Hi everyone! My name is Rusty Coonfield and here is my BLOG. That's short for "weblog" to you. Kind of like an online journal which may or may not include subjects like: how to use a Macintosh computer, cool and useful websites, new technologies, photos of outdoor pursuits and my family and friends. Please add you comments and have fun! -Rusty

Sunday, June 05, 2005

Married-Check, Move to Florida-Check, Move to Little Rock....?

Well, Howdy there everybody!
I'm sure you all have been wondering what the heck is going on with us. I really have wanted to write a lot about all the changes that Jennifer and I have been going through but all of these things that we have been doing and trying to do have taken tons of time. Jennifer and I are barely finding enough time (by our standards) to hang out with each other and go on fun adventures together!

In short:
1.We successfully tied the knot (that's married with a capital M) on March 24th, 2005.
2. We departed our home of the last 5 years in Sequoia National Park, California to move to Kissimmee, Florida.
3. On the way to Florida driving cross country with our 5th wheel trailer home in tow and Jennifer driving the 1980 VW rabbit we managed to spend some time in Las Vegas, Lake Mead, Zion National Park and Albuquerque. Some of those stops were planned and others forced while we repaired the transmission in the truck TWICE during out 3000+ mile odyssey. Then as soon as we thought we were home free - we almost were. In Mississippi part of the siding on our trailer decided it wanted to be free to fly. It didn't fly to far but it was never going to be part of the trailer again. So with a big duct tape patch on the front of the trailer we limped on to Kissimmee.
4. Finally in Kissimmee and wondering where to stay for the night before Jennifer had to go to her first day of work the next day we had a very upsetting experience. Within minutes of stopping - our beloved furry companion, Loch had a massive seizure. Within the next hour we had made the awfully difficult decision to end her life and spare her further pain and suffering. Loch was 12 years old and as many of you know had been suffering various rather serious problems over the past year. We will miss her greatly.
5. So Jennifer got a job with the Nature Conservancy's Disney Wilderness Preserve. No - It is not a theme park. After spending some time settling in I got a job with the Orlando Flight Training at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport as a flight instructor. I quickly realized that I wouldn't be there long when it was a condition of employment that I take out my earrings! I begrudgingly complied but with a change in my attitude that I cannot describe.
6. My stay at OFT would be shorter than I had even expected! During my 2nd day of actual work and at a low point in my moral my good friends Darren and Eric inexplicably showed up. Having flown their boss down to Kissimmee for a few days it was sheer luck that they chose the place I had just started working at to park the Hawker and have it fueled while they were in Kissimmee. Over the next couple of days the guys confirmed what I had been feeling about OFT. I was being taken advantage of! All flight instructors make a pittance to gain hours no matter where you are but OFT was really sticking it to me. Darren quickly spelled out several opportunities for me in Little Rock (that's in Arkansas for you non-southerners) including the chance to fly a Cirrus for a guy a couple of times a week. A Cirrus is a new technology airplane with all the electronic navigation bells and whistles and the most modern of aerodynamic designs. It's a single engine, 4 seat plane but is fast! A call to the flight school in Little Rock (Central) where I did most of my commercial, Flight instructor and Instrument training a couple of years ago confirmed that they would have an opening for me as well (Thanks Cameron and Barry!).

So now your current on what's happened over the last 3 months or so minus some of the specifics. What about the future you say?
Plans are in short:
1. I will be moving to Little Rock before the end of June and most likely will be living with my pilot buddies, Greg and Justin on a grass strip just outside of Little Rock.
2. Jennifer doesn't want to leave her job in the middle of their field season and leave them hanging so she has offered to them to stay on until the end of the field season or until they find someone else to take over here position. In any case she should be in Little Rock no later than October!

Allright! so now you are all caught up!
Jennifer and I are at this very moment headed to the gulf coast north of Tampa to check out the sand and surf and dodge the thunderstorms. The sky has just cleared after some serious rain and things are looking up all around.
We miss all of our friends very much. You know who you are! :-) Hope to hear from you all soon.

-Rusty

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