Mike Lief has a sweet account of the last flight of the C-130E. I know that the technology needs to be updated–in fact I get angry when it doesn’t seem to be updated fast enough for safety, as in the case of the shuttle fleet–but it’s still sad to see the old birds go. A description of the new 130J is here, with diagrams and specs here. It frankly surprises me they’re still building turboprop engines rather than going all jet, but that’s a total outsider’s surprise, as I’m the farthest thing from a technology expert imaginable. Mike makes a good point about the crews: no more navigator or flight engineer. They’ll have only the two pilots and a loadmaster. At least they’ll still have some company, but I’d imagine camaraderie and one-upsmanship with the navs and engineers will be missed.

Back from a trip that grew longer than planned. After Thanksgiving week, The Little Bean and I spent a nice few days with my mother, my sister, her husband, and The Flower Girl, who got herself a personality since I saw her in October. She smiles, coos with great intensity and purpose, and pushes up with her two-month-old legs. She’s a feisty one.

Home again with the laundry and the clutter and the three-year-old who’s not satisfied with any of his pre-vacation activities. Have I mentioned to you prospective or new parents out there to forget anything anybody tells you about the Terrible Twos? Age three is when the grease hits the pan.