"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:C2%ff.345892$084.243468@attbi_s22...
To all you who are blithely heading off to spend time with your family
over this Thanksgiving holiday, please stop to realize that there will
come a time in your life where you would do *anything* to spend just one
more boring Turkey Day with your folks. I think of all the times that I
childishly bitched and moaned about "how awful" the holidays were, and
weep at the realization that I could have spent so much more time actually
getting to know my Mom and Dad better.

Don't waste a minute.

I remember the first time I took my mom up for a ride. It was a short ride
from Spencer to Spirit Lake, Ia, about 25 miles. This was just a few months
after I had gotten my ticket and used a rental C-152. About half way into
the flight, I looked over at Mom and asked her how she was doing. She
replied with something like "I'm ok, what about you???". I was fine. It was
a smooth and uneventful flight. I think she was more concerned about me than
herself. I haven't had the opportunity to take her up again lately yet.

I've taken my dad for a ride a couple times. Once was a round trip between
Spencer and Spirit Lake in a rental C-152 and once in my Ercoupe from Fort
Dodge to Humboldt. When coming in for a landing at Humboldt, I wasn't set up
the way I liked so I did a go around. My dad started taking flying lessons
back in the early 40's in a Luscombe but never soloed and also flew in
B-17's during WWII so he enjoys flying. I hope to take him up again.

I took my brother for a ride once from New Ulm to Sleepy Eye, Mn in my
Ercoupe. Since my brother weighs almost twice as much as I do, I carefully
checked the W&B before that flight. He only wanted to fly straight and
level. He enjoyed it but was a bit nervous.

My uncle came to Humboldt a few years ago and saw my Ercoupe and said he
wanted a ride with me someday. I saw him a few times since but we never got
the chance to fly together. He passed away over a week ago.

-Greg B.