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.