Sunday, March 28, 2021

Last Line Tomorrow

 Monday @ 2100 MST I start my last three day line. Thursday morning I finish the paperwork shortly after 0230 and "That's All Folks". 

It has been a long, strange, but wonderful journey starting in 1958 with my first flight lesson in a Cessna 120. The flying part ending with flying a Lear 35 from Abu Dhabi to McMinnville OR in 2007. After that flight I drank the kool-aid, donned the gray pants, white shirt, red tie, blue Blazer, and strapped a Flight Simulator to my butt expecting to only work a couple more years.  Damn that couple of years ended up taking 14. 

Was not a bad life for a dumb old West Texas farm boy, I got to see the world, most of the time at Flight Level 410 or above and M .80. Someone paid me to stay in the some of the world's best hotels, eat in world class restaurants and paid for my whisky. Of course there were a few hotels and meals at the other end as well.

I even met MsBubba in the back of my airplane, from the first time I saw her with her mop of curly blond hair I thought "That's the one for me". Then I chased her until she caught me.

More after I finish Thursday morning,

ken

13 comments:

  1. I'll be right behind you Ken except I'll probably be sipping a soda instead of a whisky.

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  2. Hurray and about time my friend.
    Happy, Happy retirement, now slow down and smell the roses (rosewood :-)

    Cheers
    Bob, happily retired since 2013 and no regrets

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    1. Bob,

      I think you are correct, but then no retirement until its time. I may have gone a little pass my sell by date. One of the signs is few understand my cultural references anymore. I see the sign with looks that say "what is this old fool talking about now". Of course because I have the hammer and can sign 'em off for another 6 months or year they can only give me the "look" :-).

      ken

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  3. Steve D7:36 AM

    Damn, that was a long time ago. I didn't have the pleasure of experiencing 1958.

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    1. Steve,

      You missed $0.19 a gal gas and then a few years latter the 60's. BTW, the Piper J3 I rented cost $3 USD an hour. Of course it is all relative, I was making $0.50 and working in the local hospital lab.

      I'm one of the few that still believe and live the 60's, most turned into greed heads, "I've got mine, screw you". Shame it was a wonderful time for a few years.

      ken

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    2. That should have read $0.50 an hour. BTW when my folks found out I was taking flying lessons they offered to buy me a new MG if I quit. Being a sports car fan boy, I agreed and got a beautiful new green 1959 MG-A. I picked up flying again when I moved to Houston after High School. It was win win for me, a new MG and I still ended up flying for a living.

      ken

      ken

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    3. Steve D10:07 AM

      Sounds like you missed out on a career in negotiations or politics.

      My dream car was an Alfa GTV. Now it's an albatross :( taking up space.

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    4. Steve,

      In the late 60's and early 70's the Houston Citroen dealer also handled Alfa's. I drove Citroen's for close to 15 years but every time I went to the dealer I lusted after whichever Alfa GTV was on the showroom floor. I'm sure I wore a few Alfa seats out over the years just sitting in "em.

      ken

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  4. Steve D2:38 PM

    They're making them again. I hear they are nice retirement gifts.

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  5. I raise my glass to you and wish you the best for your retirement. I am sure you will love it and enjoy going through your todo list with no need to rush.
    Alpha GTV and their legendary bear box with cracking first gear! Alpha have always been wonderful in design, very nice and gorgeous cars, but their mechanical quality killed them.

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    1. ...read legendary Gear box!

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    2. Steve D4:53 PM

      My Saab had a beer box. The glove box had an a/c vent in it that could be opened or closed.

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  6. In 1958, I was 6 years old. It was a great year because there was the World Exposition in Brussels/Belgium. I have visited it thoroughly with my parents (we had an abonnement). I have visited the world without leaving my town. I remember many pavilions. They all have been dismantled. Except, the US one still exists. I remember the sputnik in the USSR pavilion and a slice of sequoia in the US one. (remember I was only six).

    Congratulation for your retirement.

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