Howdy folks! Just got home from the road. It's been going pretty well. Just trucking around. I delivered some construction equipment (skid loaders) here in Florida and then picked up a couple of Army vehicles; a Hum V and a 5 ton truck that I'll deliver in Alabama next week. For now, I'm going to drink beer and rest. Let's see.... where all have I been this past couple three weeks? Wyoming, Texas (several times), Louisiana, Wisconsin (several times, terrible snow storm once), North Caro...

The flight up to Wisconsin was pretty uneventful. My boss picked me up from the airport (naturally, I found him in the bar), and drove to me the yard. When I was walking around the yard I saw my wrecked car for the first time since the accident. It turned my stomach to see how badly smashed up it was and I was amazed that I managed to survive at all. Nothing they had told me in describing it came close to just how badly mangled it was. The boss had it towed there to save on the storage f...

Just got home off the road. The trucking thing has been going better than I had hoped. The boss fixed me up with a nice new truck and I spent a few days running some local loads just to get back into the swing a little bit and test myself as to whether I could actually still do it. While there are some things I have to do a bit differently to accomodate the bum hip, overall it went quite well. I discovered I can't just jump up on the trailer like I used to, or down either for that matter....

As I am packing up and making preparations to fly out Monday morning it has occurred to me that the surgical pins, screws, and plates in my pelvis will likely cause me some hassles as I go through airport security. I'm sure they are trained and experienced in such matters, but it does make me wonder just how they handle such a situation? I suppose the smart thing to do would be to inform them of the implanted stainless (3 lbs worth) prior to passing through the metal detector. I'm sure the...

Ok, I should say that I am not a violent person. These days I hate violence of any kind. But this guy just had it coming. I was in the grocery store picking out a few things to tide me over through the weekend, some tofu crumbles, salad mix, fruits, etc... I was totally minding my own business. Some jerk comes up to me asking if I am a vegetarian. I say "yes, I am". He really starts ragging on me about it, telling me how I am a communist, a hippy, and how I am hurting America. Ok, ya...

I took care of booking my flight to Milwaukee today, it leaves out of Tampa 10:30 Monday morning. There is a lot for me to get done between now and then. I have to pack, deciding what to take and what to leave (Brooks Brothers suits stay here LOL), clean out the fridge and cabinets of anything that can't store while I am gone. I will be shutting off the power and water at the outside connections to the place to reduce the monthly bills as I see no need to heat water while I am 1000 or more mi...

Ok, it's a done deal. No turning back now. I am flying out Monday morning to Wisconsin to resume truck driving, or at least attempt to do so. I may well be making a huge mistake, but sometimes it's the trying that matters more. So, I'll be spending the next few days making preparations to close up the house to try to make a living on the road again. What happens, happens. At least I won't spend the remainder of my life wondering if I could have.

I had a message on my machine when I got home this evening. It was from my former boss at the trucking company I was driving for when I had the car wreck a little over a year ago. He said he has my truck "cleaned up, polished up, and ready to rock and roll." I have been considering going back to driving for him although I am still not certain the hip is going to be up to it. But maybe it will be. Grrrr. I do know that the money would be more than double what I currently earn. But I would a...

I was on my way to the store this evening to pick up a couple of things. Ok, it was beer and smokes. That's beside the point. I was cruising along our narrow streets at a nice, safe 15 mph, taking it easy, and some old fart backs his pickup truck out of his drive right in front of me. Umm, hello! Do you not see me with my red bike, bright orange shirt, and xenon bulb headlight ? Of course not becasue you never looked in this direction. It was far too close to stop so I slammed into this je...

There are some female vocalists who really stand out for you. For me it's Stevie Nicks, Chrissie Hynde, and Pat Benetar. Their voices just reach out and grab you. Who "does it" for you"?

We all have our busy lives. We have work, family and friends to which we are obligated. We have our hobbies and recreational activities. Some of us watch television, some of us read, some of us surf the net. We cook, we clean, we drive, we walk, we ride bicycles and motorcycles. We shop for clothing, groceries, and the assorted thing we want and need to live. What a whirlwind of constant activity! How many of us ever take some time to just be still? To do absolutely nothing but peacefully...

Just a few of today's news items. WTF is wrong with some people? MENDOCINO, Calif. - Prosecutors have charged a Mendocino County man with 36 counts of animal cruelty after ailing horses were taken from his property. Link Arrow cruelty claims roo Link A 31-year-old Kyle woman is facing jail time Thursday night for killing her husband's dog. Link WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, January 9, 2006, the owner of Esbenshade Farms, Pennsylvania's third-largest eg...

Eating a strictly vegan diet is starting to pay off with regard to my IBS. My digestive system is starting to normalize for the first time in many years. A few more weeks and it may well be normal, or as normal as it can get with this condition. Perhaps the pain, bloating and frequent urgency will soon become things of the past. I am also eating a good bit better since I have to actually give some thought and planning to what I am going to be eating instead of reaching for the quick and ea...