Friday, January 10, 2020

I'm now in Brownsville, Texas.  Got here late last night, around midnight.  I had a late load yesterday morning and didn't get out of the plant until almost 1:00 pm - but I was bound and determined to get down here regardless and get some detention pay if available.  Sure enough, no trailers here and now it's the next day - Thursday, they're saying trailers won't be here until around 3: 00 pm.  That's great, Ill have my 14 hours of detention pay in, I can drive 5 or 6 hours, spend the night somewhere south of Houston, get up tomorrow, finish out the trip and have a decent paycheck next week.  I only got paid for 2 trips for this week's check - but that was 2 Brownsville runs plus holiday pay plus $75 for getting pulled over by Texas State Troopers and getting a passing report on the inspection. 

The company is not, obviously, so fond of non-passing reports, it assesses points against the company and the driver.  So, they incentivize making sure your truck will pass an inspection at all times by giving you both some money on your check and some credits towards their catalog.  I must have a lot of points by now, I haven't used any of them in a long time and they keep accruing.  I don't need an incentive from the company, however, to make sure the truck is safe and really, those troopers are looking to ensure your truck is safe when they do inspections, not be some sort of demons from hell that are solely there to aggravate you.

But, some drivers get extremely aggravated, angry and even hostile towards troopers when they get pulled over for safety inspections.  Pretty dumb, IMO, to let your emotions get the best of you in a situation like that.  The trooper will find something wrong with your truck when you are acting like an ass towards him/her.  However, other driver reaction to troopers is not my problem, they want to pile tickets on themselves, be my guest.  

So, it's almost noon here and I just got word that 2 trailers will be coming in around 3:00 pm.  Since none of the border tractors have left the yard yet, that is probably correct.  They hook up to other types of  tankers and take them across the border and then bring our tankers back across.  I assume these trailers are en-route from Altimira and they are simply waiting until they get here or get close.  Hopefully not too late, I can leave out of here, drive 5 or 6 hours, spend the night somewhere just south of Houston, get my 10 hour break in and leave in time to miss Houston rush hour traffic.  I will not try to make it all the way back if they don't get here before 1:00 pm. I simply have no need to be driving til 2 or 3 am or even later.  It messes up my internal clock.  I got 8-1/2 hours sleep in today, but that doesn't mean I want to drive all night long.  Last night I pushed it got get down here so I could get that coveted detention pay.

As for other things, the drama in the other house - not really subsiding that much, because that lady really doesn't understand the idea of respect for others and not being so selfish in their living with other people. So, we continue to press it with her. The latest is taking food into their room and not bring dirty plates, dishes and silverware back out - and more pointedly now - silverware disappearing never to be seen again.  I agreed with Maria to tell them if they can't/won't bring out their dishes, no more eating in their room.  They're down to 4 spoons because apparently they "accidentally" threw them away.  That kind of stuffs annoys me greatly.

I'm finally starting to feel better after - 9 days? - of being sick.  The coughing is still there but not near as bad as it was and the runny nose and headaches and such are all but gone.  I really could go without getting sick again for a long, long time. This is the second coughing cold in a few months time. I'm considering just making sure, when anyone in the house gets sick, to simply stay away from them and keep to myself in my room when home. I guess that's not very likely but the older I get, the worse the effects of any kind of sickness seem to have on me.  I still managed to work/drive but it wasn't fun at all.  It's during those times when 2 or more people are sick in the house that I wish I was out on the road on some long roadtrip, like to Stryker, Ohio or perhaps West Virginia.  

As it stands, this week's schedule is light on long trips and  heavy on shorter ones.  There's a Brownsville run every day this week through Monday, but just one per day.  The rest is Oklahoma runs, one Stryker, a Houston Airgas and I think there was a West Virginia in there somewhere.  I'll take any of them, I guess - except the airgas, a completely worthless run that just wastes time.  

As for politics, Pelosi has far overstepped her authority, is still attempting to do so and I'm aghast at the powers she believes she has.  













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