2 days in a row running my butt off trying to get as far back on this trip as possible.

If you've looked at the weather forecast - for just about anywhere - you'll know why.  

So, I got all the way back to Cross Plains, Tennessee - about 700 miles driven today, almost 700 yesterday.  

It's not going to make any difference tho. It's going to start snowing tonight and will continue on into the morning.

Normally I'd rate my chances of getting back home tomorrow at around 95%

Tomorrow? I'll give it a 50-50 chance. 

My question to myself: Do I get up at 4:00 am, when I will be able to start, or do I wait until daylight so I can see what I'm driving over before I get to it?  

The real bummer?  If I would have gotten a Brownsville load yesterday, I would be "stuck" there until Monday.  It happens that way, the plant is behind schedule or something happens and then, trucks get stuck down there and yes, they are getting paid.  

If I get sidetracked by weather? I don't get paid for having to wait it out.  Probably wouldn't be too fair to the company to have to pay for something that is completely out of their control, I guess.  Weather is fairly predictable tho, if they know it's going to be inclement weather and they send you anyway, should there be some sort of stipend for taking the risk?  

So that's that.  Whatever happens, happens.  I'll go find a hotel an hole up for a day if I have to, really doesn't matter that much I guess.

I pulled into the last spot left in this truck stop earlier, thought how lucky I was.....until I heard all the noise coming from the truck next door.  Trucks have these air release valves that spit out air out of tanks that also spit out any moisture that gets into the tanks.  That's the point of them, to try and keep water out of the tanks and thusly rusting everything out.  

Well, this truck was spitting every 15 seconds.  And not only doing it that often, but loud.  I sat there and wondered how I could have such luck.  I mean, my windows were closed and it sounded like they were - open the noise was that loud.  Fortunately for me, however, a truck left it's spot several spaces down and yes, I moved over to that space.  I need my sleep, especially for driving in inclement weather.  You really have to be acutely aware of everything going on.

As for the house? I warned James that the generator is out of fuel, if the power goes out, there isn't going to be a running generator.  Cause' you have wind, snow and ice.  That's a recipe for a power outage, at least in our area and at 4 degree temperature tomorrow and 15 real feel right now?  yea, you aren't staying in that house with some way to heat at least one room.  So he went and got 10 gallons of fuel and that made me feel better even tho I'm not even there.

I also warned them - probably needlessly since I'm sure they know - about the pipes. Hard freeze, keep some water running.  

Then I was reading in a local facebook sell group, people arguing about whether they should be able to leave their dogs outside?  Are you serious?  I mean, it was livid anger stuff from both sides.  I wouldn't even dream of leaving Addler outside in these temps.

  "Did you know that Texas law requires pets to be brought inside during severe weather?

As a major winter storm is expected to dump freezing rain and bitterly cold temperatures over many parts of Texas this weekend, officials are reminding people about the risks of leaving your pet outside.

“It is illegal to restrain your dog under these conditions,” wrote Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez on Twitter Friday afternoon.

According to Section 821 of the Texas Statute, it is illegal to restrain your dog during severe weather conditions. This includes heat advisories, freezing temperatures, hurricanes, tropical storms and tornado warnings."

 I didn't know that until I started reading this elongated thread with people arguing.  Some of them said it's actually a felony.  Anyway, I was rather aghast that anyone could try and defend leaving their dogs out in such freezing cold weather.  Why even have a dog if you are going to treat it like that?  I know, some people just want outdoor dogs for security purposes.  And probably other reasons that I can't think of right now.

Well whatever. I have no other news on my end, the weather is what's on everyone's minds right now anyway.  I'm set the alarm for 4:00 am, get up and look out the window.  And then decide what to do lol.  I wish I were home, tbh, just don't feel right about being out here like this.  Im not afraid of driving in the snow, it's the ice that the weather reports are referring that get me a bit - thinking about whether I want to drive in that or not.  

If I'm relegated to driving 50 mph or slower in that mess, I won't be home tomorrow.  No I'm not feeling sorry for myself, I just want to get back so I can get back out and go somewhere else, preferably Brownsville where i won't have to encounter quite such weather. 

Whatever the case, I am exhausted, ending this one and going to bed soon. 

g'nite.