Our next meeting will be Sat. the 19th of Feb. at the Baron's Inn in Green, New York at around 12 Noon for dinner.  Please plan on coming and bring a friend, the more the better.   
    We had 10 people show up for the meeting and because of the low attendance I didn't have a round table review.  Many people were missing and the weather had a lot to do with it.  Ross Gil and Matt were the only ones that were flying; enclosed cockpits help.  The rest of us stayed in trying to keep warm.  It got all the way up to 50 degrees today so we are getting ready to at least think about flying.
    The restaurant did well by us on the meals and everyone enjoyed each others prop-wash stories.
    I kept pretty busy baby sitting our grandson.  Grandma stood guard during the day while I was pushing snow and I stood guard at night.   Matthew, our son, had an assignment in Hawaii working on a P-3 Flight Simulator for 2 and 1/2 weeks.  He took Laurie with him for company to look at the sights on his off hours. 
    I got a call from my mother during this time that my dad was dying and he did, on January 29th.  We are one member short on the list now.  Dad always enjoyed flying and took my twin brother and I along whenever he could.  I got the bug at the age of 4 years old.   We were double trouble in the back seat of a 7AC Aeronca Champ.  His flight instructor (Harmon Johnson) was also mine when I started flying at age 19 at the Chenango Bridge Airport .  One of those days while flying I reached over to my left and turned that pretty orange handle which was the fuel shut-off valve.  Poor dad got puzzled when the engine was wind milling and it made him notice that the fuel had been shut off.  My brother and I were told not to touch anything anymore while flying.  We at times grabbed that stick that was waving around in front of us.  It was kind of like magic the darn thing just kept moving around.  Those were my introductory days of flight and I never will forget them.  Another pilot in our club that was taught by Harmon Johnson was Ray Osterhout.   Harm became my father-in-law latter on and was a great close friend too.
    Well it is a short newsletter but at least something to read.  Let's have a good attendance at the next meeting and maybe by then Dave Thomas will have his jet powered lawnmower working.  I can't wait till he gives us a demo of his creations.    

    Your Secretary,

        Mel Wightman