Phil was/is high on the list or recommendation for several reasons including a teaching style that, per what was described, probably compatible with my goals and learning style, and that with his low overhead on his 150 and his dirt strip or whatever reasons the cost of going up with him was reported to be attractive compared to some others.
So I'd still love to be able to reach him.
If anyone posts recommendations for other CFIs a line or two about why you like/recommend him or her would be much appreciated... what you like about him/her that you might not find with some other instructor.
FYI; I have probably 10 hours, completely unlogged of course, at the controls of friends' single engine birds over the years, flew hang gliders (owned one) in the early 70s when it was completely unregulated, and have about two hours of formal hands-on-flight instruction in soarplanes.
Expect not much trouble learning the pedantic material (rules, proceedures, principles of areodynamics [reasonably up on that from years of building model planes, etc] and can surely learn the navigation, but want someone good at teaching the flying and judgement skills.
And of course we all have different personalities and some of us fit better with some CFIs than with others.