Sunday, October 12, 2008 - 6:00 am

This morning was spent showering, packing and cleaning up the stateroom and head we'd been using all week. We were off the boat and on our way to the airport by 8 am and in the air before 9 am. We flew in a very small airplane - just big enough for three people and their gear or four people with very little baggage. The first part of the flight from Paducah, KY to Quincy, IL took a little over 1-1/2 hours and was very smooth with clear skies. The second half, from Quincy to Mason City, took a little less time but we ran into clouds in central Iowa giving us a bumpier ride. We arrived at Mason City at 12:36 pm. The flight wasn't terrible, but both Gale and Maureen were happy to be on the ground at home. We unpacked, drove to Mason City for groceries, brought the groceries back home and then took off for Hampton so we could pick up Lucy at the vet's kennel. She had been staying with Dennis, Gale's park manager, until Friday when he dropped her off at the vet's so he could go camping with his girlfriend. Lucy was very happy to see us!