This looks to be a year of profound change on a personal level and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit apprehensive about the future.

I wish you peace and happiness and interesting days.

New posting app. Test

Our cat Maggie.  Yes, she is just as evil as this picture makes her appear.

Yesterday the sands of time trickled past another one of those milestones that cause you to pause and take stock of things. 

December the 10th 1951 dropped a little screaming bundle into the lives of Mary Maxine and George Edward Mist.  It was about –2C in Peterborough Ontario with a trace of snow when I came along.  Harry S. Truman was the US President and Louis St. Laurent was the Canadian Prime Minister.  World War II had been over for 6 years but soldiers had found a new place to die – Korea.  Wikipedia tells me that Doug  Allder, an English footballer, was born on the same day but that no one worth mentioning died (I’m sure tens of thousands of grieving family members on that day would beg to differ).  I Love Lucy premiered in 1951 and Joe DiMaggio would retire from baseball on the 11th of December.

My childhood was tumultuous to say the least.  Ted, my dad, was always chasing the dream job so we moved very frequently. My mom, dear sweet Maxine, trudged behind him with 2 young bewildered children forced to constantly say goodbye to friends.  Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario(again) and finally British Columbia before I finally said enough and threw down a small anchor in the dirt.  The family moved back to Ontario and I was left to start making my own mistakes and life choices.  Some good friends with some dodgy habits.  A crummy job followed by one that was less crummy.  A marriage that, looking back through the eyes of maturity, had no business happening and was surpassed in stupidity only by the first guy to utter those famous words “Hold my beer and watch this!”.  That adventure lasted 13 months, ended badly and caused me to grow up a whole lot in a short period of time.

This brings us all the way to 1973.  British Columbia had lost its appeal and there was talk of an opportunity back in Ontario where my father was still dreaming his dreams but by now had just enough money to be able to entice his son back home.  So, I loaded up my nearly new Ford Pinto (stop snickering!!) with all my worldly possessions, which weren’t much after the marriage breakup, and drive all the way from North Vancouver British Columbia to Mississauga Ontario.  In about 3 days.  Alone.  In February.  In the snow.  I don’t want to say it was a harrowing experience but, when I arrived at my parent’s house, the housekeeper wouldn’t let me in and frantically contacted my mother to report a wild eyed greasy hippie trying to break in.

Needless to say, the promised opportunity somehow dried up as I was risking my life and the lives of others on my caffeine and amphetamine version of the Cannonball Run across Canada.  More forgettable jobs followed with me actually having 3 in one day at one point.  It wasn’t until September 1978 when I walked into a warehouse office near the airport in Mississauga that my life finally started to take focus.  Not immediately, of course.  Working midnights and having too much daylight on your hands is a grand recipe for heavy drinking and general male goofiness.  That all changed when I moved into the office and met a lovely young lady with the longest blonde hair that I had ever seen.  Hello Jan Stuart.

Jan had survived a bad marriage as well so we circled each other for quite a while.  I actually kept my own apartment for a year after we moved in together at her place.  In 1982 we both came to our senses and threw our hats into the matrimonial ring once again.  The triumph of hope over experience.  We must have done something right because August 20, 2012 will mark our 30th anniversary. 

We bought a house.  We both kept working for the same place.  They promoted us and gave us raises.  Cats and dogs came and went but since neither of us wanted children (or deep down we were afraid given our history) so it’s been the two of us.   Jan’s parents died fairly early in our time together as did my father.  My sister lost a long battle with alcohol and Maxine passed away a few years back at the age of 80 (boy do I hope I got the majority of my genes from her).

December 11, 2011.  60 years plus 1 day.  I’m overweight but 6 months off cigarettes.  My eyes suck which makes my photographic hobby more difficult than it should be.  I love airplanes and Jan loves her arts and crafts.  This keeps us from getting under each others’ feet on weekends.  We have  a few close friends but spend most of our time home with the cats.  The house is paid for.  1 of the 2 cars still has a loan attached but not much.  Retirement is only a couple of years away (or sooner depending on how this economy keeps rolling) and we’re ready to leave the rat race and start living.

Yesterday I spent the morning flying around in the back seat of a 59 year old Harvard trainer.  I took this self portrait after flying it for a while.

I look happy.  I am.

The 2012 air show schedule is starting to come together now that the ICAS (International Council of Airshows) meetings down in Las Vegas are underway.

My running list of events I’ll either be working or attending as a spectator is now available.

Tuesday September 11, 2001 was the day our lives changed.  The ripples from 4 planes crashing continue to reverberate around the world.

To all those who were directly, personally touched by this tragedy, hopefully the years have dulled your pain and this anniversary passes with remembrance of the good times.

Maggie helps with the packing as we get ready for tomorrow’s flight to Milwaukee and drive up to Oshkosh to take part in AirVenture 2011.

To say I’m excited is like saying the CN Tower is sort of tall.  I’ve been planning this trip for 2 years and I just can’t believe it’s finally here.  All my friends and co-workers are either very, very sick of hearing me talk about Oshkosh, are jealous or are waiting for me to show up tomorrow.

This whole thing is a logistical nightmare.  The flights and hotel had to be booked very early as Oshkosh attracts a 1/2 million visitors over its one week run.  I’m actually staying up in Green Bay which will involve at least a 1 hour drive each way.  Next year, I’m either going to camp or try and get a room in the Hilton Garden Inn which is right next to the airport.  My ride to Pearson Airport comes at 5am tomorrow so I can check in, get through security and US Customs and make the 8am departure.  A 1 1/2 hour flight to Milwaukee, pick up the rental car and then a 90 minute drive to Oshkosh.  Collect all the wristbands, strap on the cameras (2 DSLR and 1 Video), slather on the sunscreen and grab the bug spray.  I’ve got maps but the first thing to do will to be to orient myself.  AirVenture is a HUGE event and up to 5000 aircraft are expected to arrive and depart during the week so you can imagine how much parking space that will take.  Add in onsite camping, vendors displays, a museum and infrastructure and you get a small idea of my challenge.  Here’s the official site map.

I have a list of things to do during the week starting with an air show EVERY SINGLE DAY (and twice on Saturday).  Tuesday I have a ride scheduled in a Ford Trimotor and a cruise on the world’s largest airship on Wednesday.   Toss in a few parties and TweetUps along with nightly movies, seminars and shopping and I’m not sure exactly how I’m going to fit it in!

Expect lots of pictures.

What a great show! Click on the Flickr link on the right to see all my pictures.

144 years young.  Happy Birthday Canada!!