For Mommy

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2012: There’s Always Room For La Dolce Vita
2011: Drop It Like It’s Hot
2010: The Art Of Being Tardy
2009: Vantage Point
2008: Cape Cahd Hadba
2007: Waxing Brilliant
2006: Seven! Seven! Seven! Seven! Seveeeeennnn!
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Doris Day Spends The Weekend In Texas

A friend of mine used to call a close parking spot "Doris Day Parking".  That's exactly what we got this weekend at the hotel we're staying at. 

We pulled up, hoping to be able to go around the building, but Ed decided he'd just drop everything off instead and then go park down the hill in the big lot designated for the hotel overflow traffic.  You can see the truck in the left of this photo, right across from the porte-cochère.

When Ed checked in, he asked about parking and the guy at the front desk told him he could stay right where he was.  Score!  In this picture, Ed is on the trailer (I have no idea what he's doing) before he headed into the building.

The hotel is brand new and the room is beautiful.  This is going to be a nice, relaxing two days.  The weather's beautiful, the laundry is done, we've had dinner, and on Monday, we'll go back to work.  Ed seems pretty happy here, all waving and shit, doesn't he? 

He might not say it out loud, but he loves staying in hotels as much as I do. 



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Evening Ball
2011: Taxes And Ta-Tas
2010: Ah, The Subtle Contrasts Of New Jersey
2009: A Fishy Pishy Is Never Dishy
2008: Before The Luck Ran Out
2006: Five Guys I’m In Love With This Week
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

A Dumpster Diver's Dream

Back in 2011, we came home to a refrigerator full of rotting food.  We had to throw away everything.  It was a disgusting task, one that had to be done in the dark because we had no power in the truck, which meant no air-conditioning either, which meant....I was a miserable bitch.

This week, I had to throw away food again.  Our fridge was leaking water but we weren't sure what it was until we realized the ice in the freezer was slowly melting and trickling out.  Everything in the freezer was cool, but thawed.  The stuff in the fridge wasn't as bad, but I didn't trust it, so I ditched it.

In this first picture, I had to throw away a pork loin I just bought, fifteen boneless chicken breasts, scallops, Italian sausage, frozen vegetables, cheese, milk, eggs, ham, frozen waffles... 

The rest of the stuff had to go to, I just didn't trust it, especially the jars that had already been opened.  Pickles, olives, soy sauce, teriakyi sauce, ketchup, cheese, mayo, sun dried tomatoes, sour cream, salad dressings, fromage blanc, capers, jelly, mustard...

There were items that I probably could have saved - like the carrots, tomatoes, scallions - and I thought about cooking the pork loin for lunch since it was still cold, but then I remembered the second problem.

The fuel pump on the generator wasn't working (our fifth one!), which meant I had no generator to cook with, and even if I could cook something, I didn't have a fridge for the leftovers. 

I was so annoyed at having to throw away this food - worth at least two hundred dollars - but what else could I do?  It's not like I could have given it to anyone, I was in a truckstop.  Ed made a good point though, it's about what we'd spend going out to dinner two or three times.  Still.

The only thing I was able to salvage was the cottage cheese I covet and buy in Columbus, OH.  I had just stopped in the wee hours of the morning to get more, so it was still cold.  I bought two coolers, filled them with ice and saved the twenty-five dollars' worth of cottage cheese. 

Now we have to go without a fridge or generator until we get up to Indiana to have them both replaced.  This weekend we're going to stay in a hotel so we don't have to run the truck continuously.

I can't wait to traipse into the hotel lobby with a duffel bag full of clothes and two coolers full of food. 

Could be worse - I could be showing up redneck style, with a cooler full of beer.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Reigning Over Sitting 300 Days A Year
2011: Raining In Baltimore
2010: Back That Ass Up
2009: Shaved, Slivered, Sliced, Grated, Chunked, And Best Of All, In Meatballs
2008: Too Small For America?
2007: Waiting For A Beautiful Balsamic Splash
2006: Other Weird Things In Utah
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Five Facets Of Comfort

There are a many little things we use while on the road, mostly because we lack space. A lot of things we buy at RV or camping stores because they have the coolest stuff, made specifically for compact spaces.  Other items are just personal favorites.  Here are some of mine, ones I use every day.


Moon & Stars Sleep Mask
I love this thing.  I never thought I'd be able to sleep with something on my face, but I don't even feel this, it's silky and lightweight.  Since I usually drive at night, often I will sleep during the day.  I don't like to close off the cab and the windows with the curtains, because I feel so disconnected from what's going on, so I just slip on my mask and slip into a deep sleep coma.  Ahhhhh.

Baby Wipes
I always buy the ones with this kid on the front.  He's so freakin' cute, I can't get enough of his face.  Plus, it helps me to remember which ones I like.  These I use for everything.  First, well, the obvious stuff...um, what you think you'd use babywipes for.  Well, except you know, minus the diaper fiasco stuff.  But seriously, I use them for everything - they're great for getting stains out of a shirt, I clean the dashboard with them, I wipe down the leather on the seats, I clean up tough spills from the floor, I carry them in a ziploc bag in my purse to always have a handy way to clean stuff.  They're priceless.

 

 

Sun Visor
I like to sit up front when Ed is driving, and often I'm on the computer or the iPad reading.  But the sun coming in is enough to drive me into my cave.  I hate sunlight.  I put my visor on the truck down, and I put my suction cup window shades up on the window.  Then I put my visor on to shade my eyes, and short of shooting the sun out of the sky, I'm pretty set.  I like this one because it has a terrycloth band, and slips on my head easily.

 

Neckroll Pillow
I thought this was only for 90-year-old people on planes.  But it's perfect for using in the truck.  When we're driving long distances and I happen to be sitting up front for a while, sometimes the motion of the truck just lulls me off to sleep, like a baby.  You know that old trick of taking a baby for a ride to get them to sleep?  Works on adults too.  And this thing makes sure your head doesn't snap off your neck when it violently jerks from one side to the other. 

 

Can Coozies
I love these things.  The cup holders in the truck are usually too small for anything we put in them.  It doesn't hold a can, it doesn't hold a small coffee cup, it doesn't hold a fast food beverage.  When the truck is moving, it wiggles.  Enter the can coozie.  Ed and I each have our own color and they not only keep the drink on the coldish side, but more importantly, they rubber coozie fits snugly into our cup holder.  Priceless.

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2012: The Daily Rant Brings You The Daily Commute
2011: Not For The Shy
2010: A Barge And A Lady
2009: Easter Preparation Takes Its Toll
2008: Eddie In The Blue Friday
2007: The Man Filter
2006: There Is Still A Chance
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

109 Miles Of White Knuckle Passengering

We did another oversized load this week, our largest yet.  At 14 feet, 5 inches wide, it was going to hang over 3 feet on each side of the trailer.  You can see it a little bit in this photo - it's the wood box that's sticking out below each of the mirrors.

 

This is a better shot, from the rear of the trailer.  It was a small box, sitting less than two feet high and only 15 feet long. 

And it was only going 109 miles - from New Hampshire to Rhode Island.

This is the first load we've ever had to use pilot cars for.  We needed a pilot car in the front and rear through New Hampshire and Massachusetts, then only one car on the rear for Rhode Island. 

Ed did the driving.  Although we're both qualified to do a load of this width (you get qualified in increments, based on how many of each size load you do), since it was only going a short distance and through the crowded Northeast, Ed wanted to flex his oversized muscles and tackle the load.  I figured I'd be content just watching.

But I think watching was almost more harrowing than driving.  While Ed communicated via CB with the pilot car drivers, and kept an eye on his mirrors, I was counting all of the signs, mailboxes and telephone poles we almost hit.

I say "almost" as in "not even close", but I've gotta say, trying to determine by eye, at thirty-five to fifty-five miles an hour, if you're going to clear someone's mailbox decoration as you cruise through the center of a small New England town, is reason enough to consider wearing a diaper for the drive.

The load paid an insane amount, and I think the dollar signs in Ed's eyes gave him super-human abilities to see 360 degrees around the truck while it was cruising down the interstate.  Actually, I think he could have closed his eyes and did this run for what he was going to make in the less than two hour drive.

I'm really the one who deserves all the credit though (wink-wink).  He may have done all the hard work with the loading, tarping and driving, but I'm the one who scored the load in the first place.  And without that, he wouldn't have had anything to drive.

See how that works?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Strong
2011: The Man Unmasked
2010: Fingers Crossed For All Things Motorized!
2009: Eddie Forces A Smile Friday
2008: A, B, C, D, DD: No Matter What The Letter, The Trauma Is The Same
2007: How To Watch American Idol The Right Way
2006: Dings And Hos
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Texas For Immigration

The side of the van said "Texas for Immigration Reform", but I'm thinking when you're on the highway, with people behind you, you should probably make sure your message is written correctly on the back of the van.

Maybe Texas needs to be more concerned about education reform.


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2012: Mys-Understanding
2011: Zumba In My Dreams
2010: Eddie Peep Show Friday
2009: Some Like It Hot
2008: The Desert Blooms With Irritants
2007: Squeeze Me?
2006: Relationship Deal Breakers
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Digging Through The Memory Bank

Childhood Flashbacks, a meme borrowed from Kenlie’s Friend Makin' Mondays: 

Did you have a set bedtime as a child? If so, what was it?
Yes.  Any parent worth a crap sets a time for their child to go to bed.  "You can make your own rules in your own house" is what every child needs to be told.  In Spring, when the clocks changed but school was still in session, the longer days made us feel as if we were being sent to bed in the middle of the afternoon.  But unless there was a Walton's special on TV, we were in bed well before 8pm. 

Were you taught to be a member of the “Clean Plate Club?” Did it have affect your eating habits as an adult? 
My parents didn't call it anything as stupid as the "Clean Plate Club" but we were expected to eat what was put on our plate and couldn't say we didn't like something if we didn't at least try it.  I can't say it affected my eating habits as an adult in a negative way, but because we almost never had anything canned, jarred or processed, I learned to appreciate good food and cooking from scratch.   

Share one thing that you were not allowed to do as a child.
Have sleepovers at other people's houses.  We lived in the country, far from our friends and classmates, and hearing them talk about hanging out and staying overnight with friends (because they lived in the same neighborhood) always made me feel like I was missing something.  Now, I know I was not. 

What is the cheapest gas price you can remember?
What kind of kid pays attention to gas prices??  I have no idea.  I do know that we had a huge ass Cadillac, so I'm sure they couldn't have been too steep because we drove like nomads - since we lived in the country and anywhere we went was a bazillion miles away - and the Caddy isn't what one would call "fuel efficient". 

What was your favorite thing on the playground? 
I loved the swings and the slide.  Swings make you feel so free and as if you could fly, and slides give you the feeling of speed, in a safe way.  Although in the Bronx, the seats of the swings and all the slides were metal, so in the summer you'd have to be careful so you didn't burn the back of your legs.  That sucks.   

Share one thing that your parents always made you do that you didn’t like doing. 
Going to church.  Hated it then, hate it now.  I was a very astute kid with highly functioning instincts and remember thinking how everyone seemed so phony.  And how we had to act all proper and weird, not like our normal selves.  And how my brother and I would always get in trouble for giggling.  And how our catechism classes were, and are to this day, the highest level of torture I've ever experienced.  

Do you remember your first kiss? If so, share the details! 
Well, first kiss ever?  Or first butterflies-in-the-stomach kiss?  I don't think I remember the former - I have some vague flashes - but I do remember the latter.  Boy, was that something.

Did you prefer to play inside or outside? 
I wasn't then and I'm not now, an outside girl.  Oh, I played outside when I was younger - climbed trees, rode bikes, swam in the pool, built forts with my brother - but I always preferred indoor stuff like reading, baking, crafts.  Unless of course, there was snow.  I loved being out in the snow.  Now that I think back, I should have learned to ski.

What was your favorite TV show growing up? 
I don't remember a specific favorite, but we watched The Waltons, Sanford & Son, The Jeffersons, Chico and The Man, The Rockford Files, Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Charlie's Angels, The Brady Bunch, Little House on the Prairie, The Bionic Woman....oh, the fun never ends.

Share one awesome childhood memory. 
Going on vacation to Whiteface Mountain located in the Adirondack Mountain Range in New York state.  It was the first time we ever stayed in a hotel for an extended period of time, and we went sightseeing and ate out at restaurants, and swam in the hotel pool, and I remember meeting another girl my age who was from Canada.  We exchanged addresses and the thing I remember most clearly about that, is the fact that she had a postal code - which had number and letters in it - instead of a zip code.  I'm pretty sure I thought she was giving me fake information.  It was also my first experience with someone from another country.  Great trip.

Bonus: Share a picture of yourself as a child.
Me and my brother.  Check out my trendy "shag" haircut.  I'm lovin' those mod pants. 

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2012: Hoochie Easter
2011: Make It Yourself Or Just Stay Home
2010: If It Walks Like A Duck…
2009: Pink In Tacoma
2008: Not The Kind Of Flower You Pick
2007: Exclusive Holiday Visitation
2006: Basket Of Knowledge
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

If You See One Of These, Please Follow Instructions

I can't tell you how many drivers will zip around our truck and a) get in front of us only to slow waaay down, b) get off an exit as if their ass were on fire, or c) cut their lane change so close that I can't see the back of their bumper.

What's with the death wish, people?  And where are you going in such a rush that you couldn't have just stayed behind me and get off the exit after I passed it?

I'll tell you what - I will call your plate in to the state police in a heartbeat if you put me in danger.  And don't think I can't see it - I have 20/15 vision and can probably see the number you're dialing on your phone. 

You really don't want your day ruined by getting a ticket, now do you?


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2012: Not A Deterrent
2011: Wooden You Love Some New Toys?
2010: In Truck Portrait
2009: Unwatchable
2008: Nesting
2007: The Quickest Way To Get Ready For A Nap
2006: One Stop Shopping
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Don't Let The Pretty Label Fool You

I love grocery stores that have international food sections.  Wegman's is great for this, as is Meijer, two of my favorites.  But recently when we were at a Kroger in Houston, I came across a pretty well-stocked international aisle.  And they had a Middle Eastern section, which is always awesome.

That's where I saw this:

Halal is an Arabic word meaning “lawful” or “permissible”.

Haram is an Arabic word meaning “prohibited” or “shameful”.

These terms not only cover food and drink, but also matters of daily life. When Halal is applied to food, it is used in regard to how the food is prepared and means that Muslims are allowed to eat it under Islamic dietary guidelines.

You will notice the can says Halal in the little circle on the upper right.  So it's approved for eating.  Why they'd want to eat it is another story. 

Here is the other side of the can, which I like better because it's graphically appealing with the black and white cow against the green background.  I also love the Arabic lettering.  

What caught my attention though, and the reason I took the picture, is because as soon as I saw the can I said to Ed, "Muslim SPAM?!  No way."  Because Muslims don't eat actual SPAM because it's made from ham, this faux SPAM is made from chicken and beef.  I'm sure it's still disgusting, because, well...it's chicken and beef in a can.  What more can be said?

It doesn't matter where you find it, which country makes it, or how you slice it...

SPAM is always Haram.



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2012: True Trucker Confession
2011: Spring Buds And An M3
2010: International Relations
2009: Waiting For The Storm IN Ohio
2008: Sprawl
2007: Moonlighting
2006: Spring Breath Escapes Through Two Lips
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Best Money Ever Spent

A few years ago, a reader from Kansas City, Missouri sent me this email:

How long have you driven? I found your link through another website and your blog looks very interesting.

I drove but it has been 16 years really thinking hard about getting back into it.

Right now I have an excellent job, pay and benefits but I am still not happy.

What do you feel are the benefits and down falls of driving?

Thank you for any input.

Brian

This is essentially what I told him:

On one hand, I think it's great that he has an excellent job, pay and benefits, but on the other hand, I hate to hear that he's unhappy. Not the "I hate to hear it" like I'm his best friend and I'm upset when he's upset kind of unhappy, but I think people really need to consider their DAILY happiness or feelings of content in their lives. And since a big part of people's lives is their job, it makes sense that to be happier, it would be best to be happy doing something you love (or at least like).

Some people need the security a "good job" offers them. I guess I'm just not one of those people. My cousin works for AT&T and has been with them almost 23 years. She hates every day of her life at work. Her boyfriend works for the city for about the same amount of time and isn't happy there either. But they're waiting until they can "have enough years in" to retire or whatever it is you do when you give your life to a corporation. Me? I've quit jobs on the second day because I didn't like the color of the walls in the office.   

That's not to say I'm flighty or irresponsible - I'm not. I've been working since thirteen, when I was the "water girl" at our family restaurant. I am reliable, on-time and competent; exceedingly better than average.  But I absolutely cannot spend my days in a place I hate. Or sit in an office and look at a pukey-green wall for eight hours a day. So if I'm in a job I don't like, I quit. Simple. In my opinion, there will always be jobs. There is always something I can do.  And if trucking didn't work out, I know I'd find a job tomorrow.

I don't think it's hard to determine I think this is a pretty great career choice. I make great money, I get to travel and see places I've never been before and that some people don't see in a lifetime, every day is different enough that I don't feel like I'm in a daily "grind" and I actually like it. Liking it might have a lot to do with the fact that I'm part of a team, because I don't know if I'd want to do this particular job (flat-bedding especially) by myself. If I didn't have Ed to do the heavy lifting and dirty work, I'd probably be pulling a van trailer if I stayed in trucking at all, but since we split our duties in a way that works for us, it works overall.

OK...so on to the pros and cons I see. Not all of them apply to me and right off the bat I see more benefits, but I've put some thought into it to see if I could come up with something that would be a down side. I also asked Ed, since he's been doing this for over seventeen years, much of it as a solo driver. Here we go...

PROS

An Unstructured Workday
This is not a nine-to-five gig. You might work days, nights or a combination. You may work six days straight and then have four days off. You might work around the clock and then do nothing for the next twenty-four hours. It's unpredictable and ever-changing. And I love that.

An Unstructured Work Environment
With this job, you have the best office window in the world. At daybreak, you might pick up a load in Louisville, KY and be in Pensacola, FL to see the sunset. You may deliver a load wearing jeans, boots and a parka one day and the next, be somewhere that requires changing into shorts and flip-flops. There is always something to see as the hours pass. The cornfields, farms and cows of Iowa. The cactus, sand dunes and sunshine of the Southwest. The pine trees, rocky coastline and moose in Maine. It's always different. And if you go to Canada, look out - a whole new set of things to look at.

No boss
This is not entirely true if you're working for a company, because you will have a dispatcher. I never worked for a company, so I can't tell you from experience what this is like, but Ed has. And he says that sometimes, they are real assholes. BUT....even though they're calling you to find out where you are every second of the day or making your delivery appointments, they're still not looking over your shoulder as you work on your computer. They still don't see you walk in the door ten minutes late because you stopped for Starbucks. In a sense, it's like when your boss is out of the office for the day - you still do your work, but it's a bit more enjoyable. As an owner-operator, your freedom increases exponentially. You are leased to a company, but you're essentially independent. You can take the loads you want and decline the ones you don't. You pick where you want to go and you have control over the amount of revenue you make. If you are a person who can be a self-starter and you think you're competent to go this route, it's something to work towards.

Freedom
This is sort of mentioned in the last point, but there really is a sense of freedom out here. There is a lot of time to think, to read, to write, to play video games, to jog, to shop, to eat, to watch movies, to talk on the phone, to catch the game on TV, whatever. Your time is your time. Yes, you’re going to be pushed to get your loads delivered and if you’re reliable and conscientious, that shouldn’t be a problem, but you will have down time and you can use it however you’d like. In addition to the freedom, my favorite part of the job is…

Travel
This job offers travel opportunities that the majority of other jobs do not. Unless you’re a traveling rep for a company, an airline industry employee (pilot/steward/etc.), or a tour bus driver, I can’t imagine a job that allows you to see so many places in such a short amount of time. In the first year I was on the road, I went to 49 states. Of course, you can’t drive to Hawaii, but we did drive to Alaska. I’ve also been to 11 of the 13 Canadian Provinces and Territories – including Newfoundland, which required an 8-hour ferry ride across the North Atlantic. It was more than awesome. If you have an interest and you want to see these places, there are ways to make it happen.

I have an interest in travel, photography, writing and eating…and I do it everywhere I go. I love to try new restaurants (especially if I’ve read about them in magazines or seen them on TV) and I love to take pictures of places I’ve been. I can do that abundantly out here. Ed and I are not your regular truck drivers. We aren’t content sitting in a shipper’s parking lot all day. We don’t sit around the driver’s lounge smoking cigarettes and watching re-runs of movies on TNT while waiting on our next load. We find ways to explore. We’ve gotten our truck into more tight spaces (thanks to Ed’s superb driving skill) than I can count. We’ve done everything from windsurfing in South Padre Island, Texas to eating ice cream at the Ben & Jerry’s headquarters in Waterbury, Vermont. This job is what you make it.

Compensation
This job provides us, as a team, with a great deal of money. Solos make good money too, especially once they learn the ropes. And although money is the reason most of us work, what’s even more important than money, in terms of compensation, is what else you get with the job. Which are of the things I outlined above, and more. It’s not just a way to put money in your pocket. It’s not just a way to pay the bills. It’s the experiences that are the payment. The memories you make and the knowledge you gain. I feel the overall compensation is worth any downfalls I may encounter.

Which brings me to the other side of the coin…

CONS

Being away from family
Although this is not an issue for me since I don’t have kids, pets or houseplants and I travel with my boyfriend, I do hear that this is a bit of a problem for other drivers. Long haul will take you away from home sometimes for weeks at a time. You might be able to do something local or regional to stay closer to home, but you’d have to look into the options in your area. I can’t give you any input on how people handle this because I don’t really know anyone’s intimate details about how this job can cause family issues.  If you have to juggle family life and work life, you need to talk to everyone involved to make sure they'll be comfortable with what the job requirements are. 

Being The Newbie
Often, as you’re learning, companies can take advantage of you.  They make you sit in a dock all day and then expect you to drive, with no consideration for your Hours of Service.  They send you all over the place, jerk you around, etc.  They push your limits and your buttons.  It does and will happen.  But if you're prepared for it, perhaps you'll be able to handle it a little better than most.   

Unethical Business Practices
This goes along with the newbie thing too.  Just like those buzzards in the photo above, these people will eat you alive if they can.  Many agents and dispatchers will try to pull stuff on new drivers.  Hell, they do it to drivers who have been out here for years.  Time served doesn't mean you don't get taken advantage of.  But if you make an effort to learn, talk to other drivers, read publications that advocate for the driver, and realize what your worth is (time and money), there is less of a chance they can screw you.

Danger
It probably goes without saying that if you drive 150,000 miles a year, the chances of being in danger increase. Accidents, natural disasters, unfortunate situations that wouldn’t happen at home. You really do put your life on the line everyday on the highway. People are idiots and driving is dangerous. You can only do your best to stay safe; run safe and up-to-date equipment and be extremely conscious of what you’re doing while behind the wheel.

Health
The life expectancy of a truck driver is 61 years old.  That number is eye-opening.  The stress out here can be high, heart attacks are definitely a concern and forget about eating habits – they usually go down the drain. I’ve always been overweight - plus-sized, on the big side, plump - my entire life, but since I’ve been on the road, I've put on more weight and now I’m just flat out fat. BUT, I did recently lose weight and Ed and I have been eating better, so maybe both of us can lose some.  Even though we have a kitchen in the truck, it's very easy to fall into the fast food and snack trap. It is possible to eat well and even get some exercise in, but you have to be diligent about it.

This is by no means a complete list, and the guy I sent the email to had driven before, so he did have some idea of what he'd be getting back into, but things have changed quite a bit in sixteen years. The internet is available everywhere which makes it easier for people to stay in touch, pay bills on line, read the news, watch movies, and do so many other things.  Trucks and trailers are built with comfort of the driver in mind, the truckstops are more on the “travel center” side, and many locations are lot-lizard free….or at least less infested.

From several things I've read online lately, it seems I'm in the minority not only by loving this job, but by thinking it's a good opportunity for someone to have an interesting work life.  A friend of mine said this job is a great semi-retirement plan.  I agree.  But you don't have to be pre-retirement age to do it.  You can be young and get a lot out of it.  If you don't believe me, take some time to look through the 2,875 blog posts I've done.

Or go to school, get a CDL, and start having your own over-the-road experiences.  It may just be the most bang you've ever gotten for your buck.

It was for me.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2012: Hip In Texas
2011: My Beaver, My Rules
2010: Don’t Forget The Alamo!
2009: Straight Out Of The Box
2008: Unreal Ideal
2007: Stealing Isn’t Always A Bad Thing
2006: 04 05 06
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

My Small Recipe For Success

In a recent post, a reader who has a tiny house and is looking for ideas for her home, asked me about what kind of oven/stove I have in the truck and whether it was electric or propane - everything is electric, by the way, since we can't carry propane - which gave me the idea to do a post about what I use to cook in my small space.  Warning - lots of product links coming at ya!

The kitchen in the truck has the basics you'd find in a small RV - a good sized fridge, a microwave convection oven, a two-burner stovetop and a sink.  I also have a decent amount of counter space, but one can always use more of that.  

In my cabinets, I have a six-quart pasta pot, a steamer basket, two saucepans, a large and small skillet, stainless steel bowls, a hand mixer, a small blender, a mandolin and an awesome collapsible colander.  I have enough plates, bowls, glasses, mugs and silverware to serve four people.  I have enough paper plates, bowls, and plastic utensils to serve many times that - in fact, I once served ten truckers pasta with a side of garlic toast points from the back door of my truck.

The top drawer in the kitchen is stuffed with essentials.  I have several knives (chef's, paring, boning, serrated, steak), silicone utensils for my non-stick pans, wooden spoons (I love wooden spoons!), rubber spatulas, chopsticks, salad tongs, a knife sharpener, a meat thermometer, a small and large whisk, a microplane zester, and a real ice pick that one of my readers sent me (thanks, Gil!).

I even once had an espresso machine but couldn't justify the space it was taking up when I didn't use it as often as I thought I would, so I brought it home.  Now when I have the urge for frothy milk in my espresso, I use one of these. 

Along with all the accoutrements I have available to me, the following are the items I use most for the actual cooking I do.  Because the two burner stove isn't big enough for my largest skillet and another pot at the same time, I often use this electric skillet instead.

This thing is awesome.  In fact, I'd rather use it than the stove burners.  I can make most anything in this, and I have; chicken cutlets, fried eggplant, chili, stir-fry, grilled cheese, pancakes, eggs, marinara sauce, pork chops, you name it.  It's extremely versatile and I'd never be able to function without it.

The second item, one I use daily, is my electric kettle.  

It heats water instantly and is perfect for the obvious - tea, coffee, instant oatmeal - but it's also great to boil water for couscous, rice, and in a pinch when I don't have time to make them from scratch, instant mashed potatoes.

The biggest appliance in the kitchen is the Sharp Convection Microwave oven.  It does everything a microwave does, so that's convenient, but it's also a convection oven.  I'd never used a convection oven before - which works by circulating hot air - so I thought there'd be some getting used to it, but I found it very easy to use.  This might have something to do with the fact that I don't follow recipes and usually just wing temperature and cooking times.  Although, I do follow directions when I bake and haven't had any problems there.

I've made amazing pork loin, roast chicken, lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, baked scallops, pizza, even grilled ribeye steak - although, I won't be doing that again since the cleanup wasn't at all worth it.  The interior of the oven also serves as my bread bin - I keep a box in there with at least three different types of bread at all times.  You learn these space saving tips when you're short on, well...space.

I actually find it very easy to cook in my small space. I do wish I had a dishwasher since I hate the cleanup part, and I could use a smidge more counter space, but overall it works.

My pantry is stocked - olive oil, balsamic glaze, garlic, rice, McCann's Steel Cut Oats, kidney beans, sugar, pasta, chicken and beef stock (no, I don't make it from scratch - how much freakin' time do you think I have??), flour, breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, slivered almonds, whole pecans and chopped walnuts, toasted coconut flakes, honey, vanilla, saltine crackers, salad croutons, at least twenty different spices - the list goes on. 

The only problem I find in the truck, is that I don't have space for as much as I'd like to have, but I also find it hard to keep things like fresh herbs because I never use enough of them cooking for just the two of us.  And I can't make too much because my freezer, when it's full of food, doesn't have enough room for me to freeze many leftovers.

Even with the limitations, I've managed to turn out some pretty decent meals for Ed and I (and guests!) and will keep shopping the country for the best food I can find in the stores I love most, and hit the farm stands in the summer and fall, buying up the best of whatever's in season.

If I ever get into a place with a kitchen bigger than this one, it'll feel like I'm cooking in Ina’s house - which would be the dream of all dreams - and if I can rock it from this pint-sized cookhouse, imagine what I can do there.

 

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2012: This Song Would Get ME In For A Nap
2011: That Truck Driving Woman
2010: Spring Blooms
2009: Petal Tips Of Spring And A New Life
2008: Eddie In Hawaiian Garb Friday
2007: New Floridork?
2006: Boogie Down Bronx
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Morning Long Haul

I took this photo yesterday morning as the sun rose in Texas.  

I love the hazy hills in the background, the flowers in the foreground, the 18-wheeler heading somewhere just like me, and the sun trying to break through the clouds.

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2012: Passing A DOT Physical Has Never Been So Harrowing
2011: I’d Like To Make A Toast
2010: Where Good Breeding Gets You
2009: Eddie At The Glacier Friday
2008: When Having A UTI Is A Cause For Celebration
2007: They Should Give Academy Awards For Good Hair
2006: One, Two, Three, Floor
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Multi-Level Fun And Games

Golf driving range in Houston, Texas.

Oh, and pricing? 

It includes unlimited balls.


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2012: Sign Of Spring
2011: ¡Buen Provecho!
2010: My Heart Melts For That Glorious Melting Pot
2009: E Pluribus Unum
2008: The Dance In Their Heads, Hands And Feet
2007: The Love Buffet
2006: Whadya Think This Is, The Waldorf?
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Getting One Answer Right Seems To Be Good Enough

This was our load to California - one stack of six wooden pallets.  Ed threw three straps over them and we were on our way.

We were moving these for a large, international company and they paid a LOT of money to get these things out there and back in record time.  Frankly, I don't know why they couldn't find a place out in California to build these rather than having them trucked out there, but I'm not complaining.  As long as we're moving them, I think it's an excellent idea that they cough up the dough to get 'em there fast.

We brought them to a building literally in the middle of nowhere, surrounded completely by fruit and nut trees, and vineyards.  We got there in the middle of the night, in the rain.  It was a little creepy.  And we think there was only one guy working in the gigantic ghost town of a building.  Which was even creepier.

They took the six pallets off, and while we slept, assembled them into some other configuration before putting them back on the trailer and essentially patting our asses and saying, "OK, you're good.  Off you go now."

And off we went.

I'm serious folks, half the time I have no idea what we're hauling.  So much so that I have to check the bill of lading when border patrol asks me what I have on the truck.

"Uh....hold on a second....um, I think it's....I don't know, wood pallet thingies?"

"OK, ma'am.  Have a nice night."

Thankfully, I know the answer to how many people are in the truck.



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2012: Span Of Blue
2011: Why Don’t Lobsters Have Two Tails??
2010: Ramp It Up
2009: Shouting From The Rooftops
2008: View From Fifteen
2007: The Sun Before The Storm
2006: This Is No Joke
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!