HumanDrone

Thank you! And yes, it does! It needs mowing in those pictures, but the weather was nice... With my brother-in-law's help one night, I mowed it in a total of 3 evenings this week. We're working to eliminate the tough spots and make it go more quickly, but much of it is too steep for a tractor. That snowscape you posted on the first page is beautiful. That's why I like this area, we get it all, though sometimes the snowfall is disappointingly small. As Calvin said, "Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery." (Quoted on this page of marvelous "Calvin and Hobbes" snow art) Thanks again, Tom

Yessir, CaptSopwith, that's us too, but not quite as hot - in the 90's, hot and humid as a Jamaican drummer's armpit! We need rain really bad, but nothing significant is predicted for the next 10 days. If I didn't have a natural spring near the house, I'm sure the flowers would all be dead. I live near a town that got flash flooded like Widowmaker's Newcastle a few years back. Summer, we get those same intense thunderstorms and heavy downpours, and with all the hills, if it hits in the wrong place, it can be devastating. Doesn't help that nobody bothers about the storm sewer system until it's too late. Widowmaker, hope everyone is OK. Those are fantastic pictures. We had four killed in Pittsburgh last year, including a mother and her two daughters, when the water came up too fast in heavy traffic. Best, Tom (cross-posted with Deadhead)

Well, I'm late to the party here, and Olham's on leave, but here goes: I have almost 6 acres there, the care of which tends to keep me "grounded" a lot in summer time! There is a natural spring near the small white fence to the right of the house; I've piped it to a pond that we use to keep everything watered. As you can see, there are a couple of other part-time springs in my driveway! The large swing set just visible at the right edge is our summer night sanctuary, cooling off after mowing or other yard work. But the real "sanctuary" is behind the house - that addition makes it from an "L" shape, and there is a patio that is partially roofed. Many morning coffees out there, watching turkeys, deer, and various other birds from hummingbirds up to pileated woodpeckers. Plus it's a great place to sit (under the roof, of course) during a summer rain storm! In the winter, a sealed, glass-front fireplace helps keep us warm. It takes it's combustion air from outside the house and the inside air is heated by a fan blowing air around the firebox. But yikes, did I buy some steep ground when I was young! Now I'm trying to conquer the hills so I don't have to mow them! Ok, figured out how to link form my gallery...Here's one looking from the pond outflow toward the spring. They are actually separated by about 30 ft. or so... That's enough for now! But really, I love seeing your places... This is a nice thread... Best, Tom

My, I bet that was fun! Do stop by, as Beard says. You know they're getting ready to release a major update of OFF, if you're into WWI I think it's a "must have". Where else do you fly, virtually or otherwise? And what sort of artist are you? That can be a rough way to make a living! Best, Tom

I recognize ALL of them...

Congratulations! Your cheerfulness and helpfulness is something I always look forward to when checking in. Enjoy your leave! Tom

What a wonder! Congratulations, and blessings to the little one! Was it not a shock to take that little bundle in your arms and think, "Surely there is more blanket than baby!" I had five, and yet that always shocked me, that they could be so small, so delicate... The years will go too quickly by... savor them! Best, Tom

What kind of job is that where you can't goof off on the internet for half your day...? Ah well, back to work... just two more weeks and we can place our orders. And I have at least one trip coming so I won't be home for some of that anyway. Then when I get back it'll be "mowing week" - it takes me about 4 evenings after work to mow the grass around my place. So yeah, I can wait... but seeing a video like this makes it not as easy!

An electrical generator. Somebody has to keep the lights on!

God keep him safe until he returns! Give him my thanks for his service. My cousin just returned from 6 months in Afghanistan.

Interesting, Gepard. Of course, as a young Air Force ROTC cadet, I was thoroughly versed in the airlift - and a veteran plane from that effort is still making the air show rounds in the US - I've seen it in Pittsburgh a number of times. But what I find interesting is the (presumably) provocative action taken by the allies with regards to the currency. I have absolutely zero knowlege about how this kind of stuff works, and I often suspect it to be a "shell game" of sorts - but using currency as a weapon? The peons never get the full story, do we...?

Well, I'm still using the stock profile, so I grabbed yours and if I ever get back in the cockpit I'll give it a whirl! Real life's a bit of a bear this week. Everyone is out of the office, and bang - who gets the call to do a test near Steamboat Springs, CO? Guess I'll have to take one for the team... somebody has to do the tough ones...

That was no walk in the park! Glad to hear you are okay. Give yourself time, don't push things too hard, listen to Nurse Gladys and best wishes to you!

Well, I've been off on leave for the past week (actually out at a remote job site in Nevada, lots of test work & "politics"). I just saw this, and had a chuckle myself. I think we need to head over to the BOC and drink... err, I mean think about this new tactic! (Actually, i mean drink... really... I mean, what's the BOC for, after all?) to a master tactician and quick-thinking survivor! Cheers, Tom

Best wishes to you and tranqiullo! My dad had quad bypass 4 or 5 years ago, and at 87 he's still going strong, if that's any encouragement! Tom

Well wouldn't THAT be a fun thing to try to use in an aeroplane! I wonder about exposure times, how does on focus, etc.? So then you hurry back to the field, and into the darkroom... Wow. Maybe better suited to use from balloons?

Well, <ahem> ... It sure is dusty in here! yeah, that's it, my allergies you know.... something in my eye... RIP Cody, and to those who show how great this county is, :salute:

Best too you, tranquillo. Wow, only two more weeks. (Widowmaker, err... everything in the flightsim world of independently developed mods is always two weeks away...!)

Oh, no, I didn't think you meant that! It is tough, though, to double-post, so I'll have to make an effort to get over there often enough to keep thing alaive, as it were, for them - as you say, to do my part...

I'm torn. I had no idea that SimHQ had such a reputation. But as Olham others have said, and in sympathy for OBD and all they have done, well, we have to keep something going for them. My guess is they aren't going to retire to a posh penthouse in the Caribbean for all their efforts. Still it's tough for me to keep up with two places, and this place is so much more comfortable. But that was one l-o-o-o-ng outage! I'll pop in over there, but I don't know how we could possible lock, stock and barrell all just turn the lights out here and head over there.

I recall the first civilian simulator that I had, some early version of Microsoft Flight Simulator that was pretty much like Von Paulus's above: green ground, blue sky, and not much more. But OFF is my first WWI sim. I wasn't really able to get into simming and a decent machine until the kids had grown (5) and we got some of the bills paid off. Now if you REALLY want to go back, I used to play "War" on a teletype machine attached to some kind of mainframe at the University of Pittsburgh in the 1973-1974 time frame. You typed in a pair of azimuth and elevation numbers and it would type back either a HIT or the distance short or beyond the target (on paper, no less) ...you just keep adjusting until you get a hit, and then it gives you a new distance to target.

I for one have always admired your English, Olham. Makes me jealous that all I an manage is Gesundheit and Danke Schoen! , Tom

I guess I'm too new to pick up on which one he is by his language... maybe I need to re-read his Tips'n Tricks to pick up on it!