MT.Net Sets New High Temperature Record

My home weather station set a new high temperature record today, showing 110.7 degrees F at 1PM today. The previous high was 104, so this is quite hotter. Granted, my temperatures are a little skewed since the thermometer is close to our brick foundation on the southern side of the house (though it is shaded), but they aren’t much skewed. I just think the area we’re in is hotter in general than the airport (though surely not by 11 degrees).

Meanwhile out in the San Juan Islands, the folks out there are sweating through their flannel as the temperatures top out at 57 degrees F. I feel for ’em, you know? It’s hard out there for an islander.

High-Performance Performances

In my attempt to document events during our day at the Orcas Island Airport, I neglected to talk about one special event. As I was watching Hallie and Travis ride the kiddie cars inside Magic Air‘s hangar, I heard a roar behind me. Whirling around, I caught a glimpse of a beautifully restored World War II-era fighter plane as it screamed just 20 feet above the runway on a fly-by. I was lucky enough to catch the plane on video as it made two more low-altitude passes.
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CQ CQ?

Note to self: make sure to remove Yaesu FT-50R ham radio from rental car before returning car to agency. D’oh! I brought it along with the hopes of firing it up on top of Mt. Constitution, but its battery wasn’t charged like I expected it to be and thus it became an expensive paperweight during our trip. Fortunately, Avis has it and is mailing it back to me.

While I’m on the subject of praise where praise is due, kudos to Southwest for correcting my mistake and getting our family home the same day. I didn’t expect it to happen but the gate agent who made the arrangements went above and beyond the call of duty. Thanks a bunch!

Hot

Sure is hot, innit? I’m missing those 60-degree highs right about now.

Home!

It’s 1:40 AM and we’re home now. Plane left Chicago an hour late but at least it left. Good thing I already had this morning off for a doctor’s appointment (which got cancelled when it looked like I wouldn’t make it).

See y’all tomorrow.

Home Tonight

Well, against all odds we managed to find four open seats from Seattle to Chicago Midway. We found out there were three open all the way to Raleigh about 15 minutes before our Seattle departure and we were making plans to have me fly separately through Las Vegas. Instead a fourth seat popped up five minutes before takeoff so I joined Kelly and the kids for the trip to Chicago.

We’re about an hour away from leaving Chicago now and should get home before midnight, God willing and the creek don’t rise. The kids have been real troupers, as has Kelly. Heck, even I’ve been a good boy. As long as we get home tonight nothing else really matters.

Southwest And Its Full 737s

After volunteering to be bumped from a Southwest flight the other day it occured to me how rare it’s been that a Southwest flight was oversold. Out of many years flying Southwest I couldn’t recall ever being on an oversold flight. It used to be that there was plenty of room on a Southwest flights I’d take, frequently enough to stretch out in the row. With Southwest planes flying nearly full lately, that little perk is fast becoming history.
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Fake Steve Jobs Revealed

Fake Steve Jobs, the hilarious anonymous blogger poking fun at Steve Jobs’s persona, has revealed himself to be Dan Lyons, senior editor of Forbes.

“I was hoping to stay anonymous for a while longer but on the other hand I knew I couldn’t stay anonymous forever. It had to happen at some point,” Lyons said.

“I hope that it doesn’t ruin the fun of the blog that people know who’s behind it.”

I bet the blog stays just as popular. Dan Lyons is a genius!

(h/t Mike B.)

Vacation Extended!

We got our vacation extended! That’s right, we got some extra vacation this morning when we missed our flight out of Seattle by mere minutes. If we’re lucky, we can catch space on a flight through Chicago. If not, we’ll spend another night here in Seattle.

The Doubletree’s airport shuttle doomed us, as it arrived much later than expected to pick us up. By the time it arrived, half the hotel was waiting to board it. What should have been a ten minute ride, tops, across the street took 20-25 minutes.

Keep smiling, I keep telling myself. Keep smiling.