As a driver, I learned a long time ago how important it is to get enough sleep. When I was driving Over The Road (OTR) and I got home, I usually was in a bad mood due-to-the-fact-that I was tired. Being tired and grumpy made my time at home not as enjoyable as it should have been. So when I realized that, thereafter when I was on my way home and tired, instead of going home where I wanted to be, I would stop and take a nap to refresh myself.
When I got the job with Precision Fuel Haulers, being tired took on a whole new meaning. There were days that I would put in only 12 hours, but there were others that I put in 18 – 20. From the shop back to the ranch was a 45 minute drive. So if I had a long night, then had to drive back to the ranch, shower and eat, that left only a few hours (4 – 5) for me to sleep, if I was lucky. That is not enough for me, especially when I have to drive an 80,000# guided missile!
Then there were two incidents: one, when I fell asleep at the wheel of my car going home; and another when I realized I was home and had not a clue as to how I got there! I decided for safety’s sake to get an apartment in Greeley close to the shop. If I had a long night, I would stay at the apartment; if it was short, then I’d go back to the ranch.
That day started out about as typical as any other day. I had stayed at the apartment and got up at 3 P.M. like I did, and got to the shop about 5. There was nobody else there. Got my dispatch from the boss on the phone and head on down to Denver. I went to Suncor, the refinery, and loaded up the truck. There was one truck pulling out as I pulled in, and as I was leaving a couple of other trucks showed up. I made my delivery, and there was nobody at that station as they were closed. I then went to the Conoco pipeline and loaded for Avon. Once again as I pulled out a couple of trucks showed up as I was leaving. I drove to Avon and as my luck would have it, the store was closed by the time I got there, and there was nobody there. I made my delivery and headed back to Denver to Suncor to load up. There were no trucks there. I head up to Greeley to make my delivery and that station, too, was closed. Got done at that delivery, went back to the shop and dropped off the truck. There was nobody there. That was a short night in comparison to some nights. But I was tired, so I decided to go back to the apartment.
When I got back to my apartment, everybody in the building was still in bed or had already left for work. I didn't see anybody there. I got up to my apartment and got ready for bed. I said my prayers and thanked God that He once again kept me safe.
I laid down and then it dawned on me: it was kind of like a wave washing over me, a very weird sensation, one that is very difficult to explain, even as a writer. Not unlike the bottom dropping out of a bucket, or that moment when you close the door on your car and you realize you left the keys inside. The whole night, for that 11 hours, I didn't have contact with any other human! I saw nobody else in person, and I talked to no other person, person to person. The only person I had talked to was the boss on the phone when I got my dispatch.
The weight of that realization laid me flat out like I was crushed by a ton of bricks. I instantly succumbed to the wave of emotion that washed over me. I had suddenly realized how alone, and lonely, I was.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
I'm Single
Well, now that I'm Single, I can take you on my journey of the past four (4) years. But in the meantime, a (humorous? sordid? stupid?) thought that came to mind yesterday:
I should go out and buy a New Car! On a six (6) year note, it will be paid off the same time as the Court Ordered Maintenance!
Until next time, keep the rubber side down.
I should go out and buy a New Car! On a six (6) year note, it will be paid off the same time as the Court Ordered Maintenance!
Until next time, keep the rubber side down.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Ponzi Schemes
Well, I'm not alone. I checked in on an Investment Club that I joined to find the following:
Palm Beach Gardens investment group collected $27.7M from Ponzi scheme, SEC says
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/palm-beach-gardens-investment-group-collected-27-7m-762936.html
The "Club" has been in litigation with the originating company since this time last year. Supposedly the funds are frozen and all are waiting for the lawsuit trial to start in September. We'll see.
It may be asked: How can somebody as smart as me be conned into something like this. Answer: I'm only as good as the information that I am given.
I'm not alone.
Remember when President Bush was told that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction? Then when we get there, there's none to be found! (or so we're told.) President
Bush acted on information that was given to him. So who's at fault here? The President or his advisors?
So now we're involved in a Ponzi Scheme in Afganistan and Iraq. Our Government is sending assets over there, and we're not getting a return on our investment. Then, when a leading General points that out to our President, the General gets "beheaded", just like when somebody spoke out against the King in Feudal times.
Obviously our President is not capable of taking public criticism.
So, I'm not alone. It doesn't make it any easier. Fortunately, I had taken steps to lessen the impact of loss from the Club.
But, like the olde saying goes: "If you don't try, you won't know." I tried. Many things. Some successes, some failures.
And my Sister in her wisdom has advised me against making SOME mistakes a THIRD time!
Thank God for having a conscious. Even if she does live in Florida.
Keep the rubber side down, and your chins up!
Palm Beach Gardens investment group collected $27.7M from Ponzi scheme, SEC says
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/palm-beach-gardens-investment-group-collected-27-7m-762936.html
The "Club" has been in litigation with the originating company since this time last year. Supposedly the funds are frozen and all are waiting for the lawsuit trial to start in September. We'll see.
It may be asked: How can somebody as smart as me be conned into something like this. Answer: I'm only as good as the information that I am given.
I'm not alone.
Remember when President Bush was told that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction? Then when we get there, there's none to be found! (or so we're told.) President
Bush acted on information that was given to him. So who's at fault here? The President or his advisors?
So now we're involved in a Ponzi Scheme in Afganistan and Iraq. Our Government is sending assets over there, and we're not getting a return on our investment. Then, when a leading General points that out to our President, the General gets "beheaded", just like when somebody spoke out against the King in Feudal times.
Obviously our President is not capable of taking public criticism.
So, I'm not alone. It doesn't make it any easier. Fortunately, I had taken steps to lessen the impact of loss from the Club.
But, like the olde saying goes: "If you don't try, you won't know." I tried. Many things. Some successes, some failures.
And my Sister in her wisdom has advised me against making SOME mistakes a THIRD time!
Thank God for having a conscious. Even if she does live in Florida.
Keep the rubber side down, and your chins up!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Back in the Saddle, Part II
I forgot... When I got my new (refurbished, new to me) laptop, it did not have a phone jack for dial-up. So when I took it to my computer dude, he said it could not support one. So I went to Cricket and signed up for broadband at $40 a month plus $5 a month insurance. Hence, I got rid of my web site since I don't have time to really make it work, and that saves me $20 a month, and got rid of my land line through Qwest, which saves me $25 a month, which pays for my Cricket!
The clutch in my truck went out, and it won't be repaired until next week, so I get to drive the "Blue Truck", which has been repainted, thanks to your's truly hitting an elk, to a metallic brown. Regardless of the color, it's an ok truck. It pulls good, but overheats, so you have to take the hills slower. And the engine retarders don't work as well as those on my truck, so I have to go down hills at 20MPH. I am SO learning patience.
AND as usual, there's no forcast for snow in the mountains, so I've been getting my ass kicked with snow and crappy roads.
Let's see, what else is there? Hmmmm, nothing that I can think of. Well, then, that's all till the next time, eh?
Y'all take care and God bless, and keep the rubber side down.
The clutch in my truck went out, and it won't be repaired until next week, so I get to drive the "Blue Truck", which has been repainted, thanks to your's truly hitting an elk, to a metallic brown. Regardless of the color, it's an ok truck. It pulls good, but overheats, so you have to take the hills slower. And the engine retarders don't work as well as those on my truck, so I have to go down hills at 20MPH. I am SO learning patience.
AND as usual, there's no forcast for snow in the mountains, so I've been getting my ass kicked with snow and crappy roads.
Let's see, what else is there? Hmmmm, nothing that I can think of. Well, then, that's all till the next time, eh?
Y'all take care and God bless, and keep the rubber side down.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Back in the Saddle
I'm back in the saddle again, thanks to Terence. My graphics board (mother board) on my olde laptop died, and it would take a minimum of $400 to replace it. For that kind of money I/we could buy a new one, or one that's reconditioned, and that's what he did.
Thank you Terence.
It's a Toshiba Satellite.
It's nice and fast. Now. However, when I got it, it had Windows Vista, and that don't work, and neither did anything else on the laptop. So, I took it in to my computer wizard and he did his magic and got me up and running. We took the olde harddrive from the olde computer and turned it into an external harddrive for backups. Slick.
At work, we had two guys quit in two weeks. They decided to go with a flatbed company out of Denver that promised them, nay, GUARANTEED them, $6k per month and home weekends. I ran a skateboard for 13 years, and know for a fact that that was a bogus claim. IF there was money to be had doing so, I would have been there already. I'll stick to running a tanker.
The snow is unrelenting.
I have a new reason to celebrate Cinco de Mayo: my bankruptcy was discharged on May 5th.
A lot's been going on, but can't really divulge all of the info at this time. When the time is right I will, so y'all will have to wait.
Until next time...
Thank you Terence.
It's a Toshiba Satellite.
It's nice and fast. Now. However, when I got it, it had Windows Vista, and that don't work, and neither did anything else on the laptop. So, I took it in to my computer wizard and he did his magic and got me up and running. We took the olde harddrive from the olde computer and turned it into an external harddrive for backups. Slick.
At work, we had two guys quit in two weeks. They decided to go with a flatbed company out of Denver that promised them, nay, GUARANTEED them, $6k per month and home weekends. I ran a skateboard for 13 years, and know for a fact that that was a bogus claim. IF there was money to be had doing so, I would have been there already. I'll stick to running a tanker.
The snow is unrelenting.
I have a new reason to celebrate Cinco de Mayo: my bankruptcy was discharged on May 5th.
A lot's been going on, but can't really divulge all of the info at this time. When the time is right I will, so y'all will have to wait.
Until next time...
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Whatta Week
Greetings all:
Well, I'm excited. Booked the flights for my vacation in June. Will be nice to thaw out!
For those of you who do not know, my son Terence is in the Army stationed at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia going through his Advanced Individual Training (AIT).
Tanya (daughter), Robbie and their daughter Trinity will be driving down from Akron, Ohio to Atlanta and picking us up at the airport, and we will go over to Augusta to see Terence on Saturday, June 5th. Then on Sunday when he has to go back to camp, we will drive down to Florida to see my Mom (her birthday’s on the 9th), Sister, and Nephew and his wife. Then back to Colorado on the 10th, and back to work on the 11th.
I am SO glad this past week is over. It's been hell. Had a NASTY cold. Ok, I don’t know of any cold that’s not nasty, but as the Late Great John Morris used to say: “Don’t confuse the issue with facts.”
I don't get sick often, but when I do... WOWEEEEEeeee! Look out! Glad I've got a good constitution and don't get sick often. Pity those that do. Thank God for our health. So, anyway, I should be good for another 2 years. That’s about the way the cycle runs.
But Brad, one of my bosses, the one who does the dispatching, is right about one thing: you can be sick and miserable at home, or you can be sick and miserable at work. At least if you're working you are making money, and in some cases the work can take your mind off of your misery. If you stay home, you miss those days of work, the $$$$, and focus on the misery which can make it worse, or at least seem to. Plus, being a very small company, my absence has an effect beyond my paycheck. So, looking at the big picture, I have more to think about than just me. (Hi Linda!) I gotta do what I gotta do to help keep the company afloat.
Oh yeah! As of the end of March, I’ll have been with this company Six (6) years! Longest run for me with any company. Hmmm… I wonder if the following is coincidental…? Last week, Friday, I had one helluva day. Granted I was sick with a cold, and the weather was crappy, but the people on the highways were stupid to the Nth degree. Yes, more so than usual. I had six, count ‘em, SIX (6) close calls that, by the Grace of God, didn’t end up with paperwork.
Ok, I have to interject a note here. That was six situations that I had to take major evasive action with my tractor-trailer in order to avoid an accident. Twice while loaded, four times while empty. A concerted effort on my part, not just an instinctual reaction. Driving in the purest sense of the word, taking the vehicle to the MAX and KNOWING its limitations.
The one was a dumb-ass that cut between me and a LARGE pile of snow at our store in Avon. After I got parked I went over to said young lady and asked her: “Are you stupid or drunk?” She proceeded to get lippy with me, and I informed her that if she wanted to, she could explain to the local law enforcement personnel why she was stupid. End of conversation. The local law enforcement personnel and I get along VERY well. Then a female got out of the back seat of the car and calmly say to me: “Don’t yell.” I got in her face and yelled at her: “I yell at stupid people!” That made her jump back and she smacked her head on the edge of the roof! Vindication! Oh, I was not mad, I was LIVID! So much so that I was ready to put my NEW size 11.5 steel toed Red Wing boots up their asses! That would have been an interesting set of snowshoes! Oh, the visuals…! I can use that in a comedy routine… (Randy, can you help me here?)
Of course, there are those that believe I have NO sense of humor (or any sense) let alone be able to have a comedy routine. Proof of my sense of humor is this: you’re my friend, aren’t you?
For reference, one day a couple of years ago I counted the number of incidents (that I knew of) that I believe I was spared paperwork (by the Grace of God) that did NOT require major evasive action on my part, such as deer on the highway, rock or snow slides, etc. BTW, that number was 17! I figure that’s an average day!
Running the hills (translation for you flatlanders: mountains) is inherently risky, and those of us who do it daily are somewhat inured to the stupidity of the slope dopes (translation: skiers). But this day tested me to the limits; more so than usual.
I wrote about that in the Prairie Times magazine. I prayed to God to put me in a job that challenged me both physically and mentally, and realized one day that hauling fuel in the mountains did just that. I was already there! If you have not read that article it is the previous post on this blog.
I have been told by many that know me that “The Company” does not appreciate me for all I do for them, and the extent to which I will go to do my job. As the “Ask” article points out, it’s the challenge. But Brad, bless his heart, has been good to me. A better boss a person cannot ask for. Now if we could do something about his sense of humor…! You want to see him light up, ask him about Conoco! But that’s another story.
Had an epiphany the other day:
God is my co-pilot.
He has to be: Brad is my dispatcher!
Well, that’s all for now. This week has been so wrought with challenges and excitement that I could literally write a book about it. But, probably like the first one, I wouldn’t have the time necessary to properly market it. I am working on a couple more. Stay tuned.
This Blog has been brought to you by:
Slope dopes
The Rocky Mountains
God
Brad Schreiber and Linda Robinson (of)
Precision Fuel Haulers (and)
Crown Royal (Damn good stuff! A gift from a GOOD FRIEND! But that’s another story.)
Final thoughts:
Thank God every day for what you’ve got, and be content with it. For as it has been stated by many, you never know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Because if you don’t appreciate what you’ve got, God can show you in a heartbeat how good you had it!
And…
Tell the people around you how much you appreciate them, no matter who they are or what they do. The kind word you say may be the difference between them having a good day, or not. It only takes a moment, and can make all the difference in the world to them. You know me, and know that I go out of my way to talk to as many people as I can. I’ve gotten in trouble because of it, but in the Grand Scheme of things, it’s a small price to pay for the betterment of mankind. I figure that if I can make a person smile or laugh, that’s one less grump the next person has to deal with! But, that’s another story.
Y’all take care and God bless. Eh?
Damn! That Crown Royal is good stuff! I don’t know which is better: a few shots of that, or hyperventilating! Oh God, I’m having WAY too much fun here! G’nite all.
Oh yeah, one more thing: Pray for our country. As the article I forwarded to my E-mail list states, Obama is the best thing that has happened to this country in a long time. Pray that we regain the country our Forefathers created. I believe God put Obama in office to drive this country to its knees. He’s succeeding.
God bless y’all.
ME.
P.S. Damn! That Crown Royal is good stuff! No, wait, I erred. It should have been:
Dmna?LLA;2#L the at Crown rohoul is good shitl2!..
Lol
I kill me!
Well, I'm excited. Booked the flights for my vacation in June. Will be nice to thaw out!
For those of you who do not know, my son Terence is in the Army stationed at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia going through his Advanced Individual Training (AIT).
Tanya (daughter), Robbie and their daughter Trinity will be driving down from Akron, Ohio to Atlanta and picking us up at the airport, and we will go over to Augusta to see Terence on Saturday, June 5th. Then on Sunday when he has to go back to camp, we will drive down to Florida to see my Mom (her birthday’s on the 9th), Sister, and Nephew and his wife. Then back to Colorado on the 10th, and back to work on the 11th.
I am SO glad this past week is over. It's been hell. Had a NASTY cold. Ok, I don’t know of any cold that’s not nasty, but as the Late Great John Morris used to say: “Don’t confuse the issue with facts.”
I don't get sick often, but when I do... WOWEEEEEeeee! Look out! Glad I've got a good constitution and don't get sick often. Pity those that do. Thank God for our health. So, anyway, I should be good for another 2 years. That’s about the way the cycle runs.
But Brad, one of my bosses, the one who does the dispatching, is right about one thing: you can be sick and miserable at home, or you can be sick and miserable at work. At least if you're working you are making money, and in some cases the work can take your mind off of your misery. If you stay home, you miss those days of work, the $$$$, and focus on the misery which can make it worse, or at least seem to. Plus, being a very small company, my absence has an effect beyond my paycheck. So, looking at the big picture, I have more to think about than just me. (Hi Linda!) I gotta do what I gotta do to help keep the company afloat.
Oh yeah! As of the end of March, I’ll have been with this company Six (6) years! Longest run for me with any company. Hmmm… I wonder if the following is coincidental…? Last week, Friday, I had one helluva day. Granted I was sick with a cold, and the weather was crappy, but the people on the highways were stupid to the Nth degree. Yes, more so than usual. I had six, count ‘em, SIX (6) close calls that, by the Grace of God, didn’t end up with paperwork.
Ok, I have to interject a note here. That was six situations that I had to take major evasive action with my tractor-trailer in order to avoid an accident. Twice while loaded, four times while empty. A concerted effort on my part, not just an instinctual reaction. Driving in the purest sense of the word, taking the vehicle to the MAX and KNOWING its limitations.
The one was a dumb-ass that cut between me and a LARGE pile of snow at our store in Avon. After I got parked I went over to said young lady and asked her: “Are you stupid or drunk?” She proceeded to get lippy with me, and I informed her that if she wanted to, she could explain to the local law enforcement personnel why she was stupid. End of conversation. The local law enforcement personnel and I get along VERY well. Then a female got out of the back seat of the car and calmly say to me: “Don’t yell.” I got in her face and yelled at her: “I yell at stupid people!” That made her jump back and she smacked her head on the edge of the roof! Vindication! Oh, I was not mad, I was LIVID! So much so that I was ready to put my NEW size 11.5 steel toed Red Wing boots up their asses! That would have been an interesting set of snowshoes! Oh, the visuals…! I can use that in a comedy routine… (Randy, can you help me here?)
Of course, there are those that believe I have NO sense of humor (or any sense) let alone be able to have a comedy routine. Proof of my sense of humor is this: you’re my friend, aren’t you?
For reference, one day a couple of years ago I counted the number of incidents (that I knew of) that I believe I was spared paperwork (by the Grace of God) that did NOT require major evasive action on my part, such as deer on the highway, rock or snow slides, etc. BTW, that number was 17! I figure that’s an average day!
Running the hills (translation for you flatlanders: mountains) is inherently risky, and those of us who do it daily are somewhat inured to the stupidity of the slope dopes (translation: skiers). But this day tested me to the limits; more so than usual.
I wrote about that in the Prairie Times magazine. I prayed to God to put me in a job that challenged me both physically and mentally, and realized one day that hauling fuel in the mountains did just that. I was already there! If you have not read that article it is the previous post on this blog.
I have been told by many that know me that “The Company” does not appreciate me for all I do for them, and the extent to which I will go to do my job. As the “Ask” article points out, it’s the challenge. But Brad, bless his heart, has been good to me. A better boss a person cannot ask for. Now if we could do something about his sense of humor…! You want to see him light up, ask him about Conoco! But that’s another story.
Had an epiphany the other day:
God is my co-pilot.
He has to be: Brad is my dispatcher!
Well, that’s all for now. This week has been so wrought with challenges and excitement that I could literally write a book about it. But, probably like the first one, I wouldn’t have the time necessary to properly market it. I am working on a couple more. Stay tuned.
This Blog has been brought to you by:
Slope dopes
The Rocky Mountains
God
Brad Schreiber and Linda Robinson (of)
Precision Fuel Haulers (and)
Crown Royal (Damn good stuff! A gift from a GOOD FRIEND! But that’s another story.)
Final thoughts:
Thank God every day for what you’ve got, and be content with it. For as it has been stated by many, you never know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Because if you don’t appreciate what you’ve got, God can show you in a heartbeat how good you had it!
And…
Tell the people around you how much you appreciate them, no matter who they are or what they do. The kind word you say may be the difference between them having a good day, or not. It only takes a moment, and can make all the difference in the world to them. You know me, and know that I go out of my way to talk to as many people as I can. I’ve gotten in trouble because of it, but in the Grand Scheme of things, it’s a small price to pay for the betterment of mankind. I figure that if I can make a person smile or laugh, that’s one less grump the next person has to deal with! But, that’s another story.
Y’all take care and God bless. Eh?
Damn! That Crown Royal is good stuff! I don’t know which is better: a few shots of that, or hyperventilating! Oh God, I’m having WAY too much fun here! G’nite all.
Oh yeah, one more thing: Pray for our country. As the article I forwarded to my E-mail list states, Obama is the best thing that has happened to this country in a long time. Pray that we regain the country our Forefathers created. I believe God put Obama in office to drive this country to its knees. He’s succeeding.
God bless y’all.
ME.
P.S. Damn! That Crown Royal is good stuff! No, wait, I erred. It should have been:
Dmna?LLA;2#L the at Crown rohoul is good shitl2!..
Lol
I kill me!
Ask
Originally published in the Prairie Times, "Wish Granted", November 11, 2009
Ask. There’s an olde saying: “Be careful what you ask for.” Oh how I know that’s true!
My primary occupation is driving. As varied as my resume’ is, I can almost say “I’ve done it all!” with a few exceptions. I’ve gone from hauling rocks to being the truck driver for a CART Racing Team. They’re the ones that had the races in downtown Denver.
A few years ago I got tired of driving, and started praying to get out of trucking. An incident at a company granted me my wish. Not wanting to be unemployed for very long, I went looking for another driving job, to no avail. Soon enough I found a job working at a gravel pit. I wasn’t driving, and I wasn’t happy. It was a job, but it didn’t pay the bills. I got my wish.
That job tanked and I got on with a construction company, switching between driving the dump truck and hauling all the heavy equipment, or Tonka Toys. It was a good job, almost paid the bills, but the boss was not too keen on safety or maintenance. After a year of his testing my patience, the Good Lord saw fit to send a new position my way.
I now drive a fuel tanker and have been with this company for over five years. What I do is load the fuel at the refinery or pipelines and haul to gas stations and truck stops in Colorado, with the majority of my deliveries in the mountains. I even deliver to the station in Elizabeth.
When the weather is nice, it’s a great job. When Mother Nature decides to throw her worst at us, one cannot help but ask one’s self “What in tarnation were you thinking?” There have been times going over Loveland Pass that the only way I could tell I was still on the road, was to lean out the driver’s side window and watch for the little white dotted line! Just this past winter one driver got disoriented and literally drove off the side of the mountain. He survived, thank you for asking.
This past winter (’08 – ’09) was brutal in many respects, especially in the high country. Because of it, once again I got to praying for God to put me into a job that would challenge me and pay the bills. I have to admit, I was tired of playing in the snow.
Then one night after a storm had passed through, the moon was full, the mountains were clear, snow was still hanging in the trees, and the road was in rather good shape, that it hit me: this was it! This is what I had been praying for.
At first I didn’t comprehend, then slowly the realization sunk in. Driving a fuel tanker in the mountains was the ultimate challenge! I drive an 80,000# guided missile, loaded with upwards of 8,000 gallons of highly flammable liquid sitting not more than five feet behind me. I deal with mountain roads, snow, ice, whiteout conditions, and crazy drivers, every day as a routine part of my occupation. Mentally and physically, it is a daily test of skill, patience, timing, and by the Grace of God, luck.
I started asking some of the Olde Timers why they have hauled fuel for so many years. They all stated that the pay is good, camaraderie is the best, and they like the autonomy. But the one outstanding point that all of them made is: The Challenge.
I’ve got what I asked for!
Ask. There’s an olde saying: “Be careful what you ask for.” Oh how I know that’s true!
My primary occupation is driving. As varied as my resume’ is, I can almost say “I’ve done it all!” with a few exceptions. I’ve gone from hauling rocks to being the truck driver for a CART Racing Team. They’re the ones that had the races in downtown Denver.
A few years ago I got tired of driving, and started praying to get out of trucking. An incident at a company granted me my wish. Not wanting to be unemployed for very long, I went looking for another driving job, to no avail. Soon enough I found a job working at a gravel pit. I wasn’t driving, and I wasn’t happy. It was a job, but it didn’t pay the bills. I got my wish.
That job tanked and I got on with a construction company, switching between driving the dump truck and hauling all the heavy equipment, or Tonka Toys. It was a good job, almost paid the bills, but the boss was not too keen on safety or maintenance. After a year of his testing my patience, the Good Lord saw fit to send a new position my way.
I now drive a fuel tanker and have been with this company for over five years. What I do is load the fuel at the refinery or pipelines and haul to gas stations and truck stops in Colorado, with the majority of my deliveries in the mountains. I even deliver to the station in Elizabeth.
When the weather is nice, it’s a great job. When Mother Nature decides to throw her worst at us, one cannot help but ask one’s self “What in tarnation were you thinking?” There have been times going over Loveland Pass that the only way I could tell I was still on the road, was to lean out the driver’s side window and watch for the little white dotted line! Just this past winter one driver got disoriented and literally drove off the side of the mountain. He survived, thank you for asking.
This past winter (’08 – ’09) was brutal in many respects, especially in the high country. Because of it, once again I got to praying for God to put me into a job that would challenge me and pay the bills. I have to admit, I was tired of playing in the snow.
Then one night after a storm had passed through, the moon was full, the mountains were clear, snow was still hanging in the trees, and the road was in rather good shape, that it hit me: this was it! This is what I had been praying for.
At first I didn’t comprehend, then slowly the realization sunk in. Driving a fuel tanker in the mountains was the ultimate challenge! I drive an 80,000# guided missile, loaded with upwards of 8,000 gallons of highly flammable liquid sitting not more than five feet behind me. I deal with mountain roads, snow, ice, whiteout conditions, and crazy drivers, every day as a routine part of my occupation. Mentally and physically, it is a daily test of skill, patience, timing, and by the Grace of God, luck.
I started asking some of the Olde Timers why they have hauled fuel for so many years. They all stated that the pay is good, camaraderie is the best, and they like the autonomy. But the one outstanding point that all of them made is: The Challenge.
I’ve got what I asked for!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Red Skelton's recipe for a Perfect Marriage
I truly do miss his humor
PRICELESS
For those of you old enough to remember Red Skelton, I think you will enjoy this e-mail. For those of you not old enough, you will see what you missed. Either way, his humor was always clean and he was a great entertainer. A rerun of great one liners from the man who was known for his clean humor. I hope you get a chuckle or two reading them once more.
RED SKELTON'S RECIPE FOR THE PERFECT MARRIAGE
*1. Two times a week we go to a nice restaurant, have a little beverage, good food and companionship.She goes on Tuesdays, I go on Fridays.
*2. We also sleep in separate beds.Hers is in California , and mine is in Texas .
*3. I take my wife everywhere....but she keeps finding her way back.
*4. I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our anniversary.'Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!' she said.So I suggested the kitchen.
*5. We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.
*6. She has an electric blender, electric toaster and electric bread maker. She said 'There are too many gadgets, and no place to sit down!' So I bought her an electric chair.
*7. My wife told me the car wasn't running well because there was water in the carburetor.I asked where the car was. She told me, 'In the lake.'
*8. She got a mud pack, and looked great for two days.Then the mud fell off.
*9. She ran after the garbage truck, yelling, 'Am I too late for the garbage?' The driver said, 'No, jump in!'
*10. Remember: Marriage is the number one cause of divorce.
*11. I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was “Always”.
*12. I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months; I don't like to interrupt her.
*13. The last fight was my fault though. My wife asked, 'What's on the TV?'I said, 'Dust!'
Can't you just hear him say all of these?I love it........these were the good old days when humor didn't have to start with a four letter word. It was just clean and simple fun.
And he always ended his programs with the words, 'God Bless.'
"FOR EVERY MINUTE YOU ARE ANGRY, YOU LOSE SIXTY SECONDS OF HAPPINESS"
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
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