D.I.Y. Visual Merchandising

 

While shopping in Hobby Lobby over the weekend, Ed took it upon himself to exercise his creative juices and create a display from the items being sold in the store.

He found a painting of a beach, took a few metal lawn ornaments, draped them in Hawaiian leis, and strung a flamingo garland across the whole setup.

I was browsing in another section of the store and I kept getting texts with each step of his creation - first the beach painting, then the frogs, then the caterpillar, then all of them wearing leis, then the group with feather boas, and finally, the pièce de résistance…the string of flamingos.

We might be on to something here.  I think Hobby Lobby should hold design contests where they give a shopper shelf space and then the shopper creates their own display using items found in the store.  Think of the possibilities!  Well, you don't even have to think, you can just look at the picture.

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2024: Death Defying Entertainment
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Slow Skate Slow Jam
2018: Running Through Hollywood In The Desert
2017: Demo Day
2016: What? This Is Perfectly Normal.
2015: Inside The Walls
2014: What A Difference A Day Makes
2013: The Inner Path To The Outer Banks
2012: The Greatest Love Of All
2011: Step It Up
2010: It May Not Be EVERY Day You Learn Something New, But It’s Certainly True Of THIS Day
2009: Dreams Of Do-It-Yourself Dolloping Come True
2008: Rest In Peace Sweet Green Eyed Beauty
2007: George And Ira
2006: Zip It Up!
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Custom Design

It's not the prettiest picture, but it is photographic evidence of my sewing skills.

Ed came to me with a problem - deteriorating airbags.

The airbags on our sleeper, like all airbags, are made of rubber.  We have five airbags on the back of our sleeper that you can see here - three in the middle, one on each side.  Over time, with exposure to the environment, road schmutz, chemicals, and sunshine, the rubber deteriorates and the airbags need to be replaced.

What Ed wanted, was a way to shield the airbag from these destructive elements.  He gave me the tarping material he wanted used and asked if I could sew a cover.

Well, I did.  With the measurement of the airbag Ed gave me, I created a little jacket for each airbag.  It was a very simple sewing project - I pleated the material all the way around to create a curved sheath that would hug the airbags, and closed each one with a wide piece of velcro so they'd be easy to remove if needed.

Ed loves them!  And they work.  

I can now check this project off my to-do list!

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2024: The Giver Of Much Delight
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Winter Tree Warning
2018: The Dog From The State Of Sonora
2017: More Like A Submarine Sandwich
2016: Good Stuff, Maynard!
2015: Spiky On The Outside, Sinfully Delicious Inside
2014: The Most Awkward Descent Down A Snow Covered Hill. Ever.
2013: At The Top Of My Favorite Cities List
2012: Not Looking Anymore
2011: There Is Hope
2010: Where The Bunnies Of The Desert Hang Out
2009: The Marion County Shirt Factory Incident
2008: Eddie Roams The Mayan Ruins Friday
2007: Self Service Antiques
2006: Begin At Once
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Sharp Dressed Man

We're heading to a wedding this weekend and Ed went shopping at Dillard's for a new sport coat and two new ties. He was on his own and with the help of the salesman, made some beautiful choices.  The ties are Italian silk!

I, on the other hand, will be wearing my standby Kiyonna black crepe jumpsuit that I've worn to two past weddings and a work event.  And since it'll be cold in Dallas I'll be able to wear my cape with the faux fur collar!  

Ed looks great in everything he puts on but he's especially handsome in a suit.  I'm looking forward to walking into this event on his arm and celebrating the new life his cousin and her fiancé are embarking on.

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2024: A Gateway To Chinese Canadians
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Public Works
2018: Sometimes It's Not Just A Cough
2017: The De Facto Logo Of Brooklyn
2016: There Is Poetry In Change
2015: Ski Or Sun? Sun Won.
2014: All The Better To Cook With, My Dear
2013: I Fancy The Castle Life
2012: There Are No Prison Blues If You Have Naan
2011: Now I’m No Longer Alone
2010: Rings Of Spring
2009: Map Schmap
2008: A Willow Weeps In Arizona
2007: Double Team
2006: Turning One Million
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Rest Break In The Equality State

Ed took this photo in Wyoming during one of his rest breaks. The views in our "office" are ever-changing. 
 
And I love it.

Which brings me to this...

I have been included as one of the 100 Best Trucking Blogs and Websites.  I come in at number 33, in the top third section of the list.  Not bad.

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2023: The Makings Of A Feast Under One Beautiful Unique Roof
2022: Taking A Ship To See A Queen
2021: Dignity Of Earth And Sky
2020: When Life Gives You Lemons
2019: Istanbul Cobble
2018: Circulating The Morning Air In The Lonestar State
2017: It's The Real OLD Thing
2016: Stopping In Style
2015: Patiently Waiting
2014: Find Out Where You Can Dine With Giraffes
2013: Sputtering With Excitement
2012: Water May Not Be The Only Liquid Nourishing These Flowers
2011: Nappy Time
2010: Dick. Not A Dick. Which One Are You?
2009: First The Poultry, Now This
2008: California Moon
2007: Ryno And Rob
2006: Living The Dream
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn't start until May 2005!

Signs Of Summer

Ed took this photo of quail eggs under a rock in our backyard.  This is the time of year when we see the parent quails being trailed by 10-15 of their little ones.  We've already seen one set!

Can't wait for the next batch!


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2019: Sorry, no post for this day.
2018: Tip-Top Turtle

2017: Education In Ruins
2016: She's Dressed In A Tuxedo
2015: Turn Of The Century
2014: The Passing Strange
2013: One Pan Eddie: Five Steps To Paradise
2012: Crossing The Hackensack
2011: Don’t Hate On Me On This Lovely Golden Day
2010: See You At The Curb
2009: A Blaze Of Crotch Sniffing And Licky Kisses
2008: Going To Market
2007: Lazy Sunday
2006: Can Someone Define Their Purpose??
2005: Sorry, no post for this day.

You're Off Your Cracker If You Think I'm Driving This Thing

While we were at the truck show looking at new custom sleepers, Ed snapped a picture of this 1968 GMC Crackerbox.  He wanted to show me what truckers used to drive.

I think he's going to use this to keep me in line because he knows I'll do almost anything to stay in the sleeper I'm accustomed to.


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2018: Noodling Around
2017: Bright Morning Riders
2016: Our Gift To Future Generations
2015: Winter Sun Setting
2014: Our Throne
2013: The Morning Long Haul
2012: Passing A DOT Physical Has Never Been So Harrowing
2011: I’d Like To Make A Toast
2010: Where Good Breeding Gets You
2009: Eddie At The Glacier Friday
2008: When Having A UTI Is A Cause For Celebration
2007: They Should Give Academy Awards For Good Hair
2006: One, Two, Three, Floor
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

See You On The Flip Side

Parked side-by-side all week, our friends Marlaina and MacG will be leaving today.

Normally I'd feel bad that they're leaving to go back to work and we're staying home to lounge around, but this time they're not going back to work, they're leaving to go on yet another vacation (without us!).

So we'll just say, bon voyage and see you soon!



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2018: Let Your Love Light The Sky
2017: Step One, Neutralize
2016: Penetrating Gaze
2015: Worst Trucking Day Ever
2014: Books Are So Much More Interesting Than Guns
2013: Contemplating Broccoli Cheddar
2012: I’m Totally Contemplating Thievery
2011: Some People Are Just Fucking Nuts
2010: 7am In Beantown
2009: Eddie Taking A Moment To Enjoy Nature Friday
2008: Pull Up A Chair
2007: Brad Blows
2006: Expressly American
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005! 

Haulin' Paulin

This week we had our entire tarping system replaced.  Well, not the hardware, just the tarping material.  The tarp was original, came with the trailer when we bought it from another driver in 2013, and although Ed has done some repairs over the years they've only been small holes or rips, nothing major.  The average life on this kind of tarp is two to three years and this one, being the original tarp that came with the trailer, had lasted almost ten.

Recently, though, he started to notice more spots that were wearing.  The trailer has a series of ribs inside, which slide along a rail, allowing it to open and close like an accordion to make loading freight easier.  The tarp along the ribs on the top had worn through enough to let some water in.  And we can't have that since one of the main functions of a tarp is to protect the freight from inclement weather.

Earlier this year I helped Ed repair some of the velcro closures on the back flap which involved hand sewing.  I had to buy a heavy duty 5" needle and coated heavyweight thread and then wear canvas gloves and use a pair of pliers to pull the needle through each hole.  It was a slow process and Ed helped, as there was no way I could have done it alone.

It was probably the hardest sewing job I've ever had, which includes the one time I helped my brother make a fitted cover for my nephew's sandbox in the backyard - my sister-in-law was worried that the cat was going to shit in the sand and contaminate the entire thing, so she wanted it covered somehow.  We installed snaps on the cover and on the sides of the sandbox so my brother could just snap the thing in place at the end of the day and take it off the next time my nephew wanted to play.  It was a big sandbox, at least 5' by 8', and looking back now, I think it was a genius idea!  But still not as hard as hand sewing heavy tarp material.

Quick Draw Tarpaulin Systems are the makers of the tarping system and they're the ones who did the repair.  It took them less than three days and it looks beautiful.  Well worth the money!



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2017: A Tree Sort Of Grows In Tucson
2016: And It Shows
2015: A Little Pizza Local Tastes
2014: The Longest Shortcut 
2013: The Only Way To Enjoy Texas
2012: Bleu Evolution
2011: They May Look Pretty, But They’re A Bitch
2010: Food, Family, Fun, And Poker Winnings
2009: Ring Of Moving Fire
2008: Everything Is Weathered In Weatherford
2007: Eddie The Professional Tourist Friday
2006: East Coast Tag
2005: Float And Set

Pork Chop Express

We see all kinds of livestock being hauled when we're on the road - horses, cows,  chickens, bulls, turkeys, pigs.

They always smell awful but sometimes you'll see them sticking their noses out of the holes in the trailer and think, "He's so cute!"

This one guy, though, with that blue eye, is kinda creeping me out.  It looks like a person's eye. 

It's as if he knows he's headed to Bacontown.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Full-Blown Wonder
2016: Saguaro Nest
2015: I Do Laundry And Bring Strawberries
2014: A Match Made In Trucking Heaven
2013: Shiny Ride Home
2012: Chow Fun And Coconut Bliss
2011: Beautiful By Nature. Dirty By Choice.
2010: Let’s Go Shopping!!!
2009: A Magnificent Place To Wait For A Train
2008: Old Blue Eyes Was Right When He Said It Was A Very Good Year
2007: The Hills Are Alive…Or Are They?
2006: Nostalgia
2005: 37 Going On 20

Just Hangin' Out

Hanging out on the pier in Oceanside, California.  



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2017: As The Crow Flies
2016: Mall Princess
2015: Oklahoma Wind
2014: All Along The Shining Sea
2013: Waterfront Wedding
2012: Crossing The Mighty Hudson For Our Radio Debut
2011: All-Inclusive Social Butterflies
2010: The $7 Date Night
2009: Them’s Fighting Words!
2008: Skulls And Hot Chocolate In The French Quarter
2007: Once As High As An Elephant’s Eye
2006: Trouser Snakes On A Plane
2005: Big Honkin’ Truck Makeover

In A Dream, I Saw A City Invicible

The motto of Camden, New Jersey is, "In a Dream, I Saw a City Invincible."

It's excerpted from American poet Walt Whitman's poem, I Dreamed In A Dream.

Walt Whitman spent the last years of his life in Camden, New Jersey. 

"Today the Walt Whitman House, a National Historic Landmark, provides an intimate glimpse into the life of the poet, attracting visitors from around the world. Whitman's original letters, personal belongings, the bed in which he died, and the death notice that was nailed to the front door have all been preserved, as well as a collection of rare nineteenth-century photographs, including the earliest known image of Whitman - an 1848 daguerreotype."


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2017: Music For Meatballs
2016: Flashing Back To '79
2015: Pugly Curiosity
2014: Our Rear View Looks Fantastic
2013: An Oasis Of Tranquility
2012: Clouds Over The Whitestone
2011: Room And Board
2010: Filler And Fluff
2009: Ghost Town
2008: Second Only To Feet
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: Heading South With One Wayward Goose
2005: Red Texas Sunrise

Vibrating Eggs

Last week we got new steer tires (the most important tires on the truck).

We drove about 900 miles and Ed said, "There's something wrong with these tires."

There was a vibration.

It was so slight, no normal person would have noticed it.  And on a truck that vibrates the minute the key is turned, it's sometimes difficult to determine good vibrations from bad.  But Ed knows his truck.  Even I can tell when something's wrong.  I don't always know what it is, or even how to articulate it - "It's doing a thing." - but I know when it's not right.

"They're not round," Ed said.  "They feel egg-shaped."

Egg-shaped doesn't work for a tire.  No wonder the truck was wobbling.

We got the tires in Nebraska though, so we had to make our way back to get them changed.  It wound up being an all-day affair.  When they put the tires on the machine, it confirmed what Ed thought.  They weren't round.  And although they replaced the tires for free, and of course balanced them, there is still a verrrrry slight vibration.

But we had to go, we had a load to deliver.  Ed talked to the shop manager and he said if anything goes wrong to come back and he'll take care of it.  Not ideal, because it's freakin' Nebraska and we don't go through there very often, but worth the trip if it means getting the tires replaced.  

We're now in North Carolina.  I'm so looking forward to driving 1,400 wobbly miles back to Nebraska.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: I've Realized I Need Cookies AND A Vacation
2016: Sitting On Secrets
2015: More Montana
2014: 'Scuse Me While I Kiss The Sky
2013: I Feel Like I'm Being Followed
2012: Keeping Pace With The Seniors
2011: Island Bound
2010: Cristo Velato
2009: Flash Dancing Through Summer
2008: Another Day, Another 32 Things About Me
2007: A Bottle And A Nap Would Be Nice
2006: Because You Never Know When You’re Going To Need A Roman Candle
2005: Thank A Trucker

Bluegrass Beans

A field of soybeans growing in Oak Grove, Kentucky.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: In The Glare Of A Southern Sun
2016: Let The Winds Of Heaven Dance Between You
2015: A Virgin In Arizona
2014: Whichever Way The Wind Blows

2013: Big Shoulders And Tall Buildings
2012: After The Storm

2011: A Constellation Minus The Celestial Bodies

2010: Opulence. I Hyaz It.

2009: Flipping It At The Bird

2008: Eddie Flippin’ Friday

2007: Hope Collapses

2006: You Do The Math

2005: 14,410 Feet Of Beauty

Clean Sweep

Ed took this photo of a little tugboat hanging out on the Savannah River, waiting for a job.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: The Little French Dining Car
2016: Shiny Happy People
2015: The Oedipus Driving Complex
2014: Summer At Percy Priest
2013: Heat And Humidity Abundant, Wind Nowhere To Be Found
2012: Delicious Eats And Healthy Treats
2011: Special Seasoning
2010: Two Truck Drivers, A Writer And A Photographer Walk Into A Bar
2009: Taking The Express To The Heartland
2008: TIT-illating Sights On The Road
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: Embracing Your Inner Bike Riding Hussy
2005: It Takes A Village To Wake A Child

Dwarfed

Yesterday, Ed's little charter fishing boat was passed by this giant vessel, and then pass by the hotel we're staying at on their way to the port.  I read in a book in our hotel room that the Port of Savannah is the largest single container terminal in North America.

Last year, the port welcomed the largest containership to ever call on the East Coast of the United States.

That's impressive.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: When A Bolt Turns You Into A Bitch
2016: The Most Important Meal Of The Day
2015: The Weirdest Reunion Ever
2014: River Alarm
2013: A Face Only A Mother Sniffer Can Love
2012: Rolling In The Deep
2011: A Castle On A Bluff
2010: The Skies Really Are Friendly, No Matter Who Is Flying In Them
2009: Eddie Beach Feet Friday
2008: Panoramic
2007: My New Motto
2006: Fake It Till You Make It
2005: Feria Colour Strands

On The River

Today Ed took an afternoon excursion with some of the people from our event.  They headed out on an offshore fishing trip provided by Miss Judy Charters.  I opted not to go because it was 90 degrees with 1.1 million percent humidity. 

They picked up the guests at the hotel dock and headed out on the Savannah River for a few hours.  The women who ran the charter said the fish weren't biting because it was too hot.  OK, people, if it's too hot for fish who live in water, it's too hot for humans. 

Ed had a great time and caught a stingray.  Apparently, it put up quite a fight.  Who knew there were stingrays in the river??



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2017: Reaching The Boiling Point
2016: Any One Will Do For Doo
2015: A Lazy River Surrounding A Big 'Ol Lazy Pool
2014: A Successful, Safe, Million Mile Driving Man And His Timepiece
2013: In Hot Pursuit
2012: The Spotlight Isn’t Just On The Community
2011: The United States Of American Cheese
2010: Waiting
2009: My Mother The Jihadist
2008: Perfectly Reasonable Defense
2007: Provocative
2006: Sidewalk Sushi
2005: $4,000 Worth Of Tupperware

Beauty Prevails

It's spring here in Arizona, which means every once in a while we get to see a bright spot of color.  One of the most noticeable blooms along our route were those of the little hedgehog cactus.  Against the muted tones of the sand and rocks they grow in, the vibrant fuchsia was hard to miss. 

I saw several jutting from the rocks and took a few shots myself, but Ed got this one somewhere along the trail he was on.  Although he was in a remote area that's not traveled often, there's still that one idiot who leaves a beer bottle behind.

Iron Eyes Cody would not be happy.



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2017: Approaching The Future Of Space Travel
2016: Hmeep Hmeep!
2015: Spring In The Sky
2014: Power To The Tree
2013: For Mommy
2012: There’s Always Room For La Dolce Vita
2011: Drop It Like It’s Hot
2010: The Art Of Being Tardy
2009: Vantage Point
2008: Cape Cahd Hadba
2007: Waxing Brilliant
2006: Seven! Seven! Seven! Seven! Seveeeeennnn!
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Right Of Way

Ed snapped this picture of his riding buddy deciding who will go first, him or the free-range cow.

As I mentioned in a post I wrote a little over a week ago, Ed had a desire to ride the Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route on his motorcycle. Well, last weekend he got to live part of that dream.

This is the description the AZBDR website gives regarding the route: 

"The Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route (AZBDR) is a 750-mile scenic ride across the state of Arizona, beginning at the Mexico border and finishing at the Utah border. This South to North route consists of mostly remote dirt roads and winds through the remote high desert country, jagged canyons, wild lands, pristine mountain ranges, and a surprising number of water crossings.  It passes through iconic locations including the Mogollon Rim, Sunset Crater National Monument, Grand Canyon and the Navajo Nation.  The route includes dirt, gravel, and pavement surfaces and may include rocks, ruts, sand, mud, and snow depending on the time of year and conditions. The route can be completed in 4-6 days depending on pace, and is also accessible by four-wheel drive vehicles, as the entire route is at least double-track."

He and a friend started at the southern end of the route, on the border Mexico and Arizona.  He made it to Flagstaff before we had to come home to go back to work.  While the guys rode the BDR, taking trails in the wilderness, I took the nearest roads and met up with them at several spots along the way.

He and a friend started at the southern end of the route, at the Coronado National Memorial, then rode along the Arizona-Mexico border for a bit, before heading north.  While the guys rode the BDR, taking off-road trails in the wildness, I drove the pickup truck on the nearest real roads and met up with them along the way.  We landed in Globe the first night, and four days later we were all in Flagstaff.  Unfortunately, we got called for a load and had to head back to Tucson for work but Ed plans to finish the portion from Flagstaff to the Utah border soon.

There was a lot of scenery to see, especially further north as the elevation and landscape changed, and I'll post a few pictures that each of us took along the way.




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2017: Not A Time For Restful Sleep
2016: Yellow Pop
2015: Union Wharf
2014: Mysterious Exercise
2013: Doris Day Spends The Weekend In Texas
2012: Evening Ball
2011: Taxes And Ta-Tas
2010: Ah, The Subtle Contrasts Of New Jersey
2009: A Fishy Pishy Is Never Dishy
2008: Before The Luck Ran Out
2006: Five Guys I’m In Love With This Week
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!