Tuesday, April 19 — In at 6:30. A draggy day with approaching rain clouds. Crew of a visiting Long Ranger visited and I phot’d their departure from the ramp. Later an Mu-2 crew visited and invited me to phot their patient transport ac inside and out. They had just delivered a patient to Springfield, but I didn’t see it arrive. Very nice fellows. A local friend had told me he’d “try to visit” this morning so I stayed in the office until about 1. The nice thing about “trying to” is that you don’t have to actually do anything. You can go taking pictures in the park or anything else you want to do, secure in the satisfaction derived from tying me down to a desk and knowing I’ll be disappointed. And I’m always disappointed . . . in myself for having been stupid enough to have believed you. Plastic box of fruit for lunch; also not particularly satisfying, though I’m glad I ate it. Processed many more magazines and moved a bunch upstairs. In the Magazine Room where . . . I discovered MORE MAGAZINES HAVE BEEN STOLEN. These were early issues of Air Enthusiast. The thieving probably happened the same time earlier this year when the priceless Der Adler magazines were stolen. THAT frikkin depressed me BIG frikkin time. I began telling myself (morbidly looking ahead a few months, at least) that when I leave this orb it will be because I am so EFFING disappointed with others but mostly disappointed in MYSELF for the STEALING. I cannot inventory, or even look into every drawer in the Magazine Room every damn day just to be sure that all the magazines are STILL FREAKING HERE! CHEESES! So I returned to the office about 2:30 and processed some pictures from today and some more Aeroplane Monthly magazines, but my heart was flat as a freaking pancake. So I left for home at 3:35 with some magazines to read and probably more wine than I ought to drink. So be it. I’ve got nothing to lose except my anguish from this totally sucky day. Day rating: D freaking MINUS!
The F/A-18E and F visited Springfield together Monday, February 18. The pilot posing with the woman grew up in Springfield. He flew the 18F with Nick his back seater in the F, and the woman, a rated combat fast jet F/A-18 pilot flew the E. It was a privilege to meet them. Nick is from Champaign, IL. His mom, whom I also met, teaches finance; took a day off to drive to Springfield to see her son. More pictures will be included in a future AeroKnow Museum Gallery of Flight blog.
Abe Lincoln's Air Force 