Good Job Sully

       This week marked the end of Katie Couric's career as the anchor of the CBS Evening News....but the network also made an announcement you may have missed. Captain Chesley Sullenberger has become a contributing reporter for CBS News. Sullenberger emerged on the national stage on January 15, 2009 when his U.S. Airways jet was struck by geese upon take off from LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Sully calmly landed the jet liner in the Hudson River without so much as a scratch on any of the 155 passengers. Sullenberger is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a native of Denison, Texas. He holds two Masters Degrees and will be a valuable addition to the news when it comes to matters of airline safety and problems..

Focke Wulf 189

     I have a new model to share with you today....It is a copy of the Focke Wulf 189 Reconnaissance and Light Bomber used by the Germans in World War II.  The plane is extremely rare as only one remains of the 864 built between 1940 and mid 1944. The last surviving plane was shot down by the Russians in 1943 in a heavily wooded area near Leningrad and remained there until discovered in 1991. A group from England bought the wreckage and refurbished it to like-new condition. The Germans were so impressed with the American P-38 fighter, this plane was their result. Used primarily as a photo-reconnaissance assistant to ground forces, it also saw duty as a light bomber on certain occasions. Because of that, it was referred to as 'the Flying Eye' by ground elements of the German Army. It was manufactured at two plants, one in Bremen, France and the other in Prague, Czechoslovakia. It was powered by two Argus AS410 engines and had a crew of three. Used extensively on the Eastern Front against Russia, its primary defense was being highly maneuverable and out-turning the opposition. The FW 189 had one 20mm cannon and two machine guns for defense. My model is painted light-sand color as were the planes used in North Africa by General Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps.

Homer the Hog

    There is a certain amount of truth in the old
adage 'One man's trash is another man's treasure.'
Last week I discovered a little pink pig among the
items listed as 'sale' at the local Goodwill Store. I
sprang for the two dollars they wanted for the pig
and showed it to my wife as a potential Harley Hog.
During our recent power outage due to the storm 
that ravaged Denison last weekend, my wife took
the time to make the conversion. Homer now sports
a pair of jeans, a black vest, and a bandana to keep the sweat off his brow. Needless to say, his value has escalated from what I paid for him.. He now will take his place of honor among my other Harley items... The photos show how he looked when I found him...and after

Momma changed his looks...and attitude.