Visitors took a brief tour while their Bonanza was being refueled 200 feet away on the ramp.
On the first Wednesday of January, the Springfield Chapter Illinois Pilots Association approved a $300 donation to AeroKnow Museum which allowed the purchase of the rest of the Plate Glass shelves that had been sitting at Avenue Glass for weeks. An acquaintance and early supporter whose word had proven as solid as a cloud had promised weeks before to pay for them — that’s why I ordered them — and then changed his mind. So the IPA vote made my year, so far. Two days later, in two trips, I loaded the 18 shelves into the truck and delivered them to the office. Ten hours later, I had set all of them up but had run short of concrete construction blocks I use to separate them and hold them in place. Seven shelves sat leaning against the donation table where I had placed them. When the word went out that all we needed was funding to pay for the concrete blocks needed, my friends Mark and Cheryl Pence e’d me that they would gladly pay for the blocks; how much would it be? I replied “less than $50” based on what I’d paid so far for them. Then something logical but unexpected happened: a profusion of snow.
For three weeks it has covered the building materials sold in the fenced yards at Henry Nelsch on 9th St. and the open bed of my pickup truck. Temperatures have skyrocketed to 32-plus degrees one whole day, hardly making a difference in the depth. And the blocks are frozen together as they were the last time I purchased a few after light sleet and a minus 32 day.
And the weather forecast calls for more snow, a lot of it early next week. There are many things that can’t be done in this time of year: water polo at the pier at Lake Springfield, for example, hunting for butterflies in the park, so I’m not exactly mortified at this unhappy turn.
Besides, there’s plenty more to do at the Museum.
It’s all warm there, out of the wind, and I can use some help. Please comment here if you’d like to lend a hand or better, both. I’ll get back to you.
CAVU and soft landings.
Abe Lincoln's Air Force 