Happy Birthday Marsha

Yesterday was my wife Marsha's birthday. I'm not allowed to tell how old she is, but she is 4 years younger than me, and I was born on 9/17/41. :D

They did a lot for her at work yesterday. Her friend Anita brought in this cake she made. Anita has been taking a cake decorating course. Looks to me like she probably came out at the top of the class.

When Marsha got to work yesterday they had decorated her cubicle.



(That picture on her desktop, by the way, is one I took by leaning over the side of the airplane I was riding in last month.)

There was more food, too.



We went out to dinner for her birthday. She chose the place to go, and picked K's Hamburgers, a fixture in our lovely little town of Troy, Ohio.







K's is reminiscent of the 1940's, and we go there, as does a large part of the population of Troy, quite often.



The staff at K's made Marsha a birthday hat to wear while she was eating.



Marsha was quite pleased with her day, particularly when one of her co-workers, Terry, showed up and sang happy birthday to her.

Happy Birthday, Marsha

My Open Cockpit Bi-Plane Ride

Today, I took the bi-plane ride that I was given for my birthday. I'm actually in the plane you see above. It was pretty exciting. More so, because my wife Marsha told the pilot that I have been a paratrooper, which impressed him no end. He's never jumped, and was blown away when he asked me how long it had been and I told him only about 8 years, when I was 60. He said, "Well, since you were a jumper, I guess you want an exciting ride...I will do some 'ups and downs'" he said. What could I say? Of course I said: "Sure...go right ahead. Anything you want to do." I need to talk to Marsha, and ask her to keep things to herself. :) Truthfully, it wasn't bad at all. I enjoyed it. He didn't get too wild. Following are a few pictures, and if I can get it uploaded, a video of me taking off. I have never worked with videos before, and neither has Marsha and our friend Pat who actually took the video.

This is the plane I rode in.



Here I am climbing into the cockpit.



Sitting in the cockpit waiting on the other passenger to get in. Looks Like I am going to be the pilot, doesn't it? Actually, the Pilot sat in the very rear and the other passenger and myself sat in the front.



Taxiing to the field to take off.



Here we are taking off.


Following are a few pictures I took by leaning out of the plane. The Pilot said it was ok :)

The two large buildings are Honda, when my wife works.



A neighborhood close to mine.



Returning to the field.



It was an exciting and pleasant experience, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to do it.

WACO Bi-planes

The WACO (Prounounced "Wocko") Aircraft Company of Troy, Ohio was the leading aircraft manufacturer of civilian aircraft in the U. S. from 1928 - 1935. Beginning in 1921 as the Weaver Aircraft Company in Lorain, Ohio , they moved to Troy in 1924 and became the Advance Aircraft Company but kept the WACO logo. In 1929, the name was changed to simply the WACO Aircraft Company.

WACO produced over 80 models during the years 1919 - 1946, including the large troop carrying gliders used in all the major invasions during WWII. The best selling WACO was the Model 10, with over 1100 being produced from 1927 - 1930. During the years 1939 - 1942, WACO also built just over 600 Model UPF-7's for the CAA and the Civilian Pilot Training program. WACOs were also popular around the world and sold airplanes to 37 different countries with Brazil being the largest byer.

WACOs were purchased for many different uses. The WACO Taperwing Models ATO and CTO were known for their outstanding acrobatic qualities and were also used for air racing. WACO won the 1928 and 1929 Ford Reliability Tour also known as the National Air Tour, which was a transcontinental race sponsored by Ford pitting over 25 aircraft manufacturers against each other. WACOs raced in the famous National Air Races in Cleveland, Los Angeles and Chicago and placed first in many events. One WACO was even invited to participate in the Paris International Air Show in 1936 where it placed first in the acrobatic events. Other WACOs were purchased and used for military fighters in Central and South American countries such as Uruguay, Nicaragua, Brazil, Argentina, El Salvador and Cuba.

Here are just a few of the planes that are at the show today.

The first one is real similar to the first plane I ever rode in. My father took me to the airport in what is now Chesapeake, VA and got us a ride in a Piper Cub. That was over 60 years ago.


Next are a few of the bi-planes that are there.



Yesterday was my 68th birthday and my wife bought me a ride in one of the bi-planes. I am pretty excited about riding in an open cockpit plane. I will do that tomorrow. Come back tomorrow and see the pics, and possibly a video of that event.

Today I bought 4 model bi-planes while I was at the show. I don't know what in the world I will do with them. The fact that I have 4 grandsons is just coincidence. :)

Happy 35th Birthday!

Today is my daughter Jackie's 35th birthday. Jackie is the snaggle toothed little cutie on my shoulder with her brother, Matthew. Their sister, Mary, is in the foreground. Now Jackie has a husband and four handsome sons of her own. Happy Birthday, Sweetie, I wish you many, many, more.