Boys First Day of School

Brandon & Tyler together right before we took Brandon to school. Brandon starts at 8:25, but Tyler doesn't start until 9:05. Big smiles as they head out. Brandon started his first day at a new school; moving on up to the Urbandale Middle School. He was a little nervous, but not too bad.

Brandon before his first day of 6th grade.

This is Brandon walking into the middle school

(on the far right). His first day at a new school!

Can my Baby B really be in 6th grade??

Tyler before his first day of 4th grade.

The boys together after their first day.
Still big smiles, so it couldn't have been that bad.

First Day of School

Tricia started school today in a new school. She is in with all the other kids.
Brennan starts after labor day.

Last pool outting

Out and About

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Originally uploaded by dmay

The ladies and I were out and about again on Friday, going to Algona for lunch and then stopping in Cylinder for a drink,, yes Cylinder has a bar.

a double rainbow

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Originally uploaded by dmay

I got this picture at 7:46 PM today,, to see more go to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmay/

Classic - Saturday night

Johnny & Maury came in 1st & 2nd & Cory Bloom followed, coming in 3rd. All racers. Dad finished in 69th place, which was definately not last. Karen Rippe got the John Russel Award. All crews won the crew of the year award for everyone's help after many got stuck in the mud & help carying out when chase vehichles couldn't drive in. One of the Curves balloon pilots won new comer of the year. Saving the best for last, Aaron Gebheart won the Shitter-Hittler Award for knocking over the outhouse.

No flight tonight, too windy. We hung around for a meal catered by Hy-Vee, and chit-chatted with Mark & Dan, as well as other pilots & crews. We got another crew picture with Jenny in it, and a Harris 8 pic that we may use for Christmas cards. After big boys left, Mom, Dad, Jenny, Brett, little boys, & I headed over to Christine Burtch's tailgate party. We ate more food & chit-chatted some more. Watched fireworks & the old folks stayed to party the night away while the young-uns headed into town for bed.

Classic - Saturday morning

We took off east of the field (apparently in racer territory as there were about 10 racers that took off from this spot, some of which are in the pictures), and man were the winds funky. At one point Dad was litterally stopped, just hanging in mid-air. His GPS didn't register any movement at all. I took a video on my camera showing him not moving (I posted the video, but no promises on whether it will work - especially for those looking at this via dial-up: it's the one smack in the middle of the pics). Then he went up & crossed the road, went a little higher & crossed the road back the other way. It was a beautiful morning, but pictures just didn't do it justice. With the slow winds, balloons were just hanging in the sky. Dad missed the field to the north, but landed in the front yard of a field to the west. We were able to pull him up to the driveway & drive the van right up to him. Another short grass take off & landing. Jo Ann left when we pulled into the field to watch (she had to head back to AZ), so good-bye's were said. We went to Crouse Cafe for breakfast, and the onion rings were still good!

Classic - Friday night

Another beautiful & successful flight. Dad & Brett took off from the same spot that we took off from this morning. It was a lot calmer, so take off was easier. The winds were slightly different & they didn't make the target, but that's ok, because Gary Cass (#26 in the program, flying the purple IMTS balloon,) had already grabbed the $5k pole grab!! (The middle pic is right before he grabbed it.) They landed in the honey hole, so yet another short grass take off and landing (and no carry out).

Classic - Friday morning

What an awsome morning!!! I got to fly, so that increased my enthusiasm quite a bit. It was a bit on the windy side, so I almost said no (as I didn't want another bad landing that messed up my back for a week), but I'm glad I didn't. We took of straight north of the field (quite a bit east of other balloons), and just as we got off the ground, Mark called (crewing with Maury) & said that most were missing it to the west. So we were one of the few headed right towards the field. And to the field we went!! (In the first pic you can see the field in the background.) Not only did we fly right over the center of the field, which by itself is cool, but Dad scored 10th on that target! It was an X on the road & they'd only score baggies on the road. (In the middle picture, I circled the target & labled it, even thought it is a little hard to read, that's the red writting in the middle of the pic.) We got up high to get the direction we needed (can't remember now if it was left of right), then got down low. It was slightly detrimental to our direction, but better to be down low, 50 feet farther out & hit the road than higher up, 50 feet closer to the X, but miss since we were so high. After the fly over the field we landed south of the field at a former baloonist's backyard (Gary Miklus). Since it was so wet, they wouldn't let us drive out, but considering what was beyond his place (a bridge out up the road), this was much better than the alternative. It was short grass (clover field), but a lengthy carry out, so we continued the short grass take off & landing, but ruined the "no carry out" streak. By far the worst landing of the week, but by no means the worst ever. We are a lucky crew.