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!