We are sitting in our truck just going down the road.
Rob is driving. I am in the passenger seat working on the computer like I usually do. Just some personal things like pictures and whatever, or working up a new spreadsheet program.
It has been a very hot day today. Temperatures breaking the 3-digit mark. A breeze helps to keep the air tolerable, so the higher temps weren't too bad. However, the dogs didn't seem to see my way of thinking at all.
Gizmo is laying on the floor where the air flows cold all over his body. He loves it there. Kali is usually on the bed, but this time she is under the dash where the air is colder there. Her hair is longer, so she gets warmer a little bit quicker. Gizmo just protests about the heat all the time, though.
It is nice and quiet. Not much conversation for the moment. That's when I break the silence with a huge and loud hiccup.
Rob looks down at Kali, then back at Gizmo.
He says, "Kali is under your feet."
"Yes," I return.
"Well, Gizmo is back there, I wonder what he is yapping about." Rob looked a bit perplexed for the moment.
I asked him to repeat what he had just said. I needed to be sure I was right. He did repeat it and I busted out laughing so hard that tears were coming out of my eyes.
"That wasn't Gizmo that yapped," I laughed out, trying to catch my breath.
"That was me....I hiccuped." I was still laughing so hard that I had to look away and wipe my eyes.
I have always made it a joke that when I hiccup I say right away, "Did you hear that doggie?" It's because it sounds like a little dog just barked. So, this time, without me saying it at all, Rob beat me to it after my hiccup. Too funny!!
Monday, June 13, 2016
Saturday, June 4, 2016
THE PERFECT FAMILY CHRISTMAS TREE
'Tis the season had more meaning to our family when I was younger. I couldn't wait until the day when our Sunday drive consisted of some extra curricular activities.
I remember the family tradition from when I was about 7 years old to my young teens. Shortly after Thanksgiving, Dad would come up with tickets from the local lumber company. It was special tickets to go cut a tree in the woods.
After church, we would go back home, change in to our winter clothes, bundle up warm and pile up in the car. It was going to be an all day event, so Mom usually had a picnic dinner and snacks ready for all of us to enjoy later.
Dad drove as we headed up to the mountains towards Mount Lassen. There were specific directions on a little paper that Mom would read to Dad. We had to go on a highway and look for certain ribbons on trees put on by the lumber company. These were on roads that would take us in to the woods.
There was usually snow on the ground, so Dad had to drive the car carefully on the dirt roads so that he wouldn't get the car stuck.
We had an old Chevy Station Wagon for a couple of years, then I remember we went up to the mountains in an Oldsmobile Station Wagon. Those kinds of cars were best for our family because it worked well as we grew.
I remember the family tradition from when I was about 7 years old to my young teens. Shortly after Thanksgiving, Dad would come up with tickets from the local lumber company. It was special tickets to go cut a tree in the woods.
After church, we would go back home, change in to our winter clothes, bundle up warm and pile up in the car. It was going to be an all day event, so Mom usually had a picnic dinner and snacks ready for all of us to enjoy later.
Dad drove as we headed up to the mountains towards Mount Lassen. There were specific directions on a little paper that Mom would read to Dad. We had to go on a highway and look for certain ribbons on trees put on by the lumber company. These were on roads that would take us in to the woods.
There was usually snow on the ground, so Dad had to drive the car carefully on the dirt roads so that he wouldn't get the car stuck.
We had an old Chevy Station Wagon for a couple of years, then I remember we went up to the mountains in an Oldsmobile Station Wagon. Those kinds of cars were best for our family because it worked well as we grew.
As we drove in to the woods, we came upon a small stand with some signs on it. A man was standing in there all bundled up. He was wearing a wool cap and had a full scarf wrapped around his neck. A red plaid coat made him look like a bubbly Santa just waiting to send us in to our direction for a perfect family tree.
Dad gave him the ticket and the man with the happy smile pointed us in the direction for us to go. After a few instructions of how to cut the tree, what to look for and how deep in to the woods we could go, we were on our way. The excitement in the car could hardly be contained. Our eyes were peeled to be on the lookout for the perfect tree now.
We parked and all got out of the car. Mom carried the youngest while Dad, Stephen and I crunched our boots in the snow. A few snowballs flew past as Mom tossed some towards us. We returned the favor by tossing a few back to her. Laughter echoed in the forest that was absolutely silent except for our laughs. The air was crisp and fresh with a slight chill to it. A couple of branches would let down a few snowballs of their own as piles of snow would fall to the ground and crash to the snow floor below.
Dad gave him the ticket and the man with the happy smile pointed us in the direction for us to go. After a few instructions of how to cut the tree, what to look for and how deep in to the woods we could go, we were on our way. The excitement in the car could hardly be contained. Our eyes were peeled to be on the lookout for the perfect tree now.
We parked and all got out of the car. Mom carried the youngest while Dad, Stephen and I crunched our boots in the snow. A few snowballs flew past as Mom tossed some towards us. We returned the favor by tossing a few back to her. Laughter echoed in the forest that was absolutely silent except for our laughs. The air was crisp and fresh with a slight chill to it. A couple of branches would let down a few snowballs of their own as piles of snow would fall to the ground and crash to the snow floor below.
“I found one,” Dad said to all of us. “What do you think?”
It was a beautiful Douglas Fir. It stood proud in the forest, strong branches and perfect form. Mom walked around it to inspect it thoroughly and gave her approval with a smile.
“What do you think, kids?” She asked Stephen and I.
“Yes..yes.” we said as we jumped up and down in excitement.
Dad got out his red lumber saw and he let us help him cut the perfect tree down.
“What do you think, kids?” She asked Stephen and I.
“Yes..yes.” we said as we jumped up and down in excitement.
Dad got out his red lumber saw and he let us help him cut the perfect tree down.
After getting the tree tied down to the top of the car, we headed back out to the old man in the shack so that he could inspect our tree as well. He needed to be sure that what we found was within the regulations of what was available. Our tree passed and we were on our way home with our prize.
Every year it was a family tradition to go in to the woods to pick and cut our tree for the family. The only reason that it came to an end was because the lumber company stopped the tradition.
Every year it was a family tradition to go in to the woods to pick and cut our tree for the family. The only reason that it came to an end was because the lumber company stopped the tradition.
That was a sad year when that happened....that's when we bought our first artificial “aluminum” tree. Oh yes....from then on, our trees were of different personalities. Frosted, Aluminum, Flimsy ones, Arificial trees. Still, the holidays were filled with beautiful memories because Mom and Dad always made sure that their family was happy....and we were. The memories will last beyond their years.
Thank you Mom and Dad for everything that you have taught your children and have given to us over the years. We love you.
Friday, September 11, 2015
ALWAYS REMEMBER - NEVER FORGET
It was a crisp morning. Blue skies. Beautiful September morning.
I was in New Jersey headed for Brooklyn, New York. I had to deliver a load of clothing to a warehouse.
I had the radio on to Howard Stern (not sure why...don't really like the guy, but sometimes his conversations were interesting).
He was interviewing some gal in his studio. He was asking her all kinds of weird questions when all of a sudden he was interrupted.
I was now sitting in traffic waiting to go through one of the few toll booths to cross bridges that connected New Jersey to New York. This area always fascinated me because of the people in the cars. They drive like they are the only ones on the road while weaving in and out. It's amazing there weren't more accidents as they dart back and forth around me.
I am near the outside lane. The roads go from a 4-lane freeway to wide open spaces at the toll booths right back to a massive bottle neck just on the other side.
Howard Stern chimes back in as my thoughts are dashed by his ranting over the radio.
"What?" he yells as you hear paper rustling near his microphone.
"Look at the monitor" a female voice says in the background of the radio.
"What the.....we're being bombed!" Howard yells out.
I look at the radio thinking that he was just pulling some sick joke over the air waves. Bombed, yea right!
Just then, the lights at the toll booths all turned from green to red. Every one of them. Traffic was now stopped. People were getting out of their cars. Some crying, others with their hands over their heads in disbelief. One lady got out of the passenger side and fell to the ground to her knees. She was visibly crying uncontrollably. Many other people were wandering around like they were totally lost, leaving their vehicles behind. It was like a moment out of some horror movie unfolding in front of me.
I watched for a few minutes then had just about enough of Howard Stern and his audience calling in yelling stuff that I couldn't make out. I turned my radio to CNN news to see if I could make sense out of what was going on in front of me.
As the radio tunes in, a man is yelling, "I watched the tower just blow up! I don't know what happened...it just exploded! OH MY GOD" He yells again. My heart skips a beat as I take a deep breath trying to listen to the radio. "Here comes another one...." he yells. His phone goes silent. The news broadcaster comes back on the radio and in a voice clearly cracking from emotion mentions that the man we were listening to was in a building just across from the Twin Towers in New York City.
The story unfolded. A large passenger plane crashed in to one of the Towers. It was thought to be an accident. Then when the second plane crashed in to the second tower, it was now clear that it was terrorism unfolding on America.
Chaos continued in front of me as I tried to maneuver my truck through a slow moving traffic to a side road that could lead me back to the freeway. I needed to get out of the area and head to what I would hope to be a safer haven. I ended up in Edison, New Jersey for the night. Not a huge distance, but I was now out of traffic and parked where I could listen to the radio and also see the horizon to the east of me.
The story on the radio continued to unfold as the Pentagon was now hit and another plane went straight down to the ground in Pennsylvania. I looked out over the horizon to what was now a quiet and warm evening in Edison.
Smoke slowly drifted southward from New York City. The setting sun in the west glowed on the smoke to the east. I was outside of the truck now praying for the souls in the buildings and the planes. What could have happened? Why was this happening?
I walked slowly towards the truck when I heard a rustling in the trees across the parking lot. I was the only one there. Not another soul around. I watched trees to make out what the sound was. It was a Doe. Her tail twitched as she nibbled on a few leaves from the trees. Her head came up quickly at the sound of my radio in the truck.
There were screams now over the news. I could hear that the buildings were now collapsing in on themselves. The news was filled with chaos of confusing interviews and screams.
I looked back at the Doe as tears filled my eyes thinking of all the people that were instantly swept away from this world. The doe was oblivious to anything going on...totally unaware that just across the river was utter chaos and destruction. My heart sunk as I watched the doe slip in to the darkness of the trees never to be seen again.
I prayed again for all the souls. I cried softly for everyone. I prayed again. I will never forget September 11. It is a day that has forever changed life and America as we knew it. From that day forward, everything previous was merely memories in history. America was now going to go down a new path, redirected by the actions of others.
I was in New Jersey headed for Brooklyn, New York. I had to deliver a load of clothing to a warehouse.
I had the radio on to Howard Stern (not sure why...don't really like the guy, but sometimes his conversations were interesting).
He was interviewing some gal in his studio. He was asking her all kinds of weird questions when all of a sudden he was interrupted.
I was now sitting in traffic waiting to go through one of the few toll booths to cross bridges that connected New Jersey to New York. This area always fascinated me because of the people in the cars. They drive like they are the only ones on the road while weaving in and out. It's amazing there weren't more accidents as they dart back and forth around me.
I am near the outside lane. The roads go from a 4-lane freeway to wide open spaces at the toll booths right back to a massive bottle neck just on the other side.
Howard Stern chimes back in as my thoughts are dashed by his ranting over the radio.
"What?" he yells as you hear paper rustling near his microphone.
"Look at the monitor" a female voice says in the background of the radio.
"What the.....we're being bombed!" Howard yells out.
I look at the radio thinking that he was just pulling some sick joke over the air waves. Bombed, yea right!
Just then, the lights at the toll booths all turned from green to red. Every one of them. Traffic was now stopped. People were getting out of their cars. Some crying, others with their hands over their heads in disbelief. One lady got out of the passenger side and fell to the ground to her knees. She was visibly crying uncontrollably. Many other people were wandering around like they were totally lost, leaving their vehicles behind. It was like a moment out of some horror movie unfolding in front of me.
I watched for a few minutes then had just about enough of Howard Stern and his audience calling in yelling stuff that I couldn't make out. I turned my radio to CNN news to see if I could make sense out of what was going on in front of me.
As the radio tunes in, a man is yelling, "I watched the tower just blow up! I don't know what happened...it just exploded! OH MY GOD" He yells again. My heart skips a beat as I take a deep breath trying to listen to the radio. "Here comes another one...." he yells. His phone goes silent. The news broadcaster comes back on the radio and in a voice clearly cracking from emotion mentions that the man we were listening to was in a building just across from the Twin Towers in New York City.
The story unfolded. A large passenger plane crashed in to one of the Towers. It was thought to be an accident. Then when the second plane crashed in to the second tower, it was now clear that it was terrorism unfolding on America.
Chaos continued in front of me as I tried to maneuver my truck through a slow moving traffic to a side road that could lead me back to the freeway. I needed to get out of the area and head to what I would hope to be a safer haven. I ended up in Edison, New Jersey for the night. Not a huge distance, but I was now out of traffic and parked where I could listen to the radio and also see the horizon to the east of me.
The story on the radio continued to unfold as the Pentagon was now hit and another plane went straight down to the ground in Pennsylvania. I looked out over the horizon to what was now a quiet and warm evening in Edison.
Smoke slowly drifted southward from New York City. The setting sun in the west glowed on the smoke to the east. I was outside of the truck now praying for the souls in the buildings and the planes. What could have happened? Why was this happening?
I walked slowly towards the truck when I heard a rustling in the trees across the parking lot. I was the only one there. Not another soul around. I watched trees to make out what the sound was. It was a Doe. Her tail twitched as she nibbled on a few leaves from the trees. Her head came up quickly at the sound of my radio in the truck.
There were screams now over the news. I could hear that the buildings were now collapsing in on themselves. The news was filled with chaos of confusing interviews and screams.
I looked back at the Doe as tears filled my eyes thinking of all the people that were instantly swept away from this world. The doe was oblivious to anything going on...totally unaware that just across the river was utter chaos and destruction. My heart sunk as I watched the doe slip in to the darkness of the trees never to be seen again.
I prayed again for all the souls. I cried softly for everyone. I prayed again. I will never forget September 11. It is a day that has forever changed life and America as we knew it. From that day forward, everything previous was merely memories in history. America was now going to go down a new path, redirected by the actions of others.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
PRAYERS FOR MY HUSBAND - ROB
A BLOG POST IN WOMEN IN TRUCKING ON 2/9/2015--- THEN ALL THE RESPONSES
Hey ladies....need prayers please. My husband is off the truck temporarily with high blood pressure issues. I will be running solo for a bit while he does the doctor thing. Prayers first for my hubby that he can get things back to normal. Prayers second for me that I have a safe journey while solo. I can do it....been solo before. Would just like the extra hands on us. Thank you.
Hey ladies....need prayers please. My husband is off the truck temporarily with high blood pressure issues. I will be running solo for a bit while he does the doctor thing. Prayers first for my hubby that he can get things back to normal. Prayers second for me that I have a safe journey while solo. I can do it....been solo before. Would just like the extra hands on us. Thank you.
BillieJo Olson You got it!!!
Lynda Bailey Prayers
Ron Jefferson Prayers! For the hubby, a weight loss of as little as 10 pounds can make a visible difference in BP. Black pepper is a great substitute for salt. No caffeine or chocolate until bp is where he needs it. Good luck to you both.Patricia Ethen Black You'll be fine...thoughts and positive energy sent your way!
Renee' Chadwick Sending positive energy to you both.
Joann Rollenhagen Good Luck to both of you!
Milly Edgerly Prayers ... you can do it!
Sandy Mages Prayers for you please be safe
Renee' Chadwick Sending positive energy to you both.
Joann Rollenhagen Good Luck to both of you!
Diane Farley Taylor Prayers
Rosalind Marie Holland Sending prayers, you got this!
Kat Barker Prayers from Ohio
Sherry Bell Sending positive prayers to you both
Alyson AndTommie Lane
Aimee Mccall Prayers for you.
Angie Cupp prayers
Nancy Woebke You have my prayers.
Teresa Maxwell Prayers!
Evelyn Lewis Praying right now.
Debra Blackney-Colbert Prayers and blessings
Jody Anderson prayers going up!
Beth Gabrielson Praying for you both.
Janet Vinduska Prayers
Herlinda Robledo-giles Prayers for you and your husband
Jan Dewey I pray for each of you all. My children and all truck drivers every night.
Jennifer Northen Holmes Prayers for your husband and yourself! !!!
Linda Brown Amen sister I will ask god to give you a covering, you can do it!!!!
Susie Contreras Czerwinski Prayers
Laura Martin Prayers said for both of u
Pat Rider Prayers to u both
Jenni Reynolds-Kebler Thank you so much everyone for the out pouring of support and prayers. Where two or more are gathered in his name and agree, you shall be heard. I will keep everyone posted over the next few days. Rob goes to doc again in the morning. I leave out on Wednesday.
Roseanna Zounar God bless you and youe husband in this stressful time.
Kim Underwood Pearce Prayers sent
Bobbie McWaters
Judith Mayatte Prayer said! Take care,drive safe.
Gray Wolf Sending prayers to you and hubby y'all be safe
Antoinette McIntosh
Jamie Rousey Hardison Prayers for you, and your husband for the blood pressure issue to stabilize so he can join you out on the road..
Kat Comstock Wallace You will do great!
Stephanie Reed Talpas Prayers are being sent!
Rhonda A Stanford Praying for you both
Rebecca Griffin I will keep u in my heart and prayers. I went solo when my husband was recovering from a crushed heel. Loved it but was lonesome. Be safe friend
Tommie Oneil You got the prayers coming your way.
Richard Nunn Done and done. Be safe out there and for your husband. Relax and take control.
Priscilla Sherman Pulling for you. Blood pressure issues plague many truck drivers.
Betty Brown Morrow Prayers for you both.that blood pressure thing is not something to play with.i battle it everyday.praying that his dr can fix him rite up so he can get back out there with you.I was solo and know how lonesome it can be
Nancy Wydeck Prayers to you both
Barbara Smith Prayers for both of you
Dee Dee Murrell prayers for both
Deborah Perkins-Lindsey Prayers for u two
Diane Burcham God be with you both!
Vickie Cochran My prayers for you both
Betty Harmes You gotit
Denise Killcrease Prayers
Colleen Marie McDonald prayers sent your way for both of you! Suggest to hubby he drinks cucumber juice and takes Vit C. Best of luck!
Crystal Boyles prayers hunny
L.a. Wilson Diffee Praying for u both
Mary L. Kenneett Prayers for both of You....GOD BLESS
Sally Mcley Praying for your husband and also praying for you.
Sandi Barnett Sending Prayers To Both Of U..Jenni n Robert (Hugs)
Danielle Blessing Sending prayers to the both of you. Both of you be safe either on the road or at home.
Roxie Farr Prayers
Jenni Reynolds-Kebler UPDATE-------I would just like to thank everyone for coming together like this. All of you are so special and awesome. Blessings on everyone for looking out for your fellow drivers. You have brought tears to both mine and my husbands eyes and melted our hearts.
The update is, he went to Urgent Care. His BP was extremely elevated. They also found that he had pretty bad infection in his throat. Strep was ruled out, but he was still put on atibiotics. He was also put on HBP medication, but has a doctors appointment on Friday to follow up on everything. I will still need to go out on the road on my own, but that's okay. It's what needs to be done for now.
We have also done a lot of research and educated ourselves on High Blood Pressure and what we can actively do to help lower it. As a result, we found some awesome foods that help to not only lower Blood Pressure, but help to reverse the arterial plaque that can lead to heart attacks, strokes or worse. We will be incorporating these foods in to our daily diets, along with exercise.
My husband has had a rude awakening. I am taking this warning right along with him and I will do everything right along beside him to not only help get him healthier, but also to get myself healthier. It won't hurt either of us to change our ways.
This was truly a wake up call. We have learned that as we get older, we can't stop the clock of aging, but we can slow the clock down on adverse health conditions if we just pay attention to what we do and eat.
Thank you everyone for all of your prayers, thoughts and support. Every prayer has been heard and is being answered still as we gain strength in our health and our love for our Lord Jesus. We love each and every one of you. Prayers of thanks bestowed upon each and every one of our team members here.
Jenni Reynolds-Kebler Prayers to you, Bonna.
The update is, he went to Urgent Care. His BP was extremely elevated. They also found that he had pretty bad infection in his throat. Strep was ruled out, but he was still put on atibiotics. He was also put on HBP medication, but has a doctors appointment on Friday to follow up on everything. I will still need to go out on the road on my own, but that's okay. It's what needs to be done for now.
We have also done a lot of research and educated ourselves on High Blood Pressure and what we can actively do to help lower it. As a result, we found some awesome foods that help to not only lower Blood Pressure, but help to reverse the arterial plaque that can lead to heart attacks, strokes or worse. We will be incorporating these foods in to our daily diets, along with exercise.
My husband has had a rude awakening. I am taking this warning right along with him and I will do everything right along beside him to not only help get him healthier, but also to get myself healthier. It won't hurt either of us to change our ways.
This was truly a wake up call. We have learned that as we get older, we can't stop the clock of aging, but we can slow the clock down on adverse health conditions if we just pay attention to what we do and eat.
Thank you everyone for all of your prayers, thoughts and support. Every prayer has been heard and is being answered still as we gain strength in our health and our love for our Lord Jesus. We love each and every one of you. Prayers of thanks bestowed upon each and every one of our team members here.
Patricia A Funk Yes!
Dawn E Mowry Prayers sent!
Bonna Bendure Prayers going up. My husband and I are in the same boat Kind of. I'm the one home doing the Dr thing because of sugar and he's solo. So we need prayers too. Good bless!
Joanne Fatta Blessings and praywr
Ann Scarborough
Tammy Brooks Prayers going up for the both of you !
Kim Grimm Sending prayers! They really do help and more is better!
Kim Grimm Sending prayers! They really do help and more is better!
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