Sometimes You Just Meet Cool People...

Ladies and Gents...
I wish to introduce to you Dereck Clayton.

Here I am @ a truck stop in Gary Indiana. Randy is sleeping. I came in to download some music, do research on the internet and have a great big yummy steak salad with blue cheese.

Up walks this man and starts sassing the whole female staff. Telling Frank (another regular) the proper way to drink your coffee...I peeked it's with a lot of cream and some sweetener...according to Dereck. Mine...black and strong as you can get...french press is best.

Anyways...we start talking MUSIC. And asked if I liked Stevie Rae Vaughn. How could one not!?!?!?!

Anyways, he proceeded to turn me on to limewire. Although it didn't give me the particular songs I am looking for...it will serve its purpose in the future. (place evil laugh here).

Dereck is a very kind, sassy, wonderful man and I am glad we had some time together. He is an EMT. Our talk was mostly music. With a big shout out to Prince! He's a classic 1970's-1980's type man...loving action flicks with Bruce Willis and "of course John Wayne."

Dereck and Frank assured me...that even though some other truckers scared me tremendously of this truck stop...this is not the homicide capitol for truckers. As a matter of fact...this particular Flying J in all their years coming here...there has never been a murder. I can hear Randy saying "See I told you so..." Already.

Well...as a female trucker I mostly keep to myself...but sometimes wonderful people are sitting right next to you...and I just can't resist!

Big shout out to Dereck!!
Kiss Kiss,
Terrilynn

ANOTHER BABY ANNOUNCEMENT!

Well...I am to be an auntie 3 more times total with in 9 months!!!

We just found out that my brother Michael and his lovely wife Laine, from Bismarck North Dakota have recently conceived!!! ...but this little one will not be an only child. There are TWO girls already with this loving little family. Princesse's Morgan and Madison! Both in first grade this year.

So ALL my brother's wives on my father's side are pregnant...



This picture was taken in Mexico when we all went on our cruise. ((Thanks again Dad)) It's like a destiny that they are all pregnant...good thing I wasn't in this picture! I was swimming with the dolphins @ the time this was taken, we got separated and could not find them...so we (Randy and I) went and hung out on the beach, drank margarita's, Randy got a massage and we rented a jet ski...again...I guess it's a good thing I was not in this picture! That would definitely impede on my trucking career!

I wonder if they said BABIES instead of CHEESE!

Kiss Kiss,
Love to the mama's to be!
Terrilynn

Where Have You Been? And What Have You Been Hauling???

Sometimes it might be interesting for you all to know what we haul and where we go...
so I will be posting from time to time what has been going on....

Clackamas, OR > Boise, Idaho - Produce
Boise, ID > De Kalb, Illinois - Powerbars
Aurora, Illinois > Atlanta, Georgia - Can't remeber
Atlanta, Georgia > Sealy, Texas - Crayons
Houston, Texas > Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Motor Oil
Oklahoma City > Brundidge, Alabama - Potatoes
Calhoun, Georgia > Appleton, Wisconsin - Bread Crumbs ((yes, I'm serious))
Plover, Wisconsin > Byron Center, Michigan - French Fries
Quincy, Michigan > Ogalalla, Nebraska - can't remeber
Ogalalla , Nebraska > Kent, Washington - can't remeber
Kent, Washington > Minooka, Illinois - frozen waffles
Portage, Wisconsin > Tolleson, Arizon - meat
Phoenix, Az > Green Bay, Wisconsin - can't remeber
Chicago, Illinois > Mechanicsburg, Pennsevania - Gum
Harrisburg, Pennslyvania > Fogelsville, Pennsylvania - can't remember
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania > Carthage, Missouri
Springfeild, Missouri > Stockton, California
Castroville, California > Atlantana, Georgia
Garner, North Carolina > Carol Stream, Illinois
Paw Paw, Michigan > Fargo, North Dakota > Paw Paw, Michigan - juice boxes.


That should give you some of an idea! We did all of this starting on 8/4/09, the last one the most recent.

Thanks for reading, caring, and loving us...
Kiss, kiss,
Terrilynn

Just another day, another load....

Well...just to let you know about some of the "fun" trucking can be....

We were on our way home. We were booking it back so I could make an event @ the Ramtha School of Enlightenment (www.ramtha.com) I have missed quite a few events over the years for varying reasons...but, we had the money, the time, and we were on our way home. All was well. We would be getting into town the day the event started ((three days later than I requested off)) and we would rush to pick me up a new tent, Randy would drop me off @ the ranch...and 'Bob's your uncle' we all would be happy.

Well...so i thought.



I was driving along ((unfortunately wouldn't be able to stop and visit family because we were in such a hurry)) on I-94 just passing Fargo ND. And the Qualcomm (satellite communication device with our company) beeps @ me. I thought it was just a lovely safety message...but they said I needed to turn around and return the load BACK to Paw Paw Michigan!!!

I fought it but in the end the company won. So after driving 755 miles I pulled off of the west bound, pulled into a truck stop Eastbound and proceeded to cry my head off. It even scared Voodoo to hide @ Randy's feet.

But after a good hard cry that lasted less than a few minutes...I sniffled and went back to the drivers seat and headed east.

Well...I thought that would be the end of our little detour...but I was wrong.

We got to the shipper/receiver and did not have the correct number to return their product to them. We were there just the day before...with their paperwork and their seals...and they wouldn't unload us. It took them 3 hours to locate this correct number...not to mention MANY phone calls...Finally I walked in and used my charming firm voice and said "C'mon, Isn't there someone you can call and talk to?" I was dealing with my company AND a broker (sub company that gets loads and then sells them...genuine pain in the ass's) and I told this guy that we are just not coming up with the right number. There were 5 trucks behind me waiting to get a door (to get loaded or unloaded) and I was worried we would be there all night. And although I am totally involved in my current book...


The idea of sitting there all night was not appealing to me at all. Do you ever have to stay somewhere when you really wanna be someplace else...like I am sure there are days that you are sitting in the office looking outside especially on a warm spring day where everything smells fresh...you wanna go on a hike, or paddle, or make some sweet love in the park, maybe have a glass of wine on your porch...yeah...that's nice!

Anyways...we finally got unloaded!!!!

Now...we go to Illinois to pick up something that goes to Indiana. (300 miles) THEN we have a load that picks up in Indiana and then another pick up in Wisconsin...then...can you guess...then...that's right folks THEN I get to go home.

Well, by then the event will be over...
BUT the Pollyanna in me says...well...I will get to enjoy wine with my sweetie...

We're gonna put the semi in the shop for some sweet loving...my pickup which has been so very neglected over the years will go into a shop as well. The car needs an oil change and tires. We'll get wood for the winter. I will cook some fabulous meals. Randy will buy his shot gun. And maybe we'll get a REAL couch! Maybe see some friends and family. Maybe plant some winter type "crops" Not an event...but lots of "maintenance" going on!

So if ya get a chance to...hug a trucker today!
Looking forward to "home time!"
Kiss Kiss....
Terrilynn

PS a really big upswing of this delay to home time is we get paid an extra $40 a day that we didn't make it home. Although we have never cashed in on this before...we will now!

Road Blocks

First...update....
Houston....yeah, we got out of there after 10 days!!!! The repair was covered by another store. If we would have paid for the repair...it would have been around$6,000...or our LIFE! Yikes!!!!

But, we are rolling again. And all is well.

But to the blog...
What do you do when a road is closed? The way appears blocked?


This is coming from more my own inner contemplations vs. our TRUCKING life. But it kinda applies...

What do you do when the way is shut?

If you were and epic hero like Frodo...you keep going. Regardless of what/who/where/what happens. But is this the way ordinary folk live their lives? At all costs...lay it all on the line...finding the other paths to the same end all be all's of what ever it is we are trying to accomplish?

In winter...if the road is closed out...depending on where we are...we just "shut down." We hang out, watch movies, take showers, do laundry...sleep. Until the magical moment comes and the road opens and we continue on our way.

I have something I am trying to achieve in my life...and I keep hitting road blocks...so my BIG thoughts of the day are do I keep with the head strong me...and FORCE it? Do I gracefully bow my head and walk for a door? Do I wait it out...knowing the road will open eventually? Spring will come and melt it all away? The waters of emotion will recede and I can continue on.

What do you do? Beg, borrow and steal till it happens? Laugh at another block and continue on? Tell yourself it should not be this HARD if it is "meant" to be?

Close our eyes and focus?

This is what is troubling me today...

I want to be studying and using this down time to be productive...but this oyster has a big grain of sand in her shell...I hope I don't choke on it... and I can turn it into a pearl of wisdom!!!!