Well let’s get caught up here. last week we made a run to Lakewood on Thursday as that was GS#1 birthday. We took him to lunch (I didn’t get any pictures) and then brought GS#2 back with us so GS#1 could have a party with little brother in the way… That is fine as it brings GS#2 (a four year old) down to play with GS#3 (a three year old). Being close to same age they have a great time either playing or fighting… They had a great time but we had to get GS#2 back to Lakewood by 10am the next morning as he has swimming lessons…
He seems to really like it as he always had a smile no matter if he was being dunked or floating…
The weather here as been unusually good for this time of year so I have gotten in some “road time”. After the holidays and all I need to get back to walking more so at least this past week I have been putting in several miles around the neighborhoods. Since we live in a very large suburban area there are a lot of winding roads out here and along with that at times a lot of “UP” and “DOWN”…That down hill is no problem, but some of those up hill climbs are really “huff and puff” hills… It is easily here to have at least 500 ft. elevation change in half a mile or less and sometimes it is much more than that… but it is good for me, or so they say… The other day on one of the walks I captured this:
Ol’ man tree still had his Christmas cap on… I think he may have said “oooh look at you!” but not sure as I had my headphones on and listening to the local “oldies” station… something with a good beat that keeps you moving…
With a 3 year old in the house most of the time, I get a lot of requests to see if something can be fixed that just didn’t hold up to a boy’s play… Today is no exception but at least it is warm inside and cold outside so what else can I do? ha!
Mid morning he came in with one of his special “Lightening McQueen” collection and had broken the tail wing off. I am not sure this one will hold up to the glue fix but I took it apart, got the pieces somewhat together and put some glue on it..
This black car has a “wind wing” on the back but was not sturdy enough for his type of pushing around on the floor so it broke…
So I got one piece back on the wing and two other pieces back into one so it can be put back on the wing? I likely will have to help it out some with a bit more support epoxy?
Beyond all that I am way late on making another airplane for a friend that requested it last fall… he made me a giant wind chime and wanted a couple of air planes… I got the bi-wing done.
You can see by the date I finished that up a long time ago and have just been lazy and not getting on the other one.
But I now have it about half way done. adding a few changes as I always change things a little… I found some small soldiers in a setting position that will be fine in the cockpit… I hope? working on the clear plastic of the canopy now.
Of course he is getting some of my special Algeria cans I brought back from over there during my time there…
Still have a lot to do on this one but have the tail section ready, the body done, need to get the canopy fitted on and cut an engine shroud and put that all on… then get the wheel struts and wheels on… just takes time and focus… I have a lot of time but my focus seems to wander… I am not caught up in the ARRL grid chase, although I do not plan to make any of the big numbers but figure it may be worth while as I hunt for a few more states to finish up WAS on more of the working bands… I have the states on 4 of the bands now… need 2 states on 160 meters and a bunch on 10 and 12… stupid low in sunspot cycle keeps those nearly empty but occasionally you find contacts up there…
I did 9 Band WAS from the Stillwater QTH but figure why not do it from here as well… this is a bit more of a challenge with the need to keep antennas hidden, low cycle , etc.… but I am working on it…
So that catches things up to now… sort of… till L8R
WD0AJG