Pima Air and Space Museum

Merrillee here. I've just returned from a visit with family in Arizona. We took the time to visit the Pima Air and Space Museum near Tucson. Dozens of historic planes sit in several hangars or in the nearby desert where the dry air is easy on the aging planes. We spent a couple of hours touring the site, but we mostly skimmed the incredible amount of information in the exhibits. I took a lot of photos. Here are some.



I'm taking an imaginary flight.


My granddaughter trying her hand at piloting a plane.



An old Transworld Airlines plane.


A huge fighter jet.


If you could read the writing on the side, you would see that this is a retired Air Force One.

If you'd like to see more about the museum you can use the following link for more information.

http://www.pimaair.org/view.php?pg=21

Change of Plans

Pamela Tracy here, middle name: listmaker.

1. Mikey's swim lessons dutifully written in my calendar.

2. Homework done for June's class, due in September.

3. What we're having for dinner all week thought out.

4. Fourth of July all planned out, subs found, etc.

My fourth didn't turn out like it was supposed to. See, we were supposed to go camping. I told everyone who asked, "What are we doing? Oh, we're going camping." "The fourth? Of course, we're going camping?" "That weekend, we're going camping."

I wrote it in my calendar. That means we're doing it. Right? Wrong.

After the extended family bailed, my little family wound up with no plans. That's okay, because I write in my calendar using a pencil. Going Camping got replaced with Going Exploring.

We drove up past Payson, Arizona, and turned down what my husband calls a control road. We spent the whole day exploring. We weren't alone. Apparently, the fourth is a killer Boy Scout weekend (Hmmm, I write suspense. Can I use this. YES!)We actually followed a caravan up to Camp Geronimo, but could only do a Uey. No trespassers, you see. We then headed for Washington Park. Where we got out and played. The local fire department, one truck, stopped and told us "No quads."

From there we went to a place called Whispering Pines. Imagine living in a tiny community in the woods!

My favorite moment was when we found a stream (everyone else had found it too) and got out to play. I took Mikey down to his undies and he and Daddy built dams. Me, I settled on a rock and finished reading Linda Goodnight's The Wedding Garden.

My calendar is a wonderful thing. It the cheap month-at-a-glance kind, roughly the size of a paperback, but only as thick as a poptart (I've been trying to think of what the thickness was, and my son just brought me a poptart. Talk about timing).

My calendar is a bit like the book I'm working on. It can be changed.

Hook: last minute change of plans.
Hero and heroine: Plumber, teacher
Comic relief: Five year old son.
There are black moments: Mikey fell in the creek.
Perfect ending: Happily Ever After.

Happy July, All.