I have been busy with flying this last couple of years.

Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.
~Henry David Thoreau

After a several year hiatus, I was able to unearth that bone. The actual work of it was really good. For non-aviators, there is so much basic background information ... it's unbelievable how much there is to know ... how varied the knowledge base must be and how constantly pilots study to retain and enhance their understanding of their equipment, and the variables that flight operations take place in. I teach a class in basic - first stop on the way to becoming a pilot - private ground. I've taught this class for several years now. Every time I teach the class ... I learn something. There is a lot of meat on this bone.

Last week I did the post check ride debrief with the instructor who I did all my right seat training with. I wanted to thank him for the investment he has made in me. It was fun to discuss the experience with him, because he has collaborated with me on the flight training part of this. He knows where my strengths are and more potentially amusing for him, he knows where my weakness have been and, as an aviator, may be exposed. He was interested in specific aspects of the check ride ... the very places where he has welded reinforcing material to strengthen me ... "Did it hold ... was it enough ... " he must have wondered. Flight instruction is a delicate operation.

I told him that I want a job. He's the go to guy for that. He leaned back in his chair and started talking to me about something I think I know all about. He doesn't think I understand how complicated my life will become when I work fulltime or even parttime. The bottom line is this - he doesn't think my husband will want me to be distracted from what I've been primarily doing for the last thirty years. He can't come right out and say that, because it would be politically incorrect. My children are growing up, I told him ... of course he knows that. He also knows that I have by sheer determination moved metal while pushing back domestic concerns. He doesn't know my specifics, because we don't talk about personal stuff, but you don't sit beside someone in a small space and not know some of their stuff ... it's in the air. I don't know what that is he told me, but get it handled. I think that stuff is straightened out now. He doesn't - I can tell. "Who is going to cook dinner?" Yeah, he actually asked me that ... and he was smiling. His wife became a doctor after their family was grown. He may be going home to sardines and saltines for all I know ... he obviously thinks he knows something that I don't. And he very likely does. I have seen this routine from him many times before ... it happens right before I either step in or almost step in a proverbial pile of stink. He's picking up something on the radar. I probably have some sort of nonverbal ... firming of the jawline ... hand flex ... something that asserts my determination ... I said something and he moved away from the are you sure you know what you're getting in to track to prodding a different area ... . The last eight out of ten instructors we've hired have their double II ... are you going to get that done? I will after I've taught a year I told him ... I have bills to pay on this thing ... I need to move the numbers in the opposite direction. I've already got an offer over there and they are paying big bucks up the road (two different places) I said. He said he already knew about that - on the first, he said if I want to instruct for them, it wouldn't preclude me from a job here as well. I respectfully disagreed because I see every private pilot that comes through this program, and a competitive option will eventually become an issue there ... maybe, he allowed ... if you do that get the issues ironed out first. As for this other, he said, you and I both know you're not going to drive back and forth to teach ... now it is my turn to level a smile at him ... my smile clearly says I might be thinking about it. They are offering about twice what is paid here, plus medical, plus multi engine time ... it's all true and he knows it. I tell him that I will do the double II as soon as I can afford it ... and the G1000 ... there is no reason why I shouldn't do the MEI as well I said ... the FAA guy said I'm not too old to put those to good use. I never said you were, he said ... and he hasn't. Again he smiled ... it's not really a smile ... more like an okay I hear you.
Okay, set up an appointment with the chief he tells me... I expect we'll be needing someone in December, "Hell", he says, "We could lose this one, that one and that one any day now". Are there any promises out in front of me I ask ... by that I mean, is the next opening already promised to someone else? He tells me there are no promises out.

I look at my watch. We're already in the lunch hour. My phone has beeped three times. All three are requests from my children for me to do something nice for them. I call my husband ... he is already heading back to his office. I can see that I dropped the ball. Yesterday it bounced back and surprised me ... I was late for or missed the third lunch this week (counting the road trip day). I'm going to have to figure out how to put a hard line around that lunch hour.

Today - pretty much absorbed by homecoming festivities and housework. My husband is already gone for the day ... professional obligations. I realise that there are adjustments to be made.

One other note because I think it is funny:
On the way out of FI's office I asked,"Do you know what Coach bags are?" His immediate response was, "You should get you a few of those, they'll look really good with your BMW!" He's needling me ... . "Do you know that those things are upwards of 500 bucks?" I ask. I just haven't quite wrapped my head around this yet ... I understand how women know about Coach ... does everyone know ... am I the only person outside Coaches advertising circle? "How well I know..." He says, "...that is what outlet shopping is all about!" Oh, he's good.