I yearbooked one of my buddies. Can you guess who it is?

I laughed at Sally's Pictures until I hurt. So, I did some and had a lot of fun. Here they are!

Flying Update

I currently have 16.4 hrs and should be able to solo in the next couple of lessons. The wind has not been cooperating. All of my touch and go's have been with a pretty strong cross wind. That has been a good thing because I get to practice those and am really starting to understand how much rudder it takes to keep the plane straight with the runway when you land however, Randy, my instructor, would like for me to have a lesson or two that is either calm or winds right down the runway so I can experience some landings where there is not so much going on. Today, Saturday, I went to have a lesson and there was a cross wind again. Sarah had gone with me, because she wanted to take some pictures of me for her photography class, and so because we decided to hold off on another cross wind landing Randy took her up and let her take some pictures from the sky. Here she is before she took off and then after she landed. Now I think she might want to take lessons; someday. Randy Shultz is a great guy and instructor.

Family News

Two weeks ago today memaw(Grandma Castor) put herself in the Vici nursing home. It has been difficult for her because she misses her stuff. She would like to be in a private room, not because of her room mate but because she is used to her own space. I'm sure once she is there for another week or two she will begin to adjust. My dad is able to go by every other week each day because his route goes right through there. Last week he stopped everyday and took something to her or brought something back she decided she didn't want right now because of no room to keep it. At least she gets three good meals a day and some one around at all times if she needs them.

The Mountains in North Carolina are a sight to behold.  This is a veiw from the Garden area of the Biltmore estate.  By the way make sure you look at the full view picture at the bottom in the photos of the full view of the estate.

This is Dawn in front of the Biltmore main Conservatory Greenhouse.  One of the many greenhouses among the 5 gardens and bass pond.  It was beautiful!

Today was awesome, Dawn and I, before we had to register at the choral festival music conference in Spartanburg, South Carolina, took in the Biltmore mansion.  Well, to try and tell you how it looked or explain its magnitude, I couldn't even get close.  It has 250 rooms, 33 family and guest rooms 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, 3 kitchens, and an indoor swimming pool.  It sits in the middle of 125,000 acres of forest, farms and dairies and five pleasure gardens.  I'm sure you know this family as the Vanderbilts.  You must go see it some time.  We were there for 6 hours and could have stayed another 2 or 3.  What a birthday present Dawn got me!  That's me at the front door of the mansion.