Precontact

That's not your teen in the pic by chance? lol
j/k!

DC8DRIVER

NEVER whistle while you pack - GOOD advice...

I used to come home and the entire clan would be p*ssed at me for being out of the loop and absent for such long times. I wouldn't know what had gone on (other than the major items) or what was coming up for any of us.

Then I set up the web cams. Now when on extended trips, I stay in touch with the video chat set up on my laptop and the home computer in our kitchen. High-speed connections are at all of our layover hotels and are either free or paid by the company. The actual connection time is free as well (I use Apple i-chat).

With the free connection, I we can talk for really long times. I'll order room service and eat "with" the family while they eat at home. I can "baby sit" the kids or read a story to them from 8000 miles away while the better half gets some decompression time. That scores big points. The real advantage is that you have a real chance to catch up with them all and get filled in on details that are usually edited out of expensive phone conversations.

Now that the newness of seeing themselves on screen has worn off, the kids share all the small but important stuff about their lives that you would never get otherwise while you're away. Same for the spousal unit although the mute feature works well when she goes off on one of those rants.

Reentry is now basically seamless. I'm caught up on the family's accomplishments, schedule, and problems so I can hit the ground running with no need for the recap and thankfully without the "attitude".

As for the sleep thing, it totally depends on your schedule. I basically stay up the first day and zonk out early the first night (sometimes in the quiet of the basement - small house) for a full sleep cycle on day one.

Good luck.

8DRIVER

Ranger

The cooking thing is huge at my house. Even with both of our boys out of the house (but not our checkbook!) what's-her-face appreciates it when I take over kitchen duty. And I can BBQ year round in SoCal. I also found one other food related item. The last damned thing I want to do when I get home is go out for dinner. And it's the first thing she wants to do because she generally doesn't go out when I'm gone. I don't think. Anyway, I make sure that I take her out for a nice dinner fairly often. Although, I'd rather do a prime rib or road kill at home.

By the way, I print copies of my schedule and stick 'em on the refrigerator for her. And I do it in local time. That way she doesn't have to worry about the Z conversion. The only time she ever called me was when my Mom was in the hospital and took a turn for the worse. We communicate through email a lot and Skype a few times a trip. She's made it plain to me that she doesn't want/need to talk to me every day, twice a day. She's busy counting her shoes.

31 years and I haven't figured out a way to make her go away.

Runner

I laughed pretty hard at this one. Do you still nod approvingly with the mute on as you open apforums in another window?

cma2407

No such luck. If she was, I would've become a prison guard instead...

Willy

That is some funny shizzle! We are a unique crowd with unique schedules, which require flexibility on everyone's part. Thanks for the honest advice.

It seems like most of us recover from jet lag in a couple of days. That is the easy part. I really like OrionFE's advice about doing more of the cooking when I'm home (does this translate to more energy for additional activities after the kids go to bed?!?)

While I use Skype about once a day I could time my calls better and stay up on all the little details so we all feel I'm connected once I get home.

I knew there were some pilots who could stay married more than 5 years! Good luck to all.

Willy