Thursday, October 09, 2008

Test Completed!

What a day this started out to be. I was sick last week, actually forced to crawl into bed and curl up wondering if I was indeed hit by a truck or just really sick. I rummaged through the medicine cabinet and found a few pills from my last bout with sore throat and bronchitis. Ahhh...relief in the way of antibiotics, Avelox down the hatch. I may as well add here that I HATE taking pills and would much rather a shot any day, go ahead, make your funny comment, I've heard them all.

Anywho, I took the remaining pills and called it a night. I woke up feeling better, needing a shower since sweating through my fever but overall able to stand without getting lightheaded and swallow without the broken glass in my throat feeling. I decided to head into work, I figured if I was busy enough I wouldn't feel to bad. Yes, I actually think like this, you can ask my Bride. I only was under the weather for two days and didn't miss any work time. Now, fast forward to Tuesday of this week. Hmmm, the right side of my throat is now sore and the fever along with body ache is back. Mary put in a call to the family doc and he called in my antibiotic that I normally take, since I exhausted what I had in reserves. I know, take the complete prescription even after you feel better. Yeah, yeah, ok next time. I did make a full day at work Wednesday and came home only to crawl in bed and get in some review for my IR written. Are you wondering how I did.....I must keep the suspense going (evil sinister laugh inserted here).

I was up and running at 7 am this fine Thursday morning. On tap today is my IR written scheduled for 9am, receiving a furniture delivery for our den and living room between 9:30 and 12:30. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the schedule conflicts we are faced with. Mary has a meeting with one of her clients at 10am so she is scratched off, I'm out from 9-11am but my brother Joe volunteers to cover from 9:30ish through 11am. Hmmm, this went pretty good. As I am making my way to TAS Flight School my cell phone rings, the delivery guy said he will be at the house at 9am!!! Crap! I am not missing my test, Joe has a client at 9am and Mary is now the primary go to gal. I give her a call and she steps in to save the day, I can hear the frustration in her voice but she takes one for the team.

I check in at the school providing my ID, log book sign off and autograph the required forms for the test. The school provides a book with all the IR test figures along with a protective plastic cover so I can use a dry erase on those figures in the book, pretty cool idea. I have two pieces of scrap paper two pencils and two pens as my backup along with an electronic E6B (that the proctor removed my batteries and reinstalled). I verify all the info and advise ready to begin. I jotted down a few notes to help me on the scrap paper and clicked away. I finished up my test with more then an hour to spare and decided to 'review' questions I marked and anything I may have missed. On my PPL test I changed five answerers and yes, changed them wrong, not this time. I did answer two questions that I marked and one answer I did convince myself to change. I clicked on the finish tab, confirmed I was finished and then the score was in...I PASSED with an 87%.

I am so glad that is over! I called Mary but she was still in her meeting so I headed home making only one stop for a celebratory cheese steak, chips and a Fanta orange soda. Mary finally calls back and I invite her to join me for lunch and add that I'll share my steak and chips. Mary walks in and we both comment on how nice the new leather furniture looks in the den and the brick around the fireplace completes the scene. Most of the living room furniture is in except for a special order leather love seat that should be here in 2 months. We sat down to eat and I have to say I was ready to explode if she didn't ask my score on the test. Between furniture conversations she stops and realizes she didn't ask......"well, how did you do on your test?" it just burst out of me.....I passed!!! Great!, how much longer until this is over ? (insert air escaping from balloon noise) well hon, I'll need an oral and check ride prep and that should do it. Hrrruuummmmphhhh.....At least she asked and I did pass.

I'm off to flight plan for north carolina tomorrow, needing to tie in my wx watch all week and pick a course for a back up if weatehr gets ugly along the coast.

5 comments:

Rob said...

Awsome Gary! Congrats! Glad you are feeling better just in time for your vacation.

Anonymous said...

Great job Gary!

Anonymous said...

Atta boy Mr Delaware!!

Steve said...

Congrats, Gary!

I'm planning on finally taking my Private written this week. Hope I do well too.

Gary said...

Thanks all!! now on to the checkride!