So being at home this long has enabled us to do a few things we don’t normally get to do. Callie has been swimming with her friends (which until this year she has never done…EVER), gone to high school baseball games, attended a College World Series game (I’ve never done that), and hang out with her friends. I’ve enjoyed pulling the weeds from my garden (hoping this will eliminate some of the mess this fall) and babysit Eli a little more often. Yesterday was Father’s Day and Jim was able to do something a little different, too. The kids pulled together and purchased a ticket for him to ride on the “Flying Fortress” – a Boeing B-17 Bomber.   We all piled into Curt and Jamie’s vehicle yesterday morning and headed to the Lincoln airport. It was a BEAUTIFUL day – especially for a plane ride.

They surprised him with it a few nights ago. He gave us his typical surprise reaction (which wasn’t very much) and said, “it’ll probably crash”. Oh Jim! He was excited about it, though. The night before he kept checking and re-checking the video camera to make sure he knew what he was doing. I know this particular plane has brought tears to his eyes when he thinks about the men it hauled during WWII and the battles it fought.  Jim’s dad served in WWII as a young man so this holds a very special place in his heart.

I will begin this blog with a video which has no music and some wind noise. For this I apologize. After the video, I am going to include some of the same pictures for the reason that when I print my blog at the end of the year, these will be included. I’m not a videographer and know only enough to make me dangerous. 🙂 However, to view a really good video of the plane, check this one out by the History Channel.

Jenna wasn’t able to be with us. She had to make a trip to Kentucky for a CLAAS combine camp. I hated that she wasn’t going to be able to watch with the rest of the gang so maybe this video and pictures will give her a view of what the outcome of her gift looked like. Jamie mentioned this was the first Father’s Day in nine years that she was able to celebrate it with her Dad. Another positive outcome for not being in the wheat fields – or sitting in a camper waiting for the ground to dry.

I’m busy packing the Cottage on Wheels today. Jim says tomorrow (Tuesday) is the day we head out with the remaining pieces of Zeorian Harvesting & Trucking. Taylor and Jim took the Yellow Beast to Garden City last week. It won’t be an easy goodbye. Everyone will remain here while Jim and I take off on our own. Callie will be in Nashville for National FBLA conference the end of this month so we decided there was no reason for she and Taylor to follow us to Garden City and then turn around and go back home. They’ll meet up with us the early part of July. More “normal” summer activities for them. And I will miss them. And then there’s saying goodbye to Eli…

It was a good day! Happy Father’s Day to someone who does a fantasic job of fathering!

Related articles across the web

• ‘Beautiful aircraft’ returns to Lincoln for weekend visit
• B-17 flight sparks memories of ‘greatest generation’
• Restored B-17 to offer public rides in Wichita
• B-17G Flying Fortresses of the 96th Bomb Squadron are joined by a damaged P-38J Lightning…
• B-17 Flying Fortress lands at Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport