Happy Hour

"IF A LIFETIME CAN BE LIKENED TO A DAY, THEN THIS IS HAPPY HOUR!"
BUCK PENNINGTON

Mother, Mother Ocean

Mother, Mother Ocean, I've heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall
You've seen it all, you've seen it all
Watched the men who rode you, switch from sails to steam
In your belly you hold the treasures, few have ever seen
Most of 'em dream, most of 'em dream
Yes, I am a pirate, two hundred year's too late
The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder
I'm an over-forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late

Yoda

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."
―Yoda, to Luke Skywalker

Counted the Stars

Counted the stars on the 4th of July
Wishing we were rockets bursting in the sky
Talking about redemption and leaving things behind
I have these pictures and I keep these photographs
To remind me of a time
These pictures and these photographs
Let me know I'm doin' fine
We used to be so happy once upon a time
Once upon a time
But the sun sank west of the Mendocino County Line
And the sun sank west of the Mendocino County Line


""SOME SEE A GLASS AS HALF FULL, SOME SEE IT AS HALF EMPTY, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO’S DRINKING MY RUM."
Rumbear

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Just for laughs

Seeing as Missus ORPO and I lived in Kansas for almost 12 years, I thought a post on the lighter side was in order.
Have a good laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seeing that in States like Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and the rest of the Central Plains, mobile homes are referred to as "Tornado Magnets."




Saturday, December 24, 2016

The Maccabeats - Hasmonean - A Hamilton Hanukkah



Just tossing this one out for all to enjoy. I am really starting to enjoy these young men!

24 December 1968 16:40:07 UTC, T plus 75:49:07

This one was up on This Day in Aviation today.
I remember it. I was 14 and we were living in Alberta, Canada at an almost remote school community on the Southern Prairies in a very cold winter. Perhaps the winter added to it.........................
https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/24-december-1968-164007-utc-754907/

Earthrise (William A. Anders/NASA)

Winter.............

Missus ORPO and I ventured down to Lancaster to hit Walmart and WinCo.
The first four I took from Casa de Sharon y Glenn before we left. The others were taken from the 14-138(Avenue D) Junction on the way home. When we hit Mojave, there was snow blowing across the 14.
















All but the first four are looking towards the Grapevine. It was closed earlier today. We stopped at the convenience store near the house and the clerk said that the 58 at Tehachapi was closed. I check CalTrans but it said it was still open.
We do have winter in this neck of the woods!

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Chant du Départ: Two Years

From OldAFSarge
Chant du Départ: Two Years: ( Source ) He was a heck of a guy. Friend and mentor. Two years ago today, Buck walked into the clearing at the end of the path. I...



The Exile In Portales is in our hearts.............always.

Tuesday, December 06, 2016

A General Mattis Christmas Story

A General Mattis Christmas Story

A friend of mine had this on Facebook today. It gives one a bit of an insight to the character of General Mattis.
I understand why those Marines who served under him feel the way they do.

07003

Saturday, December 03, 2016

3 December 1937 - This Day in Aviation


3 December 1937 - This Day in Aviation

"3 December 1937: Jackie Cochran flew a Seversky SEV-2S Executive, NR18Y, a variant of the AP-7, from Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, New York to Miami in 4 hours, 12 minutes, 27.2 seconds.
On the same day, Александр Николаевич Прокофьев-Северский (Alexander Nikolaievich Prokofiev de Seversky), the airplane’s designer, flew a second AP-7-type airplane from New York to Havana, Cuba, in 5 hours, 3 minutes, 5 seconds."
Jackie Cochran (State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory)
Jackie Cochran in the cockpit of the Seversky SEV-2S Executive, NR18Y. Note the passenger windows below and behind the cockpit. (San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives)
Jackie Cochran in the cockpit of the Seversky SEV-2S Executive, NR18Y. Note the passenger windows below and behind the cockpit. (San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives)
I was browsing This Day in Aviation and came across this gem. I like that airplane.
Jackie Cochran was a pilot's pilot.

Thursday, December 01, 2016

A thought for the day.....Mike Rowe wonders why we give federal money to colleges who refuse to fly the American flag – TheBlaze

This definitely makes one go hmmm.

Mike Rowe wonders why we give federal money to colleges who refuse to fly the American flag – TheBlaze

Mike Rowe wonders why we give federal money to colleges who refuse to fly the American flagd

The Facebook page of former host of Dirty Jobs Mike Rowe is always an interesting place to stop by for solid opinions and “folksy wisdom,” as one Daily Dot writer put it. As he was posting his latest episode of “Hot Under the Blue Collar,” Rowe wanted to wonder out loud — or in text as it were — about something interesting he had seen while channel surfing.
As he was flipping through the channels, he came across images of college students burning the American flag, and making remarks about how Old Glory made some of them “fearful,” and others “disgusted.” He then recalled how President of Hampshire University Jonathan Lash had recently taken down the American flag because students expressed “fear and discomfort.”

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Friday, November 11, 2016

Iron Maiden - Paschendale Lyrics



Paschendale.................Everyone remembers Verdun and The Somme. Few remember Paschendale. The Canadians remember.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Veterans Day

It's that time of year again................................
All three terms in the title are appropriate to when one grew up and where.

Part of my growing up was in Alberta, Canada and I use Remembrance Day and Veterans Day interchangeably.

Thursday, November 03, 2016

A Life It's Ownself Post

Went to the family doctor Wednesday about my acute weight loss. 26 pounds in 15 months.
Referrals are being sent to Tricare for a scan from the neck to the groin and a colonoscopy.
I'm due for the scope anyway.
He used the term "tumor hunt" in the conversation.
Trying to deal with that.......

Friday, October 21, 2016

Beer and Cigar Blogging

I haven't done this in a long time.........................
The situation is now remedied.............................
After I fueled the Titan at the Edwards AFB Shopette, I went inside to get a few things and lo and behold, they had a small variety of decent cigars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After getting home to Casa de Sharon y Glenn, I spent a little time on the front verandah as Buck would say.





I also got a sort of decent shot of the half moon in a bright blue desert sky!



Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Just Because

Pessimist sees a dark tunnel; Optimist, the light at the end; a realist sees a freight train coming; Conductor sees some idiot on the tracks

Saturday, October 08, 2016

When will it end?

http://abc7.com/news/2-officers-killed-1-injured-in-palm-springs-shooting-police-say/1546091/

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Electrolytes and such.................

First up, the electrolytes are all good. I got a letter from my Doc in Tehachapi yesterday with the news. The potassium is at 4.5 which is really good!
Second, I had an appointment at the Sepulveda VA ACC with an orthopedic surgeon for my left knee which has been hurting like hell at times. Bursitis. I got a shot. That hurt most of the night. It feels OK today.
If it ain't one thing, it's another ya know.
Like Buck said................."Gettin' old ain't fer sissies!"

Friday, September 23, 2016

Sort of out of the loop

Sorry for the absence dear readers. September has been a rather strange month. I wound up dealing with some potassium and water pill issues.
I spent the night of 8-9 September in the ER at Palmdale Regional Medical Center after the Lancaster VA Clinic said my potassium was critical.
I think my outside doctor might have it figured out. I am now off the water pills and the potassium supplement.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Milestone

Somewhere I failed to keep track.....................
I now have 616,000 page views on ORPO.
I'll be damned!
Thanks to all who take the time just to stop by. I really do appreciate it!

Last 3 Operational F-106s Depart Atlantic City Airport, NJ



Awesome Plane Pr0n!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

62 Trips around the Sun

62.
Damn.
I had to spend Thursday night and Friday morning in the ER at Palmdale Regional Medical Center due to the results of blood work at the Lancaster VA. I got the notice via voice mail late in the afternoon Thursday. The nurse said my potassium was at 2.7. The preferred range is 3.6 to 5.6.
It was a definite strain.
Buck was right.
Gettin' old ain't for sissies.
62...............................

Monday, August 29, 2016

Running out of data

I haven't been on lately as the data provided with our Verizon Toys is depleting.
On the 8th of August we hope to have everything squared away. This is being sent from work!
Amazing that I can blog from Edwards AFB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, August 22, 2016

Canyon Fire from Camp Roberts plus Pismo Beach

We stayed at the California National Guard Camp here this past weekend.
We were supposed to see Trace Adkins at Pozo Saloon on yesterday afternoon/evening. It was cancelled for "unforseen circumstances." Being it was past the cut off for our card holding the room, we went over anyway.
Since we are in the 5 year severe drought, there was a fire sort of close............The Canyon Fire by Lake Naciemento and it even crept close to the Hearst Castle this morning, as in about two miles close. The P-3 and BAE 146 tankers were cycling from Paso Robles Airport during daylight hours.




Obligatory Beach Pictures




I will not go down and tell my children I didn't have the courage, the conviction, the commitment or the character to fight for this country...Don't go home and let your children down~~ LTC Allen West

Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus

‎"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.("Therefore, he who desires peace, let him prepare for war")" from "Epitoma Rei Militaris," by Vegetius (Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus)