All Your Comments Are Belong to ME!
I'm glad you got this chance to ta.k to him - that's really cool about the space/GPS stuff: wow! I'm still very sorry for your loss.
kim
How impressive! I'm going to have to share this with the spouse--he's a huge Star Trek fan. Can't wait for the next installment!
That is so cool! It just sucks that he's gone. I'm so sorry.
~RA
Oh, I'm so sorry. Your father-in-law sounds like an amazing and inspiring man. I'm really, really sorry for your loss.
Also, interested to note from your post headers that you read Jack Higgins 
Living just across the street from NASA myself I love to hear these stories of the first engineer pioneers. My ex works there as well, so I get the secrecy thing. Very cool that you did get an opportunity to talk to him about what he did to contribute to such an amazing program.
Kim, Heidi, Angel - Thanks. That conversation will be treasured in my memories -- for a lot of reasons -- for the rest of my life.
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Chitra - Thanks for stopping by! And forgive me in advance for such a long reply here, but I wanted to address something with regard to you that I was, I thought, a rather 'interesting misunderstanding.'
I was actually sort of chuckling at myself about your Jack Higgins comment, especially in view of my own realization of something I became aware of while reading *your* latest blog post this morning.
Stay with me now, I'll get back to that later...
I'd honestly forgotten about Higgins' book and movie (that bears the same title as this blog post series), but I shouldn't have, as it was such a notable best-seller and excellent film back in the mid-70s. However I'm afraid that *your* familiarity with the phrase 'The Eagle has landed' is quite unrelated to my reference here.
Whatever the reference Higgins had in mind when he used it in his novel (which was published in 1975), the Apollo 11 astronauts were the first to coin the phrase six years earlier, in their famous official announcement of landing on the moon (the full quote: "Houston, Tranquility Base here; the Eagle has landed").
You see, the image of an eagle (signifying peace) was the symbol chosen for the Apollo 11 mission patch insignia, which was designed by crew member, Michael Collins for that historic flight.
Subsequently they nicknamed the Lunar Module, 'Eagle' to coincide with the theme. Ironically, Collins was the pilot of the Command Module (nicknamed 'Columbia'), which orbited the moon, but was the only one of the three astronauts who didn't actually walk on the moon - or fly in 'The Eagle.'
History lesson aside, I decided to use the historic phrase in my story title to serve as both an omage to my Father in-Law's involvement in the Apollo program, as well as a metaphor for his arrival in The Hereafter.
But to make a long comment longer, what fascinated me after realizing (and understanding, given your age) your disconnect with *my* reference, was the fact that while reading your blog post (which was quite enjoyable, BTW), realizing how little I understood the nuances of your personal culture as a British citizen of South Indian heritage. I mean -- I don't even have a clue as to how much a 'quid' is, let alone being familiar with 'onion rava masala dosai.' *LOL*
It just reminded me of how different we all are, culturally -- despite the fact that we share the same language -- and that those cultural differences also vary greatly with age. Nonetheless, we can connect from across the thousands of miles that separate us and participate in each others lives via blogging and other social media, and that is a very cool thing indeed.
Thanks again for being a part of my blog, and best of luck in your studies and future career as a graphic designer. You chose your vocation well.
Oh, my...you chose a great metaphor which totally went over my head! Thanks for explaining, many people wouldn't take the time I've actually read about this years and years ago when I used to read encyclopaedias for fun, I think, because it sounds terribly familiar. I'm a bit embarrassed not to have got it!
..it's been made into a movie?! I did not know. Must watch. I read the book years ago and loved it :D
Well, I'm an Indian, who's currently spending 3 yrs in the UK for her BA :D I've been here nine months so far. A quid is a pound, kinda like a buck is a dollar. Although we use the latter word for rupees too, actually, which is kind of random.
Ooh, do find out if you have a Saravana Bhavan in your area and go and sample my onion rava masala dosai :D You won't regret it! It's a very South Indian sort of thing and it's absolutely delicious.
:D
And thanks for the good wishes
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