Rawhide

Some may remember the 1959-1966 TV Series. In 1991 I spent much of my working time in Dortmund staying at a hotel with two sets of aircrew of a small, little known Irish airline trying to make it's mark leasing planes and providing planes and aircrews to various companies. They flew from Dortmund to various small airports in the newly opened up former East Germany and later other destinations including Munich.

They were a wonderful crazy bunch and we had a few late nights together. If I stayed over at the weekend, they would take me with them on the jump seat. The song from Rawhide - "Rolling, rolling, rolling" was the standard song sung by the pilots at every start, adding a touch of The Blues Brothers mimics! Quite something to hear & watch pilot & co-pilot do the bit:

Move em on (head em up)
Head em up (move em up)
Move em on (head em up)
Rawhide
Cut em out (ride em in)
Ride em in (cut em out)
Cut em out (ride em in)
Rawhide

It was a smallish plane ATR-42 (42 seater) but luckily a door between cockpit and cabin!

Today my rolling stones started early, having to be at the hospital, starved, for 7:00am. Night had been short trying to keep one outdoor waterpipe ice free, our first cold night getting down to -5°C. I had turned off all outdoor water pipes the day before but couldn't find out why this one wouldn't close.

By 7:15 I was tucked up in my bed dressed only in operating gown and white stockings. I had feared I was going to be blasted with ultra sound (ESWL) but luckily when the Prof and his team came by 5 minutes later told it was the "normal" operating room procedure. Even though it involves more risk, unlike ESWL, I don't get to know whats going on.

Operation apparently went well and was up & about in the afternoon having caught up on the missed sleep last night.

The Blip is of the foyer in the hospital. Sadly Santa was not sitting in the cash machine doling out money. Probably out looking for a sober crew of reindeers to transport him around in a week or two. I hope they don't have baggage weight/size restrictions to cope with.