Sunday, December 14, 2008

As you can tell by our thermometer out on the back porch, it has cooled off somewhat here in the Big Sky Country...!!! Yes, your eyes are not decieving you.... it is minus 7 below zero. If you add in the wind chill factor for that which is blowing in the FRONT of the house, then we get minus 33 below zero. Good day to stay on the couch cuddled up with your favorite human and her kitty cat!!!




















Here is a little peom for all you air heads (inclusive):

Twas the night before Christmas, and out on the ramp,
Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ.
The aircraft were fastened to tie downs with care,
In hopes that come morning, they all would be there.

The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots,
With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots.
I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up,
And settled down comfortably, resting my butt.

When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter,
I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter.
A voice clearly heard over static and snow,
Called for clearance to land at the airport below.

He barked his transmission so lively and quick,
I'd have sworn that the call sign he used was "St. Nick".
I ran to the panel to turn up the lights,
The better to welcome this magical flight.

He called his position, no room for denial,
"St. Nicholas One, turnin' left onto final."
And what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer!

With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came,
As he passed all fixes, he called them by name:
"Now Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun!
On Comet! On Cupid!" What pills was he takin'?

While controllers were sittin', and scratchin' their head,
They phoned to my office, and I heard it with dread,
The message they left was both urgent and dour:
"When Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower."
He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking,
Then I heard "Left at Charlie," and "Taxi to parking."
He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-oh
And stopped on the ramp with a "Ho, ho-ho-ho..."
He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk,
I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks.
His red helmet and goggles were covered with frost
And his beard was all blackened from Reindeer exhaust.
His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale,
And he puffed on a pipe, but he didn't inhale.
His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly,
His boots were as black as a cropduster's belly.
He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red,
And he asked me to "fill it, with hundred low-lead."
He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump,
I knew he was anxious for drainin' the sump.
I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work,
And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk.
He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief,
Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief.

And I thought as he silently scribed in his log,
These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog.
He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear,
Then he put on his headset, and I heard him yell, "Clear!"

And laying a finger on his push-to-talk,
He called up the tower for clearance and squawk.
"Take taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction,
Turn right three-two-zero at pilot's discretion"

He sped down the runway, the best of the best,
"Your traffic's a Grumman, inbound from the west."
Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed thru the night,
"Merry Christmas to all! I have traffic in sight."



Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Ethel L. Hoehn

This is dedicated to the memory of Ethel L. Hoehn November 15th, 1937 - November 24, 2008.

Ethel is Geri's Aunt on her mothers side of the family.

I met Ethel in 2004 as Geri was moving out to Wisconsin with me. We stopped at Geri's grandfathers home in Seeley Lake, Montana. Mr. Chaffin was dieing from pancreatic cancer at that time and among those caring for him was his daughter, Ethel. Ethel contracted pancreatic cancer herself and fought this rigorously.

Among the only photographs I have of this amazing woman are those I took at her fathers home in Seeley Lake in 2004, a couple that were taken at her sister Azara Llewellyn's 80th birthday. Also included here is her obituary published in the Missoulian newspaper and memorial pamphlet at her funeral.
Click on any image to make it larger





Geri and her Aunt Ethel 2004
Geri and Aunt Ethel
Ethel clowning around at Azara's 80th birthday party