Not much new to post, Shinnfans. So we’re taking this unprecedented oppotunity to let you sound off and let the Shinnfan community know what’s going on in YOUR neck of the woods! So go ahead, post your life update in a comment. Or, if you want, we’ll make you a full-fledged member of the blog and give you posting permissions! As a third option, you can e-mail me text to be posted (alshinn@gmail.com) and I’ll put it up for you. With so many options, you have no excuse not to post! So go ahead, step up!
I’m going to go outside and shoot skeet off the flight deck while I wait for the e-mail and blog posts to come rolling in!
Peace out,
Andrew
P.S. – As a reward for a good response, I’ll post a picture of Brighty!
Good morning Andrew, I’ve been waiting to hear from you. First I’d like to tell you that everything that you have to say is of interest to us!! Are you at land or at sea? I love to hear all the details. We are starting our Saturday with your wife and Mary! They were at Brian’s football game in Chowchilla last night and continued the trip up the valley to crash at our house before their pilgrimage to Ikea! It will be a fun day for them, I’m sure. I will take a picture of Lisa in a bit and send it your way! I am off to the hospital in a few minutes for an early morning case, Dad has a flying lesson in his airplane and Aaron has a lesson with his instructor. Dad will fly out of Lind’s (I mean Lodi International)and take Aaron to his lesson in Stockton. When I come home, I’ll work in the yard, on of my favorite things. Our roses are doing very well, blooms on all seven plants. Aaron had a very interesting time on his short term mission trip to SF. He worked in a soup kitchen, a preschool, delivered meals on wheels to HIV patients, sorted clothes at a distribution center and went on prayer walks throughout the city at night.
So that’s what’s happening in “our neck the woods,” to borrow a phrase from Al Roker. Should be a nice day at sunny and 84 degrees.
We love you and hope to hear from you soon. Love, Mommy Girl
I hope the picture of Lisa will help me win the picture of Brighty!
Andrew Dear: I don’t have any bribes, no pictures of Lisa and not even a picture of my self, so I will resign myself to no prize this time. Like your mother, I love all the news you put on your blog and even what seems very uninteresting to you, is very interesting to me – you are so far away and it feels like we are a little closer when you write the details of your current venture!!!
I have just spent the morning with a lady who has some sewing for me to do (pillows, etc.) but mostly she just likes to visit and so that is my ministry for the day. Grandpa just got back from Modesto where he picked up boxes and boxes of Scriptures to distibute for Gideons, which is something he really enjoys doing (Bible Distributions) and which he does with great enthusiasm and often. Other than that our days go by doing the the things that retired people do – play computer games, water the plants on the patio, read a good book, make pillows and drapes and sell on E Bay. Our life is full and the days go by very quickly – we are never bored. Love you much and keep those interesting blogs coming.
Love and Blessing, Grandma Mitzi
Mom,
A good picture of Lisa will definitely win you the prize! If anyone can send me an even better picture of Lisa (i.e. her sunbathing or something!), you’ll be the undisputed winner! I love her like crazy, even if she does go to Ikea as soon as I leave the country and spend all my sea pay!
In other news, while we were skeet shooting on the flight deck, I saw flying fish. It was really cool. They stay out of the water for a really long time! A lookout on watch saw a hammerhead shark the other day, too. Some things you just can’t see from land!
Have a great night,
Andrew
HI Andrew,
Scott and I just got home from Antioch where we helped welcome Ruth’s boyfriend, Nate home from Australia. That was the longest 6 months of Ruth’s life I think. He had a wonderful trip and took some great pictures. When you get back to California, it would be fun for you and Nate to get together on the photography end of things. He is becoming a great photographer and I bet he could get some really good tips from you. I have been out of school since April 28 and will be going back on August 1st to a brand new school named Manlio Silva. I am excited and anxious all in one. It will be a new chapter in my life since I was at Nichols School for 15 years. I also want to add that I enjoy reading your blogs and miss them when you haven’t posted for awhile. Keep up the good work! Love your pictures also.
Love, Auntie Becky
Okay Drew,
Here is your Dad’s entry. Today was a red letter day on my calendar. First I got to see your lovely wife and her mom for a few minutes this morning.(took pictures of her for you) They arrived late last night after watching brother Brian’s football game in Chowchilla. Mom had a surgery case at 8AM and Aaron and I had flights scheduled at 9AM.
We pulled 2426D out of her hanger at Lodi and Rick Tutt, a flight instuctor friend of mine met us. We flew to Stockton and dropped Aaron off for his lesson with Vince Nastro, his instructor.
Aaron is doing very well with his lessons flying a piper Tomahawk. His instructor says he has the passion for it, and is doing a great job. He is performing precision manuvers to military standards and landing the plane by himself.
Rick and I flew past Mt. Diablo and on into San Francisco Bay. Flew over Alcatraz and did a 180 over the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a cloudy overcast day in the bay, which made for some interesting and fun scud running around puffy clouds hanging low over the bay. Had to duck and dodge to find a clear path back over the hills and back to Stockton. Picked up Aaron there and then flew back to Lodi. Rick said no more ride alongs are necessary, I’m clear to fly my plane on my own! I won’t carry passengers for awhile yet as I gain still more skill and confidence. It feels great to have the endorsement though. My life long flight fantasies are being fulfilled.
I have one more week of school left with this class. We break for the month of July, then start the new school year with a new calendar, the modified traditional schedule that the high schools use. I will have a staight 5th grade this year and won’t have to change classrooms anymore-yeah!
At this point in time my cup is full to overflowing with blessings. Good health, happy loving marriage, sons and daughter-in-laws of which to be proud, purposeful work, fine home, good church community. Things will not always be thus, but I am enjoying the blessings from God’s hand each day.
Sleep in peace,in your top bunk, at sea tonight Andrew. Blessing to you from your Dad
This post has been removed by the author.