Web-blog Problems OR Days at Home

How are ya?!!

I've been doing GREAT! I had a run out Sat night with a great driver. We got the job done and home by bathtime Sunday night. Put the girls to bed - enjoyed an evening with Doreen and crashed myself. I've been home ever since. I'll probably be headed out tonight, but it's been great being home - helping to get errands done, getting small things done at home etc. I'm gonna like'a this'a new job! :)

My mother-in-law, got her casts off yesterday. It is a HUGE relief for her. She's got a little more movement and independence now. She's got splints on both arms - but they're removeable - so she can shower completely now.

Took the girls to Chuck 'E Cheeze last night. They'd been wanting to go and it has been quite a while - so we all went there after the Dr appointment. They had a blast - and so did the adults as well! :)

I don't know if you all are having a problem seeing my web-blog. Every time I pull the page up all I see is the background. Odd!

I've not changed anything - I hope it still works!

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

Truly Thankful and Stuff

Well - Thanksgiving has come and gone once again. My how time flies. Interesting - I just skimmed through my journal pages from a year ago. Wow - lots going on, our first Geocache found, the beginning of 'hatred' of my former job, a fun family visit and dealing with colds. I probably wouldn't have remembered a quarter of what I journaled. It's nice to be able to go back and read through that stuff and remember the good and the bad.

This year we had a GREAT thanksgiving. We had my in-laws and Doreen's great grandma over for a meal and everyone pitched in so one person didn't have to do it all - that's truly nice! It was delicious (2 pumpkin pies, one apple pie, [fake] turkey and stuffing dish, peas, cranberry sauce, real mashed potatoes and cider - I'm getting hungry again thinking about it! **GRIN**) and the company was great.

Got to watch some football - Go Broncos - beating Dallas in overtime, barely. But a win is a win! :) Just got to be a bit sharper!

Today we lazed around a bit. We put up our Christmas stuff. Ate at our favorite restaurant in Collegedale, Raphaels. (They make a mean pizza and some great sandwiches and stuff. Good grub for a very fair price. It ain't Taco Bell $$$'s - but it ain't TGI Friday's $$$'s either.)

Got back and Doreen and her Dad began painting a primer coat on the garage interior. The sheetrock is hung and the mud dried and sanded - we're trying to get the place done. I stayed outside with the blower and pushed leaves out of the flowerbeds and driveway into a pile and outta the way. Got a LOT more to do - but it's looking better. Much, MUCH better. We actually have a driveway now, that's visible!

In our prayer at our Thanksgiving meal we all went around and said what we were Thankful for. It was cute, Joelle said, "And Jesus I'm thankful that it's Christmas time." She just LOVES this season and thoroughly enjoyed putting up our tree today. She loves it all!

I am extremely thankful for my new job. It's been a challenge to learn - but I'm getting the hang of it and love having NO stress. My last trip out was not the best - but compared to what I was dealing with before - well - this is just a snack cake! :)

I thoroughly enjoyed driving out Tuesday night. I mean after the fireworks. I had called in at 3pm and the voice express said I was headed out at 6:30a on Wed. to Georgia. Cool I thought. Then while making my lunch for the next day, I decide to catch my log book up in prep for the next day and so at 8:20p I call voicemail to get all the info on the voicemail and hear that my load leaves out Tuesday at 9p headed for Hickory, NC. WHAT??!!! (Later on I found out the key for not letting that happen again! GRIN) So I rush around get stuff together and hustle to work to get there with a bit of time to spare.

As I was headed out of Atlanta on highway 85 and getting out into nowheresville, GA I was watching the stars a bit as I drove - got to see about 6 shooting stars. Very AWESOME!

When we got back Thursday morning - it was 3 am and we were the last truck, and I do mean last truck in before the entire Bakery shut down for the holiday. We had a mechanic and a coordinator waiting our arrival so we and they could wrap everything up. I hated being the last in - especially since we could have been in much, MUCH earlier, but that's another story for another time. :) But I guess someone's got to be last in. It was cool seing the entire trucking lot full to overflowing. Tractors were parked 4 deep in the lot. Every trailer parking space was filled - all the docks had trailers. They're gonna have to get some more space if they intend to continue to expand the fleet! :) It's mondo crowded.

Found out one other bit of .news that's interesting. Little Debbie is teaming up with the Wood Brothers in NASCAR to sponser 19 races as the primary sponsor of the #21 Ford. (I'm disappointed it's a Ford, but beggers can't be choosers.) That is just awesome to me. I wish I could drive the Transport - but that's probably out. Oh well - I just have to pull for Kenny Schrader to win some races with Little Debbie on the hood.

Well, I head out Saturday night at 11:30p for a 650 mile KY run. On stop in TN, 3 in VA and one in KY before getting back home. Looking foward to it.

You all have a "Happy Thanksgiving" weekend!

Blessings all!!!

Introducing...

Here's the latest 'Pester-vehicle' family memeber. :) Goldie! Gotta take it in to the shop for a few small things - but it'll be a good replacement for Iggy! :)

Yeeee Haawwwww

In a recent "Bubbie Box" Joelle found this pair of boots and she absolutely loves them. She's my little cowgirl and very, VERY precious! :)

Latest Pester News Flash...

A TRAINEE NO MORE...
As of Thursday morning at 5am (my last time at work) I have been released to the fleet. I am no longer in training and I'm ready to rock and roll. Or just drive and toss cookies - whichever! :) The interesting thing is that I ran into the other 'trainee' coming back from a trip at the exact same time. We both pulled up to the fuel islands and unloaded our rollers, fueled and cleaned the trucks simultaneously and chatted. He's headed out with another trainer next week. I wished him well! (Didn't tell him I'd been released from training.)

So I called in at 5p tonight and my first official trip as a full-fledged (but still gots lots and lots and lots to learn) LD driver is to Lima, OH. 1,100 mile round-trip run with 4 stops (cities), and a bunch of cases of snack cakes to toss, and a back haul to bring back to the bakery. I leave out at 8am Sunday. Should be good - I hope! :)

IGGY PUT OUT TO PASTURE (OR UP FOR SALE)...
So this afternoon the family and I drive up to Madisonville to meet with the in-laws for a bit and to pick up a new pick up. (Sorry no photos yet.) Iggy has some serious things going wrong with it and it'll take some serious money to just keep it running in the near future - so we decided to try and sell it. Well, since our land sold (hoping to close before Thanksgiving, but if not definetly after!!!) we're paying off our car and our loan and a couple of other small things, we had enough left to get a nice used vehicle. Larry found a great 1999 Ford Ranger with the extended cab - so the girls 'can' sit in the back for short trips! :) It's even got the 1/2 doors on it to get in and out thatta way. It's gold and in very, VERY good shape with the 6 cyl and auto tranny. We picked it up for a steal - cuz of the high gas prices people are sellin their big SUV's and these little things are becoming in much more high demand. We made an offer yesterday and last night the owner when to another auction and came back and Larry overheard this morning, while he was having them get the paperwork together for us to come up and sign, him saying to a salesman that if this little gold pickup deal falls through to raise the price cuz he can't get them for the price he used to get 'em.
Cool - talk about timing! :)

3 YEAR OLD PICS...
Took Natalie to the photo place to get her three year old pics today. It didn't go very bad - but it didn't go good either. We couldn't get the girls to 'smile pretty." Either Natalie didn't feel like smiling or she'd put this face smile one that looked more like a grimace. Joelle was trying but the smile she'd put on just looked fake - so we labored our way through 7 poses and picked out the best. Ahh - to have that done! :) I'll post a couple when we get 'em back the first part of Dec.

THANKSGIVING PLANS...
Every driver (300+) in at the Collegedale Bakery will be home for Thanksgiving. For that I am thankful! :) I may get in late Wed or early Thur morning but no matter because no one will have to go out again until Sat night after Thanksgiving. Pretty cool.

We're going to have my in-laws down from Madisonville and Doreen's grandma up from Wildwood. Should be an enjoyable time! What are your Thanksgiving plans?

TURNED COLD...
Last Mon on a trip I was on, I was in shorts and t-shirt. Thur Morning when I was getting home from my 2nd trip of the week we got out at the fuel islands and it was COLD. 30 something. COLD I tell ya! (I had long pants and a jacket on.) Aye, yai yai. Today was cold and I've got a feeling that it's just gonna stay cold. Old Man winter has come to stay!

It feels good though cuz this summer was a SCORCHER - so a bit of cold to off set it does feel good. Just as long as it doesn't get tooooo cold! :)

FORGOTTEN TOPIC...
Awww shucks - I had one more topic I was gonna write about, but forgot what it is. Dagnabbit! Oh well - it'll give me another reason to write another page another time!

Have a great weekend.

3 Yr Check-up OR Going... Going... Gone!!!

Doreen took Natalie to her 3 year old check-up today. She is a perfect specimine of health! :) Not to mention she's cute as a button as well. At the last checkup she was growing like a weed, this check-up has her growing at an average rate. Which is good. I don't want her growing up to fast because except for some very whining moments - she's incredibly cute! She did great today at the Ped. He 'stuck' her finger for a blood test, she was brave and didn't even cry. Precious! She and Joelle are growing up so fast - I can hardly believe it. I'll have to post a photo soon, but in the most recent Bubbie-Box (A box my grandma sends with all sorts of clothes, shoes and goodies) Joelle found a pair of cowgirl boots that fit her perfect. She's been wearing those things everywhere!



Friday while were headed up to Dollywood, we got a call from our realitor who has been trying to sell our 3 acres in Vonore. We'd gotten an offer. He offered nearly $5,000 under our asking price. NO WAY. So we countered and faxed the offer that evening. Monday I called to find out what happened with our counter offer. Turns out I ended up talking with the owner of the realistate company and she tells me
that she told the realitor to hold off on the counter offer for the moment because someone else has entered the bidding fray. Hallelujah - two someones are interested in our property. The 1st countered to $3,000 of the asking price - but the 2nd person offers to pay full price if we'll pay all closing costs. So we counter with $1,000 less than the original asking price offer and they cover their own closing costs. They accept and put down $1,000 earnest money. Oh yeah! Now we can pay off that land and our car and then dig our vehicle maintenance column in our budget out of the hole. Thank the Lord!


So my two runs this week were/are leave out Mon night at 7p and deliver to 11 doors in 4 cities and then back home by 11a on Tue, then leave out at 1p on Wed run to SC and E GA and then back home by early, early morning on Thur. That's my week. Turns out every week I'll handle almost almost 80,000 lbs of product and rollers per week. No worries though mate - no stress, no stupid boss, just drive, relocate snack cakes and sleep and home with family! Ahhh - now this is the life! :)


C Ya Later!

How Much is this Blog Worth???

My blog is worth $1,693.62.
How much is your blog worth?

Dang - that's pittance! :) I've got a friend, Jerry, who's blog is worth almost $12k.


Interesting thing to try anyway! I bet Scott's is worth a bundle!

Aaaaaahhhhh....

...what a great LONG weekend.

We started it on Friday going up to Dollywood to enjoy the Von Trapp grandkids. (These are the grandkids of the 'boy - Kurt' in the Sound of Music movie. They did all right. Nothing awesome - and we probably wouldn't have been interested if it weren't for their heritage - but it was still fun and very relaxing.

Dollywood has the entire theme park decked out in its Christmas best and Joelle was amazed at every little Christmas thing she saw. Very precious.

We hung out at and with Larry & Sandra's this weekend. Went to church at Athens. Enjoyed a great potluck, watched 'A Lot Like Love' with Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher. Not bad.

Dollywood has the entire theme park decked out in its Christmas best and Joelle was amazed at every little Christmas thing she saw. Very precious.

We hung out at and with Larry & Sandra's this weekend. Went to church at Athens. Enjoyed a great potluck, watched 'A Lot Like Love' with Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher. Not bad.

At home we filled up when we saw that gas was $1.96. Suprised it was under $2 I couldn't help but stop and fill the tank that was about 1/4 full. Now the question in my mind becomes, how far down are they gonna let it get? Can't be too far. Although if you ask me, the farther below the $2 mark the better!


Helped a friend in Madisonville move this weekend. Originally her e-mail said it was a packing party. That to me says we're packing things in boxes. But my assumption was really, REALLY wrong. It was a 'loading' party. You know where you load furniture, boxes and junk in a truck to move it. Guess what job I got stuck with? That's right - loading the truck. In fact the son told me that Sandy said that nobody was to 'touch' anything until I arrived. Aaarrggghh. I thought I was out of the moving business! :) I really like my job now of UNLOADING boxes that average 18lbs. We can #1 - use rollers and #2 don't have to load it, #3 have to worry about things getting damaged etc. Oh well, we were done by noon and got fed pizza and those cool new Pringles chips with the fun trivia questions imprinted on each chip and some excellent Keebler cookies! She did end up giving us a 'grill' she didn't want to move to SC - so I guess it was a fair trade! :)

So what is it about our 'church' leaders shipping 'crap' leaders/pastors off to different assignments in the denomination??? You know I can see giving these guys one maybe two and possibly three chances to get in the right situation - but dang, it's like an unwritten code in our denomination to never fire anyone Even complete losers. They just "PASS THE BUCK" to another church or ministry or conference or position. I mean come on people, if these people can't cut it - GET RID OF THEM. I heard at least 3 stories about my former boss. And these weren't flattering stories. These stories came from 3 different sources on two different days with many hours between each story. This guy should have been washed out of the denomination, as it turns out, YEARS ago. This also explains how he got shipped to the former place of my employement from being a Conf Prez. My experience working under him (and the wifey) also explains why so many positions were 'open' at that Conference.

Darn it - I wish our denomination would pull it together and use common sense in handling many, many things and not just bumble along blindly. I love the church I'm in, but come on people, get your ducks in line!!!

WOW! Gas in Collegedale is

WOW! Gas in Collegedale is down to $2.00. The big question is will it dip below that amount? Things that make you go hummm!

Bull,s...,oney

Man, I really, REALLY cannot stand these Oil CEOs defend soaring profits!! They are so full of horse puckey - it really ain't funny!!! :)

1st Dental Visit

Natalie had her first visit with the denist today and she did GREAT. She lay there with her mouth open super-wide and was a little angel. It was so incredibly cute!

All 20 teeth were in perfect shape!

Cool!

Ride 'em Cow-Kids

Joelle and Natalie with their cousin Colby were having fun at a park this morning playing like crazy. Here' they're ridin' a set of bronkin tires! Yeeee haaawwww!

Jedi Test Part 2

Jedi Watchman You scored 36 variable 1 and 12 variable 2!

You chose the way of the Jedi Sentinel. The watchmen are masters among Jedi and basically the balance between Force strength, and Lightsaber abilities. Not too strong or too weak on either side. You tend to be good at negotiations and you know what is right and just in the universe. You'll never be able the strongest of Jedi in the universe, but you can hold your own against almost anything.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 84% on Force Power You scored higher than 30% on LSP DSP

Link: The Jedi Test written by Swimstud on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Jedi Fun

Pure Shadow JediI am a Pure Shadow Jedi
"One of a kind my friend! Many people try to have that equal balance like you! Just the right about of good, and the right amount of being bad. You are most likely to help an old woman cross the road but drive off and leave no note to a car that you just hit."
True Jedi Test By Ocean-Saurian and PrincessLeia2
www.princessleia.com

Correction

I just have to correct a comment by my brother-in-law Scott. He mentioned that I'm home 3 of 7 days per week in my new job. Well... sorry man, you were wrong. I was home Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in this 7 day stretch. He, he, he - hate to correct ya man.

I tell ya though - when I'm out, it's driving nights and tossing cookies and I tell ya - when I work, I really, REALLY work my 'arse' off! :) They gotta give us the time off to recoup to run again. :)

Wrapped up!

My two precious little bundles of joy! :)

Post Fire Cleanup

Here's the 'garage pad' with everything cleaned up nice and pretty. Well - it's still black and icky in places where things burned pretty hot. I'll get some photos of the back of the house now that it's been fixed and what Larry did to the garage pad.

:)

Broken Wrist & Torn Ligament

Thought you'd like to see the dock that Sandra fell off. There was no safety chain to warn her or maybe keep her (or anyone) from falling. It's about 4 feet tall and the landing is nothing but concrete. OUCH!
Here's my mother-in-law, Sandra, after we picked her up in Hattiesburg, MS getting ready to bring her home. The trip went well and she was dopped up enough the bumps in the road didn't hurt that much. That and we had all sorts of pillows packed around her to help her be comfortable. Here's the after photo with her arms in casts. The left one (Pink) is broken at the wrist just before the thumb. The right arm (purple) has a torn ligament that needs to be immoblie - so that's why the cast. She'll be in those things for 5 weeks.

The Force was with Me OR I HATE VEHICLES

Hey all - what up?

Got lots going on. Mainly, they're happy enough with me at work that after next week I might be 'released' from training 2 weeks early and be put in the regular rotation. I guess we'll see.

Took two trips this week. One to Battle Creek, MI and the other to Thompson, GA. On the Georgia run, I left at 2am. As I was driving down the road, it came to my mind to give Doreen a call and tell her good night. (She'd been up in Madisonville visiting with her sister and parents - so I'd not talked with her in person for 2 days.) As I reached for my phone I looked at the clock on the dash and realize it was 20 min after 2am and if I call I'm gonna have some unhappy in-laws and an unhappy wife. (Hopefully she'd feel loved though! **GRIN**) He, he, he.

So I'm really hating my car right now. We just put an engine in it. Which seems to be running great by the way - even better than the old one. I must have been getting bad for some time. I went to pass a little old lady driver who was doing 30 in a 40 mph zone and when I stuck my foot in it with the other engine - it would kinda hick-up. This engine just zoomed around that little old lady. Cool. But I digress...

This afternoon after getting gas and driving home - I went to roll the window up and heard this huge "POP" and I watched the window slide down into the door. It was gone. So when I got home I took the door apart and found one of the plastic slides that holds the window and goes up and down in a track broke and so I got the window back up into place and we'll have to take it in to get it fixed this week. Aaaarrrgghhhhh!

Took the girls into Wal-mart this evening for an errand and ended up getting Joelle the DVD of Toy Story, Natalie came away with Princess Stories 3 (They've already got 1 & 2) and the 'Force' was with me and I was victorious and came out with Star Wars episode 3! Yeah baby! :)

This next week I head out for KY Sat night and North Central IL on Tuesday. I'll be done with work either late Wed or Early Thur Morning. Should be a great week.

Hope you have a good one! :)

Out!

Unloaded in Battle Creek, MI

Unloaded in Battle Creek, MI yesterday. 4 Stops (cites) 7 Drops and a bunch of cases of cookies 1st load w/ just me & a co-driver. Touched 'em all Full day!

The day started rainy but

The day started rainy but cleared to be gorgeous.And the beautiful fall colors on the trees were AWSOME!

Old habits, last night after

Old habits, last night after parking in the truck stop 2 hours later I jump in the drivers seat feeling late only 2 find its still sleep time ARGH