It was a common term in the aviation world: “Cross Country.” It meant a lot in that context. Normally, gathering approach plates and navigation materials. Pack something to wear besides a Nomex flight suit and boots. Doing the pre-flight after the briefing, then sling a small military duffle behind the ejection seat, and go fly […]

  There is a lot to talk about today, and trust me, the Writer’s Section at Socotra House was actively discussing it. The problem is, or better said, one of the problems, is that the Old America is still around. The Television featured a team from Nathan’s Hot Dogs grilling up some of their famous […]

There is other stuff we could talk about this morning, but it can wait. We prefer the best ten minutes we have ever seen. The Richest individual on Earth launched himself sixty miles up, above the atmosphere we normally share, successfully separated himself from the booster, spent a couple minutes in the zero-gravity environment and […]

The Writer’s Section had some fun yesterday. Warm, sure, that is the Piedmont in muggy summer. Nature’s warm, moist embrace. Was there a case of beer evident in the discussion? Like the Texas legislators stowed away on their private plane to flee injustice in the Lone Star State?    In point of fact, there was […]

  Rains pelted the farm last night with vigor and a blast of sound and wind. The predictable decisions cast their shadow- raise the powered awning to avoid potential damage? If run up for storage, the cover from the blistering soggy heat would be saved from Nature’s passing wrath, but the seats at the outside […]

As you know, the rolling hills of Virginia’s green and lovely Piedmont can conceal adventure and mystery. They are not the same as up in the Blue swatch around DC. In fact, they sometimes don’t seem to be in the same space-time continuum. We used to live in Fairfax County, and that school district is […]

  Intern Note:We posted some words from contributor Marlow yesterday while the Boss was goofing off. We also got warned. Management has some hang-ups from the Compliance nerds bitching about just posting stuff. Our response was that management posts all kinds of dubious stuff without asking us, who actually look like America, whether it makes […]

Good morning, Gentle Readers! It has been quiet since the 4th of July, which used to be a fairly large holiday here in the United States of America. Which is not quite as united as they used to be, but that seems the nature of things these days. The President traveled yesterday to deliver an […]

Tuesdays are a cool day. Well, hot if you are in the Piedmont of Virginia. The Writing Staff could feel it’s embrace growing amid the mild wisp of smoke rising down by the Loading Dock, one of the centers of our human interaction. It used to be that way in the public buildings of your […]

We were doing the reading this bright and sunny Monday morning to try to grapple with what is going on in this wild and exciting world. The Writing Section betrayed bewilderment at some it- you know, grunts and intermittent groaning. A whiff of tobacco smoke from those most recently returned from the Loading Dock area […]