March 4, 2008  We're Back in the USA

It's a bit of a culture shock being back.  One of the things I've noticed after arriving in Miami and renting a car, is just how fast people drive cars.  It's been awhile since we've gone faster than 35 mph  in a taxi and the experience of scenery passing by at 70+ mph is scary.  Plus, there are so many cars on the road and they are all in a hurry!  We, also, definitely get our fix of a good ole Wendy's cheeseburger and fries.  The classic "gutbomb".

After spending 5 days in the "decompression chamber" which is what we endearingly call our friend's Marc's home, and spending a fun weekend with our good friends, Jeff and Cindy and meeting their new addition, Reef, a 4 month old beautiful baby boy, we were ready to travel to the "Land of Oz" and visit our family and friends there.

Jeff, Cindy, Reef, and Aaron

March 15, 2008  Fun Activities

We were given such a warm welcome back by Jessica and our grandkids with lots of hugs and kisses at the airport. It was so good to see them all and when we arrived at their home, we were given instructions by our granddaughter, Drew, who is 5 yrs old, to close our eyes as we entered.  To our wonderful surprise, she had made drawings of us and had taped them onto the dining room window.  They are the best drawings, of course.

Our days have been filled with playing with the grandkids, and other fun activities such as  going to the Great Wolf Lodge and swimming in the indoor fun park, soccer and  basketball games,  visiting friends and my aunt in Lawrence, visiting family in Emporia, karoke nite at Spark's Bar (thank goodness there are no pictures!) and celebrating Ellie's #4 birthday. 

An  interesting and special day was spent with my Dad at the Paola sale barn selling hay. This last activity is "going back to my roots" as they say, as a young girl growing up on a farm, many a Saturday was spent at the sale barn either buying or selling livestock and hay.  The most important thing to remember, my Dad would say,  is to secure a good placement of your hay in order to get the best price for it.  You definitely don't want to be first or last.   And to always enjoy a good homecooked meal in the restaurant before leaving.  The best coconut cream pie is served up here. Rivaling the pie at the Town Topic in downtown Kansas City, Mo, no doubt.

March 24, 2008   Happy Bunny Day! and back to work we go!

We spend the morning with the grandkids celebrating with an Easter egg hunt and then it's time to hit the road in a rental car and drive to Louisville, KY, where we will attend orientation for three days for we are now a step closer to being employed.   This past week, we have been getting ready to return to work, which is being on the road truckdrivers.  This was the first time to apply for a job online, what a great way to do so. We have over 17 years driving experience and encountered no difficulty in securing a job with a good company. So, with all of our supplies loaded in the car, which is 4 pillows and bedding, clothes, coats, thermos, truck tools, computers, etc.,  we take off for our next adventure.

March 28, 2008   Our New Home

The company pays for the hotel for all the new recuits, plus meals and the transportation means of arriving there in addition to a $450 bonus.   This orientation process involves: sitting in a classroom with about 25 other drivers, mostly male, (there was only one other female besides me)  filling our lots of paperwork, safety videos are watched, tests are taken, a DOT physical and drug screen at the local clinic, and the driving test, which is driving the truck and trailer around town.  You know, driving a big truck is just like riding a bicycle, you never forget how.  Although, it had been 2 1/2 years since we have driven one, so of course, I was a bit anxious, but the drivers test was easy.  On Thursday afternoon, travel assignments were handed out to those drivers who passed all the necessary requirements.  We travelled to Atlanta in a van with four other drivers to the company service center there and arrived at midnite to find our new home:  its dark blue with 10 gears and 10 wheels and its parked and waiting for us. We moved right in and went to bed.

March 29, 2008   Our First Trip Assignment

After a good night sleep, we meet the terminal manager named Jim, who informs us that we have been assigned to a load that must make delivery tomorrow morning promptly at 7am in Pennsylvania.  He says we must call our fleet manager, Mark, and he will explain the details.  Mark, who is at the home service center in Minnesota, tells us that this isn't normal to put a new team on a hot load, but there is no other choice.  We are it.  We step up to the challenge, a quick run to the local grocery store for snacks and other goodies, gather our truck essentials, oil, window washer fluid, a lock for the trailer and company paperwork.  At 3pm, we are ready to roll.

 The hours of service rules have changed since we were working last, so our normal routine of driving 5 hours each a a time, twice a day, is no longer legal.  Now, the law states, that the sleeper berth time must be at least 8 hours, before driving again and that a total of 10 hours sleeper berth time in a 24 hour period.  So, that means one of us has to drive 8 hours.  Now, I don't know about you, but that is hard to do, and even harder when your body is not used to it, and pile this on top of being under a "hot load" that has to be there in the morning.  This is more stress than we have had to deal with in quite awhile.  I drive out first, since I like the daylight hours, and Aaron takes a nap in the "sleeper berth", which is just the full sized bed in back.  We make delivery on time, worn out the both of us since we are not used to these hours yet, and our congratulated by the company officers who have been keeping track of our progress via GPS satellite.  What a great way to start off being a new employee proving ourselves right off the bat.  So, with our professionalism trucking integrity in tack, we are officially back in the saddle making and saving those "fun tickets".