Grandson and Great Grandmother!

My grandson was born at 9:28 AM with a full head of auburn hair, 7.5 pounds and 20 inches long!  I can't wait to hold him!  My daughter was awesome as she went all natural (towards the end) and proved she is a mother that can handle what my grandson and son can dish out.  I love you all and will see you soon!

Now, for the great grandmother.........I love you Mom!  But you should never send me something I would love to share with my crew.  Please forgive me!

Congrats Pix and James for a healthy baby boy!

And no, I have no other information than that at the moment as my son called me as soon as his son was born.  Her water broke at 2 AM, she was pushing at 9 AM and baby within two hours.  That is all I have.  I will let you know more as I find out.

Off to finish pre tripping for the load to Canada!

A penny raise.......who wants to buy dinner?

I had only nine hours on my clock this morning when I left that water distributor at 5 AM.  I was sooo happy to drop this load and be back on a major highway again.  Don't get me wrong, those scenic routes are beautiful but if you don't know the roads, those two lanes with tight corners and towns everyone 30 miles can be a pain........and no approved fuel stops to boot.

I have been given a pre assign to pick up in Amarillo tomorrow at 6 AM, nope, ain't gonna make it until at least 9 AM.  Just because my clock stopped early, does not mean my body will too so expecting me to wake up and driving at 3 AM.  I think we ALL know that answer!

This load  is going straight up the US, up through Sweet Grass, Montana and into Canada.......and then I will be on my way to Troy to spend time with my son, daughter-in-law and hopefully a grandson that is out of the oven! Everyone please keep your fingers crossed that this trip north will be SNOW FREE!

I tried to upload pictures from the last few days but am having difficulty....another time I guess!

And one more thing...I got a PENNY raise per mile today!  Yeehaw, now I can go on that cruise in the canoe the next time the river floods in Duvall!

This stick bug was so long that the camera didn't know where to focus!

We were hiking in the woods when we found this hunter's hideout.

That is all the pictures I could get on tonight....

A full day and only 22 miles to show for it!

Good evening from the bottle water manufacturer that I drove to from Glenwood this morning!  It was a pretty drive as the sun was slowly rising bringing the forest and her colors back to life; while little towns of less than five hundred individuals were sipping their coffees over the warmth of their fireplaces while  the children prepared for school.   And then my day went to bust!

As I was pulling away from the loading dock, I looked back to see two tires on the right side of the trailer looking a little low.  This is concerning as these are self regulated tires, they adjust their own air as needed depending on the load and the outside temperature.  I backed into a space out of the way and sure enough, one tire was slowly leaking and I couldn’t tell from where (even with the truck running and sending air to the break chambers).  I notified breakdown at 9:30 AM.

At 4:30 PM, I was notified to drive the truck to a truck stop that was 60 miles away (I gave them two local companies but they never called them).  By this time, the tire lost its air seal around the rim and there was NO WAY was I going to drive it in this condition.  I drove back into town (22 miles and bobtailed) so I could get cell service and contacted my dispatch and breakdown.  It is now 7:30 PM, I am well fed, back at my truck and a service repair truck from that truck stop 60 miles away is in route….should be here but 8 PM!

In the meantime, I had a Shotgun (bake potato covered in baked beans, BBQ pork and coleslaw) for dinner and met Hillbilly Joe outside his 2^nd (3^rd and maybe 4^th) “hand me down” shack or ummm……business.  He was quite the salesman and gave me a tour stating most of his customers are out of towners such as me that stop and take pictures (hmmmm, wonder why that is).  He even smiled when he mentions that the locals even help out as there are times when he arrives at his little location with donations dropped off waiting for him!  I think the Goodwill is a little too far away for these folks to drive to. 

He rents this little side of the mountain for $50 a month and wants to buy it, put up a restaurant named Hillbilly Joes Swill and build an outdoor bandstand for country and bluegrass music.  We will have to check back in a few years and see how that dream is developing.

I am going to watch a movie………see you all in the morning!

Parked for the night in a livestock auction yard in Glenwood, AR!

I am deep into Arkansas country where the county is dry (no alcohol) and the accents thick!  I am in Glenwood, AR for the night and driving 20 miles west in the morning to pick up bottled water (at least that is what the locals think I might be heading and getting).   It is a very rural location but a beautiful drive on a two lane road landscaped with thick trees in multiple colors of autumn.

It was not a money making day but then again, I do work for this company so it is expected!  I arrived at my drop at the Wal-Mart distribution center and my load was turned down as the drop number given to me……..didn’t exist!  I KNEW this was going to take awhile so I parked the truck across the street and we walked to Wal-Mart for supplies.  I am so sick and tired of waiting in the truck for instructions that I told them to call ME when my load can be dropped!

Three hours later, a new drop number was given, I dropped my load and headed to this location 100 miles west (stopped for a shower first), and now we sit until 7 AM.

McDonalds is across the street so I will update the blog in the morning while enjoying my senior coffee (better price and they know better than to question meJ)   We will have a warmer evening so I don’t expect to run the truck later tonight.  I haven’t heard a word about over idle since the weather has cooled and I don’t turn on the truck unless I wake up cold. 

I met another company driver at a distribution center who pulled up to me to see if I had an APU unit.  He is from Jamaica and the over idle from his 10 hour breaks has gotten him written up.  I think he was afraid his skin would turn white from freezer burn (he is after all, born with a natural tan)!  He stated he was going to quit and I gave him a few suggestions that might help him last longer or at least until he finds a replacement job.  When you wake up cold, start the truck; buy an electric blanket that plugs into the lighter and use the word “safety”.  I had to idle my full 10 hour break as it was for my safety, it is too cold not to do so otherwise.

It really stinks when you become a number; a number that could take an extra $33 from the company’s profits in order to stay warm or cool for an evening in this moving tin can that we call home that should stay in the corporate wallet.   So it is easier for the company to use scare tactics or just point blank fire us as there are 20 students waiting at each terminal to fill our driver’s seat………..what a bunch of crap!

I was listening to the radio the other day and they stated that the poor’s income has raised 18% in the past 15 years; the middle class raised 44% and the upper class…….200%.  I am really starting to feel those numbers!  I don’t understand all these protests that are happening across the world as I don’t really see them making a difference but I can understand the frustration with those percentages.  I am not asking for a share of their wealth, just equal taxation/cost of living wage increases……….or something! Why work so hard for so little………I thought I was rich at $45,000 a year.  We can now cut that in half as I will be lucky to make half that much this year.

Good night!  And yes James, I whine too much…………gotta love freedom of speech, at least it is free……for now!

Our host for the evening.......

Bales of cotton.....

Cotton field ready for harvest

My regal Gonja.....loved how the sun defined his face  :)

Not one "trick or treater" stopped by during the night!

Considering my location last night, that is a good thing!  We have stopped in Hayti, MO for breakfast and to watch the sun come up.  We have 4 hours before our drop in AK. 

No grandbaby yet, he decided to stay in the oven for a few more days.  Gonja and I are fighting a cold and winning so far.  The temps are rising and today is going to be a good day.  Why?

We woke up breathing!

Sitting out in the middle of somewhere Kentucky in the dark on SPOOK NIGHT!

My first night out on my own….TOTALLY!    I called what I thought was a truck stop and was told there was truck parking as it is out in the middle of the sticks of Kentucky.   I was informed that there was truck parking and my GPS took over.  The sun has just set and my GPS said we arrived………..to a rundown gas station/shop, a big dirt lot and a burn downed building (restaurant maybe?).  The place is closed and we are the only ones here.  And to think…….it is Halloween!  EEEEEEKKKKKK!

Now is a good time for a fire (didn’t work too well for the building I parked next too), making smores and telling stories!  For some reason, Freddy popped into my mind, what a horror icon of the 80’s or was that the 90’s?  OK, I might not sleep as well as I hope tonight!  So on that note, if you do not read this post, call 911!!!

Good morning from the TA in Mt. Vernon!

Just a short note to let you know I am alive and well.  I am hauling 380 pounds of sample baby wipes to Cincinnati, OH (with the cost of the fuel, that is nearly 50 cents per sample.....go figure, another company  that doesn't make sense).  I am waiting on a hot breakfast and a trailer registration (been on hold for nearly 15 dang nab minutes).  Gonja is chilling outside of the truck this morning as his stomach is not feeling quite right. 

This load is due tomorrow at 7 AM, I am going to see if we can drop it today....once the company  picks up the dang phone!  Oh..........PICTURE time!

This abandoned prison has been in a few movies including the "Green Mile"

A vintage bird house for Charlie!

I thought this lion was kewl!

More fall colors for Mom

Gonja shot!

He was parked outside the grocery store...guess the Amish do need things off the farm!