"An Old Aviator's Story!"

 

Long ago in a Southern California pasture amongst the wafting odors of dairy farms was the mixture of oil, hydraulic fluid and aviation fuel emanating above the runway of the Chino Air Museum. It is now known as the Planes Of Fame Air Museum, https://planesoffame.org/ .

I was a member there for many years and for many years when vintage aircraft would take off and fly away from the viewing stands and were lost from view in the heavy smog and fog.

Every first Saturday of the month, the museum would host a speaker and take up into the sky, in one of those museum pieces.

A few days ago, antique collector and admitted hoarder, Phil Bazer, showed me a few WWII aviation shoulder patches he had for years in his possession. All three were from the AVG, of the Flying Tigers days.

Louisiana boy, Claire L. Chennault, was a retired captain from the Army Air Corps who was working in China as an advisor to the Chinese Air Force when the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937. The Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek quickly hired Chennault to lead the training of Chinese fighter pilots.

The little winged tiger took me back to the Chino Air Museum where a small, white haired man was selling his days, in book form, with the American Volunteer Group circa 1941-42. In his hour long dissertation, two things stood out. One of those was the statement that he was shot down three different times and the fear he had of bailing out each time. Describing the feel of bullets bouncing inside the fuselage as he hid behind the armor plated seat trying to escape, was incredible.

"Flying high enough to bail out was all I could think about. There really was no other alternative," he said. "I was amazed that each time I returned safe and sound, the government gave me another plane to fly!"

The second comment was the best. According to him and documented in his bio, he was the original designer of the shark mouth on one of the P-40B Tomahawk's nose.

"Everyone loved it, but I wasn't interested in painting each and every aircraft of the AVG," he said. Not realizing the symbol would become so iconoclastic, even on aircraft that was not a P-40, he gave the design to other pilots to complete. Whoa!

Somewhere on one of my bookshelves in this studio is my autographed copy of his book... Somewhere!

First cup and then, sketching with the Lacombe Art Guild at Giddy Up!

Copyright 3025/Ben Bensen III

"A Forgotten And Unfinished Illustration!"

"Fish Head Music"

 Good Monday, Monday Morning, all bodies.

I wonder with all of these cold weather concerns if Giddy Up will be open today!

A couple of days ago, my sister sent me a YouTube video of our friend, Reggie Scanlan, that I had not seen. Reggie is a bass guitarist with the group called The Radiators and has been for quite some time. Then, just two days ago, while scrolling around on FB I found an interview on WLAE-TV with another Radiator member, Dave Malone.

While playing around with their website, which another friend introduced me to, it dawned on me that years and years ago while attempting to imitate a rather famous illustrator's style, that I may still have that piece.

I found it!

I'm not sure why I still have it or why I never tried to complete it. The illustration is 20"x30" and was done some in mixed media, but mostly, it was done in acrylic and entitled "Fish Head Music."

I mustah got a freelance job and never went back to it!

Another warm cup!

Copyright 2025/ Ben Bensen III

Celebrating!

"Ward's Azaleas"

 Well, good Twofer "the aftermath" Tuesday Morning, all bodies.

No joking... I really wanna thank everyone for making my birthday yesterday so special. I attempted to respond to the many birthday greetings on Facebook and elsewhere, though I know missed a few comments.

So cool... The gang hanging the Lacombe Art Guild show kinda surrounded me as I set my painting down to sing Happy Birthday greetings to me... I had no idea. I wished I could've stayed, but I hired our home nurse to help out and really had things to take care of...Mostly stupid things!

When I decided to have a late lunch at my favorite place, "Lagos", word got around that I wanted a celebratory margarita for my birthday. High fives and hugs abounded when I told them it was my 75th year here on earth.

Later, the owner, Anna, who was leaving for the day, came to me and told me my lunch was "On the house!"

"Feliz Cumpleanos!"

A few more chores to do, I finally went to Rouse's to get me a seven layered doberge cake. The baker, not much taller than the actual counter, escorted me over the wondrous selection to pick one.

"No, no, no," she said, not that one. It has pink flowers on it."

"That's for girls!"

"Oh, I said... How about the one with the yellow flowers on top?"

"You don't want the one with the blue flowers?"

"Nah!" Too obvious," I said.

"Okay, sir... it's your 75th!"

Another cup...

Copyright 2025/Ben Bensen III

Happy 75th ...

 

Happy Birthday to me...all bodies!

First cup!

Copyright 2025/ Ben Bensen III

"Oh No, Not Again!"

Good "not so good" Thursday Morning, all bodies.

A week ago, on Wednesday morning, Therese fell fracturing her left tibia in three places and "crushing" her ankle. In terrible pain, Tee was rushed to the hospital and was scheduled to have surgery that night to secure her ankle with pins.

After a week at the hospital, just yesterday, she was transferred to Heritage Manor for a few days to help rehab her her leg. Her doctor, Dr.Bouvillon, thinks she is improving enough to continue with the second surgery... this time on her ankle. So, on Monday, she will be sent to AVALA for the surgery with an overnight stay and then, back to Heritage Manor for continued PT.

There is a belief that people don't fall because they are awkward or clumsy and not paying attention to their surroundings. Theory is that then fall because their bones can no longer support the body. Scary thought.

Tee will be laid up and incognito for three or more months, so I guess I will too!

First cup...

Copyright 2024/Ben Bensen III

 

"Don't Touch That Dial", y'all.

 Usually on Saturday mornings at the coffeehouse, the younger baristas man the counter and the drive-up window. Mary, the "don't call me a barista!" barista, usually opens the place just before seven. Mario, the only male that has ever worked at GiddyUp follows shortly after and turns on the radio on Sirius to a rather "alternative" scene. It's not head bashing or heavy metal grooves, but for drinking coffee and trying to ease into the morning, it is a bit... odd!

Between 8am and 9am, the girls stroll in, and I can tell by what's on the radio by who has control of those "dials!"

The older ladies prefer the Fifties and Sixties. In that rotation is always Etta James, "A Sunday Kinda Love" even though it is Saturday. You know, Frankie Baby, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Sara Vaughn, etc.

Laura, who only now works on Saturday afternoons, always played the Beatles catalogue with a few Beach Boy tunes thrown in. I love it!

Madison, who is an early morning staple, doesn't really have a particular favorite though I can tell when she changes the channel. By her own admission, she likes music that one can "study by!"

Mary says, "Maddie, play some music, but nothing "too sleepy!"

When Isabella, the woman who had a radio program called "Girls Up Front!" arrives, suddenly, there's this ethereal, celestial, sounds, heavy with breathy reverb that, in a way, seems too perfect for this world!

Everyone is copacetic with the choices of the morning until someone goes on break...

"Quick, Mario's away, change the channel!"

No one 'cept Sandra and Mary understood my reference to the living room battles created when someone got up to change the TV channel only to lose their favorite chair in the process.

Ah, the good ole days!

Copyright 2024/Ben Bensen III

"Piddily Pat!"

"Heartbeat, why do you skip when my baby kisses me?"

 Well, Good Saturday Morning, all bodies.

On Thursday, a cute, young nurse whose struggling with expectations of being a "baseball mom", pulled away the bandages and cleaned the area that now house my new timing device. We had fun sharing baseball stories with her.

One week earlier, I was also being entertained, at five in the morning, by another young nurse who was prepping me for my pacemaker. She was short, with long brown hair, intense eyes and a rather unique accent that Tee or I could not quite place, though she was a native of Louisiana.

It had a touch of Texas, I think!

Anyway, she's pulling away wrapping, wiping here and there with some alcohol solution, stripping away more plastic coverings to more pads, bandaids and such and depositing the many sterile debris in the first accessible place available...my crotch!

Intense in her endeavors, I try to ignore the loose fitting gown's depository that she keeps adding more stuff too.

"How many times a day do you have to go through this prepping routine," I ask.

Not missing a beat, she replies,"Oh, about ten times a day...You're the first this morning!"

"All before a "first cup"?

"Yes," she says, I have to be here early to prepare myself for the day!"

"Whoa" I said. I didn't have time for a cup either."

"Guess I'm not supposed to anyway!"

Then, her job completed, she grabs all the medical debris housed in that gown's depression and kinda stirs it all around with her hands attempting to grab it all in one fell swoop.

Oh, I thought, I think I'm in love! But, all too soon she is gone before I could express my real feelings.

Guess there was no time for "thank you's" as another nurse, probably the senior head nurse, arrived to stick some more needles in my arm.

She stuck around long enough for me to thank her!

When that nurse left, the younger one reappeared with a battery powered shaver. Thankfully, it automatically shuts off when the trigger is released and she gently places the device in you know where!

Therese and I had a few chuckles over those early morning scenarios.

"Babe, it's a good thing that I didn't have a first cup OR have time to apply my daily dose of testosterone, whew!"

Every now and then, I know it's kinda hard to tell, but I'm still alive and well...Second cup

Copyright 2024/Ben Bensen III