Yesterday, I came across something online that has changed my thoughts about what I want in a house. I've discovered Post and Beam (also known as timber frame) homes and Barn Homes.
I love the reclaimed wood look, the open floorplans and the unique features.
These next two photos are of Ina Garten's barn in the Hamptons, Long Island, New York. She films her Food Network show here. I'm sure this place is worth millions, but her style can certainly be duplicated on a smaller budget.
I love the long, open space of this one...
The exposed beams and the sliding barn doors in this photo...
Large windows...
I love this all-white, high ceilings, old farmhouse look...
And the stone walls and floor and large French doors and windows on this one...
I love the modern lighting and kitchen equipment here...
And on this one, I love the open space and the color of the planks on the back wall...
This is less barn and more post and beam. I like the open space.
The loft here, looking below to the open living area...
More modern looks in these next four photos...
And check out this magnificent hallway...
There are apparently tons of websites highlighting the beauty of post and beam homes, barn homes and reclaimed barnwood buildings.
Heritage Restorations is one of them - check out their barn showcase gallery of photos. And when you're done there, check out post and beam homes by Yankee Barn Homes, and if you still aren't satisfied, check out Timberpeg.
Then Google until your eyes fall out of your head. When you're done doing that, you'll know exactly how I feel right about now.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: FANtastic
The bridge that crosses the Hackensack River on the way to Kearny, New Jersey.
My fellow trucker and blogging friend, Gi-Gi Roxx, recently did a few Q & A posts on her blog. I submitted my questions, as did others, and she answered all of them in a series of blog posts. I'm always excited by her Q & A's because she's so honest and usually, very funny. She doesn't hold back and will answer almost anything you ask.
Now it's my turn. She's inspired me to do a Q & A of my own. So send me your questions! Ask anything you want - it doesn't just have to be about trucking. Be creative! Also, if you have any questions for Ed, send them too and I'll slip 'em into conversation - he won't even know he's being interrogated.
You can either leave the question in the comments section of this post, or send them to me at salenalettera@gmail.com. I'll answer them in a future post.
Let's get started!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: Rolls-Royces, Sun Kings and Teardrops2010: Less Is More2009: A Look At An Oil Baron’s Lookout2008: Spring In The Maritimes2007: Envisioning A Huge BLT Sandwich2006: Eddie’s New Passion Friday2005: Sorry, no post for this day.
We recently did what Ed called "a typical flatbed load" - where you show up at the shipper, get in line behind thirty or so trucks, and like cattle, wait to be shuttled in groups, to the area where you'll be loaded. When, they can't tell you, but at some point they promise you'll have freight on your trailer. This is not our typical situation, but he's familiar with the drill because he's done them before.
When we first arrived at the shipper, the trucks ahead of us where all clumped together, no line, no order. I counted fifteen just in my immediate line of vision. When Ed came back to the truck after checking in at the shipping office, he reported that he saw an even longer line of trucks in front of the clump, stretching out like the tail of a tadpole.
As the line moved forward, I took this picture. The trucks snaked around the building and from the look of it, we were in for a long wait. There is nothing I dislike more in trucking than a long wait - especially if there's any inkling that we're not going to get paid for our time. I had a feeling this was going to be one of those loads.
We were there to pick up pipe going to a $380 million dollar project, where they're installing gas pipelines in a Marcellus shale region in the Northeastern United States.
Ed is used to the incompetency of dispatchers, brokers and agents. He just goes with the flow. If we're required to wait, unless it becomes excessive, he's okay with it. It's just part of the industry. If he feels it's time to ask for detention pay, he does. But he gives them the benefit of the doubt first.
I, on the other hand, do not like to give anyone even one minute of my time for free. Mostly because they take advantage of it, they just assume that I will. And I don't like when it's just assumed. Although, in the trucking industry it's not even an assumption, it's an expectation. You are always expected to wait without getting paid.
I used to work for a man over twenty years ago who expressly told me, "If you don't ask, you don't get" - this was in response to my asking for a raise - he wanted to teach me to ask for what I wanted. I've always been very outspoken when it comes to getting what I want, but him saying this made me realize that it's okay, and people do it in business all the time. So asking for what I want has become my modus operandi. And in this case, if you have enough money to fund a project worth hundreds of millions of dollars, you can probably afford to pay me a few hundred dollars for my time. Especially if you want your pipe.
Which is why it's always worth asking. Sometimes, you get nothing, but sometimes, like on a recent load we did where I asked for an additional $1,000.00 because they wanted the freight there overnight, turning what was originally a solo run into a team run, you do get what you ask for.
This is also how you learn who you will and who you won't work with again. People who don't value your time, expertise and safe operation to deliver their freight, aren't worth dicking around with. Those are the people who wind up on our DNH list - Do Not Haul.
Unfortunately, sometimes you don't always have a choice, or you find out after the fact when they go back on their word or claim to "not have any money" in the load. That's usually when they try to make you feel bad that they aren't making any money.
NEWSFLASH: I do not feel bad for you. I'm not buying your sob story, and if you're not making any money on all of these loads you're moving, then you're a shitty businessperson. Our job is to make sure we make as much money as we possibly can doing this thing we enjoy doing.
Ed can do the calculations in his head and know instantly if the load is worth our time. That's a valuable skill that comes from years of experience and it's a tool we use on every load. Asking for what I want, especially when it involves anything extra (tarping, extra stops, expedited service), or when my time has been wasted sitting around because of circumstances I didn't create, is my tool.
If Ed is happy with what he's getting, and I'm happy with what I'm getting, there's a whole lotta happy going on. I call that a win-win.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: Feeling Great About Hands And Breasts (Even If They’re Drooping)2010: It Pays To Blog About Life On The Road2009: Bringing A Little Tropical And Some Pretty In Pink To The Trucking World2008: My Kind Of Festival2007: Happy Memorial Day2006: Closing The Age Gap2005: Sorry, no post for this day.
We've been in Lousiana a couple of times in the last few weeks - New Iberia, Jefferson Parish, Baton Rouge - and despite the heat, which even at this time of year is unbearable to me, and the horrible roads, which are noticeable the minute you cross into the state, I was able to put that aside long enough to learn something new about the place.
When we were in New Iberia, we came across a place called The Blue Dog Cafe. I read about it online, and decided the menu was right up my alley, but when we got there they were between lunch and dinner and only serving appetizers in the bar area.
It would be a few hours till the dinner hour, parking the truck was a challenge, and since it was a weekend night, we knew we wouldn't get away with taking up so many spots once the dinner crowd started pouring in. We didn't want just the appetizers they were offering, so we left - guess we'll just have to save that dining experience for another time.
But stopping at the cafe wasn't a total loss, because I wound up finding out about the artist responsible for the famous "Blue Dog" paintings, George Rodrigue, who was born in New Iberia. I'd seen that Blue Dog for years, and I just never gave it much thought. I guess I must have just thought it was some sort of advertising character, an idea that may have come from the campaign the artist did for Absolut Vodka. I must have seen the ad and that's why it stuck in my head. And then I just shrugged it off. Now I know different.
My favorite discovery came from his website, in the form of an article written by his wife, where she talks about the artist's mother and how she once asked George, "When will you realize that nobody's gonna buy those pictures?" The best part is her reaction when she found out how much people were actually paying for those pictures. Read the article to find out - she's quite a character.
So see what you can find out when you dig a little deeper than just the menu in a restaurant? Such great little pockets of interesting stuff all over the country. Just another reason I love my trucking!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: Crossing The Park To 5th Avenue2010: All Work, All Play2009: Was My Mother Hot, Or What???2008: The Fiddleheads Of Maine2007: Fifteen Dollar. We Make Nail Nice. No Probrem.2006: Road Testing The Girl2005: Ed Time
I think Hugh from Gaping Void has encapsulated my life in a cartoon.
Even though we have our moments like any couple, and more specifically, a couple who lives in such a small space 24/7/365 with their significant other, you'd almost never know it if you were to be in the company of Ed.
He's always freakin' happy. Smiling happy. Twinkly eyes happy. And not the kind of happy you want to smack, but the kind of happy you want to smile back at. He diffuses so many situations by chuckling, or laughing in a way that makes his eyes get all crinkly and small. This picture perfectly illustrates what I mean.
So yesterday, happy Ed and I spent the day returning some equipment he bought for the truck (straps which had hooks that didn't fit through our rub rails), having our truck and trailer inspected (we passed with flying colors), and getting our clutch adjusted (now we buck like a bronco when the clutch is released).
I wanted to get a mani/pedi and a haircut, but the parking lot we pulled into to do that, kicked us out. By that time, in the blistering heat, I wasn't too inspired to go anywhere else. So we went back to the truck, hung out for a while, made dinner, watched some TV and surfed the net. Tomorrow we go back to work.
Which of course, makes Ed happy.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: The Last Great Italian2010: That’s So Cherry2009: Crouching Eddie Hidden Lamb Friday2008: Help Me Understand2007: Take Two Lattes And Call Me In The Morning2006: It’s Never Too Late For A Good Sale2005: The Original Goldfish
I have a thing for lemons. I love them in my Diet Coke and I dig 'em in my food. I've twice before made meals with lemon - this pasta dish and this chicken dish.
Last week, I bought a bag of lemons because the grocery store I was in didn't sell them individually (WTF?). So now I had a half-dozen lemons to use and wasn't planning on lemonade.
So I turned them into Chicken Piccata. Drag a little chicken in flour, brown them in a little butter and olive oil, add some white wine, lemon and broth, toss in some parsley and a few capers and voilà , you have a meal.
We can't live without pasta, so I served it over thin spaghetti and Ed was on the verge of asking for my hand in marriage.
Instead, he had seconds.
If you want to make this delicious meal for yourself, click HERE for the recipe.
Maybe you'll have better luck with the whole marriage proposal thing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: Alien Ribs Of The North2010: White’s Bastard Cousin2009: Jake2008: I Might Have To Be Put In Restraints For Our Next Conversation2007: People Who Are Happy To Help You Drown In Debt2006: I, I, I2005: Sorry, no post for this day.
Because they're in the bread!
We always buy too many bananas. Ed loves them, I enjoy them once in a while, but we never seem to get it through our heads that bananas can only last so long on the kitchen counter in our truck. Usually we throw them away.
But today, they became banana bread.
The recipe I used is from the February 2000 issue of Bon Appétit magazine, and I think it's the best banana bread I've ever tasted in my life. Moist, banana-ry, lots of nuts, chocolate.
Although, I will say one thing - words I never thought would come out of my mouth - I think it might have been a wee bit too chocolatey. Next time, I'll reduce the amount of chocolate chips, but other than that, wouldn't change a thing. I served a slice of it for dessert with a dollop of fresh whipped cream - we love it, and it's now going into my recipe vault as the only banana bread I'll be making.
Here's the recipe if you're interested:
Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter and flour 9x5x2 ½ inch metal loaf pan. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate chips and walnuts in small bowl; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture and toss to coat.
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat in flour mixture. Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon 1/3 batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture. Cover with remaining batter. Run knife through batter in a zigzag pattern.
Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool.
Enjoy!
I took this picture last week in Chelsea Market in New York City. It's a perfect illustration for what's going on this weekend...nothing but time.
We didn't find a load out today, so we'll be hanging out in the truck for the weekend. Maybe I can get Ed to take me for a mani/pedi.
Hope you all have a nice, relaxing weekend as well!
Monday was the best day of the week so far - we were lucky enough to have another serendipitous run-in with our friends, The New York City Truckers! It just so happened that when we were in New Jersey, and they were in New York, just seven miles away from us (thanks, Google Latitude!).
We all had lunch at a local diner, then the boys went into the city while Marlaina and I caught up. And, she brought the gifts she got me in Bangkok! I was very excited, as I'd been hearing about them for months, and was finally going to see the little treasures in person.
First up is this great little coin purse. Well, if I were eighty, I guess I'd be using it for a coin purse (although, I can use it for laundry quarters - I never have anything cute enough to make that monumental task more pleasant), but I suppose it can be used for anything. It's made out of used rice bags. If anyone knows what it says, please feel free to email me!
The next bag is also made out of rice bags and I love the beautiful colors. It's a good side - about 10" wide by 8" tall - and the picture is of Shwedagon Pagoda, a temple in Burma.
I love the contrast of the red and gold on this side. I'm kinda thinking I need a hat that looks like that spire. I'll be the hit of the truckstops with a gold hat, dontcha think?
This next gift is super-special beause it's personalized. According to Marlaina, yellow license plates are used for transporting freight or passengers, and the lettering on the bottom says "Bangkok". I'm also told they took a picture of the little Thai girls who were making it, and if I ever get my hot little hands on it, I'll make sure to post it.
And last but not least, these awesome little dragonfly earrings. They weren't sure if I'd like them (Marlaina's husband picked them out!) but I LOVE them! I like that they're a little dangly when they're in my ears and I love that they're silver. And unique. Do you know anyone with dragonfly earrings??
They're made of "Hill Tribe Silver" and enclosed gold card reads as follows [sic]:
"Hilltribe Karen Silver is handmade silver accessories by skilled Karen craftsman. Karen people live in northern part of Thailand. Most of the Karen silver contains 98-99% silver. High contain of silver make it easy to bend and shape. Their products make from their image, and design from natural. So each piece of it has it's own unique character."
Waiting for trains in Penn Station, New York City.
Christopher Street, which received its name in 1799, is the oldest street in the West Village. In the 1970's the street was at the center of the gay rights movement and to this day, is known as a symbol of gay pride.
The Christopher Street PATH station has been there since 1908. In 2001, 1.314 million passengers used this station. After September 11th, when the World Trade Center stop was destroyed, the traffic at the Christopher Street station more than doubled to 2.701 million passengers a year. I don't know what the figures are today, but even if they were back down near the 2001 numbers, it's still a helluva lot of bodies walking through one door!
Christopher Street is the first train stop in Manhattan coming from New Jersey where Ed and I started, and at the suggestion of another train passenger, it's where we got off. It was a great choice, as it's an area we'd never explored in the past. We racked up a few miles on the feet, which I'm feeling today, but it was fun - could have been about ten degrees cooler for me, but I sucked it up and made it through.
We were able to easily get into the city this visit because, with a very helpful tip, we found a seriously awesome parking spot for the truck with a bus stop less than a 1/4 mile away. It'll definitely be a stopping place for us in the future.
I'm so thrilled we found a new PATH to New York City. A trucker's dream!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: It Was A Dark And Stormy Night2010: More “Holy Crap!” Than “Oh Dear”2009: Eddie So Hot He’s Cookin’ Like Guy Fieri Friday2008: Maybe She Should Hold Off On The Pet Ownership2007: It Must Be A Sign2006: Keeping Time With His Ticker2005: Yo! Yo! Yo!
Today Ed and I spent the day in New York City. I took this shot at the corner of Christopher Street and Leroy Street in the West Village.
Since it was Mother's Day, seeing these words on the side of this building just reinforced what I already think about my own mother - she's the whole world to me. Happy Mother's Day Mommy!
I love these east coast diners, with all the shiny chrome. We found this one in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Last month, after I spent some time at my best friend Vicki's house, I wrote about her herb garden. After I left, I had a great idea to get some garden stakes to identify the plants that she had in the garden. Then, a few days later while we were sitting around waiting on a load, I had another great idea - I left Ed in the truck and went into Michael's craft store.
I decided to buy some wood items, a woodburning tool, and some twine. And I made them!!
Aren't they just the most adorable things you've ever seen? I'm totally in love. I wish I had an herb garden. Or even one herb. I tried to grow a basil plant in the truck once, but that didn't work out too well. Oh well - I might not be able to grow a plant, but boy am I crafty!
I sat at the table, took my little popsicle sticks out, fired up my woodburning tool and got to work. The entire truck smelled like a small, smoldering fire but I was gettin' into it. There was no stopping me now.
I had planned on delivering them in person, but a snafu with an incompetent agent caused a change in our original load plans, so I had to mail them. When they arrived, Vicki sent me pictures of them in the garden. Here's cilantro...
Here's a view of all the sticks in the garden...
Here's one hanging out in the rosemary...boy, she's a big herb plant!
The best part about giving gifts to my best friend is, a) she really, truly loves everything I send her and b) she uses everything I send her. It makes me feel so good to go to her house and see her using the wooden spoons I bought her in the Chianti region of Italy, the lemon infused olive oil I got her in Sorrento, all the stuff I bought her in Portland, and the pinch box I found at Goodwill! You can see the pinch box in the background of this picture.
These she loved not only because are they gosh darn cute, but because I made them! It was only minutes between when she called me to tell me she just opened the package, to her sending me these pictures.
We've already discussed making more because since I left, they've added marjoram, Greek columnar basil, garlic and onions.
Time to get burnin!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: A Road Diverged In The Wood And I Lived To Tell About It
2010: I’m A Researchin’ Fool
2009: The Closest I’ll Ever Come
2008: Who Is He Kidding?
2007: The Captain Of My Vessel
2006: Baking Is Fun!
2005: Sticks And Stones
Tonight I combined two of my favorite things for dinner - Creamed Spinach and Chicken Marsala. I've been dying to make creamed spinach since I had it last month at my friend Vicki's house, but just went shopping this week and got what I needed.
Of course, she made it with fresh spinach from her garden and I used frozen, but it was still deeeeelicious!
I dreged my little chicken medallions in flour and fried them in butter until they were golden brown.
Then I added in my mushrooms, sauteeing them among the butter, olive oil , marsala wine and sherry.
Then I threw the chicken pieces back in and allowed everything to simmer together until the sauce reduced to a thick, buttery, marsala-sherry infused deliciousness.
I served the chicken over rice with the creamed spinach on the side. My initial plan was to make it over pasta, but I decided rice was easier.
This is what the kitchen counter looked like in the truck while I was in the process of cooking. I like to spread out when I cook and that's hard to do in the truck since I have limited space.
I hate clean-up, whether home or in the truck, but at least at home I have a dishwasher. I'd be happy to cook every day, for one to twenty people, as long as I don't have to clean up. Unfortunately, I don't have room for a maid in the truck. Damn!
The meal was delicious though. Ed was happy and I satisfied a yearning. And we had cheesecake for dessert, so I can't complain.
If you want to make it yourself, click HERE for the recipe. Enjoy!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2011: Reading Time
2010: A Mother Of A Flood
2009: Hail To The Driver
2008: Eddie Shows His Good Side Friday
2007: Go Bananas!!
2006: Shmuley Says
2005: Fangboner
These next two photos are of Ina Garten's barn in the Hamptons, Long Island, New York. She films her Food Network show here. I'm sure this place is worth millions, but her style can certainly be duplicated on a smaller budget.
I love the long, open space of this one...
The exposed beams and the sliding barn doors in this photo...
Large windows...
I love this all-white, high ceilings, old farmhouse look...
And the stone walls and floor and large French doors and windows on this one...
I love the modern lighting and kitchen equipment here...
And on this one, I love the open space and the color of the planks on the back wall...
This is less barn and more post and beam. I like the open space.
The loft here, looking below to the open living area...
More modern looks in these next four photos...
And check out this magnificent hallway...
There are apparently tons of websites highlighting the beauty of post and beam homes, barn homes and reclaimed barnwood buildings.
.jpg)
