Me and Mini Me

Takin' Care of Business

Meet my sweet little mini me, Miss Ashtyn Beck!  This is Matthew and Ashley's 10 year old daughter who just finished 4th Grade at DeWitt Elementary yesterday.

So as of right now Miss Ashtyn is going to be an honorary member of Team AufderHeide Flying.  I have taken her under my wing and I'm thinking about making her my protege...  The future "Office Manager / Crop Dusting Secretary" of AufderHeide Flying Service!  My Mini Me!!!                        

Mini Me is good with a calculator and does an amazing job at alphabetizing chemical slips!  (She's actually working on them right now)  She is a fantastic doggy sitter.  She's a sharp-shooter when it comes to swatting flies.  She is a skilled golf car driver...  Or at least she hasn't thrown me off or crashed yet..  She cools the guys with her mister fan when they're hot.  She's a great note taker.  And best of all... She pretty much does whatever I ask!  No back talk like the guys or anything!  She just smiles and then goes about doing her task!  This is great, my Mini Me is awesome!

Canada Ain't Got Nothing on Us

Who wouldn't want to watch these three studly hunks on the big screen
 

As I wrote about previously in "Paging Hollywood" (http://aufderheideflying.blogspot.com/2011/05/paging-hollywood.html) I really think that our daily little crop dusting life here at DeWitt Municipal Airport would make for some great reality tv... But I also mentioned that we would probably pass... Well, it looks like somebody stole my idea... And even worse!  They're from Canada! 

Last week the e-Edition of AgAir Update provided us with all the details:  "A new reality TV series on ag aviation called "Dust Up" will premier on History Television in Canada June 2nd.  Episodes will run for 3 weeks with two 1/2 hour episodes each week.  The series will not be carried in the U.S. but will available at http://www.history.ca/ after June 2nd."  You can also watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34ZJ5AKHWe8

Why in the world does anyone want to watch crop dusters from Canada?!?!  Well I'm not exactly sure but here are the following reasons that we shan't be watching  1)  Canadian crop dusters talk with funny Yankee accents (they say "out" and "bout" strangely) and pretty much anything that comes out of their mouth sounds like Sarah Palin.  2)  In the preview they keep talking about how scary, frightening, and dangerous crop dusting is...  All the real crop dusters I know don't really even mention it.  They don't like to brag.  (About their jobs anyways, their money & hot bodies may be a different story! ha) They certainly know the risk but don't like gloating about it.  3)  They don't have single yellow airplane.  (weirdos)  4)  Apparently they do have a one chick on the show, but she is not cute and doesn't seem to know what she is talking about.  5)  They don't have anyone close to the ruggedly handsome men I get to work with each and everyday!  Those Canadians seem to have a bunch of facial hair and wear a lot of black; I'm not a fan of facial hair...  Like I told the guys at the mixing tank this morning, "If I can take the time everyday to shave my legs, you can certainly take a little time and shave your face."    6)  Lastly, they certainly don't seem to have the camaraderie we have here at the DeWitt Municipal Airport.  Sure we work long, hard hours and sometimes we get busy and frustrated and yell when we get flustered, but at the end of the day (and like most of my stories illustrate) we're all good friends, we care about one another, and congratulate each other on a job well done!...  Like Cupcake said last week, "Canada Ain't Got Nothing On Us!"  

The pictures above were taken late last Saturday afternoon after a brutal and backbreaking week.  Lonnie had  worked hard for us all day to help us finish up and I rewarded all three guys with a cooler full of cold ones! The top pic was a candid shot I got of Lonnie explaining to the young boys how to get rock hard abs just like his.  And the bottom one of us was our celebratory pic for closing out the week!  Aren't I a lucky gal!

It's a Man's World, I Just Work In It

I saw this hanging in Bullock's office last week and found it quite hilarious! Why don't we have one of these posters here, dangit!

Airplanes, Grease, Tractors, Diesel Trucks, Chemicals, Radiators, Tail Wheels, Jump-Starting Diesel Trucks, What Size Container Facet Comes In and The Current Price of Jet A... What are things girls shouldn't have a clue about, Alex? Ding! Ding! Ding! That's right, we have a winner!

It's no secret that I'm surrounded by boys pretty much my entire day but I guess it just recently hit me that they are EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME!!!! Brother Bear, Shawn, Junior, G.W., Cupcake, Lonnie, Turbo, Woodrow, Kramer, Canine, Robert (the mechanic), David Bullock, Bullock's ground crew (including Rickey Bobby), Farmers, Auger Truck Drivers, Chemical Delivery Men, Field Scouts, Fuel Truck Drivers (mullet man), and even the UPS Man is a dude! They are crawling all over this place!

Seriously, sometimes the only chick that I actually see and communicate with for days on end is my mother. Work from 5:15-8:45 doesn't really allow for much else. I do get to have some verbal communication with other gals in the industry (Nikki Pippinger, Shannon Bullock, Regail Moritz, Sonya or Tonya at CPS in Almyra, and the chick that is always angry in Altheimer, but I don't really count her) although it's very limited. However, some days it can help to save what's left of my sanity... Nikki told me a special secret to the fertilizer world (a ton weighs 2,000lbs) and Shannon made some fabulous Ooey Gooey Heath Bar Cake! Thanks Girls!

Then there's the dudes... Oh the dudes... While working with a bunch of guys can't be totally comical, educational, confusing, frustrating, exhausting, hilarious, and eventful; it can also be very insightful. Ya see, no matter how rough, tough, and rugged most men want to act they almost always know how to mind their manners in front of a lady.

They apologize when they use curse word or expletives, even Rickey Bobby! They are always courteous and offer me snacks, soda, beer, or a chew of tobacco. (Thanks, but no thanks) They ask me how my days going. They ask my opinion. They seek my advice on lady friends and even sometimes take it! The best is when they start the conversation out by saying, "So you're a girl... what do you think about this?"... Why yes, yes I am a girl. Thanks for noticing!

Then other times they like to think of me as one of the guys. They talk about their bodily functions, scratch themselves in inappropriate places, tell raunchy jokes and sometimes tell me too much information. (T.M.I) I guess Cupcake said it best last Friday when he said, and I quote, "If you wanna hang out around men you're just gonna have to hear manly things." Hahaha

But at the end of the day, I think they really do have a lot of respect for me. Whether it's because I keep the same long hours they do, they see how hard I work, or because I keep them in line and let them have fun at the same time, I'm not really sure... I guess when you boil it all down I like to think I'm the brains and they are the brawn and together we make a beautiful team!... It may be a man's world but at least I get to control a little bit of it!

I like to think that James Brown got it right when he sang: "This is a man's world, But it wouldn't be nothing; nothing without a woman or a girl" ~Thank you Mr. Brown


**I wanted to title this post after my favorite chapter in Tina Fey's Bossypants book, "Peeing in Cups with Boys" but I didn't because I thought it might give my mom a heart attack. (She still makes everyone around her say, "Go to the bathroom" or "Tinkle" because the actual word "Pee" is horrifying to her.) Anyways in that chapter she talks about being one of the few women writers in comedy and having to deal men, who actually pee in cups & leave them around the office. The guys around the airport don't do that thankfully; however, workers from other flying services that use the airport to do fertilize jobs do "tinkle" out in the wide open and it's very unbecoming... (Yes, workers, I can see you. Just because you go to the other side of the loader truck doesn't mean you are camouflaged!)

Prayers for The Bull

Our good friend David "Bull" Bullock from Bullock Flying Service suffered a massive stroke yesterday morning while working at the flying service.

David is currently being treated by UAMS in Little Rock. His father, Billy Paul, was in my office a little bit ago and reported that David woke up talking this morning and has regained some movement in his right side. While this is wonderful news and a big step in the right direction there is still a long road ahead of him. Please continue to pray for David, Shannon, their family and the team of doctors that are working around the clock.

The Bull is best known around the airport for his extremely hard work ethic (even after he couldn't fly this year he worked around the clock mixing chemicals and working on planes), starting the brightly colored PFG shirt trend, (I discussed this in "Easy, Breezy, Beautiful"), his booming loud voice (if he's in his hangar & I'm in ours I can hear every word he says even across the tarmac), and his larger than life, charismatic personality! (if you know The Bull you know what I'm talking about, his personality instantly fills the room when he walks in.) We are praying for a safe and speedy recovery and hope to see him back at the DeWitt Municipal Airport soon!

Meet my Lawyer

It is my pleasure to introduce to you my new lawyer, Esquire Lana Florence Flowers, JD. (I'm not sure that is exactly her specific title but it sounds official and I like it, so I'm going with it)

Lana grew up in the big city of Augusta, Arkansas (not Georgia) and went to school in the bubble that is Harding Academy. We met in college when she was a freshman and I was a sophomore. We were neighbors in the dorm and since mine and my roommate Whitney's room had the only bathtub on the 4th floor (we were high class) she instantly wanted to become my friend so she could take bubble baths and shave her legs. She was pretty cool and had a lot to learn about college life so I took her under my wing and showed her the ropes. (I also let her shave her legs in my tub)

We discovered we had a lot of things in common such as: Our love for trailer parks, naps, backroading, wife beaters, being the boss, road trips, theme parties on random nights of the week, card games, being lazy by a large body of water, Golden Girls, pizza rolls, and all things George Strait & Garth Brooks related. Our friendship blossomed and most of my favorite college memories include her! Only she could make me learn to walk on stilts & dress up as a clown in front of the entire campus! (I hate clowns. They terrify me. See, I told you she was bossy)

While we are alot alike there are a few areas in which we differ 1) Lana has no clue about politics, and she took a quiz online that said she may be a Republican 2) Lana is extremely paranoid about any and all things. She can take any situation and turn it in to your worse nightmare. Say we are planning a girls weekend to the lake. Well in her mind she is thinking, "what if Kat drives too fast, what if we have a wreck going around the curve, what if the boat has a hole in it and it sinks, and what if the people that come save us are Mexican drug lords". And no, I'm not exaggerating. But, I guess it's a good thing. I am the complete opposite and still have to be reminded to do things like lock my doors and don't walk the dogs at night by myself. In a way maybe she is like me, thinking one step ahead. Or like a carpenter building stairs... :) 3) Lastly, Lana is a genius. She was valedictorian at Harding Academy, had a full ride to ASU, pretty much had a 4.0 her entire time there and was accepted into law school at U of A with flying colors!

Now, after three years of a rigorous study schedule and grueling all-nighters, Lana Lucille Flowers has graduated with her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She takes the bar exam in May and then will be ready to uphold and enforce the laws of this great land! She will also be handling any and all of my legal battles, so don't mess with me... I have a really smart lawyer!

Thank you AufderHeide Flying readers for allowing me this point of personal privilege (that's lawyer talk there) and if you're friends with Lana on Facebook be sure to tell her Congrats! Oh and Lan, please allow this adoring blog post to serve as your graduation present until I buy you an actual present approximately 3 months from now!

-The picture above is of Lan and her daddy, Big Mike on graduation day. He, Lan, & I share the same dream of growing old on a secluded cabin by the lake and writing country music. He and her mom Deb are very proud of her and also excited they will no longer be financially responsible for her well being!

Have You Hugged a Crop Duster Lately

Cupcake and Brother Bear, my favorite crop dusters!

So obviously I'm a little late on this (and it's pretty pathetic given my affinity to make a celebration out of any and every holiday) but May 29th was INTERNATIONAL CROP DUSTER DAY!!!!

To all my favorite crop dusters (Matthew, Cupcake, Lonnie, & Brandon), crop dusters I kinda know or have at least heard of, (with the possible exemption of one) and all our crop dusting brothers across America and over seas, Thank you for your service, dedication and hard work. You are a major factor in the worlds' food supply. You aid farmers in producing a safe, affordable and abundant supply of food, fiber, and bio-fuel. Your work helps keep clothes on our back and food in our bellies. It seems without you we would be like the early days day of Adam and Eve; everyone running around naked and eating fruit!

Ok, Ok... So maybe I'm being a bit dramatic... But they really are a very important part of the agricultural industry and factor into many parts of our daily lives. I'm very blessed to work around a fabulous group of crop dusters and get to thank them daily for what they do.

If the International Crop Duster Day holiday slipped your mind too, perhaps next time you see a friendly crop duster in your area you should thank them, give them an "Atta Boy" & a hand shake, or perhaps the ol "Good Game" pat on the booty!!!... Or just give them a hug! (Crop Dusters love hugs) Either way, you'll be glad you did!

As the Prop Turns (Part 3)

Matthew working off Hillman's dirt strip on Saturday. I got to come visit (and get covered in dust) when I brought the loader truck some oil!

Here's your weekly (ehh, not always weekly, sometimes I forget) installment of events going on around the airport.

*June Bug: June is here & Summer has arrived! I'm suddenly craving to be on the water or have sand between my toes... Unfortunately, the closest that I can get to those two things would be a dip in the water truck or walk around the tarmac barefoot and feel the urea underneath my toes. (I'll pass) With the days getting longer, harder, and hotter we are certainly feeling the arrival of summer around the airport. We are stocked up on water and Gatorade and the air conditioning is running full blast! (Except when I have to turn the AC off in my office because it's so loud and I'm so deaf)

*Playing Hooky: So much to the unhappiness of my crew, I cut out to Little Rock around 2 Saturday afternoon and just got back in the office around 8am this morning. My wonderful mother took hold of the reigns while I was out gallivanting in Little Rock... And by gallivanting I mean sleeping in, cleaning my house, laying out, working in the yard, and eating really great food! Gabe made a big dish of John Besh's homemade shrimp and grits on Sunday and we had a big group of friends over to eat on my patio! The food was fabulous and it was really great catching up with all our friends! Tuesday I had a great interview downtown that I'm very excited about and this morning I got up bright and early to head back down and whip this place back into shape.

*Loader Truck Love: When I left Saturday afternoon two of our loader trucks (The Hybrid & Red) were hanging on by a thread... Or perhaps a bolt. I'm not so good at the truck mechanic'in so I really don't know. Either way, they were both running hot, spewing oil, and were a danger to any driver. (Also, totally unreliable) So Sunday Matthew went and got a loader truck from Brandon Everette in Holly Grove to test drive. This baby is an automatic, has a stainless steel hopper, and purrs like a kitten! I'm pretty sure Shawn feels like he's driving a Caddy when he takes this sweet baby out on the strip!

*Wings of Flight: No, I'm not talking about airplane wings... I'm talking about Matthew's hair. He's getting pretty shaggy and if he doesn't get a hair cut soon I'm pretty sure those lovely Farrah Faucet wings billowing out from underneath his cap may take flight! I'll try to post a pic and squeeze him in for a hair cut soon!

*Busted: Well I'm not exactly sure anything has burst but I don't believe all the parts on our water lines are working correctly. Late this morning the water out of the faucets and in the toilets suddenly began to look like brown paint. Luckily, G.W. was on the case and things have begun to clear up now... Either way, I think I'm going to lean on the side of caution and bring bottled water to make the coffee in the morning!

*Baby On Board!: Looks like I get to be 'Aunt Kat' to another sweet little nugget!!! Matthew and Ashley are prego again and Ashtyn & Mary Grace are very excited about being big sisters. I've known since early last week and have been dying to spill the beans! They finally told my mom, Alexis, & Ashtyn on Sunday and now I get to share to exciting news with you! ... Will the old folk tale of "Crop Dusters Only Have Daughters" ring true once again or will they be blessed with a bouncing baby AufderHeide Boy?!?!?! Stay tuned to find out.....