OkieBart's Blog

OkieBart                                        Tom's Blog Here we go......how to build a Blog.....without the foggiest clue!   Don't know if anybody will ever see this thing.....but what the heck! I want to publish some old family stories,  some of my own that might be of interest to somebody one of these days.  Kind of like all those old stories my Grandparents could have told me......but I never thought to ask.   I'd also like to share some family history.......pictures and documents that one really can't share physically, but with this type of medium it becomes a possibility.   My hope is that others might join me in sharing their memories as well.   Structure......at this point....HodgePodge!    

The story you are about to read is true ... not even the names have been changed to protect the innocent It was 4am when Nancy woke up thinking about those bargains… I sawed logs until 5am trusting instead in quick reflexes and a fast getaway car. We cruised on down the highway and made it down to Owasso in time to see the crowd at Wal-Mart .... it's 5:40 am and those knuckleheads are out and half the parking lot is full .... go figure. 20 minutes later and we pull into Best Buy .... got a gift in mind .... limited quantity .... after a $70 rebate we'll get it for a measly 10 bucks! Just another gimmick to draw a bunch of suckers into their store well I'm here to tell ya .... it works! We hit the parking lot at 6am, the sun isn't up yet .... heck it isn't even in the shower! We turn the corner and there are already about 100 people in line .... lawn chairs and blankets and thermos jugs. What's wrong with them .... out at this hour ... why don't they...

7am.....halfway to work.... "Bang... THUMP"...... My little Honda is pulling to the right.   SWEET!   It's raining outside.... Its cold too.   I pulled over to inspect the tires.... Left front is flat.   Call work... Get out the jack and spare and proceed to get wet!   Eventually my little spare donut tire is installed and I go to Discount Tire where I'm shown a sidewall puncture.... Not repairable.   So now I get to buy Two tires..... Yippee!   It's an odd size... (sparse availability and expensive)  yippee........ So I go home,  start calling around.... Find some in stock..... Drive there.... The guy Jacks up the price.... I let him know that I don't like being cheated and walk out.     So I'm back at Discount Tire.... Trying to get used to the concept that even two cheap tires can still run a few hundred smackers......    This day isn't going well..... I need sympathy and a good ...

Oh My Gosh.....what am I going to do?  That was the sentiment at Misawa Air Base in 1974 when the new incoming base commander announced that he wanted a full change of command ceremony.   That meant that all of us had to put together full Class A uniforms and march in a parade.  Exactly the kind of pure military thing that none of us had come close to during our tours of duty.    People were scrambling to find proper fitting uniforms, round service hats, and sewing stripes on coats and shirts that had long been wadded up in the bottom of their green duffel bags.  What we wore was the old green fatigues....day after day.  And even worse, we were going to have to give up a few hours to practice marching.  The new commander was making a lot of people very grumpy. Then there was the other complicating factor.  Way off in what we called, "The World", a guy named Hank Arron was about to tie and possibly break Babe Ruth's record for home runs....

Sweet Nancy's Cabbage Burger Recipe

Bree's Field Airport  -  Laramie, Wyoming.    1985 Airplanes and aviators can create memorable moments....that's what I love about aviation.....especially on the flight line.  There was always something interesting, unusual, or dangerous going on and you had to be on your toes.  One Saturday in particular was a very good day for me.....and not so good a day for one Texas pilot.   Laramie sits at the southeast corner of Wyoming, and over on the southwest corner is the little town of Afton, home of Aviat Aircraft a builder of some small aircraft like this one.....the Pitts Special.  The Pitts is a very small but powerful biplane used for aerobatics and was for many years the ultimate aerobatic machine, used in competition.   So every once in a while a pilot would fly into Bree's Field with his brand spanking new Pitts S1 fresh out of the Aviat factory.  These little red fabric covered biplanes were beautiful pieces of avi...