What Else Is There To Do When It's One Degree Outside?

It was one degree when we ventured out for the day.  First the post office, then Target, then laundry if we had time.

I'm actually enjoying the cold up here in South Dakota.  I was telling Ed that this is what I was used to my entire life, a nice change of weather.  In Tucson, the weather is always the same - hot and sunny, really hot and sunny, and in the winter, less hot and sunny.  Although this year when we were home, it was pretty damn cold.  But still, if you were to look out the window, it looked like every other day of the year.

I love the change of season.  I love having an end to the blistering heat.  I love fall and I love snow.  I'm rarely in snow anymore as it seems that we never ever get anywhere when the snow is actually on the ground, but I'm hoping we'll see a few more snow covered places before spring.

It's actually refreshing to be outside in the cold.  Invigorating.  The weather here is supposed to dip below zero the next couple of days, and there may be more snow.

Maybe we'll have to buy those sleds Ed was eyeballing today.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Packing Up
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!

A Story Told In Stone

As we drove up the driveway we knew what we were looking for but surprised that we couldn't see it. It was big. We knew that. So where was it? 

Then we saw the mountain, and as we got closer what we were looking for became clear. We were at the Crazy Horse Memorial.  And it was an entirely different kind of Crazy Horse than we'd seen in the past.  

When I zoomed in with my camera, I was able to see the face of Crazy Horse, the Lakota leader who was born on Rapid Creek in the Black Hills of South Dakota about 1842.  His face and what's going to be his arm and finger pointing out across the land of his people are the only discernible parts of the sculpture.  The memorial represents the spirit of Crazy Horse to his people, and the left hand pointing out to the distance, is in answer to a question that was posed to him by a white man.  That white man asked in a mocking tone, "Where are your lands now?"

His answer:  "My lands are where my dead lie buried."

The mountain is massive.  The hole that you see in the middle is 100 feet high by 110 feet wide, big enough to fit a ten-story building in.  The face alone is nine stories high.  The first blast to start the carving was done on June 3, 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, who was almost 40 years old when he began.  The information in the brochure states that  Korczak was completely self-taught and never took a formal lesson in art, sculpture, architecture, or engineering.  He came to South Dakota with $174 in his pocket and dedicated the rest of his life to the project.  He knew he'd never see it completed in his lifetime - he died in 1982 - so he left detailed plans for it to be continued.

They've made very slow progress, for many reasons.  One, the entire project is privately funded.  No federal funds have been used for this sculpture.  In fact, the artist twice turned down offers of $10 million dollars from the federal government.  He wanted the project to be for the people, paid for by the people enjoying it, not by taxes.  And he didn't want his plans for the project to be derailed by a government making decisions regarding it.

Another reason for the slow progress is that most of the work was initially done by Korczak alone.  He did have ten children, and today seven of the ten work on the mountain or for the mountain.  We were told by a gift shop employee that there are currently only seven people who work on the mountain, every day, Monday through Friday.  And there are times when the visiting public can even watch the blastings.

Zooming in further still, you can see the completed face.  It's really quite amazing, the size of it.  To give you an idea of how big it is, the four faces of the Presidents on Mt. Rushmore can fit inside just the head of the Crazy Horse carving. 

There are big plans for the future of the memorial location, including an American Indian University and Medical Training Center.  The Indian Museum of North America is housed at the Welcome Center on the property.  The interior of the building, glossy wood in all directions, is beautiful. The website states the museum incorporated Korczak’s love of wood and natural lighting, and it's certainly obvious.  This room has a wall of windows, overlooking the mountain.

Across from the window wall, are pictures of Native Americans, many who were part of or witnessed the Battle of Little Bighorn, commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand.  I didn't know those were the same thing - so much for my history lessons.

The majority of these Native Americans - with names like James Come Again, Henry Little Soldier, Joseph High Eagle, and John Sitting Bull, adopted son of the famed Hunkpapa Sioux Chief Sitting Bull - lived well into their eighties and nineties. 

Here you can see part of the Tribal Flag Collection, in one of the rooms of the museum.  There are currently more than 125 flags in the collection.

On the back porch area is the 1/34th scale model of the sculpture, which weighs 16 tons.  Other rooms in the museum house equipment used to carve the mountain, and there's even a bin where you can get a piece of the stone from the mountain to take home with you.

The carving has not been without some controversy, and many wonder when it will be finished, but no matter who says what, it doesn't really take away from the fact that it's really a spectacular sight.   

I'd say you can pretty much guarantee, barring the decimation of the earth, that it'll be standing long enough to take your children and grandchildren to see. 

Hopefully by then, they'll be a little further along in the carving process. 


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Eddie Sandwich
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!

These Four Guys Always Have The Same Expression On Their Faces

Since we found ourselves in Rapid City, South Dakota for the weekend, we thought we'd take a little Sunday drive to see Mt. Rushmore.  It's been six years since we were last here.  The Avenue of Flags leads to the viewing area at the base of the monument.

There are 56 flags which represent the 50 states, one district, three territories, and two commonwealths of the United States of America.

Not surprisingly, nothing has changed.

This time, we drove around the side of the mountain, because we were heading over toward Hill City.  On that route, you get to see George's profile.

Look at how pristine that face is.  

Ed's comment on Facebook was, "If you follow the road around the corner and peek through the trees, you can see his ass crack."

Oh, Ed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Save Money On Sandwiches, Buy Nice Car
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!

We Do Not Remember Days, We Remember Moments

Me, my father, and my brother.  Trump Tower, New York City, October 1986.

Today marks the seventh year since my father died.  I was so happy to come across this picture today, because this is how I always remember my father.  Smiling.

This may not be the best quality photo, but this day was great, and this moment memorable.

I miss you Daddy.  Thanks for all the great moments.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Sharing The Long Haul Lifestyle
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!

Where They Build Palaces Out Of Corn

I've been wanting to go to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota since I first discovered its existence.  Since we don't get through South Dakota all that often, and never actually deliver or pick up anything there, it's a bit difficult to make it happen.

This week we were in Mitchell, South Dakota.  Well, not in Mitchell, but at the truck stop on the Interstate, at the exit that leads into Mitchell.  But we didn't have time to stop.

So I didn't get to see the Corn Palace, and it can be years before I get back there.

I just hope it doesn't become a Flickertail.  Because then I'll be guilty of not carpe-ing the diem again.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Modern Market Girl
2012: A Berry Good Time
2011: Traveling Through Mountain Ranch
2010: Backroads
2009: If Only I Could Fit All Of This Information On A Bumper Sticker…
2008: Gambling Haze
2007: Published
2006: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Day The South Fell Apart...Again

We stopped yesterday about an hour south of Birmingham, Alabama because the roads were getting icier by the minute.  Just in the few miles we drove, we saw cars sliding around and the decision was made to pull off and find a place to park.  We sat all night and into the next afternoon before leaving.

Once we hit Birmingham, around the I-65 and I-459, the landscape changed completely.  There were cars in ditches:

And there were cars lining the interstate for miles.  Abandoned.  Most of them on the shoulders and in the median.

But some, like this garbage truck, were just sitting right in the lane of traffic.  With no one in the vehicle.

The only lane of traffic moving here is the one we're in and the one to the right.  Everything else you see are cars parked.  There's a Frito-Lay truck and a UPS delivery truck in this photo, parked on the shoulder to the left.

The cars parked all along the right shoulder, in front of the red one, are all empty.  Not a person to be seen.  It was like a sci-fi movie.  Something drastic happened, the world froze as it was, and the people were gone.

But where did they go??  We heard, on the news I think, that some people were shuttled to local businesses by bus.  And some people walked.  We even saw a guy on a bicycle.  

I don't know how long it's going to look like this, but apparently Atlanta was much worse.  Glad I wasn't there.

And this asshat (and many others) writing about his experience being stuck in his car, clearly has no idea who causes most of the accidents on the road.  Because I can tell you right now, it's highly unlikely that drivers of big rigs "slammed their accelerators to the floor, trying to get their loads moving across the snow and ice".   
Next stop is way out west, to the empty northern states.

They may have a lot of snow, but at least they don't have thousands of people driving entirely too fast for the conditions just to get three cars ahead of you.  Not to mention the fact that they should have stayed the hell home in the first place. 

And honestly, those are the people I'd like to see make a soft (but safe) landing into a ditch.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Island Graffiti
2012: Four Seasons Of Food To Conquer
2011: Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
2010: As Seen On TV
2009: Eddie Polishing His Chrome Friday
2008: Traveling With Your Cat
2007: Getting Wet In The Next County
2006: Down With O.P.P.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Calling It A Day

I can't even remember the last time we've had to shut down for the night due to weather - in this case, it happened in the middle of the afternoon, because of icy road conditions.  We did it once before, but since then I don't recall a similar situation.

Once night fell, Ed went to sleep and I stayed up in the cab watching movies on the computer - I wasn't tired and didn't want to disturb him.  The photo above is the view I had for most of the evening.

The roads were so bad - some of the worst weather the south has seen in years - that the only movement I saw was one or two cars who ventured in to the little convenience store/quasi-truck stop and twice a state trooper who drove through with his spotlight, checking out the area, then stopping for about thirty minutes to do some monitoring on his computer.

The convenience store was closed when we got there, I didn't see any headlights from the interstate, and once in a while in the distance I could see the sand trucks drive off one ramp, go over the bridge, and head down the other one in the opposite direction.

We wound up being there for more than twelve hours.  But at least we weren't in a ditch or stranded on the roads like so many of the people reported on the news were.

Tomorrow is going to be interesting.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Eight Ways To Take It Easy
2012: Dinner With Friends
2011: This Is What Sheer Joy Looks Like
2010: I’ll Have The Tootsie Rolls And The Butterfinger And The Lollipop And The Gummi Bears And The Hershey Kisses And The Snickers Bar And The M&M’s And…
2009: Meals On Wheels
2008: Mercury Dropping
2007: James Cameron For $79.99 A Night
2006: The Town That Big Tobacco Built
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Better Than No Touch Freight

We finally sold our old trailer! And we are thrilled.

There wasn't anything wrong with it, it just wasn't suited for the freight we were hauling.  When the opportunity presented itself to get the new one, we jumped on it. That meant we were sort of stuck with the old one for the time being - it's not like we could trade it in - but since it was paid for and wouldn't cost us anything while it sat around, we just parked it in the yard and put it up for sale.

Ed listed it in Truck Paper, on our company website, on the equipment website of the people we bought it from, on Craigslist, in a trucker Facebook page, and on Ebay. We got a couple of calls on it, but nothing panned out.

Until yesterday. Ed got a call while he was having breakfast at a little greasy spoon in the Florida panhandle. The caller wanted this trailer. Today. Ed knew immediately he was "the one".

Turns out he was the owner of a trucking company in Pennsylvania, was on vacation in Florida, and was sitting around browsing items for sale on Ebay.  He saw the trailer and decided he and it were a perfect match.  He called his office girl back in snowy PA and told her to prepare to wire the funds right away.  He also had a guy out in Phoenix who was picking up some other trailers he purchased, and put him on standby to send to Tucson as soon as the money Ed's bank account.

The dust devil began.

Ed exchanged a few phone calls and emails, waited a couple of hours for the money to be wired, called his bank to confirm they were actually in his account, then had the title notarized, made up a bill of sale, and hit a nearby FedEx branch to overnight the documents to a tiny town in Pennsylvania.

Then, back in Arizona, my brother met the guy from Phoenix who came to the house to pick up the trailer - photo of his blue rig courtesy of my mother, taken through the screen of the back porch - to make sure he got in and out easily.

Our only concern was the driver getting stuck in the sand like Ed did a couple of years ago.  We were hoping since his truck was smaller and lighter than ours that he wouldn't have any trouble.

But just in case he did, Ed armed my brother with the name and number of the tow company we used to get us out.

Thankfully he didn't have to use it.
The selling of this trailer was the quickest and smoothest transaction I've ever witnessed for a purchase of this size.  Not that I've had much experience selling equipment, but I've spent more time getting my hair cut and colored than it took for this to happen.

Now we have a nice chunk of change to dump into retirement.

Ed is clam happy.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: The First Step Is To Admit You Have A Problem
2012: The Top Five Sweet Scents In My World
2011: A Weekend Full Of Bright Stars And Not Much Else
2010: I’m Floored
2009: Two Worlds Collide
2008: Girl Crush
2007: Silly Boys
2006: It’s Nowhere Near Mexico, Y’all
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

We Work A Lot, We're Fat, And You Can't Get By Without Us

86% of us are fat??  Holy shit.  Who knew?  I gotta get my ass into the remaining 14%!

As for the other stats - you can check the sources at the bottom of the graphic if you're interested.

I'll be back in a bit - apparently, this is where I'm supposed to go get a snack and sit on my ass.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Domestic Cat Life
2012: Being Appreciated
2011: Just A Phone Call Away
2010: A Practically Perfect Circle
2009: My Frozen Kentucky Home
2008: On Tour And Collecting Paper As We Go
2007: Finding Your Way
2006: Trivia From The First Tsar Of Russia
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Land Of The Blue Angels

Pensacola, Florida.  Where they live.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Taking A KW For A Spin
2012: New York And Snow – My Two Favorite Things
2011: Doin’ The Math
2010: Well, Butter My Butt And Call Me A Biscuit
2009: I Even Have Time To Go On Strike
2008: Teaching Them Young
2007: You Gotta Be In It To Win It
2006: Cinema Stupido
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

NOT An Oasis

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of an oasis is as follows:

oa·sis

noun\ō-ˈā-səs\

1.  an area in a desert where there is water and plants

2.  a pleasant place that is surrounded by something unpleasant

3.  a time or experience that is pleasant and restful

The Oasis Travel Center in Alabama?

Doesn't qualify.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Drop The Flag And Take Me Home
2012: Cottonwood Trading Company
2011: Service With A Smile
2010: Getting The Red Out, One Barn At A Time
2009: Obamaduck!
2008: How A Four Year Old Can Make You Feel Like Crap For Trying To Get Out Of Doing Yard Work
2007: Florida Fro
2006: Hail To The McGriddle Gods
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

They Were Five

I'm reading a book featuring a fictional character who is one of the famous Ouellet quintuplets.  I Googled the Ouellet quints wondering if they were real because this author has used real life inspiration in her other books, and found that the author was inspired by actual people - the Dionne Quintuplets of Ontario, Canada, the first quintuplets known to survive their infancy.

I did a little digging and found more photos and information on them and their story is pretty interesting.  The parents were approached by a Chicago World's Fair who wanted to put the girls on display, but the government of Ontario was concerned about their exploitation and took custody of the quints citing the parents unfit.  Then they turned around and created a place called Quintland, where the children were shown off to millions of people as an attraction.  Between 1936 and 1943, almost three million people came to see them, sometimes at a rate of six thousand people per day.

As of May 2013, two of the quints were still alive, but their worldwide notoriety didn't seem to help them much when it came to preparing for old age.  The eventually did get some compensation, which I'd say isn't nearly enough for what they went through, but it's certainly better than nothing.  


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Wake Of Imagination
2012: Woman With Cat
2011: From Blue Grass To Wine Country
2010: Plump With Fat Quarters
2009: Eddie Out With The Old, In With The New Friday
2008: You Can Get Them At Home Depot??
2007: There Are Never Enough Hours In The Day To Do Anything When You Have A Baby
2006: Tequila Sunrise
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Winding It Up Before Leaving Town

Today we stopped by our friend Craig's to ask for his help on a little project Ed was doing. 

I've known Craig since he was in eight grade, when he first became best friends with my brother, and I knew he'd be able to help with Ed's vision.  Although Ed could have completed this project on his own with a little elbow grease, Craig is a highly skilled metalsmith with a fully stocked machine shop.  Asking for his help was a no-brainer.

Here, Ed and Craig discuss the details: 

Once they decided exactly how they were going to proceed - with lots of (useless) input from me - Craig got to work.  I gotta tell you, Craig is one of the nicest guys I've ever known in my life.  He's always happy, always has a smile, always quick to laugh, and always quick to lend a hand.  Anytime Ed or I have a harebrained idea that involves welding, we think of Craig.  We've called him several times but have never actually had him do anything for us - all the projects sort of fell to the wayside.

But this was a little one, so we took a ride over (he's a mile from our house) and thought we'd be in an out - the weld was something Craig could do with his eyes closed - but we wound up hanging out for two hours.  It took Craig no time at all to do the welding part, but we killed a lot of time fiddling around and bullshitting. 

When everything was said and done, Ed had exactly what he had envisioned - a new strap winder for the trailer:

It fits in the stake pocket of the new trailer perfectly, and as soon as we got home he tested it.  Works perfectly.  And it'll probably last forever.

Now we can get back to work.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Who Is A Bahamian?
2012: Pay No Attention To The Cat Behind The Curtain
2011: Papa Can You Hear Me?
2010: The Err Erudes Them
2009: Sorry, no post for this date.
2008: Addicted
2007: When You Just Can’t Decide Between Dinner And Breakfast
2006: Purple Industrial Skies
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Drill, Baby, Drill

A shot of a drill press from our friend's shop, which we visited today to get some help with a project Ed was working on.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Ruling Color
2012: After This, It’s Time To Close The Left Door For A While
2011: I Think I’ve Seen This Person On Facebook
2010: Eating Crud Is So Much Tastier Than Eating Crow
2009: Chihuly In The Trees
2008: Is It Really SO Hard??
2007: Snowball In Hell
2006: The Southern Family Tree
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Thin And Crispy. Just How I Like 'Em

I found this recipe while flipping through magazines in Barnes & Noble - I'm including the entire text of the page and a few tips from the article.  I'm making these babies, and as soon as I put the cookie sheet in the oven, I'm going to cross my fingers because I want them to look exactly like the picture from the magazine:

Photo courtesy of magazine I can't remember the name of.

Craving infinite crunch?  Look no further than this featherlight variety from Carey Jones and Robyn Lenzi, authors of the just released Chocolate Chip Cookies book.  Flecked with dark chocolate chopped from whole bars – the baker’s preferred brands include Dandelion, Guittard, Tcho, and Valrhona – this cookie, with its thin, waferlike texture, lasts a bit longer (up to 4 to 5 days) than, say, a chewy version.  Keep them in an airtight container.

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate

1 cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375˚F.  Adjust racks so they divide the oven into thirds.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Melt butter in a small saucepan on the stove or in a microwave-safe container in the microwave.  Let cool until barely warm to the touch.

Transfer butter to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add both sugars.  Mix on medium speed until well blended, about 30 seconds.  Add egg and vanilaa and mix until completely combined.  Scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, scraping the bowl if necessary to incorporate dry ingredients.  Add chopped chocolate and nuts (if using); mix on low speed until evenly distributed.  The dough should be slightly shiny and loose.

Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon measure, drop well-rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  Dampen the palm of your hand and flatten each cookie until about 1/4 “ thick.

Bake for about 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through the baking time and changing shelves, until cookies are evenly golden.  It is important to bake them fully to ensure crispiness throughout. 

When cool enough to handle, transfer to wire racks (the cookies will get crispier as they cool).

And now, the tips:

TEXTURE TIP:  If you like ‘em crispy, use melted butter for a more liquid batter so you can create a thinner cookie.  Wait for the butter to cool before combining.

REST YOUR DOUGH:  Leaving the batter in the fridge for at least 24 hours allows the flavors to meld and the sugars to become more like molasses, say the brainiacs at Baked, in Brooklyn.

GO NUTTY:  Yes, they’re delicious and crunchy, and almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts may also release oils as they heat up in the oven, resulting in a moister cookie, says Karen Mitchell of the famed Model Bakery in St. Helena, CA.

COOL SHEETS:  Never place your batter on a warm cookie sheet.  Instead, let it cool between batches, says Greenspan.  A hot sheet causes the dough to melt before it goes into the oven, which leads to uneven baking, compromising the texture.

FREEZE BATTER:  Consider this option, especially if you know your cookies won’t all be quickly consumed.  “If you love a soft, chewy texture, baking a few at a time ensures they’re always fresh,” says Kathleen King of Tate’s Bake Shop in Southhampton, NY.  Her smart method:  Scoop out dough balls, place them on a cookie sheet, and put in the freezer.  Once frozen, store scoops in a resealable plastic bag and return to the freezer.

AMP UP THE VANILLA:  Christina Tosi of NYC’s Momofuku Milk Bar adds an extra splash of vanilla to her famous treats.  “It’s the secret to any deep-down delicious baked good.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Amber Jack
2012: Adding A Poodle To The Mix
2011: If…
2010: How The West Was Fun
2009: Pecking Order
2008: The Sympathy Train Stopped Dead In Its Tracks
2007: Shalom
2006: A.D.I.D.A.S.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Only Thing I Haven't Done

courtesy of Google Images

Today marks the 32nd day we've been home.  The holidays have come and gone and we've taken care of everything we needed to - from shopping to medical to truck repair.  We've eaten lots of food and watched countless movies.    Now it's time to get back on the road.  I'm getting a little more than antsy and I'm counting the days.

We were planning to meet Marlaina and MacGyver in Jacksonville, FL for our company appreciation days this week, but the load we had booked to get us closer, cancelled.  Two years ago we deadheaded there - which means driving with no load, about 1,975 miles, costing approximately $1,030.00 in fuel.  We were thisclose to doing it again this year, but thought a load might "pop up" and take us there.  Yeah, right.  What were we thinking?  We're in Arizona and the only thing they ship out of here is cheap-ass copper.

We have another load lined up, but until we actually put the freight on the trailer, it's not a definite.  M&M are already in Florida, and the events start on Thursday.  It looks like we're not going to make it.

At this point, I'm running out of things to occupy my time.  So my plans for tomorrow?

Do the one thing I haven't done since I've been home.

Bake cookies.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: United Tails
2012: I Grew Up In The O.C. Too
2011: Snowy Arrival
2010: Not A Pretty Sight
2009: Marking This Day In History With A Vibrant Spot Of Color
2008: Lighting To Do Laundry By
2007: The Benefits Of Dating A White Boy
2006: Shhhhhh, You’ll Wake The Driver
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!