Well, I was going to get on here yesterday while I was waiting at the plant up in Illiinois, but I ended up taking a nap, after getting up then got on here and found the flower arrangement for mom's birthday. This is what she wanted, flowers and not until she got back from the mountains. By the time I got done with ordering the flowers - they make it a really long, drawn out process for whatever reason, the dude from the plant came to get me to rehook to the trailer and leave.
That was rather shocking. It was only a couple of hours, it normally takes them a minimum of 4 hours to offload. I spent 2 nights at the same small truck stop. I almost always stop there on the way up, I usually bypass it on the way back for I normally have enough driving time to get well on down the road. But, by the time I got back to St Louis and south of it, I was burned out from staying up til 2 am the night before, the result of having been given a load time so late in the day. And it was raining, and it was dark out. those 3 factors sent me back in there for another night's sleep. It was a total of around 550 miles round trip yesterday, so I didn't think much of it, plus I knew I could make it back to the yard today.
the only oddity on this trip, really, was when I arrived at the plant. Another driver - who had loaded the day before - was just about to go into the plant to get his trailer. He is another of the slow drivers that stops often, but I don't give him trouble about it, he's really cool dude and getting up there in years, as most of the drivers in our division are. We talked for a bit, then he got his trailer and took off.
It was a bit surprising to drive by a small rest area just south of the Missouri state line in Arkansas - Highway 67 - and see him parked there. He not only was hours ahead of me, but he would have had his 10 hour break done long before I was passing by there. I don't know how many miles later, I stopped in Searcy at the Love's for fuel and the required 30 minute break. He showed up there shortly after I was done fueling and parked next to me. He was in a talkative mood again, so we chatted for 15 minutes before he headed back to his truck. It was then he revealed he is retiring in 3 months from now. Lucky you, I thought a bit jealously, I have many years left before I can retired.
I congratulated him on it and wished him a happy retirement : )
I was not, thankfully, given a load for tomorrow. I only have 18 or so hours left on the 70 clock, I could only do a s*** run such as Cheniere with that few hours left. I'm hopeful that by now, Cheniere is filled back up and we won't be hearing from them for a while. I've been driving for 5 days in a row, I am ready for at least a day off.
Of course, after being gone so much, both the dogs and the kids were happy to see me and wanting all kinds of attention lol. The 5 year old fairly well demanded attention - not being bratty or stupid - just wanting me to look at his new toys and horse play. I'm just an old kid in some respects, I love horseplay so I engaged for a while lol. But now? I'm in my room. I'm really zonked out, needing some down time from the road. This last trip I didn't want to do and that mindset, unfortunately, didn't leave me the entire time. The only respite was going into the Bar/Grill, having dinner and a beer last night, talking with the bartender and just relaxing.
Other than that? My disdain for driving hit me and I just couldn't shake it. In fact, the bartender said the same thing. 'I don't come here for fun on my days off, it just feels like I'm going to work". I agreed, when I get in my personal vehicle, it just feels like I'm at work again. I don't mind driving around town in my personal vehicle, it's a small town so that's not a big deal. But anything other than vacation driving - no thanks. But let's say I was going to go on a cruise out of Galveston? I would despise the drive down there, for most of the way there is also the same route as going to Brownsville. Am I going on a cruise or am I going to Brownsville on a work run?
Tomorrow? No clue. James said he was going to figure out how to get that concrete pillar out of there. Have at it! It's still there lol. He's home, for how long I don't know, there's more work to be done up there apparently. I doubt I'll have the desire to go attempting to beat down concrete tomorrow, in fact, I have already determined it needs a jackhammer. If he want to beat the crap out of it with the sledgehammer, be my guest tho. My pond project is on hold until it is gone. Now, if it was gone, I'd have the motivation tomorrow to work on the pond. But going and renting a jackhammer? Maybe if James will help.
Other than that, it will be room laundry day - cleaning dog and human bedding. I don't know about any running around town stuff, haven't really given it any thought. I don't feel like smoking anything. I don't feel like doing anything. Living in a truck has it's disadvantages.
I think that's enough for this post.
