"Mike W." wrote in message
...


Best solution would have been for controller to hold departing traffic
until
you were midfield downwind, or put you on left or right (opposite of
standard for the runway you were using) so they would not ever cross your
path.

Agree with that, Mike W. Once the other aircraft was cleared for takeoff,
my mistake was not asserting myself (my paper ticket was about 2 weeks old)
and extending downwind or flying the opposite pattern as you suggest. I
still get shivers when I think about it.