Pausing to remember

Pausing to remember

At the persuasion of Grannie Annie your old columnist has been working on an obituary. Mine! Actually two versions. One for my friends from the Academy Class of ’59 and my 20 some Air Force years. The second for those in this community in which I’ve served and gotten so much in life over the past near half century. You’ll have to wait for the finished project. I’m ready but in no hurry!

As I write this I’ve driven by McCook’s new swimming pool or more properly called the Aquatic Park. It is a busy place as it is shake down and get ready day. Present seemed to be the new lifeguards and bathhouse staff. Interestingly there were firetrucks with emergency personnel to learn what’s where and how to respond in an emergency. Opening day is Wednesday the 17th so it is good to be prepared. Ronda Graf you should be proud to welcome the public to this new adventure.

“Dad I want to learn to fly. Dad I want to learn to fly!” It has been a recurring theme song of a young lady that just graduated from high school. Yes her dad has a nice airplane but he judged it a bit advanced for his neophyte daughter to initially learn in. How about the distant cousin, me, that taught her dad to fly and flew with her grandparents who were both pilots? Nope my wife won’t let him instruct a new student who is not capable of safely landing their airplane. It makes good sense! Ah ha another very capable and experienced flight instructor is in this area and he just happens to own the very airplane that her dad learned to fly in. Off they went this morning for lesson one in perfect weather conditions.

This old flight instructor adds my blessings to the young lady. What is her future? She could become an airline pilot, fly fancy jets in the corporate world, fly for the military, or maybe just get her license and simply enjoy the adventure of flying. The world is her oyster and I am so proud that she is eagerly joining the world of aviation that I have loved all my life.

The TV news of the hour is that Candidate Former President Trump has chosen for his VP running mate Senator JD Vance. Several years ago I read his book Hillbilly Elegy and was struck by the familiarity of an “interesting” family. Yes if each of us look into our roots we can find things that remind each of us of the interesting characters of which Senator Vance wrote. For instance I had ancestors, brothers, that fought on both side of the Civil War.

It will be interesting how the media plays JD Vance’s wife Usha. Familiar name in this community. Ethnically Indian, her middle name is Chilukuri and they seem to be happily married with three very young children. Both are lawyers.

Seeing the scenes at the RNC convention in Milwaukee reminds this old gent that attending an event like that would not be a comfortable experience. I guess it comes with the territory of the political class and maybe that is why professional politics was not for me! Watching it on TV is close enough.

That is the way I saw it.

Dick Trail