It took the transfer of cous’ Graham F and family from Germany to Greenville South Carolina for us to enjoy the American tradition of visiting and eating with family over Thanksgiving. We flew down in the Cirrus in just 3 hrs (a 12-hour drive was avoided!). An IFR flight but very smooth and uneventful, and were met at the airport by Graham, Ricarda and Oliver. The next two days passed too quickly, enjoying strolls in warm temperatures, the children looked over the aircraft, but mostly just relaxing in good company. The excellent food prepared by Barbara included the traditional Turkey but also delicious German Stollen Bread and other European delicacies.

We reminisced over family matters past and present, catching-up on more recent happenings, here, in the UK and in Germany. We discussed the intricacies of languages and marveled at the children’s ability to thrive amongst it all. Oliver in particular, with just three months in the US and at just 6 years old, had learned very good English and was keen to exercise it with Lynne and I. Very impressive.

The return flight, with the aid of a tail-wind and speed-over-the-ground of 222 mph at 11,000 feet, was just 2.2 hrs. It was a challenging cross-wind landing at the home airport New Garden and took two attempts, but was safety done. Nice to be met at the airport by Neil, who’d flown home for a weekend with his chums

A great break for us, challenging and enjoyable flying, and wonderful to see Graham and the family, and to fulfill another American tradition – Thanksgiving Dinner on the road!

Just returned from the ‘world’s greatest’ General Aviation event – Air Adventure 2007, known as Oshkosh ‘cos that’s where it’s held. UK-based friend and colleague Rodger made a US visit to accompany me (I’d been pestering him for years to do so).

We departed N57 Thursday in the Cirrus, IFR, headed west through rain showers, past Cleveland and Detroit, across Lake Eire through Canadian airspace, and stopped-over for fuel and bladder relief at Muskegon. Appleton – our destination across Lake Michigan – was weathered-in but the bad stuff was tracking south so we stayed on the east side of the lake, flew IFR up north to Manistee, then across the great lake towards Green Bay. We diverted to our destination – Appleton – as the weather cleared, per our revised plan. Great flight. We joined a whole gaggle of aircraft and pilots on the ground at  Appleton, all going to the Oshkosh show.

The air show, Thursday evening, Friday and Saturday was just great with aerobatics by both teams and singles. The weather improved each day, with Saturday being stunningly beautiful – the blue skies being the perfect backcloth for all the action. The C-17 Globemaster reversing down the runway under it’s own power was a highlight for me, the display of power was just awesome. The B-2 Stealth Bomber made several passes, each quiet and sinister. The F-22 Raptor was the opposite – intentionally noisy and in-yer-face brute force. The WW2 fleets of aircraft flying in formation at different altitudes was stunning.

We both made the required purchases of aviation must-have’s, and some trivia from the numerous aviation stands.
The return flight was as challenging (but as enjoyable) as the outgoing trip. We flew VFR then IFR, with ugly weather at our home-base showing up on our Cirrus displays. We put-down in Franklyn PA for fuel and lunch.

Departing Franklyn IFR we’d worked up several options if we couldn’t get into N57 due to the string of thunderstorms showing on the NexRad in the Cirrus. Flying around heavy cells was favoured and supported by ATC. By the time we reached Harrisburg the weather was clearing. I canceled IFR at Lancaster after getting below the cloud-base, then flew VFR into N57 with 1700ft ceilings.

A great experience, a great airplane and great company – my pal Rodger.

Trip photo’s here

The young’n has been out-and-about in Nevada, seeking ghosts in towns like Rhyolite, Beatty and Eldorado Canyon. Check it out here. He writes so well too, dont’yathink?

My Dad was a big circus fan and would take the family to every circus show that came to town, or within driving distance. We got to see Billy Smarts, Robert Brothers, Ghandi’s, Bertams Mills and other top-line troupe’s. These were big circuses then, traveling throughout the UK, arriving by train or convoys of brilliantly painted circus trucks. Animal acts, unlike many shows now, were included and were often the highlight for us kids. But my Dad’s interest spanned not only the shows but also the set-up and take-down. The firm he worked for were often contracted to provide the lifting cranes to raise the main tent poles and to provide fork-lift trucks on the site. This was enough for my Dad to be there as the troupe arrived and as they departed, and he often brought me along to see all this happen. He read many books on circuses and was interested in every aspect- the acts (I believe we saw the Flying Walendas at least once). In other words, he had a passion for many things – the circus was prominent amongst them.

He passed 18 years go, but imagine his delight at having a grandson now part of the most successful touring and residential circus-type company’s ever – Cirque. He would have been chuffed!

And Lynne and I can truly say that our son ‘ran away to the circus’.

So Neil is settling into Vegas, has found good friends, good work colleagues, a source of British food and is having a good time doing all of this. His apartment is on the edge of Las Vegas, up against the mountains – one of which he climbed this weekend and claimed for himself (Mount Delaware).

Follow his adventures in his new blog.

Neil and his mountain

Alan is in Japan for 18 months with the Cirque du Soleil show Dralion. You can follow his Nippon experiences in his blog here

The show opened this week in Tokyo after months of set-up and rehearsal, including the installation of earthquake sensing equipment to keep the audiences, crew and artists safe. Most of the shows are sold-out already, and the show schedule runs out to June 2008:

Tokyo: Wednesday February 7th 2007 – Sunday May 6 2007 (122 shows)
Sendai: Wednesday May 23rd 2007 – Sunday July 8th 2007 (63 shows)
Osaka: Wednesday July 25th 2007 – Sunday October 14th 2007 (111 shows)
Nagoya: Wednesday October 31st 2007 – Sunday January 6th 2008 (93 shows)
Tokyo 2: Friday January 25th 2008 – Sunday April 6th 2008 (105 shows)
Fukuoka: Wednesday April 23rd 2008 – Sunday June 15th 2008 (75 shows)

As in the past we keep in-touch via Skype video-conferencing, and it’s great to hear (and see him!), his stories and experiences.

“Dream Again” marks Ms. Anel’s first recording as co-producer and she is joined by her bassist, Cooke Harvey as the other half of this creative effort. Mr. Harvey’s impeccable bass stylings and arrangements make this joint effort the perfect collaboration”. Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Our close friend, fellow-vacationer and all-round good egg Cooke H has joined forces with Miss Lil Anel in producing some stunning music and performances. Many musicians do the former but fail or don’t even attempt at the latter. We saw this duo (and friends) in action at the release of their ‘Dream Again’ co-production in Philadelphia this week, at the World Cafe. I’d enjoyed a preview issue of the CD, and liked it a lot. But the live rendition of their recordings was just that – live, alive, in-your-face, full, vibrant, delivered so well.
Cooke’s bass-ing was soooo original, suiting Lil’s music and great songs, interpreted through every style of bass playing, including fretless, tapping, sliding – everything, often providing the lead. His solo accompanying of Lil was haunting, soulful. Lead guitar came from the hands, head and face of Dave, working successfully per song with Lil on the complex and intricate songs. Lil performs with an earnest fullness and even overcame my only disquiet of the CD – the ‘Wallet’ track (I don’t like folks pressing religion).

It was a memorable night, and to see our good friend ‘up-there’ doing his thing, and doing it so well – wow!

With a beautiful day and temperatures in the high 60’s (20c) we’re beginning to wonder if winter will ever make an appearance on the Eastern seaboard of the US. I had diligently put the marker stakes down the driveway to guide the snowplow and to try to stop him hair-cutting my lawn. They seem out of place and silly now. The buckets of rock-salt I moved close to the garage doors ready for the annual covering of ice in front of the garage remain unopened and the snow-blower (which is really fun to use) stands primed and ready, but unused.

So far this season has yet to start and we’re enjoying Fall and Spring-like temperatures and sunny days. House windows are open, home heating is idling. I even did some gardening today, putting some grass-seed down today, in the hope taking care of the too frequent bald patches. The dogs are benefiting too, enjoying longer and more frequent walks.

Of course North East Skiing resorts are being hurt badly. No natural snow thus far and costs of blowing snow are horrendous when it just disappears overnight.

We’ll enjoy it while we can. It’s unlikely to last but it does shorten what are often too long (for me at least) winters. Yippee!

Fun and memorable vacation, 8 days in three very different locations in Baja Mexico, with good friends C&B. Warm-to-hot windy days, cool evenings made a very nice combination for the adventures expertly assembled for us by Black Sheep Adventures and our Chief Shepherd Fred, who accompanied and lead us on this great experience.

Kayaking, snorkeling amongst sea lions, hiking and horseback riding were interrupted only by magical authentic Mexican meals in such unique local restaurants as Nancy’s, Corral Reef and Tequila. We met wonderful people, both Mexican and gringo’s, and all were welcoming and helpful.
Our stays included Los Bariles, Cabo Pulmo and the town of San Jose.
Christmas day in the heat of Mexico, a 6-mile tough mountain hike and then retiring to our quaint Palapa’s in Cabo Pulma was very special.

Full set of photo’s here

Thanks to Fred Ackerman, owner of Black Sheep Adventures and our tour guide for the whole 8 days. Great job Fred! I’m not sure it could have been better.

Alan’s photo’s from his December vacation in Iceland

Just ’skyped’ with Alan, he’s getting ready for the next leg of the tour – Japan

For a 13 year-old English Lab Spencer is doing very well. He’s active, always eager to go on walks or to play and he gets on so well with Jackson, the pup (at 15 months), his close buddy. Thirteen makes him in his mid-eighties, when compared to us.

Recently he has gone totally deaf and for some time he’s developed small bumps and lumps in many areas of his torso, all of which are thankfully benign. He needs to be helped upstairs and sleeps extra soundly and deeply. He’s as pleasant as ever and continues to be one-in-a-million canine companion for us all. The medication he’s on have helped perk him up and increased his activity level and he can be seen breaking into a run on occasions. He still collects the newspaper from the end of our driveway, though the Sunday editions – with the added weight of all the adverts, inserts etc – are just too much.

Mention the ‘T’ word (treat) and you’ll have his full attention. Mention ‘Paper’ or ‘Letters’ and he’ll make a dash for the end of the driveway, or the mailbox. We think he’s lip-reading.

Jackson is, well – he’s a pup. He’s really well behaved, very obedient (for a pup) and very cute. His expressions are hilarious, he’s interested in anything and everything. He loves to run and is very, very fast. He has a liking for sticks, twigs and brances and wont return from a jaunt up the garden without one or many. He’s built up quite a collection of twigs and branches.
He found the pool this summer and spent many a happy hour cruising around, jumping in for footballs and anything that floats. Both he and Spencer loved to cool off with a quick circuit of the pool or, in Spencers case, soaking his undercarraige by dozing on the pools steps in about foot of water.

The keep us entertained and are fabulous friends and companions.