Mean people suck.

Don't you just hate it when someone "assumes" they know what you are talking about?
Or when someone "assumes" you should know more about something than you do?
Or when someone "presumes" to give advice on the "assumption" that they know what your life is like?

Yeah.

You asked me, by the way. Remember?

I'll know better if you ever chance to ask, in future.

Am studying up on making peanut butter so I'll have something to tell you.

Other than that, forget it.

Yeah, I'm back.

Been crazy-wild around the Homestead this last 6 weeks...

Himself started driving OTR for a small firm running reefers nationwide. He drives one of these Big Boys to the left. That, gentle readers, is a Freightliner Columbia.

He's out on his own after training second-seat with an experienced driver. Fairly short hauls for the next couple of weeks, not going to FL or AZ, yet. This afternoon he'll be on his way to KS, after that? Wherever the next load takes him.

The world of OTR trucking is a totally different place. indys are out anywhere from a few days to weeks at a time. While they're out there, we hold things together at home and wait for them to call. It isn't a life for everyone. The driver needs to be able to manage a thousand different things, know rules and regulations by the hundreds, be able to route, plan and drive for hours, sit at docks to load and unload, negotiate with shippers, receivers, brokers, sleep 3 feet in front of a running reefer, make sure all the mechanics on both the truck and the trailer are in good working condition and be able to fix things if they aren't. Those at home have to be able to handle all the kinds of things that driver would do if they were home. In this case it is repairs (cars, house, yard equipment), bills, disciplining kids, and sleeping all by yourself, knowing they miss you as badly as you miss them. Himself says it's crazy. For him, it's a toss-up between loving to drive and hating to drive.

The road today will be long. He's rested and has eaten but it's very windy. Keeping that truck and a 53' load under control in 45 mph side winds is like wrestling a buffalo.

I worry about him but don't tell him that when he's out.
I miss him but don't say that, rather I just tell him I love him and stay safe.
I wish he was here but wouldn't mention it because he is doing what he does to keep food on the table and pay the bills.
I handle situations that I would rather not be involved in but I never complain because he has enough on his mind as it is.

That's the way it works.

I am so proud of him...

Love My Trucker.

Gotta be a bit tetched....

Gotta be, to adapt to this craziness.

Ratchet did make it home last night, after all. Not for very long but 5 hours of sleep in your own bed is better than 8 in that bunk.

Drop at 7 a.m. so, up at 5:30. Quick coffee, slippers, bathrobe and winter coat, out the door delivering Ratchet to the truck so he could deliver his load. He's currently still waiting for the lumpers to finish unloading him. He'll know within the next hour or two where, or if, he has a load today. He's hoping he doesn't because he needs to take that blasted truck back to the terminal and tell them to fix the *@&@%#%$#@ headlight, replace that marker light and give him back his triangles. (He doesn't know where the triangles went and he is quite attached to those. Not to speak of them being required...)*

Since he was only 10 miles away, I ran him over some new batteries for his v.r. and picked him up some McBarf muffins. I had a breakfast burrito and it has to be one of the worst things I have eaten in months. The chemicals they put in the stuff gives me a blinding headache. Doesn't seem to bother Ratchet, he just thinks the stuff tastes bad.

I am wishing I could go back to sleep for a while. Will stay up until I hear from him. If he doesn't have a load until tomorrow (please??? pleasepleaseplease) will go pick him up and then we'll both go back to bed.

Kids are fine, looks like it will be a fair day but windy. (another reason why it would be good to have him home) Got a lot done yesterday so can take it a bit easy today.

The cassoulet turned out great. Couldn't tell I used chickpeas rather than cannolini. Ate so much I got tired and went to bed. So tired, in fact, that I didn't hear Ratchet call at 11 p.m. saying he was 5 blocks away. He just walked back. Boy, was it a nice surprise when he walked in the bedroom door! YeeeHA! (well, after I realized it was him. a few muddled seconds there. good thing i don't keep a gun under my pillow.)

Barometric pressure must be changing, elbow and hands aching badly. DS2 says he has a backache, too. The younger ones were fine. Age catching up with me?

* Truck is being fixed. Triangles issues resolved. He's off to pick up at 1 then gone again. After that drop? Who knows? Will just wait and see.