I delivered my load in Houston yesterday afternoon after a hard drive down from WI. As I expected there wasn't any reload available. As motels are way too expensive in the Houston area I head about 80 miles North to a little town called Seven Oaks where I know of a cheap motel.

On the way up I got caught in a major traffic jam. An accident up ahead, with fatalities, had brought the highway to stand still.

After about two hours I finally crawled past the accident scene. This was a divided highway with several lanes running in each direction, with a concrete barrior between the Northbound and Southbound lanes. No way to cross over from one side to the other. And yet, even with this, it was a head-on collision. I later learned that a car had come onto the highway from a ramp, going the wrong way. Stupid or drunk? Who knows? They're dead now and took some other innocent folks with them.

I finally made it up here to the motel. When I went to check in the door was locked and I couldn't see anyone inside. There's only one lady working here, the owner, and she must have been around back cleaning rooms. I called the number, left her a message to call me, and walked into the bar for a beer while I waited.

I sat in the bar for about an hour before she finally called to tell me she was back in the office. Helluva way to run a motel, but whatever, I walked over and checked in.

It's not a fancy place but it's clean. This morning I walked to the little c-store next door for some much needed coffee. It was still brewing when I got there so I waited. By the time it had finished brewing there were several of us standing there watching the coffee pot do it's thing. As I was first in line I got the first cup. It was very, very good stuff. Great coffee, no wonder there was a line.

While I was waiting for the coffee I got to talking to a couple of the other guys who were waiting. It was a couple of black fellows and they said they had been up all night as they had two pits going to get food ready for a family reunion later today. Man that sounded good and I said as much. I also asked if they thought anyone would believe it if I showed up and claimed to be a distant cousin from out of town? LOL

They laughed, told me where their place was (I still have no idea, somewhere out in the sticks) and told me I was welcome to come by for some good food "if you have a mind to". I thanked them for the offer but declined as I am driving a big rig and it didn't sound like any place I would want to try to go, even bobtailing.

We shook hands and I got my coffee. One of them said he might stop by the motel this evening and bring me some food. Wouldn't that be nice? I haven't had any pit roasted hog in a long time.

Later today I went down to Livingston to the Wal mart and picked up a few grocery items to tide me over for the weekend. Just some cold cuts, bread, and some soup I could put in the microwave. Luckily the room has one as well as a mini-fridge. It'll do. Besides, there isn't even so much as a diner here. Seven Oaks isn't really a town so much as just a wide spot in the road somebody gave a name to. It doesn't even have it's own zip code LOL.

There a "washateria" about 2 miles down the road so tomorrow I'll go do some laundry. There's even a "Cowboy Church" down there that I passed on my way here. I may stop there tomorrow morning for services. I have to admit I am a bit curious about a church named Cowboy Church. Should be interesting if nothing else.