Ken Q

Of course the heat can be adjusted to taste. I've found that as I get older my tolerance for heat (in food, and both heat and cold in temperature) has diminished. But I still like spicy food, just not as spicy as in former days. Years ago, before I met my wife, my then girlfriend was attending Northeastern University in Boston. Coincidently, my best friend also lived in Boston. On Huntington Ave. there was a really good Burmese restaurant, the Mandalay. They served a variety of dishes that were not especially spicy in themselves, but which were accompanied by sauces ranging from "interesting" to "incendiary." Now my girlfriend did not like very spicy food, but in spite of my friend's and my warning she put on a LOT of the spiciest sauce. The evening did not end well. Also, I married someone else. Tonight's dinner: Chicken Biryani (medium spicy) from a really good Indian/Pakistani place. Ken

Very fond of chili, Texas or otherwise. And we love the cuisine of Sichuan and Hunan, though we've not had the Sichuan hot pot. We do, however entertain with the Mongolian hot pot. That is not in itself spicy, but served with chili oil and hot mustard. My wife loves it because all the prep is done in advance and she can enjoy the company without fussing. At one time we did a lot of Chinese cooking with dishes from all over China, but a preference for Sichuan. We still do from time to time, but nowhere near as much. Kung pao gai ding is my favorite. When we were younger, and really crazy, we used to do a Chinese banquet for our church social club. We prepared ten courses for about 70 people. Of course we had a committee to help. When I was stationed in Naples Italy during Desert Shield/Storm I was housed in an apartment with five other guys. We had nice little kitchen, so my wife sent me a care package: A full selection of Chinese ingredients. My roomies and I ate well. Today there is a nice trend developing here on Long Island. In part because of the University having a lot of native Chinese students. REAL Chinese restaurants are opening in addition to the ubiquitous Chinese-American. Of course this area has a lot of Mexican and South American people too,and great places that serve their food are abundant too. Can't get bored with the cuisine. Ken

Me too. We are scattered around the globe, but yet we are a 'band of brothers'. We come from different backgrounds, but share our interest in aviation, and on a personal level many other things as well. I wish, though we had more sisters, that more women shared our passion for flight simulation and engaged in our sometimes far flung discussions. Ken

Landon and Taph, you have certainly worked with some interesting comrades during your military careers. I did interact with some Saudi servicemen when stationed in Jeddah, but never really got a chance to know them. Ken

For me it was my English grandparents, especially my grandfather. After my father died a week after my second birthday, Mother and I moved in with Grandma and Grandpa, and Grandpa (who incidentally adored my father) became my father figure, and raised me with a unique Anglo-American approach. It has stood me well all these years, though my wife keeps saying that "in spite of all temptations to belong to other nations he remains an Englishman.". Well, not quite, but I guess the influence still shows. A WW1 American Vet, a former English merchant sailor, and a resourceful man he instilled in me patriotism, heritage and resourcefulness. Ken

Tough call. Either the DC6B or the Lockheed L188 Electra. Ken

Happy birthday Landon! Many happy returns. Ken

Petting the cat. But you should see the cat's reaction. He is about to perform a nose-ectomy! Ken

I'll add another vote: rudder pedals are a must, especially with toe brakes. Taxiing around the airport is so much easier and more realistic, likewise cross wind landings. I have both CH and Saitek. CH very good, though closely spaced. Saitek better. Go for it! Ken

Great shots. Thanks for sharing. Ke

He is expecting you to not only be stupid, but as morally deficient as he is. If this were real, he's asking you to participate in a money laundering scheme, which is just as criminal as his attempt to defraud. Ken

I always thought that they were a fun car to drive. Of course they were under powered, especially the earlier models. The cubby behind the back seat was great, considering that space in the trunk (which was in the front) was somewhat limited. I guess in the days before seat belts and passive restraints it was a good place to park a little kid. Two VW stories: 1. College. I went to a college located on the east side of the Hudson River, in Poughkeepsie, NY. I was involved in the sailing program (Commodore of the sailing club and Captain of the intercollegiate sailing team). To drive from the main campus to the boat house meant driving down a very steep, very curvy, narrow road. One icy winter day I tried this in my '62 VW. Of course the car wanted to go heaviest end first, and since the engine is in the back, I ended up going down backwards. Made it OK, but a harrowing experience. 2. Reserve Duty. For some years I lived on Long Island, but belonged to a Naval Reserve unit that drilled on Jamestown Island in Rhode Island. I almost always took the ferry across Long Island Sound. This one very cold winter evening I started the '72 VW at the drill site, and the generator light came on! Now I was taking the ferry from New London to Orient, the only cross-sound ferry that ran in the winter. Orient is on the far east end of the North Fork of L.I. in those days it was sparsely populated at best, and deserted during the winter. This was long before cell phones. In short, if the car died on the way, I might too. So I called my fiancee (from a PAY phone- remember those). I figured that if I got the car onto the ferry, the crew would push it off. So she drove all the way out to Orient to either pick me up, or as it turned out, escort me home (about 80 miles). After that, she still married me; we're happily married still, and have a good laugh when we think about it. There was another time when the accelerator cable broke. I jury rigged a wire from the engine to the driver's side window, so I had a hand throttle. VWs encouraged innovation. To quote a Navy recruiting slogan, " it's not a job, it's an adventure. " Ken

I've had two VW Beetles, A 1962 bought used in 1969, and a 1972 bought new (thanks to the parents). The '62 had a canvas sunroof, which leaked. But it was real handy on an especially cold evening in Albany, NY. I was visiting a friend at the University just before reporting to the Naval Base in Newport, RI. We wanted to attend a concert (can't remember who or what), but it was too cold to walk very far. The parking lot of course was full, except there was a very narrow space in which the car would fit, but did not allow for opening a door. The jerk on the right was taking up two spaces. So I let my companion out, pulled into the space, and climbed out through the sunroof. And yes, Gumby, $2.00 could run it for a week or more. My wife had a Rambler, but later than the one shown (A '72, I think) when we got married. Probably the worst car we ever owned. Ken

I don't know about "Grumpy Old Farts Club." Was thinking more about "International Society of Procrastinators," if I ever get around to it. Ken

At our age, time flies whether your having fun or not.

Best wishes, my friend. Many happy returns! Ken

Hard to say. There were a couple of notable ones. I've not flown IRL that much, neither commercial air carrier, or private. But I guess the one that stands out is a flight with a newly minted PPL friend, Dave. We took off from Westerly, RI, and flew a nice sight seeing flight around the area. But the landing, A real greaser. Didn't feel like we were on the ground until we stopped. Plane was a Cherokee. Another was with another pilot, this time in a C172. We flew into a tiny strip in the Pocinos. It was a short and VERY narrow asphalt runway. I didn't know a plane, any plane, could land on such a tiny strip. I've since learned. Ken

Well?????

Of course not all snow storms are bad, especially if you're young and in love! Remember the old 1945 classic "the weather outside is frightful"? That was incredibly risque at the time, A pair of (unmarried) lovers snowed in together. Well, for my wife (at that time, fiancee) that was the winter of 1977-78. Long Island had an unusual series of snow storms, punctuated by an occasional rain storm, and plenty of freezing rain and ice. Now at the time Karen shared an apartment in Huntington, while I had a little apartment in Lake Ronkonkoma (about 15 miles east, don't try to pronounce it unless you know Algonquin). While we maintained two domiciles, we were almost always together at one or the other ( usually mine because a) I didn't have a roommate and b) it was much closer to the University where we both were pursuing our PhDs). There were two major storms which closed the region (including the university) for a week each. We got snowed in in my place for the first, her place for the second. Her mother commented "very convenient." Ken

We (wife & I) refer to this sort of thing as "Corning Ware weather," "out of the oven, and into the freezer," or vice versa, after the old Corning Ware ad. Though perhaps not quite as extreme, we get that kind of weather here, especially during the winter. Really tears the roads up; many huge pot holes. Ken

I would say Hurricanes Gloria and Irene. Also Sandy was bad, and left us without electricity or telephone for 18 days. Even cell phone service was spotty. Sandy came in late October, and it got cold, and we were without heat. Huddled next to the fireplace for more than two weeks. The next summer I had a fireplace insert installed! Then there is snow. We almost always get some, and occasionally a snow storm that is notable. The one that started on Christmas, 2010 was a wopper, especially how the snow drifted in places. When we went to dig my mother out we found the snow had drifted in the driveway to the second story window sills, close to twenty feet. Incidentally, the fires out West are affecting us here, nearly 3000 miles away. Tuesday last was especially bad. We could smell the smoke, the sky changed color, and the haze cut visibility. Eyes itched, and breathing became difficult. Ken Huntington, Long Island, NY (KFRG)

I agree, for P3D. I like S.Lake Tahoe, and especially like nearby Nyack/Blue Canyon which are in P3D, Truckee would complete the set. BTW, I'd love to see Fresno for P3D, since the XPlane version is out there.

Stairs. Flight SIM is in the basement, so lots of trips up and down stairs every day. That, at least is on the days I'm not working. Work has me alternating between standing and sitting, as well as some walking. And when I'm blocking a hat, that is pretty physical. Wish I could walk more, but knees won't allow it. But when I am sitting at home, I keep my legs elevated most of the time. Every chair we own is a recliner. Ken

I'd love to. Know a lot about it, and it's on the bucket list. We've long thought about taking the train to Silverton, staying overnight, and going back to Durango ththe next day. But these long trips are getting harder to do. But on the other hand, if you've not ridden tthe C&T, you should put that on your bucket list. It goes from Chama, NM to Antonito, CO, over 60 miles. Takes all day, with bus transportation back to the starting point. Lunch is provided at Oser. Toltec Gorge is unbelievable! And Phantom Curve. I especially love Sublette. Mud Tunnel and Rock Tunnel. This too is part of the D&RG narrow gauge, the longest surviving part of it. Of course they are running the original steam locomotives that have served the line since the 1920s. There is a lot that you cannot see in any other way. You can take the train in either direction, starting at either Chama or Antonito. Ken

Doesn't seem like much of a vacation, but all to familiar.