From a few years ago, but still one of my favorites.
Happy Holidays!
Veteran's Wall Of Honor
Last week Stewart was inducted into the Benjamin Dillingham and Bridget Wilson LGBT Veteran's Wall of Honor, along with Kristen Beck, below. Kristen just retired from the Navy after 20 years as a Navy Seal.
Regret
“If there was nothing to regret, there was nothing to desire.”
Hudson
This photo is of the helipad at the U.S. Military Academy, or West Point, looking north up the Hudson River. It represents the juxtaposition of Stewart's life and career, much of it spent at the Academy, and mine as a helicopter pilot.
The photo was taken during our trip there earlier this year.
Die, Rabbit. Plus Dallas, Salt Lake and Seattle
This afternoon I finally dedicated the time to apply repellent to our yard which, over the course of the past several months, has been quietly and systematically decimated by a colony of rabbits. On some level I can appreciate that the rabbits might not fully comprehend the devastation they are wreaking on our lawn. But at the same time I can't help but suspect an underlying tone of vindictiveness, as while they lay waste to our grass they are simultaneously defecating virtually everything they eat, in the form of thousands of little pellets, that cover the barren dirt they leave behind.
For their sake I hope the repellent works, because next up are traps. Philosophically I am very much opposed to killing wildlife, but like the ill-fated ground squirrels that came and died before them, these rabbits have crossed the line and must pay.
The repellent, by the way, smells strongly of putrid eggs with secondary notes of stale vomit and a hint of garlic that appears after the initial wave of nausea subsides. The few flies that we have in San Diego immediately took notice of the spraying, and began circling my head in earnest shortly after I commenced the application process.
Anyhoo.
A few weeks ago I completed a second helicopter cross country, this time from Dallas to California. I was there when the tornadoes touched down just south of the city, and a day before they hit in Oklahoma. It was a solo trip, as Stewart was in Salt Lake helping in the renovation of nephew Stephen Bornhoft's first home, along with his brother Greg. Then last weekend we flew to Seattle for Matthew and Ben's wedding in the SODO district. It was beautiful, and we were grateful to have been a part of it. Below is a picture taken at the venue, note the jackalope head mounted on the far wall with a semi-automatic rifle carved into his antlers. And so went the evening.
Art and (Colonel) Tom, Stephen and (Colonel) Stewart, (General) Tammy and Tracey
Rainbows
“He felt like a man who, chasing rainbows, has had one of them suddenly turn and bite him on the leg.”
May Already Part 2
Okay, I knew I forgot one big trip off the previous post.
I ferried a helicopter from Pittsburgh to Thermal California (just east of Palm Springs) several weeks ago. A little over 16 hours of flight time, just under 1,200 gallons of fuel consumed, and 1,800 nautical miles covered. Below is my flight plan; a little bit erratic around Kansas, due to weather, and several brief diversions to look at opportune areas of interest, all legitimate of course. The best part is that Stewart was able to accompany me from St. Louis on, and the second-best part was being able to see Mark, Chris, and Sam at my fuel stop in Columbus.
This was one of those epic trips, in that is was a coast-to-coast view of the U.S. from a thousand feet above the ground--just beautiful, if not slightly flat around Oklahoma.
May Already?
Stewart is in Salt Lake this week, assisting his nephew Stephen B. with the renovation of his very first home in the heart of suburbia. Stewart's brother Greg (Stephen B.'s Dad) is also there, so with three Type A engineers we are expecting the results to be nothing short of spectacular. (Too bad Stewart and Greg's sister Mel, also an engineer but staunch introvert, wasn't there to reign in all that unbridled leadership).
Salt Lake is also where we'll be heading for the winter holidays, along with most of the Bornhoft family including expatriates Caroline and Liam. In the meantime, I should probably catch everyone up (briefly, as I always try to be) with our sundry goings on in the first four months of 2013, organized by destination.
Las Vegas. I've checked in to Vegas five times this year, mostly for what I call my fourth job, that of check airman for Air Methods (my primary employer and granter of my first job as an EMS pilot). I will be honest, I don't really care for Las Vegas, in all its fabricated grandeur which is not in the least offset by the natural landscape around it, or by the stark ugliness of the town once you move away from the Strip. One trip was to attend Heli-Expo, though, the annual Mecca for the U.S. Helicopter industry.
Washington DC. Stewart attended the annual Outserve-SLDN dinner, the flagship event to raise money and awareness about the LGBT military community. Held at the beautiful National Building Museum, 600+ attendees, always a great event.
New England. Stewart attended the funeral of one of our co-Plaintiffs, who died of breast cancer. Following the funeral he was able to reunite with much of the Bornhoft/Stewart clan in and around Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
San Felipe. The BAJA 250. I flew the race director and emergency room doctor around from sunup to sunrise. We transported three critical patients, one of whom slipped away enroute to the clinic.
New York. Stewart and I attended the second annual dinner of the LGBT organization at the US Military Academy one weekend. Got to stand on the USMA Helicopter Pad and visit the USMA Yacht Club, plus of course got a first hand tour of the entire campus from Stewart.
Stewart has been to San Francisco for business, and I usually traipse all around SoCal in the course of my check airman duties, but otherwise I think that sums it up. For the remainder of 2013 we will be headed to Seattle for a wedding, Columbus and Lexington to see family and friends, New England again hopefully to see the fall colors and, as mentioned, ending up in Salt Lake. Will need to get my database photos under control before then.
Helicopter In Repose
The photo was taken looking inside the cabin of my helicopter, facing aft. The blue tube at the top left is one of the flight control rods snaking its way to the rotor head; the vertical black hoses just to the right of the window are the fuel lines headed to the engine (the fuel tanks are underneath the floor); and the two nondescript gray boxes tucked away near the center are the two computers dedicated to operating the engines.
Not exactly a million parts yearning to be free as the adage goes, but they are integral to the million parts situated overhead that are.
Holiday Double Duty
Stewart and I returned from Australia a few weeks ago, and a few days later I went back to work. Leaving Stewart to clean, shop, and chase down a thousand loose ends by himself, which he did wonderfully and without complaint. I finish my seven day duty shift in an hour, and I'm looking forward to spending a relaxing Christmas Day at home, which he made possible.
Ayn
“Don’t fool yourself, my dear. You’re much worse than a bitch. You’re a saint.”
Australia Farewell
Stewart and I just returned from three weeks in Australia (Sydney and Melbourne). Certainly a trip worth recommending for those who haven't been, although the old adage certainly held true for us: pack half as many clothes and bring twice as much money.
We went camping with Caroline and Liam along the Great Ocean Road out to the Twelve Apostles, celebrated Chris' 38th birthday on 12.12.12, Stewart played chess at Melbourne's magnificent public library and we witnessed Caroline's graduation from RMIT which, bar none, had the best graduation ceremony soundtrack I've ever heard. Plus we completed the initial vetting of Caroline's new boyfriend Steve, with good results.
Liam, Stewart and Caroline experiencing a Blair Witch Project moment along the Great Ocean Road.