Low Sulpher Blues

Hubby is in Illinois. He dropped off the Hawaiian Bread load at the Walmart distribution center and then returned a few hours later to pick up his next load. I think he said he's delivering in PA and TX.

Meanwhile he's running low on fuel and he's in the Midwest. For some reason those two things are not a good combination. The fuel stop the company sent him to didn't have ultra low sulpher fuel. Neither did a couple of other places he tried. So once again he's been on the phone trying to locate someplace to buy fuel. Apparently there's a place about 80 miles away, hopefully he'll make it before he runs out.

Broken Laptop

Hubby is not happy right now! He cracked the screen on his laptop so there will be no postings from him for a while. It will probably be a while before we can get it fixed. We don't really have any money set aside for it and at this point we have to wait until the next time he gets home....

So we're back to me spreading the news. I'll see if I can interview him and pass along the fun.

Today he delivered in Illinois. He was pretty happy that he made it right to the delivery because he couldn't use his mapping software on his laptop....grrr....

On a good note, he got a fuel bonus last week and is hoping to get his safety bonus soon. Maybe we'll be able to set some of it aside for the "laptop repair fund."

All's Well

Hubby was supposed to be home October 10th, but he was late. He was really bummed. He had planned to take our son to the Miramar Air Show, but he didn't make it home in time. If either of us had posted back then, we wouldn't have been too happy. Now we are grateful.

Hubby was home when the fires broke out and currently he's still home. While the fire is only a few miles away, the winds have died down and it looks like we are out of danger. SRT was really good about letting him stay home a couple of extra days... of course I'm not sure that he could've left on Monday, even if he wanted to. Hwy 8 was closed to high profile vehicles, Hwy 15 was closed because of the fire and the fire was working it's way towards I-5, not to mention that we are on the edge of the evacuation zone.

It can be extremely frustrating when you try to plan something and try to get your husband home on time to be there with the family, but over and over again we find hidden blessings when he gets home late. After how bad the Cedar Fire was in this area, I know he would have been a basket case if had been out on the road worrying about us. It was very comforting to have him here at home.

Hopefully things will settle down here soon and he'll be back on the road enjoying his adventures.

- The Wife

And just like that, things change... hubby just walked up to tell me he is heading out. He is picking up in Torrance and heading out to Illinois. I know he has to go, but it's still hard to say goodbye.

Headin' Home (I Hope)

Since Dallas, I've run up to Kentucky and Ohio, and am currently in Arkansas awaiting my delivery appointment tomorrow morning. I don't have a pre-plan for the next load yet, which is rare. Ususally I know when and where my next load is a day or two before I deliver the current one. But, since I have home time scheduled, it limits the available loads down to the few that just happen to be going in the same direction as the one I would like to be going in.

The fact I don't have a load plan for tomorrow yet makes me just a bit nervous. This has happened a time or two before. There just aren't any loads going the way you want to go, so you sit there for three or four days. Meanwhile, all the plans you have made to be certain places at certain times just pass by and there's nothing you can do about it. Frustrating to say the least.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'll wake up tomorrow and find that perfect run that will head me home. I've been out seven weeks and I really don't want to make it eight. Not this time anyway.

It's Like I Never Left

I've been all over the lower half of the east coast, except Florida, and back to the terminal about three times. But, My luck finally ran out and I'm Back in Texas. Given the proximity of our terminal, it's a 50/50 shot that you'll be going into texas.

Ironically I started and ended up at the same place this past week. Last time I was in the yard, I picked up a load from Firestone Roofing Products, that went to South Carolina. Two days ago I picked up a load out of Virginia that went right back to Firestone.

I picked up from a place that turns coal into coal dust. There was a small black dog there who I'm not sure if he was already black, or if he got that way from all the coal dust in the air sticking to his fur.

I got out of my truck to make sure I was centered in the loading dock and just about fell over him so, being the softie that I am, of course I had to play with him. Not the brightest dog though. I picked up a scrap piece of wood and I could just tell he wanted me to throw it. Ok. I throw it and the dog goes and brings it back right? Not!
No he would go and get it all right but, then he would take off with it. Where he went I don't know but, after about an hour of this I couldn't find anymore wood to throw. I told him I would be happy to keep on playing our little game if he would simply go and get one of the pieces he had stashed and put it back into play.

I went and sat down to wait out the remainder of the loading process and he comes over and wants to be pet now. So, I start to pet him and ew! He's sticky! I look down at my hands and they too are now covered in this black, sticky goo. Glad I keep handy wipes on the truck.

I didn't notice this till the next day but the backside of the shorts I was wearing that night were now black too.

Since they didn't have anything planned for me after dropping of the dreaded black goo I headed to our terminal only about 40 miles away for a nice relaxing evening. Only once I got there They had other plans. Turns out another driver had run out of hours and couldn't finish his run into Dallas.

So here I am in Dallas again... It's like I never left!