January Second

Wow...what a whirlwind. We left for the Portland airport (PDX) early so that Brendon and Amy could get back to normal (surfing on New Year's Day) and attending a birthday party for Grace, one of Truman's little friends. So we had some time to reflect on our visit while we downed our last Marion Berry scone with a cup of the Northwest's best coffee before going through security.

Truman is such a sweetie. When we got out of the car at PDX he got very quiet. I jumped out of the Scion and started stacking luggage on the curb for checkin...Aleene reminded me...don't forget Tru...so back inside I dove. The look on his face was so telling. He didn't want his Pappy to leave like this...we had talked about it, but reality set in. When we got to MSP we had an hour and a half layover and went to TGI Friday's for a sitdown meal (back to salads in 2005) and we called Amy just to let her know we took off on time and thankfully, landed safely in MSP. Her response was that as they were leaving PDX after our dump and run move Tru said, "Mom, I like you mom and dad." Whew...what does that do to you?

We had time to kill at PDX and called Jan and Gary to get an update on their family. Their pictures of all of them at Micki's for the holiday told the story. I have so much pride in the two AF pilot husbands, Shawn and Doug. In this day of us leaning on our military, these guys exemplify the professional nature of our military...2005 style. Shawn got picked to fly the new F-22 Raptor (which is having its problems as did many new birds) and Doug just finished Test Pilot school which in itself is remarkable. He now will be on the cutting edge of new flight advancements. Both are up for their Majority...as our family used to say soon, and I assume they will get picked up in the first round. This is all to say that Jodi and Micki are the consumate AF pilot wives. I saw the navy pilot wives forty years ago...there was/is intense pressure on those families. It looks glamorous, but they live with fear just under the surface...God bless them.

We loaded and took off from PDX early and zoomed into the clouds before we could see the Cascade vulcanoes (Ranier, Adams, St. Helens, Hood, Jefferson and Sisters.) This is the first time that I remember that we did not see any of them either flying in or out. Hood was visible most of the week at 80 miles, but to fly at 11,000 feet right next to its "cone" is a spectacular treat.

Amy and Bren have put everything...I mean everything, into getting this second child. I am not sure I could have done what they have done, financially, to get this to happen. The second piece of this is that Amy announced that she is going to be a full time stay at home mom next fall. They are giving up the second income and the retirement credits to be sure that both she and the new baby gets the best chance to succeed. God bless you, Amy. They do such a good job with Tru, that I am sure they will be successful with the second one. We thought about that at PDX, too.

We flew into MSP in a rain storm...at 25 degrees! That is scarry. I was not sure we would get up for the second leg when we heard ice pellets hitting the plane when we were off loading. We ate watching the Rose Bowl at long distance in TGIF's and somehow were able to load our plane. We were in exit rows for my benefit and Aleene's chagrin (cold and no foot rest) and I noticed that the wings were covered with snow. The ice had turned to snow while we were inside and the ramp looked like a Christmas scene. Needless to say we went to deice...which took a half hour wait in line, then out we went to the runway where we sat while the skipper revved the engines up and down several times then up we went. I have taken off many times...in the mountains of PA in a small navy plane, twice off the FDR, and in old rickety props...but I gotta tell you, I was putting my full faith in the crew of that Airbus 320 to do the right thing...

We landed in GRR in an east wind, but no rain...that came on the way home. We made it. Our mini vacation was over. The Jeep started and we got it out of hock ($48 for eight days) and sped home on the new south belt line, M6. Today we stayed home from church and Aleene has been doing laundry. I am getting ready for some football. Last week was nice, but they do not watch sports in Newberg, so between the NFL and all the bowl games....I saw only about 1/2 hour of the Monday night game...because it came on so early out there. So, the last week of the season with so little and so much to play for...I get to kick back and watch the Steelers.