HOME IS WHERE THE TRUCK IS: Back in the saddle again

I am so glad to be back out here! I enjoyed the time I got to spend with my kids over my 7 week hiatus but it was a long 7 weeks.

We left on December 24th, headed to Augusta, Georgia for our pick up to take to Front Royal,VA. We pulled into the truck stop that night (Christmas Eve) in Wytheville VA and it looked like a ghost town. We had a glamorous meal of Denny's for dinner and hit the hay. I was exhausted having done nothing for 7 weeks and then having to sit in a truck and move. LOL

Christmas Day was odd. Was the first time in 22 years I did not spend the day with my kids. It was a difficult day but I just kept thinking about the wonderful time we had on the 23rd celebrating with them. We delivered in Front Royal and then picked up a load going to Gas City, Indiana. The good news is that the roads were void of any major traffic and we had smooth sailing all day long. The truck stops were a little more crowded that night but the big shock was that we had to wait 25 minutes for a table at , again, Denny's. Apparently they were the only restaurant open and everyone was wanting a Grand Slam for dinner!

Most of my family!

My boys and their babes!

So happy!

Not a lot of exciting stuff to report really. It's been MOSTLY quiet aside from the day we spent 9 hours trying to get the air lines (that hook to the trailer brakes) fixed. We lost two loads (about 2700 miles) due to the total incompetence of the manager at the Love's Truck Stop in Indianola, MS. They reversed the lines when replacing them and could not figure out their own mistake. The following morning we drove over 150 miles to Memphis to a Swift Terminal so the company mechanics could fix the diaphragm that the Love's Mechanic said needed replaced. The Swift mechanic took one look at it and new they had flip flopped the parts. They had it fixed in about 11 minutes. Needless to say we were NOT happy So, we lodged a complaint to say we did not feel we should have to pay for all the crap they "fixed" even though it was not bad and then got a load and headed to Texas.

So many tools. Too bad they did not know how to use any of them!

The other super fun thing that happened was when we got to San Antonio, TX. We arrived early for our 4pm delivery appointment to the H E B grocery store distribution center. We got there at 2:45pm. They said they would get us into a door as soon as possible. So around 3:45 they called and told us what door to go to. This place had over 300 delivery docks! Anyway, we get into the door and are then told it would be about eight hours before the truck was unloaded. They had a dock full of product and no one coming in until 6pm to move the product. Then it would be 8pm before they would start unloading and then they would have to count it all before we could be cut loose. Fast forward to 245am when Mark has finally had enough and he goes to see what is going on. He goes in and they say " Oh , you have been done" Grrrrrrr. Over 12 hours later and we finally make it to the truck stop. That was definitely a first for me, and hopefully a last!

We did see quite a bit of rain and flooding in the midwest. It was crazy how much water we saw everywhere. I did not think it would ever stop raining, no matter where we went. It was horrible. But not as bad as what we would encounter next!

This week in Wisconsin and Illinois we did not see so much rain, but we saw way too much of the "s" word.

Needless to say, I am ok if we do not go back to Wisconsin again before Spring!

And finally, we are in the first stages of planning four "big" vacations this year. And by big, I mean 3-4 days each. We are hoping to do one each quarter, along with hopefully being in Ohio for the 4th of July and our family reunion as well as being with the kids at Christmas. We are also planning a spring stop in Pueblo, CO to see our son Tyler and his wife Ariana. I am hoping our first trip will be New Orleans. We will see how that goes!

Anyway, that is about it We are nearly to our truck stop home for the evening. It's laundry and clean the truck day so I have to go get pumped up for that. Yee Haw.

Thanks for reading.

Much love.