Accident Prone

All additional repairs and major work on the house are now on hold for at least 6 weeks. Rachel, a.k.a. the roomie, a.k.a. the girl who fell off her bike and broke her nose a few months ago, stepped up into her booth at work (she powder coats metal) and broke a bone in here knee last Thursday. The step is tall and Rachel is not and something in her knee just didn't like the experience. So, she is in an immobilizer and on crutches and has an appointment with the specialist on Wednesday. Keep positive, healing thoughts for her. I'm praying the fracture is all that is wrong so she'll be up and mobile very soon.
Regardless, I'm still going to call her Hop-A-Long for quite awhile...

Repairs

The shed in my yard is like an extra room in the house with electricity, phone line, vent fan and loft. The original owners, our good friends, John and Mary, built the deck and shed. The shed was not just storage but also John's workshop so it is quite large. the loft space is great to store the camping supplies in the winter and the Christmas stuff in the summer. The workbench is handy, the shelving is great and the floor space allows for the bikes and lawn mower to be stored while I still have room to walk from one end to the other.
Our home was beautiful at the time John and Mary bought it and raised their kids in it. When they moved to Cincinnati, OH, they land leased it to someone who seemed nice. The land lease didn't work out. The person didn't pay on the lease, allowed the dogs to destroy the carpeting, ripped out a bathtub and water softener, the damage goes on and on. The land lease was withdrawn and the person was kicked out. Mary and John decided to sign the deed over to Tara instead of selling it to her. The damage was too great for them to feel right about selling. Since we have taken the place over we have done quite a bit of remodeling and still have quite a ways to go. The latest endeavor was the shed. The inside was fine, outside the concrete pylons on the right side were tilted significantly and I was beginning to fear the she would slide off into the house.
The roomie, Rachel, and I took a house jack and jacked the shed up off the pylons, discovered the front and back ones were tilted and the middle one had broken in half.
We then dug out the pylons.
Did I mention John is an engineer?
He builds things right. The pylons sunk over a foot into the ground. They were not meant to shift.
The shifted due to bad drainage.
My soil is full of rocks and roots.
It took a heck of a lot of work to get them dug out and leveled.
But in the end we prevailed and the shed is now sitting on beautifully squared and level concrete pylons.
I smile every time I look off the porch at them.
The entire time Rachel and I were working on the shed the cats were watching. Three cats in the window taking turns yelling at us for having the audacity to be outside, within their sight and not inside giving them attention. MEOW, MEEEWWW, PICMOW! It adds a bit of fun to the work when you know you have an audience. Even if it was a furry one.

Sunny Day

The maker of my clock radio had a twisted side, placing the snooze and off buttons side-by-side on the top. They even have the same feel to them so you have to remember your left from right when not yet awake. Today I must have confused them and hit the off button so I woke up late.
But I didn't panic.
Full night's sleep, waking up on my own, not to the sound of loud beeping, two kitties curled up beside me and sun light sneaking through the curtains. I actually had a relaxing morning.
My work is at a desk so coming in 45 minutes later than usual is not really an issue. I stayed a little later yesterday and I can do the same to day and I'll be on time and still get to enjoy the sunshine.
The late start actually made the day better. It's going to be a fabulous day.

Shipping Out

Tara's son, Robert has proudly served in the US Army National Guard. He spent close to two years in Kuwait and came home safe. He has been going to school and serving as part of the honor guard for military funerals. Two weeks before his service was up he was informed that due to a demand for more soldiers in Iraq Stop Loss was being inacted on him and he was being held in the National Guard for two more years.
Robert is currently with his unit in Texas going through dessert training to return to Iraq no later than the end of summer.
Regardless of your thoughts on the war and the US presence in the Middle East, please keep Robert, his battle buds and the other soldiers in your thoughts and prayers.

Semi Travels Part 4

We had two days in Florida and spent a wonderful afternoon on Delray Beach. Due to Subtropical storm Andrea, the waves were very high and surf was rough which meant no swimming. We did have fun dodging the waves by standing on the beach and waiting for them to come in. We weren't fast enough at one point and ended up drenched.

The surfers, of course, ignored the red flag warning and were excited to get in the water and ride the waves.
The parking on Delray Beach is limited to road-side parallel parking. We left the trailer at the hotel and bobtailed to the beach. We took two spaces and paid both meters. An older gentleman in a Delray Beach sheriff's golf cart pulled up and started off by telling us trucks aren't normally allowed to park there (meanwhile, he forgot to set the break on the golf cart and it rolled a short distance before coming to rest on the curb). Tara turned on the charm and he relented saying, since we took two spaces it should be safe for someone to pull out from behind us or in front of us since we'd only be there a couple hours.
From Delray, we went back and hooked up the trailer, worked our way across Florida (I had no idea there were large cattle farms in central Florida) and picked up 10,000 lbs of plastic lids that went to Evansville, Indiana. From Evansville to Hawsville, Ky to pick up 45,000 lbs of rolled paper Bright white Xerox that hadn't been cut and delivered to Washington Court, OH. From there, back to the yard then the homeward load.
Overall, it was a great week together. I saw quite a bit of the East Coast and learned a lot about truck driving. It is a hard and demanding job and most of the drivers do a great job at it.
One thing I heard over and over is the truck drivers wish that 4 wheelers (people in cars) would be more careful. A truck fully loaded can weigh up to 80,000 lbs which means it cannot stop on a dime. The brakes are mainly on the truck. If a car jumps in front of a truck and slams on the breaks, it is in danger of being run over. Most truck drivers will sacrifice themselves and their load to save the four wheeler but the whole thing is needless. Truckers are the lifeblood of North America. No trucks, no goods delivered to stores and businesses. When you see a truck driver, respect them and don't cut them off or slam on your breaks.

To my Alpha Phi Omega Brother

I joined Alpha Phi Omega in college. No, I am most certainly not a sorority chick. Alpha Phi Omega is a co-ed international service fraternity. Leadership through service. It was a great time with a great group of brothers.
I found out today, one of my brothers, Ed Dick, passed away two weeks ago from complications of liver failure. Ed was one of the bright people in my life, a lot of fun. During a regional conference in Louisville, KY one year we held a costume contest and 300+ lb Ed wore a nurses outfit (complete with skirt and hat). He didn't shave his face, legs or arms and stood there and said "Sponge Bath?" holding a sponge and basin. He won the contest by a landslide - way scarier than the monsters.
Ed, you were a great big brother and I hope you've gone on to a great party in the next life. Tonight is my evening to grieve, tomorrow I will go and party with the brothers as you requested. I hope you join us in spirit for awhile.

Here's to Alpha Phi Omega
Loyal Brothers we.
True to self and to each other
Firm in Loyalty
Daily working daily striving
Ever more to be
men (and women) of Alpha Phi Omega
Our Fraternity
Brothers clasp the hands of brothers,
Strong the circle we.
Ever mindful, ever serving
All Humanity.
Now we raise our grateful voices
In our song to thee
Men of Alpha Phi Omega
May we always be
ALPHA PHI OMEGA TIL THE DAY WE DIE! (and beyond)

We'll miss you Ed, God Speed.

Semi Travels Part 3

On Saturday we got our load assignment; take garage door parts to Pompano Beach, Fl and oh by the way did you want to take two days off down there? Woohoo, Florida! Spring was very slow in reaching Erie this year so the warmer weather sounded like a welcome break. Tara had to drive her limit of 11 hours per day in order to make it on time though we did stop at a Huddle House off Exit 11 on I75 in Kentucky that had the best breakfast EVER! Fantastic short order cook, really nice waite staff and the best sausage gravy I've ever had. If you happen to be traveling that way I highly recommend a stop there. I one day we went from southwestern Ohio through Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina into Georgia. The next day was on to Florida all the way down I95.
The mountains in Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina are absolutely amazing. We went over Jellico Mt. and down Black Mt. in the Smokey's.
View from Jellico Mountain

The Smoky Mountains really do look smoky. Black Mountain was beautiful and very steep but was so overwhelming there was no way to get it into a photo.

On Sunday night we were only 100 miles from our destination and stopped for the night. We got up early to make it to Pompano Beach on time only to run into stopped traffic near a Rest Stop. Apparently a dump bucket truck was entering I95 from the rest area and pulled in front of a semi that did not stop or get out of the way in time.

Hopefully everyone was ok. We saw the dump bucket - solid steel construction meant no damage for him.
Finally we got to Pompano Beach where it took the hard working gentlemen at the garage door place 4 hours to unload the fully loaded semi. They did not have a dock so they had to pull the parts off by hand. The load was 33,000 lbs so most of those parts were fairly heavy. After delivering we went to a hotel in Boca Raton compliments of some rewards points I had and got a chance to stretch out and relax at the pool. Next up: the day at the beach and return travels.

Semi Travels Part 2

Off to Vermont on Friday afternoon. North from Connecticut, through Massachusetts to the Great state of Vermont where there were actual Moose Crossing signs. I really wish I would have gotten a picture of that or better yet, actually saw a moose. We picked up a load of rolled fiberboard in multiple bright colors. I have no idea what you use fiberboard in bright blue and pink for but it was important to someone in Indiana. We only took the load as far as a small town in central Pennsylvania called Sayer. There we met another truck driver named Kris who has been driving for the same company as my partner for a number of years. He had our load. Apparently it was going to be a 3 way switch. We dropped the trailer containing the fiberboard and he dropped his trailer with its load. We hooked up to his trailer and he had to wait for a third driver. The third driver was going to take our old trailer and give Kris his.
Confusing but gave Kris and the other driver a chance to go home for the weekend and us a chance to go to the yard in southwestern Ohio to get our load to Pompano Beach.
Friday and Saturday are a bit of a blur with a ton of driving and swapping out trailers.
Saturday afternoon we finally made it to the yard. Her company takes great care of their equipment and the yard was filled with neatly parked trailers and trucks, a very nice office building and a nice shop for truck and trailer repair. They also have their own fuel island. We dropped the one trailer, she turned in her paperwork which I have learned is fairly extensive - attention to detail and good addition and subtraction skills are key, and headed to get our load of garage doors for Florida.
Next...off and running: 6 states in 2 days, mountains, ocean and accidents.

Semi Travels Part 1

Adventures in Legoland.
For the first time in my professional career I took and entire week paid vacation off. Any other time I've had a week off I was either switching jobs or switching locations for the same company which meant trying to move all my stuff.
I've been planning to go on this trip since last November and I should have gone in mid-April but, the boss asked me to move my plans to be available for a major project. I'm glad I waited.
My partner, Tara, has a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) and has driven a Semi for over 15 years. In that time she has driven flat bed, dump buckets, reefers (refridgerated units) and standard trailers and is amazingly good at her job. I can't be trusted to safetly back up my Ford Escort, she backs up a 53 foot trailer multiple times over the course of a week into some really tight locations.
I've had the opportunity over the past couple years to go out on the truck for a day or overnight but never on a long trip. The short trips were like training for the real event. In those short trips I learned how to dolly up and dolly down the trailer. This means I get out of the truck, put on some work gloves and crank a large handle on the driver's side of the trailer toward the front to bring the trailer legs up or down. I've also learned how a lot of other truck terminology which I'll explain as it comes up. I also learned that a truck driver can see everything in a person's 4 wheeler as it goes past and I mean everything. That can get quite interesting.
This time Tara picked me up on Thursday, May 4 in the evening and we left Northwest Pennsylvania for Conniticut and who knew where else over the next 9 days. She drives a Freightliner Columbia that she calls her two room condo. It has a single bottom bunk, a fold down upper bunk, tv with dvd player, microwave, plugs on a converter for anything else and even a port-a-potty for those desperate situations. There is a lot of storage and being neat is an absolute necessity for sanity.
Our first load, 35,000 lbs of vegetable oil bound for a distribution center that send the oil out to McDonalds. We were carrying the key ingredient to those tasty McD fries. A truck driver relies heavily on a Motocarrier's Atlas to get from point A to point B. We took off Thursday night, slept at a truck stop somewhere in New York and woke up bright and early to deliver in northwestern Connecticut. Information on loads including directions are sent to many truck drivers, including Tara, via an on board computer called a Qualcom. The Qualcom signal tells the truck driving company where exactly the truck is and is a life line between the driver and the dispatcher. The directions on the Qualcom were less than clear and we did our best to figure them out, ended up on the correct road however, we passed the consignee (receiver) and accidentally turned into Lego Headquarters. That was one of the coolest business buildings I've ever seen. There were Lego sculptures everywhere. Unfortunately, we weren't supposed to be there and the drive was not designed to handle 75+ feet of truck and trailer. The picture of the police officer at the pickup - the officer and the hydrant (not shown) were made entirely of Legos, was directly in our way to make the turn. Tara had to be very creative and in the end, the tandems (tires at the back of the trailer) went up over the curb and a little grass by the giant Legos. No real harm done, the grass was flattened but not killed and no one came out and yelled. In the end, we made it out and two blocks down the road to the distribution center, where I watched a lot of McDonald trailers with really good looking food on the side drive back and forth.
The Qualcom is a vital piece of daily truck driving. Every morning Tara checks in with her dispatcher, when a load is picked up or delivered she has to send that information in, calls for directions, where to fuel, and other info all goes through the Qualcom. Tara has a dispatcher named Cheryl who is one of the most wonderful dispatchers on the planet. I've learned to always be good to the dispatcher, she gives you the loads and if you make her angry you don't get miles, no miles, no money. Drivers are paid by the mile so it's good to treat the dispatcher really well.
After the Oil for McDonald's fries we headed for Vermont...more on that later. 9 day, probably 9 entries and lots of photos to follow.

Quiet House

Well, the kittens went to their new homes last weekend. So far so good, they are doing well.The first two photos are of Spirit. Spirit now lives in a house with 3 kids, 2 ferrets, 1 very friendly woofie and an old cat named Moxie. Spirit and the ferrets get along famously. The woofie, Dakota, would love to be friends but every time he approaches Spirit she puffs up, hisses, spits and then whacks him on the nose. I have to give her credit, she is a 2 lb kitten hitting a 50 lb dog and winning. She loves to sit on the computer desk and play with the microphone. No they didn't cook her for dinner she managed to climb up some furniture onto the counter and into the empty cooking pot where she made herself comfortable and went to sleep.

The second two pictures are of Angel (aka Vision) with her new friend Oreo. Apparently Oreo was a little jealous the first day she came to the house but he has since, apparently, gotten over that. They now play chase and pick on each other constantly but when nap time comes they are best of friends.

The other three kittens are doing well as well though I don't have photos to show. The boys, Atlas and Artemis have retained their names and are enjoying the 2 kids and 1 cat at their new home.

Spitfire moved in with 2 cats. Valentine thinks she is the best thing since catnip and Aries is pretty indifferent to her presence.

At home, momma Cali did really well with the parting. I made sure she saw each kitten leave and she only searched the house calling couple times. The kittens older half brother, Curious George, on the other hand has been absolutely pathetic. He mopped for 4 days, not playing, crying, and just laying there. He seems to really miss the little ones, probably because he wasn't the bottom of the Kittie hierarchy for a few weeks. Yesterday and this morning he seemed much better. Charles Baron just seemed flat relieved that the kittens are gone. Charles is now on a kitten food free diet so hopefully he will drop the 3-4 lbs he gained over the past three months from sneak-eating the kitten food. I tried to get Charles to chase the laser pointer and he is so lazy at this point he walked after it instead of running...

For me, I do miss the kittens but, on the flip side the house is quiet and clean for the first time in weeks and I'm actually getting a full night's sleep now because I'm not getting attacked by 5 puffballs at 3am.