02/07 3eme semaine/ 3rd week

Une fois de plus, ce fut la variete cette semaine, en commencant par passer plusieurs jours dans la region du Montana, qui est mon etat prefere. Dans les annees 20, les prospectus de voyage le comparait a la Suisse, grace a ces Glaciers a la frontiere Canadienne (Glaciers National Park). C'est aussi juste a cote du premier parc national etablit par Roosevelt en 1872, (Yellowstone National Park), qui est sans doute LE plus beau parc du pays. C'est aussi le site de nombreux parcours traverse par Lewis and Clark, ces deux explorateurs de l'ouest Americain au debut des annees 1800.

Nous devions nous poser sur un petit terrain, juste assez grand pour y poser un Citation, mais VFR seulement, et comme la meteo ne fut pas clemente, nous nous sommes deroute sur Missoula. C'est la l'aerodrome des fameux pompiers en parachute, que l'on envoient dans les feux des Rocheuses afin de couper la broussaille pour repousser les flammes. C'est aussi la que les gardes forestiers garent leurs divers avions, et dans le cas de Missoula, ce sont des P2 Neptunes, un bombardier concu en 41. Le "truculent turtle" est le plus fameux de ces avions pour avoir ete de Perth en Australie, jusqu'a Colombus dans l'Ohio, une distance de 18 000 Kms en 1947!

La photo du bas, c'est la Floride, nous avons terminer la semaine dans ce coin la, et il fut super temps cette semaine, dans l'eau bleu presque comme les Caraibes, et des temperatures plus sympa que dans les Rocheuses!

Let's see. This week had all the makings of a great week wherein sunshine seemed to be finally returning to AZ. Unfortunate for Richard, some of the days seemed nearly perfect glider days, with the sky brimming with big, billowy clouds just begging for a glider pilot to ride them all the way to the horizon. However, AZ being AZ, there will be muchos plenty of grand , grande glider days ahead as the year unfolds.

I, too, am grateful for the return to warmer weather for as I have lived for the past twenty years in states with the highest rate of sunshine, I do not too much like the constant overcast and dim shadows winter brings on, even here sometimes in the Desert of the Southwest. Being a sunshine driven person, a grand sunny day filtered with warm pervading back into tired bones just makes the day seem brighter, possibilities seem better and overall lifts the mood. Especially when one is pregnant.

Florence has undergone a miraculous growth spurt just this week alone, to the point wherein when I met Richard on his return home he exclaimed "Wow! You're pregnant!" referring to my belly which must have doubled in size. Indeed, it had. And while it now is certain that she is growing, allaying any fears I had that she was not growing as needed as I was so small for most of the pregnancy, she has, unfortunately, restricted my stomach to the point where I am taken to the habit of regurgitation more than I'd like (not that any form of regurgitation is pleasant).

Ironically, while reading one pregnancy book, specifically focusing on the chapter about acid reflux and indigestion which comes in the last trimester for some of us lucky few, I "acid refluxed" right on the book at that chapter. Now I just need the courage to tell the library what happened before I give them back their christened book.

And so the third trimester moving along at warp speed I'm becoming well acquainted with the glamorous side of pregnancy, spending most of my time in the throws of acid reflux (which is a very polite way of saying I throw up alot now). Unfortunately this means I don't sleep at all anymore (as if that was possible). To allay the acid reflux I must sleep sitting directly up on my back, but this hurts alot, my being able to hold the position for only 10 minutes or so. So I must then turn to either side, but when I do the acid comes right up and burns so much I can't sleep. Needless to say, God has a sometimes cruel sense of humor and must, absolutely must be a man! ;)

Unfortunately, Richard, on his first night home, had to learn the hard way what nights have become wherein I don't think he was able to get to decent sleep until 3am due to my constant trying to find a position to stop the acid. Sad when a pilot has to go to work to get decent sleep! :)
In fact, last night, after a week of this, I was so desperate for sleep that I actually spent half of the night sleeping in a sitting position wherein I was kneeling on the bed, my head resting on a pillow, like an Arab in constant prayer, the kneeling keeping me off my belly and the pain which would ensue would I lay on it. I didn't think it would work, with the acid, but I was able to get an hour or so of sleep until my stomach started to hurt (I must have shifted onto my stomach). Unfortunately, OTC meds don't work. I've tried. So I may have to get a prescription, which I really don't want to do if it will hurt her. And, after all, what interesting tales would I have to tell of pregnancy if I didn't get to experience all these myriad of glamorous signs and symptoms! :)

And on the other bright side of pregnancy, Richard and I have been blessed with many family and friends having many, many nice things to say, supportive things, offering help and advice to help us through difficult times, offering books, clothes, etc., to call anytime when we need help or advice. And we're very grateful.

Have a nice day!

02/07 2eme semaine/ 2nd week

Nous sommes aller voir le "Blue man group", cette semaine, ils sont en tournee dans le monde entier, et en ce moment sur la cote ouest des Etats-Unis. Nous etions interresses, car cela fait longtemps deja qu'ils sont a Las Vegas. Nous savions neammoins que le show etait different de ce qui se fait au Luxor, mais bon, c'est pratique de les voir chez soi plutot que Vegas, avant leur demenagement prochain au "Venitian".
Et bien c'est pas pour nous! Si vous etes adolescents, et que vous regardez MTV alors, c'est surement un superbe show, mais pour nous le rock, voire hard rock, c'est pas forcement notre truc, donc ca pars mal!
En gros ce sont 10 musiciens, dont trois qui sont bleus comme des Stroumphs. Grand ecrans montrant des musiques videos, nos trois gus qui de temps a autre tapent sur des pipes et tambours et qui font le pitre sur scene, et voila le tour.
Bon. Tant pis. On restera des fans du "Cirque Du Soleil" , avec le meilleur show etant a Las Vegas au MGM: "KA".

Un frond froid est passe dimanche, ce qui nous a fait de superbes conditions pour le vol a voile du lundi au mercredi. Je ne pouvais aller voler que mercredi, en ayant peur que les cumulus se barrent, mais comme on peut le constater sur la photo, il n'en etait rien, et pour fevrier, il faut absolument sauter sur l'occasion!
Le planeur etant toujours en revision, (mon mecano preferant reparer d'abord les bimoteurs et avions ecoles, c'est plus lucratif!) j'en ai profite pour me faire lacher un du materiel US, j'ai nomme le Schweiser 1-26...: Ca a les performances de notre "Javelot" Francais, donc en clair, ca plane pas loin, mais c'est leger comme tous, et a part le bruit, car c'est du bois toile, verriere qui ferme pas bien, c'etait rigolo a piloter, voire meme comfortable pour un gus comme moi, plus comfortable que le ASW 19, et mercredi ce fut 3 hrs de vol peinard, un ete Francais du nord puisque temperature dans les 18-20 degres, et plafond a 5000' AGL.
Ca fera donc un planeur de depannage en attendant de recevoir le mien...
A+ pour de nouvelles aventures!

Hello all! This week Richard and I were very busy. We had to run some miscellaneous errands (DMV and such) but then also went to a Blue Man concert, spent a day at the gliderport, went to our first childbirth prep class and even saw a movie. May not be too busy for some, but for us ol' timers it was a packed week.

As Richard said above, we were heartily disappointed in the Blue Man concert, walking out before the half way mark. To us, it was more paying lots of money to go into an arena to watch music videos on a screen and have a band play hard rock music very loudly. Since we are more the Bocelli and Bach type of couple, although it was interesting to us in a human pyschological/sociological study kind of way, frankly it was too darn loud, really annoying, and, as I told Richard, was the epitome of the typical American male (loud, overpriced, and obnoxious). So...we left. (For you sensitive types who love the Blue Man group, this is just the opinion of the Management and you are allowed to like them alot.)

Moving on, we spent a day at our gliderport, for which I was very grateful because between Richard's glider being "sick" and the weather this winter in Arizona being anything but supportive of proper gliding adventures, he has been grounded. And a bird of flight needs to fly to maintain happiness, sanity, etc. etc. So I was happy to get this bird husband of mine flying again. And he had a great time. I knew it was a great investment of our time (even though it's a three hour round trip drive) because the minute he got out of the cockpit after his flight he had his customary little boy, Christmas morning smile. As the commercial goes....priceless!

Then we went to our first childbirth prep class. However, this was a disappointment. The class seemed for people who know absolutely nothing about childbirth (Richard and I have been doing lots of reading since we got pregnant). So the information covered is extremely elementary. Further, the teacher is obvious prejudice for a non-natural childbirth and makes sure she makes this known to all. I have no preference. It's each woman's decision. But this teacher doesn't leave it up to anyone to decide. Any person in the class who makes reference to the contrary is immediately "corrected" by her that their opinion is wrong. Further, the class is filled with kids (or at least they seem like kids when your first child is being born when you're nearly 40!) wherein we have teenagers and early 20 somethings. So, the class attitude is pretty much just like high school. Not the adult, mature review of childbirth we were hoping for. Ah well. Lastly, the teacher is horrible. She just sits and reads directly off a printout, pretty much something we could do without her help and without paying $70. So, to sum it up, it feels like we're back in high school, wasting our time, learning nothing, and spending the hours making fun of the teacher!

Well, the depressing end has come to the week and Richard is preparing for work. I hate that. I miss him so much. It's funny with all the other mom's and such I meet that women whose husbands come home every night just don't get what it's like when yours does not. The world is very different when he is gone, never as fun, never as exciting. Just mostly watching the clock tick by until he returns. I will work hard to make sure Florence is happy when he is gone, but I know (or hope to God) that nothing is better for her than when he is home. After all, a home is just a home. A bunch of walls, some paint and wires. Who much cares when that special great person who sparks your life isn't there.

But on the other hand, recalling from my past, I am so ever, forever grateful to have someone who is so dear to me that his absence is so keenly felt. Again, as the commercial says, he is priceless.

Sorry folks, but anytime he's on his way back to work is a meloncholy time for me.

Adios muchachos from the Sonoran Desert.

02/07 1ere semaine/ 1st week

Cette semaine nous aura vu quadriller tous les Etats-Unis d'une cote a une autre, ce qui n'arrive pas forcement souvent sur mon type d'avion. Nous avons effectues 35 hr de vol en une semaine, alors evidement, nous avons finis a New York, un peu sur les genoux quand meme!...

1er jour: Facile! Prendre un avion de Phoenix pour l'ammener en grande visite au centre Cessna de Wichita, la ou sont fabriques les Citations.
2 eme jour: Sur un autre avion, nous faisons Whichita,KS- Little Rock,AK- Georgetown,KY- West Palm Beach,FL- Teterboro,NY
3 eme jour: Teterboro- Daytona Beach, FL- Charlotte,NC
4 eme jour: Charlotte- Houston,TX- Los Angeles,CA- San Jose,CA. Ce sera la journee la plus longue, vu le vent dans le nez vers l'ouest pour aller d'une cote a une autre a seulement Mach 0.75! (0.82 est la moyenne d'un avion de ligne)
5 eme jour: La photo du bas, c'est San Jose, decollage au tot matin puis Oklahoma city,OK- Houston,TX. La, l'avion explose une lentille qui protege les feux de navigation du bout d'aile droite. Ca arrive lorsqu'il y'a de la condensation qui se met dans la lentille, on allume les strobes, et paf!, la lentille fout le camp... Ca fait desordre, donc du coup, on arrete l'avion.
6 eme jour: Encore sur un autre avion, nous faisons Houston- Dallas,TX- Philadelphia,PA- Boston,MA- New York,NY. Reveil a 3 hrs du matin local, 2 hrs pour nous qui venons de Phoenix. Dure dure, encore une journee qui va etre longue.
7 eme jour: American Airlines nous rammene de New York a Phoenix. On va enfin pouvoir dormir un peu!

This week saw the aches and pains of pregnancy covering the entire length of my body, from the tip of my head to the bottom of my toes. This is something you don't often see in being human. To put it this way, over the course of the entire week I'm lucky if I slept 3.5 hours a night so, needless to say, I usually arrive at the end of the week on my knees.

1st Day: Suffering from bad, bad pregnancy cold. Just when you thought you couldn't feel any worse being pregnant.
2nd Day: Still suffering from the pregnancy cold, bad pains in my "down under," acid reflux, and, as usual, getting only 3-4 hours of sleep a night.
3rd Day: Start out with no sleep, visit a bathroom more often than a copy of USA Today at a men's office, have a headache, backache, nausea (from the cold), acid reflux, discomfort in my lower extremities (restless legs), and I stub my toe.
4th Day: Made the mistake of watching live births online. Made the bigger mistake of turning on the audio. Personally vow never to get pregnant again (!). :OOOOO All the usual aches and pains plus some in places where, frankly, a lady just doesn't mention when men could be reading.
5th Day: Maybe get some decent sleep but get woken up by a combo of ATC/FSS updates routed to my telephone on Richard's flights which tell me his tail (airplane) has filed a flight plan - at 2 am! Usual aches and pains, not to mention mind numbing boredom.
6th Day: Same ol', same ol'. Plus delivery scares coupled with worries of what can happen to her after birth after making bigger mistake of reading news stories of local crimes online.
7th Day: Richard comes home via American Airlines! Finally, now I can hang out with my buddy even when I can't sleep.

Getting pregnant: $5 cheap wine and $7.50 romantic DVD.
Being pregnant: $50 donut bill per day and other odd cravings
Giving birth: $2500 at local hospital
Being able to get newborn child to one day do chores to pay you back for all your pain and suffering: PRICELESS!

(Ok. Relax all you people out there without a sense of humor.)

For everything else - there's chocolate. :)

01/07 4eme semaine/ 4th week

Les parents de Katherine sont venus passer quelques jours avec nous cette semaine, pour nous dire bonjour, et il fut decide que jeudi, on irait faire un tour d'avion avec son pere.
On allume le moteur, commence a rouler... Pour retourner a la case depart!
En effet, un Bonanza s'est pose sans train sur la piste, et comme il n'y en a qu'une!... Et ben voila, y'a pu qu'a rentrer, vu que ca prendra plusieurs heures pour ouvrir de nouveau le terrain... Et m....!
Ce sera pour la prochaine!

It was a nice week with my parents visiting from Texas. Richard was home, so it was nice to have everyone around together. However, the week we planned did not occur because I picked Richard up from work the day before Mom and Dad were to come in and he had a cold, which with my reduced pregnancy immunity soon became my cold. But they came nonetheless and although we didn't do lots of stuff we had some nice, quiet time at the house, talking and watching French films, etc. etc.

Rain for most days further complicated the visit and took away our desire, under the duress of bad colds, to do much else besides stay home. But Richard and I introduced them to a myriad of modern French movies and we also watched a mini-series regarding WWII - Band of Brothers - which was enjoyable nonetheless.

Pepito was probably the biggest hit of all, having the most energy out of all of us and quickly winning his continual adorance from Mom and Dad. In fact, Pepito was so taken by them that at nicght he would cry to be on their bed, so in love with them he was. The last few nights in town we barricaded Pepito in our room so they could get some uninterrupted sleep. And, alas, Pepito took residence with us, though he much preferred Grandpa. Ah well. No respect! ;)

Well, I am still quite sick with the cold. I've never had it this bad but, again, the pregnancy and reduced immunity accounts for this. I must say, on top of all the symptoms of pregnancy to also have a really bad cold is about the most direct route to "Sucksville" that I can think of. Ah well.

We've entered Florence's 27th week of life. No, she's not born yet per se, but I count her life from the day of conception. She's obviously getting bigger because her movements went from mild bumpity bumpity to bam! Apparently, I've a little Rocky Balboa growing inside me. Hey, at least she'll be able to defend herself! :)

Mom and Dad's visit was so timed that they were able to go with us to the hospital for orientation and also meet our baby doctor. Everything's going very well. We all were impressed with the hospital and my doctor is really terrific. Plus, most importantly, all is going perfectly with her growth and apparently I, too, aren't doing so bad myself, having not grown too much weight wise. So that was all nice to hear.

Well, that's all for now. Nightime is quickly falling, the day slipping past the horizon to forever fall into oblivion as a new day's dawn starts to be born below the tree line. And tomorrow the birds and sun will arise anew, giving new hope and new life. It's all there waiting for you. It's just a matter of opening your eyes and taking note.

Good night!