HAPPY NEW YEAR......

This is a picture of Mt. Fuji just outside Tokyo, Japan.

We just want to say Happy New Year to all of you who visit this blog.

We met and made new friends this year.

We lost some friends and family this year.

We made some friends unhappy with us (Sorry).

And we made some friends happy.

Without friends we would be soulless and empty. So with that we want to Thank You for being our friends and part of our family.

This is picture from Thanksgiving of some of the Grandkids and Great-Grandkids of my parents. Actually the only grandkid in the picture is Bryce ( second row from top far right). All the others are great-grandkids. This was taken at my niece Shelly's house. The kids had a great time playing with Luke and Alex's toys. And they got a lot of little "boy" toys.

Swelling in my foot is slowly going down. able to get regular sock on this morning.

Basement follow-up

Sorry about the quality of the picture, but this is the finished project of the stairway to the basement. Turned out pretty well.

We found a private carpet layer that we like, and he does good work. We will have him back in a few months when we re-do Natalie's bedroom this spring.

Only thing I get to get done is to install the hand rail. Probably going to have to get my son-in-law, Frank to come help with that item.

Toe is still sore. Really doesn't hurt as much as it is sore. But no more pain from the weather changes. I get to have a temporary handicap parking permit. But, I have to wait until next Wednesday or Thursday to get one.

Follow-up appointment with Doctor

These are pictures of my foot, taken today. They took out the 16 stitches and put on butterfly stitches which will come off by themselves in about a week. Still need to make sure I don't soak my foot for another 3 weeks.

Doctor Couchman said everything looks great. I told him I would take his word for it because all I saw was a purple and yellow foot. LOL...

He gave me some simple exercises and a flat shoe (?) to wear. Still on crutches for a few more days.

Waiting for a call back. I forget to ask about a temporary handicap parking pass.

Said that I could wear a regular tennis shoe as soon as it was comfortable. But all the swelling would be around for about 3 months.

Shannon was good enough to drive me to my appointment. And afterward I took her to lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Chesterfield Valley. We had a real nice lunch. And a good time talking.

More later.....

These were taken Sunday afternoon. We had Natalie's Christmas with our family then, because we were not going to get her on Christmas Eve or Christmas day. As she was opening her presents from Daddy, Aunt Shannon & Uncle Frank & cousins, and from Nana and me, she was stacking them on me as I lay helpless. Seems as though she didn't mind. LOL....

When it was time for her to go back to her mommies house, she wanted to take her new dolls with her. Couldn't get it through to her than her new toys were to stay here. But last night when she got here, she was glad her toys were still here.

I go back to the Doctors tomorrow to see how my foot is doing. Hopefully I can get off these crutches. My foot is tired of being wrapped up in the Ace bandages.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

On this day the Christ child is born.

In a trough for feeding cattle. His humble beginning, then rise to Savior, our reminder.

It's not how we start our journey, but how we traveled, and ended that journey.

Recovery

Day 3 of recovery from foot surgery.

Called the Dr's office to get my follow-up appointment on Friday.

Did find out that taking more than 1 pain pill at a time was not a good idea. It was the first 36 hours after surgery but not any more.

Shannon took some pictures of my foot on Sunday. Not much to see. But, I am starting to get around a little better with the crutches.

The carpet man layed the new basement stair carpeting this morning. I will have some pictures of that finished project later this week.

We hope all of you who visit this blog have a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

And my God bless each and everyone of you and your loved ones.

Still in recovery

Not much to report today. Went to church today to see Natalie preform in the Christmas play. She did a great job. Got her line right and rang her bell when she was supposed to.

Then because we will not have her on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We had her Christmas this afternoon. Shannon, Frank, Westley, Kalleigh, and Bradley came over to watch Natalie open her gifts from all of us. The gift she liked the most was a life size Barbie doll her daddy got for her.

Foot is okay, but I got my pain medication to ease the pain. LOL....

Home for foot surgery

Surgery was successful. But, because I am allergic to local anesthetics, they couldn't give me a 24 hour painkiller. So, I am on pill painkillers Oxycodone. Works pretty good. I am sleeping a lot. And it is hard concentrating just typing this blog. LOL... Needless to say, I am feeling no pain and feeling pretty good. LOL...

Will try and take a few pictures for my next blog.

Off to play a little Pogo.

Home

Sorry I haven't updated my blog for a couple of days.

I got home Tuesday afternoon. American Airlines lost my bags. Thank God I was going home and not out to work.

Been busy the last couple of days working on the stairs to the basement. Remember the foundation crew we had out in November to repair the wall? Well I had to put new drywall up and I put wainscoting on the walls over the drywall. I had Scott's friend Brad to help me with the job. It took us 2 1/2 days to get it completed enough for the carpet layer to come Monday morning and replace the stairs carpeting. Still have to put back up the door to the basement and some drywall in the basement.

They postponed my foot surgery until 6:00 pm tonight. So I won't get back home until about 10;00 pm tonight.

I am going to have Natalie this weekend be my private nurse. LOL...

Will post tomorrow for sure to let everyone know how the surgery went.

Well time to leave for the doctors.

New York, New York...

Well they got me on reserve for the today and tomorrow. Just sitting here watching TV, and playing Pogo.

Pogo is a game site that Shannon told me about. My sister Diann and her husband also play games on Pogo. I have met some nice people in the game rooms. Was surprised how many aviation people are out there playing Pogo games. It keeps me off the streets and the bars. LOL...

Weather has cleared here in Newark. Very bright and cold here today.

Bought Chinese food last night. So, I am having leftovers for lunch today.

And wait by the phone for a phone call scheduling for a trip or to let me go home. Go home tomorrow anyway.

When I get home, I got to get the basement stairs finished.

Friday afternoon, I am having surgery on my right foot. They are putting an artificial joint in the big toe. It has about 4 or 5 bone spurs and arthritis in the joint. The doctor has the x-ray on his laptop. So, I am going to see if he will give me a copy. I should be off work for at least 2 months. Probably drive Susan crazy. She is not used to me being home for more than 14 days a month for the past 12 years. LOL....

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

We got into Newark yesterday afternoon. It snowed over night. But not much, maybe less than 1/2 inch at the airport.

I just can't say enough about the crew I flew with the last couple of days. We all got along just great. Not one dispute between each other. And true, real CRM (cockpit resource management).

To Jim White and Mike Herrin, I want to thank you both for a very enjoyable few days at work, flying with true professionals.

Our crew consisted of a bird (Herrin), and color (White) and a number (Twente). LOL.......

3 more days then I go home. YEAH!!!!!!!

Amsterdam, Holland

They changed our schedule last night. They called us out to the airplane 10 hours early. And then we flew from Bahrain to Liege, and then rode in a taxi to Amsterdam. Got to the Dorint hotel at about 4 am Friday morning. We are now scheduled to leave here at 11:30 am Saturday for Newark.

In the hotel yesterday afternoon (before nap time) we watched the Kurt Russell movie "Captain Ron". So now the captain and first office I am flying with are calling me "Captain Ron" and we are saying some of the catch phrases from the movie. Like "sure Boss" , "got to watch out for the pirates of the caribeean", and "Hey Swab". Got to see the movie to know what we are talking about. LOL...

Flying with two really good guys this trip. Always makes the time go faster when we are having a good time and everyone gets along together.

Love coming to the Dorint hotel, cause they all make a fuss over me. Well not really me but my last name. They keep telling me that I am famous over here. See the right side pictures and you'll understand.

And as usual when we got here........ NO RESERVATIONS!!!!! This has got to get fixed! But they had rooms.

No pictures today. I am using a flight crew lounge computer with internet access. The only internet access we have here, so I couldn't download any pictures from my laptop.

Going over to the terminal later today and do some more Christmas shopping. Another good place to get some really neat gifts for Susan and the Grandkids.

Later......

Bahrain

Back in the Middle East again. We got back into Bahrain last night. We are supposed to leave tonight (Friday over here 5:00 am) for Amsterdam. Had a room waiting for me this time at the hotel.

YEA!!!!!

5 more days until I go home.

Just hope the weather gets better before I get back.

It is funny here. The ground personal here think it gets cold at 70F. LOL

They have parkas on and we are in our short shirt sleeves. LOL.....

It was a clear night last night flying over Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain. But when we go below 7000 feet we could taste the sand in the air. And we are not talking about Florida or Hawaii beach sand kid of taste.

More later.....

Newark

Got back to the states yesterday morning, but the Internet at the Holiday Inn here at the airport was not working. So today is the first time that I have had a chance to update.

Just got a phone call from scheduling, telling me that I am deadheading tonight from JFK to Brussels, Belgium. Then I will operate from there on to Bahrain.

We went shopping while in Shannon, Ireland. Love the duty free shop there. Bought so much I had to ship it home via UPS. So, here I am flying boxes around the world, and I got to send my our stuff home by UPS! Ironic ain't it. LOL.....

Here are the pictures I took at Doncaster,England. As you can see the name of the airport is Robin Hood Airport. and this statue was inside.

We are now in Shannon, Ireland. Got a message this morning that we are leaving tonight for Newark, NJ.

We did find free Internet service at the airport lounge. We only have it walk across the parking lot from the hotel. So looks like at least Daelyn (First Officer)and I are here for most of the day. LOL....

Sherwood Forrest

We took a plane from Bahrain to Doncaster, England. The airport name there is Robin Hood Airport. The famous Sherwood Forrest is about 20 miles west of the airport. Sorry can't download pictures yet but I will as soon as I can.

We then took a cab ride across the English countryside to Manchester, England.

We got to the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the airport. And guess what....

Yep........No resveration.......again......none of us........

Get me a manager.....get me a cell phone......get me a room !!!!!!!

Found out after about 10 minutes of talking to scheduling and hotel personnel. We were given confirmation numbers (each his own), but the name on the confirmation was the same name, and not anyone we knew. Some Chinese name. Then when the captain was signing the paper to get our rooms with this Chinese persons name on it, he realized than the name was of Hy, one of our schedulers. She had made the reservations okay, but under HER name. AAAAGGGGHHHHH!!

We leave in the morning for Shannon, Ireland, where we will pickup a plane on Sunday and fly it back to Newark, NJ, USA.

And just in time for me to get my laundry done, and not too soon either. LOL...

Bahrain

Got into Bahrain this morning. Went to the Sheraton, and guess what?........

"Sorry Mr, Twente, but we don't have a resveration for you and we are out of rooms". We have a room for your First Officer, but none for you.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Not again!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay get me a manager! Get me my cell phone! Get me a ROOM!!!!!!!

Manager comes over and sees me steaming, and presto-chango.... I get a room.

Flew all night. Was up most of the day. And I have to leave in 18 hours.

Leave at about 4 am tomorrow for Sheiffeld, England.

Oh yes, did I mention they changed my trips again?

Liege, Belgium Day 3

Should be leaving late tonight for Bahrain. Still some confusion about who is going to operate as Flight Engineer on the flight. Another FE insists that it is a trip on his line, but scheduling assures me that it is not his trip. So we'll see what happens. They are trying to get me back into position so that I can rejoin my December line as awarded.

Stay tune....

Liege, Belgium Day 2

Scheduling called last night. We are leaving tomorrow at about 2:00 pm for Bahrain and then on to Dubai. ( Get out your world atlas or google Mid-East).

That's about it for now.

Later.....

Liege, Belgium

We made it into Liege (Lee-age), at about 7:00 pm local. Now we are just waiting for scheduling to give us another trip. My schedule says that I am supposed to fly tomorrow from here to Bahrain. But that is up in the air as of now.

More later....

New York, New York...

Got into Newark last night. Woke up this morning to about 1 inch of snow on the ground here!

Scheduled to leave tonight @ 8:00 pm local time for Liege, Belgium (EBLG). Then tomorrow we fly from EBLG to OBBI ( Bahrain ).

That's about all for now.

Basement wall Part III

The basement repair crew finished yesterday at about 1:30 pm. They got here at 7:00 am. Now they tell me that I can't finish my wall in the stairwell to the basement, because in 3 weeks someone will be out to torque up the rods. So the wall repair going down stairs will have to wait until I get back from this months flying.

Speaking of...

I will be leaving tonight for Newark, NJ. Thru Charlotte, NC. 6 hours for a 2.5 hour flight. American Airlines wants $700.00 for a ticket and this flight on US Airways runs $350.00. So, I get to spend an extra 3.5 hours traveling to save the company some $$$$$.