Air Capital!

We are getting quality time with our grandkids and the other McClintock troops this year!  So much fun!   Thx, Brooke, for the pic above!

Just when I thought we'd found the best bbq ever, then there's this!  YUM!  This is Mac's fave bbq

4-8-14:   I found a wonderful little yarn shop in the Historic Delano District called Twist!  I think I'll go over there a time or two for some help.  There's some colorful history with Delano -- which is now a small shopping district. It was named after Columbus Delano, Secretary of the Interior under Prez U.S. Grant. In 1870 Delano became an important cattle-shipping center along the Chisholm Trail. It was a recreational area for cowboys as "vices" weren't allowed in Wichita.  So most of the gambling, drinking, and prostitution took place in Delano -- it had no law enforcement.  Cowboys would often shoot guns like fireworks and occasionally one could see gunfights in the streets, one of the most notorious being between saloon owners Rowdy Joe Lowe and Edward "Red" Beard. And we think we live in violent times. Since the Arkansas River was right there, dusty cowboys would often bathe there.  This led to a new ordinance prohibiting nude bathing -- in the daytime.

Saloon-keepers sponsored a Sunday afternoon tradition called the Running of the Doves, weather permitting.  A little west of the river on Chicago Street (now Douglass Ave), the cowboys would load up the saloon girls in the wagons and take them to the river. Once there, the girls would strip naked and race back to the saloons.  The winner would get a prize. No info on what the prizes were.

fabric shop

After the death of the cattle trade, Delano was incorporated into Wichita in 1880.  It experienced a brick building boom and paved streets. The face of Delano changed many times over the years, but I like what I see now.  Twist - a yarn shop and Material Girl - a fabric shop, a hat shop, and some interesting boutiques and cafes. 

4-9-14:  David and I went to see Non-Stop today for our date day.  Great movie, but maybe not a great idea to see it just before I fly to Chicago.

Rocky loves his new job at Air Capital RV Park

Rockstar

4-10-14:  First day on our own at the rv park.  David works outside and I work inside.  Once I got my profuse nervous sweating under control this morning things ran pretty smoothly -- UNTIL Daniel.  Sweet little Daniel is one of the school kids living in the park and is the yard man.  I'd not met him before when he stepped into the office and told me he needed to go to the hospital.  I could see his hand was bleeding.  Once I finally put together who he was and realized he had no parents at home this afternoon, I hooked him up with Frank, the manager.  Frank drove him to the ER and I contacted mom who sent someone to meet them there.  Luckily, 5 stitches took care of Daniel's finger.  The whole time I kinda thought it could've been a mowing accident.  But when he and his parents stopped by the office afterward, he told me he was playing with a pocket knife.  Whew!  This is what I'll remember about our first day.  What a trooper he was.  He was more concerned about getting blood on the concrete than the fact that his finger was about to fall off. :)

Asher could even turn and smile as he whizzed by!

Andrew is a veteran

pit stop -- Dad with his pretend tools

gosh dog

4-12-14:  Wonderful evening at Justin's and Brooke's!  Justin grilled burgers, then we walked down to the church so that 5 yr old Asher could show us he'd learned how to ride his bike without training wheels! Woohoo!  He just learned earlier today!  And what a natural!

Panties!

After the boys hit the sack, Brooke and I took on David and Justin in Panties.  We had a couple of great hands!  The guys eeked by us in that 3rd hand, but we will finish them off when we play those last 2 hands.

blooming tree in J & B's backyard - very fragrant

Flat Andrew

Andrew added his own sweet letter

Also rec'd a cool letter in the mail today from Andrew's teacher, Mrs. Player.  Their 1st grade class recently read about Flat Stanley so they all made a "Flat Me".  They sent their flat selves to family and friends to have some fun adventures.  Flat Andrew will spend a couple of weeks with David and me!  Cannot wait to have some fun with Flat Andrew!

Ron and Dawn spotted this western wear store in OK City - not our kinfolk

watching a thunderhead roll in

in the flatland they can be seen from miles away

we got wind from it, but no serious hail or lightning

4-13-14:  Rainy/windy/chilly day.  Love it!  Caught up on sewing projects and touching base with family. Loved the "conversation" I had with Gus today -- even if it was texting.  Love that guy!

Well, it was almost spring!

Flat Andrew sooo wanted to make a snow angel this morning.  I had to hang onto him so he wouldn't fly away in the wind!

and a beautiful moon to wrap up the day

4-14-14:  We woke up to snow this morning! And it's still falling!  Just a thick dusting, but as my fellow East Texans know - snow is snow! It took some major wind to bring that system into the area.  The camper was doing some shaking last night.

Flat Andrew and me getting ready for Andrew's field trip

4-15-14:  Grandpa and I were invited to Andrew's field trip today at the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita. This is one of our fave places to visit and today we get to enjoy it with #1 grandson! And Flat Andrew!

The redbuds are popping and Flat Andrew immediately climbed one when we arrived

kinda scared me when he made it out to the skinny part of a limb

the kids have arrived!

Flat Andrew holding hands with Andrew and Grammy

Andrew and the guys learning about turtle shells insides

Flat Andrew joined the class in some songs about habitats

everything is hands on for the kiddos in the nature center

Grammy learned a thing or 2 also

Mrs. Player always had a smile as she watched her class learn about Kansas nature

the Barred Tiger Salamander is the Kansas State Amphibian

largest land based salamander in the world

loves to eat these worms

scooping one up

hiking one of the trails 

The kiddos went on over to Riverside Park for more exploration and picnicking afterwards.  Wonderful day for all of us!

David and I came home for a bit, then he went over to Douglass to pick up the boys from school and play with them a little while until Justin got home.  We think this is when "it" started.  More about that as you read on.

at the nature center with Linda Sue and Greg

Tonite David and I headed back over to the Great Plains Nature Center for an Audubon presentation on the California and Andean Condors, by Jim and Patty Marlett.  Soooo interesting.  What a sight it must be to see one of those guys in person. The California Condors population had gotten down to about 22.  Conservationists began capturing them, banding them, and releasing them back into areas in California and around the Grand Canyon.  All the pix the Marlett's took showed a number and a radio on the birds' wings.  With the number, one can look up on the internet about that bird and learn it's gender, age, how many babies it's had, and who it's parents are. How cool is that? Every condor in the US is tagged. Condor population in the USA struggles due to lead poisoning from hunters.  The parent condors tend to feed the babies garbage also, such as plastic items that kill the birds. Luckily, hunters in those areas are coming around to using the more expensive lead-free materials to hunt with. As far as the plastic items the parents feed their young, people are the only ones that can fix that by being ever aware of recycling and trash disposal. California Condors' wingspan can be 9 1/2 feet or more. 

Jim and Patty had the pleasure of going to Peru to get a look at the Andean Condors.  David and I thought they were prettier than the California Condors.  Instead of the red head (similar to turkey buzzards), they had black heads with a white feather collar.  They are also bigger than the CA birds. And because they seem to be abundant in the Andes, they are not tagged or banded there.

Thx for the invite, Greg and Linda Sue.  And it was wonderful seeing Aunt Hope again, too!  What a special lady who has had many great adventures in life herself! AND is a military veteran!

blood moon pic taken in AR by Tim Ernst 

time lapsed blood moon photo from the TX Hill Country by Mike Mezeul II

And to add to the nature events of the day, tonite was a lunar eclipse, or Blood Moon.  We didn't stay up late enough to see it, so we were happy to see some posts on facebook by professional photographers.  Had to be an amazing sight!

the birthday boy

4-16-14:  David had a relaxing birthday today.  He really didn't want a shindig, so we just went out to eat and to visit Mac.  Sweet Mac made David some brownies -- which were too good!  

Flat Andrew and I watched the sunrise at the Eisenhower Airport in Wichita while waiting on our flight

4-19-14:  Today is the day I fly out to Chicago.  Excited to see my girl. But my nerves are in a wad about flying.  And David is starting to get sick, so I felt bad about leaving him. (remember when he picked up the boys from school? Evidently, something wicked is going around at school) The flight went perfectly.  And I had the sweetest lady ever to talk to throughout the flight.  She was from New York and had been to Wichita for her mom's funeral.  She flies often, so it was very calming for me to talk with her for the hour and half we were in the plane.

Flat Andrew got his own seat on the plane!  And buckled up like he was told.

he loved the view from high in the sky!

my baby girl

Flat Andrew snuggling up with Aunt Lulu

Enjoyed the first day in Chi-town. It's a big city!  Lots of concrete and lots of people. But I noticed there aren't a lot fly-overs there as in Texas.  And there are many forest preserves throughout the area -- even smack dab in towns.

Rocky spent much of the time I was away looking for me out the window.

Laura and me at Lake Michigan

Flat Andrew was amazed at all the water!

Forest Park on Lake Michigan

4-21-14:  Beautiful, pleasant day in Illinois!  We drove out to take a look at the Great Lake.  I kinda expected dirty water.  But it was Caribbean colors! 

Afternoon at the movies

Went to see God's Not Dead per Gus' recommendation.  Good movie. So nice to see Christian movies in our theaters!  Thx for telling us about it, Gus!

Laura and I had a wonderful day today.  However, always in the back of my mind is the dread of flying back. I've pretty much worn myself out thinking about it for several days!  Uggh.  How do you frequent flyers do it???

my new flying friend and me

4-21-14:  Heading back to Doo-Dah via the friendly skies.  God blessed me once again by putting me in a seat next to a couple of ladies who kept me calm during the flight! Both were experienced flyers.  One slept just about the whole flight.  I want to be her someday.  The other one crocheted.  So we had a lot to talk about!  And she is a preschool director in Dallas.  So we had a lot more to talk about.  She was oh so kind and fun to talk to.  Made the flight seem quick!  Easy, smooth flight!  And I don't think I've ever been so delighted to be in Wichita! haha

Grandpa and Flat Andrew at the clinic

When I got home, David sounded even worse than when I left. After a nap, we went to a walk-in clinic.  I decided to get checked out, too, just in case.  Mine was just allergies.  Poor David has pneumonia in one lung and bronchitis in the other.  And the meds made him sick during the night.  Praying he doesn't end up in the hospital. 

Flat Andrew got checked out also

Flat Andrew checked out just fine, tho they thought he could stand to put on a few pounds.

Justin, Brooke, Asher, and Andrew have all been sick these past few days.  Poor things.  Lots of fever and coughing.  Hope everyone is well very soon!! 

4-22-14:  This morning while Rocky and I were walking, we saw a big ole Bald Eagle circling the rv park! Reckon he was poodle-hunting in the city. Got to watch him for a long time before he finally flew away.  Unfortunately, I only had my phone camera with me.( If you are on a smart device, you can enlarge to see the white head) But it was a blessing to get to see him.

the birthday girl

4-23-14:  Happy Birthday to our beautiful daughter! Just love her!

Oh, and about the title?  The name of the rv park where we workamp is called Air Capital. Also, Wichita is known as Air Capital of the World.  Not for their huge airport. Because it isn't.  But because they have had many plane factories over the years.  Between that and the air base here, there is always something exciting flying around -- in addition to eagles!  

Happy Spring to all our Peeps!

Love, 

Mr. Boeing, Ms. Beech (watch how ya say that) , and Spirit! Oh and Flat Andrew.