(page 21-10) Don't build fuselage before wings...                     

...or at least buy the two kits at the same time (which I couldn't afford).  As described previously, for the rear stub spar, I had to file a "receptacle" in the fuselage kit to fit perfectly with the corresponding part in the wing kit -- which I didn't have.  I solved the problem by ordering the wing part from Van's and doing the requisite filing.  Why I didn't order the part for the front stub spar at the same time, I don't know.  I knew it was coming.  Trying to order the parts this time resulted in getting two sets of wrong parts, owing to a misunderstanding of what was needed.  This was a result of trying to work it out via e-mail rather than sitting for a while on hold (in fairness, it's usually not that long), then talking with someone in builder assistance.  It's all squared away now (I hope).

The bigger news is that the Spousal Unit (my beautiful and uber-smart wife, Karen, shown here with Drs. Parsons, Rhyne, Thomason and Hill at a celebration in the mountains of Virginia) successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation in mechanical engineering ("A semi-quantitative schlieren high-speed flow diagnostic: analysis of high-pressure-ratio, over-expanded planar flow in rocket nozzles").  Now, the earth can resume spinning on its axis, the birds in the trees can once again sing, and the universe can breath a huge sigh of relief.  I hope to never again (or at least for a few months) hear the phrase "weak oblique shock wave."  There are good points and bad points to having a wife whose area of expertise is the same as your own.

How does this relate to building my airplane?  I should have a lot more time now to devote to that effort.  First flight is planned for 2014.