joe's flying career. He's just a great guy that is very much admired. So taking the camera back created the opportunity for this guy to meet Joe, he was totally gobsmacked. After thanking him, I told him that both Joe and I would be at the hangars on Saturday this weekend and that he should come over and hang out for awhile, the guy was giddy...almost as giddy as me getting my lucky red camera back. And now you know the rest of the story!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Updates
Sorry, but I just haven't been much in the posting mood lately. It is hot here, not as hot as Hurricane, but in the 90's and we are a heck of a lot closer to the sun. In the evening when it cools off and you want to be outside the friggin' mosquitos eat you alive, so it makes me a little irritable. But the fun part of the day is turning the hose on and watching Hoss. He loves the water and he loves dragging the hose around, mostly with the water shooting into his mouth and up his nose, there is a lot of coughing and snorting, I guess I should get some pictures or videos, it's pretty entertaining, at least to someone who lives isolated on a farm and rarely sees another (talking) person.
Anyway, I am still alive an kicking. Working like a fool, loving the pay but hating the hours and the stress right now, did I mention that we let the 3 sales people go this week (lack of performance) and now I am pretty much the national sales force until I get some people hired, no pressure....I did sign a huge deal today, Yeah for me! Bruce even took me to dinner to celebrate, at the local steak house, filet mignon, yum!
Stay tuned, I'll get back on track here as soon as I cool off.
Anyway, I am still alive an kicking. Working like a fool, loving the pay but hating the hours and the stress right now, did I mention that we let the 3 sales people go this week (lack of performance) and now I am pretty much the national sales force until I get some people hired, no pressure....I did sign a huge deal today, Yeah for me! Bruce even took me to dinner to celebrate, at the local steak house, filet mignon, yum!
Stay tuned, I'll get back on track here as soon as I cool off.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Spreadin' Their Wings
It's an annual event at the Sleepy Turtle, a pair of peach birds feather the same nest next to our chimney, lay a few eggs, and then begin the daily trek to find enough food to feed everyone. If everything works out ok, the eggs hatch and soon we see the beaks of starving babies and hear the cry of the adults as they gather food for the chicks, they grow quickly and soon the babies are so big that they barely fit in the nest. By this time both parents are flying many trips each day to get food.
Then it happens, the day comes that it is time for the babies to spread their wings. You can tell by the sound the adults make that it is time. Today was the day, 3 baby birds were officially booted from their comfy nest. It is an all day ritual, first they boot them from the nest, usually to the windowsill. Then to the deck, the babies do everything they possibly can to avoid the inevitable, they hunker down in a corner together, try to fly back up to the windowsill, walk around and try to nap, they call to the parents because they are hungry, but the parents sit just far enough away to coax and prode and scold them into flying.
A stormy day for flying...
Cleared for take-off
The brave one
The solo pilot, with Sizzle in the background
And as the sun was setting...
The babies launched into a wobbly formation and flew off (finally) with their parents. What a beautiful thing to witness.
Then it happens, the day comes that it is time for the babies to spread their wings. You can tell by the sound the adults make that it is time. Today was the day, 3 baby birds were officially booted from their comfy nest. It is an all day ritual, first they boot them from the nest, usually to the windowsill. Then to the deck, the babies do everything they possibly can to avoid the inevitable, they hunker down in a corner together, try to fly back up to the windowsill, walk around and try to nap, they call to the parents because they are hungry, but the parents sit just far enough away to coax and prode and scold them into flying.
A stormy day for flying...
Cleared for take-off
The brave one
The solo pilot, with Sizzle in the background
And as the sun was setting...
The babies launched into a wobbly formation and flew off (finally) with their parents. What a beautiful thing to witness.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Happy Independence Day!
It's the 4th of July, Happy Independence Day! Thanks to all those who have served and who are still serving. Out here on the plains it was a wild day. The weather was pretty severe with a tornado watch, then lightning and thunder, then the hail---the biggest hail we've seen in these here parts, some were the size of golf balls, bet our metal roofs look really good now...the garden is pretty sad-all the flowers and most of the veggies...gone.
These are pictures I took between waves of the storm (the colors are not re-touched). Lots of clouds, wind, fog, hail, rain, lightning and thunder. Our fireworks were compliments of Mother Nature, the best kind and the greatest blessing is all the rain.
These are pictures I took between waves of the storm (the colors are not re-touched). Lots of clouds, wind, fog, hail, rain, lightning and thunder. Our fireworks were compliments of Mother Nature, the best kind and the greatest blessing is all the rain.
Saturday's Adventure
Saturday was garage sale day, I picked up 3 very old and very cool plates.
I also found 2 high stools and a cool old bright yellow step stool for my craft room. That will be a separate post after I get the painting done.
Next we headed on a drive to Elbert to check out the antique stores, that was a bust, but we found a garage sale sign that took us out through the country and we happened on a huge Alpaca farm. Probably at least 200 Alpacas, very cool especially with all the babies.
Then...driving down the road we found this...
Not even sure what to say about it except that it looked pretty real.
When we finally found the garage sale, it was a bust. The ride was great though and it was a fun adventure. A super fun day topped off with grilled hamburgers and the trimmings. Complete with strawberry shortcake for dessert.
I also found 2 high stools and a cool old bright yellow step stool for my craft room. That will be a separate post after I get the painting done.
Next we headed on a drive to Elbert to check out the antique stores, that was a bust, but we found a garage sale sign that took us out through the country and we happened on a huge Alpaca farm. Probably at least 200 Alpacas, very cool especially with all the babies.
Then...driving down the road we found this...
Not even sure what to say about it except that it looked pretty real.
When we finally found the garage sale, it was a bust. The ride was great though and it was a fun adventure. A super fun day topped off with grilled hamburgers and the trimmings. Complete with strawberry shortcake for dessert.
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