GrannyJ’s

It's been a a while since I've posted, kind of looks like it's been a bit since a LOT of people have posted something recent. Gina, where are you?

Met with my Best Friend Forever (Skyrat (Gina)) about a week ago and golly gee, did the time pass way too fast. It had been several years since we eyeballed each other, so the getting together was GREAT!! She's having a time with the big "C", but you know... she's never been one to let things get her down and so with that said, I admire her courage for hanging in there during this bump in the road.

Sometimes I ask myself, how I'd be able to deal with what she's going through and even though I've had a "small" part of the "C", I can't imagine having to go through what she has... and currently is. You know, call it gutless, chicken, lazy or whatever, but I would have crumbled long ago. That just goes to show you the stamina Gina has.

Anyway, better half and I have been to California (again), Georgia, Chicago, Wisconsin, and all States in between. It's been a long run/ride, but hey... at this day and time, I'm happy there's work/a job out there. Seems like the economy skips along, doing fairly good and then the bottom falls out of everything. Not sure it's the economy or the people in that big house on the hill, causing the problem, but hope it gets "nipped in the bud" and SOON!

Or well the wedding is over and thank goodness. 

Newlyweds

Everyone enjoyed the food, music and dancing. Granddaughter (10 yrs old) caught the bouquet, grandson (5 yrs old) caught the garter. Thank goodness they are still young, this old couple can't do another wedding for a long while. LOL It was really funny when grandson caught the garter, he stood there, caught it and then didn't know what to do with it, so just dropped it to the floor. Everyone just laughed, then this little girl ran over and grabbed it up, but gave it back to grandson. It was one of those Kodak moments and indeed priceless!

We have been busy with the herd of cows, working them, making steers out of the bull calves and putting up an electric fence, in every spare moment we have at home. Sure makes a difference when there's so much stuff to do and not much time off before it's time to get things ready for the next week on the road.

Was scheduled to go to Georgia, but that got canceled in a hurry, what with all the flooding and such. As a matter of fact, the major company we deliver to, called dispatch and told them to wait until next week.

Brother in Law had an accident while operating an 18-wheeler. 

Crash

Totaled out the tractor and trailer, front wheel went off the pavement where road construction was going on (one lane only - head to head traffic) and the load (bars of lead) shifted, causing the trailer to roll and the rest is history. BIL didn't get a scrape or scratch, not even a bruise and no broken windows in the tractor, but a tree will have to be pried from the grill before the tractor can be uprighted. Soft shoulder (muddy as hell) from all the rain. Happened on I-64 in Indiana, not far from Evansville. Anyway, BIL is no longer employed with company, insurance said they can't cover him as unfortunately this wasn't the first accident he's had. And life goes on, but sure gives one a wake up call! Like for instance, what better half and I would do if he lost his job????? Not quite to that retirement/draw social security age, too old to find much of anything else and unable to be on my feet for any period of time.

Well it's time to hit the bed, catch a few winks and up at 4:00 in the morning, to start the day. Have to be on the other side of St. Louis by 7:00 and it seems EVERYBODY starts crawling out of the woodwork early.

Hey Skyrat (Gina), LYGF... have a great week, HAPPY BIRTHDAY once again and I can't wait to see you next month!!

Which relative - dead or alive - do you wish you knew better?

My Grandpa on my Dad's side of the family.

When I was small I lived with Granny and Grandpa was the best, he was a carpenter by trade and was always making things, things like wooden toys to play with or letting me help him clean up the tools before he put them in his tool chest. He was working in St. Louis and just got his paycheck, some low life's mugged him, beat him to death. I still think about him and would really enjoy getting to know him better.

Out over 2 weeks this time and doggone glad to be home. It was come home or go nekkid, so we opted to come home so we wouldn't have everyone in sight, running for the hills. LOL

We've been to Georgia again, then to Florida, where we had to sit a whole day to get something besides a reefer (fresh fruits & veggies) load out. Better half's company doesn't pull reefers. Then it was hurry up and head to Kentucky from Florida, with paper products to deliver. In Kentucky we hit 3 different distillery's to pick up various bottles of liquor... mostly whiskey & scotch. From KY, off to Coon Rapids, Minnesota to deliver the booze and pick up a shipment about 50 miles away, going to the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland, OH. It's top secret, so I can't tell you what it was, but just think large bills, very high security,(a dozen or more guards with guns, tasers, mace & billy clubs). After what seemed forever getting that "top secret load" unloaded, we're on the road again and about 18 minutes later, we're loading in Bedford, Ohio and headed to St. Louis, Missouri. From STL we're off to St. James, MO, park the rig, unload our mess of stuff into the car and it's homeward bound. Logged nearly 4,000 miles and absolutely dead tired. Off for one day and then back for 2 more and "SUPPOSE" to be off Saturday, but we'll see. Better half's dispatcher could nuck up an anvil with a rubber hammer, ya know what I mean?

Oldest son, wife & g-babies, made it back from Colorado, boasting of a fabulous time and they can't wait to go back. Daughter-in-law is already planning their next year trip. LOL I think they logged a little over 3,000 miles in the week they were gone and yes... they were bone tired when they arrived home. Youngest G-daughter (she's 4) got sick the last day, turned out to be a case of tonsilitis. She's doing good now, wouldn't know anything had happened, but she may have to have her tonsils removed, if they keep flaring up every time the wind changes direction.

Not much going on today... seems odd to be home a day through the week, feel like I'm doing something wrong. Leave out tomorrow for Chicago (hate that place) and then to Shawnee Mission, KS.  Need to start a load of laundry and unload the dishwasher, so it will be ready to "push the magic button" tomorrow morning before we leave. Better half has this "THING" about running the dishwasher or the washer while he's trying to relax/sleep. So...

Have a great week! Big shout out to my BFF (Gina) and her daughter. You both take care and I'm thinking about y'all.

It's been a few, haven't been home all that much to be able to piddle on the puter. We've been running back and forth to Chicago the past couple of weeks. Seriously, I think we burned the candle at both ends. LOL

Leaving tomorrow morning early, headed for Georgia with a load for a Pet Smart distribution center in Newnan. From there we head toward Mobile and pick up a load which comes back to Wally World distribution in St. James, MO. Those long hauls are sometimes tiring and you wonder how you can possibly squeeze beaucoup miles into only eleven hours of driving, but by golly with an atlas beside me, a big eraser on the end of my pencil and the grace of God, we (better half} pulls it off. Besides those long hauls pay better than the short ones and you drop a load, pick up a load and your week is nearly over. :-)

Our oldest and his little family left yesterday for Colorado on vacation. I do envy them as I love Colorado so much and the sheer thought of someone in the family going and I'm not... is killing me. Better half and I went there on our vacation, but it was such a hurry up time, we didn't have time to sight see. *sigh* Anyway, daughter-in-law emailed today and said they were really enjoying things and the G-babies (ages 9, 5 & 4) were living it up in the swimming pool. She mentioned that the oldest kid (our son) is worse than the G-babies when it comes time to get in the pool and does all that stuff that the G-babies have been told NOT to do. LOL This is the first time they've ventued this far pulling the camper behind them. Son just traded for a 2007 Dodge 4 x 4 dually. It has 4 full doors and lots of room for the G-babies to sit too and it's a diesel so might save them a little on the fuel?  The camper will most definitely save them motel & food expense. They love camping out under the stars, but thought it might be best to have the camper on this trip instead of the tents they usually use. Suffice to say that with her emailing updates and such, I kind of feel like I'm along with them. Every place they've been to so far, I've been to once or ten times. lol

It has rained so much lately, everything is pretty green, but doggone if we don't need a break for a while. It seems that every weekend when we're home and can relax watching the one eyed demon (television), the storms roll in and need I tell you what a storm does to a satellite dish. Yeah... knocks it for a loop, just when you're to the part of a mystery show, their hands on the door knob, ready to turn open the door and expose who's been doing all the bad stuff and bam! The satellite goes out! Grrrrr! We lead such an exciting life, always trucking and when we are home, it's cleaning house for me, working in the yard for better half and when those things are done, he goes in the guest room and watches something he likes on TV and I sit in the living room watching something I like. Exciting? Oh you know it. We usually say to each other that we live to eat and watch TV. LOL

One of our Wally Worlds caught on fire yesterday. http://www.therolladailynews.com/news/x931238853/Rolla-Walmart-roof-burns

Yeah, that's excitement for our neck of the woods, sad as it is. Glad no one was hurt and I'm sure WalMart will recoup their loss of business for those few hours, in no time.

Well suppose I need to give it up here and finish up the unending paperwork. Really, there is no end to it and I need to try and squeeze in some toll rates at the right time and crossing the D.O.T. scales at the right time too. Doggone those things, popping up in there when we're not driving. Ha Ha!

Big shout out to my BFF (Gina), hope the breathing keeps getting better for you. Cytoxan, reminds me of men (in general)... you can't live with them, you can't live without them. LMAO!Take care Gina, thinking about you. ((hugs))
 

If you had to give up either email or the telephone for the rest of your life, which one would your forgo?

I don't want to have to think about giving up either one, but if I simply HAD TO, I'd have to say email. I could talk to the people on the phone that I now email with, I can also play games on my (cell) phone while better half is driving down the highway and breaks the boring routine of going over the same stretch of highway time and again. Also with my (cell) phone I can be on the Internet, take pictures, etc. Yep, I'd have to say email. :0

Loathes...

• doing a weeks worth of laundry at one time
  
• getting things ready for another week out on the road
• pesky flies that sneak into the house
  
• people who cannot take "NO" for an answer
• way too much attention given to a certain celebrity
  

Loves...

• comfort of air conditioning
• my garden sized bath tub
• fresh mopped/vacuumed floors
  
• crisp lettuce from the garden
• help with household chores from better half
  

3,771 miles later... we are HOME!!! I can't begin to tell you how glad I was to see our hometown sign. Never thought I'd actually say that, much less think it. LOL

Riding in an 18 wheeler really does a number on the old body, in more ways than one. You can't walk around too much, so you start getting leg cramps. You have very little leg room to actually stretch out, so you end up getting a charley horse here and there and you literally feel every bump in the road. Sometimes I'll be in the sleeper, as better half drives down the highway and he hits a pot hole or something (no choice to avoid it with the 4 wheelers so nice to get the heck out of the way) and I tell you what, it feels like we're in the ditch or driving on some back road in the country. Quite a ride and especially when I'm trying to grab some much needed Z's. I mean after all a girl needs her beauty sleep, right? *grins*

Left on Monday afternoon, after hooking up, fueling up and weighing out and stopped in Hinton, Oklahoma the first night. Wasn't much to choose from but a LOVE'S Truck Stop, so be it. Off Tuesday morning driving to Milan, NM and yet another LOVE'S Truck Stop, but hey... they do have a ladies room and a place to eat.

Wednesday it's our 31st Anniversary, we share hugs and smoochies and then off we drive to Gallup, NM to fuel up. Guess where? Come on, did you guess? Did you? If you said LOVE'S, "Ding-ding-ding" you win the cupie doll. LOL We went in and ordered a Subway sandwich for brunch (breakfast/lunch). Big celebration for us, don't you think? LOL Then on to Kingman, AZ where we have to get the truck washed before we cross into California. The D.O.T. seems to frown about a dirty, dusty truck at the border, when you cross the scales and are more apt to pull you in and do a thorough inspection, (and will most ALWAYS find something wrong) just because you're carrying dust bunnies with you. *chortles* Well... $75 later, truck and trailer is squeaky clean and we motor on a few miles to Lake Havasu, AZ for the night at a... did you guess already? LOVE'S Truck Stop. Gotta love them LOVE'S!

Thursday we're off and arrived in Los Angeles around noon (our time). What a mess LA is in, so much construction going on and it nearly made you want to scream. Also, way too many people on the freeway especially with no right turns on red, no truck lanes on most of the streets we had to go down to get to our destination either. Our load didn't unload until Friday morning, but we wanted to make sure we knew where we were going.

Up early Friday morning to deliver our precious cargo (dog food) and when we arrive, we're told it might be awhile before we're unloaded, a conveyor belt broke which caused a back up on unloading.*rolls eyes*  I can tell you many different places I'd rather be than sitting in the middle of Los Angeles in an 18 wheeler. About 4 hours later, we're off to reload in Banning, CA (paperback and hard back books) weighed out in Colton, CA and finally headed out of the Golden State.

Stopped in Seligman, AZ Friday night (and not a LOVE's). Saturday around noon we crossed into New Mexico, stopping for fuel in Tucumcari and driving on into Texas, stopping in Panhandle for the night. 699 miles Saturday and seriously I think better half and myself felt every single mile in our body in some way or form.

Sunday morning, leaving Texas behind, entering Oklahoma and stopping in Oklahoma City at a LOVE'S for fuel. Turnpike (Turner) time and $14.25 less, we enter Kansas. Spent the night in Independence, KS... about 20 miles from Coffeyville, because no where around Coffeyville for a big truck to park overnight.

Monday morning, off to Amazon.com distribution center in Coffeyville, KS with the load of books. Unloaded around noon and dispatched to Georgia Pacific in Muskogee, OK (paper towels, bathroom tissue and napkins). From there we're off to Salem, MO to drop the load, drive back to the yard and then... praise be... home sweet home.

Have done laundry out my A double S and seriously didn't realize better half or myself had so many clothes. LOL Have dirty dishes and whoa is me, cry me a river... have to clean out the dishwasher before I can put any dirty ones in it. Son and his fiancee stayed at our house last week. They clean up after themselves, but for some reason will not load or unload the dishwasher. Hmm?

BTW, while we were in California, we saw large bunches of people all hoping to see/find out something/or whatever about Michael Jackson. Was never so glad to get out of that area in my life. We did get to see some fireworks going off in Panhandle, Tx for the 4th, so it wasn't all bad. 

Took a few pictures, will share later, haven't put them out of the digi cam into the PC yet. Need to go do laundry and maybe will find something to eat so I can take my Rx's. Ah yes... Home Sweet Home for a couple of days.

The one industry we had is now shut down, sent the trade to china, everyone with a decent job, drives 20 or more miles. Nothing for kids to do to stay out of trouble.No clothing or shoe shops and no McDonalds. LOL