An ounce of prevention ...

I can tell I'm starting to get old, or maybe better put -- a bit older, because I keep getting letters from my insurance company telling me it would be in my best interests to go see my doctor and have this test done or that procedure.  In my younger days, I viewed these notes with the same disdain I do junk mail or robocalls at dinner time.

However, hard-headed as I may be, I am not stupid.  So when the third or fourth letter came reminding that I was now old enough to consider getting a colon screening, I thought maybe this would be the right time.  So I dialed up my local colonoscopy guy and made an appointment.  Another nice thing about my wife and I having the same birthdays is she gets the same "invitations."  This basically became an "I'll do it if you do it" thing.

Following an exciting evening of preparation, the only thing left was to face your two worst fears:  that the doctor would actually find something, and that you would totally embarrass yourself in front of a doctor (total stranger) and 3 or 4 nurses (total strangers).  Friends of mine who had this procedure before me told me that I would be put out and wouldn't know anything that happened.  Well, that may be true, but if the doctor came in in a clean change of clothes, I guess that would tell the tale.

I guess one good thing was that the whole staff and procedure was done by strangers in a town quite a ways from mine.  I was happy to get in there, that way I felt pretty certain I wouldn't have any former students of mine doing any "work" on me.

Oh, yeah, my wife got hers done too.  No bad results for either of us.  She got a 10-year "pass" from the doctor and I got a 5-year one.  So other than the prep, it wasn't that bad, and the "ends" justified the means.

Our body is a machine for living.  It is organized for that, it is its nature. Tolstoy


Hooah

An afternoon of history...

Earlier this month, Pam and I drove over to Grimes field in Urbana to see a gathering of B-25 bombers.  They were there for a weekend show prior to the Doolittle Raiders reunion which was to be held at the Wright Patterson AFB the following week.  In all, there were 25 fully restored B-25 Mitchell bombers.

It was a sunny, windy day in Urbana, but the 20-30 mph winds didn't seem to bother those big birds.  The would rumble down the runway and leap into the air, just as they did in the 40s and 50s.  This was the only combat airplane to see action in every front of every theater of WWII.  It was also so durable, it saw action well beyond the WWII flights, and wasn't retired until the air force put it out to pasture (air shows by private citizens) in 1960.  Another fact that probably isn't too well known is this bomber, in its subsequent editions (up through B-25J model) was also used by our allies around the world.

There was an additional surprise for those gathered along the runways.  Two P-51 Mustangs were also at the show, flying escort for the 25s, much like they would have in that war. 

This is "Old Glory."  According to the information on display, this plane was sent to Corsica, Italy in 1944, but her battle history is unknown.  The crew said they are still searching for documentation of any WWII combat.

This is the "Yankee Warrior."  This plane was restored in 2003 and is one of only two flying B-25Ds and one of very few WWII planes with a documented combat history.  It flew bombing missions with the 12th Air Force, 57th Bomb Wing, 340th Bombardment Group, 489th Bombardment Squadron in Corsica.  Following its missions in Corsica and through the Brenner Pass, it was brought back to the US and turned over to Great Britain as part of the Lend-Lease Program and the Royal Canadian Air Force used it as a trainer.

 
One thing I noticed is the structural difference in the various models.  Some had glass noses and some didn't.  Some had the top turret gunner up front, and some had it in the back, near the tail.  I guess it was just which model you were flying.

This plane is called "Tondelayo."  It is actually a refurbished B-25 outfitted with the colors and nose art of the famed "Tondelayo" that earned Army Air Corps fame on October 18, 1943.  On that day, the crew of the original plane sank three Japanese ships, after which she, along with the other B-25s in her squadron, came under attack by Japanese fighters.  The plane's right engine was shot out and shut down.  For another 75 minutes, the crew fought off the attack as the plane limped back to its base.  The crew was awarded the Silver Star and the Tondelayo returned to service after getting outfitted with a new engine, a new wing, some new radio equipment, a new propeller blade and a "whole bunch of aluminum patches."

I thought this shot of the "flight line" was pretty interesting and probably looked a lot like it would in the War.

 
Of course, airplanes weren't the only thing there that day.  There were lots of WWII reenactors and lots of equipment.  I got a kick out of some of the old vehicles and weapons.  I told Pam since I just got a new Jeep, maybe I would buy her a new SUV like the one below. 

It was REALLY windy that day.  Pam ran down my hat a couple of times after it blew off my head as I was taking pictures.  It also did wonders for her hair.

I also couldn't pass up the old jeeps.  I think CSM Barnett and I used to drive these around in our earlier days.

All in all, it was a really great day.  The drive was nice and the weather was just right.  What a great way to see these pieces of history.  For those of you who were wondering, the flights cost $450 per person, and we thought that was a bit out of our range.  I know, I know ... where else are you going to get a chance to ride in a B-25.  Maybe some time in the future when I'm richer and a lot more nostalgic.

“There's nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.”  Gen. Jimmy Doolittle


Hooah

The beauty and curiosity of it all ...

I was walking around the yard the other day and couldn't help but notice the color and beauty of the trees and flowers, so I thought I would get some pictures of them before the predicted freeze expected that night might wipe them out.

Check these out:

One of the Dogwoods from D&D's wedding.

There is all this beauty in our yard.  What a gift.

And then along comes a layer of clouds and presents me with another gift -- the "curiosity" part of the entry... Have you ever seen a long horizon full of clouds and noticed they are all flat on the bottom of the cloud and all puffy on top.  Why are they always flat on the bottom and not on top?  Not even just once in a while.

I learned the answer when I was learning to fly, but it really is interesting.  Do you know?  I can tell you that when I would take the plane up through the cloud layers, it was not a ceiling that one would bump into, and there wasn't really any noticeable change in pressure or greater amounts of turbulence.  But it's just interesting why they are so flat on the bottom.

All of this reminds me of a poem by William Carlos Williams , "The Little Red Wheelbarrow."

so much depends upon

a red wheel barrow

glazed with rain water

beside the white chickens.

Have you ever seen a cloud going by that kinda, sorta looked like Mickey Mouse, or one that looked like an Indian or a elephant?  I think that's what's behind the flat-bottomed cloud thing.  I'm sure there is a scientific reason for their being flat (there really is), but I also think there is a "curiosity factor" in there too...an imagination factor, if you will, that God put there so we would expand our outlook -- open our brain -- challenge our eyes.

The cure for boredom is curiosity.  There is no cure for curiosity.  (Dorothy Parker)

Hooah

Man Trip 2012 ...

For four years now, at least three of us have taken a golf trip (a.k.a. "Man Trip") to North Carolina in March.  We have demonstrated our prowess with the golf club two times in the Winston-Salem area and two times in the Charlotte area.  Both have really nice golf courses and it is such a fun thing to take our show on the road, as it were, and get tuned up for another season.

The Winston-Salem had real nice layouts and the courses were pretty challenging.  However, the grass in the fairways was always dormant when we were there -- middle of March.  So we thought we would have better luck with the grass at least if we went later and further south, thus Charlotte.  We could have really gone south, but we decided a long time ago to stay within a 10-hour drive.  This year, we pushed our trip back to the last week in March and certainly were not disappointed.

The weather was poor all week prior to our trip and poor all week after we got back, but absolutely beautiful the whole time we played.  We got in  27 holes on Wednesday at the Skybrook Golf Club, 27 holes on Thursday at the Charlotte Golf Links, and 18 holes on Friday (our drive home day) at the Traditions Golf Course.  The Traditions is my all-time favorite course so far in North Carolina.  It is an absolutely beautiful creation.  They call it the "Pinehurst course for people without Pinehurst money."

We were having so much fun that we forgot to take many pictures.  Here are the ones we did take:

I really didn't slam my club, just fooling around for the camera.

Everybody seems to be hitting one direction but Dave.

Next year, we may change our direction a bit and look toward Tennessee (but still staying within the 10-hour drive limit).  FYI -- we filled up the Jeep just as we left the golf course and didn't stop again for gas until we got to Troy, OH to drop off Dave.  The computer said I still had 45 miles left on that tank...probably could have made it home.

I also think we need to look at planning a mid-summer or a fall trip with wives to Michigan.  We know some great places and courses up there.  That would be a pleasant change of pace.

Columbus went around the world in 1492.  That isn't a lot of strokes when you consider the course. (Lee Trevino)

Hooah

Enough is enough...

I usually refrain from writing about things political in this blog because it just elevates my blood pressure.  I've already lost my heart doctor to politics -- he closed his office and went to work for the hospital.  Seems he couldn't maintain his practice under all the new government insurance regulations.  I now have a new doctor and he is just fine, so I guess I'm good for now.  Anyway, back to the purpose of this entry.

A couple of years ago, Pam and I, along with the whole northern half of Shelby County, found ourselves at the center of a conflict between the Department of the Interior and an unnamed Indian tribe.  It seems the Indian tribe wanted to build a casino in this part of Ohio and filed suit with the Justice Department to have all residents of this county evicted from their properties.  The tribe claimed that we were all living on this property illegally per the terms of the Treaty of Greenville (August 3, 1795).  The terms of the suit stipulated that all such residents would have 6 months to vacate.  Obviously this caused quite a stir and countersuits filled the Shelby County Court's agenda.  Resolution to this took several months, the residents did not have to leave their properties, and the casino issue was overcome by the whole issue being put on the ballot.  We now have four casinos being built around the state. 

Life was good once again, or at least until some time about mid-March when I got a registered letter from Chrysler Motors  informing me that my 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was being recalled.  I have heard of recalls before, but this one was different.  The letter was co-signed by Eric Holdem, the Attorney General of the United States.  In the letter, Mr. Holdem said that all Jeep Grand Cherokees were being recalled in order to resolve a dispute between the Cherokee Indian nation and Chrysler Motors.  It seems the Indians didn't like the unauthorized use of their tribal name on this vehicle.  Holdem said that since the U.S. Government owned controlling interest in the company (thanks to the auto bailouts -- remember them?), they would assist the Tribe as a "friend of the court and ensure all vehicles bearing that name were properly recalled and destroyed."  Fortunately, calmer heads at Chrysler were able to come up with an acceptable counter proposal -- thus the recall.

Now what I have to do is take my Jeep back to the dealer and have a retrofit done.  What this entails is taking all pieces of chrome and trim that have the name Grand Cherokee off the vehicle and replacing them with new "Jeep Grand Native American"  emblems and side panels.  This includes all the manuals, instruction messages, warranties, hats and shirts (sold optionally thru Jeep), etc.  The new replacement panels really do look dorky, but since I really like the vehicle I guess I can put up with it.

I did see where the Attorney General praised the actions of his staff for quick action on this matter, but hinted that "further action could still be in the pipeline" (maybe this is a poor choice of words).  Holdem said that "if Chrysler had been more cooperative in this matter, this could have been a giant step toward eliminating the gasoline, internal-combustion engine and America's reliance on gasoline itself." 

"sloof lirpA"

Hooah

Hail, yes...

The weather has been really nice in this pre-spring period.  We've been in the upper 60s to mid-70s for the last two weeks and I've been able to get three rounds of golf in so far, work around the pond and even cut some of the yard once.  It seems the area where the driveway was put in last year, where I put in new seed and fertilized the heck out of it, has gone bonkers and will probably need cutting again in a couple of days.  Even with that, I still like the weather so far, but know the other shoe is likely to fall.

We may have gotten a little taste of what could have been a nasty storm last Thursday when we got a really heavy hail storm.  I was driving back from Krogers where we were doing a fund raiser for the next WWII trip and got hit by the brunt of the storm. The hail bounced off the Jeep and left a couple of very small dings, but no broken paint or windows.  There were a couple of shots where I thought I was going to be wearing the front glass.

Pam's early spring flowers took a beating.

I am a weather spotter for Shelby County Amateur Radio and I got some measurements of the hail.

I'm glad the Jeep wasn't damaged.  I sure didn't want to fight the insurance battle for hail damage.

So this evening as I am writing this entry, watching OU win its NCAA game to advance to the "Sweet 16", I'm listening to the frogs in the pond.  The back slider is open and it's still very pleasant outside.  Pam said the pond looked like it was being shot by a machine gun during the hail.  Glad the frogs made it through all that.

One of the things I like about living out in the county in Ohio is the changing of seasons is so pronounced, so impressive and so powerful.  And I know enough about it to know that I can't change it so I just apply one of my old Army sayings:  "Adapt and overcome."

Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.  (Oscar Wilde)


Hooah

Three strikes, but I'm still in there...

Last week, Pam and I had the opportunity to go to NY to take care of Quinn for three days.  The NY schools had something like a mid-winter ski week vacation, so all the schools were closed.  With Doug and Danika still having to work, they asked us if "we would mind coming over to be with Quinn for a few days."  I don't even think Grandma had logged off the computer before she had the kennel on the line to check for openings. 

They have another week off in April sometime, and Grandpa Randy and Grandma Margret will get to be with him.  Probably not much hesitation on their part either!!

Anyway, that's not the story line.  Let me tell you of the trials leading up to getting out of our driveway and then I'll relate some Quinn moments.

I had somehow contracted a pretty good sinus cold (Strike One) just a couple of days before going.  I thought it would go away pretty quickly because these sorts of things do with me.  I was sniffling pretty good, but that wasn't going to stop me.  So out to the garage with the last piece of luggage and the dog's things for the kennel.  I then brought out Bailey, lifted her up into the back of the Jeep and began to pull down the back door.  All of a sudden, "WHACK!#*%!!" -- the leading edge of the tailgate came crashing down across the bridge of my nose (Strike Two).  I saw a few stars and felt my knees get a bit weaker, but I didn't go down.  I did have a handful of blood though. 

So now, I had a nose full of sinus junk and yuck from the aforementioned karate chop from the tailgate.  Fortunately, my nose wasn't broken, but I figured I would need an orange wide load triangle to hang around my neck.  After a few choice words, we were off, complete with cold cloth on my nose.

The drive was pretty uneventful and we made it in just under 10 hours, door to door.  I guess I was owed one because there was a parking place right in front of their apartment that opened up just as we drove up.

The best part of the day, however was the greeting I got from Quinn when we walked in the house.  He came running across the room yelling "Grandpa, Grandpa" and jumped up for me to catch him.

 I wasn't much count the first day there, but got better after that.  We visited the NY Aquarium (I drove straight to it -- piece of cake).  We read some books, played with most of his toys, and went to the "water-fish park" (but didn't stay too long because it was very windy and cold).

 We also baked cookies, and Pam and he made stick toys and other things with his art supplies. Unfortunately with all my sinus issues, Pam got saddled with most of the morning time, but she wasn't complaining.

 

This is called "The Happy Cookie Dance."

The trip back was fine -- a little snow in the PA mountains, but nothing stuck to the roads where we were.  The Jeep got a little over 25 m.p.g. on the way over, but only about 19.7 on the way back (20-30 m.p.h. head winds all day long).

So now, it's almost a week later, and the sinus infection is getting better, and the nose didn't swell up too much.  No black and blue.  I do have one word of caution however, if you want to try one of those breathe-right strips, just beware that if you put it on tightly you may peel off skin when you take it off (Strike Three).  For the last two days, it looks like I had been in some sort of fist fight.

Oh, and one other thing -- I would caution you against trying to shave  while sniffling.  I got a pretty good shaving cut (Strike Four ?) doing that.

Given the ups and downs, the ups (being with D,D&Q and Pam in NY) far outweighed the downs.  I'll take a visit with them any time!!

Grandparents, like heroes, are as necessary to a child's growth as vitamins. (Joyce Allston)
 
Hooah