A fading memory

A long time ago, in another state, far, far away, I was born.  I've been living in California since I was three years old, yet for the longest time as I was growing up, I called Indiana home.  California is home now, has been for a long time.  Interestingly, I have but one memory of Indiana, making a snowman and then watching my dad knock it down with a snow shovel later on.

Back in Indiana my dad flew airplanes as a hobby.  After we moved out here to California, that ended for some reason.  He was making more money out here than he had been in Indiana, but I know the cost of living was also quite a bit higher as well.  He took us to a couple of air shows, but that was the extent of his flying for the most part out here.

In 1966, my great uncle flew his plane out here from Illinois.  He had been a graduate of Purdue University and they were playing in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day 1967.  He took us up flying over Orange County.  I remember taking photos with my new camera out the window of Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland and the newly built Angel Stadium.  I'm sure we violated some kind of air space laws with regard to Disneyland, but it was great fun.

When we went back to visit Indiana the next year, we made it to Illinois to visit my great uncle again and we flew over the state capital of Illinois and the nearby cemetery where Abraham Lincoln is buried today.  I can remember my dad taking the controls on both of these flights.  I wonder if he ever missed it, or if it just became a fading memory?  Was it something that just got compartmentalized away, kept out of sight because he just couldn't afford it?  Any time I've asked, he's always said it was too expensive and he didn't have enough time with growing kids in the house.  I'll take him at his word.