Progress at the museum continues like a slow boat to China, and as that song says (but in a different context) most of the time, I am there and “all to myself, alone.” I’m okay with that because the work must be done before others can help with other things.
Last week, a key supporter who visited AeroKnow Museum a few days after Dave Bakke’s column appeared in the State Journal Register in June and wrote a check for a new printer scanner . . . cancelled, for the fifth time, her scheduled return visit to the office. The purpose of the planned visit was to learn more about the enterprise so she can volunteer in the ground floor public office three hours a week, allowing me to work upstairs. Something else had come up over Thanksgiving, and that precluded the scheduled visit. She’s going to need all of next week to take care of matters she had already scheduled before she’ll be able to visit again — or “before she’ll be able to NOT visit again,” as the case may be. I wished her well; asked her to call me 24 hours (give or take) before she plans to come out.
That was all behind me Saturday afternoon after The Granite Guy bought me lunch during my four hours of occupying the showroom. The sun was bright, no rain in sight and I was ready to rock like dy-no-mite.
(If a tree in the forest sings “Slow Boat to China” and nobody hears it, did the tree actually sing “Slow Boat to China?” The answer [Ansar, if you want to put a fez on it] is YES. How do I know? For four previous hours at The Granite Guy on the edge of the world, I WAS THE TREE.)
Friday after Thanksgiving had been less productive than anticipated. I had planned to pick up some glass display shelves, but the business was closed It was no problem; not a big deal. I understand the long weekend thing, they’re good people at Avenue Glass. I wish them well. Approaching the FBO that hosts AeroKnow Museum I noted that the ramp where they park the airplanes was empty. Bad omen. If there are airplanes on the ramp — even a Saratoga or a 172 — chances are there will be bored pilots inside and opportunities to show them the Museum. I unloaded a desk-top shelf and a rolling cart for the office, set them up. Took some things upstairs and soon after, went home after just less than three hours on the “job.” Leaving a note on the door and working upstairs didn’t appeal to me because there were greater Museum priorities calling me from the home office, priorities I could have addressed at the airport if I had a wi-fi computer there.
Dear Santa . . .
I need to improve the AeroKnow Museum web page www.aeroknow.com I had started adding new and revised material there Fri morn and departed for the airport reluctantly. A volunteer at the Museum ground floor office from 11a to 2p would have been nice. During Friday’s short visit I completed the setup of the new items, moving essential reference books from a newly emptied bookcase destined for a new home in the Kits Room onto the newly deposited desktop shelf and arranged materials on the wheeled metal cart that will be where I build and repair models in the office. Since it’s on wheels, I can move it out of the way when I’m not working on models.
From my office display window that faces a short hallway to Hangar 1 on my left and into the picture-windowed lobby on the right, where I can see the northwest sky, the fading light was my clue it was time to go home.
I went home.
Clear skies and happy landings.
Abe Lincoln's Air Force 