Chazd's (Charles Dowdell's) News Burps

The following is personal advice I received from a trusted colleague (MD). I think it is so well written it belongs here. "Bottom line - this virus isn't going away, but it seems to be getting milder with the newest variant, though more transmissible / contagious. GET VACCINATED and BOOSTED! Even if you still catch the disease you can survive it with mild to moderate symptoms. Continue taking REASONABLE precautions but don't live in fear." New cases--- Have you noticed a lot more testing going on? We have. Angie works next to a drive up testing location. The surge in testing caused our recent vacation fail. More tests means more positives. New deaths--- I am not seeing the need for panic. Why is there a push for panic and making things worse than they are? I have two theories, ask me and I will answer. Certainly, I would like to see more ratios in the stats.

The weather has been nice in Georgia being in the 70s the last week of December. However, the air has been unsettled. Not much flying going on this week. I am working on my annual personal goals. I did good with last year's goals. Better in some areas than others, but the progress is clear. It is becoming harder to decide what is next-- what do I want? Health should always be a priority although it hasn't always been in the past. I took on a project at my church. We are moving the thriftshop to a new building about 1000 feet away. It is a great new space. It is satisfying seeing the project come to completion.

Our 2021 Christmas trip has been scuttled. We had so much preparation for the very complicated trip. It's very disappointing, but we no one is hurt. The biggest factor was our PCR test results were not available when they were promised and no availability of rapid PCR tests. No negative test results --no flying to Egypt. It was also the first time I have been in an accident in an Uber. Again, no one was hurt. It was a very complicated trip. But it was the first link in the chain that was the one that was broken. We were at the Airport when our flight left, but could not board because we were waiting on PCR results. We will try again soon.

Our vacation planning is coming to fruition. We took a year off with Covid-19. But we are moving ahead. Here is the schematic of our current trip plans. Wish us luck. We are going to need it, 11 countries in 14 days. Christmas in a monestary in North Greece.

We are back from our Thanksgiving vacation 2021. We spent most of the time in Ireland and then to cap it off we participated in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. It was 7 hotels different hotels in 8 days. We spent one night on the plane of course. I drove 1300 km in Ireland and North Ireland, concentrating on what side of the road I should be on and uttering my self-talk -- "Lefts are easy. Rights are hard". The Parade People ask us... "How did you get the opportunity to walk in the Macy's day parade?" It was in the works for a few months. Angie works at Macy's and they sent out a corporate email canvassing for volunteers. She applied and then again applied for me being a family member. We were eventualy approved for the role we asked for --"Banner Carrier". Neither one of us have any parade experience, nor band, nor theatrical, nor anything to do with "entertainment". We thought being in this incredibly iconic American event ...

At my monthly aviation breakfast at the EAA 690 hanger at KLZU we had a tribute to veterans (makes sense it was veterans day this week). Several of my friends accepted the tribute. Some were flying B-52s, others were submariners. Many of them saw action in Korea, Vietnam, and Gulf wars.

NO CRASH. Some content needs no intro at all. Hopefully, it is still there when you watch. 1.) 10 degrees flaps 2.) Flight Controls check. 3.) Brakes Full 4.) Full power. 5.) Yoke full back. 6.) Brake release. 7.) Climb at 55kts. 8.) Stay in ground effect. 9.) What could go wrong? The pilot did it all per the per the POH (Pilot Operating Handbook) and no crash. Perfect! -Just read the instructions-

Been working on the house as usual. I am moving heating/cooling duct work around in the basement for better use of space and better HVAC. I have to get it done. I can't heat the house until its done. Its pretty dusty work. Besides that, doing practice approaches. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N733XE/history/20211024/1256Z/KLZU/KAND

We are back in Georgia this week. I gave an eulogy at my Father's memorial last week. I am very glad I was able. I will not be at the interment. I made something I wanted to make for many years. It is simple and practical and there are no decent commercially available options. It is a spray paint can shaker. Very convienient, screwed to the side of one of my work benches. Angie and I flew to South Carolina for fun. The little plane that landed after me has a tail number ending with "DE". That is for Dale Ernhardt. Look close and you can see the signature on the tail.

My Father passed away this week. Rest in Peace. https://www.lewisfuneralhomemoorestown.com/obituaries/Victor-Dowdell/#!/Obituary

Arachiphobia-- Joro Spider Edition The Joro spider has made it's grand debute in our back yard. At first I confirmed the spiders were Joros with the University of Georgia. The first picture was confirmed as a juvenile female. The second picture I grabbed off the net showing what they're really like---large and very scarey. Their appearance is one thing, but there are other notable characteristics. The webs are large, deep and sticky. They are considered 3-D. They have facets of typical spiral webs all connected. The size is immense compared to other spiders around here in North Georgia. The web can easily span 10 or more feet. The filiments are incredibly strong and clingy. You find out how strong the filiments are when you walk into them. For additional amusement, the Joro's webs are often built at human face level. Yes, that's right. That big scarey spider in a large gooey web (built overnight) at face level just right for walking into. Great experience. These Joros...

I havent blogged in awhile. No reason, just doing other things. Fall weather has been a great relief here in Duluth. The summer seemed hotter, more humid and had more bugs than usual. I have been flying more, logging simulated instrument time "under the hood" doing approaches. Instrument flying (IFR) is quite a bit different than VFR (Visual). As I was told many years ago: VFR flying is a lot more emotion and feeling whereas instrument flying is a lot more about thinking.

Angie and I took an old friend up for a plane ride yesterday.

Last week with diamond chainsaw cuts. The window looked like this. This week with new entrance door. It felt good to get that completed. I make plans in my head and I am tormented/tortured until there're done. Often times it is years. The only way to get rid of it is to sell the property. The issue is the torture only starts again in a different place, different projects.

I really like this Youtube. It is especially nice watching the layers of emotion and facial expresions morph. We are all different... yet the same. Beautiful is most appropriate. We are herding animals no doubt. Lets get over it, whatever it is.

My cousin passed away unexpectedly this past week. My Family gets smaller and smaller. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/yarmouth-me/sarah-woodman-10311679

I was sitting in my office working this afternoon and a bright light shone through the window. It got my attention. In further investigation it was not the sun. It was the news that Cuomo had resigned. A great day for us all. The Cuomo crime family may be on the break up. It is a shame that Cuomo gets to resign on sex abuse charges likley avoiding criminal charges, not only on the sexual abuse, but also manslaughter of nursing home patients and other crimes he has commited against people of Upstate NY. We can only hope that it is not some high-tech plea-deal or elitism that he will avoid investigations into indictment and conviction. We won't miss you or the rest of your crime family.

I stopped an employee in the good Kroger awhile back. I said, "I had a question for you." and then I said, "I have seen you here in this store for over the 11 years that I have been coming here. How long have you been working here?"... he had an energetic response. "I love this place . Everything about it. The people, the managers. I have been working here over 30 years." I said, "Cool! Have a great day." He said, "have a great year!!" True story.

We made a trip up to PA, NJ and the Farm in NY. We flew on a commercial plane for the first time in a year. No issues and not many surprises, some but not many. We rented a car in Philly and took it up to NY and back. The survey work is still not done on the farm. Almost funny, but not quite. I started on that in November 2020. They have now made 3 trips. The pins are still not set. Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct Cool Unappreciated Bridge in PA

There is always something going on at my airport. Any of the events I go through in a week are generally nothing compared to a normal story of recent events in hanger flying. We hosted the 18 year old as he finished his flight to all lower 48 states in this piper cub. www.benflies.com I asked a friend about what it is like to fly into the annual EAA event at Oshkosh WI (the busiest avaiation flyin in the world). He said it is a lot like flying into KLZU on a Saturday Afternoon.

We bought a nice American flag, pole and mount for the house. We both like it. We are not sure why the news folks like to talk about folks dishonoring the flag either in a symbolic or real way.

Summer is starting to hit in Georgia. Hot and Humid. Overall, I like the weather here in Duluth. I bought a hand pump about 25 years ago intending to use it at the Victor NY house. I never did, and I have been moving it around all this time. I finally put it to use here in Duluth. It works. But, after 25 years of neglect it needed refurbishing. I had to buy a new leather seal from my Amish friends in Ohio. It also needed other other remediation. It pumps great now, double acting, pumps on both up and down strokes. I installed a bunch of LED lights on the boat. I also draped some flashing LED lights around on it for participating in the "2021 Cardinal Lake Lights Up" event. It was different and fun. I took a pic on my early morning walk this week. The full moon was impressive. Our church is selling part of our property. I am heading up the relocation of the thrift center. It is good creative work turning the lower floor of the Youth Center into retail space.

I snapped this pic of a Barred Owl in my back yard today. They are large, probably about 16 inches tall. I liked it when he starred at me. He is backwards. His head is twisted totally backwards. He twisted both ways for me.