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!

The Romance Of The Road

Today I want to express my love of the road, so even though he wasn't talking about truck drivers, I present to you "The Highwayman" ('cause you know, "highway" and "man", or in my case, "woman"), a romantic poem by Alfred Noyes.

PART ONE

I

THE wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding—
Riding—riding—
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

II

He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

III

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

IV

And dark in the dark old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say—

V

'One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.'

VI

He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet, black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonliglt, and galloped away to the West.


PART TWO

I

He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching—
Marching—marching—
King George's men came matching, up to the old inn-door.

II

They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through her casement, the road that he would ride.

III

They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They had bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
'Now, keep good watch!' and they kissed her.
She heard the dead man say—
Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!

IV

She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till her fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one finger touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

V

The tip of one finger touched it; she strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain .

VI

Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hoofs ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding,
Riding, riding!
The red-coats looked to their priming! She stood up, straight and still!

VII

Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night!
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him—with her death.

VIII

He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

IX

Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with the bunch of lace at his throat.

X

And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding—
Riding—riding—
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

XI

Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard;
He taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred;
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Celebrate With A Wild Desire
2011: Powerful Stuff
2010: Falling In Love With Ugly
2009: A Love Like This Can Know No Death
2008: Peace To This House
2007: The Sultan Of Love
2006: It’s Even Better Than Arbor Day
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Headed For A Slow Boat To China

We recently did a load that required two armed escorts.

Armed, as in with guns.

The load wasn't going far, but we had to run with another truck. I wasn't too thrilled about that part - especially since the other team was less than professional.  We weren't told when we accepted the load that we'd have to travel with another truck, we found out the day the load was leaving. We were already there, so there was no sense in backing out, and the load paid too much to even consider not taking it. So much, that the other team deadheaded over 600 miles just to come get it!

I drove the first part of the trip and declined the lead status - I didn't want to be bothered manning the walkie-talkie - so the other team became the lead truck.  That was a mistake.

This was our view for 900 miles:

We picked up our 20' container at a container yard, then had to drive to another location to have it loaded.  From the minute we heard we'd have armed guards, I was curious about what we were hauling.  It wasn't a "sensitive" government load.  It wasn't hazmat.  It wasn't being tracked by Qualcomm.  We didn't have to make check calls.  It was just regular 'ol freight, posted on the freight board.  Any team could haul it.  What could it be?

Most drivers just take the paperwork and don't even bother to look at it.  I scoured it for clues.  Ed and I were on Google, entering every bit of info we could, including the manufactuer, and the place it was eventually going (China).  What we found was that it was some kind of chemical catalyst used in making an organic glass compound.  Ah, phooey!  Nothing really cool. 

The trip itself was uneventful.  The team in the other truck drove entirely too fast, not even considering the two other vehicles following them, and ignored several safety rules along the road (which pissed me off - Ed didn't let it bother him).  I did the speed limit, figuring if the other truck got out of sight, the escorts would radio them and reign them in.  I wasn't going to get a speeding ticket trying to keep up with Mario Andretti and his wife.  I did learn a lesson though - next time, we'll be the lead truck and set the pace.   

The escort was third in line, so he pretty much stuck with me, like a stealth tail.  I didn't even know he was there.  But they were.  Because although the chemical didn't have "street value" - meaning, I couldn't take it to a pawn shop and sell it - the client wanted to make sure it made it to its destination safely and got on the ship without issue.

Oh, and it was worth about twenty million dollars.  Yeah, that.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: A Roaring Forties Tasmanian Devil Of A Blue
2011: Waiter! There’s A Beer In My Soup!
2010: Id’ Rather Go Naked Than Wear Wolf
2009: Eddie Getting His Licks Friday
2008: The Place Is In Ruins
2007: Winter Shadows
2006: The Angels Of The New York D.O.T.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Sizzle, Drizzle, And Pour

Look at these flavors - Ginger Rice Vinegar, Citrus Champagne Vinegar, Cabernet Vinegar, Cuvée Champagne Vinegar, Pomegranate Champagne Vinegar.

I'm thinking you can mix pretty much anything with champagne and it would be tasty. 

California may suck when it comes to their trucking regulations, but their contributions to the foodie community is greatly appreciated.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Dreams Explored Over Dinner
2011: I’m In Love And It’s Not Even Valentine’s Day Yet
2010: Eddie As Fisherman Friday
2009: Birds And Barbells On Muscle Beach
2008: A Girl On The Shores Of Cozumel
2007: I’m Not Exactly Sure What You’re Proposing Here
2006: The Blizzard Of 2006
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

This Business Means Business

This sign was posted on the roof of a truckstop in Virginia. The place is a dive, but I guess they're pretty serious about keeping it a respectable dive.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
2012: A Nodding Donkey On The Hill
2011: What A Croc
2010: Flash Of Pole
2009: They Hire ‘Em Young These Days
2008: Setting Sail At Sunset
2007: Happy Bee
2006: It’s Not Unusual
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Sidestepping Nemo Wasn't All That Hard

We drove from Carson, California to Hicksville, New York at breakneck speed.  In our truck, breakneck tops out at 60 mph.  We had a hot team load that had to be there Friday morning.  The day the ridiculously named winter blizzard Nemo was supposed to arrive.  We were a tad concerned.

Ed always likes to drop off one load and pick up another in the same day, maximizing revenue.  So we booked a load that afternoon out of Newark.  We watched The Weather Channel in the meantime.  It looked like it was going to be hairy, but most of the impact was going to be north of us, so we didn't give it too much thought.

At the port in Newark, while waiting for our load to be ready, this is what was happening - lots of dreary gray skies, some rain and a few gusts of wind.

By the time we loaded and left, the roads surrounding the port looked like this.  I don't think I've ever seen the roads around the port so deserted on a weekday afternoon.  Sure, they're quiet after hours and on weekends, but to be there in the middle of the afternoon and not see another vehicle?  Not to pass any Guatemelan/Ecuadorian/Puerto Rican food trucks serving lunch?  Clearly, these people were closing up shop pretty damn early.   

 

 

 

The load was oversized, so we wouldn't be able to drive anywhere after dark.  We had to make some progress, so we started to head out as soon as we were loaded.  No stopping until we got to Pennsylvania, that was the plan.  But instead, we hit a whole lot of this:

And even more of this:

As it got later, the traffic got heavier and moved slower.  We never did make it out of New Jersey that night, and the next day we weren't able to make it across Pennsylvania because with an oversized load, we were only allowed to drive until noon on Saturday and no movement on Sunday. 

So we were stuck for the entire weekend, in a rest area with no internet, and a shitty, uneven parking lot.  No matter how we moved the truck, we couldn't get the sleeper to sit without leaning forward and to the right.  Not a very comfortable position to be in for two full days.  So Ed had the genius idea to drop our trailer in one spot, and park the tractor next to it.  This allowed us to be on the crest of the hump in the parking lot, which evened out the way the truck was sitting, which meant I didn't have to have my leg cocked out like a kickstand to hold myself in my dinette seat.

The rules for over-dimensional loads are nonsensical and unreasonable - and if you really want to get to the root of the whole trucking aspect of it, unsafe - but that's a rant for another post. 

I wanted snow and I got some.  Even though we missed the bulk of it, which I suppose is preferable in the transportation industry, I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more of it since we plan on staying in the area for a while. 

Since there were people stranded on the roadways in some cases for more than ten hours (by the way, those people are morons), I think they really need to reconsider the naming of these storms, because giving what they claimed was going to be an apocalyptic snowstorm, the name of a cute little clownfish, obviously didn't cause enough fear in people.

They really need to name the next big storm the Stay-The-Fuck-Home-Or-You-Will-Be-Buried-Alive Blizzard of 2013.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Fun, Fresh, Fabulous Little Neighborhood
2011: What Do You Get When The Daily Rant Meets The Plum Trucker? A Plum Crush!
2010: Industrial Morning
2009: Sunset On Venice
2008: Knots And Nautical Miles
2007: What Is The World Coming To When The Girls Next Door Think They Are Fat??
2006: T.T.D.L.I.T.H.A.T.I.F.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Looking And Smelling Good Behind The Wheel Of A Big Rig

Nine washing machines. That's how many I need to do our laundry; because that's how many we'll fill with what we usually accumulate, and why it takes me so long to do it, and why I dread it.

OK, so maybe I don't need nine machines every time, but it's pretty damn close. We have so many clothes in the truck that I can go at least two weeks without having to wash anything. I have a bazillion pairs of undies and Ed has equally as many pairs of socks. Jeans I can wear two (or even three) days in a row depending on what I'm doing and Ed wears coveralls when he's doing anything but sitting behind the wheel. This way, he doesn't ruin a "good outfit" by strapping, chaining or tarping or doing any other kind of work on the truck.

Maintaining a good appearance, with fresh clothing and good grooming, is essential for us out here. You never know who you might meet and first impressions are important. Looking good is a big part of feeling good and being treated well. My favorite line to hear, directed toward either one of us, is "You don't look like a truck driver."

Probably the biggest contributor to the laundry bulk are sheets and towels; you'd think I robbed Bed, Bath and Beyond with all the sets I have. They take up a lot of room in the laundry bag. It's also one of the reasons I don't like to do my laundry at a truck stop;  none of the machines are big enough. In addition to not having enough machines (when they even work), they never have the big, triple loaders.

One laundromat we went to in Norfolk, Virginia, had a machine that could handle five loads. That was a dream laundromat. You'll never find that in a truckstop. So when I wash our comforter and blankets, I need those big machines.  Last time I had laundry to do, I waited until we go thome, which was both good and bad. On the up side, I like it because the washer and dryer is right off the family room, which means I can sit in the lazy boy for hours on end and watch TV between loads. On the down side, it means I have to sit in the lazy boy for hours on end and watch TV between loads. Using a laundromat and being able to fill several machines at once, cuts my laundry time by more than half.

Another reason I don't like to use the machines in the truckstops is because of the very fact that I have so much laundry. When I'm hogging all four machines, it means some other driver can't do his one load and get back on the road. Most guys I see carrying in their laundry only have a small bag. It's rare that I see one of them spread out over every machine in the place.  It's convenient for them to do it right where they park, shower, eat and sleep. I don't want to get in their way.

Finding a local laundromat isn't all that easy, and finding one with truck parking is next to impossible. I've always been good at getting into some pretty tight spots, thanks to my Grandfather's parking lessons, administered from the front seat of his giant 1970 Cadillac Coup Deville. In my young teenage eyes, that thing was as big then as our truck is to me today.

It looked just like the car in this photo, with that loooong nose and those beautiful lines. The color was beautiful too, it was called Regency Gold Firemist.  It was equipped with bench seats in the front, and a tremendous back seat.  They were brown leather.

My grandmother would use Lemon Pledge to "wax" the seats, which was a real treat for my brother and I, because whenever my grandfather went aroud turns, our little bodies would slide from one side of the car, allllll the way to the other side. When you're five years old, the trip across the back seat of a Cadillac is a long and exhilirating one.

Did you notice how I said I'm good at getting INTO tight spots? Uh, yeah....I'm good with the in part, but I'm not always so great getting out. With the truck, that is. I always try, and sometimes I'm successful.  And it usually happens in the middle of the night when Ed is sleeping, so I'm high-fiving myself all alone. But when I can't get out, when I'm in what some people might call "a pickle", that my friends, is where Eddie comes into play.

Not only can he park in a thimble with his eyes closed, but he can get out of one too. When he does it, the trailer just seems to get all bendy and goes exactly where he puts it. When I try to get it to be all bendy, thinking I'll be able to maneuver it wherever I want, the reality doesn't always support the plan my mind hatched. But that's a story for another day, let's get back to the laundromat deal.

Since we're not parking a Cadillac, finding a laundromat with truck parking is a challenge. I often use Google to locate local laundromats. You just put in the name of the town or the local zip code, along with the word "laundry" or "laundromat" and I can usually get a list of places in the area. It's not a complete list, but it's a good start. And where there's one laundromat, there are usually others nearby. Once I find one I like (and sometimes I do it just like I'd pick a horse - by an appealing name), I employ Google Earth to take a look at the place itself and the surrounding area. If I can park on the street, or in a lot nearby, I'm there.

Try it out sometime.  Some of the best I've found are the one in Norfolk, the 24-hour Miami, FL one and one in Lakewood, NY (which had tractor parking only - it's a VERY small place, but beautifully decorated...and there's a PHENOMENAL Wegman’s nearby).

I've got all sorts of tips and tricks for how to do things in a truck off the beaten path.  In fact, I can fill a whole chapter of a book with them.

Hey...now there's an idea.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Necessary Evil
2011: Getting Drunk On Summer Fun
2010: How Is It The Fish Don’t Freeze???
2009: A Meal Even 300 Year Old Monks Would Love
2008: Not A Knock Knock Joke
2007: Eddie Shades Friday
2006: The Idiot And The Box
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

My Man's Got More Than A Million

Today Ed got the phone call that he's officially logged ONE MILLION MILES with the company he's currently leased to and will be awarded their Million Mile Safe Driver Award.  These are not his lifetime miles, as he's driven over two million total miles, these are just the ones with this company; and in case you're wondering, driving a million miles is equal to 357 trips from New York to Los Angeles or two round trips to the moon.

The Million Mile Safe Driver honor comes on the heels of his 10-year Safety Award - driving ten years with no accidents or moving violations - for which he was given the recent cruise we just went on. 

The Million Mile Award is a little different in that it's given to drivers who have driven more than one million consecutive miles without a preventable accident.  These are miles that Ed has documented in a manner that's checked and double-checked.  And they take this stuff seriously.  If Ed had gotten in an accident at 998,000 miles, they wouldn't have just overlooked it, he would have had to start over.  I know this because out of curiosity, Ed called and asked.  Can you imagine what it would be like to get to that point only to lose it all??  I bristle at the thought.

So the call he got today was to congratulate him, and extend an unofficial invitation to the awards ceremony which will be held in Florida to formally recognize him for his accomplishment.  They will send an official invitation in the mail.

Driving millions of miles is not unusual for a career truck driver, but driving without preventable accidents is an incredible achievement.  People who do this set the standard for safe driving.  They are exceptional at what they do.

Protecting your driving record is a daily challenge considering outside forces (other drivers) can contribute to you losing the record you've worked so hard to maintain.  In a split second, through the actions of a complete stranger, you can lose the ability to say you've gone millions of miles accident free.

Out here, a good record means everything.  It's what you're judged by, it's how you're hired, it's what keeps you on the road making money.

I'm very lucky to have the honor of riding in a truck with a person who has protected his driving record like a Catholic girl used to protect her virginity.  Fiercely.  I feel safe whenever he's behind the wheel and other people should feel safe having him on the road beside them.  It makes me extremely proud to be able to share his accomplishment.

Congratulations to my Eddie for this trucking milestone!

I look forward to the next million with you.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: He Might Not Be Able To Move A Rubber Tree Plant, But He Can Certainly Get Transportation In California To Come To A Screeching Halt
2011: Business As Usual In America
2010: Teeny Tiny Cows Are So Delicious With A Side Of Teeny Tiny Tortellini
2009: Sleeping Atop Signal Hill
2008: Eddie Reads A Book Friday
2007: Finally! Someone Who Thinks I’m God’s Gift To Man
2006: Pool Shark
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Farm To Market

Coming up on a tractor moseying along a secondary road in West Texas.  Clearly, he wasn't in a rush.

As Texans never are.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Providence Silhouette
2011: We Got Fatter But We Lost Weight
2010: Stripping, Vitamins, And Cheesecake
2009: Ocean Front Crowd
2008: He Wouldn’t Recommend His Wife To Anyone He Knows
2007: Spring Has Sprung In My Hotel Room
2006: High School Hottie
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Let Me Count The Ways

I spend 365 days a year with Ed.  300 of those days, I'm within three feet of him.  Generally, we have a pretty good relationship and get along great.  Oh, we fight (mostly because of me) and we make up - sometimes several times in a day - but overall, we enjoy each other's company and have been able to exist in such close proximity for almost nine years now.  I'd say there is good reason for that.  Or, we're just both crazy.

To remind myself that I'm not actually crazy, and that I really do love this person I spend nearly every waking moment with, I've compiled a list of thirty-eight things - in honor of his 38th birthday - that I love about Ed.  It was a surprisingly easy task.

1. He’s handsome.

2. He’s always smiling.

3. He’s funny and doesn’t know it.

4. He’s polite.

5. He’s kind to strangers.

6. He likes kids.

7. He’s an excellent driver.

8. He eats (and likes) everything I cook.

9. He’s easy to please.

10. He isn’t high maintenance.

11. He remembers important dates - things like my birthday and when we first met.

12. He listens – even when I’m 100% convinced he’s not.

13. He doesn’t like sports.

14. He’s willing to help strangers.

15. He donates to charities.

16. He’s just the right size.

17. He has feet like a baby – soft, not small.

18. He has the best head of hair I’ve ever seen.

19. He has blue eyes that actually twinkle.

20. He’s mechanically inclined and can fix anything.

21. He’s a good writer.

22. He has life goals (and actually meets them).

23. He saves money.

24. He invests and plans for the future.

25. He can build anything.

26. He’s a reader.

27. He lets me watch my chick flicks, Project Runway, and Downton Abbey and anything else I enjoy with minimal groaning. He even pays attention and knows what’s happening (don’t tell him I told you that!).

28. He’s a computer genius.

29. He’s well-traveled when it comes to the United States and Canada.

30. He likes to do new things.

31. He treats me with respect.

32. He always tells me I look beautiful.

33. He’s concerned about my future and helps me plan it.

34. He gives me the greatest birthday gifts.

35. He’s generous with his time, money and possessions.

36. He’s respectful to my parents, family members and friends.

37. He has taken care of me on the road for over eight years.  And he's patient while doing it.

38. He’s MINE.

Happy Birthday, my sweet corn cake.  I hope your day is fabulous, and you enjoy spending it with me, on the road, crossing this beautiful country of ours.  I know I'll be stealing glances of you out of the corner of my eye, while you drive, looking so handsome and confident and happy. 

At least I think that's what happy looks like.  Unless the smile on your face is from that Cinnabon you just inhaled?

I have a feeling this is going to be a fantastic year!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: He’s Been Waiting For This Day For Thirty-Seven Years
2011: Twisted Raoul
2010: The Spring Chicken Celebrates His Big Day
2009: Eddie It’s My Birthday! It’s My Birthday! Friday
2008: As Pisghetti Gains Another Year, I Lose Eight
2007: Happy Birthday My Sweet Eddie!!!
2006: The Many Faces Of Ed
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Where Are The Cushy Couches And Fat Laps?

This is the Pet Exercise Area at an interstate rest area.  This one happens to be in New Mexico, hence the reason there is no grass, no landscaping, no charm or beauty whatsoever.  I suppose this is fine for people traveling with dogs.  Or kids.

But what about us cat lovers?  Where do our precious little furballs get to play?

I don't see a windowsill, a stuffed mouse, a piece of string, or a laser pen anywhere.

Of course, many cats aren't even interested in those things.  They're just looking for a cushy couch and a fat lap.

They really need to visit my mother's house.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: The Stealth Trucker
2011: Aisles Filled With Q-Tips
2010: Lights, Camera, Action!
2009: Desktop Material
2008: C’mon In
2007: Eddie Hits The Bricks Friday
2006: Built With The Organization Gene
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Packing Up

We're finally leaving town!  Here you can see Ed getting the truck ready to hit the road.  We're heading to the West Coast to pick up a load going to the East Coast.  Ed loves these long, cross-country runs.  It means he only has to load once and unload once.  For me, it means more magazine reading time. 

We'll be going into some cold weather, so I've put away the capris and flip-flops and taken out my winter shoes and jeans. 

I'm totally keeping my fingers crossed for snow.  Bring it on!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: A Man Can Do All Things If He Will
2011: Spinning Our Wheels
2010: It Takes Two
2009: Buona Sera King Louis
2008: The Newest B & B Trend Might Not Take Off As Expected
2007: Pirelli
2006: Classic Sal
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Eddie Sandwich

Last night Ed and I went to dinner with our friend Kim - she's the one who helped my mother when we bought the car.

As always we had a great time - laughter is truly great medicine - but now it's time to get back to work, so tomorrow we'll start looking for a load.  We've had three weeks off and we're getting a little antsy.  Time to get moving. 

Keep your fingers crossed that we get a load soon!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Finally – Freight To Buzz About!
2011: For The Crybabies
2010: Chillin’ In Utah
2009: Taking The Peas For A Ride In A Cozy Little Shell
2008: Wyth Jane’s Kin In Wytheville
2007: Color In Architecture
2006: Living On
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Save Money On Sandwiches, Buy Nice Car

I was driving to Target this weekend when I noticed a car pull up next to me.  I didn't recognize the emblem, but it looked expensive, so I followed it.  I was curious, so when he pulled into a spot, I pulled into the one across from him.  He got out with a young woman (daughter, not date) and went into Quiznos. 

Nothing unusual about that, right?  A normal activity, going for a bite to eat.  Except for the fact that the guy was driving this:

A TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR car.

I know he has to eat, and I know one needs a car to drive to get to a place to eat, but what the hell does this guy do for a living, in MY neighborhood, that affords him the luxury of driving a car that costs as much a house, to have a sandwich?

It just seems a little extravagant.  I'm not saying I wouldn't be driving this car to a restaurant if I owned it.  Hell, I would be driving it everywhere.  But I can't even imagine having a car that costs so much.  And two hundred grand is just the starting price, it goes up from there.

I wonder what he did after he was done with his sandwich?

Probably checked out the latest happenings in the world of the Richie Riches.

That's what I'd be doing.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Big Money Needed For A Relaxing, Feel-Good Experience
2011: The Original Metrosexual And The Petting Zoo
2010: Cribs For Corn, Not Celebrities
2009: LL Cool E
2008: Hunt On Hold
2007: The Blondes Come Marching In
2006: Thank You Is Not Enough
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Sharing The Long Haul Lifestyle

So, Ed and I have a new gig.  Writing for a magazine!

The Long Haul Magazine is a brand new, interactive, bi-monthly digital lifestyle magazine currently available to anyone with an iPad.  The photo below, from the third issue of the magazine, is the one in which our first column appears.  See our names down there on the cover?!   

We were first approached by the Editor by email, then had a meeting with her via Skype(which was pretty cool) to talk about the ideas she had for our contribution.  She thought we could write a coaching column in the magazine, a way for us to share how we "do life" on the road with other drivers.  Kinda like I do here on the blog...only with a little more on the subject of trucking and a little less on the subject of the latest antics of my mother.

Every driver out here knows this industry is a way of life.  It is a lifestyle.  And Ed and I have a particular type of trucking lifestyle we've found many drivers would like to emulate.  The majority of the emails I get consist of "How can I do what you guys do?"  People like the truck, the travel, the idea of making money.  They want to know how we've gotten to the point we're at today.  They ask questions and I answer.  I share every little thing I can.  I'm an open book. 

And that's what we'll be doing more of in the column.  Ed and I, together.  All of the important stuff is inside Ed's head.  It's my job to release it. 

The page below is another screen shot - the first page of our current article - and is the header that will appear in all of our columns, the truck and us.  The background photo of the truck is one that I took at Sahuaro National Monument West in Tucson, Arizona.    

The picture of Ed and I was taken by our friend Marlaina's husband, MacGyver, at a truckstop in Pennsylvania on one of the lucky days our paths crossed.  We had dinner together and staged a photo shoot.  I love the photo.   

So if you have an iPad, and you're interested in the newest digital magazine in the industry, go to iTunes and download a copy for yourself.  It's different from anything that's out there.  And it's the only place you'll be able to get more of me and Ed.

Well, until our book comes out.

I'll keep you posted on that too!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Love, Peace, And Soooouuulll
2011: Taste The Fire
2010: Finally, A Shot At Playmate Of The Month! (Sorta)
2009: Remembering
2008: Eddie Gets His Eyes Checked Friday
2007: Shifting The Sun
2006: My Daddy Is Gone
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!