The Daily Rant

Dinner With Friends

2012-01-29T00:01:00.001-04:00

Last night we went to dinner with Marlaina, Greg and Dave - my long-time reader and our new friend. We dined in downtown Jacksonville, at the River City Brewing Company , located on the St. John's River with a view of the Main Street Bridge.

Marlaina and I decided we didn't love the service at the restaurant (although I don't think the boys noticed), but the food was good and everyone seemed happy about what they ordered.

We started with Key Lime Banana Pepper Calamari (Fire Roasted Red Peppers, Chardonnay, Key Lime Butter Sauce, Garlic, Parmesan Reggiano and Green Onion) which I thought was very good, and an order of Coconut Shrimp (Honey-Chipotle Glaze, Florida Orange Sauce). The shrimp was good but not nearly as tasty as the calamari, which is a change for me since I usually prefer shrimp.

For dinner, I had the Diver Sea Scallops (Herb Seared, Served with a Lobster-Sherry Cream Sauce and Lobster Ravioli) which was very good. Ed had the Herb Seared Cedar Plank Salmon (Fire Roasted Marinated Roma Tomatoes, Red Peppers, Artichoke Hearts, Purple and Green Onions, Kalamata Olives in an Herbal Peppercorn Butter with Grilled Romaine) served over mashed potatoes, which he really enjoyed. Marlaina had the Herb Roasted Chicken (Smoked Tomato Cheese Grits, Roasted Garlic and Lemon-Thyme Broth) served over mashed potatoes, Greg had the special, Herb Grilled Grouper over Creamy Risotto With Sea Scallops and Dave had the Ribeye (18oz Garlic & Herb Grilled Angus Ribeye Steak) served with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Buttered Asparagus. He doesn't like aparagus, so he gave them to me - they were DELISH! His steak looked so amazing, I almost regretted ordering scallops.

Desert for everyone but Dave was Key Lime Pie. It was good, not great, but good. The conversation was good and we had quite a few laughs. I always love hanging out with Marlaina and Greg, but meeting Dave has been such a nice treat. I'm glad he was able to join us for dinner. Hanging out with other drivers is a pretty rare opportunity since we're almost never in the same place at the same time, but I'm so glad we were able to have this weekend together. And it's not over yet!

More tomorrow...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: This Is What Sheer Joy Looks Like
2 YEARS AGO: I’ll Have The Tootsie Rolls And The Butterfinger And The Lollipop And The Gummi Bears And The Hershey Kisses And The Snickers Bar And The M&M’s And…
3 YEARS AGO: Meals On Wheels
4 YEARS AGO: Mercury Dropping
5 YEARS AGO: James Cameron For $79.99 A Night
6 YEARS AGO: The Town That Big Tobacco Built

The Top Five Sweet Scents In My World

2012-01-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

I used to know a guy who called air fresheners and the like, "smellum goods". Last night after coming back to the truck from the Appreciation Days event, I didn't like the way the truck smelled, so I needed to use one of my smellum goods to get the place up to my standards.

So I pulled out my favorite air freshner of all time and put it to work - my Lemon Verbena Soy Candle.
This candle can be found at Target for $9.99. I love it. When I got home from the Appreciation Days event, I smelled a little like smoke. There was no smoking in the event tent, but of course there are always those people who can't function without a cigarette, so they stand in the openings of the tent (or building, doorway, etc.) blowing their filthy disgusting scent in the direction of others. The lemon verbena made me forget all about those nasty odors.

I first discovered Lemon Verbena when I was working at a Sheraton resort and a guest bought me several candles as a gift - it's been my favorite scent since. It's light, fresh and delicious!

My next clean-air trick is a spritz of air freshening spray. This comes in handy for certain situations - cooking smells, nasty outside odors seeping in, after visits to the loo. "Loo" sounds so innocuous, doesn't it?
Glade Clean Linen is something I use this in the truck and at home on a regular basis. To me, it smells like the air that comes out of the dryer hose - you know, when you're outside of your home or an apartment building or a laundromat. That fresh, hot linen smell? I love it.

I'm not really a fan of smelly lotions for my body or hands, so I usually choose something that doesn't have a flowery or fruity scent. Two of my favorites are the Neutrogena Body Oil and Body Lotion.
It's so light, with a scent that apparently comes from the sesame oil. Some people hate it, but ever since my sister-in-law turned me on to it, I'm in love. It doesn't compete with other scents and is whisper-light. I don't use the oil in the truck because it's best put on after a shower and I find in the small space, it's a little messy. But I always have a bottle of the lotion.

Same thing goes for face washes - don't like heavy smells that linger. The one I use is Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. This facial cleanser has such a fresh smell. And it leaves no residue. For me, it cleans off all my makeup and leaves my skin feeling soft and clean. I love the smell so much that I've begged and pleaded for Eddie to use it too, and he's finally given in. His cheeks are so squeaky clean, that I pepper them with kisses every time he slips into bed with a Cetaphil face!

And last but not least, my personal fragrance, ROMA by Laura Biagiotti.
This perfume is my signature scent. It was given to me almost fifteen years ago by a guest at the resort I worked at. I was a concierge at the time and had gone out of my way to take care of a few things for her and her husband. They lived in Milan, Italy and stayed at our resort often. The next time they came to town, she brought me this perfume as a thank you.

I was reluctant at first to wear it, as perfume is a personal thing and I thought it odd to get it as a gift from someone who didn't know me that well, but it took no time at all for me to fall in love with it and I have received more compliments when wearing it than I have with any other perfume I've worn in my life; combined!! Complete strangers have stopped me to ask me what I'm wearing or to tell me how good I smell. In fact, one of the guys I used to work with said that he always knew when I had arrived for work because it smelled so great once I got there! Originally discontinued, it's now available online and at some perfume kiosks and stores in malls across the country!

Since I have what Ed calls "the nose of a bloodhound", I am highly sensitive to smells I don't like. I'm also aware of wearing a scent or using a scent that someone else doesn't like. Since Ed is the only person I live with, he's the only one I really consult regarding smelly things. I always ask him if he prefers one scent over another (for instance, he hates the smell of coconut) and that's the one I'll usually buy. The smells above have been Ed Approved and since already I love them, it's a win-win.

What are some of your favorite scents?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: A Weekend Full Of Bright Stars And Not Much Else
2 YEARS AGO: I’m Floored
3 YEARS AGO: Two Worlds Collide
4 YEARS AGO: Girl Crush
5 YEARS AGO: Silly Boys
6 YEARS AGO: It’s Nowhere Near Mexico, Y’all

Being Appreciated

2012-01-27T02:55:00.004-04:00

We finally made it to Florida - skated into the "Appreciation Days" event just in time to pick up raffle tickets for the evening's drawings. We didn't make it for last night's drawing, where they gave away a brand new Peterbilt truck, but there's always a chance to get something good. At tonight's event they gave away everything from a Kindle, laptops, $100-$500 gift cards, steer tires, hotel room nights, Indy 500 tickets, and more. Unfortunately, we didn't win anything but I still got myself a prize.

I mentioned we were meeting our friends, who were in town before the event began. Yesterday, on the first day of the get-together, they started a conversation with another driver who was sitting next to them in class. She said he had a great attitude, had been driving for twenty-four years and was very experienced in all aspects of hauling freight. They covered topics from load securement and driving to computers, medical, taxes, and investing.

When they parted ways, Marlaina handed her card to him and said, "This is my contact information. And that's the address to the blog I write."

He looked at her card and said, "You're friends with Salena and Eddie."

Marlaina said, "Yes. Do you know them?"

"No, but I read her blog all the time and I've seen this blog too." he said, indicating the blog address on her card.

She sent me an email that evening telling me that she met one of my readers and he was looking forward to meeting me. I was flabbergasted! How cool is that?? Of all the people at this event - and there are hundreds - my friends sit next to a guy who reads my blog?? I love it.

So that was my prize - meeting that reader! His name is Dave and he was an extremely nice guy. He's from Ohio, very friendly, good sense of humor (I could tell because he laughed at all the same jokes I did when we listened to the emcee at the event) and seems to be pretty laid back. Before dinner, the boys went to a Heavy Haul class and Marlaina and I sat and caught up. About two hours later, the boys joined us again and we all had dinner together. It's such a treat meeting people other than my mother, who read my blog.

They all have loads out on Monday, whereas Ed and I will be going to get our new TWIC cards. I like the picture on my current card, wish I could just renew it, but we have to go through the entire process again, get our fingerprints and fill out a bunch of paperwork. It's necessary just in case it's needed on a load, but in the last five years, we haven't had to show our TWIC cards even once.

The only hassle involved is that we can only apply for them at a city with a port; last time we got them in Houston. And normally, you have to go back to that same office to pick them up weeks, or in our case, months later. But I've heard that you can request them to be sent to a location closer to your home but since Arizona doesn't have a port, any location is inconvenient. But it needs to be done.

After that, I think I might want to hit St. John’s Town Center for some shopping and the Apple store (I'm having some issues with texting and my battery). Then we'll look for a load out of here.

But until then, we'll make the most of the weekend with our friends because we never know when we'll see them again. It's a perfect way to wrap up our time off.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Just A Phone Call Away
2 YEARS AGO: A Practically Perfect Circle
3 YEARS AGO: My Frozen Kentucky Home
4 YEARS AGO: On Tour And Collecting Paper As We Go
5 YEARS AGO: Finding Your Way
6 YEARS AGO: Trivia From The First Tsar Of Russia

New York And Snow - My Two Favorite Things

2012-01-26T11:12:00.004-04:00

I am in love with this song after having heard it on a recent episode of Grey's Anatomy. I love the line, "If the curve of you was curved on me".

It's called New York and it's by Snow Patrol. Here are the complete lyrics:

If you were here beside me
Instead of in New York
If the curve of you was curved on me
I’d tell you that I loved you
Before I ever knew you
Cause I loved the simple thought of you

If our hearts are never broken
Well there’s no joy in the mending
There’s so much this hurt can teach us both
Though there’s distance and there’s silence
Your words have never left me
They’re the prayer that I say every day.

Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here

The long neon lights
And the eke of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all, from the love to the lightening
And the lack of it snaps me in two

If you were here beside me
Instead of in New York
In the arms you said you'd never leave
I'd tell you that it's simple
And it was only ever thus
There is nowhere else that I belong

Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here

The long neon lights
And the eke of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all from the love to the lightening
And the lack of it rips me apart
Just give me a sign
There’s an end and a beginning
To the quiet chaos driving me back

The lone neon lights
And the want of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to go out.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Doin’ The Math
2 YEARS AGO: Well, Butter My Butt And Call Me A Biscuit
3 YEARS AGO: I Even Have Time To Go On Strike
4 YEARS AGO: Teaching Them Young
5 YEARS AGO: You Gotta Be In It To Win It
6 YEARS AGO: Cinema Stupido

Cottonwood Trading Company

2012-01-25T19:15:00.005-04:00

Seen in downtown San Antonio, Texas.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Service With A Smile
2 YEARS AGO: Getting The Red Out, One Barn At A Time
3 YEARS AGO: Obamaduck!
4 YEARS AGO: How A Four Year Old Can Make You Feel Like Crap For Trying To Get Out Of Doing Yardwork
5 YEARS AGO: Florida Fro
6 YEARS AGO: Hail To The McGriddle Gods

Woman With Cat

2012-01-24T04:08:00.004-04:00

Here's Miss Lily again, in a position she's often found, standing atop the lazyboy like a sentinel standing guard. Usually she makes the climb from the floor, across my mother's lap and up to the top, but sometimes she leaps directly from the floor and flies up to that position. The lazyboy rocks with her body weight, but she never loses her footing.

In this particular moment, she is scanning the room for the new dog, not realizing that the dog is sleeping soundly in her cage, unaware that she's being hunted by a cat. When my mother took the dog to the vet, who pronounced the dog perfectly healthy, the vet said that they'll eventually get along, they just need some time.

The way it's going so far, the next picture I take might be entitled Woman With Dog, Cat Nowhere To Be Found.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: From Blue Grass To Wine Country
2 YEARS AGO: Plump With Fat Quarters
3 YEARS AGO: Eddie Out With The Old, In With The New Friday
4 YEARS AGO: You Can Get Them At Home Depot??
5 YEARS AGO: There Are Never Enough Hours In The Day To Do Anything When You Have A Baby
6 YEARS AGO: Tequila Sunrise

Pay No Attention To That Cat Behind The Curtain

2012-01-23T04:04:00.014-04:00

I'm sick with bronchitis so you'll have to cut me some slack for the pet-heavy posts. Not much has happened since we packed up and left home, but there's a whole lot of activity among the housepets.

Miss Lily, the resident feline, is a little upset that a mini-poodle has entered her world. I've mentioned the scooching and skulking she's been doing, ears back and body low, trying to avoid the areas where the dog may be. She's also been doing a lot of hiding - we've found her under couch, under the bed, behind the filing cabinets in the office, behind the washing machine, behind the television, in the shower and behind various sets of drapes.

In this photo, she's hiding behind the heavy set of drapes, peeking out every once in a while to see if the coast is clear. I took this photo when I saw her nose parting the curtains. What you don't see, is that she's perched on a windowsill that's about two inches wide. I don't know how they do it, those damn cats, but they're super-agile and really do move like Ninjas.

I think this is a beautiful picture of her, and even though she's probably freaking out inside, she still acts like she's running the show.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Papa Can You Hear Me?
2 YEARS AGO: The Err Erudes Them
3 YEARS AGO: Sorry, no post for this date.
4 YEARS AGO: Addicted
5 YEARS AGO: When You Just Can’t Decide Between Dinner And Breakfast
6 YEARS AGO: Purple Industrial Skies

After This, It's Time To Close The Left Door For A While

2012-01-22T04:00:00.009-04:00

There's a saying in the trucking industry - if you want to save money, you need to keep the left door closed. It means every time you open that left door, you're likely spending money - going to get a snack, stopping for a meal, going shopping, etc.

Well it seems our left door has been open a little too long this last visit home. We've been here for a month and the dollars are pouring out of our pocket. We've done a lot of our normal dining out, plenty of Dunkin' Donuts visits because they just built one near our house, and little shopping trips here and there that have added up - mostly our normal stuff. But nothing has cost more than our medical.

Ed went to the dentist first. He had x-rays and a new crown put in. They clipped him for $1,300.00.

Then I went, got a cleaning, got x-rays and a crown, and my bill was $2,309.00.

I was referred to a periodontist, which I wrote about in this post. The office visit was $108.00 and the recommended treatment plan was $15,520.00. But, I'm paying cash, so she's going to give it to me for a cool $8,000.00.

Today I went to Urgent Care for a cough I've been having for the last three weeks. At first it started out as just a dry, hacking type of cough. Then this week, it was a little phlegmy. Then I couldn't sleep through the night because the coughing kept me awake. Ed, as usual, didn't hear a thing. He was snoring like a baby.

Urgent care gave me a breathing treatment, took x-rays and wrote me a prescription for a five-day antibiotic. I have bronchitis. That all came to $196.00. They didn't give me anything for the cough, the x-ray showed I didn't have pneumonia (joy!), and she just told me to take the antibiotic and to keep taking my asthma inhalers. Gee thanks, doc. You mean do something I've been doing for twenty-nine years now? Okay, great.

See what happens when we're home with lots of extra time on our hands?? We won't get back to work until February because now we're on our way to Florida to attend something called "Appreciation Days" that our company hosts for all their owner-operators. We don't have a load, so we'll be deadheading from Arizona to get there in time. We're meeting our friends, so in addition to attending the company event together, we'll be dining out with them and if time permits also going to the Jacksonville Boat Show since the boys really want to go. I have a feeling Ed will find a way to squeeze that in.

So although the left door is technically "closed" during the drive there, it won't really be closed until we get back to work in February. The first week's pay is going straight to paying the dentist, and after that, we'll do two or three more loads to take care of the periodontist.

Or, we might be looking into a special kind of vacation - one like our very wise friends have taken. That's definitely going to be part of our dinner conversation while we're in Florida.

Time to pick their brains!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: I Think I’ve Seen This Person On Facebook
2 YEARS AGO: Eating Crud Is So Much Tastier Than Eating Crow
3 YEARS AGO: Chihuly In The Trees
4 YEARS AGO: Is It Really SO Hard??
5 YEARS AGO: Snowball In Hell
6 YEARS AGO: The Southern Family Tree

Adding A Poodle To The Mix

2012-01-21T03:51:00.011-04:00

“Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative.”
~ Mordecai Wyatt Johnson quotes ( American Educator)

My mother bought a dog today. A poodle. A mini Poodle.

She has joined the ranks of "those people" who have small dogs. Prissy dogs. Dogs they dress.

The dog's name is Miss Vivian - Viv or Vivey for short. She already has her first grooming appointment scheduled, and my mother has already spent too much time in PetSmart looking for clothes, collars with rhinestones and the perfect chew toy.

I have to say, she's super-cute. Playful and friendly. Follows us everywhere and loves to sit on a lap. I think my mother is really going to enjoy her company.

The cat, on the other hand, is a whole other story. She's not too happy at all about the dog. When she first saw the dog, her hair stood straight up and she scooched waaaay down. She could not get her body lower to the ground or her ears straighter back. She growled and hissed. And when the dog got a little closer, her paw was out and back in the flash of an eye, faster than a Cobra strike. If the dog was any closer, she would have been clawed.

I don't know how this is going to work out with the cat since she's ruled the house for the past few years alone. And she's not even all that friendly of a cat - she really only likes my mother and Ed. She never goes to strangers and she's not very playful. The only lap she likes is my mother's and only at a certain time of day. She's got a "schedule". So far, she's been skulking and hiding. She's seen the dog in her cage and passes it with a very wide berth. Far isn't far enough it seems. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully, when we return to see the dentist again, the cat and dog will be as close to friends as possible.

I just hope the cat doesn't get jealous of Miss Viv's extensive wardrobe.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: If…
2 YEARS AGO: How The West Was Fun
3 YEARS AGO: Pecking Order
4 YEARS AGO: The Sympathy Train Stopped Dead In Its Tracks
5 YEARS AGO: Shalom
6 YEARS AGO: A.D.I.D.A.S.

I Grew Up In The O.C. Too

2012-01-20T00:01:00.001-04:00

I've come across this before, in emails and Facebook postings, but saw a few additions on this list. It's about Orange County, NY where I grew up. This part of the country is beautiful; bucolic landscapes, four beautiful seasons, my childhood home.

So here are a few fun facts:

The oldest carbon dated human settlement in North America east of the Mississippi (12,500 years old) is found in Orange County, NY.
More Mastodon skeletons have been unearthed here than any other place on earth.
Orange County was one of the first twelve counties established by the Province of New York in 1683.
Orange County’s black dirt region of Pine Island is the third largest onion growing region in the United States.
Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheesewas invented in Chester, NY in 1872.
Velveeta cheese spread (1923) and 'Liederkranz' cheese (1882) were invented in Monroe, NY.
The first butter factory in America was in Campbell Hall, NY in 1859.
William H. Seward, Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and purchaser of Alaska, was born in Florida, NY in 1801.
The oldest (since 1839) continuously operating winery in the US is The Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, NY.
19th Century Hudson River School artist Jasper Crospey lived and painted in Warwick, NY.
The first rocket to carry U.S. Mail landed in Greenwood Lake in Orange County in 1396.
The Tuxedo dinner jacket originated in Tuxedo Park, an enclosed community developed by Pierre Lorillard, tobacco magnate (Old Gold). The daughter of Bruce Price, the designer of Tuxedo Park NY (1880), and also a resident, was Emily Post.
Artist Ellsworth Kelly was born in Newburgh, NY in 1923.
George Washington lived and worked in New Windsor from April 1782 to August 1783.
The Order of the Purple Heart was established by George Washington in Newburgh, NY in 1782.
The first Registered National Historic Landmark (registered in 1850) is Washington’s Headquarters located on the Hudson River in Newburgh, NY.
The largest number (220+) of discount designer outlets in the US is located at Woodbury Commons in Central Valley, NY with 12 million visitors per year.
The world's first, oldest, and still used harness (trotting) track is the Goshen Historic Track, established in 1838, located in Goshen, NY.
Nearly all trotters and pacers in the Unites States can trace their pedigree to the stallion “Hambletonian” of Chester, NY (circa 1849).
Noah Webster, creator of Webster’s Dictionary, taught school in Goshen, NY.
The highest point in Orange County is Schunemunk Mountain which reaches 1,664 feet above sea level.
The largest living history museum in New York State is Museum Villagein Monroe, NY.
Bear Mountain State Park has more visitors annually than does Yellowstone National Park.
The main runway at Stewart International Airport (SWF - formerly Stewart Air Force base) is over two miles long (11, 818 feet) and is an alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle.
The United States Military Academy at West Point, NY (est. 1778) has the largest Church Organ in the world.
Stephen Crane wrote some of his most popular novel “The Red Badge of Courage” in Port Jervis, NY.
The Intersection of I-87 and I-84 in Newburgh, NY is known as the "Gateway of the Northeast".
The largest sculpture park in the United States is the Storm King Art Centerin New Windsor, NY, featuring works from artists around the world.
Author Zane Grey practiced dentistry in Middletown, NY before starting his literary career.
The oldest (1919) continuously operating automobile racing dirt track in the United States is the Orange County Fair Speedway, Middletown, NY.
The Hudson River, the first explored and most beautiful river in the United States, passing through this area, is called “The Rhine of the Americas”.
In 1683, the County of Orange, named for William of Orange (King William III, 1650-1702), was formed.
Orange County today is almost a half million acres in size and is dotted with dairy and produce farms, orchards, vineyards, horse ranches and bucolic villages set amongst vast areas of woodlands, rolling hills and glacier carved valleys.
There are three cities within the county's borders: Newburgh, on the Hudson River; Port Jervis, on the Delaware River; and Middletown, halfway between the other two.
“American Chopper” on the Discovery Channel/TLC is filmed at Orange County Choppers in Rock Tavern, NY and Newburgh, NY.
The County seat of Orange County, NY, is the Village of Goshen.
Of the 10 Counties named Orange in the United States, Orange County, NY is the oldest (1683). It is 206 years older than Orange County, California (1889), 169 years older than Orange County, Texas (1852), 162 years older than Orange County, Florida (1824), 133 years older than Orange County, Indiana (1816), 98 years older than Orange County, Vermont (1781), 69 years older than Orange County, North Carolina (1752), and 51 years older than Orange County, Virginia (1734).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Snowy Arrival
2 YEARS AGO: Not A Pretty Sight
3 YEARS AGO: Marking This Day In History With A Vibrant Spot Of Color
4 YEARS AGO: Lighting To Do Laundry By
5 YEARS AGO: The Benefits Of Dating A White Boy
6 YEARS AGO: Shhhhhh, You’ll Wake The Driver

Teeth Or Another European Vacation? Ooooh, It's A Real Toss Up.

2012-01-19T03:31:00.006-04:00

I love my dentist. And all the girls in her office. They're not just your garden variety "nice", they're kind. And compassionate. And genuine. Every single member of the staff, within minutes of saying hello, said they were sorry to hear about the loss of my step-father. That's more than some friends and family have done.

They're a different kind of human, these girls. They're special and I think all of their personalities represent the office in a very cohesive manner. In this office, you can tell that direction comes from the top down.

Loving my dentist and her staff does not carry over to my loving the dental procedures. I don't. Ed and I were talking last night about how we've become less tolerant of pain and being uncomfortable. I don't at all like the idea of needles and novacaine, I don't like laying there with my mouth propped open, I don't like the high scream of the drill and I don't like the suction and the water they use to rinse. It's always way too cold.Today I was there for a cleaning and to get a temporary crown. Yesterday's exam revealed a few cracks in one of my teeth and rather than risking it breaking, the dentist suggested a crown. I had one a few years ago and it's no big deal, so I agreed.

The cleaning was brutal. I know that sounds harsh, and it's no reflection on Maggie, the person who does it. She's great - gentle, informative, and thorough. But since I hadn't been in a few years, I had a little more tartar buildup and she had to do a lot of scraping. Which means she had to numb almost all of my mouth, upper and lower. My tongue got all caught up in the numbing, and I felt like my lips were seven sizes bigger than they are. The only place that wasn't numb was my cupid's bow.

The needles are beyond unpleasant for me. What I think I hate even more than the initial pinch of the needle, is feeling it going in. I can feel the rush of deadening. I can feel the liquid traveling through my skin. And I always think the needle is going to poke right through my cheek. There are so many aspects of the cleaning procedure that I don't enjoy; the water they use for rinsing is always too cold, the sound of the tools drive me insane and the stuff she uses to polish my teeth, the minty paste, gives me chills. I hate the taste and texture of it.

After my cleaning was done, I had to see the dentist for her to make my temporary crown. That part wasn't any better than the cleaning. She had to grind down my tooth to put the crown on and the drilling does my head in. The sound is enough to make me go crazy and the air that whooshes off of it, onto my sensitive teeth, is too much to bear. Because of that sensitivity, she had to give me another needle to numb that area more.

By the time I was done, I had been in the office for five hours. Some of the numbness from the cleaning had subsided a little, so my tongue wasn't all out of control, but my jaw ached from having it propped open for the majority of the time I was there. Oh, and I was out $2,309.00.

But that's not the worst part. After my appoinment yesterday, my dentist referred me to the periodontist across the street to have her look at my gums. I don't have gum disease, just recession, and my dentist figured I'd need a gum graft. After the periodontist examined me, she agreed. And since I don't want to be a toothless sixty-five year old, they put together a treatment plan for me, telling me what I'd need and what the cost would be.

Are you sitting down?

$15,520.00.

But...because I don't have insurance and I'll be paying cash, she gave me a deal.

Are you still sitting down?

With the cash payment discount, she's only going to charge me $8,000.00.

Smokin' deal, huh? (Smoking crack is more like it.) Well, it looks like after four weeks off, it's time to get back to work.

I refuse to join the ranks of toothless truck drivers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Not So Wacky After All
2 YEARS AGO: Spreading The Word
3 YEARS AGO: He Had A Dream. Tomorrow We See It Come True.
4 YEARS AGO: Who Do You Know?
5 YEARS AGO: South Beach Blue
6 YEARS AGO: Jawl Spake Anglesh??

I Can Think Of Better Ways To Spend Hump Day

2012-01-18T03:27:00.005-04:00

I have dentist appointments scheduled for today and tomorrow. I am not at all thrilled by this. We try to get cleanings every time we're home but we've been lax and haven't been for a few years.

Today I'll get a new set of x-rays, tomorrow a cleaning. The x-rays are a piece of cake and since I don't have any tooth pain, there isn't anything in particular she'll have to look at. Unless she finds something...cue suspenseful music.

The one thing I know she'll discuss with me is my gum recession. I've had it all of my adult life and on a few teeth, it's worse than others, causing extra sensitivity; my aggressive brushing style doesn't help. Last time I was in she referred me to a periodontist, but I never went. That might spell trouble.

Ed went in earlier this week with tooth pain and wound up getting a crown. He has to go back tomorrow to have it installed.

Not that you're all that interested, but I'll give another update tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Can I Appoint Myself The Baroness Of Cattle?
2 YEARS AGO: This Time Losing The Wallet Really Means Losing The Wallet
3 YEARS AGO: Marley & Me
4 YEARS AGO: Eddie Gets Handy Friday
5 YEARS AGO: The Perfect Neapolitan Slice
6 YEARS AGO: The King Of The Flying Salmon

There Are No Prison Blues If You Have Naan

2012-01-17T00:02:00.002-04:00

Today Ed and I had a new experience - Indian food. Can you believe, in all the years we've been on the road, and all the places we've gone to eat, that we've never had Indian food?? I don't know why, but I guess it just didn't initially appeal to me and I really didn't know what to order, so I kinda stayed away.

But today, after taking my mother to one of her appointments, we all decided to try out a new Indian place in town - Saffron Indian Bistro.It was a beautiful little place, very open and airy, lots of natural light - the entire front of the restaurant is floor to ceiling windows - and the smells coming from the kitchen were delightful.

We started with two appetizers (which I neglected to get pictures of), but they were delicious. We had a Vegetable Samosa; crispy turnovers stuffed with potatoes and baby field peas and seasoned with fresh madras Indian spices and Saffron Shrimp; fresh pacific shrimp lightly battered and dusted with ground cumin, mild red chili and coriander. They also put a basket of Papadums - crispy thin Indian spiced lentil wafers - on the table with two dipping sauces. It was a nice start.We all ordered a different entrée to try a little of each dish and two orders of Naan Bread (classic and garlic) which I LOVE.Each entrée was served with Basmati Rice, so they brought a bowl to the table for all to share.

Ed, as usual, was bold and went for something not as safe as "just chicken" like my mother and I did. He had the Saffron Tandoori Grill; a generous selection of tandoori gems featuring pieces of chicken tikka (which is the national dish of England, according to the menu, slow simmered in fresh tomato sauce with a hint of cream and zesty Indian herbs and spices), lamb, shrimp, shish kabob and a chicken leg. The menu states it's a meal fit for a rajah (king).Ed's meal was served with a side of Raita; diced cucumbers, tomatoes and onions mixed with fresh yogurt and a touch of toasted cumin seed. It was actually a pretty good dip for the Naan bread.

Now before I even get to the entrées my mother and I ordered, I have to say, they were not very visually appealing. I'd like to say the pictures do them no justice, but the pictures look exactly how they look when placed in front of us - a bowl of gloppy well, glop. But it was delicious glop.

I ordered Chicken Korma; a rich onion based sauce infused with mild spices cooked and seasoned with ground cardamom and saffron. It was reeeaaallly delicious.

My mother's dish (which honestly, was hideous to look at) was called Chicken Hara Bhara; chicken flavored with black peppercorn in an onion and spinach based sauce. Hers was also pretty good. Surprising.

We didn't order desert, but because it was our first time there our server brought us out two small dishes to taste. The Rice Pudding; caramalized basmati rice laced with ground almonds, toasted pistachios and fresh raisins, all slowly simmered in milk and Mango Pudding; fruit cocktail mixed with homemade mango flavored custard. The rice pudding was a little watery (I prefer mine thick) but it was very, very good. I have a great rice pudding recipe and next time I make it, I'm putting almonds and pistachios in it - it really elevated the taste. And the mango pudding was interesting.

On the way out, I took a picture of the cute little bar...

And the spacious dining room...

I enjoyed the meal enough that I think I'd probably give Indian food another try. My favorite part though, was the Naan. As with every restaurant I go to, I always love having a little bread.

I'm thinking if I ever went to prison, I'd be really okay with the bread and water thing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Now I’m No Longer Alone
2 YEARS AGO: Rings Of Spring
3 YEARS AGO: Map Schmap
4 YEARS AGO: A Willow Weeps In Arizona
5 YEARS AGO: Double Team
6 YEARS AGO: Turning One Million

Adding A Few More Wheels To The Big Rig

2012-01-16T20:50:00.009-04:00

Ed and I went bicycle shopping today. I've become really interested in having a bike on the truck for when we have downtime and we're in an area with nearby amenities; shopping, restaurants, parks, etc. We've sort of scrapped the idea of the Smart Car because we figured for the amount of time we actually use a car while out on the road, we can rent one like we've been doing. We often get the weekend deal through Enterprise ($10 a day in most places) or Ed gets a car for free with credit card points.

We also thought it would be a fun way to get in some exercise. I personally abhor exercise, which has directly affected the way my jeans fit, but I figured if I do the bike riding thing, I can trick myself into exercising because it's fun. We tested out a few bikes - I rode this one first because it was a girl's bike. I liked it, but it only comes in one size and I felt it was too short for me. So I tried the boy’s version, which I liked a lot better. The boy's version had seven speeds instead of three and had both front and rear hand brakes. The girl's version only had front hand brakes - the rears had to be stopped the old fashioned way - by foot. I didn't really like that.
Ed was really interested in this one (see photo above), which they call "Electric Assist" - that's right, it "assists" you. It's got a battery pack above the back wheel and when the pedaling becomes too hard, it gives you a little boost. I guess if you're planning on tackling hills, it could be helpful, but I plan on only riding on flat surfaces. I'll need to work up to hills, assistance or not. Plus, this one is $2,300.00 and since I'm not Lance Armstrong, I don't think we need to be spending that much on a bike.

We've talked about bikes before but haven't gone for a test ride until today...so I feel like we might be getting closer to actually getting them. Minus the dorky helmet I had to wear, I have to say that I felt like a total kid again. Freely tooling around the strip mall, stores whizzing by, wind in my hair (well, the hair that wasn't under the helmet) and a real feeling of freedom. I used to love my bike when I was a kid and I'm kind of excited about the idea of riding one again. I'm not too thrilled about wearing a helmet, but I suppose if I bite it, I should protect my head.

I'm excellent on 18-wheels (well, we actually only have ten wheels since we've got super-singles) but I'm not so sure how I'll be on two. I've gotta take it slow. I'll be doing more bike shopping in the future and IF we purchase any, you'll get a full report.

Or pictures of my first injury - whichever comes first.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Again And Again And Again
2 YEARS AGO: Hood Ornament
3 YEARS AGO: Eddie Out Of Control Friday
4 YEARS AGO: My Boyfriend Simon Is Back In Town
5 YEARS AGO: A Little Taste Of Miami Beach
6 YEARS AGO: Oooohhhhhh, Jabra!

Why Milk Is ALWAYS At The Top Of My Shopping List

2012-01-15T05:06:00.007-04:00

I love cereal. Cold cereal. Healthy cereal. Junk cereal. I don't eat a whole lot of it for breakfast - my breakfasts mainly consist of oatmeal, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and fruit or Dunkin' Donuts if I happen to be lucky enough to be near one - but I do like to eat cereal for lunch, dinner or a late night snack.

I've decided that it satisfies a lot of snacky sort of desires. It's definitely got the crunch factor going for it, and depending on the cereal, it can also have a sweet thing going on. The milk satiates the creamy aspect, and also the refreshing cold aspect - I like my cereal with ice cold milk. There's not too much salt satisfaction going on, but I'm not a big craver of salt. And I think it also takes care of the desire to have a piece of bread or cracker, because it's sort of got that carb thing going for it also.

The following are my favorite cereals in no particular order other than the first one being my very favorite.

Cocoa Puffs: These satisfy every time. I love them with icy milk, but I don't drink the milk when I'm done - it's way too chocolatey. In fact, if the milk gets too chocolately or too warm, I dump it out and start over with a fresh bowl. I just ate these last night.

Frosted Mini-Wheats: Shredded wheat reminds me of my grandfather - he used to eat the big bars of shredded wheat and let them get all mushy in his plate - and this is the closest I get to that. I have to have them frosted because when they're plain, I feel like I'm eating hay. And I eat them fast, because I don't like mushy cereal.

Cheerios: The quintessential finger food for kids. Before they started making snack containers for kids, everyone knew that Cheerios were the perfect nosh. Ziploc bags or a paper cup will do just fine, thank you very much. They're not only good with milk, you know.

Rice Krispies: A cereal that goes snap, crackle and pop in your mouth? Wunderbar! And you can also mix it with marshmallows to make an amazing, crispy treat? What more could I want? I love Rice Krispies!

Wheat Chex: I'm not a fan of the rice or corn variety, and I don't like them in the Chex Party Mix, but I do love me some Wheat Chex with milk. Another crispy, delicious treat.

Fruit Loops: Eaten alone or with milk (I see a pattern here), these remind me of "special" times in my childhood. We were NEVER allowed to have "junk" cereal, but every once in a while my mother would break down and let us buy a box.

Corn Pops & Apple Jacks: Two more forbidden treats. I've put them together because they're basically flavored sugar puffs. But sometimes, there's a craving that only Apple Jacks will take care of.

Kellogg's Raisin Bran: I did not like Post Raisin Bran. I don't know why - maybe it's because the box didn't have the big fat sun scooping "Two Scoops!" of plump raisins into your bowl. Whatever it was, I've definitely fallen prey to the advertising - to this day, I'm a Kellogg's girl.

Kashi GO LEAN: This stuff I mainly use as a mix-in for my yogurt. It's got clusters of stuff, sometimes almonds, and sometimes even fruit. It's naturally sweetened and has lots of protein and fiber. I feel extra healthy when I'm eating this cereal.

Puffed Wheat: It's light. And airy. Which makes me think I can eat seven bowls of it and be just as light and airy. That doesn't work, but while I'm crunching along, I often think that if I only ate cereal, like for some crazy three-meal-a-day diet, I could drop a few pounds and start a new trend....or maybe I'd be featured in all the women's magazines...people would call wanting me to be a guest on their TV and radio shows, sharing my secret of success... Okay, maybe the puffed part is going to my head. Honeysmacks also fits in this category, because they're puffed wheat, but they're sweetened, so not the best choice really.

Honeycomb: Oh. My. God. The BIGGEST pieces of cereal you've ever seen in your life. You can actually hurt the roof of your mouth if you happen to catch a honeycomb the wrong way. I haven't had these in YEARS, but the memory is still fresh. Talk about crisp! Whoa. I might have to go out and buy some tomorrow. They do still make these, don't they?

That's about it in the cold category. The only hot cereal I eat is oatmeal - I like it with pecans and chopped apples. If I were at someone's house and served farina, Cream of Wheat or grits, I'd eat them but it wouldn't be my first choice.

We always have several boxes of cereal in the truck. Ed doesn't eat cereal at all, but he does drink milk, so I never have to worry about running out. Because running out of milk when you're jonesin' for a bowl of cereal is just bad...

I don't even want to think about it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Fun For Sale
2 YEARS AGO: Dublin Is Incredibly Corny
3 YEARS AGO: Welcome To Snowhio
4 YEARS AGO: When Big Hair And Denim Were King
5 YEARS AGO: Open 24 Hours
6 YEARS AGO: Lucky One Eye

A Documentary In My Head

2012-01-14T05:00:00.007-04:00

When I was younger, I worked at a few hotels in the Catskills, but none meant more to me than Kutsher’s Country Club. I don't even remember interviewing for the job, but I worked at the front desk and occassionally, in the main showroom. Milton and Helen Kutsher, who owned the hotel, were very present in the day-to-day operations and I saw them daily as their offices were both just behind the front desk.

I recently found this article which brought all the memories back to me. I'd love to see this documentary. Just seeing the video, which features Helen Kutsher herself (she's the voice you hear at 0:16 and then you see her at 0:18), made me want to know more.

In the article, it's mentioned that this hotel was the inspiration for the movie Dirty Dancing. I had always thought Grossinger's was the inspiration, since I had read somewhere that Eleanor Bergstein, the woman who wrote the movie, stayed there as a young girl. Now I'm reading that she stayed at both resorts.

Makes sense though, because to me, my experience at Kutsher's was much like that of the characters in the movie - just there to have fun, enjoy the summer and flirt with the boys. There were so many boys at the hotel, most of them students working there just during the summers, and many of the staff lived in staff quarters during that time. Just like in Dirty Dancing, the staff quarters were old bungalows, away from the eyes of the guests. And the staff, just like in the movie, hung out together socializing and having fun.

There were two guys I remember vividly from my time there, mostly because I made out with them! Scott David Danziger and Chuck Everson. Scott worked at the hotel as a bellman, was Jewish, and was very cute and super smart. For some reason I think I remember saying he was going to be a doctor. I wonder if he ever did that? He was also very witty, and a great conversationalist - we literally "talked for hours". I had such a good time that to this day, I can remember what I was wearing that night.

The other guy, Chuck Everson, went to Villanova University and was a rookie basketball player that had recently been drafted by the Utah Jazz. He was at the hotel to participate in the annual Maurice Stokes Benefit game. He was 7'1" tall and four years older than me. I remember calling my Dad that night to ask him if I could stay out a little later (I was 18 or 19 at the time, but still living at home) because I wanted to look "cool" by taking Chuck to a local dive bar I had heard some of the waitresses in my family restaurant talking about.

He was so tall, that even with the bench seats of my Chevy Monte Carlo pushed all the way back, his knees were up to his chest. He was extremely handsome, very nice and a really good kisser - that part I found out later when we went back to the hotel. It was late and the lobby area was vacant; where we were sitting, we couldn't really be seen by anyone passsing by. Not that I would have cared - all I was thinking about was that I was kissing a really hot guy almost a foot and a half taller than me, who played basketball for the NBA! What a story I was to tell my friends!

I don't know much about sports (then or now) but I recently Googled him and found several articles. Apparently, he was featured in an HBO special and some other videos because of an incredible game that was played between Villanova University (his team) and Georgetown University - a game that Villanova won, making them the 1985 NCAA Champions (that's Chuck in the back row, third from left). From what I've read online, the game is often cited among the "greatest upsets in college basketball history". Wow, who knew?? He's married with two teenage kids, both who play basketball, and he's been involved with coaching youth basketball for over twenty years. And he's still kinda cute!

Boy, this post sort of got off topic, didn't it? For me, it was a nice walk down memory lane. The Catskills hold incredible memories for so many people, and I feel very special to have been there to make so many of my own. My best friend and I often reminisce about the good times we had back in the eighties. There were many of those famous Borscht Belt hotels that I've either worked at, or frequented and most people I know have also worked in at least one of them at some point in their lives.

I'm hoping this documentary will be available for download or purchase at some point in the future since I know I won't make it to New York by the 26th, when it's showing. I guess I'll just have to replay my own documentary...right in my own head.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1 YEAR AGO: Weeding Out The Assholes

2 YEARS AGO: Does It Fall Under Some Kind Of Secret Guy Code?
3 YEARS AGO: Over 140 Million Years In The Making
4 YEARS AGO: If “G” Means Good, Then “I” Must Mean Incompetent
5 YEARS AGO: Ft. Lauderdale Storm
6 YEARS AGO: You Don’t Need Makeup Or Starbucks

Passion Creates Pure Art

2012-01-13T04:57:00.005-04:00

My cousin is hot. This picture is evidence. And it's not just from the back that she looks good. She's got great skin, eyes that you can drown in, a beautiful smile with perfect white teeth, and long, glossy hair. She also has an MBA. Good looking and smart; a deadly combination.

She's started taking pole dancing fitness classes for exercise. Yes, for exercise. No, she's not a stripper. It all started with the S Factor class she discovered but has progressed into a real interest in the actual art of it. It's hard and I've seen the bruises on her legs and arms from learning how to smoothly execute the moves. She sometimes takes video, which she only shares with a few people, and I've watched her become better at it. The difference is actually noticeable.

Her body has transformed also. Kind of like a ballet dancer - long and lean. Well, as long as someone of her stature can be - she's barely over five feet tall. But it seems to have worked, and in addition to looking good, she loves it as a form of exercise. She's only been doing this for about two years, but it's turned into a real passion.

And she must be doing something right, because that picture is pure art.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Reflecting On The Day
2 YEARS AGO: Crunching The Numbers
3 YEARS AGO: Looking Grand At The Grand Canyon
4 YEARS AGO: Overshadowing Government
5 YEARS AGO: Miami International
6 YEARS AGO: Did You Check The Solenoid?

Shocking

2012-01-12T04:42:00.011-04:00

Last year I did two posts detailing some of the upgrades we did on our truck. One of those upgrades were new shocks. Just last week, Ed discovered that those shocks were leaking (whatever the hell that means). That resulted in him having them taken off the truck, then packing them up to send them back to the manufacturer for them to figure out what cause the problem.

Needless to say, he's not very happy about it. And he's written a new post about it. I now present you another installment of "Ed's View"...

I have a rant!

Eight months ago I purchased six Road King Shocks for our Coronado and about a month after installation, they started to fail. That’s not to say that the shocks weren’t good – they worked great! They certainly absorbed more impact than any other brand shock I’ve had on a truck, and created a smoother ride, making the rough roads a little more bearable. But that didn’t last.

Built into the shock, but visible from the outside is a plastic wiper which is supposed to keep the shock shaft clean as it travels in and out of the shock body. This wiper is supposed to stay in the shock body, but it did not. Instead, it worked its way out of the shock body and up the shock shaft where it left the shaft unprotected. The result? Six leaking shocks.

I should have known there were going to be problems with this company from the beginning, when they didn’t ship the shocks to me when they said they would. I had to call to find out where they were and when I did, was told that UPS lost them. I found this hard to believe. I suppose it’s possible, but I think it’s highly unlikely for sixty pounds of gas filled shocks to be "lost". I believe they used the age old excuse of blaming someone else - some manufacturers and sellers use this technique to cover up the fact that they forgot to ship an order, lost an order, didn’t even place the order or are just plain incompetent. I’m getting used to this way of doing business, because I have no choice, and I’m not happy with it.

When I finally received the shocks in May 2011, I found them to be very stiff, which is good. Since they’re supposed to absorb energy, otherwise described as “shock”, the stiffer they are, the better. Usually stock shocks are easy to compress by hand and install with only a couple of wrenches, but these shocks needed a shop and a good bottle jack. Not knowing if there would be any other complications, I took the truck to a shop and let them do the job of installing the shocks. At the time of installation, I discovered the seller had shorted me some bushings, and I had to go to a hardware store myself to get them. Had I not found these bushings, I would have had to wait a week or more until the seller could ship them to me.

This brings us to the present – leaking shocks that I had to remove and ship back to the manufacturer. I'm not holding out much hope that they will expedite the repair process. I spent $2000.00 for parts, labor, and shipping and now I have a truck that’s been sitting a week already without shocks. I suspect I’ll be looking at another week at least before I even get them back. They hawked these shocks at the biggest truck shows in the country, year after year, telling people how they offer ten times the damping force of other shocks and that no after-market enhancements are needed. They said they can be rebuilt up to three times during the lifetime of the shock and don’t need to be rebuilt until they hit three or four hundred thousand miles of use. We only went about 100,000 miles and already there’s a problem.

When I called the company and told them about the problem I was having, they told me they’d never heard of anything like it before. I can’t stand this answer - especially from someone who just sold me their product! I am not comforted by the knowledge that the company hasn’t had any other calls like mine. Why should I care about that? It literally makes no difference to me. You’re getting the call now. I am having a problem with the product you sold me, and I can’t see how it makes a difference whether I’m the first person or the last person to have the problem. What I want to know is what you’re going to do about it.

To me, telling me you’ve never had a call like this before, is just a manipulation tactic; trying to make me somehow feel bad that I’m having an issue. As if I shouldn’t be bothering you with it, that you don’t have time for me. It reminds me of the place I bought my truck - after spending over two-hundred thousand dollars, once I was in possession of the item they sold me, they acted as if they didn’t have time to fit me in and fix problems that were occurring, even though everything was under warranty. It’s an unscrupulous technique, unfortunately practiced by far too many businesses these days, especially in trucking.

In the case with the shocks, there is not only some kind of flaw in manufacturing, but also a flaw in their customer service. There isn't any. They should be bending over backwards to make me happy and so far, I’m not at all impressed. I’ve fired off an angry letter to the company, expressing my displeasure and I’ve asked for them to cover the shipping costs. As of this writing, they have not replied. Shocker.

I’m hoping to hear something soon but I’m smart enough not to hold my breath while waiting.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Awesome All-Star
2 YEARS AGO: Have Pots And Pans, Will Travel
3 YEARS AGO: This One Contains A Young Rider
4 YEARS AGO: When She’s Not Sleeping, She Tries To Look Purty
5 YEARS AGO: Eddie McSteamy Friday
6 YEARS AGO: Pepparkakor Cat

Inside The Trucker's Studio

2012-01-11T04:39:00.007-04:00

Have you ever watched Inside The Actors Studio with James Lipton, where he sits down and interviews celebrities one on one? It's fabulous. He always asks the actors the same ten questions. I've often thought, what if James Lipton were to interview me? What would my answers to his ten questions be?

You can stop holding your breath now - my answers are right comin' right up. The questions really seem to require a one word answer, but I'm not good at being brief, so in most cases I've given more than one. If you want to pretend I gave just one, use the first answer I listed.

1. What is your favorite word?
Right now I can only think of delicious and funicular. I'm sure there are more...I'll be back.

2. What is your least favorite word?
Bipartisan - because it's bullshit. But I also hate the following words and phrases: staycation, my bad, outside the box, on the same page...

3. What turns you on?
Creativity. But after that, intelligence, witty banter, mental stimulation, clothing design, books....oh, so many things.

4. What turns you off?
Poor spelling and grammar - drives me NUTS. Smoking. And in the last few years, I've noticed that smells bother me. Ed calls me a bloodhound, I can smell anything, anywhere. I find there are a lot of smells I dislike; tuna, onions, crude oil, dirt, wet dog, grease, strong perfume, burlap, sour dairy, lavender, sage.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
My first choice would be silence, but after that, I love the sound of a fierce thunder storm with torrential rain.

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
Women with little girl voices. Screaming children. Snot sucking in public. People who scrape their fork against their teeth to pull food off - it's not just improper etiquette, it makes my teeth hurt. And I also hate the constant sound of a television.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
Fuck.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Lawyer. I'd also like to try my hand at cheesemaking. I know, weird, right?

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Anything that requires physical work in hot conditions. Anything repetitive like a factory. Or working in retail - I did it at nineteen years old, but at my age now, I couldn't bear the idiots. And there are a LOT of them.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "Oh, thank me. You're finally here. All of your friends kept asking when you were coming and now I don't have to listen to them hounding me a thousand times a day."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: The Next Project
2 YEARS AGO: Why Would You Want To Be A Zero When Looking Like This Is Clearly A Plus?
3 YEARS AGO: The Giant Dirty Bird Goes Sailing In The Four Corners
4 YEARS AGO: Soft Core Porn
5 YEARS AGO: Almost Fully Integrated
6 YEARS AGO: Downtown Scenery And Deals

I Love A Man Wearing A Damn Good Looking Workboot

2012-01-10T04:34:00.014-04:00

Last August, Justin Original Workboots contacted me and asked if I would hold a giveaway contest on my blog.

Uh, yeeaaah! Why would I say no to that??

So I created a post, ran it here and on another trucking blog I sometimes write for, and also posted about it on my personal and my blog Facebook page ("Like" me if you haven't already!), and away we went.

I didn't get as many entries as I would have liked, but I did see a lot of people coming over to check out the posts, so that's a good thing. And we did have a winner who I suspect was pretty happy.

In addition to the free pair of boots Justin Original Workboots provided for the contest, they very generously offered another pair of boots for me to give to a friend to test and report back on. I was so thrilled to be able to call my friend Anthony, who owns his own business and works harder in one day than I do in a month, to tell him that I was sending him a kick-ass pair of gorgeous work boots! OK, he probably couldn't care less about the gorgeous part, but I knew he'd be happy to hear about the free part.

Anthony wears workboots almost every day of his life. He spends most of his time in his shop, creating custom cabinets for the homes of some very wealthy people in the Nashville area. Yes, he's even worked in the homes of country music stars!

His time is divided between standing for incredible amounts of time behind machines in his workshop, to climbing ladders for installs, to being on his hands and knees to get the bottoms of the cabinets just right, to walking through sawdust and dirt and mud and whatever else is required when on a job site. Anyone who has been on one knows you can encounter just about anything - from rebar to sharp objects to nails to rocks to heavy objects nearly missing you and your feet (hellooooo, steel toes!).

Anthony has been in Tennessee for a long time, but he's not a native. He was born and raised in New York. I don't think I need to point out that New Yorkers have a no-bullshit, tell-it-like-it-is style of communicating. I knew that of all my friends, Anthony would the best one to get an honest opinion from. And that's exactly what he provided.

The following are exact quotes from him regarding the boots:

"I love that they have a soft, non-marking sole."

"They bend and are flexible in the right areas. They don't pinch."

"They feel like a used boot that is new. They're very comfortable."

"They give the ankle support without binding your ankle. You know when you take a boot off and your ankle feels bruised? These don't do that."

"They're really nice looking - I like the distressed look of the leather."

"And of course, I love the steel toe for work."

I grilled him a little more, just to make sure he wasn't bullshitting me. He not so delicately said that he doesn't have time to bullshit me, that I asked him what he thought and he told me. Uh, okay. Right to the point, as usual.

I've known Anthony for almost 23 years. I think the first night we met - in a bar, in the Catskill Mountains - he was wearing jeans and workboots.

I've seen these boots in person and he's right - it's a good looking boot. The leather is distressed perfectly and the color really looks great with a pair of jeans. It's clear they're well made and look as if they'd last a long time.

I'd like to thank Justin Original Workboots again for choosing The Daily Rant as a vehicle for a giveaway contest, introducing their product to any of my readers who may not be familiar with them - specifically their new J-Max collection.

Please take a moment to check out the Justin Original Workboots website, their Facebook page and also their Twitter feed. You'll learn more about boots than you ever thought you needed to know!

Oh, and did I mention I know where you can get a pair? Cavender's Boot City. OMG, if you've never been in this store, you have never seen cowboy garb at its finest. Hats, belts, Wranglers and Ropers (look that up if you don't understand the connection), pocket knives, bolo ties, and boots. Oh, the selection of boots! I've been to the store in Amarillo and let me tell you, it makes me want to go all Urban Cowgirl within ten minutes of being under their roof.

But you don't have to go to Texas to find these workboots. In fact, you don't even have to get off your couch - you can order online.

Now go get yourself a pair!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: MMXI At Full Throttle
2 YEARS AGO: Maybe There’s A Reason Ed Never Lets Me Out Of The Truck
3 YEARS AGO: One Thousand Four Hundred Forty Minutes A Day
4 YEARS AGO: Napolitos
5 YEARS AGO: The Story Of The Uppity Barista: Otherwise Known As A Texan Gittin’ Above His Raisin’
6 YEARS AGO: Rock, Paper, Eddie

I'm Totally Contemplating Thievery

2012-01-09T04:29:00.006-04:00

I've always had a bit of a stationery obsession; pens, paper, notebooks, journals, greeting cards, handmade papers. I love Office Depot, shopping for school supplies and browsing stores like Papyrus. Oh the beautiful stuff to be found in that store!

I think it must run in the family. Recently, I was using a pen I found at my mother's house. She saw me using it and said, "Is that your pen or mine?"

"Yours, but I have one just like it." I said.

"Well, I don't want you using that one." she said, and took it from my hand.

"I've been using it all week! You didn't even notice. Now you want it back. I love it." I said.

"Yes, and that's why I don't want you to use it." she said. "You'll forget that it's mine and you'll take it."

"I'm not going to take it." I said.

"I only use that pen for special occassions. I don't use it to just write any old thing." she said.

"Really? You have a pen you use for special occassions?? What kind of special occassion calls for a particular pen?" I asked.

"Just...things....stuff I like to write." she stammered.

I just had to laugh. But I totally understood what she meant. There are times, if Ed asks for a pen, which I know he's using to sign a bill or lading or hand to someone else to sign a bill of lading, I totally give him the shittiest pen in the truck. I am not losing one of my good pens to a dock worker.

I have one of these same pens my mother is coveting, and I love it. Retractable. Fine point. Blue ink. Writes amazingly smooth and has quick drying ink. I look for it everywhere I go and so far, I haven't found one.

I'll probably have to order it online. Or, I do know where I can find one...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Some People Are Just Fucking Nuts
2 YEARS AGO: 7am In Beantown
3 YEARS AGO: Eddie Taking A Moment To Enjoy Nature Friday
4 YEARS AGO: Pull Up A Chair
5 YEARS AGO: Brad Blows
6 YEARS AGO: Expressly American

Apple Is My Life. I'm Living It To The Core.

2012-01-08T04:12:00.009-04:00

Last year I did a post listing my favorite iPhone apps. I had just gotten my iPhone a few weeks earlier and went a little crazy buying everything I liked. I've deleted some but added others. Here are a few of my new favorites:

Google Latitude: So I can track my friends and family and they can track me. An app where you can share your locations with anyone you choose. It comes in handy with my trucker friends - a quick glance and I can see just where they are and whether or not we might cross paths. That's how RuthAnn found us in Phoenix a few months ago.

Audible: The vehicle for my audiobooks. It's probably one of my most used apps, especially when we're doing a lot of driving. The night passes so much more quickly when you have someone telling you a story.

Instagram: My favorite app. I love taking a picture and tweaking it and I love the square format it uses.

Fring: Video calling, for free! I've already Fring'd with Ed (a test call), my mother and my best friend in Nashville.

AccelaStudy: I'm using this to learn Italian. It has quizzes, flashcards and an audio practice test. The native speaker is easy to understand and I find myself using correct pronunciation when saying the words after he does. There are several languages to choose from.

Water My Photo: Just a really fun app, that transforms a photo you took to make it look like it's reflected in a pool of water. I don't know that it's a necessary app, but it's a fun one.

Moleskin: Named after the famous Moleskin journals were inspired by the black notebooks used by Oscar Wilde, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Henri Matisse. It's great for taking notes and organizing thoughts.

Wooly Willy: Once you see this, you'll likely remember it from your childhood. Who didn't have that plastic covered piece of cardboard with the magnetic pen to create oddball looks.

RoadNinja: I got this because of the endless barrage of billboards I've seen, put up by Lamar Outdoor Advertising, a company who dominates the billboard market, and the people behind the creation of the app. It's a handy tool to see what's coming up at the next exit - restaurants, gas stations, hotels and attractions - it's all there with the tap of a finger.

Redbox: I love Redbox. I can't think of another place where you can get a movie for a dollar. They're everywhere these days and most of the places we've found them (grocery stores, Walmarts, drugstores, etc.) have easy truck access. So we can pull in, get a movie or three, hunker down for the night with popcorn and a beverage, and enjoy the latest flicks in the comfort of our own space. Can't find a better deal than that.

REALTOR.com: Everywhere I go, I'm checking out the real estate. I have a few places in mind that I'd eventually like to move to, but as a truck driver, we can really live anywhere since we don't have to worry about finding a job in the town we choose. I'm not planning to live in Arizona forever, so I like to know what my options are as I travel across the country.

My iPhone is by far my favorite gadget. I can't wait to get my iPad when it comes out. And maybe eventually, I'll convert to a Mac, although I'm really happy with my sweet little Toshiba.

But until then, I'll be living the Apple life to the core!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Men (And One Little Man) At Work
2 YEARS AGO: Miss Me Like It’s Forever
3 YEARS AGO: Speak Already!
4 YEARS AGO: On The Hunt
5 YEARS AGO: Cash For Life
6 YEARS AGO: Nice Melons

Gratuitous Cute Dog Photo

2012-01-07T11:40:00.000-04:00

My sister-in-law recently sent me this picture of their dog, Ollie. I believe the photo was from Halloween, but I seriously think he could wear this get-up on a regular basis and gain street cred in his doggie social circle.

He's only about eight inches off the ground, but if you saw him barreling toward you, it'd give you pause, wouldn't it?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: How To Kill Bees
2 YEARS AGO: A Mirage Of Sorts
3 YEARS AGO: Clouds Aflame
4 YEARS AGO: When You Get One Like This, Don’t Let Him Get Away
5 YEARS AGO: A Good Tipper Can Always Get Away With Being A Little Bossy
6 YEARS AGO: Like Day And Night In Utah

Waiting For The Bell To Ring

2012-01-06T02:54:00.000-04:00

My friend's son is changing schools, so she asked me to do her a favor today while she was at work - it's open enrollment and she wanted me to take him to the new school to get started on his testing so he can begin classes on Monday.

The school I was taking him to was my old high school. I actually graduated in New York, but I did my freshman, sophmore and junior year in Arizona, and that's the school he was transferring to. As I was sitting in the Administration Office waiting for my friend to meet me, I realized that the last time I had set foot on that campus was sometime in 1984.

TWENTY-EIGHT years ago.

Talk about feeling old. So old, that before my friend's son went into the building I said, "Pull your pants up, or pull your shirt down - whatever works so your underwear doesn't show. And make sure to turn your cell phone off."

This kid is smart, in the gifted program. And he's an athlete. He's going to do well at this school, no doubt. But at sixteen, I'm not sure he understands that it's not a good idea to walk into a new school with your pants halfway down your ass. What is it with the kids today that that's even a style?

And what's with me saying "what is it with the kids today"?? Although, as I was reminded by a friend today regarding another situaion, I probably should have been born in another era.

Preferably, one where you were taken to school in a horse and carriage.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: You Don’t Need I.D. To Buy Booze If You Have One Of These In Your Pocket
2 YEARS AGO: The Pros Slip In And Out With Ease
3 YEARS AGO: Mine. All Mine.
4 YEARS AGO: No, You Can’t Fly It
5 YEARS AGO: Flying Parasols
6 YEARS AGO: Seattle In Motion

Light On My Feet. Literally.

2012-01-05T00:01:00.012-04:00

Yesterday a large box arrived via UPS, addressed to me - inside, the two little boxes above - each one about 3.5" wide by 5.5" long by 3.5" tall. Of course I knew what they were since I did order them, but I was amazed to see such a tiny box. Inside were my tiny, beautiful new ballet flats!

I bought my first pair at Nordstrom Rack last weekend for $22.00 - a total steal since it's so hard to get flats that are so beautiful and dainty for my gigantic feet. The ones I bought were black and I immediately knew I needed more, so when I got home I went online and ordered two more pairs. They came in this little pouch:

Can you believe that my size twelve shoes fold up in a pouch the size of a grapefruit? Amazing.

The leather is like butter (they actually call it "butter skin leather" on the website) and they have a great rubber sole with this purty little flower design. They don't even feel like you're wearing anything. They're like leather socks.
I ordered them in pewter and got a second pair in black. They're so comfy. So versatile. So little. With my limited storage space in the truck, they're just perfect and will go with so many thing; capris, skirts, leggings, jeans. I can't wait to get them in other colors.
Click HERE to see what they look like all unfolded and to order a pair of your own!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: We Got Smashed
2 YEARS AGO: One Provides Light, The Other Just Stands There
3 YEARS AGO: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are!
4 YEARS AGO: C’Mon In
5 YEARS AGO: Eddie Hits The Bricks Friday
6 YEARS AGO: Take It As It Comes

Why So Angry, Birds?

2012-01-04T00:07:00.006-04:00

Took this photo of gigantic stuffed Angry Birds at the Fry's Electronics Store in Phoenix, Arizona. The birds are everywhere these days. They're celebrities.

This store had Angry Birds plush animals, Angry Birds magnets, Angry Birds keychains, Angry Birds playing cards, Angry Birds iPhone and iPad cases, Angry Birds candy...where does it end?

Have you seen all the stuff for sale? I just can't decide who is my favorite. I like Red Bird because he's the OAG (Original Angry Bird), but I also like Yellow Bird because he has a triangle head. But then piglet is cute too. Oooooh, the choices.

Do you play Angry Birds, and if so, who is your favorite?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: One Hand In The Air For The Empire State
2 YEARS AGO: Hitching A Ride From Frying Pan Into Fire
3 YEARS AGO: Don’t Look At Me Like That. No, Really. Don’t. You’re Making Me Melt.
4 YEARS AGO: A Mid-Winter Pick Me Up
5 YEARS AGO: I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You
6 YEARS AGO: How To Get Rid Of Your Girlfriend

Instantly Tucson

2012-01-03T00:01:00.013-04:00

Today I took a little stroll in the front yard, armed with my iPhone to take some Instagram shots to share with you. Now you can see what I see every day when I wake up here in Southern Arizona.

This first photo is the ubiquitous Saguaro Cactus, found exclusively in the Sonoran Desert. They are the largest cactus in the United States and can grow anywhere from fifteen to sixty feet tall. They are known for their water storing capacity and after rains have been plentiful, a fully hydrated saguaro can weigh between 3,200 to 4,800 pounds. With the right growing conditions, they can live to be two-hundred years old.
Next we have one of the many Palo Verde trees you will see in most areas of the Southwest. Spanish for "green stick", it alludes to the general color of the bark of the tree. When the trees flower, they produce a bright yellow flower. Most of the year though, they look like this. These are some of the spines found on the Saguaro; they cover each of the ribs on the columns of the cactus. Saguaro ribs are often used on furniture and in a decorative manner after the cactus has died and dried out. This is the path from the front door of the house looking out towards the cul-de-sac. As you can see, there isn't much landscaping. Most homes, unless landscaped with decorative rock and native plants, or fake grass (real grass is rare as it's very labor intensive to keep green), just have dirt in their yards. Neat, often raked dirt, but dirt nonetheless.This is an Agave plant, commonly referred to as the Century Plant. Alot of people confuse it with Aloe because the leaves look similar. It's also not cacti, even though it seems to love living among them, the sharp spine at the tip of each leaf leaf allowing them to blend in seamlessly.
This next photo is our view of the Santa Catalina Mountains. It's the "preferred" view on the Northwest side of town. We've had this view for over thirty years, long before it became desirable to have this view.

It's the most prominent mountain range in Tucson (the city is ringed by five mountain ranges) and it has the highest elevation at 9,157 feet. Often in the winter, we'll see snow on top, sometimes halfway down the peak. Most of it melts quickly, leaving the bulk of it on Mount Lemmon.
I think I only remember once (or twice) that I've been here when there was actual snow on the ground, it doesn't usually make it that far. My best friend asked me if the sky is really that blue. Yes, it really is. It's rare that the sun isn't shining here (one of the reasons I'm not crazy about the place), and you can plan a picnic for any date, during any month, at any time in the future and be pretty confident that you won't be rained out.

This week has been in the high seventies during the day and the low forties at night, but thankfully we're going to get back into the sixties, which is where I like it.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Start With An Ollie, Finish With A Shred And Grind
2 YEARS AGO: Fire In The Sky
3 YEARS AGO: Free Advertising For Erectile Dysfunction
4 YEARS AGO: High Flame Toni
5 YEARS AGO: Ripped From The Headlines
6 YEARS AGO: Our Truck Looked Reallllly Good…

All The Color I Need

2012-01-02T00:01:00.008-04:00

Ed and I have been home since Christmas Eve. We've been doing a lot of running around for errands and shopping but equally as much lounging around. Since we're in the desert, the landscape is pretty dismal and very brown; most time of the year but especially during the winter.

As I sit in the lazyboy, flipping through the many magazines I've received during the weeks I was on the road, I look out the window and don't see much color. Thankfully, I have this beautiful stained glass lampshade made by my step-father Frank, perched beside my lazyboy. It provides all the color I need to complete my day of loafing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Bobbin’ Around The Neighborhood
2 YEARS AGO: Getting Ready For Bathing Suit Season With Bananas
3 YEARS AGO: Ed Happy Little Trees Friday
4 YEARS AGO: Sorry, no post on this day.
5 YEARS AGO: Forty Two Days
6 YEARS AGO: I Should Have Never Had That Last Drink!

Quiet On The Set

2012-01-01T00:01:00.003-04:00

It is just after midnight, about thirty minutes into 2012. As I sit here reading the New York Times, the TV is on in the background because there are others in the room watching one of the New Year's Eve celebrations.

As I listen to the music (most of which I don't know, by artists I've never heard of), I realize how much I hate noise. Specifically, noise from a television. More specifically, noise from a television when a show is on that I have no interest in watching.

I only watch four television shows a week on purpose. Any other time I have the television on, it's usually the Food Network or Food Channel playing, or we're watching reruns of something. And it's not loud. Here, in this house, it's turned all the way up to "burst an eardrum". And it's always, always on. And it's fucking annoying.

I just read an article about a bootcamp in South Korea created to get kids away from technology and another article about The Joy Of Quiet. That's something I'm going to be needing a lot more of in the new year - quiet. I don't know if I can go completely without technology, but I'd like to be alone with my technology in a quiet place. Uninterrupted. I don't want to interact with anyone. I want to sit and read, write, ponder. I don't want to hear a television. I don't want to hear a radio. I would just like to take a week in nature and get away from everything.

Ed can come with me. In fact, I'd love for him to come with me. As long as he understands the ground rules - no talking. Or at least, very little talking.

You can get so much more done that way.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: I’d Rather Get A Little Taste Of Mark Ruffalo Than Eat Swiss Chard
2 YEARS AGO: Two Very Different Ideas Of Fun
3 YEARS AGO: Caution: New Year Ahead!
4 YEARS AGO: Fresh Dreams. Clean Slate. High Hopes. New You.
5 YEARS AGO: Two Thousand Seven
6 YEARS AGO: Happy New Year!

Later, 2011!

2011-12-31T00:01:00.026-04:00

Another year has passed us by, which means it's time for me to search the depths of my noggin to answer the following questions. If you happen to do the same thing on your blog, please leave me a link in comments - I'd love to read what you've written.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Watched the defeat of bees which included a suprise visit from a rattlesnake; got an iPhone and went a little crazy in the app store; met the Plum Trucker and RuthAnn in person; went to the Louisville truck show as a VIP; did a round-trip, regular run between Baltimore and Seattle for FOUR months; virtually attended the wedding of a Prince; discovered the Instagram app; held a giveaway contest sponsored by a major boot manufacturer; went parasailing, found a conch shell and survived a hurricane in the Turks and Caicos; visited an airplane graveyard; and “grew” a money tree.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any last year, but this year I resolve to learn Italian via audiobook, eat less fast food, try to do a little exercise, eat more fresh fruit (which I love, but don't eat as often as I should), and manage my time better.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My friend Jen, from ARI, gave birth to a beautiful little girl they named Scout Quinn.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. Two very loved people. My Aunt Jennie and my beloved step-father Frank.

5. What countries did you visit?
We went to the Turks and Caicos – during a hurricane, no less.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A smaller body. More vacations. Time to just sit and write stuff.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The day my step-father died and the three weeks leading up to it, for obvious reasons. The shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords because I was home in Tucson when it happened and the store she was shot at is the place I grocery shop. President Obama finally capturing and killing Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi because it couldn’t be escaped on the news. And June 28 for personal reasons.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Losing 12 pounds.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Gaining it back.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, knock on wood. Healthy as a horse, again.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My iPhone. Life is not worth living without it.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Ed’s, during this event. I was a crying, babbling mess because I was tired, annoyed and overwhelmed and he handled me so kindly and took care of me and the situation like a champ. He is truly a knight in a shining armor. My knight.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I don't get depressed, but I am often appalled. This year, the biggest transgression belongs to my step-father's grandchildren. Their behavior prior to and at the time of his death was disgusting. No phonecalls, no letters, no text messages, no NOTHING. After all he did for them, it makes me want to line them up and smack them one by one. Hard. Also, there are some people in my family who didn't offer condolences to me personally when he died. I find all of that absolutely appalling. There's no excuse. None at all.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Vacation, dining out and investments.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Surprisingly, having more time to drive so I could listen to my audiobooks.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
"Turning Tables" by Adele - I first heard it on Glee, performed by Gwyneth Paltrow - I think she did a great job.

Anything by Amy Winehouse, because 2011 is the year I first discovered her - I know, I must have been living under a rock, but Glee was also responsible for that when Santana (OMG, she's the sexiest thing on two legs!) sang "Back To Black"; and this song by Christina Aguilera and Beverly McClellan. Beautiful.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
I'm always pretty happy with the exception of some life bumps (like deaths), I'm still as fat as I was last year (-12 pounds, then +12 pounds = 0 pounds lost) and I have more money than I did last year, as I fully funded my IRA this year. Woo Hoo!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Talking to my step-father about his life. I had intended to gather information but it just didn't happen. Now he's gone. I also wish I had taken more pictures...of everything.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Waste time.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With family in Arizona…and it was actually a little chilly this time!

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I actually fell a little more in love with Ed this year. Seeing how he handled the death of my step-father, and watching his kind, gentle nature made me realize how very lucky I am to have him. He doesn't just say he loves me, he always, always shows it.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Well, I never miss Glee, Grey's Anatomy or Project Runway, but in addition to that, I'm absolutely addicted to Chopped and I also watch David Rocco's Dolce Vita and Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen whenever I have the chance.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Well, I wouldn’t exactly say hate; it’s more like a growing dislike.

24. What was the best book you read?
Oh, Lord. This is a hard question to answer this year, as I've devoured SO many books! I can narrow it down to five - will that help?
Nothing To Envy by Barbara Demick (Best book I've ever read. Ever. LOVED it.)
Mosaic by Diane Armstrong (Fantastic true family saga. Very absorbing.)
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan (Fiction based on fact about the love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mameh Borthwick. I really enjoyed this one.)
Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Amy Winehouse. I know, I know. I live in a cave. But when she first came out, I poo-pooed her, thinking it wasn't my kind of music. She is SO my kind of music. Then she went and died. WTF?

26. What did you want and get?
An iPad. Well, I didn’t actually get it yet. Ed bought me an iPad 3 for Christmas. Yes, yes, I know the only iPad out right now is the 2, but Ed wrapped up a little note promising me the iPad 3 when it comes out in early 2012. Exciiiited!

27. What did you want and not get?
A week in Tennessee with my best friend.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
We watch a lot of movies, especially from Red Box – what a great invention – pick up a movie in one state, drop it off in another, at only $1 per night - how can you not use this service?? Of the ones we saw, I liked “The Last King of Scotland”, "The Switch", "The Help", and "Hanna".

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I spent my 44th birthday in St. Louis, Missouri because that's where we happened to be, so we took a few days and explored the town (The Hill, Downtown, the BBQ joints). But we actually went to Turks and Caicos for my birthday trip (even though Ed desired that location more than I did) – we snorkeled, met a really nice couple from the UK, and battened down the hatches when the hurricane came. Good times.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Canada. Canada. Canada! I haven’t been in years and I’m jonesin’ a little bit. I want to visit the Le Château Frontenac during the Carnaval de Québec - it's already on the 2012 schedule.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
For driving: Spaghetti strap tank, velour sweatpants, and socks.
For anything outside of the truck: Capris and flip-flops in hot weather, jeans and sneaks in cold.

32. What kept you sane?
Frequent visits to Barnes & Noble, talking to my best friend, snuggling with Eddie.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
My mother said The Crustaceans. I’m pretty sure she means The Kardashians. I’m not really into them, so I’m not sure why she said that, but I guess I'll go with it because I can’t think of anyone I was obsessed with this year.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The horrid anti-immigration laws being drafted and passed in states like Arizona, South Carolina, Mississippi and specifically Alabama.

35. Who did you miss?
My brother, because I don’t get to see him enough, and my family on the East Coast for the same reason.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Mark, even though it was a short-lived friendship, and RuthAnn Bradbury. THAT meeting was a long time coming. She’s great!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Well, I don't know if I learned this in 2011, but it was talked about a lot: Less is more. And I know this because I live it every day. When on the road, I have a limited amout of stuff with me, and by having to leave things home because of space considerations, I have realized that I don't really need anything. I have everything I need within arms length. People own too much stuff, they live above their means and they think they need "things". Money is wasted buying crap for your kids (toys, video games, etc.) that they'll never remember when they get older. Your money would be better spent creating an experience where you can spend more time with them, creating an indelible memory. It would do kids and families good.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
This comes from one of my favorite songs of the year called "Come On Get Higher" by Matt Nathanson. I like the Sugarland version better, but either way, I'm lovin' this song.

So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire in the swing of your hips
Just throw me down hard
And drown me in love

And my slogan for the new year...Money, Honey!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: That’s A Wrap!
2 YEARS AGO: Out With The Old
3 YEARS AGO: Another Year, Another 365 Days
4 YEARS AGO: All Good Things Come To An End
5 YEARS AGO: The Symphony Of A Thousand Saws
6 YEARS AGO: Suicidal Firewood

They Really Mean It When They Say, "We Come To You"

2011-12-30T00:01:00.007-04:00

Yesterday Ed took the truck to the shop to have some motor mounts replaced; the truck has over 400,000 miles on it now and it was time. I haven't driven in it yet, but Ed said there was a noticeable reduction in vibration. In this case, that's a good thing.

Today we had the passenger side window replaced. There was a crack creeping up from the bottom and as I mentioned in this post when we got our driver's side window done earlier this year in California, that it's an FMCSA no-no. The guy who repaired it this time actually came to our house!
Nice guy, originally from Romania (which I was thrilled to find out!), who used to be a truck driver himself for thirty years. Ed and he had much to discuss. With all the chit-chat the two of them were doing, it probably took longer than normal, but in the end we had a bright, shiny new windshield! It was beautiful.

This is the third window we've installed on this truck since we got it. It's so convenient that these guys come to you, but coming to the house was the best deal because while Ed went out to meet the guy, I got to sleep late. I needed my energy - to run errands, do returns and hit Nordstrom Rack in the afternoon.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: It’s Only Snow
2 YEARS AGO: Once In A Blue Moon
3 YEARS AGO: Have Wet Saw, Will Travel
4 YEARS AGO: Spiritual Motivation
5 YEARS AGO: Who Needs Paint Chips When You Can Just Use An Old Flag For Inspiration?
6 YEARS AGO: The Promised Land

Happy 5005!!

2011-12-29T00:01:00.007-04:00

I was in the grocery store yesterday when I came across this display, created from cases of soda. I didn't know what the orange thing on top was - I thought it was supposed to be some sort of starburst for New Year's Eve, it was only later did I realize it was a basketball.

I stood there looking at it because it just wasn't right. I squinted thinking I would be able to see it better, that it'd be easier to make the colors into whatever it was supposed to be.

I thought I was seeing two-zero-zero-two. 2002? That's not right, I said to myself, I must be reading it wrong.

So I stepped back, shook my head as if to clear what I was seeing, and looked again. It did say 2002. Seriously?? That's when I heard the woman bagging groceries say to the cashier standing beside her, "Looks like she likes it."

I turned toward her, caught her eye, and she said to me, "Isn't it great?"

"Uh, yeah. But it would be even greater if it said 2012, instead of 2002." I said.

She looked confused, then looked at it for a long time and said, "Oh. It does say 2002, doesn't it?"

"Yep." I said.

We then both walked in the direction of the structure and she went over to the guys who were behind it, adding more soda cases to it and said, "You have to do it again guys - it says 2002."

Which means this was the second (or third, or fourth, who knows) time they were doing it and it was still wrong. They didn't look very happy.

The best part? From the other side, it said 5005.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: It Really Doesn’t Need Any Help
2 YEARS AGO: The Day The Music Lived
3 YEARS AGO: It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
4 YEARS AGO: He Raises A Valid Point
5 YEARS AGO: Eddie In Stripes Friday
6 YEARS AGO: Customer Service Vigilante

Lighting Up The Night Griswold Style

2011-12-28T00:01:00.008-04:00

Last night after Ed and I took my mother out to dinner, we swung by the house of one of her friends because she told us they put up "a lot of lights" during Christmas. I've been all over the country, and I couldn't imagine what this little podunk neighborhood have to offer.

Well, I sure found out!
They do this every year and I guess leading up to Christmas, offer hot chocolate and cookies to people coming by to see it. They also ask for donations to the local food bank. One year they got over $4,000.00 in donations!

It was AMAZING. Every surface of the front of their house was covered with lights. Strings of lights hanging from the eaves, trees wrapped with lights, even the cactus were decorated! It was spectacular. I loved the big green Christmas tree in the middle, and you can't see it very clearly, but there are two 1965 Ford Mustangs parked in the driveway.

It's probably the best individual house I've ever seen. Even the homes in Winterhaven, which is an area known for it's light displays - The Festival of Lights - can't compare. I love that people do this. I LOVE Christmas lights. And like I said in a recent Facebook status update, "since I'm usually the night driver, I'd like to thank all the people out there who make an effort to put up holiday lights. It's so great to see lights on homes and businesses all over the country as I drive. Even the piss poor displays are a delight!"

And I really mean that.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Why Fall In Love With A Gingerbread Man When You Can Have His Cake And Eat It Too?
2 YEARS AGO: You WILL Think Of God
3 YEARS AGO: The Queen Of Copper
4 YEARS AGO: Eddie Wears His Christmas Present Friday
5 YEARS AGO: The Only Way I Can Tolerate Arizona
6 YEARS AGO: I’ve Got Lips

The Plum Is Missing

2011-12-27T00:01:00.004-04:00

I'm writing this post because I want to tell my readers all I know about where the Plum Trucker went:

NOTHING

That's right, folks, I know nothing. She has not posted on her blog since October 26th. Normally, if someone decides to abandon blogging, they'll do a final blog post, but since that didn't happen, I really have no explanation.

She hasn't authorized any comments to go through (I know, I've left some), she hasn't responded to any emails I've sent her, and she's no longer showing up on my Google Latitude tracking software (all of us trucker friends have added each other so we know where we all are). I sent another email yesterday, but again, haven't heard anything. I haven't called because I feel a little awkward since it's pretty clear she doesn't want to communicate.

There was a little fracas in the comments section of this post and I thought maybe what I said caused her to be upset - it was the only thing I could think of, since she stopped writing shortly after - but then I went back and re-read it several times and came to the conclusion that it wasn't rude at all. I even contacted Kendall's mother via Facebook - who is super-nice and has been on my friend list for quite some time now - asking her about them and what was up, but she didn't respond either.

RuthAnn had been texting with her but didn't have any idea what was going on. According to Kendall's mother, in one of her Facebook posts, they have "big news" but she wasn't sure if she was allowed to talk about it on Facebook, so she hasn't. I'm not really sure what that could be - I did write her and ask, but that's the message she didn't answer.

At first, we were all worried. When you don't see hide nor hair of someone that you've made friends with, suddenly you think the worst - are they in a ditch? did something happen with their truck? are they hurt? But when months went by and there was no word, and I knew they'd been home for the holidays, and I knew they were still working (RuthAnn could still track them on Latitude), I started to wonder.

And I'm not the only one. I've had no less then twelve people contact me in the last few weeks, asking about Plum - people I know, my readers, her readers. I've gotten emails and messages through the comments section of my blog. In fact, I just got another one yesterday.

I am very curious to know what's going on. They're great kids and I'd love to know what's happening in their life and why they've stopped all communication with everyone (well, us trucking folks). I hope everything is going well, I hope they had a great holiday, I hope they have a good new year and I really hope to hear from them soon.

In the meantime, keep them in your thoughts. And Plum, if you're reading this - we miss you!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: The Voodoo That You Do
2 YEARS AGO: Meet Me In St. Louis…If You Can Find It
3 YEARS AGO: We Don’t Eat Gefilte Fish But We Do Like The Multi-Cultural Birthdays
4 YEARS AGO: How To Picnic Like An Italian
5 YEARS AGO: Dead Ant, Dead Ant, Dead Ant, Dead Ant, Dead Ant, Dead Ant, Dead Ant…
6 YEARS AGO: The Cactus King

No One Mentioned The Elephant In The Room, But The Zebra Was A Big Topic Of Discussion

2011-12-26T00:01:00.007-04:00

For years now I have been the purchaser of much of the art that graces the walls of my brother's home.

I have bought large scale paintings for their living room and bedroom, elaborate oversized mirrors (one round, one square) that command attention, candlestick holders the size of a teenager's leg, an old style clock for the mantle, a three foot tall urn that looks like it was unearthed in Pompeii, and even a trio of black and white photographs that I took myself. My brother's house is big - with vaulted ceilings and cavernous rooms - and it needs pieces that will not be dwarfed by their surroundings.

Enter The Zebra.
When I saw this painting in the store, at four feet wide by six feet tall, I was intrigued. It was laying in the rack on its side and all I saw was an abstract of black and white. I couldn't make out what it was. Then Ed helped me turn it upright, and he stood back and said, "It's a zebra."

"What?" I said.

"A zebra."

I asked him to hold it so I could step back to view it. I did and I loved it. Falling more in love with it by the minute. I had big plans for it. I knew exactly where it was going to go, and coupled with my plan to strip and re-paint their dining room set, it was going to to be fabulous.

My brother usually likes everything I buy, but I knew he was going to be on the fence with this one. Or even just flat out on the other side of the fence, in the land of dislike. I was thinking that might be the case. Because of that very thought, I bought a second piece of art as my Plan B.

I did everything I could to convince him to love the zebra. I had Ed hold it up in all the places I thought it would look great. I extolled the virtues of the simple black and white color palette. How it would accent any room. How it was sort of an abstract zebra. I even held it sideways, in the position I originially saw it in, giving him a different take on it. Who says it can't hang sideways?? At one point I thought I had him. He was quiet for a long time, pausing as if to say he was now beginning to see what I saw. That he could make it work. But when he opened his mouth, he just said "Uh....no." I had to give him the Plan B gift.

He liked the Plan B gift, but wasn't completely thrilled with it because I had gotten him something similar a few years ago. I remembered the item he spoke of, just as I had when I was in the store, but I got it anyway. It was different. Dramatic. Eye-catching. But he didn't think he could figure out a place to put it where it wouldn't cause someone to do a double-take and say, "Heyyyy, isn't that just like the..."

So now I have two items to return this week. And rather than buying him something else that he might not love, I decided just to give him the amount we agreed to spend.

In one dollar bills.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: White Chocolate Melts Away
2 YEARS AGO: An Appetizer With Heart
3 YEARS AGO: Angelic Eddie Friday
4 YEARS AGO: Would You Like A Fried Egg With A Side Of Influenza?
5 YEARS AGO: Cerrado
6 YEARS AGO: The Best Gift Of All

Who Says Money Doesn't Grow On Trees? It's Christmas!!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.011-04:00

We started our day yesterday in Phoenix; there was last minute shopping to be done and I had a plan. Ed was the chauffer, I was the one darting in and out of stores. Some of them, like Best Buy and Ross, he joined me in. We had three hours sleep the night before and were running on Dunkin'. We had to be in Tucson before six because we were having dinner at my mother's house with my friend Kim and her son Ty. I was hoping we'd make it.

We did make it, skating in at half past five. Thankfully, my mother had EVERYTHING done. The table was set, the gravy was on the stove, the salad was made, the garlic bread was buttered and garlicked up and ready to hit the oven, and the house was filled with Christmas; music, decorations, cookies and more! Dinner was great, we had a lot of laughs and Kim and Ty left after desert, as Ty (being a sixteen-year-old) had friends to visit.

I had presents to wrap and stuff to get ready for today. I was tired but had to keep going. And if my mother could do it at her age, who was I to wimp out? That's when the tree trimming started. And by tree trimming, I mean my bright idea to deck out three trees (each about 18" tall), one for each of my nephews, with money. WTF was I thinking???

With the help of Ed and my mother, we got it done. Ed was in charge of making the money into little accordian folds, I was in charge of wrapping ribbon around them and my mother was in charge of tying them on the branches of the trees. I put fifty dollars on each tree and after tree number one, my hand was cramping from tying the tiny little ribbons. I felt like I was working in a factory in a third world country. My mother tied almost every one of these little dollar bill bundles onto the trees.

Fourty-five little bundles of dollar bills (five were used in the star), with glistening red ribbon, placed among the lights and pinecones. My Aunt Ronni used to do this for me over thirty-five years ago - creatively placing money on an item that became my gift. I had such memories of getting those gifts that I was hoping my nephews would love it just as much. What a labor of love!

It took quite a while, but it was beautiful when finished. See how fast things go when everyone pulls together? That's the Christmas spirit! Or should I say the Christmas sweatshop spirit; Hey! - get back over here - you're not done with your accordion folds. You, over there - speed it up a little! We have to get this thing done by midnight. One more screw-up like that missy and you'll never tie dollar bill bundles in this town again!

The pièce de résistance of the whole tree was my Origami star. Made from five one dollar bills, it completed the whole look.

And because it's Christmas, I am going to choose to believe that money does grow on trees. 'Tis the season in which miracles happen, no?

So Merry Christmas to all (and for all my multi-cultural readers)...

Season’s Greetings!
Happy Holidays!
Happy Chanukah!
Joyeux Noël!
Bada Din Mubarak Ho
Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Buon Natale!
Feliz Navidad!
Maligayang Pasko!
Nadolig Llawen!

and to all a good night!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Christmas Time Is Here
2 YEARS AGO: Commanding Attention Once Again
3 YEARS AGO: A Meal Of Delicious Cheesy Goodness And A Day Of Good Delicious Cheeriness
4 YEARS AGO: The Merry. The Moments. The Memories.
5 YEARS AGO: I Love Your Bawwwlls!!
6 YEARS AGO: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Call Me For A Good Time - I'm ALWAYS Happy

2011-12-24T00:01:00.007-04:00

We finished our UPS run around two this morning. My eyes are falling out of my head and I'm ready for some sleep. I'm thrilled that it's over, but I am not thrilled at the last minute things I have to do today. Believe or not, I still have shopping left. On Christmas Eve! I always vow to start early, to get things done in October, to shop online, but it never seems to happen. And then before I know it - BOOM! - it's Christmas Eve. WTF??

I took this picture of Ed yesterday. I'm not sure if he's also happy that the run is over or if he's just delirious from all the driving we've been doing, but whatever it is, I'm happy to be able to sit next to this smiling face day in and day out. It makes all the aggravation worth it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Blue Plates And Books For Christmas Eve
2 YEARS AGO: Holiday Theft Is On The Rise…Right In Your Own Neighborhood!!
3 YEARS AGO: The Team Finally Takes A Rest
4 YEARS AGO: The Night Before Christmas And All Through The House
5 YEARS AGO: The Only Visible Flames Came From The Candles On The Altar
6 YEARS AGO: Tonight’s The Night, People

The Road To Laramie

2011-12-23T00:01:00.017-04:00

Yesterday in the wee hours of the morning, as we were heading through Wyoming, we came across signs on the interstate telling us the road was closed at Laramie. It had been slow going for a while, with the slick spots and blowing snow, and it was only a matter of time before a road closure was in our future. We decided to stop ten miles east of Laramie, in Buford, because there's always the chance there will be no truck parking at the actual stopping place.

We pulled into the Lincoln Rest Area atop the I-80 summit, a place I've been wanting to go for years. We've passed here many times but have never had the time to stop. It's just a regular rest area, but I love that it has this giant monument with Abraham Lincoln's head on it, which is perched just above the interstate - you can see it when traveling in both directions, and at night it's illuminated.

RoadsideAmerica.com says Lincoln's head was built by Wyoming's Parks Commission to honor Lincoln's 150th birthday. The bronze head weighs over two tons and is 13.5 feet tall. It's perched atop a 30-foot granite pedestal. It was sculpted by Robert Russin, a University of Wyoming art professor and a Lincoln fan. In fact, when he died in 2007, his ashes were interred in the hollow monument. I don't know if that's cool, or creepy.

I took these photos the morning after. I love when the fresh snow covers absolutely everything. For instance - look at this bush, the fence, and the blades of grass in front of it - all powdercoated to perfection. Look at this close up - each individual snow covered branch, untouched by anything but nature.

And this picture - it's so "Wyoming" to me, a snow covered, rickety wood fence.

The road was beautiful once they opened it back up. There didn't seem to be that much snowfall, as indicated by the amount that was plowed to each side, so the closure must have been primarily due to blowing snow. There are areas along the route that were said to have had zero visibility because of it.

It was smooth sailing the rest of the way with pretty scenery, clear skies and open road. We should be in Sacramento by morning.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Muscling Christ Back Into Christmas
2 YEARS AGO: Holiday Gift Suggestions
3 YEARS AGO: Weighing In
4 YEARS AGO: When You Need Maternity Clothes And You’re Not Pregnant, You Know It’s Time For A Diet
5 YEARS AGO: It’s The Real Thing!
6 YEARS AGO: Spiraling Out Of Control

Iowa Beef Dresses Up For The Holidays

2011-12-22T00:01:00.003-04:00

Seen in Des Moines, Iowa. They take their beef seriously.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Weather, Wyoming And Wings
2 YEARS AGO: The End Is Not Just Near, It’s Here!!
3 YEARS AGO: Keeping The Mountain On The Right Side Of The Fence
4 YEARS AGO: Divine Intervention Comes A Little Too Late
5 YEARS AGO: General Delivery
6 YEARS AGO: Frumpy To Nicole

A Window To The Past

2011-12-21T00:01:00.008-04:00

In our travels during this UPS thing (I've taken to calling it a "thing" around the truck), we went through Pella, Iowa, a place I've been wanting to visit for a while. Maybe it's because I'm familiar with Pella Windows, the company with the bright yellow logo, although that's kind of a lame reason, huh? I think it has something to do with the fact that it's a place that shares the name of a well-known product and when I heard it, just wanted to visit. Kinda like Corning, New York or Hershey, Pennsylvania. It's a little more interesting. Although Hershey does have chocolate.

So, we went. I wanted to see the famous Vermeer Mill, an authentic working Dutch Mill. So we drove past the Pella Manufacturing Plant, through downtown Pella, in order to pass by the mill so I can snap a picture. It stands on the corner of Franklin and East First Street.

The Pella website says the windmill is 100% wind powered and the total height to the tip of the most upright blade is 124', giving the Vermeer Mill the distinction of being the tallest working windmill in the United States. It was built by Lucas Verbij from Hoogemade, Netherlands and assembled in Pella by two Dutch craftsman. It's an authentic, working grain mill (grinding wheat into flour) patterned after a similar 1850's grain mill in the province of Groningen, Netherlands. The stone ground flour the mill grinds is packaged and used by local bakeries and restaurants.

According to Wikipedia, Pella was founded in 1847 when eight hundred Dutch immigrants led by Dominee (a Dominee is a pastor in the Dutch Reformed Church) Hendrik P. Scholte settled the area. The name Pella is a reference to "Pella in the Perea", where the Christians of Jerusalem had found refuge during the Roman-Jewish war of 70. The name was selected because Dominee Scholte and the rest were also seeking religious freedom. Pella is also the childhood home of Wyatt Earp, whose father Nicholas Porter Earp had settled on a farm near Pella. His brothers Warren and Morgan were born in Pella.

It's a pretty area, with a downtown that personifies what people think of when they hear the words "small town America". The streets of downtown converge around a main square, where Tulip Time, the tulip festival, is held in May. The businesses that line the streets have names harkening to its Dutch heritage, like the Vander Ploeg Bakery. Next time, I'll definitely be stopping in for one of their famous Almond Logs!

I'd love to see the town in spring and summer, when the trees are full and the flowers are in bloom, or on a snowy winter night when all the Christmas lights are twinkling. It almost makes me want to live in a place like this.

Almost.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: A Killer Rest Area
2 YEARS AGO: The Barn Man
3 YEARS AGO: Text Me
4 YEARS AGO: Eddie Gets Impatient Friday
5 YEARS AGO: If You Have A Note, Then It’s Perfectly Okay To Commit Credit Card Fraud
6 YEARS AGO: Limo Scene

The King Lived Here

2011-12-20T00:01:00.016-04:00

Today we delivered our trailer to the UPS hub in Memphis, Tennessee. After we dropped it off, we had about seven hours to kill, so we decided to hit Walgreen's for some Tylenol and Afrin (I know, more than you want to know, but I have a VERY stuffy nose and a teensy bit of a headache), and then we'd go for dinner. But on the way to Walgreen's, we happened upon...
The home of Elvis Presley! Of course, I knew it was in Memphis, but I didn't know it was right there. Well, the fact that we were on Elvis Presley Boulevard should have given it away, but it's right in the middle of town, a few stops down from the Captain D's - a national fried fish fast food joint (ooh, say that five times fast!). I mean, it's quite a ways from downtown Memphis, as the UPS facility is near the airport, but I didn't expect it to be plopped in the middle of regular stuff. We didn't go in because we didn't have time to sightsee in that manner, but I did take pictures. It was about fifty degrees and rainy, but I got some pretty good shots just by hanging out the window of the truck as Ed drove.
As we drove along the front of the property, we noticed that on the wall in front, people have written their names. All over. Hundreds of fans. It was kind of amazing. Then we finally got to the main gate, where I assume the tour busses enter to bring you up the main drive, since no other vehicles were allowed there.

Each side of the gate has mirror images of Elvis playing the guitar and several musical notes. I got these pictures just seconds before the guard came flying out of the little guard shack to tell us that we couldn't stop there and take pictures. What. Ever! Some little rent-a-cop wasn't gonna stop me from capturing a little Elvis!

This is the view from the bottom of the driveway, just inside the gates, as you go up to the main house. The sign in front reads:

ELVIS AARON PRESLEY
~ ~ ~
Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1395, the son of Vernon and Gladys Presley. He moved to Memphis in 1948. Soon after signing a contract with Sun Records in 1954 he achieved tremendous popularity. His musical and acting career in records, movies, television, and concerts made him one of the most successful and outstanding entertainers in the world. He died on August 16, 1977 and is buried here at his Memphis home, Graceland.

The house was all lit up and decorated for Christmas - the only thing that would make this scene more appealing, would have been snow.Here's a close-up of the front of the house. It looks very common by today's standards. Typical of almost any house you'd see in Westchester, New York or Chicago, Illinois or Charlotte, North Carolina. But I bet he's the first one to have the famed "jungle room". His plane, the "Lisa Marie", was parked across the street from the estate and people were touring it as I snapped pictures. Very cool that you get to go inside! And then we left as quickly as we came. Just passing by, us and Elvis like two ships in the night. Although I've heard reviews from friends that it was unimpressive - and to us, it probably would be with the kind of mansions we see today - but I'd still like to see it someday. It must have been really something in its heyday. Imagine what the folks of Memphis thought when Elvis moved in??What's really "regular" about the place is, that if you just go to the next block at the end of the property - which we did to turn the truck around - there's an entire street of houses that butt right up against Elvis' property. So from the backyard of these homes, they can look right over their pool, or BBQ pit, or fence, and see right into Graceland.

That's gotta do something for their property values.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Love
2 YEARS AGO: Over The Hill And Over The Top
3 YEARS AGO: Mr. & Mrs. Javelina And The Carb Encounter
4 YEARS AGO: Disk This
5 YEARS AGO: Ghostly Landmark
6 YEARS AGO: Shopping In Hell

New Life

2011-12-19T00:01:00.008-04:00

A while back, I asked Ed if he wanted to do a guest post for me. The idea sort of hung in the air for months and months, never being brought up again. But back in November, he expressed an interest in writing one and I expressed much joy at the idea. It gives me a break and we get to see life through his eyes.

The topics he chooses to cover are his choice alone, I have no input. He's done one already, this will be his second. And now I bring you Ed's View:

There are all kinds of truckers out here and they make up the industry in several ways. Here are just a few:

Regional Drivers: Home every night, these drivers only go a couple of hundred miles away each day, servicing distribution centers and local manufacturers. Some of them operate dump trucks and rock hauling trailers to supply local construction sites. They are home quite frequently.

Regional Long Haul: Covering territories as far as 500 miles away, these drivers are usually home every other day or every 3 days and on the weekends. Many less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers like UPS, Central, Old Dominion, and Conway move trailers on routes which keep trucks on a regular daily schedule, servicing the same terminals every day whether there is anything in the trailer or not. These drivers stop at the same truck stops every day and often travel the same routes weekly for years.

Long Haul: Like Salena and I, these drivers cover the contiguous 48 states, sometimes Alaska and often, Canada. They’re on the road for weeks at a time, and when they do go home it’s for just a few days at a time. They can haul everything from toilet paper to truck parts.

Since there are so many needs for trucks and so many uses for them in the transportation business, trucks are everywhere and just about anyone can drive one. Many drivers go into the business for different reasons. Here are a few of the reasons I’ve been given, in the 16 years I’ve been out here, for why people have taken to the open road:

They need to feed their family. Wife works full time, they need to work out here, to make the kind of money they need, to help their kids have a bright future. If they weren’t truckers, their kids would never have a shot at college.

They’re retired. After working in (insert various professions here) for more than twenty years or so, they want to see the country and get paid for it. These people are usually fun to talk to, but they often have no idea about the many issues that career truckers like me, face daily. The carrier they work for makes tons of money off of them while they’re usually clueless about how much they could be making out here.

They like trucking because they don’t play well with others. They’re like the atypical trucker in movies like “Duel”, or have imagined being behind the wheel in stories like Stephen King’s “Maximum Overdrive”. This is the guy who burned the town down, shot your sister, and then disappeared to who knows where. Now he’s sitting next to you eating biscuits and gravy and scrambled eggs at the trucker’s food counter. MMM, MMM, MMM he sure does love coffee! To be honest, these people have all but died out and are incredibly hard to find these days.

Team Truckers. These are the smartest people I’ve met out here. They’re the couple who went out and decided to run together to rake in the dough so they can live out their dreams. Some of them are only out here for a short time – two years or so - to make money, buy a house (for cash!) and then go back to whatever they were doing before the trucking bug hit them. They realized the only way to make really good money in trucking would be for the two of them to run around the clock for high rates, working as a very effective, well-oiled team. If they happen to own their own equipment, in a couple of years they could clear over a half a million dollars. This kind of cash can buy a nice house, car, education, or even a new life. In short, they’ve cleaned up.

This kind of thing happens all over the United States, every day. I’ve known teams who own multiple trucks, cars, homes, airplanes and even have their own small fleets. They started with nothing and earned everything in a few short years. It isn’t as easy as it sounds, though. Try living with someone 24/7 in a high stress environment, making on time deliveries, while dealing with the many personalities that exist in the trucking dispatch offices and at shippers and receivers. You also have to be your own mechanic, office secretary, and doctor. All of this while trying to maintain friendships and relationships with family and friends back home (if they’re even still talking to you).

I can tell you from experience, that I know entire platoons of Marines who couldn’t hack that type of lifestyle for a week let alone a couple of years. It takes dedication, loyalty, and a perseverance that only some people have. That’s why there’s a huge shortage of teams out here. Most just do it for a little while and then move on to other things.

A way around the problem of being cooped up for 24/7 with a significant other, is to each drive your own truck. Separately. These couples usually say that they love each other and both love driving, just don’t love being with each other all day, every day. These people do very well in the business and can multi-task while servicing several different customers with multiple trucks, instead of two people in the same truck. And they sort of each have their own life while on the road.

The list goes on regarding driver type, and it gets even more interesting in some cases. Imagine being the driver for entertainment road shows, ballet troupes, rock stars, race car drivers. What fun!

In fact, I’ve met lots of people on the road myself, just doing what I do. I met the music group Green Day at the Pilot Travel Center in Little Rock, Arkansas; when I approached them to talk, they claimed they were the “Foxboro Hot Tubs”, but I knew better, since I’m a fan of their music. I met Nickelback in Ohio, George Thoroughgood in Nevada, Reba McEntire in Connecticut and was treated to breakfast in Reno, NV by the driver of the bus that transported the cast of Girl’s Gone Wild. He didn’t know what to say when I asked if he was also the babysitter to the “stars” of the show.

We meet all kinds of people out here and it’s one of the things I love most about this job. I’ve worked in fast food, retail, construction, furniture moving and on freight docks. I was also a United States Marine. But I’ve had the most fun being an over-the-road truck driver, meeting all kinds of people from all over the United States and Canada.

Someday I think I’m going to go back to school and take U.S. History again, just so I can meld together the places I’ve been with their history. Being there in person, talking to the people who live and work there, puts history in perspective.

The information gained from being exposed to all walks of life because of the career I’ve chosen, makes my life, in a sense, take on new life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Wearing Your Message On Your Sleeve. Er, Wrist.
2 YEARS AGO: In The Round
3 YEARS AGO: Eddie’s Adoring/Bored Girlfriend Friday
4 YEARS AGO: Lux Perpetua
5 YEARS AGO: The Lesser Known King Of Romance
6 YEARS AGO: Wow. What Beautiful Gums You Have.

My, What A Long Truck You Have

2011-12-18T00:01:00.007-04:00

Ed and I both have a doubles and triples endorsement on our license. Having it means we're qualified to pull two or three trailers behind our tractor. When we do the UPS run, we're required to have that just in case they need us to pull doubles or triples but in the past three years that we've done UPS, we've never had the opportunity to do so.

But this year, we got dispatched to pull two trailers! Well, "we" didn't pull doubles, Ed did. He took this picture when we were parked. It's not the greatest since a) it's at night, b) the place they told him to park was against the wall, and c) another set of doubles is parked on the other side of us. So there really wasn't any way he could get a side shot of the truck - this is more like an alley shot.

We had two "pups" as they call them, which are about twenty-five feet long each. With the coupling apparatus and our tractor, we were about ninety feet long. I've seen guys out there with one regular sized trailer and one pup, or even three pups, which makes 'em look super long. A Facebook friend of mine in South Africa says he pulls doubles all the time and over there they call them "super-links" - here, we call them "wiggle wagons" - for obvious reasons.

Ed said that driving them didn't seem really much different other than a little lag in braking, that it felt like the brakes had to catch up with the trailers. And of course, you don't go anywhere that you can't back out of. If you wind up in a jam, from what I understand, it's a real pain in the ass to drop one pup, then the other, reposition both trailers in a way that you can pick them up again and continue on. I'm famous for pulling into a place I can't get out of, so I'm glad I wasn't driving.

But now I can say we finally made use of the endorsement. I guess it was worth the eight dollars we paid to have it added to our license!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: A Place For The Snow To Rest
2 YEARS AGO: They’re Always Touching Their Hammers
3 YEARS AGO: Raindrops On Roses And Whiskers On Kittens
4 YEARS AGO: Love Hate Relationship
5 YEARS AGO: Full Service
6 YEARS AGO: Struffo-What??

Getting Stoned In New York*

2011-12-17T00:01:00.010-04:00

A few years ago, I wrote about my brother and his trip to New York to tile my cousin's new house. This year he went back, to install the stone fireplace he designed for the space. This is my brother...
To see how he transformed this plain wall (with tiny fireplace)...

Into this beautiful stone masterpiece...

Click HERE for the photos. FYI - I didn't take the pictures, so forgive the quality, but I included them all so you can see the process.

Enjoy!

*My mother is SO not going to like this title.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: I Used To Care But Now I Take A Pill For That
2 YEARS AGO: Wet And Woodsy
3 YEARS AGO: Bite Sized Yummy Goodness
4 YEARS AGO: There’s A Time For Everything
5 YEARS AGO: Colors Of The Barrio
6 YEARS AGO: Puss In Breasts

She Strikes Again

2011-12-16T00:01:00.010-04:00

My mother was telling me about a house we used to live in almost thirty years ago, explaining how my step-father "made a mint" when he sold it.

"We bought it for $100,000.00 cash and sold it for $230,000.00 cash. That was a beautiful house." she said.

"Yeah, I loved that place. It was tucked away in the woods. Great property." I said.

"The guy who bought it had just got divorced." she said.

"Why would a guy who just got divorced buy a five bedroom house??" I said.

"I don't know. What do you mean?" she said.

"I'm asking why you think he'd need a five bedroom house if he just got divorced. Did he have a lot of kids or something?" I said.

"I don't know." she said. "He was a professional black man."

"Really? Not an amateur black man?" I said.

"What??" she said, in that confused tone she uses when she doesn't realize what she just said.

"A professional, as opposed to an amateur. You're saying he was a professional black man. Does that mean he was good at being black?" At this point, I'm busting her chops but she still doesn't know it.

"Well, that's what the realtor told me - that he was a professional, not just a regular black guy from the Bronx." she said. Boy, I wonder how the realtor described us.

"Ohhhhh." I said.

Then I had to explain to her what she just said. Of course, once I told her how what she said sounded, she was flustered and sputtered out, "That's not what I meant!"

I know, Mom, I know. But if I didn't let you continue (and egg you on), I'd have nothing to write on my blog, now would I?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: The Frozen Tundra
2 YEARS AGO: Your Tax Dollars Hard At Work
3 YEARS AGO: What’s Next, Reporting Your Maid In The Middle Of Her Dusting The Living Room Tsochkes?
4 YEARS AGO: Fashion Forwards
5 YEARS AGO: Swimming Po
6 YEARS AGO: Just Call Me Rosa

If It Ain't Sweet, It Ain't Southern Made

2011-12-15T00:01:00.001-04:00

Yesterday while in Shreveport, Louisiana we came across a famous, local donut shop - Southern Maid. The "Hot Donuts" neon sign is clearly visible from Interstate 20, beckoning. Apparently, they're the South's "finest donut". We shall see...
I read in the history page on their website that Elvis frequented this location while in town to perform on the Louisiana Hayride radio show. Elvis, really? I had to check it out.

The donuts are almost identical to the Krispy Kreme style, glazed and sweet enough to give you a cavity. This is not my favorite kind of donut as I prefer the cakey style of Dunkin', but I had to try them since I was here so Ed and I each got one. He had a maple bar and I had a cream cheese donut - which is like a Boston Creme but with thicker, cream cheesy-like filling. It was good, but damn, these southerners really like their treats sweet; fudge, pralines, taffy, pecan pie, bourbon balls, moon pies, peach cobler, etc. The list seems endless.

There was one girl working the counter and I saw three people in the back. I could see through the window rows of donuts waiting to be dropped into hot oil, then dipped in their sugar sweet glaze. The girl working the counter didn't know anything about Elvis, but she did point me to a wall at the very end of the building that displayed pictures of stars that apparently had eaten or created music about these donuts. Wherever you can find your inspiration, I say.

From what the website said, this is also the only product Elvis ever did a commercial for. He sang their jingle; "You can get them piping hot after 4 P.M., you can get them piping hot, Southern Maid Donuts hits the spot, you can get them piping hot after 4 P.M." Not very creative, but hey - it's Elvis - I'm sure it was a big hit.

So if you're in Shreveport, be sure to stop by. After 4pm, of course.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Portland Bound
2 YEARS AGO: Dear Blog Santa
3 YEARS AGO: The Trees Help Guide The Way
4 YEARS AGO: Just In Time For The Holidays
5 YEARS AGO: Eddie Leans On A Barrio Door Friday
6 YEARS AGO: Glowing Reminder

Still Standing

2011-12-14T00:01:00.002-04:00

I love finding old buildings around the country. This one is located in Shreveport, Louisiana. It looks as if it's the original brick, although parts of it seem to have been painted. On the side of the building it says "Fresh Meat" and "Royal Crown Cola".

No matter where it is, or what the building looks like, I always wonder what it was like in its heydey. What the area was like when it was bustling with businesses, and what the building was originally used for and how that changed over the years.

This is the kind of history I enjoy. You can keep your cowboys and indians.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Stay Home: TV And Hot Chocolate Is The Only Way To Make It Through
2 YEARS AGO: A Rainy Rainbow
3 YEARS AGO: Be Wary Of Women Wearing Skull Panties
4 YEARS AGO: Holiday Sparkle
5 YEARS AGO: Arizona Sunset
6 YEARS AGO: Before And After The Chops

Clap Your Hands

2011-12-13T00:01:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Ed and I went to Fry's Electronics (his favorite store) and while he was making love to motherboards, surveillance cameras and all sorts of geek gadgetry, I was transfixed by the video that accompanied this song:

Now this is not the video I was watching in the store (I can't seem to find that one), but it's just as weird. In the store video, this chick Sia was singing while dancing around a stage that was covered in crocheted items; her microphone, the drum set, the speakers. And she was wearing some wacky dress that looked like a shredded candy cane; and that's THE BEST description I can come up with.

I was mesmerized - I actually blocked the aisle while I stood there slackjawed watching the video. To make matters worse, I left the store humming the song and later bought it on iTunes. What's happening to meeeeee?????

I think this might be my newest musical discovery - has anyone else ever heard of her?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Wishing For A Blizzard But Will Settle For Flakes
2 YEARS AGO: A Hideous Thief Exposed
3 YEARS AGO: Southwest Sunset
4 YEARS AGO: Subtlety Is SO Not His Middle Name
5 YEARS AGO: Bridging Chicago
6 YEARS AGO: Oxymoronic Holiday

The Champion Of Our Cause, The Protector Of Our Dreams

2011-12-12T00:01:00.002-04:00

I was reading an article online yesterday, something about that douchebag Rick Santorum trying to explain why he's the "clear choice" for the Teabaggers and Republicans in the upcoming presidential race. He was blathering on about how the other candidates are too much like Obama to be set apart from him. I'm not even sure why Rick Santorum is wasting his time in a race he has no chance to win, place or show in.

Anyway, among the normal idiotic Republican crap left in the comments section (who knew they could even read??), was one of the best comments I've ever seen anywhere. I don't remember the name of the person who left it, not that it matters, but what he wrote was spot on.

This is what he had to say:

"The more you Republicans talk, the more irrelevant your points become. "Newt-Romney" can't hold a candle to President Obama.

We have a President who is articulate, intelligent and well-educated, yet street smart, urbane and international, yet down-to-earth, sensible, compassionate, moderate, a good listener as well as a leader who supports unionized workers and yet wins the support of billionaires like Warren Buffett. "Obamacare" is not perfect and will require many adjustments, but like Medicare and Social Security, it will provide for the millions of Americans who cannot afford healthcare today and are declaring bankruptcy over medical costs.

He respects people regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, wealth (or lack thereof), religious persuasion, race, ethnicity or national origin. He is a "Statue of Liberty" patriot who both deserves his Nobel Peace Prize and who will not put us into a third world war. His administration has a stellar record on bringing terrorists to justice, while at the same time possessing an ability to seek peace through negotiation rather dividing through belligerant bigotry. He respects our immigrant and native origins and he respects the need for just and compassionate law enforcement.

I'm betting that Americans who are experiencing hardship are going to recognize that he champions their cause and is working hard to meet their needs and protect their dreams. And what's more, he is likeable, is a great Dad, and is faithful to his wife."

Preach.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Shuttin’ Down The Operation
2 YEARS AGO: Rolling Out The Holiday Films
3 YEARS AGO: No Rig Too Big
4 YEARS AGO: Go Dasher, Go Dancer, Go Prancer, Go Vixen
5 YEARS AGO: Untitled
6 YEARS AGO: Unawarrior

California Sunshine

2011-12-11T00:01:00.001-04:00

I picked these up at a fruit stand in California last week. The traffic may be horrendous, but they've certainly cornered the market on fruits and vegetables. Makes for the perfect driving snack. Yum!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: A Star (Or Two) Is Born
2 YEARS AGO: Modern Road Warriors And Their Weapons
3 YEARS AGO: Race To The Head
4 YEARS AGO: Listening And Loving
5 YEARS AGO: Unfortunately Synonymous
6 YEARS AGO: The Gays Are The Ritziest

In And Out In A Peachy Keen Flash

2011-12-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

We made it to Atlanta! Let me tell you, the traffic here is INSANE!!! We rolled into town in the wee hours of the morning, just when the traffic was getting all good and juicy with people going to work. By the time we delivered and got back out of there, it was snarl central.

I may be among traffic every day, somewhere in the country, but I'm so glad I don't have to SIT in it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. on my way to work.

That shiny, cylindrical building right in the center is the Westin Peachtree Plaza. I used to have an old Westin buddy who worked there and vowed that I was going to visit but never got around to it. I've been to Underground Atlanta and the World of Coca-Cola, but have yet to really immerse myself in the town.

Someday...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Yo, I’m All Over The Place!
2 YEARS AGO: Morning On The Willamette
3 YEARS AGO: Stupidity Threat Level: Orange*
4 YEARS AGO: It’s Like Playing A Record Backwards To Hear The “Real” Meaning
5 YEARS AGO: In The Desert, The Clouds Look Like Cotton Candy
6 YEARS AGO: Chinky By The Ramada

Breakdown = Extra Nap Time

2011-12-09T00:40:00.004-04:00

Last night after we left the Midway Travel Plaza in Columbia, Missouri, we drove about two miles up the road when the trailer brakes locked up, causing smoke to rise in a continuous plume from the rear tires. Ed pulled off the interstate and into a shopping plaza to get out and assess the situation. He confirmed that the brakes actually did lock up and decided to wait for them to cool a bit before adjusting them so he could move the truck.

He knew he had to take it to a shop, so I called around to find one. The Midway, which we had just left, didn't have one. They had a place to get a tattoo, a pair of cowboy boots or fireworks, but they didn't have a shop; it's not such great truck stop anymore (TV show or no TV show) when you need a repair and you can't get it...you know, where the trucks are. So I called the Petro in Kingdom City and found that they did have a shop and we were going to head that way, about twenty miles up the interstate.

When we picked up this trailer in Salt Lake City, the guy in the shop over there told us that although it passed the inspection, it was a piece of shit. Ed told me, when I started driving that evening, to be careful and to keep my eye on the trailer because of what the shop mechanic told him. I'm just glad I wasn't driving when the brakes locked up. I hate when my smooth, uneventful drive gets interrupted.

We got to the shop in Kingdom City and checked in around 2:30 am. I was keeping track of the time because I wanted to see how long it would take them to fix the problem. Turns out, not only did the brakes lock up, but everything down there was shot to hell. All the brake pads were cracked, the service air line valve on the trailer was full of ice, and the brake drums were too, which meant it wouldn't be long before they cracked too. I went to bed and Ed talked to the guys in the shop for a little while longer before coming in to join me. Since we're under contract to UPS for this run, we just had to wait on their decision.

Although they tried, because the trailer was sixteen years old, they couldn't find any parts to fix it. According to Ed, the trailer was equipped with Dayton wheels, which were popular in the seventies and eighties. That they were being used on a 1995 trailer, is pretty unusual.

Even removing these wheels from the hubs takes a fair amount of finesse because the mechanic could be killed in the process - they have five wedge shaped washers that are under pressure, holding the wheels against the hub. Removing them incorrectly can cause the pressurized wedge to shoot from the wheel with enough force, that they can go through a cinderblock wall! And to think, the wheels they made before these were known as "the widowmaker".

By eleven that morning, they still didn't have a decision, but after a couple of hours went by, they realized they couldn't repair the trailer at that shop, so UPS decided to have someone tow it 100 miles to Earth City, Missouri where UPS had a yard with its own service bay. So in came I-70 Towing and Recovery, who backed up under the trailer we were pulling to take it away.
It was a big, hunkin' towtruck; on the side it said "Heavy Recovery". The driver got up underneath to hook up to the kingpin.

And once he had the wrecker hooked up to the trailer, he raised the landing gear and headed east towards Earth City, Missouri, to the UPS yard where they were going to either a) unload the contents of the trailer and put them in a different trailer or b) fix the brake situation themselves - it was still undecided.

We went to lunch and then headed towards Earth City to meet up with the wrecker. By the time we got there, the wrecker had already dropped the trailer and it was in the shop. Ed checked in and was told that they decided to fix the brakes; that news came after they had a big discussion about what was wrong with the trailer and the guy in the shop told Ed that the trailer we were pulling had no business even being on the road, that it's usually used as a local run-around trailer in the train yards. Greeeaaatt. Thanks.

With the new CSA program that the government has rolled out, the driver is responsible for the condition of the equipment, even if it's not his equipment, so double checking the work of a repair shop to make sure everything is in good condition is an even bigger deal now. Ed went back in several times to make sure he was going to FIX the problem and not just rig it so it was "good enough" to get to Atlanta.

It took them another three hours to get our trailer ready, and by this time it was dark once again and the whole day had been wasted figuring out what to do. At this point, we'd been down for more than sixteen hours and we still had to get to Atlanta, which was another 579 miles away.

We've never had anything like this happen before, especially on the UPS run. First they bobtailed us from San Francisco to Phoenix, paying us for driving with no freight, no trailer. And now we've got this situation. Thankfully, it didn't happen on the side of the road somewhere. I would have been a little annoyed being stranded on the shoulder waiting for a service truck to arrive.

It wasn't all that bad, even though it changed the rest of our trip. Instead of Atlanta, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Denver and Phoenix, we're leaving Atlanta and heading straight to Los Angeles, then Phoenix. That means no stops and drops and no bad weather. And, with all the down time we had today, we had a little extra time to nap, which is a treat on a run like this. If only I could store that sleep for when I need it later.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Dr. Lettera Said The Very Same Thing, She Just Wasn’t Qualified To Write The Prescription
2 YEARS AGO: The First Snow I’ve Seen This Season
3 YEARS AGO: Not That There’s Any Reason To Park Here
4 YEARS AGO: A Game You Wouldn’t Want To Play If You Were Say, In The Witness Protection Program
5 YEARS AGO: Companionship Is Just A Phone Call Away; Beauty Is Another Story
6 YEARS AGO: Who Stole My Cheese?

Midway To A Haven Of Triple X Activity

2011-12-08T03:03:00.009-04:00

Last week we did Phoenix, AZ to Mesquite, TX to Lenexa, KS to Houston, TX to San Antonio, TX to Dallas, TX to Richmond, CA and then back to Phoenix, AZ - a total of 5,318 miles. This week it's Phoenix to Salt Lake City to Atlanta to Nashville to Oklahoma City to Kansas City to Denver and then back to Phoenix - that'll final out at 5,363 miles for the week.

I'm pretty sure only a truck driver can understand what it's like to drive over 5,000 miles in a week. And until I started doing this, I had no idea that truckers drove so much. I had no idea that anyone drove so much. Anyway...

In the midst of all that driving, we realized that we'd be passing through Columbia, Missouri. Normally, this would mean nothing to me, but the last time I talked to my Uncle Tony, he asked if we'd ever been to the Midway Travel Plaza. I hadn't. I didn't know it at the time, but the Midway Travel Plaze is where the Travel Channel films a show called Truck Stop Missouri. He asked me to get a picture if I was ever there. Easy enough.

In the wee hours of the morning, we pulled in to check it out. I knew I wouldn't be getting out of the truck since I was in my jammies, but I could certainly get a picture. So there you have it - a picture of a "famous" truck stop taken in the middle of the night.

I have never seen the show - although I've seen previews - but I have to tell you, this place is a dump. It's one of those truck stops I would never stop at unless absolutely necessary - like driving on fumes necessary. It didn't look like a place you'd film anything, let alone something for the Travel Channel. Who would go there?? Crappy parking lot with tons of potholes. Eeery lighting. Super seedy. If it weren't for the arctic temperatures, I'm sure there would have been a swarm of lot lizards too.

I don't see any reason why you'd want to go there, but if you do, you can't miss it - it's nestled among the triple-x shops and adult bookstores. You'll be able to navigate via the billboards: "XXX", "Live Nude Girls 24/7", "Adult Videos", Midway Travel Plaza, "Massages 24/7", "Lingerie Shop", "Sex Toys", etc.

Missouri is one of the only states where the sex industry, advertised via billboards, is so noticeably present. It's all over the state, specifically on I-70 and I-44. You can't drive a stretch of either interstate without seeing one of these advertisements. At least in Vegas, it's confined to the town itself, which you know is a hotbed of sin.

Ed saw a billboard last night where the mouth of a blow-up doll in the shape of a heart was featured front and center. For such a conservative state, there certainly seems to be a lot of outlets for people who have a proclivity towards all things of the sleazy sexual nature. Makes you think there must be a lot of people there needing to be serviced.

Even if they have to blow something up to get the job done.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: The Cowboy And I
2 YEARS AGO: Christmas In OKC
3 YEARS AGO: Ain’t Nuthin’ But A Lizard Pimp
4 YEARS AGO: After The Storm
5 YEARS AGO: Border Town
6 YEARS AGO: Easily Amused

Just Another Day In New York

2011-12-07T00:01:00.001-04:00

We were cruising through New York, approaching the Brooklyn Bridge...

Then passed the exit where you'd get off if you were actually going to take the bridge, when we came upon traffic at a stand still. Not unusual in this area, but the left lanes were moving and the right was just at a crawl...something was up.

Then we saw the reason for the backup - this guy:

Mr. Construction Worker just tooling along at a snail's pace! He didn't even glance our way when we passed - it's not like we could zoom around him - even though I had my nose pressed to the window looking at him as we drove by. I would have hated being in his position - I don't like being the slow one (and I usually am) in the front of a line of traffic. It always makes me think people are cursing me from behind!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Practicing For The Retirement Home
2 YEARS AGO: United Parcel Servant
3 YEARS AGO: Whizzing Through Dallas
4 YEARS AGO: Eddie With The Luscious Kisser Friday
5 YEARS AGO: ’Tis The Season To Be Tweety
6 YEARS AGO: Cat Fiiiiiight!!!

Now They Are Heard And Not Just Seen

2011-12-06T00:04:00.003-04:00

Last night while watching television, this Victoria's Secret commercial came on, where the girls show off the new holiday collection, telling you how there's no gift like a Christmas gift from Victoria's Secret.

"They talk?" Ed said. "I didn't know they talked."

And this is the humor that bubbles below the surface of my sweet Eddie's personality.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: By Request
2 YEARS AGO: The Reason My Ass Is Not Getting Any Smaller
3 YEARS AGO: Out Of This World Outport Life
4 YEARS AGO: Max Says To Go Placidly, As It Is Still A Beautiful World
5 YEARS AGO: Dangerous Beauty
6 YEARS AGO: Big Bad Cherry Peppers

Trucker Love Notes

2011-12-05T00:01:00.002-04:00

This morning when Ed got up to take a shower, he came back into the sleeper and said, "We had a little visit from someone."

"What do you mean?" I said.

"Someone left a note on the truck." he said.

"Really? Don't tell me. What does it say?" I asked, annoyed, since we found a note once before that wasn't very nice.

So he read it to me. "Who do you think it's from?" he said. "It's unsigned."

So I immediately consulted the Google Latitude app on my phone to see who was nearby; I knew it had to be someone who knew us and our truck. And I was right.

Guess who it was?? RuthAnn Bradbury!!!

I don't know how long I've "known" RuthAnn and Brad of All Things Bradbury since meeting them on the internet via my blog, but it's been a while. And I know for sure it's longer the Plum Trucker knows her, and longer than Kelly (formerly known as the Lipstick Trucker) knows her.

Why then, I ask you, did they get to meet her before I got to meet her?? That they got a hug before me? That they got to lay their eyes on her wavy ginger mane before me? (Which, by the way, is super soft.) I felt so left out. Oh, the unfairness in the world!

But that's just the way it works out in the trucking world, their paths crossed before ours. Can't fault anyone for that, right? It's all logistics.

But today....today my friends....Eddie and I got to meet RuthAnn!!! Not only is she the softest little bundle of woman ever, but her voice is like caramel, just covering you with gooey goodness. Unfortunately, Brad was very under the weather and didn't even emerge from the truck, but RuthAnn did stress that he was going to be upset that he missed us. Well, that leaves something for next time, right?

We sat around the truck for a while chit-chatting before we headed off to dinner at Carrabba's for some Italian. I was so happy to be sitting across the table from her; not only was she a seasoned trucker and a native of West Virginia (one of my favorite states!), but she's easy to talk to, interesting, and feisty enough to speak her mind when the urge hits her. What's not to love?

She's definitely the mama bear of our group. She's always concerned about everyone; if one of us hasn't blogged in a while, she wants to know where we've been. If we drop off of Latitude, she calls. If we're near the house, she invites us for dinner. She's wonderful.

And I'm so glad she left us a little love note and gave us the opportunity to get some real hugs from her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: We Need A Little Christmas Right This Very Minute
2 YEARS AGO: Sorting Out The Details
3 YEARS AGO: Eddie On A Cliff Friday
4 YEARS AGO: Christmas Meme!
5 YEARS AGO: ”O” My God
6 YEARS AGO: Five Already???

So THIS Is What We Look Like!

2011-12-04T02:30:00.006-04:00

Eddie and I never really see what we both look like while in the truck. You know, how others see us when they pass us on the road. That is, until we came upon this extremely reflective, shiny building!

Look! There we are!! Eddie in the driver's seat! Me taking the picture!

OK, I'm guessing this really isn't all that big a deal. Sorry to bother you folks. Things to blog about this week are a little lean.

Before we left though, Ed did turn the truck around, the rear of it facing the mirror...

You know, to see if our ass looked fat.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Just Because
2 YEARS AGO: Plastic Is A Sure Thing
3 YEARS AGO: The All Purpose Swab
4 YEARS AGO: Jump The Weeds
5 YEARS AGO: Forty Dollars A Gallon
6 YEARS AGO: Sudan Ease

The Epitome Of Desolation

2011-12-03T02:26:00.007-04:00

After we left the snow in New Mexico and Arizona, which spread all the way to Kingman, we went over the last of the mountains and then hit the California state line, located in Needles. I generally dislike traveling in the western half of the United States, but at least on the northern route through New Mexico and Arizona (especially Flagstaff), you get to see something other than continuous desert.

Then there's the Mojave. Needles to Barstow is one hundred forty-four miles. Across the desert. At fifty-five miles per hour - which is the speed limit for trucks in California - it takes a good three hours to make the trip; longer if you're heavy since there are a few mountains. They're deceiving, because the landscape generally looks flat, but then you look back and realize that you've climbed a very long, very gradual grade, at a very slow pace.

I hate this part of the trip. It's horribly long, there's nothing to look at, nowhere to stop, and at fifty-five miles per hour, it feels like forever. Getting to Barstow is no prize either, but at least it's civilization; they have a Chipotle and a Starbucks.

I don't find anything appealing about this open space. Lots of people like it, I'm sure. My grandmother, although she's never had the opportunity to visit this particular strip of interstate, when she moved to Arizona from New York prior to her death, she actually liked that she could see for miles and miles without anything obstructing her view. Clearly, I didn't get that set of her genes.

I like the hustle and bustle of life. I like seeing people on the road (although the traffic in some states is worse than others - California being the worst). I like seeing businesses and homes and farms and livestock, especially when traveling through rural areas. I love mountains and trees and hilly areas that others might deem a white knuckle drive. And I love weather; I'm not a huge fan of driving through any of it at night, but give me rain or snow during the day and I'll likely exclaim, "Look! It's snowing!". I don't mind places that are sparsely populated, just not in the desert or flat, wide open prairies like in Kansas and Nebraska.

Life magazine, back in 1986, dubbed US Route 50 in Nevada The Loneliest Road in America. Yes, that's an incredibly desolate route, another road I'd be happy to never travel again, but I say there are a whole lot of stretches of highway out here that are right up there with US 50 when it comes to the lonely department.

And lonely just isn't a place I like to be.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Eddie Lobster On The Brain, Listening Skills Disengaged Friday
2 YEARS AGO: Privacy Issues
3 YEARS AGO: It’s Crazy That I’m Crazy For Keanu
4 YEARS AGO: Gifts That Keep On Giving
5 YEARS AGO: Classic Las Vegas
6 YEARS AGO: Off With Their Heads!

Ari-Snowna

2011-12-02T02:23:00.007-04:00

We left Arizona a few days after Thanksgiving to haul trailers for UPS. I was so hoping to see some snow during the trip, since there isn't any in Tucson. I love getting up in the Northeast or Midwest, seeing drifts of snow, watching traffic slow to a crawl, hopefully experiencing an Interstate shut-down. I know, I'm odd that way.

Our first leg of the trip was supposed to be Phoenix, AZ to Mesquite, TX to Lenexa, KS to Houston, TX and then back to Phoenix. But when we got to Houston, they changed it to Houston to San Antonio to Dallas to Richmond, CA and THEN back to Phoenix. Well that just screwed up my original plans for time off between runs!

We ran I-40 instead of I-10 (it's shorter, but not by much), and that's where we encountered the snow; New Mexico and Arizona. I saw several cars and one big truck in the ditch, traffic slowed to a crawl and then a stop, and a fellow trucker told me they eventually closed the Interstate in that area; they were traveling the same route but apparently we got through before they closed it.

I'm glad to have seen some snow, even if it was Arizona snow. We hit California and will be heading back to Phoenix for the next leg - bobtailing, with no trailer. I heard it's pretty cold in Phoenix this week too, even though there's no snow.

I'm sure I'm the only one who thinks this is good news.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: It’s In The Air
2 YEARS AGO: Wish List
3 YEARS AGO: He Must Have Learned It From TV
4 YEARS AGO: When Pizza Is Involved, Jesus Is Always In Charge
5 YEARS AGO: Sexier Than The Rockettes
6 YEARS AGO: $3.99 A Minute

Body Language

2011-12-01T02:19:00.005-04:00

Ed's response to my taking his picture: "What the hell are you doing??"

In case you couldn't figure that out from the facial expression and outstretched arms.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Move Along, Not Much To Read Here
2 YEARS AGO: My Favorite Geek Scores Two Bargains In One Day
3 YEARS AGO: Your Beating Heart
4 YEARS AGO: All I Want For Christmas Are My Two Front Teeth
5 YEARS AGO: Eddie Opens An Eye In Vegas Friday
6 YEARS AGO: You’re Giving Me Agida

How To Get Kids To Eat Vegetables

2011-11-30T00:01:00.002-04:00

Can't get your kids to eat spinach? Encase it in hot, cheesy goodness!! OK, so maybe it's a little on the fattening side; send them out to play a few extra times that week. Ed and I love to get hot spinach and artichoke dip wherever we can. It’s usually served with tortilla chips, but I prefer the plain pita chips – like the "Simply Naked" ones that Stacy’s makes.

Ooooh, and by the way, they have fantastic Cinnamon Sugar ones too....oh, I wish I had one of those right now. Crispy. Cinnamony. Sugary. DEEElicious. Oh my, they're just the BEST. As my friend Gi-Gi would say, "Nom Nom Nom".

OK, so back to the recipe…this is the dip I made as my contribution to the Thanksgiving appetizer line-up and it was a big hit. Thankfully, I made two dishes so we’d have a second opportunity to indulge. It couldn’t have been easier. Try it out for yourself.

HOT SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

THE INGREDIENTS
1 10oz. package of frozen chopped spinach
15 oz. artichoke hearts, chopped (I bought two cans of whole hearts and chopped them myself)
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese, ¼ cup (or less) set aside to sprinkle on finished product
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 package (8oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup of mayo (I only use Hellman’s!)
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste

THE PROCESS
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Thaw spinach and drain the liquid from it. I just squished it against the colander with a big wooden spoon to get all the water out.

3. Combine spinach, artichokes and garlic in a bowl and set aside.

4. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese (remember to set aside ¼ cup), mayonnaise, cayenne and black pepper. Cream together.

5. Add spinach to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

6. Put mixture into a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes.

7. Take foil off, sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes until the top gets golden brown and the cheese melts. I like getting it a little crispy on top, which ensures it’s nice and hot.

8. Serve with tortilla chips (I prefer the white corn ones), pita chips or even toasted slices of baguette.

9. Enjoy!!

Click HERE to get the recipe to print out.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Back In The Saddle
2 YEARS AGO: Logging Lots Of Miles
3 YEARS AGO: Apples, Fudge And Homemade Jam
4 YEARS AGO: Eddie Hick Runs Deep Friday
5 YEARS AGO: If You Can’t Make It To France
6 YEARS AGO: I’m Sleeping With Someone New

UPSide Down

2011-11-29T00:00:00.003-04:00

This was taken a few months ago, while shopping at IKEA (my hair is still brown here!). Ed captured me from above as I was testing out their mattresses. Upside down is what life is going to be like for the next three weeks on our UPS run, so I thought it'd be a perfect fit.

We're currently watching a movie about the Donner Party - we'll actually be crossing the Sierra Nevada's on this run, so I'm taking notes in case we get stuck in a blizzard and have to eat people - I'm thinking I'll be the first to be cannibalized since I'm the plumpest and juiciest of the two of us. Let's keep our fingers crossed that that doesn't happen. Crossing Donner is hairy enough in the winter, we don't need any complications!

I'm hoping to be able to keep up with the blog, I get behind on regular days, but with a run like this, where nothing but driving and sleeping is going on, I don't usually have too much to say. So keep checking back - there will eventually be something to read (or look at!).

Here we go, folks!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Gucci, Gucci, Gu
2 YEARS AGO: Big Trucks + TV = Big Truck TV
3 YEARS AGO: Insane In The Holiday Brain
4 YEARS AGO: Umbrella-ella-ella-ella
5 YEARS AGO: Dress Code
6 YEARS AGO: And It Begins…

Red Hair At Night, Truckers Delight. Red Hair At Morning, Truckers Warning.

2011-11-28T00:01:00.000-04:00

I might not have been able to cross off everything on my list, but I did get around to coloring my hair last night. I wanted to go super-cherry red, but this is the closest I got.

Ed didn't notice because in the house it just looks dark, but wait until the sun hits the top of my luscious locks - I'll be like a moving candy apple! Even more irresistible than I already am. It's a very bright, cheery Christmas season color. We'll see how it works for the next few weeks - if I like it, I might go brighter. Or pink. We'll see.

In the meantime, I'll just rock the cherry hue. I got some feisty saved up to go along with the new flaming coiffure.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Rok New York
2 YEARS AGO: South Dakota Sky
3 YEARS AGO: Nutty Friday
4 YEARS AGO: It’s Not So Much Fun To Roll Out Your Best Sales Schpiel On A Mute
5 YEARS AGO: Forced Happiness
6 YEARS AGO: Firestarter

Last Full Day Of Freedom

2011-11-27T00:05:00.000-04:00

Today is our last day at home before we head out to Phoenix for our UPS run. I didn't get everything done that I needed to, but some of the things can wait until we get home next month, I suppose. The only thing I have left to do, is stock the truck tomorrow.
The photo about is our route - it's different this year, one that takes us to Kansas, Houston, Nashville, Georgia. The last runs we've done for UPS have taken us to the Northwest quite a bit but this time it's all between I-10 and I-80 - no real northern areas and not one Seattle drop in the bunch (click picture to enlarge). We'll cover 17,913 miles in 21 days, which is not really that bad if you break it down. The longest leg of the trip is Salt Lake City to Atlanta, about 1,800 miles.

We didn't have time to sort through the shed for our Christmas decorations, so we'll just have to buy new ones - I like the truck to be decked out with red garland, snowmen, candy canes and lights. If I have to deliver presents to those all over the country, I want to be festive while doing it! It's the last thing I'll do before we hit the road.

Now it's time to get some sleep. See you around...wave if you see us!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Keyed Up
2 YEARS AGO: The Ultimate Mrs.
3 YEARS AGO: Happy Thanksgiving
4 YEARS AGO: The Kind Of Contraction That Produces A Laugh, Not A Baby
5 YEARS AGO: Wanderlust Officially Approved
6 YEARS AGO: The Eye Of The Beholder

Saturday Slow Down

2011-11-26T01:52:00.010-04:00

How did we spend the day after Thanksgiving? Well, it didn't involve any turkey. Crazy, right??

Ed and his dad went golfing at Omni Tucson National Resort - one of Golf Digest's "75 Best Golf Resorts in North America". This resort also has been the host of countless PGA events and is home to the prestigious Chrysler Classic of Tucson. They really enjoyed the course and Ed said everything was high class and fancy-schmancy - even the clubs they rented were in the thousands of dollars range.

This resort is only five miles from the house, and has always had a wonderful reputation - especially among golfers. Years ago, when I was working at another resort, I got tickets to one of the golf events being held at Tucson National. I gave the tickets to a friend at work and he wound up inviting me to go with him. I saw many golf greats but realized being on the course, following the game as it moved down the fairway, that it wasn't a place for me. Why, you ask? They have actual signs that they hold up to tell you to stop talking. I think they might actually say "Shhhh". Nope, definitely not for me.

While the boys played golf, us women stayed home and did nothing. Just lounged around watching TV, reading magazines and napping. When the men got home, we put dinner on - leftover chicken soup that my mother had made and leftover sausage and peppers that I had made; not the traditional next-day-turkey-sandwich. After dinner, it was dessert and several games of Scrabble.

There you have it - the entire itinerary for a Saturday night with the over-65 crowd.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Let The Crazy Begin
2 YEARS AGO: For Everything The Goodness Sends
3 YEARS AGO: A Look On The Inside
4 YEARS AGO: Free! Gratuito! Gratis! Ummm…No Charge!
5 YEARS AGO: Life Giver vs. Indian Giver
6 YEARS AGO: The Spaghetti Thanks You

The Master Carver

2011-11-25T01:45:00.009-04:00

Here's a picture of my brother's father-in-law carving the turkey. It loooks a little different than the traditional cutting of the bird, whereas you slice right into the bird itself - reason being, this one was cooking in a plastic cooking bag and all the juices stayed inside

It was THE MOISTEST bird I've ever tasted. It literally fell off the bone. I was trying to salvage the big pieces so at least he'd have something to cook. The aroma was amazing. The skin was crispy and delicious. I was helping, photographing and picking at the small pieces as we went along.

The day's menu was as follows:

Turkey (of course)
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes with butter and brown sugar
Mushroom and Thyme Stuffing
Sweet and Hot Sausage Stuffing
Zucchini Squares (sort of like a zucchini casserole)
Sauteed Squash and Onions
Cranberry Jelly
Homemade Turkey Gravy

Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Hickory Nut Bread

After dessert, half of the group played Farkle, the other half Scrabble. Ed's parents are great game players and his mother is a master wordsmith; must be where Ed gets it from. After the games ended, we said our goodbyes. We had a long day, were stuffed and exhausted and needed to get into clothing with elastic. The day was a great success!

Today, Ed and his dad will go golfing and us girls will hang at the house. My plan to "get things done" has completely evaporated. Looks like we'll be eating leftovers and maybe squeezing in another game of Scrabble. I know, I'm ninety.

Hope all of you are also enjoying your holiday weekend! See you tomorrow!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Waiting For The Good Stuff
2 YEARS AGO: Getting Some Bird A Day Ahead Of The Crowd
3 YEARS AGO: The Only Reason Men Do Things Is Because Their Wives MAKE Them
4 YEARS AGO: Here’s Looking At You
5 YEARS AGO: Just Outside The Door
6 YEARS AGO: Trying To Mask The Boredom

Nuts About Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T01:42:00.009-04:00

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite food holiday, not because of the large amounts of food (because we have tons of food at all family gatherings), but because of the type of food. Turkey is not something I ever make. Sometimes I'll have it at a restaurant if I have the urge, but I would never make a whole one like one does at Thanksgiving.

We spend the day at my brother's house and his mother-in-law does all the cooking. She's a fabulous cook and she always makes something new. It's definitely a meal I look forward to it.

My hot spinach and artichoke dish was a huge hit and I also made use of my monkey pod dish - we used it for the nuts! Ed made me take it out of the truck about a month ago since he thought it was "cluttering" up the counter and I was sad to see it go - I fought hard for it but lost.

Overall, a wonderful Thanksgiving was had!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: On The Way To Turkey Day
2 YEARS AGO: Winding Down For The Big Holiday
3 YEARS AGO: Pssst! The Fish Are In The Water. Check The Water.
4 YEARS AGO: Elphaba’s Long Lost Sister?
5 YEARS AGO: What Boys (And One Girl) Do On Thanksgiving
6 YEARS AGO: Cold Turkey

Shit Eating Grins. And Giggles. And Shits And Giggles.

2011-11-23T00:43:00.009-04:00

Today Ed's parents arrived in Tucson to join us for Thanksgiving. I made dinner for us and I also made a hot spinach and artichoke dip to take to my brother's house tomorrow - my contribution to the appetizer portion of the day.

During dinner, the conversation turned to dogs. Ed's mom has two - a jackapoo and a min-pin - that she brought with her. She used to have a chihuahua too, but gave her away. When my mother asked why, the following conversatin ensued.

"Well, Chico had a real problem with shedding. There was hair everywhere. And she just didn't get along with the other dogs." Ed's mother said.

"Ohhhh." my mother said.

Ed's father was sitting back with a grin on his face, listening to the story. Then he said, "Well, that's not the real reason."

"Well, true...." said Ed's mom. "We found out that she was a Chih-weenie."

"Nooo. A Chih-weenie?" I said.

"A Chih-weenie??" said my mother, confused.

"Part Chihuahua, part weenie dog." I explained.

"You got rid of her because she was a Chih-weenie?" Ed said.

"You're a dog racist!" I gasped. Everyone laughed.

"No, I'm not." Ed's mother said, sounding seriously offended.

"You know, I thought she looked a little long." I said, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.

"Yeah, she was long." Ed nodded in agreement.

"And a Chih-weenie. Who'd want a Chih-weenie?" I said.

"Well, she also had another problem." Ed's father said.

"What could be worse than being a very long Chih-weenie?" I said.

"Well.....she didn't only shed." he said. "She also liked to eat poop."

The entire table burst into laughter. As it was, we couldn't say the word "Chih-weenie" without breaking out in giggles.

"A shit-eating Chih-weenie!" I exclaimed.

"She ate poop??" Ed said.

"Oh my God. Not only is she a very long, hair losing Chih-weenie, but she eats poop??" I said. "Just her own poop?"

"No. Any poop." Ed's dad said.

I could not breathe at this point. My mother was laughing until she cried. Ed couldn't breathe. And his parents were both cracking up, barely able to continue with the story.

"So what did you do with her?" Ed finally said.

"Well, we gave her to your Dad's team partner." his mom said. Ed's dad also drives a truck as a team with a friend of his.

"Did you tell him that she was a Chih-weenie?" I said, emphasizing the word Chih-weenie with feigned disgust. "Or did you just pawn her off as a tiny cute dog?"

Silence.

"Did you tell them about the poop eating?" Ed said.

Silence.

"Well, funny thing...." Ed's dad began. "One day we were driving and my buddy said,out of the blue, 'You know that dog you gave me? He eats shit.'"

We couldn't breathe we were laughing so hard.

"Well, what did you say?" I asked.

"I just said that maybe that's his diet." Ed's dad said. "I didn't know what to say. And then, the dog ran away from him, and they called us because it has one of those chips in it."

"Oh my God. You can't even get rid of the shit-eating Chih-weenie. You're being haunted by her." I said.

"It doesn't matter who the dog belongs to, you'll never escape the poop-eating Chih-weenie now." Ed said.

We must have talked about that dog for the next ten minutes. Imagining all the scenarios in which they'd be contacted and asked if the dog was theirs, only to tell them it wasn't and then try to act like they don't know anything about his dining habits.

But we all know. We can't un-know that information.

And I let that dog lick my face.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Waiting It Out
2 YEARS AGO: My Life According To Sugarland
3 YEARS AGO: EPCOT On Fire
4 YEARS AGO: Eddie Full Of Turkey Friday
5 YEARS AGO: Crouching Poultry, Hidden Turkey
6 YEARS AGO: It Is Really A Sandwich?