right now

right now

Sep 20, 2010

Noise - LONG POST!

(apologize in advance for a long post, may be tedious to some, but I promised the kids I'd blog about the airshow!)

Long time, no post! I've been consumed with getting my yard ready for a huge party this coming weekend, and just about everything has taken a backseat to this! I can now say that my yard is pruned, ripped out, replanted, cleaned and shipshape! Unfortunately I had to work through another 2 days of my migraines, although I am taking a few supplements this time around after some research, and they weren't as bad, and lasted only 2 days instead of the regular 3 so I can't wait to see if it continues to improve next month.

I missed my kinderGARDENS update for the first time, so things have been that hectic! I did have my kids in the garden however, I didn't keep them locked away or anything - as a matter of fact they did some hard labor that involved rocks and concrete rubble LOL! I'm serious! I'll post on that shortly, as that is a whole separate project we did.

As I don't want to be the Worst Mom in the World, after we finished that project, I took them to the air show!

If it was just me, I wouldn't deal with it, since my driveway is less than 500 yds from the runway we are so close we can see it all including their freckles as they fly overhead, but I know the kids love having the whole "experience".

This video was shot the other day from my backyard. This isn't air show stuff but rather the constant scream of F-18's we have overhead 365 days a year. I keep forgetting that most people don't have to deal with this. I suck it up with a smile (grimace) since it is our livelihood - my husband is an F-18 E/F mechanic. As bad as it is here, my poor husband's bunk is directly under the flight deck on the carrier, so he has it much worse since besides the heat and scream of jet engines, he has to listen to the shock of the arrested landings that go on 24 hrs a day. Just imagine a bomb going off over your head every so often all day long and you can imagine a whole new level of sleep deprivation.


Watching the Blue Angels while we work in the yard...




Yes, the kids are getting antsy by now...


Below is the base, which is right across the street basically, considering the traffic, we should have ridden bikes, but of course Finn would complain!


Traffic at the main gate. Ever since 9/11, you can imagine the nightmarish security measures in place on a day the base is open to the general public. The main difference is that now people are very understanding so there is no honking or rude people.


Time for the kids to explore. I know I didn't do as great a job as daddy would have explaining all the different aircraft, but I held my own!








Helo pilots were giving Finn the business about his daddy being a "fixed wing" guy LOL


I just told the guys to have him back by Saturday...


This is a C-2 Greyhound or "COD" meaning Carrier Onboard Delivery aircraft - they carry many passengers/supplies/mail on & off the carrier while underway, COOL because it's a fairly large & bulky aircraft that can launch/land via arresting wires the same as the other fighters. Husband has flown out to meet the carrier overseas a couple of times on one of these. Usually when he arrives at a new squadron while its already underway. Used also for bringing people home on emergency leave or needing medical care, and a zillion other reasons! Definitely an unsung hero of carrier aircraft! On second look, this may be the interior of a C-130, which is what my brother flies. They climbed in both and I can't remember - I'm sure hubby or brother will correct me in short order :)


Below is one of my favorites, an Air Force KC-135 Tanker. The men & women who fly this thing have really got some guts! They supply our fighter jets with fuel while in flight, an "airborne fuel station" - when you think about how huge and unmanueverable these are in comparison to the fighters they serve in a combat zone, it takes some serious dedication and nerves of steel to fly this baby! Coincidentally, hubby has a cousin that flies this aircraft out of AK!


Since I mentioned it, I'll post a non-air show related photo of a air to air refuel, it's very cool!
Made especially cool because the below photo is a fighter from VFA-32 (Hubby's squadron) taking on fuel from the Stratotanker

Back to the airshow: below, I made sure to visit the non-air show area to show the kids - this is the "regular" everyday jets, LOL... we have hundreds here, and it's always good for the kids to see what daddy's workplace looks like


Below: Blue Angels


Finn's 1st Gyro! Lamb and yogurt? What's not to love?


Beautiful Sunset backdrop to watch the jets fly


The below video starts slow, but then you get to see fireworks Navy style! Might be boring but the kids seem to love it!



Are you still with me? Congratulations for getting through all these photos!

8 comments:

  1. yay! I love that stuff. As a kid we spent a week every summer in Pensacola and I loved seeing the Blue Angels fly out and back in every day. how cool! We live very near our community airport so get to see lots of little planes, but are also near Whiteman AFB, and the Stealth bombers fly directly over us on Chiefs Sunday home games. That's fun, too!

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  2. How cool that you can see the show from the house! I love the jet-fueling too- did you see it happen on Dirty Jobs? That was impressive. Well, it all is when you come right down to it.

    Loved the show stuff, and that your kids get in the craft, my kids refuse to enter any vehicle that is not mine, lol.

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  3. When you guys move, the peace will be deafening! It's amazing what you can get used to, isn't it? I used to live in an apartment that faced a driveway that ended on a railroad track. The train hit the horn a mile away and all the way through the crossing. After awhile, I didn't even hear it. Great pics~!

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  4. Cool post! It's actually pretty interesting to see a little slice of life we normally don't know much about. Those guys/gals are all doing their jobs just like other people. We just don't get to see much of it.

    Susan, our last place in Illinois was bordered on one side by railroad tracks. A train came by at 6 A.M. and again at 6 P.M. We got so we didn't even hear it. Furthermore, our barn was on that side of the property too and the noise never seemed to bother the animals either.

    Thanks for taking the pictures, Erin!

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  5. A big Thank You to your whole family for the service you give the United States of America and all her citizens!!
    God Bless you!

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  6. Yet another awesome outing with the kids! It all reminds me of living right off of the Army base in Hinesville, Ga (Fort Stewart). We had the 6:30 cannon that went off in the morning and never had to set an alarm. Once a week when they did night training, we had to take the glasses off of the shelves because they'd fall out and break with the shaking of the shells being fired.

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  7. I miss your garden post, but it sure looks like you've been having lots of fun!

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  8. Thanks everyone for not jumping ship on me! I guess it had only been about 4 days but it seemed to me like over a week since I had posted. That must mean this is a much needed outlet for me! You know what made the jet noise at my house even more ridiculous? As I was previewing the video I posted and listening to it there, there was more screaming overhead LOL!

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