MORE NOSTALGIA

July 17, 1993

AN OLD SQUID'S NOSTALGIA

Some shots of Airwing Eight aircraft on the flights deck of USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) during her maiden cruise in the Mediterranean (1976-77).








The classic 1970s airwing: two squadrons each of F-4Js and A-7Es, one each of A-6Es, EA-6Bs, E-2Cs, RA-5Cs, SH-3Gs, and of course the beloved COD, first an E-1 and later an E-2. We also got an occasional visit by the monstrous Whale (EA-3), which was a sight to see, landing and taking off.

NIMITZ had just gotten reclassified as a CVN from CVAN so we still had primarily a strike airwing: no ASW capability worth a damn.

I always thought that the "Vigi" (RA-5C Vigilante) was about the most beautiful aircraft on deck: sleek, super-supersonic, with the first rectangular air intakes ever, that I know off.

Ah, a young man's first sea duty...

TILLY'S VISIT WAS PRETTY COOL!

And clean, of course.

LISA SCORES!

The first fruits of Lisa's labors, on display.

PECKING ORDER

Cheyenne had some very definite ideas about who belonged on the sofa and who on the floor...

SENTIMENTALITY

Had a 1969 Sunbeam Alpine GT from 1969 until 1977. It was comfortable, reliable, and got good gas mileage. Unfortunately, British workmanship at the time was not the best - the engine leaked oil from day one and I never could stop it.

Wonderful memories.

A HAPPY VISIT

Tilly, who will be one year old next weekend is here, visiting. (Oh, and her parents, too.)

...AND LISA'S LILIES ARE DOING WELL, TOO

The front yard is looking better by the day!

GRADUATION DAY!

Today, Aaron graduates from Luxford Elementary School, after six extraordinary years there. I cannot say enough good things about the teachers and staff at Luxford: dedicated, professional, willing to go the extra mile. This is a gift that will remain with Aaron for life.

This is where it all started, in 2003:



And this is where it ended, in 2009:

LISA'S TOMATOES AND SQUASHES

Lisa's little victory garden seems to be coming in right nicely! I keep hoping that the bugs and the rodents stay away long enough for her to enjoy the fruits of her labors.

CHEYENNE, IN THE OLDEN DAYS

Aaron's tireless protectress -- and ever-patient pillow and sufferer of baby hugs.

THE WIZARD OF OZ

Last night, Luxford Elementary School in Virginia Beach did an AWESOME Wizard of Oz. The kids outdid themselves, the staff prep was long, arduous, and worthy of Broadway.







Talk about professionalism!

WHA-AT?

My new in-sink garbage disposal came with an interesting tool. Very nice, very useful, I am sure, but could they not have come up with a less disquieting name?



I think I'll carefully walk this seemingly innocuous device to the garage, place it in a secure box that is stashed far away from the door to the house, and leave it there until it's really really REALLY needed - for something.

IN MEMORIAM, TO CHEYENNE

This was a wonderful dog, a true G-dsend to myself and the whole family. This sixty-pound package of long fur was an indispensable family member for twelve years: intelligent, gentle, sweet, well-behaved. She died last summer of very old age, but my heart still aches.

GOOD RECIPE FOR EYE OF ROUND ROAST

Pretty good recipe, from Cooks.com.

Ingredients:

Eye of round roast
Salt & pepper to taste
Kitchen Bouquet

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Trim fat off meat. Rub some Kitchen Bouquet in roast; completely cover until dark brown. Sprinkle with seasonings, as desired. Place on a rack in pan (line pan with aluminum foil). Bake at 500 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes per pound. Turn off oven. Do not open door for 1 1/2 hours. It will cook to a medium or to medium-rare.

Note: instead of rushing out to find Kitchen Bouquet, I just caramelized some brown sugar by boiling it in water until is was a gooey mass, and coated the meat with it. Results were delicious.

POWER-WASHING THE DRIVEWAY

It does wonders for the looks, but I created a river of mud that ran past a neighbor's lot before reaching a drain. Cleanup will be odious.

Also, it is stupid not to wear sturdy shoes, since the water jet cuts skin easily.

As my right foot found out, the hard way...

BORING AZALEAS

The boring thing about azaleas is that they're pretty for two weeks while they bloom, but for the rest of the year, blech...

LISA'S STEALTH GARDEN

Contains a tomato plant, squash, and some other things, I am told. Looks like it's doing well. The reason why it's in the front yard is because the backyard is a total mess (my fault, as always).




Hoping the Cypress Point "lawn gestapo" doesn't cite us for having veggies instead of useless ornamentals up front.

I KNOW THIS IS STUPID BUT THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT...

Is this the very devil's flesh?

Okay, I'm leaving now...

GREAT BUMPER STICKERS

Saw a great bumper sticker at Lowe's the other day, but unfortunately didn't have my camera with me. It read:

WHAT WOULD SCOOBY DO?

But, as consolation, here's one I did snap in Hillsborough, North Carolina, in August, 2008, that I thought was pretty neat.

TO TONGUE, OR NOT TO TONGUE?

That is indeed the question.



Some things are harder to cook than others, and this was not a success. Next time...

MAGGIE THE MAGNOLIA

I planted Maggie 15 years ago when she was shorter than me (and that's pretty short). Now she's taller than the two-story house. Admirable as she is, she does shed huge brown leaves all the time, and picking up after her is a drag. Also, she likes to use her low-lying branches to interfere with Lisa's van, so I have to trim her every now and again.

Still, she's quite a sight, and I wouldn't trade her for any other tree, though a nice linden tree would be tempting. I hear they have some at Monticello, which is only a three-hour drive from here, so I might go up there one day and snag some seeds. Maybe Maggie won't mind.

RODENT MISBEHAVIOR

Some people are getting to feel a little too much at home around here. One could speculate about the inevitability of a life of crime for this varmint...

SECRETS OF CHRYSLER'S FAILURE UNVEILED!

I finally figured out why Chrysler is fading fast.

I recently had the dubious pleasure of having to replace the heater core in my 2000 Dodge Dakota. if you’re not technically savvy, the heater core is a radiator through which hot engine coolant circulates, delivering toasty air to your toes. If the core springs a leak, it delivers stinking fog throughout your vehicle’s interior. This miasma just loves to settle on the windows, making driving an act of blind faith. (Ahem, pun!)

The thing is: to get at the heater core, you have to drain the cooling system and then have someone discharge the air conditioning system. Then you go home and rip out the entire dashboard, disconnecting what seems to be hundreds of wires and vacuum lines in the process. If you don’t reconnect everything properly, you’re toast, and you have to go in all over again. If you have it done in a shop, you’re out a cool thou to replace a forty-dollar part.

On hearing that I was going to attempt this feat, Joe the friendly neighborhood mechanic smiled a little and wished me luck. He said, somewhat ominously, that Chrysler seems to design the heating system first, then builds the car around it. I think he was expecting me to make a mess of it and then slink in his direction, suitably humbled.

But I had the last laugh (after a bunch of tears). It took very slow work, lots of Post-its and Scotch tape to label everything and, above all, an intimate knowledge of expletives and the courage to use them. When I returned to the garage to have the air conditioning system recharged, Joe the mechanic acted as though nothing had been at stake. But I know that, deep down inside, he was suitably impressed.

Which brings me back to my original claim. Had Chrysler designed their cars first and heating systems afterward, things would have turned out much differently. But I suspect it’s too late now, and more time-honored American automobile brands will bite the dust soon. I, for one, will mourn them, flawed design process or no.

OLD "SNARLES"

Harley, a little dog with the biggest and most ferocious snarl I've ever heard, appeared in our lives three years ago. He was actually about an hour away from being deported to the SPCA when, by happenstance or possibly the decree of fate, my college boy suddenly appeared at home and exclaimed: "Hey, I've been wanting a little dog like that!"

'Twas indeed a match made in heaven. Harley spent a few years in Richmond chasing, uh, females at Virginia Commonwealth University, then returned to the Old Homestead in search of a job. He quickly got back his old position of official noisemaker.

In case you haven't noticed from the picture, he loves to play...

NOT EXACTLY IN VIRGINIA, BUT...

How they grow... Niece Adela getting hitched a few weeks back in Jindřichův Hradec, the Czech Republic.

No wedding would be complete without a Praga Mignon or another venerable conveyance.

Here's wishing a long and happy life to one and all, but mainly the newlyweds! (And, hopefully, a slightly more modern way of getting around.)

WE NEVER KNEW SQUIRRELS SMACK THEIR LIPS

Johnny the baby squirrel fell inside our chimney several weeks ago. We organized a massive rescue effort, extracted him, fed and housed him, and now he is best buddies with everyone on the placve, including snarly Harley, our unruly and very noisy dog. (More about "Snarles" later.)

Johnny is rapidly mastering all the requisite squirrelly skills like climbing and jumping, but so far, table manners seem to have eluded him. He scatters bits of food everywhere when he eats, and when he is enjoying something juicy, he smacks his lips.

Never thought a squirrel could do that...