The Week That Was — April 13 to 19

Sun, Apr 13 — In at 7:20 with a chair I don’t like to sit in at home, that will be fine for a shelf base in the Process Room. Clouds low, light breeze, threatening rain. It rained off and on and cleared but got cloudy again. I worked upstairs ALL DAY after posting some pics of a T-34B I photog’d Sat afternoon. Visitor Jeff from SIU aviation school, working on a paper about Springfield’s airport history visited, talked to me and borrowed my book Springfield Aviation.

Nice fellow. Ate snacks from the airport terminal vending machine and a Coke ($1.50!) for lunch. Took no photographs except for a few of Jeff. MAJOR progress in the Process Room, finished modifying a 1/48 F-105G to “flight configuration” and worked on an OLD 1/48 F-4D I never completed. LOTS of ORGANIZING in Process Room. Returned to office at 6:35 and went ho,e at 6:50. Tired.

Mon, Apr 14 — In at 7:40. light rain and chilly. Work was okay — accomplished a lot for AKM — until a customer who talked a lot and liked a lot of colors and was in no hurry to leave came in at 4:40 and took forever in the unheated warehouse and looking around in COLD drizzly air in the back lot and MORE LOOKING and JABBERJABBER and FINALLY left at 5:20 and I didn’t finish my tasks until 5:40 and left for the airport COLD and HUNGRY! I MUST get WARM. MUST SEND a meeting reminder to AHEC Board before I leave here tonight, regardless of my state of mind because duty comes FIRST!. . . . Sent the reminder. There is no logical reason for me to be angry about today, but I am. It’s cold and threatening snow outside. I have done all I HAD to do here, so I’m going home at 6:50.

Tue, Apr 15 — In at 7:05, 30 degrees and calm, sunny day, feeling much better. Worked in the Intake Room until 8:40. Did not return to AKM. Attended a special tour of Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library arranged for members of Sangamon County Historical Society, had a decent time, said “hello” to some people I’ve known over the years. Into bed after dinner by 10. My home computer is KAPUT thanks to Microsoft. Must buy a newer one.

Wed, Apr 16 — Slept less than hoped last night, but wanted an early start anyway. In at 5:30. Must finish a new poem for tonight. Finished it by 7, posted it at Honey & Quinine and Fb. New poem is “Still Craving After All These Years.” Straightened the Intake Room until 9:20, draggin’ his wagon. Departed for Camp Lincoln Military Museum and then downtown to pay a bill at 9:40. Due at work at 11:30, will go straight to poetry open mic after that.

Thu, Apr 17 — In at 5:35. Windy, cool and clear. Still shaking off a mixed bag experience from the open mic last night, but I have a month to get over it. That will be all — but every damn day — that I need. Chuck M visited, sat down in the office and had an excellent chat. Printed copies of last month’s AHEC Board meet, worked upstairs in Intake Room for 40 minutes and off to work at 9:35. Work went fine, processed clippings and had a few customers. Prepared my official AHEC Historian and Print Chair action plan for tonight’s AHEC meeting. Nothing drab from last night’s open mic stains my outlook now. Phot’d a Citation VII  and a Bombardier Challenger 300 (I think). The AHEC Board meeting was another semi-disaster which dragged and dragged and dragged. Lots of monologue action at the head of the table. I took notes, but it was hard at the end. And as the last item of business, I explained that after I distributed the meeting minutes to the members, I would no longer serve as AHEC secretary though I’m happy to do the rest of what I’ve agreed to do. Then we adjourned. I checked email & Fb and headed home at 9:30.

Fri, Apri 18 — In at 6:55, clear and still. Phot’d a CH-47 with unusual orange structure on the low part of the rear fuselage. Didn’t think to telephoto the logo on the tail, but it generated some interest from Fb friends. Airport director Mark Hanna visited about 10:30 and had an excellent conversation about the ladder that was purchased to allow me to photograph aircraft from above the fence line and a project now being planned for the terminal. EXCELLENT visit! Work was slow and I accomplished a lot for AKM. Processed some mags my friend left by my office door yesterday for AKM. Was anxious to get home so I departed AKM about 6:15. I will arrive early Saturday.

Sat, Apr 19 — In at 7:15 after another challenging night, installing a new Windows 8 computer and totally unable to install email on it. Didn’t sleep well after giving up on that. There’s no printed manual. I have to get it from the internet. EXTREMELY trying and unhappy situation this! Discovered why after opening my emails, several of which came to me during the computer installation last night. Phot’d a UC-12 and a photo mapping Cessna 182,  worked on AHEC minutes and sent them to Gene B about 9:15. Employer action was pretty busy but I culled articles from a few magazines and at peanut butter from a knife for lunch. To AKM and worked upstairs in Intake room from 2:30 to 4:15, It wore me out. Back to office and sat down. Worked on pictures, posted a few to Fb and went home via grocer at 6:50.

THANKS for reading this. Have a great day!