First visitors of the year!

It’s hard to believe how fast the time seems to be going by just now! I had planned to write another blog-post weeks ago, but between working to finish my theory chapter tests, getting ready for the arrival of “Little Swanson #3” and hosting our first visitors of 2012, time has just run away on me!

The first visitors we had this year were my mum and dad, who have never been to the States before. As this was their first trip across the Atlantic, they were keen to check off as much “tourist stuff” as possible, as well as seeing our home here in Coshocton, spending time with the kids (and me and Heather!) and visiting the hangar to see what we are actually doing here in Ohio!

Their tourist trail started in New York, where they spent the weekend while we were driving back from North Carolina (see the last blog post!). After a few days in the Big Apple, they flew to Columbus, where Matthew and I met them at the airport. Dad had planned on doing some driving while here, but when they saw the traffic on the Interstate I think they were glad that they had their own team of chauffeurs for their stay with us!! It was good to be able to give them their first taste of American life, and Abi and Matthew enjoyed showing their Granny and Granda around our home here. (Think demonstrations of “The Pledge of Allegiance”, “bug tour’s” of the garden, peanut butter milkshakes from “Earl’s”, and reading bedtime stories at the end of the day.) A great time was had by all!

Bedtime stories

The other tourist thing on the list was a visit to Washington DC. As most of the things to see in DC weren’t really of interest to Abi and Matthew, and a 7 month pregnant Heather didn’t fancy another 6 hour car drive, we decided that I would drive with my folks to the capital, and get my fix of museums and memorials without the rest of the family! We had a great weekend there checking off as many of the iconic landmarks as we could in the short time we were there! We also managed to squeeze in a Gettysburg battlefield tour visiting one of the most important Civil War sites in America, and learning a bit more about what happened there.

Climbing the steps outside the Jefferson Memorial with my mum.

When we got back to Coshocton, we had a few days to relax here; I was back at work, and my mum and dad were able to visit Abi at her school. They had lunch in her class room, saw some of the work she has been doing, enjoyed some “recess” time in the play ground, and met the rest of Abi’s class. We were also able to give Heather a “home day” to herself when the kids and I took granny and granda through to the zoo in Columbus. As it is still off-season not all of the displays were open, but it was also much quieter and we were able to have a good look around the zoo at our own pace.

Abi showing off her classroom

Abi and Granny meeting the shark at Columbus zoo

Matthew helps with some shopping at Miller's Bakery

Mum and dad went back home at the end of April, and then I had just enough time to finish off all my chapter tests before our next visitors arrived! The chapter tests are done to ensure we cover all the theory we need to know before sitting our FAA exams; even though I have finished those now, they did a great job of confirming how much I still need to learn, so the studies will continue!!

Last week we had our good friends Mitch and Elizabeth, and their wee boy Robert, visiting us here in the “north”. Although Elizabeth has been here before, Mitch hadn’t, so it was good to be able to spend time with them here, and show them around the hangar. They had a great time exploring Amish country, letting Robert have some time playing with his “Scottish cousins” and sampling the compulsory cheese tarts from Miller’s Bakery! It was also a good chance for them to relax away from their daily routine’s as Elizabeth is expecting their second child in August.

Mitch, Elizabeth and little Robert.

Thanks for your patience since the last post – we really appreciate your interest and support as we train here in Ohio. Up at the hangar I am working on a MAF Cessna 206 just now, and will hopefully have a post about that coming up soon!