[SkyCat]

Well today is Thanksgiving at home and here I sit in a hotel room waiting. Seems like most of my life is like the military! Hurry up and wait! The silence is broken by my cell phone. Oh great, it's mom...

Hi mom, Happy Thanksgiving, No I'm in Kuala Lumpur sitting in my hotel room. No you didn't wake me! I was just sitting here watching the rain!

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How's dad? Yeah, he always did that on Thanksgiving. Tell him I said hi!

I'm not sure when I will back in the States. I have to keep trying to climb the ladder so I can get a little bit more seniority. Being low man on the Captains pole is no fun! Christmas! Gee mom, I really can't say. Well I know all the family is going to be there this year. I know mom, I know! I'm not sure I will be able to be there........

I know I have missed the past number of years. Well, I will try, but I can't promise! No, my boss is an OK guy, but he has a job to do and I am part of that job! OK, OK, I'll ask him and see if we can work something out!
Thanks mom, I love you too! Goodbye.

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Well I may as well give it a try, let's see that number is.............................

Hi Boss, No I'm fine! I have a big favor to ask........................................
OK, OK, I understand. I will fly what needs to be flown on the way home. Thanks, I really appreciate it!
Yeah, I'll send you some postcards and I promised mom some pictures. This will be a big surprise for her and the family! "Home for the Holidays" Thanks again boss. I appreciate it!

To be continued...................

[SkyCat]

Well, after a somewhat restless night/days sleep, I am assigned a flight to VTBS. At least it is going in the right direction. Unfortunately, the rain and storms have not passed. A shower and a shave help remove the still lingering slumber my body feels as it tries to adjust to a different time zone on a seemingly daily basis.

A warm breakfast with plenty of black coffee is just the start I needed. As I share a cab ride to the airport with another pilot I decide not to give mom a call. Being dropped at the employees entrance I head straight to the flight briefing area and start the planning for the flight. The routine never changes, only the arrival, destination, weather and fuel load have any truly noticeable changes. Rain forecast for our destination in Thailand. Medium to heavy chop is also a possibility and of course that makes the pax so happy. I hope the FA's have a good supply of airsickness bags.

As I walk to the assigned equipment for this flight I quickly take a couple of snapshots and send them back to moms phone. "Hi mom, just getting ready to head to Bangkok, still raining here!"

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Old habits die hard as I still like to walk my equipment to make sure I am happy with her. I find no issues but of course I am now a bit on the wet side. Oh well, may as well head up to the office....

Continued.....

[SkyCat]

I am not sure what the boss has in mind but I am confused. He said not to worry but.............
After taking the flight back to WSSS he says rest up, your are on the relief crew going to FAJS. OK, well at least we are heading in the right direction. Here we go, leaving Singapore behind!

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[SkyCat]

Hi mom, no I'm in South Africa. It's nice, not to hot but not to cold. Not sure what the next port of call will be. Yes mom, I know I said I would try to be home for the holidays, but,...yes well,.....OK,OK. I don't even remember him, Uncle Who???? No, I don't remember her either. Are you sure I was even around when the relatives were at the house. MOM!! The reason I can't remember is I wasn't even born yet!!!!!

OK, I'll keep working to see if I can get there! I took some shots from the pilots lounge of a nice 742. I'll send them right now! OK, tell dad I say hi! I love you too! Bye.

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Later that eve, I get a call from my boss telling me that I got loaned out! I know I said I wanted to be home but this could be a bit of a stretch.........

Well I better look to see where Luanda is! OK, now where is FNLU?

[SkyCat]

Luanda was a quick stop for fuel and boarding. On to Gatwick!!

The flights were quiet and with no issues. It was hard to say "Springbok" when my mind continually slipped back to the standard call. After a few fumbles and a couple of "Say Again's" I finally had it down. Came into Gatwick just as the sun was peaking over the horizon. A buddy of mine was taking some shots and gave them to me as a gift. It's great to have such friends in the community. I did take a quick pic for mom as we were taxing to the gate. I hope she is happy...

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After completing the shut down checklist and doing the rest of the paperwork, my phone goes off. I'll bet it's mom again. Sometime she drives me crazy. Oh no, not mom but the boss. "Hi boss, how are ya?", "Really....Again huh", "Who this time?", "Yes, I still have some hours available".

"WHERE??", "Say hi to Rick for you, who's Rick?, What do you mean "I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship", Boss, I thought we were friends..... you feeling OK boss?". " OK, OK, I'll give you a call when I return tomorrow, remember I am trying to get home! Yea boss, I appreciate it! Thanks"

Wonder who Rick is and what he does in Casablanca, guess I'll just have to ask around when I get there......

[SkyCat]

I'm almost beginning to like flying at night. My inner clock is just starting to get used to it. Well mom should be happy with me sending her these pictures. Had the weirdest dream today. Uncle Florian and Aunt Mable came to visit from up North. He's a Lutheran Minister and she is the organist for his church. The were telling mom and dad bout the last Sunday School picnic and how he took a bunch of the parishioners out on their pontoon boat and it sunk. Wonder how that went over with the congregation???

Well mom here is another picture with us getting ready to leave Gatwick for Casablanca.

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It was a pretty uneventful flight to the coast. No issues with the equipment but boy to I have to plan a payback on my boss! I must have asked a dozen people in the terminal if there was a Rick there and they either just looked at me with a blank stare or burst out laughing! Well finally someone told me about the movie and who Rick was. Well he got me on that one! Sent mom another couple shots of the bird sitting at Casablanca. I'm not even going to tell her about Rick.

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[SkyCat]

Hey boss, yeah I found out who Rick was and I even talked to him. He said to have you paper ready. Now boss speaking of paper where do I go when I get back to Gatwick? Whatdya mean I not going back to Gatwick!! Cairo! Hey, that's in the wrong direction from home. Well ain't you just a barrel of laughs! Yeah, I know you told me it would be a strange route home but time is ticking away. Alright I'll call ya when I get there.........

Mom, here are shots of us heading to Cairo. The Mediterranean is off to our left! We are at 33,000 and having a nice flight. Do we have any relations from up North where the guy is a minister???

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[SkyCat]

Hey mom, just thought I would give you a call! How are you and dad? Fell off a ladder putting up Christmas lights!!! How far did he fall? He break anything? Ah mom, just take him and get it x-rayed! I know how stubborn he can be but it better than having it broken and then having to have surgery to get it fixed! Oh, just tell him shake with his left hand, people will understand..... No, I'm sitting in a hotel in Cairo! Egypt! Pyramids! Yeah, thats the place. Honestly I'm not sure if I will make it home, my boss said he would try to work it out but I seem to be getting farther away by the day! BEEP Mom let me call you back latter, my boss is calling me!

Hey boss, yeah, you know exactly where I am because you sent me here. No, the RAM folks are real nice. OK, I will be there at 7:30, EgyptAir, supervisor Ramad, right I will give a good impression of our company! Where are we heading? Boss? Boss? Sucker hung up on me! Well, may as well get some dinner and kick back!

Well here we are at 7:30 and we are working on a flight to Manchester! Shame they aren't playing football now, I love a good soccer match. As I walk to the equipment I need to remember to take a picture and send to mom! Wonder if she got dad to the hospital for an x-ray?

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The flight was a nice flight and the FA's were outstanding. The smooth lines of their faces are just a thing of beauty! Man, an 743! Travel City, not real familiar with them but the Queen of the Skies is a wonderful bird. Gotta get a picture for mom!

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Sleep, that's what I need is some sleep. Pull the curtains and just...... go,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,to,,,,,,,,sleeeeee

[SkyCat]

I'm coming, I'm coming already. . . . . Hello, Oh hi Boss, yea but! No that sounds fine! Let me shower and I will be there..........

Well he came through for me! What a guy! Wonder how long I'll be paying him back??? Doesn't matter a flight to Florida and then a flight to Fort Wayne! I can figure out a way to get home from there! Hey maybe I'll just rent a plane!

Oh well, first things first! Second seat on a 743. That will be sweet, Maybe it was the same one I saw earlier!!!

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What a bird, a nice flight to Orlando, now I need to find out what time the next one leaves for FWA!

Hi mom, just thought I would call and see how dad is doing, yeah sure I wanna talk to him. Hey pop, how's the wrist. I heard you swan dived off the step ladder. Do the light com on in the circle tomorrow at 6? Yeah, downtown. 6, that right, well tell mom I'm sorry about not being able to make it, tell her to take some pictures for me! OK? Great, I love you too dad!

Now where do I pick up that next flight?????

[SkyCat]

Man, after being on the Queen of the Sky, this MD80 seems like a toy! Oh well it's a nice short hop to FWA!

I'll bet you mom is going to just chew dad's ear off when he tells her I can't make it! Oh, well.

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Now to find a plane to rent to get to IND!