Grandbabies, Autonomous Cars and Arkansas Bluegrass -



The milestone in life has come when ones children are parents.  Two daughter's each new mothers in May in the span of just 3 weeks.  COVID babies born in a secure hospital with virtual family support.  An amazing new paradigm.  Brave new world.  After appropriate quarantine isolation, the opportunity to visit my new granddaughter Adeline, right in FW -albeit with masks and social distancing.  But in order to visit grand-son Grady Hank it required going to Nashville Tennessee.  

The parental prerequisites for visiting was no airline flight.  So a 10.5 hour drive it was!  But what an opportunity to try out the semi-autonomous features of my Honda CRV.  Lane-keeping and auto-speed handling made the trip SO much more relaxing and seemingly short.   The driving-assist technology is only at a stage that allows for 16 seconds hands off at a time keeping the (for the most part) the appropriate distance, speed and lane on long mostly straight stretches of freeway.  Still time enough to use 2 hands to eat, tilt the seat back and look around like a passenger while chatting via on cars speaker phone, do some reading and even research and order a new mobile on Amazon.  Elon Musk is promising full autonomy is 3 or 4 years.  I can't wait!  



Grady Hank is such a happy baby boy.  Her parents are getting a little spoiled.  My grandfather tasking eschewed diaper changing for baby tending and meal cooking.  All in all a wonderful time.  And the beauty of working from home let me handle some meetings and a briefing.  I like this way of work.  I'm not keen on ever returning to the off.   



Headed back to Fort Worth driving I-30 I realized I was passing close to the retirement abode of my dear long-time friends Dave and Amy who reside on 60 acres in the mountains near Fayetteville, Arkansas.  They hadn't had anyone visit in 3 months since COVID hit, but gladly welcomed me.  It was like the old days, singing and playing guitars into the wee hours, long profound talks but surrounded by natures beauty. The pastural nature and the peacefulness I experienced in their oasis were thought provoking. There is more to life than the admittedly engaging topics of test & evaluations of advanced airplanes.  Dave and Amy are very busy being master naturalists, canoeing, playing, growing mushrooms (the regular kind), flowers and vegetables even if they are forgoing there local jam sessions and church activities. I have always thought from my days growing up I would soon grow stir crazy just living in nature  But a little more wouldn't hurt.  I thoughts turned to when will I at least go to work part time.  And it also increased my conviction that if I am told I must return to an office my company working days are limited. 





 

Location: 801 Nashville Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76105, USA

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