The recipe for a happy father's day

Fresh Apricots +

Washed +

Halved + Pitted +

Homemade crust +

Rolled out just right +

Stack up fruit +

Sugar + Flour + Cinnamon +

Bake +

Enjoy with your Dad...

unless you can't.

Then, just be thankful for a beautiful life.

Just a short list

Marie and I just got back from our buying trip to LA.

IT.

WAS.

FANTASTIC.

AND...

AWESOME.

That's really all I have to say for now.  More, much more, on our adventures in purchasing soon.

Oh, and we bought: maxi dresses, premium denim, lots of tops, nursing tops, nursing bras, dresses, wraps, prego planners, onesies, little baby kimono gift sets, skin care for mamas, belts, bags, misc accessories, and MORE!

Dan Woods: he's got mad skillz1

So this guy whom I have never before met (that I can recall) made this AMAZING memorial for my dad and presented it to the airport yesterday.  Here he is on the right talking to Burt with the memorial cross between the two:

It is a silver cross made from a main rotor mast (totally cleaned up, obviously) 

and has engraving around the base that reads: 

James T. Cheatham 

A Helicopter's Best Friend

January 5, 1942 - 

March 11, 2009

I am constantly surprised by how many lives we each (in this case my dad) affect daily.  I have been able to find out about the great legacy my father left behind in the business and aviation communities.  People from the bank and post office clerks to heads of corporations tell me that they loved my dad - he was someone who took the time to ask how they were doing - AND really listen for the response.  He bragged about us kids because they tell me that he did.    It is really special to have such a father as mine, one who left a legacy of service and personal investment in all he did.

Memorialized

The three local Cheatham kids, pulling back the cover together...

to reveal the beautiful plaque.

And one cute grandkid 

(more on her scraped up nose in a later post)

The crowd disbursed to partake of other Airport Tenant Day festivities.

It was an emotional moment.  The Airport Manager spoke.  He said that Jim Cheatham helped to put this airport 'on the map', and that he (my dad) was largely responsible for the helipad even being there.

Burt spoke for the family, saying that we were all there to "make sure they were doing it right". It was perfect comedy, and sounded EXACTLY like something my dad would say.

He did a great job.

So, then we pulled back the covering.  The plaque looks fantastic.

Later, the Airport presented the family with a runway-light lamp.  It is super cool, but I didn't get a photo.

Also, a man named Dan Wood made an AMAZING brass monument (a rotor mast as a cross) engraved with "James T Cheatham, the helicopter's best friend".  I will post those photos later.

Thanks for memorializing our dad, Salinas Airport.  We are proud.

SW