Letter "P" ~~ Weekend Roundup

I was saddened to read this today.  At NASA I worked with Owen Garriott when he first began training for Sky Lab.  I gave him his first lesson, "Orientation to the Sky Lab Cabin and Controls" on the Mock-up we had for training purposes. 

From http://www.arrl.org/news/amateur-radio-in-space-pioneer-astronaut-owen-garriott-w5lfl-sk :
"04/15/2019
The US astronaut who pioneered the use of Amateur Radio to make contacts from space — Owen K. Garriott, W5LFL — died April 15 at his home in Huntsville, Alabama. He was 88. Garriott’s ham radio activity ushered in the formal establishment of Amateur Radio in space, first as SAREX — the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment, and later as ARISS — Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.

“Owen Garriott was a good friend and an incredible astronaut,” fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin tweeted. “I have a great sadness as I learn of his passing today. Godspeed Owen.”

An Oklahoma native, Garriott — an electrical engineer — spent 2 months aboard the Skylab space station in 1973 and 10 days aboard Spacelab-1 during a 1983 Space Shuttle Columbia mission. It was during the latter mission that Garriott thrilled radio amateurs around the world by making the first contacts from space. Thousands of hams listened on 2-meter FM, hoping to hear him or to make a contact. Garriott ended up working stations around the globe, among them such notables as the late King Hussein, JY1, of Jordan, and the late US Senator Barry Goldwater, K7UGA. He also made the first CW contact from space. Garriott called hamming from space “a pleasant pastime"...(more at the link above)”

We have a couple of pottery pieces designed and crafted by the now deceased former Mrs. Garriott, a "Moon Jar" and a "Sun Jar" that we proudly display at our home.  You can see them here on my older blog post. 

Additionally, their daughter was in one of my college classes, taking it for dual credit, college and high school.  We did discuss her brother who later also traveled to the Space Station as a civilian.

I am a Ham Radio licensee but never did make contact with any of the Garriott's via Ham Radio.

Passing starts with "G".  Please read above of the passing this week of a work friend, Astronaut Owen Garriott.  We didn't see each other after I left the space program to teach Business courses at the  community  college.

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The 16th issue of Weekend Roundup for this year...
- the Letter "P" Prompts are:
(A) Starts with "P"; (B) A Favorite; (C) Pile; and (D) Reflection(s).

(A) Starts with "P": "Passing" starts with "P", my work friend at NASA Passed away this week (posted above).


(B) A Favorite:  Mrs. Jim's Potato Salad is the BEST, my favorite!! 

(C) Pile:  A "Pile" of brush by the road.

(D) Reflection(s): An inside window decoration found in the foyer at church this afternoon.  An artist came last week to give of his talent. 

Mrs. Jim and I also served at church this noon service.  I was a greeter for those coming in and we both helped with baptism.  Seven were baptized today, we have three more services this weekend, tomorrow evening and two Sunday morning. 

We also plan to help with baptism tomorrow evening and I will help again with the service. We attend Second Baptist Church of Houston, the Highway 1463 Campus of the town of Fulshear, Texas (link).  There are five other campuses scattered around the Houston, Texas, area.

The fine print:

- I am linked with Tom of "Backwoods Travel" (Link to Tom's Weekend Reviews) - The pictures are all mine and rights are reserved to me under Copyright Law.

- I am also linked this week with James at Weekend Reflections, https://weekendreflection.blogspot.com/ for my Reflections Photo.

- Photos and Poem Copyright, © Jimmiehov 2019, All Rights Reserved - Click on most any picture to make it "full screen" sized. Click on your "Back" button to get back here.
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