Not Just A Coach, But A Cheerleader Of Joy!

Essence is defined as, "the intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to characterize or identify something; the most important ingredient; the crucial element; the inherent, unchanging nature of a thing or class of things; an extract that has the fundamental properties of a substance in a concentrated form; a perfume or scent; something that exists, especially in a spiritual or incorporeal entity."

And you know who has it? (Well, besides me, of course.)

My friend Lisa Bruchac. And now she's helping other people find their essence too.

I've known Lisa for over 20 years, and although we've followed different paths in life and spent many years apart doing our own thing, we reconnected a few years ago. And she's exactly the same person I knew in high school. Well, sort of.

Same in the sense that she's loving, funny, compassionate, intelligent, insightful, kind and truly full of joy. And although she's grown as a person, everything she already is and everything she always was, has clearly been enhanced by her journey of self-discovery. If it's possible to have improved what was already there, it seems she's done it. Her light shines with such force, you'll be bathed in its glow, even through the phone lines.

Her new venture as a Life Coach is so perfectly suited for her personality. She's a great listener, she's perceptive, she's open to receive information and respond thoughtfully, and she really cares. You can feel it.

Having someone guide you, to help you find answers you've been searching for, to uncover what your "purpose in life" is, to aid in discovering who you are or how you were meant to live, is an invaluable gift. And Lisa has it. Sometimes it just takes another person to give you what you need to find your joy. As she mentions on her website, that's your only "job" - to feel and share joy.

She's not just some do-gooder-hippie-dippie-I-think-I-wanna-help-people-cause-I-want-a-happy-world-ooh-look-there's-a-rainbow type of person (although she likely does want a happy world!). She's got credentials, yo! She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Masters of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology, and among other certifications, she's also a Certified Mind/Body Health and Wellness Coach.

I think we all know someone who might be lost. Someone who can answer some or all of these questions. So if you do know someone - or if that someone is you - who needs a little coaching in their life, consider taking the plunge to Find Your True Essence with Lisa.

She believes so much in what she's doing, she's offering a FREE 30-minute session to see if you'll click, if she's someone you feel a connection with, if you think you will feel comfortable putting your "life" in her able, coaching hands. If she can find thirty minutes for you, you can certainly find thirty minutes for yourself.

As motivational speaker Anthony Robbins has said, "Why live an ordinary life when you can live an extraordinary one?"

You owe it to yourself to find that answer. It only takes one click.


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2011: Jack & Jill Went Up A Hill To Fetch Some Aircraft Parts
2010: Live Longer. Live Better. And Be Sure To Have A Devil Dog Once In A While.
2009: How Can You Not Be In Love With The Man Who Invented Kisses?
2008: And We Wonder Why We’re The Fattest Nation On Earth
2007: Star Gazing
2006: Only A Southerner
2005: Do You Take Wolfgang Winkelmeyer To Be Your Lawful Wedded Husband?

Kind Of Like A Virtual Celebrity Bodyguard

We're on the road about 300 days a year; because of that, we conduct a lot of business and day-to-day activities via the Internet. Taking care of banking, paying credit cards, buying gifts, paying for and downloading books, trading stocks, buying and selling on Ebay, transferring money between bank accounts, and most importantly, receiving direct deposits to pay us for the loads we haul. In addition to that, we do a whole lot of general surfing, emailing and other online centric stuff.It goes without saying that the security of our internet connections are of utmost importance. For most people in general, but specifically for us drivers out here on the road, you need to have a good resource for Internet Security to protect you from any harm that may come your way via hackers, viruses, spyware, and even pesky spam. You surely don't need your computer to crash or information to be stolen, especially when you're in the vulnerable position of being away from home. Not only is a software crash a good reason to crawl into your sleeper bunk and cry for days (that's what I would be doing if I lost anything important), but it's likely to be a catalyst for buying a good protection system.

We have our own Wi-Fi system in our truck, purchased through our wireless service provider and snaked through a router that Ed set up, so we can access it with all of our devices. Not all drivers have this kind of setup in their trucks, a lot of them use the Wi-Fi services provided by truck stops or other businesses. We don't have a need to use the ones at truck stops, but we will sometimes use Wi-Fi in places like Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, or any number of the hotels we stay at. And although I am not a full-on geek, I know those places are not as safe as you might think they are, especially if you don't take all the precautions you could to protect yourself.

The best protection is not to do anything over these Wi-Fi airwaves that use your most personal information, but as this Red Tape Chronicles article on MSNBC.com indicates, you might start out innocently reading the news online and before you know it, you're moving around your investments through your broker website because you read something in an article just minutes before. Recipe for disaster.

Ed backs up our computers regularly and other than one incident a few months ago (where we didn't back up and I lost two months' worth of stuff), we've never had any issues. We have excellent internet security in place and make sure we always keep it up to date. In order to get the full benefit of all the features your protection system offers, you must download and install any updates they make you aware of. You can't expect to be protected if you don't do your best to employ all of the tools at your disposal.

In my opinion, taking a few minutes to make sure you're virtually protected, even while you sleep, is a lot better than being followed 24/7 by a 6-foot-3, 320-pound bruiser in a three-piece suit.


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2011: Things Are Going Swimmingly

2010: A Real Truck Driver Meets A Real Housewife
2009: Stars Glowing, Wine Flowing, Sax Blowing
2008: Western Ed Friday
2007: Salena Kandinsky
2006: Bam! Traumatized.
2005: Swing Low Sweet Chariot

A Hodgepodge Of Fun

I have to tell you, I'm totally lovin' my iPad. I can surf, read, email, take pictures, and waste oodles of time sliding my fingers across its silky screen, quiet as a church mouse, connected to the world from literally anywhere I happen to be. And the apps, as you'd imagine, are endless.

Here are some of my current favorites:
Flipboard: I was turned on to this by my friend Marlaina's husband, and I'm totally diggin' it. It's an aggregator of sorts, bringing together news from different sources. You can choose which subjects you'd like to read about, and then you just do as the name states...flip.
Flixster: What I've been looking for all these years - a place to watch movie trailers. I've always loved the previews in the movie theater and have joked that I'd pay to see the movie time equivalent of just movie trailers. My wish has been granted. I can now see most movie trailers in the comfort of my own home. For free.
Epicurious: Need a dinner meal idea? Have ingredients on hand but no idea what to prepare? Want a certain type of food but need a recipe? Oh, Epicurious has it. Thousands of recipes from sources such as Bon Appétit and Gourmet magazine; high caliber chefs like Jamie Oliver and Jacques Pépin ; and books like Adam Perry's Charred and Scruffed. There's an option for filtering recipes in different categories and even for only showing you ones with photos, which is an absolute must for me.
PicCollage: A fun way to make a collage of pictures you've taken or ones you've saved on your iPad. You can add text and graphics too, and if you need more choices, there's a pay option for that version of the app. I say see what you can do with the free choices - you'll be surprised the cute stuff you can come up with! See my creation above.
Newsstand: I can read magazines, in full color, right on my iPad. Some of them I already get at home, but if they offer a free online version for print subscribers, I'm all over it. And Ed's dad even let me access his Smithsonian Magazine print subscription information, so I'm able to read that on my iPad also. Now that's one great magazine.
Peterson Birds of North America: I'm a bird watcher. I know, I know. HUGE dork, right? But seriously, when you see so many birds - in different states, regions or even towns - you start to wonder. What are they? Where are they going? Do they live here all the time or are they just "wintering" in this area? It's kind of cool, and the app has a way that you can keep track of when and where you saw certain birds. I likey.
Leafsnap: This is sort of like the bird app, except with this one you just photograph a leaf, and Leafsnap can help you identify it. How cool is that? We see so many plants and trees in our travels and often I don't know what they are. This'll come in handy just in case I find myself trekking through poison ivy. Stop laughing.
The Collection: Brought to you by the New York Times, this app allows me to view and read about all the fashion, jewelry and cosmetics that I'll never be able to afford (all at once, anyway!). It's a beautiful app and I love it.

Canva:  Another great app for creating.  Lots of templates, lots of fun options. You might also want to follow them on Instagram. 

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2011:Sleeping Pill In A Swirl
2010: Putting Death On Hold
2009: Eddie Brings A Guest Friday
2008: The Things We Do For Love
2007: A Million Comedians Out Of Work And I’m Lucky Enough To Live With One
2006: Ah, The Primitive Beauty Of The Desert
2005: The Perfect Storm

A Very Gradual Climb

We left California last week and eventually made our way through Las Vegas, Arizona and Utah. Here are a few pictures from the trip from the desert floor to the high desert, climbing a little over 750 feet in elevation.

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2011: Out With The Old, In With The New
2010: Urban Rest Area
2009: Within Striking Distance
2008: An Island Of COWS, Lobsters, And Girls In Imaginary Prairie Dresses
2007: Freakin’ Ewww!
2006: And People Say All The Good Ones Are Taken
2005: Ahhhhh, Bahston

A Little Red Water Never Killed Anyone

Photo taken in Virgin River Gorge on the Arizona-Utah state line.


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2011: Instantly Sexy
2010: Natural Light In Waterloo
2009: So, What Brings You To My Neck Of The Blogosphere?
2008: Eternity Is Going To Be SO. MUCH. FUN.
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: That Eddie Guy
2005: Pee Bum Head

Wrappers Delight

On our way out of California, we stopped at Chipotle for lunch, which is where I saw this decal on the glass divider in front of the area where the staff makes your food. So clever.

We're on our way across the country with an oversized load, but will only be able to cover a few states over the weekend because we're waiting on the rest of our permits. We didn't get them all on Friday and we can't move without them.

Ed feels a little blackjack coming on, so we'll probably stop in Las Vegas to quell that urge, and I think I'll try my hand at losing more money at the slots. I only seem to win big in Reno, which I've always said has very loose slots, and when I looked up to see if it was actually a fact or just my imagination, I found this.

Guess I'm not crazy after all. Whew!


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2011: Breaking The Spell
2010: It Never Ends
2009: 275 Square Miles Of Brilliance
2008: Four Standards, One Newbie
2007: Semantics
2006: 36 Hours Of Hell On Earth
2005: 11:11:11

It Can Only Mean One Thing

The sun setting in California. To me, it means only one thing - it'll be only a few hours before we get the hell out of this truck-hating state - as soon as the sun rises we'll be on our way.

It won't be soon enough.


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2011: It’s Like Cheers, Where Everybody Knows Your Name. OK, So It’s More Like Where Just One Guy Knows Your Face.
2010: Social NOTworking
2009: Scattergories
2008: Time Isn’t The Only Thing That Flies When You’re Having Fun
2007: Anything I Want
2006: Burglar And Idiot Proof
2005: Virginia Is For Lovers

After Dinner Pusch

The view of Pusch Ridge in Oro Valley, Arizona taken through the car windshield while on our way home from dinner out.


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2011: Moments Before Sleepy Time
2010: Bakin’ It The Fake Way
2009: The Elegant Gathering Of A Life
2008: My, What A Nice Berg You Have
2007: The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Grapes Being Crushed Into Wine
2006: There Are No Words To Explain The Misery Of A Three Digit Temperature
2005: New York State Of Mind

You Know You're Getting Old When You Start Carrying Your Own Sugar

I was at Dunkin' Donuts the other day ordering an iced latte. As I was searching through my wallet - the beautiful little leather pouch I purchased in Florence, Italy - for my money and my Dunkin' Frequent Visits Rewards card, a handful of Splenda packets spilled out onto the counter.

"Oh, my grandma carries Splenda in her wallet!", said the fledgling behind the counter.

I smiled a stiff, I-hate-you-and-want-to-strangle-you-with-my-purse-strap smile, handed her my money, thanked her, and left.

Holy shit, if that didn't make me feel old. What's next, tissues up my sleeves??


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2011: America Runs On Dunkin’
2010: Los Links!!
2009: Here Kitty Kitty Kitty
2008: Intense Eddie Friday
2007: It’s An iPod, Not A wePod
2006: Doing The Wade
2005: It’s A Numbers Game

The Art Of The Merge (And Other Simple Courtesies Of The Road)

I’ve always been a pretty good driver, even in the early years. OK, so I might have had a teensy bit of a lead foot when I was in my early twenties, but I was still good. As a truck driver though, my senses are always on high alert and I find myself following every little rule to the letter. I never speed, I obey all signs, and have learned to just shake my head at the nonsense I see on the road - before I blog about it, of course!

(Photo by my best friend, Vicki Unti)

One of my biggest pet peeves while driving is people who don’t know how to merge. When you’re in a truck, traveling at 60 miles an hour, seeing someone approach you on the right side, at a snail’s pace is not just frustrating, it’s a bit unnerving. So as a favor to all the other drivers who share the road with me (big rigs, four wheelers and crazy motorcyclists), I bring you my Ten Tips For Courteous Driving…

1. This Is Not A Juggling Contest
When you’re driving, you should be concentrating on driving. Of course, we all know the dangers of texting and talking on the phone while driving; the former you shouldn’t EVER do, the latter only with a hands-free device. Lighting cigarettes, eating food, disciplining your children, putting on makeup, are other examples of what may take your attention from the task at hand. Which is? That’s right, driving. Very good.

2. It’s Not A Suggestion
The speed limit signs aren’t there to teach you math. They are there for you to obey. And just because it says 75, doesn’t really mean you have to do 75. As a rule, unless posted otherwise, I drive 58-60 mph. In a big rig, there’s really no reason to go any faster. Also, it’s kinda scary, 80,000 pounds whizzing down the highway. So obey the signs, please. It’s smarter. It’s safer. And it’s the law.

3. I Think The Two Second Rule Only Applies To Dropped Food
If you drop a tasty morsel on the floor, most people will feel comfortable eating it if it was only MIA for two seconds. But when driving a commercial motor vehicle the rule is, “When driving below 40 mph, you should leave at least one second for every 10 feet of vehicle length.” For me, at 75 feet long, that means at least 8 seconds between my rig and the car in front of me. If I’m doing over 40 mph, I add another second. In adverse weather conditions, I double that following distance. All drivers should take this into consideration. I regularly see cars tailgating, and I regularly see cars rear-end other cars. As for my vehicle, if I can’t see you in my mirrors, or you can't see me in my mirrors, you’re too close to the rear end of my trailer. As Yosemite Sam says, "Back Off!".

4. Learn To Move Like A Ballerina
Ballerinas are not only known for their pointe shoes, but also for their grace. It would be nice if drivers on our highways and byways would work a little of this grace into their driving. For instance…when entering the highway, otherwise known as “the merge”, please try to do it without hindering the speed of others. YOU are entering OUR turf, if you will; those of us already on the highway. We were there first, you’re the newcomer. So when you’re merging, decide before you meander down the often too short on-ramp, what your plan of action is going to be. Then proceed quickly. And like a ballerina – do it with grace.

5. You May Only Pass Go And Collect $200 If You Do It On The Left
The left lane is for passing. The middle and right lane are for driving. If you’re in the middle or right lane, it’s likely that you’re driving. If you’re in the left lane, you’re probably passing. When on a highway, the left lane is used for passing. In hallways, grocery stores and sidewalks, the right side is for general travel, the left lane is for passing. Oh, by the way…have I mentioned that the LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING? Uh, yeah.

6. Make Your Intentions Known
I’m not a mind reader. I don’t have a crystal ball. And I can’t contact spirits from beyond. It’s also pretty safe to say that I’m not going to be able to guess which way you’re headed unless you give me some sort of signal. Blinkers, hand signals, turn indicators…those will all work. When you’re changing lanes, getting off an exit, or making a turn into the In-N-Out Burger parking lot, please signal. And if you don’t mind, can you please do it several hundred feet in advance?

7. Its Meaning Transcends Continents
Red means stop. In Kansas, Canada and Casablanca. The whole silly little “Red Means Stop” thing is pretty universal. Pay attention to four-way stops, blinking lights and the taillights of other vehicles. And remember, a “California Roll” is sushi.

8. They’re People, People!
When you see a real, live PERSON standing at a crosswalk, they have the right-of-way. If they even look like they’re getting ready to step into traffic, you MUST stop. Please pay attention and approach crosswalks and intersections, especially in cities and residential areas, with the utmost caution. Children often dart out, the elderly don’t always hear very well and teenagers…well, they’re teenagers – it’s likely they don’t even know you exist. Give ‘em all the right-of-way.

9. Don’t Block The Box
Speaking of intersections, it brings to mind a sign you’ll see all over New York City – Don’t Block The Box. Meaning, do not block the intersections. If you’re in a big truck, make sure you can get all the way through the intersection before stopping. And if you’re in a car, make sure you stay behind the white line painted in front of you at many intersections - it's there for a reason. Have you ever had a truck trying to make a turn come really close to the hood of your car? Well, if you were behind the white line, you wouldn't have been in our way and we wouldn't have to maneuver around you, or worse (for you), make you back up. In addition, don’t keep creeping forward, only to wind up getting stuck in the middle of the intersection. Blocking an intersection is dangerous, often illegal, and always impedes the flow of traffic.

10. Toodle-on’t
When you have the urge to send someone a little “toodle-oo” with your horn, you should consider to toodle-on’t instead. A quick honk of the horn to alert someone who may have drifted into your lane is acceptable, but leaning on the horn is not. Your horn also shouldn’t be used to express your frustration; too many incidents of road rage have escalated from a mere horn honk. Honking may startle new or elderly drivers, it may distract someone’s attention and create a dangerous situation, and regardless of what you think, horn honking has NEVER cleared a traffic jam.

So next time you’re out and about, extend a few simple courtesies while on the road. You might even want to throw in a smile and a little wave. You’ll be surprised at how far it’ll get you!

Live Adventurously and stay safe!


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2011: Montana Fluff
2010: Stop The Presses!
2009: Fiesta Ed Friday
2008: Crotchety Old Woman
2007: One Side Of A Coin
2006: Why Oh Why
2005: Sign Of The Times

It's Even Better Than Having A "Plan B"

Last weekend when our friends got here, one of the first things they needed to do was find out where the sound of hissing air was coming from. They noticed it a few hours before they got to our house and were worried that it was one of their airbags. Or worse. If it was something serious, they might have had to put the truck in the shop and miss the load they were scheduled to pick up. And since they had plans that were built upon where that load was taking them, having a truck in the shop just wasn't going to cut it.

Once they got settled in at the house, Ed and MacGyver popped the hood of the truck and put their heads together to find the culprit. Turns out, it was the steering axle airbag on the passenger side; an easy fix, since MacGyver already had the part.

Marlaina was telling me that when they first bought their truck, a Volvo, they were advised by another driver to always carry a spare airbag because that particular part was hard to find, and rather than having to wait for a part to arrive (likely in the middle of nowhere) before the truck could be fixed, all they'd need to do is whip out their extra airbag and take it to a nearby shop for repair. And that's exactly what happened here - Ed took MacGyver to the shop we use and they had everything done within a few hours.

Redundancy typically has a negative connotation - no one wants to be described as being wordy in an unnecessary way, or as the British use the term, "no longer needed". It's bad enough that you'd be losing your job, but how much would it suck to be told you're being made redundant?!? For this post though, that particular issue of redundancy is not what I'm referring to, I'll be looking at it from more of a mechanical standpoint. And although it's not redundancy in the classic engineering sense, it's close enough for me to use as an example.

In engineering, redundancy is the "duplication of critical components or functions of a system with the intention of increasing reliability of the system, usually in the case of a backup or fail-safe". MacGyver is a big fan of covering all bases - he's the one who'll tell you how to make sure you have two sets of everything on hand, backups of your backups, and spare parts out the wazoo.

Backing up your computer files is a familiar form of redundancy. All of your information, backed up in the event of the worst case scenario - complete and total computer meltdown. In MacGyver's case, he has several external drives, backing up each other, giving him peace of mind that he won't be without what he needs for very long. As long as he can access his A, B, C, or D drives , he's still in business!

In trucking, redundancy is paramount - it's used on a regular basis to keep your operation up and running - and most importantly, safe.

A great way to illustrate what's called passive redundancy, as it applies to trucking, is in the use of securement devices. When hauling a piece of freight on our flatbed, having backups in the way it's secured ensures that should one of the securement components fail, there are others that will take up the slack. A perfect example of this is the use of both straps and chains. Should a strap break, the chain will still hold the item in place. If a binder pops loose from the chain, the strap will make sure nothing shifts. It's what they call the margin of safety.
Another example, which we employ on a regular basis, is the use of a generator for power. In our truck, if the batteries get low when we're running the components inside the sleeper, the generator, when set to auto, will kick in and run everything while at the same time recharging the batteries. Once the batteries are charged, the generator will shut off and go back to using the power they provided to the batteries.

One final example - fuel and oil filters. We have three fuel filters and three oil filters in our engine. They work together to filter particles through the system, but should one of them fail or get clogged, the others will take care of filtering particles until the damaged one can be replaced.
Personally, I'd much prefer knowing that there's a backup parachute somewhere to catch me if I need it. No sane skydiver would jump out of a plane without theirs.


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2011: Who Says Truckers Don’t Have Nice Legs?
2010: Boy, Have Times Changed!
2009: I’ll Have A Short Stack With A Million Scrambled Eggs On The Side Please
2008: It Came At A Perfect Time
2007: Experimenting With Scrotum
2006: Can Anyone Spare A Roll Of Pennies?
2005: Matching Purse And Flip Flops??

Delicious Eats And Healthy Treats

For the last month, Ed and I have been trying to do a little bit better in the eating department. Don't get me wrong, I'm not skimping on delicious food, I'm just cooking in a healthier manner. Less butter, more olive oil. Less pasta, more veggies. Trying to eat more often throughout the day, which has always been hard for me - I hate the "six small meals a day" theory - and making sure I eat enough so I'm not a starving, cranky beotch.

(One of my meals this week: Honey-Lemon Chicken with Shallots,
Steamed Green Beans, and Couscous with Apples and Almonds. Deeeelicious!)

I've been reading a lot of magazines and getting some good recipe ideas, and I've found some new websites too. Here are a few I came across, along with some my cousin recently sent me. Check them out:

Dairy Free Chick: Primarily for those who are lactose-intolerant, which happens to be my cousin's situation, but there are so many good ideas on here that I feel like I wouldn't know the lactose was even missing!

Chocolate Covered Katie: I want to cover my name in chocolate - Chocolate Covered Salena - how can you not love that? And she's got a recipe for Berry Stuffed Breakfast Cupcakes. Cupcakes for breakfast? I'm SO in!

My New Roots: Let's just say I'm putting Meatless Mondays into the rotation. And Banana Bread pancakes? You'll die just looking at the photo.

Fresh 365: Recipes for every day? Broken down into categories and season? I can't wait for Fall.

Skinny Taste: The pictures and the recipes....amazing. And from now on, I'm eating my watermelon on a stick.

Steamy Kitchen: Fast, fresh, and simple. And the Scallops with Mustard Miso Sauce that keep rotating on the main screen are killing me. I think I might have to get a wok.

If you have any great sites that you frequent, that have fresh and healthy food ideas or recipes, let me know! And remember....most of my cooking is done in a truck, so if it involves a Kitchen Aid mixer, an eight-burner stove or a BBQ grill, I'll have to pass.


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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

The Honey-Do List

When we come home, we usually have tons of little errands to run and things to take care of. Ed always seems to be the one with the biggest list of things to do. One of the first tasks he tackled, before our company came, was to install a new toilet seat. The hinges on the old one broke. How does that even happen?
Then, this weekend, he put a new air conditioner in. The old one just wasn't spittin' out cold enough air. When we found the manual and receipt for it, we saw that it was purchase in 1999 when my brother installed it! Yep, it was time. He also had to add a hardware store trip to his errands list, to have a new piece of glass cut for the window since the old glass didn't survive the removal of the old unit.

As you can see, he's been kinda busy...in addition to these two jobs, he had a valve adjustment on the truck, got rid of our old radiator at the scrap yard, made room for the spare tire in the shed, photographed items he wants to sell on Ebay, created listings to sell those items on Ebay, boxed said items to ready them for the UPS guy, installed a sensor light outside, and fixed my mother's computer. Next up is his tanker endorsement test, doing something with the grease lines on the truck and trailer (I have no idea what), and figuring out the damn bike rack situation for the truck.

We'll all have a little break today (well, not me since I'm cooking) because we're having my brother and his family over tonight for my nephew's birthday dinner - my nephew requested what he calls my "lemon chicken" - I don't know who's more excited about that meal, him or me!

So don't worry about Ed - he's getting plenty of relaxing in and I've been feeding him well - he should have plenty of energy to finish the rest of the items on his honey-do list before we hit the road again next week.

In the meantime, I'm just going to enjoy the down time.

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2011: Following The Trail Of The Father Of Our Country To The Place Where A Cuckoo Flew Over A Nest
2010: Amid The Corn
2009: I’m Going To Be A Millionaire!!!
2008: How I Do Love A Colorful Lunch Plate
2007: Lucky Sevens
2006: My Head Has Been In The Clouds For Weeks
2005: Chunky Cheese

Cool As A Cucumber

We celebrated 4th of July at my brother's house this year. They provided the hot dogs and hamburgers, everyone else was asked to bring a side dish or desert. There were a lot of people, tons of kids (I counted 18 in the pool at one point - needless to say, I did not swim), and enough food to feed a small village.

Someone brought cheesecake and hand-dipped chocolate covered strawberries that were to die for (I think I ate at least five of those), and my nephew baked some awesome chocolate chip cookies.  And although there were some really good side dishes, one of my favorites is my mother's onion cucumber salad.
It's cold and refreshing, sweet and tart, crispy and deeelicious. Complements any kind of BBQ item, and it's the perfect dish to bring if you're requested to contribute. It's quick and easy to make.

Here's how to do it...

Onion Cucumber Salad

THE INGREDIENTS
3 large cucumbers
1 large onion
½ cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar (or 12 packets Splenda)
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

THE PROCESS
1. Peel skin from cucumbers, leaving a small strip of skin along the length of each cucumber (see photo). This helps to give the cucumber a little more body in the salad. You can peel them completely if you want, but know that it’ll be a little mushier. If you want to leave the skins on, it’ll be a little tougher. Do it whichever way you prefer.

2. Slice cucumbers on a mandolin or, if using a knife, in very thin slices. For the onion, cut it in half and also slice on the mandolin or in thin slices. Put cucumber slices and onions in a glass bowl. (I prefer glass or plastic, I don’t use stainless steel or any kind of metal for this recipe.)

3. In a separate bowl, combine the white vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt and pepper. Stir or whisk.

4. Pour mixture over the cucumbers and onions, toss all ingredients together and put in fridge. It should marinate at least 8 hours or overnight.

5. Enjoy!

If you want to make it yourself, click HERE for the recipe.


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2011: I Think We Have A Winner
2010: Progressively Yours,
2009: Spill It
2008: I’ve NEVER Colored Inside The Lines. Why The Surprise?
2007: I Didn’t Make It, But I Ate It
2006: Sorry, no post for this day.
2005: Slim Or None? I’ll Take None.

Plane, Train, Or Automobile - Just Get Me To Canada!

Having our Canadian friends here this past weekend has really made me pine for Great White North. We haven't been there in over three years. It's not by choice; we're not allowed to go up there anymore.

Well, that makes it sound a little sinister, like we've been banned from the country. It's actually nothing like that. The reason we haven't been to Canada is because our new truck is no longer "legal" up there - our wheelbase is too long. You'd think that would be a problem if there were tiny little streets and no parking, but we have 277 million-plus more people than they do in about the same land area. We're the country that's crowded. They're the ones with lots of space and no people. So why can't we drive up there??

We've already been to 11 of the 13 Canadian Provinces and Territories in our old truck, but I still have a whole list of places I want to go. Like Tofino in British Columbia (I want to go to the Wickaninnish Inn), Mont Tremblant and Quebec City in Quebec, my friend Kelly's new house in Ontario, Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia...oh, the list goes on.

But since we can no longer drive over the border (in the truck, that is), I'm just going to have to look for cheap flights to Toronto, or Montreal, or Vancouver, or Banff. Who needs a truck, right? I'll just pack a bag and hop a quick flight to see our friendly northern neighbors.

Of course I want to go when the weather is icy cold, when the snow is fluttering through the air, and when I have to don a parka with a fur collar to keep warm. I know, I know, most people dream of vacations to a tropical paradise; my dream vacation is to be surrounded by drifts of snow that dwarf my 6' boyfriend.

I miss going to Canada, I really do. It's so beautiful and open and diverse, similar to the layout of our country, but with way more snow. My favorite trip was across the country in the winter. The snow and scenery were magnificent and because it was so cold, many of the scalemasters didn't seem to want to come out of their shacks. Bonus for us!

We have crossed the border in many places, from Blaine, WA to Sweetwater, MT to Champlain, NY to Calais, ME, but the busiest border crossing in the nation, to get into Canada from the United States, is the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit, MI into Windsor, Ontario. We've sat on that bridge in traffic many times. Personally, I don't mind since I know what's on the other side. Hell, if I can sit for four hours in traffic to cross the George Washington Bridge in New York, I can certainly hack an hour waiting to get into Canada.

They're building a new bridge now, to alleviate some of the traffic on the Ambassador. Hopefully by the time it's done, they'll have also given some thought to the wheelbase restrictions and let us drive up there in the truck. It was such a great adventure traveling in our old truck, but to be able to travel across the country again in the future - we've done the the entire east to west route, all the way up through British Columbia and the Yukon, on the Al-Can Highway to Alaska - in the new truck with all the amenities of home, would be the most rockin' road trip ever. It wouldn't even feel like work.

So let me give you the top ten places in Canada I'm itching to go:

1. Québec City - specifically for the Carnaval de Québec and Le Château Frontenac hotel.

2. Mont Tremblant in Quebec.

3. Vancouver, British Columbia - the home of my friends, and a city we've yet to explore.

4. Tofino, British Columbia to go to the Wickanninish Inn.

5. The Banff Springs Hotel and Lake Louise in Banff, Alberta.

6. The Manoir Richelieu Hotel in La Malbaie, Charlevoix, Quebec.

7. Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

8. The Château Laurier Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario. I was here over twenty years ago, but would love to go back.

9. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. A cute little town that I've been to before, and would love to go back and visit with Ed.

10. Montreal, to really explore. We've been here before (there's a restaurant we went to that Ed still raves about) but haven't had a lot of time to explore.

That's the top ten list right now, but I reserve the right to change it up a bit. Our friends have already invited us to the see the Montreal Grand Prix, a Formula One race that takes place at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, for next summer. We almost went with them this year but they sold their extra tickets at the last minute. The event is so popular, you have to book hotels, rental cars and tickets now. But that trip will have to wait until I get a winter trip in because I'm seriously having snow withdrawals.

After spending a week in temperatures over one hundred degrees, I need me a little Canada lovin'.

 See you soon, my Northern Beauty!

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2011: Hello, Kitty. Who’s Your Friend?
2010: If It’s Good Enough For Homeland Security, It’s Good Enough For Me
2009: The Top At Dock
2008: Night Interrupted
2007: Just A Train And A Tree
2006: This Is One Lawn Boy I Have No Desire To See Naked
2005: Not So Cuddly

Blind With Patriotism

Flag photo taken at the home of our friends in West Virginia.


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2011: Independence In The Town Of The Big House
2010: It’s So Much Prettier
2009: Soap Box Derby – Spavinaw Style
2008: Eddie’s Independence Friday
2007: Miss Independent
2006: Independence Day
2005: The Mother Road To Independence

Rolling In The Deep

I mentioned in this post about our friends visiting us this past weekend. Because of that, we parked our truck in a different spot in our driveway than we usually do. We wanted to leave the driveway on the side of the house wide open for Marlaina and MacGyver to pull in, since it's a little bit of a challenge due to the angle it comes in at from the road, and since the driveway is lined with rocks on either side, it makes it a little obstacle course-y. We wanted them to have plenty of room to navigate.

Ed, the master of backing things up, snaked our 75' of truck neatly behind the carport at the back of the house and plugged us in so we could keep the a/c running. In 108 degree heat, we didn't want anything out there to roast or poop out. Even though I wouldn't be using the fridge or anything, since we'd be in the house, we still wanted to make sure everything would stay running.

Our friends finally arrived and MacGyver, with the help of Ed visible in the mirrors and Marlaina on the walkie-talkie, backed into the driveway like a pro. Once they got all settled in, we spent the weekend eating and lounging, until they pulled out early Saturday morning to go pick up their load. We left our truck where it was since we didn't have any reason to move it. Well, until late yesterday afternoon, when we had to move it down to the shop for a valve adjustment.

Ed went out to move the truck while I went inside to get ready to drive down to the shop with him. When I went back outside to see what was taking him so long, I didn't even have to ask. Because this is what I found:

Don't notice anything? Look closer. Sand, halfway up the drive tires. The catwalk grazing the dirt. Dust everywhere. Sunk, like a stone.

The dirt (or should I say sand) in this part of the driveway is very, very soft. For some reason, it wasn't a problem when Ed backed in, as there's quite a bit of hard pack. When he pulled the parking brake, the steer tires were on that dirt, but when he pulled out, he went a smidge further than he should have and that's where the trouble started.

When I came out of the house and saw him pass by with a wheelbarrow and a shovel, I knew there was trouble. As you can imagine, he wasn't very pleased, and my "suggestions" weren't helping at all. It was a bazillion degrees, and he was shoveling stone underneath the tires for traction. It didn't seem to be enough. After a few more tries at "helping", I decided it would just be best for me to go back inside before I got hit in the head with said shovel.

One of the things I love most about Ed, is that whether he caused the unfortunate situation or I did, he never blows his top. Oh, I can tell when he's not happy. And I can certainly tell when he's frustrated. But he really has no temper whatesoever. He just does what needs to be done and doesn't take anything out on another person. Although, in this case, he did suggest it may have been my fault because I told him to park there. Gotta say, I did balk a little bit at that one.

Ed tried everything he could to get those wheels free, but the weight of the truck was causing it to sink deeper with every attempt at moving it. He finally decided to give up and call a tow truck. The guy was at the house within the hour. He was really nice, very professional, and showed great care with our truck, hooking up everything perfectly to drag the truck out. I stayed inside because I have a tendency to be bossy (shocker!) and didn't want to piss off the already overheated Ed.

The tow truck guy had to drag the truck literally less than three feet to get the tires on more solid ground. Three feet. Thankfully, nothing on the truck was damaged, and Ed was able to easily pull the trailer right out and park in our normal spot. He paid the tow truck guy, and came back in the house a little less agitated than he was just thirty minutes prior.

Fortunately, this lesson (about our own backyard) wasn't a very costly one, and I'm very glad it happened here and not on some remote sandy stretch of the Mojave. Even more fortunate was the fact that nothing happend to our beautiful little home on wheels. Ed has already formulated a plan for the next time we have big-rig guests at the house, and has discovered another way to park the truck which will give two of us plenty of room.

So c'mon over Ruth Ann and Brad! Join us for dinner, ELH! Cop a squat, GiGi. Come spin some yarns, Willow and Zygote! We've got room, and if you play your cards right, I might even be able to persuade Ed to valet park your rig for you.

He now knows where all the best spots are.


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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

The Spotlight Isn't Just On The Community

Waaayyyyy back in February, I woke up to an email in my in-box. It was from the Senior Art Director of Fort Wayne Monthly magazine. She was interested in purchasing some of my photos for the magazine.

What??!! No way, I thought.

But it was real. She wanted MY photos. For HER magazine. Can you freakin' believe that? Needless to say, I was SUPER excited. They were doing a "Community Spotlight" article on Shipshewana, Indiana and she saw some of the pictures I took of things in town, and wanted to use them to illustrate the article.

I immediately wrote back. We exchanged a few emails, I found out she wanted three of my photos to use in four different places in the magazine (one would be used twice), and that I'd get a photo credit under each photo and be listed as a contributing photographer in the magazine. AND I'd get paid. How cool is that?

The pictures were printed in the April 2012 issue, but since we've been on the road I haven't had a chance to see the magazine until now. I've gotta tell you, I really loved seeing my photos in print.

If you want to see them too, check them out here. You'll find me on the contents page, and then on page 41, 42 and 46.

I feel like I'm in the spotlight too.


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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

Salena Scissorhands

I've been cooking like a robber baron's housemaid for the last four days. I cooked for my friends when they were in town, and then I had another friend and her son over for dinner Sunday night, and cooked for them. I'm not complaining, I love to cook for more than just Ed and I - I'm a volume cooker. I always have leftovers when I cook for us, which is great, but I also love to cook for a lot of people.

Ed and I have been trying to eat better - lots of fresh fruit, veggies, chicken, fish, etc. - and I have to tell you, it's a LOT of work prepping all that stuff. I can see why people reach for pre-packaged foods and go out to eat.

I've always liked to cook and still do a lot of it in the truck, but it's much easier to cook at home - I have beaucoup counter space. I have more utensils. I have restaurant grade pots and pans (thanks to my step-father). I have a pantry the size of a walk-in closet, and the fridge is HUGE compared to the one I have in the truck.

I don't have room for many kitchen items in the truck, so I make do with the basics. But I'll be taking a few things from home when I go back on the road; the mini-chopper for sure, and a few wooden spoons.

And after seeing the photo I took at Bowery Kitchen Supplies in Chelsea, I think I'm going to be in the market for a new knife. Oh, yeaaahhhhhh.


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2011: The Bald And The Beautiful
2010: Here To Win, Here To Stay
2009: Her Bosom Is Heaving, His Member Is Throbbing
2008: Worn By The Sea
2007: Spinning In The Night
2006: Forget Country Music! We Have Bungalows Full Of Breasts!!
2005: I Demand An Explanation