I drove the first leg this morning departing Austin around four o'clock with a cup of hot coffee in one hand and the steering wheel in the other. Boy was it dark, so very dark, too dark to see the plops of rain pelting the windshield. Cruise control settles in at maximum speed and I reach for what is certain to be the country music selector ... and here we go. First stop Houston, but just briefly. I grew up in Houston ... it's a good place to be from.
Yesterday we drove around Lake Travis. I have been looking at housing around the lake on Zillow and a couple of small airports on Google Earth. Everything looks different on the ground where you can "really" see what's going on. The lake is way down ... draught hit Texas hard this year. That's another big plus for the coast ... the water level stays pretty constant ... until it suddenly comes way up (that's what my husband says ... beach houses have him thinking about hurricane damage and flood insurance). The homes around Lake Travis were very densely packed. I like the urban amenities, but ... I think if we bought a small place near Austin I would want to just go all in with a loft in the city. We've decided to explore some of the other lakes, down around San Antonio, on our next trip over this way.
The flight school/university that we looked at in East Texas was a no go for us. The actual flight program looks like baby pilot heaven to me. The facility and equipment is "ahhh" inspiring. Glass 172's make up the bulk of their fleet, but they had a nice variety of other airplanes too including a glossy red Citabra. Their program was impressive. The area was depressing. I wouldn't want to live there even if most of my time were spent in the airspace. Without exception, the locals said they "hated" it there. Hate is a big word. I don't want to stink up my life with "hate". Their business model is very similar to the flight program I am most familiar with. The CFIs there are required to work six days a week ... their director of flight ed. reminded me that they are there to build time (that little fact floats the model). I loved the well thought out scheduling of the path through for the students. For example, the instrument rating is flown primarily at night. It's an excellent way to maximize the use of aircraft, and ... as a pilot, I see a lot of charter/corporate flying returns at night. Night experience in a training environment can only help. As I said ... the actual program rocked. That they offer the AP rocks ... most of their grads finish ME commercial with an AP. I think I have a fairly strong understanding of aircraft systems ... those systems that I fly, not the fancy stuff ... but I sure would like to learn more.
I don't want to work six days a week every week ... I'm in a different place in my life. I'm starting to see that free lance instruction seems to be my track. I like giving flight reviews to retired airline guys ... they make me laugh, and ... they can fly the snot out of little airplanes. I like providing instruction for marginalized students ... A proflight program can't adapt to their crazy schedules, but it sure works for me. Having trained in a professional program I just thought, maybe even in a snobby way, that that environment was "the" way for me. The ability to work with students and pilots in a start - up program is pretty cool. I am liking it ... and staying busy enough. I'm not worried about not having enough aviation in my life like I was this time last year. As a matter of fact, I'm not worried about anything. This has been a wonderful year. I feel "unloaded".
My mother-in-law joined us and sat visiting with my husband while the rest of us meandered around first the Kimball, then the Amon Carter museum. During college, one of my jobs was in the museum district and I passed many happy hours with the Rembrandt's ... Remmington's and Russell's. My best friend, and foreign film buddy ... I'm leaning towards playful here, but the truth is, this friend was important to me. He introduced me to what has become a love of cooking (I arrived at college knowing how to make two things: flour tortillas from scratch and scrambled eggs ... that's it), he taught me how to balance my check book ... and ... I'm sitting here in the backseat barreling down the road remembering ... all good memories ... a best friend He went on to direct opera at three major companies. He died suddenly a few summers ago.
Anyway ... the Kimball ... as a young mother I always took my son to the museums, lunch at the duck pond, and on to the zoo every Monday. Monday was play day. We were wide eyed together at the TUT traveling exhibit when he said "bowl" for the first time. I would hold him on my hip and read the museum notes aloud for him. Under glass was an ornate ceremonial vessel ... an ancient treasure and that day equally precious to me, a new word. He's in his mid twenties now ... an excellent hang out bud. I enjoyed being there with him again. My youngest daughter especially enjoyed the museums too. I'm going to plan a surprise trip over to Atlanta for her very soon.
It was good to see family. We were able to stay in my brother's home for a couple of nights ... He sent us on our way with tamales and venison sausage in the ice chest. Tamales for my breakfast tomorrow ... the kids love cinnamon rolls and pigs in a blanket for their Christmas morning tradition ... later in the day I will start a gumbo built on that spicy sausage. Next week will offer a bunch of serious cooking ... !
It had been a while since I saw my mother. This was the most pleasant experience with her ... ever. Why ... I need to think about that. It seems so very strange that we just don't connect well.
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