Flying The Real Deal and an Anniversary

This week saw me finally getting to fly the actual aircraft without having to simulate the fun. It was pretty uneventful and just like the simulator with the exception being that the last part of the landing phase is a little harder in real life...and since they think that is "important," they make us practice it. I got to fly four flights this week, with one letting me fly up above Kansas City and back before practicing my landings. We have already demonstrated proficiency in all other phases of flying the C-130, so all we do generally is take off, fly in a rectangular fashion back around, and land...then do it all over again about 20 times. It is fun while you are flying, but very boring when the other students are flying.

Candi and I also celebrated our 4th anniversary this past week. I had Friday (and this Monday and Tuesday) off, so we went to a little resort town about an hour south of Little Rock. For those of you in Idaho, it would be like going to McCall, only with a horse racetrack...which with my luck it happened to be opening weekend of the race season. We saw a lot of fancy cars, outfits, and hats. Candi and I stayed at the Embassy Suites and I got us a spa package. I was pretty fearful of getting a dude to give the massage, but fortunately it was a lady and I didn't have to rationalize that one to myself.

We had a very relaxing time and when we weren't getting felt up, swimming, or eating (most expensive steak to date) we spent some alone time with a few animals. Nothing says, "I love you and I am so glad I married you" like getting bit and headbutted by smelly goats. We went to an alligator farm and petting zoo to celebrate four years of marital bliss...I'm not sure what you should read into that one. Not too many people get to say they get to pet alligators, goats, deer, and monkeys on their anniversary...but WE CAN!

We are finally getting some cold weather and I don't say that because I was looking forward to it, rather it seemed strange running around in a Speedo in January...not that the Speedo is strange, but that it was warm enough to break it out in the winter. It is getting so cold that even Zoe has been wearing some warmer apparel.

In other news, I may be giving up the pilot thing for covert operations. One of my buddies from pilot training always comes over to get out of staying in a dorm room and he likes to play fetch with Zoe. The only problem is he has a knack for sending the ball over the fence into a huge Rottweiler's domain. Finally after three balls accumulated over there, I made him go get them. The first attempt should have been videoed because it ended with a dog on his heels and him jumping a seven foot fence like a two foot hurdle. Probably one of the fastest times ever posted by a twenty something, white male. The next attempt took more planning and strategy. It took some misdirection...

and some foritude when Josh soiled himself when the dog realized he was in "his" yard...

but it turned out the dog was all bark and no bite, but as you can tell I found that out from our side of the fence.

Other than that, we have Monday off to celebrate my main man, MLK and I wasn't scheduled for Tuesday so I have an extra long break. One last thing I would like to share is that it is peanut butter jelly time! Tell me this little tune doesn't reappear in your head for the next few days! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8MDNFaGfT4