AIRPLANES AND FLYING

The first thing I remember about airplanes was when Uncle Carl, occasionally he would fly from Petaluma to Emmett for a visit.  One time he flew Richard and I from the golf course airstrip to Boise.  Dad was there to pick up up.  It was thrilling.  The next time was as an adult, when I lived in Novato, I would take United from San Francisco to Boise.  The best trip was once when they served longastino salad.  Yummy.  I flew that route several times.  Once as we were almost to Sacrqamento I recognized that we were turning back. We landed in San Francisco.  There had a bomb threat called in. We parked way down the runway and identified our luggage.  Eventually we were cleared and on our way.  

During the late 60's Uncle Carl offered free flying lessons.  I had to purchase the fuel.  It was a lot of fun.  But I did learn not to leave eggs on to boil and go off for lessons on a Saturday.  That is a stink you never want to replicate.  And of course the infamous flight with a guy who was flirting.  Sue sat in front and I sat in front on the way back.  I was gazing at the control panel and finally pointed at something that looked familiar and I asked what was that?  The guy looked at me funny and smirked, "It's a clock."  

I flew to Alaska on Alaska Airlines and changed to Markair at Fairbanks.  Thye gave out a certificate for crossing the arctic circle and Hagandaz for a snack.

I have been to airports in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Deadhorse, Barrow, Dillingham, Juneau and Nome.  All very interesting and after 911 the security was only for jets, smaller planes no unsmiling soldiers armed to the teeth.  I had frequent flyer miles and I saved them to upgrade to First Class.  One time a first class plane landed in Barrow and Tim and sat there, very nifty.  I flew to Houston for a job interview for Saudi Arabia, did not get that, probably best, too hot.  The last time I flew was a few years ago.  I wanted to get an injection of t cells to counter act my kidney faiilure.  Unfortunatately I did not tell my bank, cards frozen because of out of town charges.  So the lady a the clinic reimbursed the deposit and we flew back by way of Fort Worth Dallas.  Almost forgot when I worked in Emmett, in the eighties, I ran for President of the medical record association, it was a tie and I won by a flip of a coin.  I attended the National AMRA meeting in Denver which was fun, landed at the airport which was located downtown.  The next year I flew into Ronald Reagan in Delaware again a lot of fun.  Saw Tony Bennett at an evening function. I no longer fly, it is boring and way too involved.  Oregon upgraded the driver licenses to meeting requirments for flying.  I did not bother. If I commit a crime and have to be extradited, I will let the State handle all of that etc.  I also flew by helicopter a couple of times.  Grandma LaVann owned stock in them and it was very loud.  Charlie was not that thrilled.  

I forgot all about Seatac.  They have an underground train system that goes very fast, hang on !!