I Scheduled a Flight!!!--June 22, 2010

Woke up at 8:00 A.M.  Actually, I woke up quite a bit earlier than that.  I first woke up at 2:42 to a rather loud and impressive thunderstorm.  It was so loud that I couldn’t go back asleep.  So I walked out to the living room and just watched the show from my patio doors.  The lightning was constant, and the winds were brutal (I later learned they were 60 MPH).  I was watching a mixture of white and green lightning.  It was nothing short of awe-inspiring.  So powerful.  After about 15 minutes, I headed back for bed.

But I was awaken again by another storm.  This time I stayed in bed, but it was pretty intense.  Actually, this is kind of embarrassing, but oh well.  One of the lightning bolts seemed like it hit in my backyard, and that was verified by the simultaneous thunder.  And for whatever reason, I swore a tree was coming down on my body.  I seriously grabbed my pillow and threw it over my head.  But no tree fell.  And I was left with a pillow on my head.  I’ll blame the half-asleep category on this one, but I was amused by it.  It was seriously my first reaction.  Hmm.

So anyway, I woke up at 8:00 A.M.  But I was beyond tired.  I just lie there in bed for about a half hour.  I NEVER do that!  I finally got up and headed for the couch.  But I pushed myself to start moving.  I grabbed some cereal, then headed outside to start working on Kirk’s weed trimmer.  I figured I might as well get dirty BEFORE I take a shower.  I quickly found out that his primer bulb was shot.  Hopefully an easy fix then!

I came back in and showered and then headed for Big R to buy some parts.  To the north the sky was a deep blue/purple.  It was gorgeous.  There was a large storm somewhere up there.  Well, it turned out it was only 10 miles away!  Just north of Big R!  I grabbed a primer bulb and some gaskets and an O-ring for another mower, then started back.  I had to run through COLD rain, though!  And the drops were huge!  This thing came out of nowhere!  But the good thing is that it was only 80 degrees and not the forecast 105 heat index they had expected.  For now, at least.

I headed to True Value for a weed trimmer part, then headed over to see Baby.  I stayed there about 15 minutes, then headed back for home to work.  It was pouring down rain now.  I replaced the primer bulb on the weed trimmer, but it still wouldn’t run in high speed.  Hmm.  I tried tackling the push mower.  I put all of the new pieces on, but I still couldn’t get it to fire, either!  GRR!

Boogs came over at noon to pick me up to head to Mom and Dad’s house for lunch.  Dad had cooked us a very delicious meal of chicken breasts and fried potatoes!  I like free food!  We stayed over there until just after 2:00, but I was eager to get back home and do some work.  Landscaping was definitely out of the question, as we had received around 3 inches of rain between the two storms EARLY this morning and two this morning and afternoon.  That’s a lot of water.

So I started back on the weed trimmer.  I took it all apart, cleaned the carb, and tried it again.  It wouldn’t even fire this time!  Hmm.  I took it apart again, cleaned it up, and noticed something.  The choke/full throttle sticker is backwards.  As in it’s in FULL CHOKE when it says it should be full throttle.  So every time I have been taking it from half-choke to “full throttle,” it has been dying.  Well, obviously!!!  I’m flooding it out with full choke!  It’s starving for air!  Of course it would die!  Having realized my mistake (has it always been like this?!), I did it the correct way (contrary to the sticker), and it worked flawlessly.  It’s a nice-running machine.  So I was happy about that.

I spent some of the afternoon inside.  I was expecting a guest over this evening, so I cleaned up the house a bit and put everything away.  I also did some laundry!  I learned, however, that the plans were a wash.  No guest.  All of a sudden, I had an entire evening on my hands.  <sigh>  So much for…

Anyway.  I headed over to my friend's motorcycle shop to say hi.  Basically, I'll probably be hanging out here quite a bit this summer.  I love the place.  It's also REAL handy that's less than 1/2 mile away from me now, too!  I love motorcycles!!!  I was over there about a half hour.

Just before 5:00, I called up the local FBO and set up a time tomorrow for my flight review.  It’s going to be an expensive lil’ booger.  But it has to be done.  $36/hour for an instructor and $120/hour for an airplane.  An older Cessna 172.  $120/hour.  Yikes.  I can get newer model SP’s for that.  I wasn’t too thrilled, but again, it has to be done.  I’m scheduled for 9:00 A.M. tomorrow morning.

I headed to Subway for supper, then came back home.  I had a ton of time to kill, so I opted to try the push mower again.  I finally found the culprit.  The carburetor is not sealed off tightly.  I had pretty much assumed this (hence the O-ring and two gaskets today), but I realized exactly what the problem is now.  I can spray starting fluid on the OUTSIDE side of the carburetor, and the engine will try to turn over.  That is not so much what you want.  Ha!  I’m trying to figure out where the air leak is…but it’s a stupid carburetor set-up.  It’s kind of cheap.  I’m not giving up, though.  I’ll get this stinkin’ thing!

I called to inquire about getting internet for home, too.  It’s so stinking expensive.  $80/month to start out.  Yikes.  I guess I will just have to make that much each month off the internet in order to justify it!  A technician is scheduled for Thursday to come install what I need.

I spent the rest of the evening inside.  I watched “Charlie Wilson’s War.”  OK, but not too great.

I was in bed at 11:30.  I’m flying tomorrow!!!  And I have to plan out a cross-country trip in the morning!  I have NO idea what he is looking for, but I’m afraid it’s going to be a LOT more than what I usually do!  I guess we’ll see!  Oh, and the winds are supposed to be kicking tomorrow.  I think 14 gusting to 24…with cumulonimbus.  So we’ll see if I even get to fly.  Shoot, I’m fine flying in that stuff…but is the instructor?!

I guess we’ll see!