Ever Free

     Day one of my leave is almost complete and was comprised of sleeping until the sun was past it’s apex. I really should set an alarm or something to wake me up earlier.

     The rest of the day was packing for the trip to Trottingham, my hometown, and the home to everyone I call my family, excluding honorary family members of which there are many across Equestria.

I stopped by the airfield to pick up an ELT, Emergency Locator Transponder, as well as my flight uniform. The ELT should aid them in finding me if anything goes wrong during my flight. Lucky, the commander of another wing from the 353rd, as well as a buddy of mine, he saw the ELT I had and made the remark that ‘when you plan on loosing that, make sure you turn it on so we can find it again.’ hinting that I have a habit of loosing anything expensive or vital to the unit’s well being, even though I’ve lost less than he has, his current list exceeds five emergency locators, two VHF radios (both were lost during vital intercepts of storms along heavily trafficked airways, and misplacing an entire box of new uniforms, which took a month to have made, and cost more than what anypony would have expected.

Good ol’ Lucky.

-Loehle

I’m writing from a whole side of Equestria now, hooray for cross country flight. I made it into Trottingham with only the slightest bit of daylight left, so most of the inhabitants of Trottingham were outside enjoying the night air.

While they were enjoying the night, I was flying above them towards an inn that the attendant of the fixed base operator* had told me was one of the best for your bits.

The inn is quite a fine place for inspiration, the woods that surround it are old growth, so many tall trees rise high into the sky. The food and drink that are sold here are all local and extremely well prepared. If anyone wants to visit Trottingham and needs a place to rest, I’m definitely recommending Tá súil Inn.

Tomorrow I surprise my family by showing up to the birthday party for Caffeine, as we all call him, for reasons most can deduce.

Time for me to close up this journal and blow out the bedside candle, I’ll write more tomorrow.

-Loehle

*Fixed base operators are companies that work around airfields in support of pegasi aviators, they typically provide a place to rest, directions, and some I have visited have been so kind as to shelter me for three days during bad weather, providing a place to sleep, decent food, and good company for all three days.

Happy birthday Caffine, or as your surprisingly large cake said ‘Happy Birthday spéir’. spéir means, as you might be curious to know,  sky. So Sky was his usual self, hyper and excited about everything, Including the fact that I was there which made him even more excited.

     My family was more than pleased with my surprise arrival, though I expected more questions about why I don’t show up more often. The foals of the family were all over me, which is to be expected considering I actually attempted to look good today, which is a challenge for somepony who never even bothers to spend a few bits on a decent manecut.

    The party was full of good laughs, usually caused by my sisters ragging on me about anything in my life. Spending too much time with the fancy Canterlot crowd, not having a ‘special somepony’ at my age, and topics from my work were all brought into topic, which all ended with us all laughing as I couldn’t find a good comeback and would only grow more frustrated making them laugh only harder. Great to be back with family so they can abuse my feelings again.

That last sentence wasn’t sarcasm, it really is a good time.

    Eventually it came time to open presents. The usual games and toys came out of the bags and boxes along with clothes. Eventually my presents came along and were adored for their moment before the next box of unknown goods came along. I get it, they had their moment, but there’s new stuff all of a bag away.

    I would like to note however that I noticed that the poster was quickly taken and put up by Sky as soon as the gifts were all opened.

    I declare myself the best uncle ever.

    The party quickly slowed down and not soon after that ponies started to leave. I was one of the last to leave, mainly because I have nowhere to go today, and also because it was nice to stay with family.

Now I’m back at the Inn with nothing to do other than fly back tomorrow to report to duty the next day. Back to the fancy Canterlot crowd and the posh lifestyle of keeping the airways clear over the Everfree forest.

-Loehle

Day four is coming to an end as Luna brings the moon into the sky and I write my nightly two bits. I doubt anypony even reads this other than the typical adoring fans (which I lack).

The flight back I ran into Lucky while he was en route to the northern mountains for cold weather training. The eventual goal of that course is to get any tools to allow operation through the winter versus having to switch over to a unit designated specifically for the winter who train way too much to allow their wings to ice up to a certain degree and still fly. He’ll have an interesting time ahead, considering he came from much warmer climates than 0*c and lower average.

I stopped in at the airfield to check if anything came in for me mail wise, which is a big ol’ nothing for the four days I’ve been gone. Somepony has actually been doing my work, rather than leaving it for me when I get back.

Good night Equestria, I’ll see you all in the morning.

-Loehle