First day in the "new" truck, first drive to check it out.
Well, Just found out the power inverter doesn't work, so I have to finish this post before the laptop battery goes dead, lol.  It's a a bit less than half.  Without a power converter, I can't recharge my computer and I can't use my microwave.  I will be insisted that they replace it with a new one when I get back. Funny tho, this truck is a 2016 model, weird that it's already fried.

The truck smells like an ashtray.  Not as bad as some other trucks I have been in, but the problem is these people use the "recirculate" option on AC and the smoke smell gets down in there. 

The bed is amazing!  This memory foam stuff might just grow on me. It's pretty darn comfortable. 

The refrigerator has a broken door handle. They will need to fix that as well. I don't care if they have to replace the entire refrigerator, it will be fixed.  Since I am never going to get the new truck they promised me, they are going to fix whatever truck I'm in to newish proportions.  Meaning everything must work.

The 2 grand drivers seat is ok, but nothing I would ever spend that much money on.  It really isn't all that great tbh, the standard drivers seat that comes with a Peterbilt is almost as good. 

Besides the smoke smell, the interior is in excellent condition. That's really a must in my book, when you are virtually living in the thing, it needs to be nice. Slobs and pigs that don't take care of interiors of trucks? I don't want their leftovers.

This thing has the same Wingman/Collision mitigation system garbage in it that the rest of the fleet has.  It decided it was going to apply the brakes for an instant and then show a warning sign that "it isn't working correctly so you will have to operate the controls yourself" or some such s***.  Great, stay that way and don't start working again and we'll get along just fine.  : )

I can't imagine what these futuristic trucks that are autonomous will be like.  Slam on the brakes when it doesn't need to and run over people when it should? 

Oh, one very cool thing tho: this truck goes 67 mph.  That's 4 mph more than mine goes.  My previous truck shows it at 65mph on the speedometer, but the reality of it is 63. It's so slow you lose interest in driving. You get bored, antsy, wishing and dreaming the thing would go even a few miles per hour faster.  You get passed and cut off all day long.  It's actually more dangerous going that slow than being able to keep up with most of the traffic around you.  Don't try to tell that to this  company tho. 

I'm used to driving 70 mph in trucks at the minimum.  As I have said previously, they don't tell you that these trucks are set that low and for good reason: who the hell would want to knowingly quit a job to come drive for them knowing that in advance?  Not that many, I can assure you.  Anyway, it was a bit surprising to see this thing ratcheting it up to 67.  My speed app showed at that and a couple of those setups on the side of the road showing your speed as you pass by said the same thing.  \

I know it might not sound as if a 4 mph increase would be that big of a deal, but trust me when I said that 63 mph is unbelievable. Unbelievably horrid.  Anyway, I'm going to figure out some way to get this smoke smell out of the ventilation system and call this truck a keeper.  I have no inclination right now to get into my own truck after seeing all the OO's complaining the other night.  Perhaps complaining is in their nature, I dunno, but it doesn't seem prudent right now to go that route.  Not with work being as slow as we have been.

Anyway, so far, I'll rate this truck as a keeper as long as the minor issues are dealt with. 

And in Brownsville? It's pouring rain, the rear yard is a disaster/flooded.  There was a trailer here, unfortunately, so I'll end up leaving early in the morning to make the drive back.  There is another driver who should be pulling in here anytime now - and he will be getting the detention pay since there isn't a second trailer here.  But, highly likely the manager set it up that way.  She has a frequently updated list of when trailers are coming up through the port of entry.  He's been in the company 6 years. 

It's just a bit difficult to deal with all of this favoritism that is going on. 

Okay, I am finally starting to get sleepy.  I didn't sleep well last night tho staying awake driving today wasn't near as bad as I thought it would be.  I drove 310 miles, stopped for the mandatory 30 minute break in Ganado and fueled up - and yes, I did take a 20 minute power nap - and drove the rest of the 265 miles down here. 

AS for the home front, I got a text earlier: Can James mom stay in your room tonight? I didn't even know she was coming.  Must be Spring Break up where she lives and bringing James other son from another marriage.  Long story, not going into that now.  I said yes, I don't really care as long as people take care to leave it the same way they found it. I suspect she likes the giant screen tv in there. 

Anyway, my eyelids are telling me it's time to go.

Well.
It's 4 am. Woke up at 2 for unknown reasons and never got back to sleep.  So, another day of driving on less than 5 hours of sleep, woohoo!  Nothing new there and have learned how to deal with it.  I take a nap at the "driver's lounge" - which is just the shack where the workers hang out while loading the trailers and kind of nasty and smelly.

Then, on the way down - I'm off to Brownsville again instead of Illinois - I'll force myself to drive at least 6 hours and then take a 30 minute nap, usually in Ganado Texas, but sometimes I make it further, like to Refugio where my favorite Stripes (fueling station with a huge mexican food buffet that has keto friendly half baked chickens) is and take a nap there, then get up and get dinner and then drive out the rest of the route. 

But, as yesterday, I still face driving a truck I haven't driven before and who knows what might happen? 

They've been doing a good job of having empty trailers waiting there for us - unfortunately - so I am not expecting detention pay.  I guess I should never really expect it, just something that would be nice. 

Rene is leaving this weekend, supposedly this dude is coming down to get her stuff and driver her up to Michigan. I dunno, but when we went out the other day - Maria, Rene and I - she had a few Jim Beams, 3 of them I think, doubles at that, went home and apparently started s*** with Maria, who locked her door and would have nothing to do with her.  I sort of get it with Rene: she is in constant pain, she is on strong pain medication and couple that with alcohol and she can be a real - living - nightmare. I'm not excusing her actions, by any means, it's outrageous and ridiculous.  But she's going to be gone, finally, I for one won't ever be inviting her back.  She can live in her pot-filled eternal high and hopefully be a happier person? 

But, I've never subscribed to the idea that changing geographical locations will change anything inside of you. Those types of things have to be worked out of you and those things are usually not pleasant times. 

I'm still in ketosis, some days I guess I eat something with carbs that i didn't know about in them and I go out of ketosis and it takes days and days to get back into it.  I don't know why I don't just go ahead and scarf on carbs after such things, it wouldn't change the amount of time to get back into ketosis.  But I don't, it just makes me resolve to get back as fast as possible.  But, I'm at a stalemate again and haven't lost any more weight.  I haven't gained any either.  I need exercise and so far, I've resisted that idea.  I was going to start working out with weights - and I did - but their puppy craps all over the porch where the bench is. That hasn't changed and I"m not about to work out in the midst of dog s***.

The travel bug keeps itching me.  I can't shake it.  It may very well be that I just pick a place on this earth to go to at random - tho probably somewhere in Europe - and just go there for a few days and come back.  But a cruise would be nice too lol.

The galveston trip is still on as far as I know. 

Well, about time to leave. Going to subject my dogs to Rene for one last time, at least Maria is there. Addler goes into her room, lays down on the floor, uninvited and goes to sleep in there, lol.  I'm guessing Rene not liking that, but it's a good sign to me: he likes Maria.  Rene will be gone and then - we can deal with her room.  Or deal with the owner of the property and whatever their wishes are. Because as of right now, they haven't said anything about us leaving and it's more than halfway through the month. They couldn't legally force us out now if they wanted to by the end of the month, I think all states have laws about eviction notices and usually 30 days.  I haven't really read Texas landlord laws, I will have to do that someday - soon.  Like maybe tonight after I get done driving.

Have a great day : )