Small Talk: The Welcome Mat

[Spunkygal]

Definitely stay safe, @Netfoot! Hope that Gonzalo leaves you and Buddy alone! Please keep us posted.

[Netfoot]

TS Gonzalo continues to weaken. Latest Advisory (#15) terminates the Hurricane Watch but the Storm Warning continues. Small Craft and High Surf warnings also continue in effect. This is contingent on the storm following the predicted track. But the storm track has been erratic, and it wouldn't take a lot for it to swerve in our direction, in which case.....

Just watched the PM on YouTube, telling everyone to take precautions but not to panic.

Next intermediate advisory at 8:00 PM. 

[Netfoot]

The Storm Warning for Gonzalo has been discontinued, as has the High Surf Advisory, as the storm weakens and seems to be sticking to a southerly route. The Small Craft Warning has been downgraded to a Small Craft Advisory, with 2½ to 3 meter swells still expected. Small craft operators and sea bathers best if they stay out of the water.

Seems like we dodged a bullet. Again. This happens a lot, to the point where I feel I should just ignore it when it happens -- a move almost guaranteed to bring the storm straight to my door. So... no.

And besides: 2020.

[Spunkygal]

7 hours ago, Netfoot said:

The Storm Warning for Gonzalo has been discontinued, as has the High Surf Advisory, as the storm weakens and seems to be sticking to a southerly route. The Small Craft Warning has been downgraded to a Small Craft Advisory, with 2½ to 3 meter swells still expected. Small craft operators and sea bathers best if they stay out of the water.

Seems like we dodged a bullet. Again. This happens a lot, to the point where I feel I should just ignore it when it happens -- a move almost guaranteed to bring the storm straight to my door. So... no.

And besides: 2020.

Never ignore it. My area has a lot of tornadoes (in fact, one hit the week before I was born) and I had become a bit blasé about them....until last October when one missed my immediate neighborhood by just a few streets. The wind was so loud that I couldn’t hear the alert sirens. Honey and I took shelter in a bathroom. She was bored!  I know that since you are in a hurricane-prone area that you see a lot of action. Never ignore it. 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Spunkygal

[Netfoot]

Argh!

Twelve new cases of "athlete's foot" yesterday. Apparently, an aircraft arrived from Ghana carrying 100+ healthcare workers, and twelve of them tested positive on arrival. The entire planeload went straight into quarantine, so hopefully no widespread exposure to the general public. What I want to know is why, with our numbers low, and plenty of spare capacity in out our local healthcare system, are we importing foreign healthcare workers by the planeload?

134 days since isolation began, but I don't know how much sense it makes to talk about isolation when you are going out at least once a week for groceries and meds. I'm still avoiding unnecessary excursions though, and will continue to do so until Dr. Kristi says I don't need to.

In other news, I heard yesterday that Carl, a friend of mine (and Buddys') had passed away. He was a member of a different modelling club, but there have always been good relationships between the clubs. I was always pleased when Carl visited us, and he always made me feel welcome when I went up there. He was a chef, and his food was sweet. He always wore a stetson. A small group of us will go to visit his club this afternoon, where a minute of silence will be held as a mark of respect. There will also be flying and drinking in his memory. I can only find a single photo of Carl, sitting with Buddy watching a plane come in for a landing. (It is in Buddy's album.) Unfortunately it is shot from behind, so you can't see anything of Carl other than his hat. It makes no sense to post it, so I won't.

Edited August 2, 2020 by Netfoot

[Spunkygal]

3 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Argh!

Twelve new cases of "athlete's foot" yesterday. Apparently, an aircraft arrived from Ghana carrying 100+ healthcare workers, and twelve of them tested positive on arrival. The entire planeload went straight into quarantine, so hopefully no widespread exposure to the general public. What I want to know is why, with our numbers low, and plenty of spare capacity in out our local healthcare system, are we importing foreign healthcare workers by the planeload?

134 days since isolation began, but I don't know how much sense it makes to talk about isolation when you are going out at least once a week for groceries and meds. I'm still avoiding unnecessary excursions though, and will continue to do so until Dr. Kristi says I don't need to.

In other news, I heard yesterday that Carl, a friend of mine (and Buddys') had passed away. He was a member of a different modelling club, but there have always been good relationships between the clubs. I was always pleased when Carl visited us, and he always made me feel welcome when I went up there. He was a chef, and his food was sweet. He always wore a stetson. A small group of us will go to visit his club this afternoon, where a minute of silence will be held as a mark of respect. There will also be flying and drinking in his memory. I can only find a single photo of Carl, sitting with Buddy watching a plane come in for a landing. (It is in Buddy's album.) Unfortunately it is shot from behind, so you can't see anything of Carl other than his hat. It makes no sense to post it, so I won't.

Sincere condolences to you and Buddy on the loss of your friend.  I’m glad some of you will visit his club and tip one back in honor of him. Buddy will enjoy the day out. 

LOL @ “athlete’s foot!”

[Netfoot]

7 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

I’m glad some of you will visit his club and tip one back in honor of him. Buddy will enjoy the day out.

The shocking part is the way he went.  Carl (who was always hale and hearty), went to the beach for a swim. Returning home, he told his wife he wasn't feeling well. He said he was going to lie down, and asked her to bring him a glass of water. She went to the kitchen, filled a glass and took it to him. But by then, he was already dead. 

There was a minute of silence, and then many people described their memories and told tales. There was more laughter than tears. It went surprisingly well. Then drinks and flying.

One pilot pulled the wings off a model at about 2,000 ft. (Five times over the legal limit! In our club we don't fly so far, or so high!) This was considered apt, because Carl had a habit of pulling the wings of models..... Anyway, today the wing fluttered down slowly, as they are apt to do, and the fuselage came down like a javelin, as they are apt to do. It plunged vertically between two two-story buildings about eight feet apart, and embedded itself in the ground. Everything forward of the rear of the canopy was matchsticks and sawdust.

 

ETA: Twenty more cases today. Not certain of the circumstances.

Edited August 3, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

I've lost count of what's going on with the "Ingrowing Toenails" numbers, but it currently stands at 143 total cases, 112 recovered, 7 RIP. This leaves 24 cases in quarantine. These numbers are entirely from people entering the country from abroad, and detected at the aeroport.

Today is Buddy's birthday.  He is 7 or 49, depending on your point of view. I think I will go to the supermarket and buy him some beef stew or perhaps bone-in lamb stew, which he might enjoy more (crunch! crunch!). I'd love to take his picture, but that horrible phone I'm using can't take a decent photograph to save it's life.

Best news: Monday night, I fixed my shower, which has not worked since the lockdown (4½ months?). So, how was I managing? Bucket baths. Effective but not as satisfying. I tell you, that 20-minute scalding hot shower on Monday night was epic!

 

[Spunkygal]

Happy barkday to Buddy! Sending him socially distanced snout kisses! Be a good boy and let Dad take a pic, you little hellion! 

[Netfoot]

He had a huge bowl of macaroni pie for lunch, garnished with BBQ chicken and lamb bones. But for his dinner, I bought him some lamb necks. He's lying on his back with a big tummy that's gonna get some serious rubbing when I'm done here!

[Netfoot]

Bought a new phone. Cheap Samsung.  Had to buy something; the broken PoS I was using had an unreadable screen. $350 dollarettes. It is now annoying me by popping up notifications every minute. And I always find it very irritating when the phone that *I* own, paid for with *MY* money, refuses to delete the crap applications that the phone comes with. I mean WTF is the reason I can't delete the "FecesBook" or "Microsoft Word" apps??

Last Sunday, Biddy Buddy and I went to the club, and there were several members there. This was good for Bud, because he loves to socialize and he hasn't have a chance to meet anyone since March. His good mate Rudy who he likes to drink rum with was there, just back from over a year in the UK. We're going again on Saturday, and hopefully there will be even more of his friends there.

Went to the doc for a blood-draw today. Got on the scale as well. I suggested they weigh me twice, once before I emptied my pockets and once again after. I think my pockets contain about 5+ lbs. of hardware, which I have to remove each time I get on their scale. I was arguing for a simple subtraction each time, instead of a pocket-dump. They laughed at me and said no. Anyway, down 6 or 7 lbs since last time (about 2 weeks ago).

ADDED: Oh, I forgot to mention: You may remember Mango Man from a month or two ago, who came asking for money because it was his birthday? Well, I saw him on Tuesday, and guess what?  It was his birthday again!

Edited August 28, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Just had a good afternoon at the club, with a nice little crowd. We threw about 50 pieces of chicken on the grill and Buddy was thrilled, because he got two pieces of his very own, plus everybody's bones!  And it was great for him to go socializing with all his old mates and get stroked and patted by everyone. He's been missing human contact during the lockdown, and this is the first time he's actually had a chance to socialize since March. Anyway, Bud had a ball! And he's just turned down another piece of chicken for his dinner, so I guess he's full up to the brim, as well!

But what I really came to say was that I'm often in here talking about the cliff...

...or the club house...

..and I got ahold of these nice photos from Raf, so I thought I'd post them up so when I yakk on about these places, you'd have a clue what I was talking about.

First photo, at the bottom right, you can see an area off the dirt road where we park, and pull out our folding chairs and coolers of beer gliders and transmitters, and hurl one over the edge of the cliff while hanging on to the other!  (It's fairly critical to remember which one gets hurled and which one gets held!) The breeze, fresh off the Atlantic strikes the cliff and rises. The updraught generates "slope lift" which can keep a glider in the air literally for hours at end.  My longest flight is 2 hours 13 minutes, and I only had to land because my hands were hurting so much I couldn't operate the transmitter any more.

Second Photo is a couple years old, because our pond (which was always seasonal) has now dried up, due to a change in the watercourses that feed it.  Sad really, despite the fact that over years, several aircraft went swimming in it by accident, including one of mine! The difference with mine is that I throttled it up and took off again, to fly back to the strip! The photo clearly shows our clubhouse, and our grass strip (which I was mowing every week right up to last year's surgery, as well as off 'n' on since then. And over on the horizon the (not too distant) sea!

Don't like to post loads of photos, but I thought these two might be useful as context for some of my posts, past and future.

BTW, these photos were not taken by a 'drone'.  They were taken with a homemade camera pod fitted to a powered glider with a 2000mm (78½") wingspan. You should see the photo I have of it flying low over the water at the cliff!  

[Spunkygal]

That cliff is so gorgeous! Glad to hear that you and Bud had a great day with friends. Watching and flying the gliders would be great fun in such a beautiful setting. Bud will sleep like a log tonight!

[Netfoot]

19 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

Bud will sleep like a log tonight!

Bud slept like a log... stretched out in the middle of the bed, with his arms and legs and tail stretched out in every direction so as to maximize real-estate occupied. I on the other hand, was up seven times during the night, thanks to the Lasix I've been taking. So now I'm tired, but the day is going to be a busy one, seeing as my car goes for service tomorrow, and there is a lot I have to get done before it goes. Laundry, supermarket, pharmacy, etc. It's just going for a service and tune, but who knows what they will find, requiring how much extra time (and dollar$).

ETA: Just to show exactly how tired I was: I thought today was Monday until nearly 2:00 PM! Went to the supermarket, pharmacy, etc, and contacted several people telling them "tomorrow" when I meant "Tuesday". Must try to get to bed early and actually get some sleep.

Edited August 31, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

The van is back from the mechanic. Was hoping it would be less than it was, but the undershield that was busted to buggery had to be replaced (no surprise) and the price of a new one was $495 (big surprise.) Anyway, the work had to be done and now it has been. The mechanic actually said the van was in far better condition than he expected, given how long it's been since it last went in for a service/tune. And that it would fetch well above the norm if I sold it... which I have no intention of doing. Well, I do try to look after the TownAce of Awesomeness! Anyway, $1,300 paid. 

Which leaves enough in the kitty to maybe get myself a proper pair of spectacles made.  Last pair were $1,100 and that was maybe 3 years ago.  But I'm hoping to pay less this time because I've been advised to go direct to the people who make them, rather than use an optician/middle-man. But my regular optician is just around the corner from me, and right next door to Dr. Kristi's clinic, so if the price saving is not anything significant, I may just stick with the people I know. We'll see. The other folks are Seventh-day Adventist, so I can't go tomorrow. I could go on Sunday, but I was already confused enough last weekend, treating Sunday like it was a Monday, I don't fancy doing it again this week. 

Buddy is well, and is very pleased to see his van back in the garage after several days of looking askance at me. He was pretty annoyed this afternoon when I told him he was "On Guard" and walked away from home. But when I arrived back in the van, he was waiting at the gate, and the moment he saw the van approaching he leapt to his feet, and danced onto the veranda stairs. This is where he goes to avoid being squished when the vehicle is maneuvering in the yard (smart doggie) and he stays there until he hears the handbrake ratchet on. Then he's The Unstoppable Force, worming his way through the door as it opens, like toothpaste squeezing itself into the tube, burrowing between my legs, the pedals, handbrake lever, etc, without the least concern as to what he knocks over, breaks, busts or squishes, until he is finally ensconced in my lap, enjoying cool airflow from the A/C vents. Sometimes it can take a couple of minutes to persuade him to exit the vehicle and let me lock it up!

Tomorrow afternoon, a small group will be doing minor maintenance at the clubhouse, and I'll take him up to socialize and get some fresh air/exercise. The lawnmower up there needs servicing or I'd cut the grass which needs cutting. They were waiting for me to get mobile again before calling the service guys, because I am the idiot that gets to drive up there and unlock the shed for them to get the mower out. I think I heard something about trying to get the old mower working as well (it's a wreck and hasn't moved for years).

 

[Netfoot]

Just finished "Have Gun Will Travel", all 225 episodes.  Guess I'll just have to start on "Maverick".  

While visiting the the doctor today, I was forced to stand on the scale.  4 lbs. down in the last 2 weeks.  Since they say 1-2 lbs. per week is ideal, you'd think I had done well.  Instead I got the rocket from Dr. K for eating mashed potatoes.

Ok, so I know I should avoid carbs, but at the start of the lockdown, and not knowing how long I would be locked down, I bought a lot of dry supplies.  Rice, dried beans, macaroni, flower... and a large bag of powdered mash potatoes. And I make it nice, adding red butter and garlic powder, grated Parmesan, or what ever I think might make the mas tasty! But how was I to know that there was enough in that bag to make seven cubic yards of mash? Anyway, so as not to waste it, I've been eating a portion of mash once a week or so. Not overdoing it or anything, but Dr. K still jumped in my arse with both feet. In stiletto heels!

So, what was I to do?  I went and consoled myself with lunch from the deli. Two portions of macaroni pie, two portions of cassava, soused cucumber, tossed salad, coleslaw (made at home), a piece of chicken and a pork chop. I got all the rabbit food and the meat, Buddy got both portions of mackie pie, and what ever skin, bones, fat, etc, from the meat. And I ate all the cassava, just because... cassava!

Went and had an eye test today. Dr. K suggested a place in China that makes spectacles very cheap. The specs may start off at US$6.95 for a basic prescription, but by the time you pick out better frames and add progressive grind, plus photochromic coating, you are looking at maybe US$230 -- which is still less than the $1,200 I'd expect to pay here. So I may give it a try.

I'm tired tonight, so I will go and chase Buddy out of his "bedroom" so I can lock it up. Then it's 10cc's Rock 'n' Roll Lullabye and bed!

[Netfoot]

Went up to the club yesterday... and the rain fell. And fell. And fell.

That didn't stop the rum-drinkers from having a good time! We scooted our chairs over where the rain couldn't blow in and get us, and the jawing and storytelling went on without a pause.  The Puppeteer (not-quite-scale Sopwith Pup by Flair with a 60" wingspan) blew right off the table, but fortunately suffered no damage.

Buddy was having a fantastic time. He ran all over the place, sniffing and weeing before eventually settling down for a nap, all before the rain started. There's nothing Bud likes to do more than go out and get thoroughly wet.. then run in and jump into my lap. After wriggling around so as to rub the water off into my shirt and drying his feet on my trousers, what he likes to do next, is... go out and get thoroughly wet, then run in and jump into my lap.  And then, he likes to... go out and get thoroughly wet, then run in and jump into my lap... One thing I'll say about him is that deafening claps of thunder and eye-searing bolts of lightning don't phase him one bit! Extreme courage, or stupidity. One or the other.

One of the guys left quite early, but the rest of us were there after dark. Then old Rudy left, which is unusual because traditionally, when ever someone leaves, Rudy says "When you're gone, we're gonna talk about you, behind your back!" Rudy himself is almost always the last to leave, and yesterday as he was departing, we said to him, "When you're gone..." so he came back in for another 20 minutes! But eventually he left us there chatting and generally saving the world.

A short while later, the remainder of us decided to lock up and go. Now, I drive a van. It's got good tires for loose roads and mud, but it is only a van! The other two vehicles were SUVs. I got rolling last, so the two 'jeeps' were in front of me in the track. I can tell you, it was fun and games keeping that van moving up that muddy, slippery track, with throwing the steering from full-lock left to full-lock right and back again, trying to approximate a straight line. Half the time the vehicle was moving in the opposite direction to the steering. Biggest problem was the guy in front of me was not moving ahead! Worse thing is if you have to stop because the guy in front stops, because it ruins your momentum. (If you ever come to a slushy spot where you just can't grip, forward momentum can help you get past it.) The guy in front was driving a Suzuki Viagra.  I call it a 'Viagra' because it's just the sort of vehicle a guy buys to bolster up his manhood. (Not that the owner of this particular Viagra has any problems that I know about...)

Anyway, before long it was stuck solid, and I was forced to stop dead, behind him. To try going around him would have certainly resulted in sticking up in the ploughed ground on either side. "Put it in 4WD!" I cried, with my head out the window. "Uh... This is a Viagra. It only pretends to be a jeep. No 4WD."

Mean time, I'm not getting out of my vehicle, because I was periodically moving it back a couple yards, then a while later forward a couple yards, just so it doesn't think about sinking into the ooze. And besides, if I open that door even only a crack, Buddy will be out through the crack like toothpaste. Then, when it's time to get moving again, he will be nothing but a big ball of mud with two eyes peering out of it, looking at my upholstery which was valeted only a week ago!  

Well, fortunately, the guy who had departed first, came reversing back in his jeep, and offered to pull out the Viagra. But of course, neither of them had a tow-rope! In fact the only person around with enough brains to carry a tow-rope with them was, apparently, me! So, they borrowed it and eventually the Viagra was dragged to solid ground, and I drove out behind them. And so home to a bowl of cereal for breakfast. (The first meal of the day is breakfast, right?  Even if it's at 8:30PM?)

Thankfully, the guy in question offered to take my rope home and wash it off with the hose, before drying it and returning it. I'm glad the muddy thing didn't have to come home with me! The van will be grubby enough in quick time, if The Owner gets his way! But this afternoon, I doubt I will risk that track, especially since I know it's already chewed up from yesterday. And because the only other person I know that is planning to go also drives a Viagra. And because the rain is falling again...

 

 

Edited September 13, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Weigh-day and I'm down only one pound over the last two weeks.  Seeing the ass-whuppin' Dr. Kristi administered last time, when I was down four pounds... I ran out of there as soon as her assistant was finished, so she didn't have time to comment.  And I was wearing a nice, new "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" T-Shirt, as well!

Anyway, went off to the supermarket & pharmacy, where they had Bud's favourite tinned food (I bought a dozen cans, as well as six snack packs for him, three lamb and three chicken). And oooh look! They had cassava at the deli again! 

Bud got all the mackie pie and all the fat, skin and bones from the meat and I got the green stuff and the meat... along with the cassava.

It's been hot here this last week or so. Temperature up to 32°C/90°F every day and today no different.  Bud doesn't like the heat.  Who does?  But he is stuck in a fur coat..... He spends most of his time outside enjoying whatever breeze he can, and is reluctant to come in at bedtime. Of course, he's free to sleep outside any time he wants, and frequently does when it's hot. But he likes to cuddle and get tummy rubs last thing before bed and first thing in the morning. What he would like to do is alternate between bed and the front yard every 45 minutes or so, but I'm not leaving the front door open, and I'm not getting up to function as his all-night doorman!

It's also been quite rainy, off and on. The rain helps cool things off, but at the same time pushes the humidity right up to the top. Weekend before last we had so much rain it turned our entrance track at the club to mush, but it wasn't too bad this weekend.  There was a nice, little turnout with several models taking to the air. Even the Puppeteer that got blown off the table the weekend before, was flying again, and several members had a piece of it, thanks to the owner who generously passed the transmitter around! He is a club fixture (87), and that Puppeteer is as well. I'll see if I can't find a video to share... not sure if one is available.

My medication was reduced again last week -- at least, one of my medications was. It started at 40mg and we've been reducing it each month. It's now 5mg, and in 3 weeks time I'm hoping it will fall to 2½mg, and down at last to zero in time for my birthday. Fingers crossed. It's nasty shit. Last year I paid them to cut my chest open and remove some bits, hoping to eliminate, or at the very least reduce, my dependence on it. From 40 down to 5, I'd say the operation was a success as far as reduction goes, but I'd really like to try elimination!

It really is hot. I've already bought extra ice trays because I'm going through ice so fast. Cool, non-alcoholic drinks are the order of the day. I just bought 20 liters of drink, and I've got a liter of lime juice and two bottles of Angostura. I wish I had two more ice trays though. I should have picked up a couple this morning.

Anyway, I'm off to have another large, cool glass of something. The third since lunch...

ETA: TAR off to TnT!  It would be nice if they went somewhere I recognized!

Edited September 22, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

The original camara man sent me a video of the guys having fun with the Puppeteer. I have put it here. (I hope it plays OK!) It is taken at the end of the day, and the pilot was just throwing it around and having some fun, finishing with a Dead Stick landing (prop not turning) in the failing light.

This is a 60" span model, which is just a hair under fifth scale. I once ordered a third scale kit of the Sopwith Pup (108") but the order never arrived because the agent I was relying on, let me down. I didn't lose any money, but I never got my Pup, nor a third scale Morane Saulnier AI (103" span)  nor a quarter scale Fokker D.VIII 'Flying razor' (82" span) that were in the order. These are all warbirds of WW-I vintage. The last two are parasol designs. I quite like parasol designs...

BTW, the Pup was officially the Sopwith Scout, but was affectionately called the Pup by it's pilots because it was jokingly said to be the offspring of the Sopwith 1½ Strutter (which was larger). Sopwith took the hint and subsequent designs were named after animals (the Sopwith Camel being a prime example).

[Spunkygal]

13 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

The original camara man sent me a video of the guys having fun with the Puppeteer. I have put it here. (I hope it plays OK!) It is taken at the end of the day, and the pilot was just throwing it around and having some fun, finishing with a Dead Stick landing (prop not turning) in the failing light.

This is a 60" span model, which is just a hair under fifth scale. I once ordered a third scale kit of the Sopwith Pup (108") but the order never arrived because the agent I was relying on, let me down. I didn't lose any money, but I never got my Pup, nor a third scale Morane Saulnier AI (103" span)  nor a quarter scale Fokker D.VIII 'Flying razor' (82" span) that were in the order. These are all warbirds of WW-I vintage. The last two are parasol designs. I quite like parasol designs...

BTW, the Pup was officially the Sopwith Scout, but was affectionately called the Pup by it's pilots because it was jokingly said to be the offspring of the Sopwith 1½ Strutter (which was larger). Sopwith took the hint and subsequent designs were named after animals (the Sopwith Camel being a prime example).

That is a very cool video and what a fun way to spend a day! I must say that the scenery isn’t too shabby either! Thanks for sharing. 

[Netfoot]

9 minutes ago, Spunkygal said:

...what a fun way to spend a day!

Yes, I (obviously) think it's pretty cool.

It gets you out of the house and away from the idiot-box, you get fresh air and a little exercise walking around in the country, in the company of your friends. Those that take up the hobby and build (as opposed to buy) their own aircraft get to learn about structures, adhesives, electrical & electronics, engines, aerodynamics, and a number of other things, but this isn't required to any degree that would prevent someone from enjoying the hobby. And if you discover an interest in scale aircraft, you will inevitably learn something of the history of the planes that appeal to you: when they were built, how they were used, etc.

So, it's social, healthy and educational and (believe me) loads of fun! It doesn't have to cost a fortune, and while it is no cakewalk, it isn't even all that difficult to learn to fly!

And Budweiser loves his days out in the country...

[Netfoot]

I don't have a book to read. I had a bunch that I ordered during the lockdown. 32 were novels with a Nelson-era naval warfare theme.  Also, two sci-fi, one of which was classic sci-fi, published 5 months before I was born.

I've now ordered a biography of Janis Joplin, but have no idea when that will be in-hand. All I know is that it's on it's way to Florida, and when it finally arrives, who knows how long to travel out to The Rock, and process through the system?

Anyway, I don't know what to read tonight, and I'm one of those people who has difficulty getting to sleep without a book to help unwind, if only for a page or two. Well, I guess I'll have to look at my bookshelves and find something that I have not (re)read for a while, so I can now read it again. But this is bad planning. I'd better look into some new reading materials, and get some stuff moving.

The Ark's book-tent won't appear until Tuesday week after next. Buddy likes to sweet-talk the ladies that run the tent, and he always donates a few bucks, which he usually borrows from me. I try to buy a couple books, as well. We missed them last time because the car was at the mechanic on that day, so we didn't get to go visit the tent.

The lockdown is pretty boring. Probably not accurate to call it a lockdown, since anyone can go out whenever they like. But I am still trying to limit unnecessary excursions. I visit the club if there are a handful of others going, so I and Bud get a respite from the house. Fresh air and plenty of social distancing. Otherwise it's pretty much doctor(s), groceries and pharmacy. I do as much as possible on one day, and I will save up chores and do them when I am already planning to be out and about. 

But keeping myself occupied at home is difficult. Been watching ye olde western TV shows. Just finished the third season of Maverick and have two more seasons to go. There is virtually nothing new to watch on TV these days.

So, nothing fresh to read, and it's hot as hell again tonight. It's 10:30PM and it's still 28°C. Bud was very restless last night and had to be let out to sleep on the veranda, and I didn't let him in again until 5:30ish, at which point he raced into the house like a whirlwind, jumped all over my tender bits with his horny toed feet, made a nest in the middle of the bed with all the pillows, and went to sleep on his back with all four feet in the air. I had to squeeze in next to him in order to catch another forty winks.

There was just a little shower of rain. If showers continue for a while they might cool things a bit, which would be nice. I just hope Bud doesn't decide to repeatedly go out and get wet, then run in and roll on the bed to dry off. Ah! A heavier shower now... but very brief.

Anyway, I guess I'd better take a shower and then slope off to bed.

Edited September 26, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Great day at the club. The grass had grown up amazingly since last cut on Wednesday, but planes were just able to get off after a struggle. Things at the club were pretty stagnant, after the lockdown. But today we had a good number show up for a change, and there was much flying and (after the sun went down) much chit-chat and yarn-telling. Buddy was very pleased to see so many of his friends, and took advantage, going from one to the other to get head-pats and back scratches, and more than one ice cube. Bud loves to crunch ice. It's not so much that he likes to eat it, but he loves to crunch it up into tiny chips! I'd have taken some photos today, but this phone of mine has a horrible camera. Not surprising. It sells on Amazon for only fifty six bucks.

I did find a book to read.  Gateway by Frederik Pohl. It's #1 in the Heechee series. I've had it for a long, long time. The paper is mostly a deep brown colour and those pages that are lighter have deep brown speckles all over them. I wonder how many times I've read it? I also found Heechee Rendezvous (book #3) but couldn't locate Beyond the Blue Event Horizon (#2) no matter how hard I tried. So, I ordered a 2nd hand copy from Amazon. I doubt it will get here before mid October, so I am still at a loss for something to read, when I've completed Gateway. They tried to deliver the Janis Joplin biography yesterday in Miami, but the forwarder was shut. Who knows? I might get it in hand in the next week or so.  And there is always the book tent on the 6th. As well as a blood-draw, damnit!

Gladly receptive of book suggestions, if anybody has some to make.

Last night was a little bit cooler, and I'm hoping tonight will be the same. Bud is much easier to deal with when he's not fractious.

[Spunkygal]

That Buddy is such a charmer! I wonder if he knows how many smiles he puts on people’s faces?!

Regarding books, I think we gravitate to different genres but since you are into flight, perhaps you’d enjoy reading a most excellent biography of Charles Lindbergh by A. Scott Berg? I really enjoy biographies and this particular one won the Pulitzer Prize. Also, Lindbergh’s wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, gave Mr. Berg unprecedented use of their letters, which adds a fascinating insight to their relationship. Sometimes when I‘m bored, I’ll think of someone from history, entertainment, sports, etc., whom I’d like to know more about and try to stay away from the gossipy, salacious drivel. I watched an old James Stewart movie, The Spirit of St, Louis, and of course I knew about the transatlantic flight but wanted to delve deeper into not just how the flight came about but what molded Lindbergh and how his life changed after that flight. Let me know what you think of the Janis Joplin biography if you ever receive it! 

[Netfoot]

1 hour ago, Spunkygal said:

I watched an old James Stewart movie, The Spirit of St, Louis...

I've watched that movie several times, with enjoyment. Never was too sure how accurate a portrayal it was, of the flight and of his earlier life leading up to the attempt. I've now ordered the biography you recommended, and hopefully it will shed some light on that. Perhaps also on his controversial later years.

I'm looking forward to the Janis Joplin book. Just pray it doesn't turn out to be of the dry, historical-facts-only variety. But it received good reviews (as well as a few stinkers) so I guess we'll see.

[Spunkygal]

3 hours ago, Netfoot said:

I've watched that movie several times, with enjoyment. Never was too sure how accurate a portrayal it was, of the flight and of his earlier life leading up to the attempt. I've now ordered the biography you recommended, and hopefully it will shed some light on that. Perhaps also on his controversial later years.

I'm looking forward to the Janis Joplin book. Just pray it doesn't turn out to be of the dry, historical-facts-only variety. But it received good reviews (as well as a few stinkers) so I guess we'll see.

Yes....it definitely delves into his controversial later years and his and Anne’s complicated marriage! And his grandfather coming over to the US from Sweden. There’s just so much that made Lindbergh the determined, complex, independent person that he was. I found it fascinating. There is no way a movie could tell the story of this person! And Anne was fascinating in her own right! Boy am I boring! 🤣

[Netfoot]

Someone just sent me this brief video, taken at the club weekend before last. It shows my boy wandering around, while the guys solve all the problems of the world in the background.

The roaring noise in the background is the sound of the rain, hammering down!

Speaking of rain hammering down, a few of us were at the club yesterday. I went up early to mow the grass. I'd just finished the strip and pits/apron area (in the blistering heat) and was making a start on the parking lot when... the rain came lashing down! Before I could get from the parking lot into the clubhouse, I was soaked to the skin. I took off my shirt and wrang it out, and was shirtless and damp the whole afternoon. 

A couple guys showed up to test-fly a rebuilt Armar Gorrion that had previously been badly damaged by termites, if you can believe it. The entire wing had to be rebuilt, from the fragments left by the buggies, since the plans/blueprints could not be found. The test flight went well. We were also testing some 1,050 lumen 12/24 volt LED light bulbs which we were hoping would replace the very old 12 volt florescent bulbs currently installed. We discovered that the clubhouse wiring was suffering from 'black wire disease', more common in the wiring of models, but we were finally able to install one of the new bulbs for testing. It worked great! So, we will be installing the rest of them soon. I also have two 14,000 lumen flood lights that are intended to be used to illuminate the parking area. They have to be tested, but I'm confident they will be fine.

Exiting the club with the track all muddy again, was fun. Three SUVs waited to help pull out the van. It was the usual slipping and sliding from one side to the other, throwing the wheel hard left then right to compensate. But the TownAce of Awesomeness didn't need no stinkin' SUVs!

So a drive home, bareback, with the A/C blowing on my damp, shivering body! The only moments of respite were when a Muddy Buddy would jump in my lap at traffic lights, and cuddle for a few seconds to keep me warm. It's only when I got all the way home that I remembered I had over 60 of my freshly laundered shirts in the back of the van!

Anyway, go back to the top and check out a few seconds of video of my cute boy!

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Tuesday, and lots of out-of-the-house chores waiting to be done. First of which is a doctor's visit. Bud and I went and let them jab me and draw blood, then as I was leaving, an absolute deluge came down! It was Noah-get-the-boat rainfall, and I was absolutely drenched by the time I could get to the car. The roads were running rivers, with water flowing between the two curbs, and the van was travelling with a bone in her teeth! Thank goodness I paid the $495 for that under-shield, or we'd have been swamped and dead in the water! (To coin a phrase. Heh.) 

I had several stops to make, so I was drenched seven times before I finally made it to the Ark Book Tent... only to discover that they were packing up early due to the "inclemency of the weather." So, no books for me. They offered to unpack all the books they'd just packed away so I could look at them, but I thought it would be a little unkind to ask them to do so, when I might not have found anything to buy anyway! So Buddy made a small donation as he likes to do ($10) and I went and got some groceries and some pharmacy stuff.

And I even found (at a different pharmacy) Magnesium and Zinc, which are on my "Should Take" list, but which have been notable in their absence from the pharmacy shelves for months!  Dr. Karen will be pleased about the magnesium, and Dr. Kristi will be glad about the zinc.

Speaking of Dr. Kristi -- two pounds down since last time. So I fled before she could find out about it, because recently, when I lost four pounds, she chewed me out good!

Sunday last, I cut the grass at the club early and a nice little crowd showed up and flew. One crash, but non-fatal because she came down in some tall grass and received no damage. I previously mentioned the Gorrion that had been repaired. Here is a not-very-good photo of her in the air:

I have quite a number of much better photos of this aircraft, but from quite a while ago, before the termites got to her and she had to be fixed. I'd show you, but try to refrain from posting too many pictures at a time. Or at all, really. Tell you what, if you'd like to see her in her glory, go to this album, and go down about ⅔ of the way. She is the blue parasol aircraft (with white belly) and marked 34C. Or turn on "Info" and look at the text to see what is what. There are several photos of her taking off and landing, stunting, and even one of her barely visible, flying by the light of the moon!

Some other nice photos in the album, including a couple of old Sam himself. There's even one of me trying to rescue Sam's Acrowot wing from the pond, while my sweet Dotty looks on.

Later, after sunset, we hung around yarning and sipping, and also tested out our new 12/24 volt lighting. We don't need to do surgery or read legal briefs, so we don't need the brightest of lights, but it's nice not to stumble over your feet. Or mix a rum & coke out of whisky and soda water by mistake!

Here we are, and the single light bulb seems to be more than adequately bright. So I now have to install five new fittings to replace the worn out ones, and connect them back to the switches. (We have three lights inside the container as well as three out on the deck, and I'm working on flood/spots for the parking area.

By the way, I didn't take these photos. Obviously taken by someone who has been infected by the Instagram disease, and doesn't understand that some (virtually all) images are better in landscape.....

So there you have it! Drenching rain, no cassava at the deli, and poor Bud didn't get to have much face-time with his Book Tent ladies, whose attention he greatly enjoys.

Oh, but I just remembered that he did enjoy the company of two brown dogs who showed up at the club on Sunday! They looked pretty starved, but they were quite friendly and didn't mind being approached and patted by everyone. Unlike poor, nervous Foxy who was Buddy's friend for a while, few years ago. I went to look in the back of my van to see what, if anything, I might find to feed them with. To my surprise found 12 tins of dog food! I got out two tins, and fed the dogs one, with the intention of feeding them the other after a while, so they wouldn't make themselves sick, eating too much too fast. But after wandering around for a while, they suddenly vanished! Nobody saw them go, and they never got their second tin of grub. Oh well, maybe they will be back.

 

P.S.: The Janis Joplin biography arrived today...

Edited October 6, 2020 by Netfoot

[Spunkygal]

@Netfoot, loved the album pics! I never realized that y’all have pilots in the aircraft. Yay for Barbie! And it sure looked like Dotty was in charge of the controls! I, too, had quite a search for zinc (and vitamin D) the other day so I bought an extra bottle of each when I did find them. Send some rain our way. We really could use it.

That was generous of Buddy to share her tin of food with the wayward visitors. I hope they show up again. 

 

[Netfoot]

Yep, many people insist on a pilot figure, with more or less realism as suits their taste.  Personally, I don't like 'Mickey Mouse' or 'Yogi Bear' type pilots because they just don't look right to me. I've seen everything from M&M figures back.  And some guys don't worry with a pilot at all, often spraying the canopy black or silver to conceal the fact that there is nobody in the 'office'. If you are interested, I'd point you at two other albums:

First, my old Fokker Dr.1 Dreidecker (no longer with us, alas!)
And then, the making of Manfred, her pilot, who took two weeks of work to complete.

Dotty Buddy*  was very happy to share some grub with the two strays. In fact, Bud lives a pretty lonely life, when it comes to other canine companions, and I wish it were different for him. So, I was pleased to see him having some fun with the two girls, and I certainly hope we get to see them again!

*Don't think the slip means I don't love me some Budweiser! But I've been looking at some old photos with Dotty in them, and used his name here accidentally.

Edited October 7, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Don't normally post from my phone but I'm lying in bed...

After several weeks of heat, things have turned cooler. Winter is coming and all that. I'm in bed reading the Janis Joplin biog. and Buddy is at my feet. Later, when the light goes off he'll curl up against my back and put his head on the pillow, but right now he's rather cavalierly using my left leg as a combination bolster and hot water bottle and he is sleeping the deep, untroubled sleep usually reserved for the truly wicked!

He went for a drive this morning, had mackie pie and pulled-pork with gravy for lunch, successfully drove away a storm-cloud that was too noisy for his liking in the afternoon, and enjoyed his usual dinner.

What prompted this post was that a few moments ago, in his sleep, he began wagging his tail. What ever he is dreaming of, I hope I'm there, enjoying it with him.

 

[Netfoot]

The Lindbergh biography just arrived.today.  It stands head and shoulders above a regular paperback, and is at least two inches thick. If I had to judge by it's appearance, I'd say it was brand, spanking new.  And it cost me less than six bucks, second hand, from Amazon.

Still reading about Janis.  Probably ⅔ of the way through. It's about the same size as the Lindbergh book and cost less than eight bucks. Got to tell you, it is difficult for me to read, because it details her gradual slide into destruction. One of the things I dislike about biographies is that you almost always know the end, and that end is often unhappy. I will probably look for a couple lighter books to read after this one, before digging into Lindbergh.

Went to the club today, despite several days with rainy thunderstorms. It was raining from 10:30 this morning and I was worried about our entry track.  But a message from a member indicated that the rain had not fallen up at the club, and all was dry and good. So, Buddy and I set off.

And so true! The track was firm and dry, and everything was very normal, with five planes being prepared to fly. Then came a pitch-black cloud which brought the rain with it.

Buddy did his usual trick: alternating between going out to play in the deluge, and running back to jump in my lap. The lightning was flashing so frequently there would be several flashes before you heard the thunder from the first. One searingly bright bolt struck not too far away, and the peal of thunder that followed was truly prodigious! I'm proud to say my son showed not the least fear or concern.

When the lashing rain eased up a bit, I figured I'd better make my way home early, before the track got any worse. I normally like to go after a 4WD vehicle, in case I need a pull-out, but in this case the others seemed in no rush to leave, and I was concerned that if the rain returned (as we all expected it to) my position would be worsened. So, I snapped a picture

and set off. Should have snapped a picture of the track but was too busy keeping the van moving. The two ruts which usually collect water here and there, were full from one end of the track to the other. Two parallel mud puddles, each 1,200 feet long. My awesome van made it without a hitch!

We drove most carefully through the rain, on streets sometimes 6" deep in water, made it safely all the way home... and hit our own front gate on the way into the garage. I wish I could report there was no damage, but I can't. What I can report is that the ding in the paint that was there for the last couple of years, is now slightly larger. That's what life is: shit happens, and then you die.

 

 

[Netfoot]

Small talk tends to go out the window when TAR is airing, but...

I just thought I'd mention that last night I finished Buried Alive: The Biography of Janis Joplin and this morning I was inspired to watch Monterey Pop, a 1968 film by D. A. Pennebaker about the festival held the previous year in which Janis was shown performing Ball and Chain with Big Brother and the Holding Company. Janis looked quite conventional in a knitted pants-suit, with no signs of bangles, chains, feathers or Southern Comfort.

By the way, if you like the music of that era, there were several other enjoyable performances by popular artists of the day.

[Netfoot]

The rebuilt Armar Gorrion you have heard me speak of recently?

Never mind. Austin says it will be in the air again in no time!

It certainly was hauling briskly around the sky before the "little mishap" you see above. I wonder if anybody has a good before photo?

[Netfoot]

We had a really pleasant lime at the club this afternoon. Several aircraft flew, (but not the Gorrion, which returned with an up-rated engine, but developed a leak in the fuel line).

While chatting, I sorted through a batch of 14 old servos to see if I could find five working units, and to my surprise, 12 were fine! Of the remaining two, fortunately they were the same model. One was dead as a door-nail and the other worked perfectly, but had a cracked case. So, I can transfer the case from the dead one to the working one with the crack and Keep the dead one for spare parts - gears, etc! Anyway, I was able to populate a model I am slowly working on, to the point where I can do a Center of Gravity check, and position the motor for perfect balance. The motor was taken away by Kevin, who will run it on his test stand (I took mine apart and have not put it back together yet). When I get it back I should be able to check the CoG and bolt down the motor. After that I will have to cover it before doing the final assembly. I'm going with a yellow scheme, but I will add the black and red stripes to the underside of the left wing panel, to (hopefully) produce the Loud MacLeod.

After sunset...

...we sat around and chatted, sipping a grog, swigging a beer or similar, and shooting the breeze about what was wrong with the world, and how easily we'd fix it when we became king!

Brought home a ravenous puppy who nearly bowled me over to get his dinnies, and now I think I'll away to the kitchen and get my curry on the stove! 

Ooooh! And TAR tonight! How sweet it is!

 

[Spunkygal]

That sunset is breathtaking! 

[Browncoat]

Gorgeous photo!

[Netfoot]

Can't take credit for the photo. My cheap phone can't take a decent photo to save it's life! That was taken by one of the other guys and posted on our WhatsApp group.

ETA: I forgot to mention, that in response to Austin dunking the Gorrion last week, Tony brought him a present. A pair of Wellington boots! Heh!

Edited October 22, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

It's pissing down, and has been for a couple of days. I was awakened this morning before sunup, by heavy rain blowing through the window and landing on my face. And it hasn't stopped since. I'm off to bed in a minute, and won't be able to open the window. And I really don't like sleeping with the window shut.

Buddy sees this as a wonderful opportunity to get rub-downs. He goes out to get rained on, and then comes to me and expects to be toweled dry. He then goes out to get wet again, in order to keep getting the towel treatment. He doesn't really like getting wet - I observed him at it. He runs out into the rain and runs immediately back. Just long enough to get a sprinkle on his fur, so he can get the towel treatment. He spices up the deal by jumping up to claw at my chest with his muddy paws, with their long, never-cut talons. Ouch!

There is a Tropical Wave coming through and we have a Small Craft Warning and a High Surf Advisory, as well as a Flood Warning due to the levels of rainfall. We're getting between 1 and 3 inches an hour, depending on the intensity of the rain, which varies from heavier to lighter and back again. In the morning I'll hear all about the houses that got washed away, and I won't feel the least bit sorry for those people. Because it will be all the folks who repeatedly build illegally in designated watercourses, despite being told not to. (It happens all the time.) So obviously their houses get washed away, and then they moan and groan and expect the taxpayer to foot the bill for them to rebuild.

Tomorrow (Thursday) is supposed to be the worst day with highest rainfall and highest windspeeds. After tomorrow, it is forecast to taper off, but it won't be anything like normal (a wet, windy normal) until maybe Monday, when the rain should abate significantly and windspeeds drop below 20MPH.

[AZChristian]

10 hours ago, Netfoot said:

It's pissing down, and has been for a couple of days. I was awakened this morning before sunup, by heavy rain blowing through the window and landing on my face.

I live in Arizona, where the temperatures just started dipping below 100 last week.  And what is this "rain" thing you speak of?  

[Netfoot]

20 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

And what is this "rain" thing you speak of?

It is a naturally occurring source of a fluid that turns good, wholesome dirt into noxious, annoying mud.

[Netfoot]

Speaking of noxious, annoying mud, Holy Geebus! the trip in to the club this afternoon was quite "interesting", with the van nearly getting stuck within the first 20 feet of the 1,200 foot track. Then slewing from side to side as I made it down, leaping sideways so violently at the end I thought I was going to swipe the gatepost! And that was before six other vehicles traversed said track! 

Coming back out was a wild ride, and I thought it was all over several times along the way. Steering full lock-to-lock and the vehicle going the other direction at all times. Woah!

I had a buddy standing by with a 4WD truck just in case. I told him to give me room, because I didn't want to have to stop (fatal) and would probably need to run at certain sections with some speed. So, I asked him to wait right at the exit on to the paved road and watch out for me flashing my lights in distress. (Did I mention this happened after dark?) But I told him that when I approached him at the end, to get out onto the road so I could come right out without stopping. Main road traffic willing, of course...

And so it went. He waited and I came slithering up like a wheel in a waterway, and just as I reached him he shot out into the road and I popped out behind him like a cork out of a bottle! The TownAce of Awesomeness continues to reign supreme! (But could use a washdown, right now.)

 

Edit for clarification: In Trinidad, there is a snake that spends a lot of it's time in the water, and it's sinuous behaviour is said to resemble the rippling colours of oil on water. Hence the nickname "huile" (French for "oil") or in the local patois, "wheel". The correct name for this creature is the Green Anaconda, known to be the largest snake in the world, with examples up to 30 feet in length, over 500 pounds in weight, and a girth of well over one yard.  So When I said "slithering up like a wheel in a waterway".... You get my point.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

North American P-51 Mustang approaches for a gear-up, high-speed pass, as the sunlight drains out of the day.

[Netfoot]

I'm tired. I've been working on a new model, trying to get it ready for the Fun-Fly on the 15th. And it's now been pushed to the 22nd due to continuing rain. (Here's hoping the long range forecast is somewhat accurate!) 

It's an ARF and it came all covered and pretty, but I stripped her back to bare wood, and replaced the puny wheels with wheels a man can be proud of! <Tim Allen Grunt Goes Here> 

Here is a picture of the wheel upgrade:

And here she is all naked (except for her big, new boots):

Made several other minor mods, then all I had to do was cover, followed by final assembly, Center-of-Gravity, and radio programming. I spent over 35 hours re-covering her, and when I thought I was done and powered off my covering irons, I discovered two small patches that still needed to be covered. But right now? I'm too tired. I'm thinking about something to eat and then joining Budweiser in bed. 

She is yellow, and maybe, if I can find someone with a camera, I can get a nice picture of her in flight to show you. Maybe even a video! (You obviously realize, that no pilot ever takes a photo of his own plane in the air, right? Because he's too busy shaking the sticks!)

Oh. And I told Dr. K that Sunday was Pizza Day and that since she had preventing me from having any pizza last Pizza Day, I was having two pizzas this time. She replied "Eat ya pizza and enjoy" which clearly indicates that I'll be in deep doo-doo if I so much as look at a pizza... <sigh> You'd think a guy would be allowed one pizza a year, wouldn't you?

I'm off to nuke some bangers and fry some eggs. Prolly blow up the kitchen, this being Friday 13th and all...

ARF = Almost Ready to Fly

[Netfoot]

I needed a little 6" cable tie and couldn't remember where they were, so I went out and bought the smallest pack... 100 ties for three bucks. Came home, took one out of the pack, and secured the receiver in my new model. So now, she's done. She must be, because I can't think of anything else that needs doing...

Covered in a cheerful yellow, with black faux-windows around the cabin, black hardware (like horns & clevises) and a yellow spinner. I even painted the gear yellow to match.  The tank is in and plumbed to the carburetor and exhaust. The five servos are fitted, pushrods installed, throttle, aileron, elevator and rudder throws are set.  And I have yellow keepers on the clevises and yellow fuel line to the carburetor (red to the hot/pressure nipple on the muffler). At a later date I might try adding some trim details in black. 

It's by no means my best ever job of finishing a model, but it's the first I've done in years (not counting gliders) and it don't look too shabby. After all, you don't want to get extra fancy with a $75 beater model, do you?

Normally, tomorrow would be the ideal day for her maiden. Winds forecast at 13 MPH gusting to 18 MPH, a bit higher than I'd prefer for a first check-flight, but it should reduce as the afternoon wears on. Partly cloudy with precipitation 14% rising to 17%, which would scotch the test, seeing as I don't want to fly her in the rain until I get a feel for her handling characteristics.  But will I be able to fly her tomorrow?

Got to get my flight-box sorted! Blow all those cobwebs off it, probably replace the battery ($$$ <¡groan!>), test the starter (I'm too old to be brandishing a chicken-stick), and the fuel pump. Speaking of fuel, I will have to clean any remaining stale fuel out of the can, and refill from a fresh gallon. Check necessary bits and pieces are all ready. Plug spanner, glow-clip, some fresh rags, cleaning fluid. Oooo! Just remembered, I coincidentally bought a bottle of Windex today, so I don't have to mix my own cleaner tomorrow, in a hurry. Not even sure I have the ingredients in hand.

And I will need a Partner in Crime. New aircraft? Needs an independent pre-flight check. I am the club Safety Officer, but you shouldn't check your own aeroplane. So, I will have to rope in a willing assistant. One with a camera or at least a good phone. Because otherwise I'll never get a picture of her!

Oooo! Oooo! Just remembered one more job that needs doing: Got to mark her with my phone number.....

[Spunkygal]

@Netfoot, does this yellow beauty have a name? Can’t wait to see a pic! 

[Netfoot]

She is a Sonic Mk.2 High-Wing. But that isn't a name. I don't generally name my models. There have been exceptions (like 'Spooky') but not many. 

Spooky:

Being an olde farte I would be compelled to give her a girl's name. But which girl? Apart from family, the major females in my life are 3 of my 4 doctors. (I got a new -ologist last Tuesday, because... I wasn't burning through my savings fast enough with 3?) I could name her after Dr. K, but she prolly wouldn't appreciate it, nor would her husband. Besides, she's into blue & green, not yellow. 

No, I think I'll try to put the family crest on her, if I can master a new (to me) method of intricate cutting of covering, using Windex and Press'n'Seal on a piece of plate glass. Yes, the crest on one wing and maybe the family motto on the other. But no decorations until after I see if she survives her maiden and the first few break-in flights.

Of course, I could just call her Jennifer...

[Netfoot]

No, she hasn't flown yet.

Last Sunday we went to the cliff and flew gliders. (More later.)

Wednesday, I was hopeful, and took myself and Buddy and the model up to the club where I'd arranged to meet a friend who agreed to do an independent pre-flight check. What I didn't want was a whole audience. But three other members showed up anyway.

I didn't bring my flight-box with me. I have taken it apart to give it a full service, bought a new starter battery ($$$$!!), and painted the actual box itself, which was looking a bit scruffy, it being 20 year since I built it! I painted the bottom (where it would sit in the grass) last Monday morning and it's still wet! Fortunately, my pre-flight check guy offered to give me a tankful of 10% fuel, and the use of his starter because I am too old to pilot a chicken-stick.

Pre-flight went very well, until it came to doing the range-check, wherein everything went extremely well except the throttle servo which did not behave as expected. I decided not to fly with an unexpected result during the range-check. Subsequently, it turns out that we misunderstood a paragraph in the operators manual for the radio - a paragraph that was written in engrish and not easy to comprehend. We think we have it now, but the opportunity to maiden on Wednesday had passed by time we worked out what was what.

So, hopefully, tomorrow. Weather permitting. I can fly in poor weather, but I do want good conditions for a maiden flight, so as to have the best chance of saving the model if something goes awry. Like a wonky throttle, maybe...

And the guys didn't fail to remind me on Wednesday, that a successful maiden means I owe the club a bottle of rum!

[Netfoot]

I was to say something About the gliders: It seems that I decided to assemble the little yellow aeroplane at the wrong time, since the wind and weather generally are more favourable to gliding at this time of year. Therefore, I've decided to build myself a DreamFlight Ahi glider, the bits for which I happen to have sitting right here. So I'll get stuck right in to that. As soon as I have had a nap.

[Netfoot]

Happy Independence Day!

Not yet.  Too much rain on Sunday and Independence Day (Monday). Well to tell truth, the weather was fine on those days, but the ground was so waterlogged from the days prior, it was a no-go. I can (and do) fly under less-than-ideal conditions, but prefer not to do so with a new model, in case there are issues with the setup. If there is something wrong, I prefer to have every advantage in my attempt to get her back on the ground in one piece so as to make adjustments.

Started work on the Ahi. WTF is "Clear, Non-yellowing, Office Tape" ?!?? Do they mean like, Scotch Tape?