My Sister, Karen...

 Karen Lynn Laughlin, 1960-1983

I usually don't mention that I had a sister. 

It invariably leads to questions... "what happened ?", "when did she die ?", just polite questions, people showing interest, but I quickly get to where I can't complete a sentence. 

(in this photo, she'd already been diagnosed, but they pumped her full of red cells and plasma so she could dance with her college classmates in a competition at Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., late April '83.  A Washington Post reporter came to interview her, because news of her dancing with her newly diagnosed illness reached the papers.  Hair already cut short, in preparation for the chemo therapy she'd begin when she got back to Houston.  Photo by WAPO photographer)

Next year will make 40 years.  December 23, 1983.  Leukemia.  Diagnosed in early April of that year, and just a few months later, gone.

(She danced the ballet from the age of 4.  She had a grace, a strength, smoothness of motion the other dancers just didn't have.  With several dancers on stage, you could spot her immediately, just by the way she moved.)

So, my apologies to those I've known for 20-30 years, but who have never heard me mention her.  But all it takes is a mention, or a scene in a movie that brings it all back.  It hits me rather quickly.  It was nearly 40 years ago, but could all have been just this morning.

(in this case, writing is cheating...

when typing, nobody can tell how many times 

I had to stop and dry my eyes...)

Y'all take care,
- Mark

A Great Loss !!

On 12-November-2022, at a Dallas, Texas annual airshow, there was a terrible crash during one of the low-altitude fly-overs of the air field, right in front of thousands of visitors.  

An official cause has not yet been determined, but the videos of the event show a vintage P-63 fighter aircraft, flying faster than the B-17 Bomber, fly right into the rear of the B-17's left wing.  

As the propeller of the P-63 struck the wing of the B-17, which also has 2 propeller engines, both aircraft violently disintegrated, crashing onto the airfield.  Fortunately, none of the spectators were injured, but the 6 people flying the 2 aircraft were all killed.

This particular B-17, known as "Texas Raiders" is operated by the Commemorative Air Force and participated in air shows around the country,  including the annual Wings over Houston show.  

I had the privilege of photographing this beautiful aircraft more than once, resulting in one of my favorites photos ever (this one):

This bomber was built during World War II and was sent to the European Theater, but before it could fly it's first mission, hostilities ceased, so it never flew in actual combat. 

I never met the aircrews, I only saw the plane, so I don't mean not to mourn the loss of the people, but I can't help but mourn the loss of this wonderful aircraft.

See y'all round,

- Mark

Stop !

 Ukraine