Here's an article that was in this month's issue of the "The Long Haul." A magazine put out by the Flying J truckstop company. I really liked it, hope you enjoy it too!
The writer is V.C. Parker.
Who are America's professional drivers?
America's professional truck drivers are very independent men... and women.
They speak English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Kurdish, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Indian, Polish and Czechoslovak.
They come in all shapes and sizes. Short and tall, husky and thin, bald and bushy, groomed and scruffy.
Some are young... Some are not.
They are single... They are married. Some have children... Some have grandchildren... Some don't.
They are transportation with a steadfast temperament... distribution with a diligent determination. Their time on the road is a barometer to the nation's economy.
They make their living steering 40 tons of steel and freight with their hands... Diesel fuel flows through their veins... Blacktop shines in their eyes.
They're America's Professional drivers.
They haul diapers for little babies, gowns for pretty ladies, food for growing families and medicine for those who are sick. They haul cars for personal commuting, books for leisure reading and treats for man's best friend.
Big boots and sneakers... Denim pants and T-shirts... Ball caps and do rags... They are philosophers with freight, businessmen with bills-of-lading and good Samarians with tire gauges.
They like the American flag, green lights, smooth ashphalt, regular routes, friendly food servers, a liveable wage and holidays at home.
They'd like a little more respect... because when they drive today, America enjoys tomorrow.
They're tough enough to spend endless days away from family and friends and tender enough to share cherished time with a classroom of children.
Shy, cocky, fun and serious... they hate log books, congested highways, ports of entry, small-town JP's, road construction, steep mountain roads, moving cargo and bad coffee.
They can tell you where to get the best meals on the road and the best route to their final destination.
They're big business on wheels... They're America's professional drivers.
Without them there would be no fuel for our vehicles... No metal for our machinery... No material for our roads and buildings... No merchandise to move our economy.
Born 150 years ago, they'd have been mule skinners, stagecoach drivers, frontier scouts, cow hands driving herds from Texas to Missouri... riders of the Pony Express.
They eat their meals in roadside diners, sleep in the cabs of their trucks, take private showers in public facilities and watch TV in truck stop lounges.
They're authorities on politics, foreign oil, the opposite sex... and the best way to run a trucking business.
They live by a rare code-of-conduct... will pass no man who needs a helping hand... are eager to support national security... are the first to share the road with all fellow motorists.
They like changes in scenery, fresh mountain air, open roads and someone to talk to.
They have problems and they're not hesitant to vent their complaints about anything from the state of the world to how their eggs were cooked this morning.
Every trip is goin to be their last. They're going to get off the road and live like a 'normal' human being, but they can't... because the highway sings a hauting melody that's addicting to their soul.
When the engines start roaring and the wheels start whining.. when the lines on the highway fly faster and farther... when the horizion beckons with the promise of a new tomorrow... they are the happiest people in the world.
They're America's Professional Drivers!!!
This photo takes me back a few years, back to 1985.
Had our garage sale at Larry & Sandra's today. Kind of a quick planned date to do it because of wanting to get it in before our vacation and Mother's day etc, so we didn't have time to advertise it much.
Anyway, turnout wasn't quite what we hoped for, but for no advertising, we didn't do too bad. Out there for 9 hours, 15 people came through, 4 didn't buy anything - just looked, sold $45 worth of stuff. Turns out to be like $5 per person and made $3 per hour out there. (Didn't minus out the pizza costs! He, he, he! Thanks Sandra!)
This was one of the best decisions I could have ever made in my life. A wonderful spouse!
One of my twin sisters, Staci, marrying her beau, Scott.
My wife's sister Shelly had a beautiful Christmas wedding in Lincoln, NE where she married Randy.
My other twin sister Cindi marrying Jim and ended up having identical twin girls!
Here's my wife's family before she became a 'pester!' :) (Pun intended) (Larry, Sandra, Shelly & Doreen)
Here are Ma and Pa Pester... (Larry & Jerilyn)
... and the 3 little pests, me and my sisters! (Steve, Staci & Cindi)
Since I played in the racquetball league this season, I've heard a phrase among the players I never knew people used before.
This evening Doreen's school of Dental Hygiene had a pinning ceremony. The 'big sisters' (2nd year students/Graduates) pass a pin down to the former 1st year students. It's kind of a tradition thing kind of passing the torch from one group to the next.
Here's a pic of the very nice pin Doreen got from her big sister Corina.
Here are all the ladies of Doreen's class, Dental Hygiene class of 2009. We snapped this shot just before the program started tonight. I'd give ya all their names, but Doreen's upstairs and I'll forget or get them wrong. :(
Here's Doreen with her instructors. They're tough, but very fair. They help the students as much as they can while trying to get them to learn the proper technique, methods and other skills!
Yup, it has now been confirmed. Our girls definetly have our genes! :)
This evening after Doreen's DH Pinning Ceremony the girls were looking at the pics on the camera and Natalie took this brilliant photo of Joelle!
Joelle had a field trip to the Aquarium today. Since Doreen's out of school now she was able to go with her. Here she's with her Teacher's Aide, Miss Marcie and Rachel and Michael.
They had a special presentation by one of the staff members there and Joelle was LOVING looking at this turtle.
The weather got a bit chilly with a rain last night and some clouds today. (Chillier than the 70's we've been having.)
One day, one of the other staffers got all 3 girls similar dresses so we took a pic. (L to R) Jannah - 9 mo, Josie - 7 mo & Joelle - 3 mo. It was precious!
Last week they were back for a visit and we got this 'updated' shot of the 3 J's, 6 years later. Still precious!
Anyway, we got home from everything and Joelle was showing Doreen how loose her tooth was. So Doreen grabbed the floss and tried a couple of times to pull it. No luck. We have an appointment with the Dentist May 6 for an extraction of some of her baby teeth to let her adult teeth grow in a bit straighter and lessed the time that will braces will be needed. So we explained that too her and bed time.
I was trying to catch a few zzz's before having to leave on my trip and Joelle came in twice talking about her tooth. So I popped up, went into the kitchen and grabbed my pliers. I was gonna try and get that tooth so she could go to bed and to sleep. I put a paper towel over it to help with the grip on the tooth and tried 3 times to get it pulled. Still no luck.
As I was looking around for another tooth pulling item, Doreen gave it one shot and 'pop' she got that little piece of enamel right out. Joelle was stoked. Me too, because that's one less 'extraction' we'll have to pay for at the dentist!
So now Joelle is toothlessly grinning from ear to ear now that has come out. 
Thursday the girls had off because of Teacher Inservice, so as kind of a fun thing to do and because the kids have done so well in school this year, we took them to Ruby Falls with our friends.
We've already visited there, and I'm sure we will again, but just walking through that cave is just too cool!
Seein all the awesome formations in there is just cool!
Here we are overlookin' Chattanooga from Lookout Mtn.
Thursday was Doreen's last day of school for this semester. All the girls decided they wanted to get together for lunch after their last class and just relax and chat and enjoy a good meal - then split for the summer.
Everyone met at a nearby Cracker barrel and had quite the time talking about what had happened over the semester, what people are going to do over the summer and what to expect next year. The really nice thing is that one of the girls works at a Cracker barrel partime, so she was able to use her employee discount and get every one's meal just a bit cheaper. Nice!!!
I had gotten home from a trip at 4am and Joelle and Natalie were off school for Teacher In service, so we got invited along. What a cool day! As we were checking out an 'older' fella who sat at a table near us and checked out right before we did, said to me, "Must be nice hanging out with all the pretty ladies." I told him, it had it's privileges! :)
