Happy Spring

Happy Spring Everyone!! I know it's a day early but I think we are all ready for Mr. Winter to go into hiding for the next few months. The trees are beginning to bud, the spring flowers are popping up and spring fever is in the air. I am going to Phoenix tomorrow to soak up some of their sunshine, Yippee!! I think everyone's moods will improve when we can see and feel the warmth of the sun on our skin. My white legs are sure looking forward to it. Can't wait to see my kids. I am so homesick for all of you!!

Another Scare

At approximately 5:00 pm today the FAA called looking for a Beachcraft airplane. The pilot had radioed in saying that his cockpit was filling with smoke from the front panel. Shortly after he went below radar and the FAA could not get an answer from him. He had already crossed the St. Johns Airport and the Holbrook highway. All surrounding airports were contacted,no one had seen him. Two airplanes landed here and were asked to keep an eye out for a downed aircraft. At 6:00 Gary and I traveled the Holbrook road for 20 plus miles to see if we could spot anything. It is weird because you are afraid you will find something and afraid you won't. We came back into town and had some errands to run, then about 8:30 Gary called the FAA to check on the plane. Somehow this pilot had made it to his destination. The smoke had fried the radio wires which is why he was not answering. Hello, are you kidding me!! Why would you continue to fly with smoke filling your cockpit??? We suspect that the FAA will meet with him to ask the same question. We are just relieved that he is ok.
The company that picked up the last aircraft reminded Gary that accidents tend to come in 3's, so we were worried that we were starting that trend once again. Cross your fingers that it doesn't. A prayer or two would be nice also!!!!

New Bed

Sleep deprivation is not a good thing! It tends to make one cranky after awhile SOOO Gary and I decided it was time to go shopping for a new bed. Well of course one thing leads to another and we decided to get a King size bed which needed a king size headboard which needed 2 new night stands which needed new sheets, blanket and bedspread. But hey after 30 years of marriage we decided that wasn't such a bad thing. So, we get it here and get it all put together and we stand and gaze at this beautiful sight, in awe that it has taken us so long to do this. We start laughing about how in awe we are, then we look at each other, we both know what the other is thinking, Yip we need to redo the walls and get new carpet. There is good news, however, the dresser that we refinished last summer is a very good match so we don't have to replace it. So it all balances out don't you think? Ha Ha We are very much enjoying the comfort of a good mattress.

Oh No, Not Again!

Yesterday I decided that I was finally going to get to my back room and get it cleaned out. I got done later in the afternoon and was sitting and enjoying the clean room. Gary had gone to the airport to check on our new hire, Patricia. A few minutes later he called to tell me that another airplane had crashed. As I was walking toward the airport I spotted the wreckage and two young men walking toward the terminal. I was so glad that they were out and walking. At first look it didn't look like the crash was too bad but after walking to the plane, I found that these two young men were very lucky to be alive.

The weather was pretty crazy. One minute the wind was blowing and the next, it was calm. When they got to the end of the runway they reported that the wind was calm and they were going to proceed with the planned take off, however when the pilot lifted off a gust of wind caught the wing and it was all in God's hands at that point. The left wing hit first and sent them down hard, hitting the prop, which broke into pieces and was spread all over the runway. Both wheels came off, one rolling down the opposite runway. They spun in a circle heading back in the opposite direction finally coming to a stop. They said it all happened in a matter of seconds.

They were both pretty shook up and kept reminding each other that the plane was not the important thing, they were alive! I felt so bad for them. A pilot thinks of his aircraft as his "baby" even more so than their vehicle. Gary and I ended up driving them to Gallup, New Mexico to meet a friend. We had dinner with them while we waited for their ride to show up. As they sat, the soreness began to set in. They kept saying that they were just glad to be alive and so might I add were we. The video of that scene will replay in their minds for days on end. They had just picked this plane up in October and had begun to enjoy it. The pilot said he was done flying but we encouraged him to get up and get back to it. He had just gotten his license a year ago. They were great guys. We hope all goes well for them. We just hope this isn't the beginning of another round of crashes. We have had enough already!!