Spring and I'm lovin' it!

I'm just loving the 80 degree spring days we're having. The "green" came on so quickly this year!

My squash, cucs and tomato plants are coming along nicely.  I'll transplant them to the garden soon - but it's a bit too wet to till the plot right now.

Here is my little "lettuce garden" on the deck - it's from a packet of left-over seeds from the fall.  I'm thinking I might start nibbling in a few days.....

And this is a whole bunch of radishes!  Last fall the deer wouldn't leave my radishes alone in the garden, so I decided that some deck-grown radishes might be in order.  Plus, if I want a salad, all I'll have to do is walk out of the kitchen and harvest!!

More signs of spring - these are clumps of hostas - and it's most amazing because at this time last year they were eaten down to nubs by the deer!  This year, I think we have the protection of a pack of coyote!  Absolutely no deer-nibbling around the house at all!

And I have lots and lots of iris ready to bloom also - and they are deer-free too this year!

And finally - here are some petunias.....and what is absolutely amazing about these petunias is that I planted them in this flowerpot in April OF LAST YEAR!!!  We had such a mild winter that they did not freeze sitting in this exact spot by the basement door all winter.  Amazing!

Words With Friends Game Mystery

Some of you may know that I am enamoured with the little online game, Words With Friends. It's really just Scrabble - but you can play it like long-distance chess from days gone by.

I loaded the "app" on my little handheld device back in Gatlinburg when we had our McCraw Christmas family gathering in January.   There, I played a game with Sharon (she was using her iphone to play it). Somehow, I must have lost her "username" - but I thought I knew what it was - SHARONI.



So, when we got home, I just typed in SHARONI to start a brand new game with Sharon.  Just a few screen shots help me tell the story - 

Off and on for weeks, Sharoni and I would send scrabble moves back and forth.  Sometimes once or twice a day - sometimes an entire game in one sitting....it just depends on how busy we were.  Sometimes a day or two would go by and no-one made a move at all.  It's a cool game that way.

There is a neat feature in the game - you can "chat" with the person you're playing - a separate screen captures these messages.

I had "chatted" off and on with Sharoni - sometimes just to say "excellent word!!"  Sometimes we'd say "gotta go, talk to ya later".

Sorry for the small letters - you can click on the photo if you want to enlarge it - this is a series of a couple of "chats" with Sharoni - you can see a couple of weeks go by and she tells me she's remodeling her kitchen.....

In the meanwhile, I speak to Buddy on the phone one day.  I ask him what they were doing with the kitchen, that Sharon had told me that they were remodeling.  He sounds puzzled and said that they weren't remodeling.  I argued with him....and said that he must be joshing me - that I was sure Sharon had told me in an email or something that they were remodeling.   He assured me that they were not.  

I was perplexed.  I searched my emails - no note.  I searched my phone, no text messages.  It was not until a week later that the mystery was mostly solved.  Sharoni was back online again in Words With Friends.  I sent her a chat to tell her that I was onto her toying with me about the kitchen - still perplexed as to why she would do that....

I think it's clear that I've been chatting with Sharoni - a total stranger!  Maybe the real Sharon can clear this up!!! 

Oriental Trip

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Hop over to Glory Days for a weekend update!
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St. Patty's fun at the theatre

We were able to catch the presentation of "Double Indemnity" at the Oriental Old Theatre - with Fred MacMurry (of My Three Sons) and Barbara Stanwyck in "evil" roles.

First, of course, you get a very informed introduction by the local film "guru"....

Then a St. Patty's cartoon...

And the latest installment of the "Green Hornet" - about an insurance scam using unsuspecting flight school students!!

This introduced the main film, also an insurance scam film! Much fun!

Airplane Interior Refurbishment

Duane has been working for weeks and weeks on the Mooney interior. Finally, it's mostly finished and I can show you the before/after photos! I think it's lovely - and the seats are SO much more comfortable!

The 80's earthtones abound in this airplane! Pumpkin is a good color for some things. Airplane seats, not so much! Plus, the cushions were deteriorated and not at all comfy for long flights (or short flights, for that matter!)

Before:

After:

This was a pretty huge undertaking - he stripped the interior down and dyed all the trim pieces to get rid of the ugly yellowed color.

Before:

After:

I know it's hard to see, but all the trim pieces were just dingy and weathered looking.

Before:

After:

Yep, I'm very pleased!

Before:

After:

Balloon!

I was riding down the runway on the golf cart this weekend and spied the balloon being inflated. So, of course, I had to go visit a while.

Lindy was in the garden picking some greens - Dick and his crew de jour were preparing the balloon.

Almost ready!

Always fun to watch the colorful balloon silently drift away!

Just some flowers

Nothing happening today! So, I thought I'd just share a couple of photos this morning of the yard. Lots of things budding and I can taste spring! Can't wait for Sunday when we get that extra hours (or so it seems) in the evenings!

Remembering

Our friend Denny passed away yesterday. It was fairly unexpected.

I'd just like to tell you a little about Denny. I have seen him seems like every week at the airport or EAA meeting for the past 16 years. He was such a "ladies man" - always calling you "love". Well, me anyway! I presume that I was not the only lady he called that, but it's sweet to hear anyway!

A couple of years ago, he must have been playing with a new camera when he came to the airport. Someone (I don't know who) took this photo with his camera.

And for the past few years, Denny would get out of his plane and say "I've already seen you today!!" as he gave me his patented hug. He'd already seen me because (he said) his computer had a affinity to chose the photo above to splash up on his screensaver. He said it every time and it became our little "in the know" joke. I'm glad his wife, Rita, was such a good sport about his affection for all females!

Denny had moved to slower and slower airplanes as he "slowed down" himself....but it was a pleasure to have known him!

Security Question Rant

Signing on to my online bank account this morning....I was met with a new screen. It seems that they must protect me from unscrupulous visitors by requiring me to save answers to ridiculous questions. I get it. They are trying to be careful on my behalf.

But, no longer are the questions simple like "Mother's Maiden Name". I called the customer service line to complain. No help. At all. Just said, sorry, normal questions like that are just too easy to find out the answers to.

Here are some of my choices of questions:

• If you could witness and event, past, present or future, what would it be?
• What is the last name of your favorite mentor or teacher?
• What was your dream job as a child?
• What is a favorite road you like to travel?
• What was your favorite place to visit as a child?
• What is your biggest pet peeve?
• If you could be a character out of any novel, who would you be?
• Who was your least favorite boss?
• What is the first name of your favorite relative not in your immediate family?
• What is the name of your least favorite teacher?
• What is your dream car?
• And finally, what is the name of your favorite stuffed animal?

I believe they had a 20-something write these questions. I'm sorry, I just don't remember the name of my favorite stuffed animal!

But, I guess I do have an answer to one of the questions - my biggest pet peeve today is unanswerable security questions!  End of rant.

I'm 'daring' spring to come on!!

OK, so I'm ready for spring. Aren't you???

The trees are budding and the grass is starting to green. So, I decided to try to get a little head-start on the garden. Using leftover seeds from last year....so we'll see how it works out.

Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers. And lettuce/radishes that I've put in flower pots and will leave on the deck for easy kitchen access this year!

Dependency

You know, every once in a while, you come to a place/time that makes you sit back and say "wow". I've had such an experience today...doing my taxes for the year on the computer. There's always an "interview" with the computer that you input all your data. I came to this page and it caused me to pause.

and.....this year.....I had to......just......click........NEXT ---->


So strange that we're true empty-nesters in every sense now! 

Book Club - at UnWine'ed

Our Book Club book this month was a rather forgettable Nicholas Sparks blah blah blah which was titled "Best of Me". It should have been interesting since it was set in Oriental, NC.....(Nicholas Sparks is from New Bern and refused a request for a book signing in Oriental...so I think he's a perfect jerk....)

Any hoooo, our lovely ladies gathered at a neat place south of Pittsboro called UnWined.....and we had a wonderful evening! Oh, and by the way - our next month's book looks very intriguing.... Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and our hostess urged us to actually buy the hardcopy book - there are spectacular photos that inspired the book included that you don't get with the Kindle version!

Perfect Boiled (Steamed) Eggs

I'm a little sick still and a little bored....just kidding. I needed to boil some eggs this afternoon, so I thought I'd make this little "experimental video" about using a steamer to cook the perfect boiled egg.

Little pre-wedding get-together

Miranda invited the wedding party to a little Mary-Kay facial party last night. We all got to scrub our hands and faces with nice peachy smelly products, then apply various items that were for protection/and/or wrinkle abatement. Hmmm, don't think it worked on me!

Had to throw in a photo of the newest little puppy - Tesla. She's a sweetie!

Our first taste of winter

I know, I've been slack about keeping the blog updated.  I've been a sicky person for the past several days.  Just your garden variety sinus bug.  Lots of drugs and sleeping.  Duane has been diligently working on the airplane interior (which I'll show you as soon as it's finished!)

We got our first little tiny taste of winter last night - so I thought I'd snap a photo before the 60 degree temps melt it all away.  OK, I'm done with winter - bring on spring!!

Chilly Sylva / Cullowhee Visit

We were invited up to our friends Cecil and Carolyn's "cottage" near Cullowhee for a weekend visit. The plan was for all three of the planes that are going on the May Bahamas trip to fly up to Jackson County Airport. Turned out that the weather was a bit on the "iffy" side. Very cold and snow showers. So, we decided to go VFR (visual) because we didn't want to talk to the air traffic controllers. (The controllers can direct you to fly thru the clouds where you might pick up ice on the airplane - not good!!!!)

That turned out to be a very good decision, because there was lots of cloud cover - but we found a "hole" in the clouds and descended down to the hilltop airport.  A little blustery, but nothing Duane couldn't handle!  (Hard to see in the photo, but there are snow showers falling under the clouds surrounding the airport.)

Cecil actually heard us circling overhead and came on out to the airport to pick us up.

This is a view that we should be having in the Bahamas in May - two Mooney's and a Bonanza!  (Only, like 50 degrees warmer!!)

Ever-cheerful Lindy!

By the afternoon, we had nice, chilly sunshine - Cecil took us on a little tour of the resort - Bear Lake. Beautiful area.

The view from the clubhouse.  I can't wait to visit in the summer (assuming I'm worthy of being invited back!)

We coerced Carolyn to go on a little hike.  There was a nice trailhead right across from their house. 

And a short hike to a little mill-pond.  It was VERY blustery.  This is a very protected little alcove - yet you can still see the water was disturbed by the winds.  The cold made us all pine for the Bahamas!!!

Did I mention the "cottage"???  The word certainly doesn't do it justice!  Wonderful, cozy place Cecil and Carolyn have! 

There is a outdoor area that looks very inviting - but the 14 degree overnight kept us inside! I tried not to click millions of photos - and this time I failed to photograph our shy hostess! Oh, well, there will be plenty of opportunities in May! Cecil and Carolyn were FABULOUS hosts!

Sunday morning dawned bright and not as windy, thank goodness!   Here are Dick and Lindy preparing for takeoff in front of us.

Always love to end these posts with the usual - "uneventful flight home" !!!  That's the best kind of flight - uneventful!!!

Balloon at Siler City

A pretty day for a balloon ride...our neighbor and his "chase crew" pulled in to the airport for a little air time.

Always fun to watch them rig everything up and start inflating the balloon.  First with cold, fan-blown air.....

Then, notice the flames - the "hot air" gets started....

Up, up and away!!

Osprey Visits Asheboro Airport!