Goodbye May

It is a hot Sunday afternoon here. The sky is pale blue, dotted with just a few wispy clouds floating low in the sky. The field of grass behind our house, growing tall and green, is waving in the warm breeze. My tomatoes are drinking in the heat and sun. After three days of 90 degree weather it feels like summer is here to stay.

My trip to Ohio already feels weeks away, despite the fact that this time last week I was still there. This time last week I was excitedly anticipating a wedding that would occur in just a few hours. I wonder how much faster this week has gone by for the bride and groom? I hope their honeymoon was memorable and special. I pray they are having a safe trip home today.

For Jared, this week began his navigation phase of T-1 training. He is now flying 'out and backs'. These are much longer flights that take them further away. Thursday found him in Lincoln, Nebraska while Friday he flew to Louisiana. He continues to have great rides, good grades and is enjoying this different type of training. However, he also has been spending a lot more time flight planning since these flights are more involved.

His entire class in done with check rides and on to the navigation block. Only 50% of the students passed their check rides. As far as we know, Jared received the highest grade out of everyone who passed. Once the navigation block is done there will be another check ride.

My week was less exciting. Tuesday I got the house back in order after being gone for 9 days. Thanks to a thoughtful husband, it was not as much work as I had feared. Jared, I am happy to report, mastered the use of our new washer and dryer in my absence. Wednesday was back to work, but only for meetings. I stocked the house with food again, and baked an angel food cake. Besides working I also read 2 books this week and yesterday started a third.

In the lives of others this week, things have also been happening. For Luke, he completed and passed his last firemens course. Now it is on to the state test! Congratulations! Abbie had to deal with more unsettling news from Iraq when Ryans unit had a truck hit by an IED. That is the 3rd IED in the last 3 weeks to hit them. We continue to pray for Ryan and his unit daily. One of Luke's friend's also made it safely to Afganistan to begin his deployment. We have added him to our prayer list, along with my step-cousin who is also mid-deploymnt in Afganistan. So many people we love are "over there" right now.

Our weekend has been too short, as always, but fun. Jared and Andy spent Saturday morning at the country club golfing. Andy shot his best score ever! Saturday was also both boys official promotion date. They are now 1st lieutenants, complete with a raise. We spent Saturday evening at an impromptu barbecue at the Walkers house. Megan Walker is the wife in Andy's class who has been helping Kimberly and I with hot lunches. It was nice to finally meet her, and her family, and spend some time together.

Today we went to church, and I have Jared's favorite, Luke casserole, planned for dinner. Jared is at work right now getting flight planning done for his out and back tomorrow. I am watching girls college softball, but after I'm done "blogging" will most likely refresh my glass of iced tea and get back to solving mysteries with Sherlock Holmes.

Below are my latest garden pictures.

There is nothing like fresh peas on a hot summer day

Peas climbing and lettuce growing
Cherry tomatoes grew like crazy under Jared's care
Snap peas
A shot of the entire garden, I'm so proud of it

I do not like unions!

Please do not misunderstand me, I am completely for the happy state of matrimony, just not for unions in the workplace. I never have been a big fan; like so many things, there was a time and a place for unions and that time has passed.

Today we learned that the company Vance AFB contracts with to fill over 900 jobs on base, including the entire aircraft maintenance crew, has voted unanimously to strike on June 8 if their contract is not renegotiated by midnight on June 7. If that happens all flying operations will be completely shut down. That is not to mention the fact that we will have no grocery store, childcare center, etc.

If the strike actually happens they are already talking about sending entire pilot training classes TDY (temporary duty) to one of the remaining 2 training bases to finish. That means Jared would leave, if he was lucky enough to get a spot, for the next 3 months. Not a very appealing prospect. However, the other 2 training bases are also contracted with the same company for their "civilian" jobs and there is already talk of sympathy strikes which would shut down the entire Air Force's pilot training capacity.

Ordinarily the Secretary of Defense or the President would step in to stop such a major event from happening. But we're taking a wild guess and betting that we won't be getting any help whatsoever from Washington!

Jared was supposed to fly his cross country trip next weekend, but that has already been canceled. They are afraid that if the strike happens and there are any problems with planes during the cross countries, the planes (and pilots) will be stuck without anyone to fix them! So even without the strike being official it has already put Jared's class, and others I am sure, behind. They have already been told to expect 7 day work weeks to get caught up from missing their cross countries, provided the contract gets approved.

So we are asking for your prayers this next week! This contract needs to be agreed on and signed so we, and so many others, can finish pilot training! We will be sure to update you as soon as we hear anything.

Plane Rides

So much has happened since I last wrote. It's hard to know where to start or how to cover it all.

Last Saturday, May 16th, I flew to Ohio. Despite a very delayed flight out of Oklahoma City, I made it to Canton on a later flight safe and sound. My friend, and the bride-to-be, Carey came over to visit that night and the time at home began.

Abbie was home both weekends I was there, and we were back to sharing our old room again. It was fun talking until we fell asleep. We both went to church together that first Sunday. (Luke always works in the back during church services.) I got to see Mom play piano and it was the first time I had been to the new service at our church.

Monday Momma and I cooked up homemade wedding soup. I realized that I miss having girls around to cook with. It's more fun, and easier. The soup was a hit all around.

Tuesday I got to see Carey's new house, a beautiful log cabin, and help her move in some things and do a little cleaning in preparation for Family coming in for the wedding. That day I also got to meet Emma, my friend Colleen's first baby. It was lots of fun; she is a little doll!

Wednesday I got my hair done, bliss, saw Emma again, and went shopping with Momma. It was so exciting to go to real stores that weren't over an hour away! And I got my Auntie Anne's pretzel fix at our real mall.

Thursday the biggest news by far was from Oklahoma. Jared flew his first check ride in the T-1. He had to fly it without a partner since the guy he was supposed to fly with, failed the previous ride. We were both pretty anxious about the ride, it makes up 40% of his final ranking to determine his final plane. However, God answered prayers and Jared not only passed the ride, but got an excellent!! That's the best grade, and pretty hard to do on a check ride. He was super excited and I can't even begin to explain how happy and proud I was! At my mom's that day we made lots of goodies; lasagna, cheesecakes, lemonade pie, etc. I got to see my step-brother, Steve, for a cookout at lunch and hear all about his trucking adventures.

Friday was our zoo day! We've been planning this day for months. Momma, Dan, Luke, Abbie and I took a day trip up to the Cleveland zoo. The weather was perfect and we got to see a lot of animals. That night we went to an Akron Aeros baseball game and had lots of ballpark junk food and watched some great fireworks after the game. It was an awesome day!

Saturday started the wedding festivities. The girls involved in the wedding met up in the morning for manicures and pedicures. We went out to lunch, and then spent some time at Momma's giving gifts and eating yummy desserts. That night was the rehearsal at the Akron park where the wedding took place, and dinner at a local Mexican restaurant in Canton.

Sunday was the big wedding day! The weather was perfect, and everyone had a great time. I was so glad that I was able to be there to be a part of such a special wedding. The bride and groom are currently honeymooning in Oregon.

Unfortunately the week went by about as fast as this blog! I had to be at the airport at 5:30 the next morning to fly back to Oklahoma. All those flights were on time and I made it back just fine. The Blakes had a little cookout that evening and it was nice to be welcomed home by our little gang. Jared sure missed me and he even cleaned and did laundry for my return home. Such a sweet boy!

I'm including some pictures from my trip below.

Miss Emma Madison meets her Aunty Ashley

A snake at the rain forest in the Cleveland Zoo

Big, brown grizzly bear

Giant Turtle

Giraffes

Beautiful, but loud, parrots

What an awesome lion

Luke, Abbie and I after our day at the Zoo

The Akron Aeros baseball park

Siblings after the baseball game and ready for fireworks!

The wedding ceremony site on Sunday

The blushing bride, and my dear friend, Carey

Carey and Tony saying "I Do"

Sisters on the wedding day

Various and Sundry

After my last blog, or more appropriately, rant, several other unpleasant pieces of news have comes our way. However, I promised my next blog would be a happy one, so I will leave the bad news until after vacation.

First good news; today Jared and I joined the Oakwood Country Club. Several of the guys in his class were already members and invited Jared and Andy to play golf there with them last weekend. Jared was immediately hooked, hence the membership! They also offer golf lessons, something we're both interested in, as well as tennis and a private pool. I'm thinking about taking a few tennis lessons this summer as well as golf! The manager of the club is also their executive chef. I've not eaten there yet, but Jared and his friends say it is the best food in Enid! So while I am in Ohio, Jared will be living (and eating) at the country club.

Second, my garden. It's growing and growing all except for my tomatoes. Several tomato plants have died this past week, from either too much wind or rain I'm not sure. But I still have a few brave plants and am hoping they pull through! The pea plants have flowers on them which means peas soon. I personally am most excited about the peas. Everything else is growing well!

Today was hot lunch day for Jared and Andy's class. I made 2 lasagnas from scratch and they were demolished in about 30 minutes according to Jared. It was a new Paula Deen recipe; Jared and Andy have dubbed it a keeper. I also brought in salad and 5 chip cookies. When the cookies appeared someone shouted "Scherff cookies!" My friend Kimberly made lunch last week, and now a wife from Andy's class, Megan, is going to jump into the rotation. Look what I started!

Below are a selection of pictures, mostly garden. Otherwise I probably wont be doing a whole lot of blogging until I get back from my trip to Ohio May 25th.

Before: The front of our house

After: The front of our house. I'm going to plant sunflowers (dwarf)

Kitchen garden is doing great

Christopher watching the latest strom in a 3 week string of bad weather

Just another stormy eveing in May

Frustrated

I will forewarn you, this is a vent. This is not a happy blog.

First, I'm going to be selfish and vent about me. I am sick of work! Last week I worked everyday for them. Partly because I know vacation is coming and I wanted to make some extra money. Also, partly because I know they are short staffed (again?!) and I know first hand that it really sucks being full time when the office is short. Not only did I work extra, I picked up a weeks worth of being on-call for them. I worked all freaking weekend! I did a horrible start, that the office knew was going to be a horrible start when they gave it to me.
(Perhaps I should clarify for some, I am working as a home health nurse right now. I am working part time and make my own schedule, no minimum required. A start is an RN visit for beginning our services on a totally new patient. Even in the best of circumstances they are a lot of work. End of clarification.)
Monday I call to give extra report on the weekend worth of work I do, and what do they say, can you come in and work today? Um, NO! Then I check my schedule for the next day, to be sure I have 1 visit instead of 2 to find out I have 6 visits?! SIX?! So I call and politely say, I can only do 2 tomorrow (like I told you last week), and no one even told me you were putting 4 extra people on there. What do I get, snide comments. Grrrrrrr.... Then I checked my schedule for tomorrow, and I have 2 patients out of town, but in totally opposite directions. When I point this out and ask to have something closer together, I again, get no results and rude remarks. Shortly after that call, I get another person in the office calling to ask for a bunch of things from the orientation project I'm doing so they can inservice on it TOMORROW. OY! PEOPLE ARE RUDE. I AM SICK OF WORK. I AM NOT BEING NICE AND WORKING EXTRA EVER AGAIN. I DO HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK EVEN IF YOU DON'T. !

My second vent is on behalf of Jared. Yesterday he got stuck flying with a really crappy IP. He's an older guy getting ready to retire who has been passed up for a promotion. He's bitter. Jared and his flight partner (a guy who failed his last flight) go to their pre-brief and spend the entire hour plus getting screamed at. Their flight planning sucks, they suck, they suck so bad the IP wants to kill himself, etc. Nice! So as they are getting ready to go fly (and I mean, who wouldn't be ready for a great flight after a brief like that?!) their flight commander comes up to them and apologizes for the other IP and says he's sorry they have to fly with him. Well you are the stinking FLIGHT COMMANDER, if you know this guy sucks then why let him fly with your students?! POOR LEADERSHIP. So Jared has a good flight despite the horrible IP (because he's brilliant). The other guy has a terrible flight because A.) he's shaken from failing his last flight in the first place and B.) he's getting screamed at the entire time. End result, the IP gave them a fair, one grade away from a fail. He told Jared he flew great, but the other guy sucked and their flight planning (apparently) sucked, so they both get a bad grade. AWESOME. not. Then later this super amazing IP (PLEASE note the EXTREME sarcasm) walks into the flight room and rips apart a FAIP (first assignment instructor pilot) in front of everyone, while also referencing his horrible students (my husband being one of them) in front of everyone. URGH!!!!! Sometimes I wish I could just walk into that flight room and give them a piece of my mind. Of course Jared was not happy, but he was more concerned about his flight partner than himself.

Anyway, I just needed to get that out. It's only Tuesday and I already feel like this week has been forever. I'm just in such a weird, bad, restless mood. I need a good scream! SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you actually made it to the end of this, congratulations. I promise to be in a better mood next blog.

Staying Busy

Last week was one of those long, short weeks. I worked a lot more than usual, and Jared either had a flight or a simulator ride, and 5:00am show times, every day last week. Then I volunteered to be the on-call nurse last week, and so I ended up working all weekend as well. But we are one week closer to graduation!

This coming week is going to be just as busy, but at least for me, for better reasons. This coming Saturday I am flying back to Ohio to spend 9 days at my Momma's. The main reason for this trip is a wedding! One of my oldest friend's, Carey, is getting married on May 24th and I am a bridesmaid. I'm also hoping to catch up with a few other friends, meet one of my friend's baby girl, as well as spending time with family. I'm looking forward to my little vacation, but there is a lot that needs done here before I leave!

Today I'm going to tackle the normal house cleaning, and start making lists. There's the grocery list for this week, and then one for the week I'm gone. I'm going to try and make a few things to freeze so the boys won't live on Burger King or frozen pizzas while I am away. I have a bunch of little errands to get done, odds and ends to pick up. Thursday is hot lunch day for Jared's class and I'm cooking. I also have to teach Jared how to use the washer and dryer (we bought a new set when we moved and he's never used them?!), water my garden, and pick a few chores to leave him with.

While I am gone Jared will most likely fly his first T-1 checkride! It's a pretty big deal because there are only 2 checkrides for the T-1 and they both count for quite a bit in the overall grade. Jared has flown really well thus far, and I have no reason to doubt his checkride will be just as awesome! But it is nerve wracking. So please keep him, and the upcoming ride, in your prayers.

I'm flying back to Oklahoma on Monday the 25th, Memorial Day. We are planning on having a cookout with the Blake's, and then it will almost be June! Lots to celebrate in June: Abbie's birthday and college graduation, the twins are turning 25, and it will be Grandma and Grandpa Plunknett's 60th wedding anniversary the day before our second wedding anniversary. God is good all the time, and we have been so blessed!

4

So the big number around here is 4. Exactly 4 months from today Jared will be graduating from pilot training. GRADUATING! IN 4 MONTHS! We also figured out that there are only 4 more assignment nights (the night we find out what plane we get and where our next base will be) until our assignment night. Only 4 more of those nights and then it's going to be us, US, sitting in those seats in a state somewhere between terror and excitement finally finding out what comes next! I can hardly believe it. Just thinking about how fast all this is approaching makes me excited, nervous, impatient, and slightly nauseous.

Since our assignment night is only 3 months, 2 weeks and 4 days away (but whose counting?) Jared and I have been talking a lot about our dream sheet. What is a dream sheet you ask? It is where you put in order what planes you'd most like to fly, and what bases you'd most like to live at.

As most of you know, Jared's first choice of plane is the C-17. Our casual base (where we were stationed before pilot training) was a C-17/C-5 flying base where Jared helped stand up (or start) a brand new C-17 flying squadron. He fell in love with the plane and it's mission. He's also interested in the C-5, the AF's largest plane, and the KC-10, a newer in-air refueler. However, those planes are some of the most coveted planes out there right now. Especially the C-17. You have to be right at the top of your class to get the plane you want, and to end up with that plane at a base you want is even harder.

Here are the links to AF fact sheets for our top 3 airframe (or plane) choices:
http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=86
http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=84
http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=109

So far Jared has done really well both academically and flying and is near the top of his class. However, there's a lot more work to be done. He finished his first transition block last week (YAY!) and starts a new block this week. In this new block the grading gets harder, and within 2 weeks he will have his first T-1 check ride (big, important ride where they watch you under a microscope on your flight and throw a lot of academic and emergency procedure questions at you). Your check rides really stand out in how you are graded and ranked in your class. His last test is this afternoon.

I have, of course, been researching the various bases, surrounding cities, hospitals, housing markets, etc. of several different places that we could end up. Right now our top choices would be the C-17 at either Dover AFB, DE. or Charleston AFB, SC. I'm routing for Charleston right now because they have a top children's hospital about 30 minutes from base and I would love to be somewhere that we both could pursue our dream jobs. I'm trying to keep the research to a dull roar though, since we really have no idea where we'll end up yet.

A lot of people have been asking, "what are all the possible planes you could fly?" or "where are the possible bases you could get?"As you can see we have our favorites, but in reality we could end up anywhere doing anything! There are over a dozen planes we could get, and anywhere from 2-6 different bases per plane.

The worst scenario is the dreaded UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) aka. the predator. Basically we'd end up living in a dessert somewhere in Nevada or New Mexico and Jared wouldn't really even be flying a plane, but controlling it from a bunker. After all this hard work learning to fly I think it's pretty obvious why it's every one's last choice!

The base options for just our top 3 planes are: Travis AFB, CA., Dover AFB, DE., McChord AFB, WA., Charleston AFB, SC., McGuire AFB, N.J., Elmendorf AFB, AK, and Hickam AFB, Hawaii.

So, as we enter into the last 4 months, and count down the last 4 assignment nights, please keep us in your prayers! Pray for good flying weather, for good health, and for success both in Jared's academics and piloting. Pray for my patience to hold out another 4 months! And please pray that God will be at work in both our hearts to prepare us for whatever is in front of us.