If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I would walk forever in my own garden - Tennyson

And if my final sunset comes before I see you again, I shall not weep, for I have known Heaven. - Me



Thank you ladies for the visions of loveliness you share with us. But mostly, thank you for your friendship and love.

My poem would still be I Love You.

….for another exciting episode of My Precocious Daughter.

I forget what the conversation was about, but she dredged up something from the depths of her mind. I told her she was sick. She said, “Daddy, calling me sick implies there is a cure. I am twisted.”

She told me one day she was going to get into the T-shirt design business. I asked her what qualifications she had for that. She said that she already had her first design figured out. It was going to say “Daddy taught me how to fish. Grampy taught me how to catch.”

I made the mistake of telling her one day how much everyone enjoys the way she picks on me. I also told her how a couple folks asked for her autograph. Last time I was home, she and I sat down and I told her some names to address her autographs to and also little notes to include. As she was filling out slips of paper, the conversation went thusly:
Her: (looking up from an autograph) Daddy, have any of your friends ever asked you for your autograph?
Me: No sweetie. No one ever has.
Her: (looking back at what she was doing) I guess that means your friends like me more than they do you!!!

About a week ago, we were talking on the phone. She was telling me about a couple of dreams she had and how vivid they were. Then she asked if I ever remembered any of my dreams. I said that I remembered the last one I had; I was talking to someone and my fingers started falling off my hands – either whole or just pieces of them.
Smart Aleck Young ‘Un: Daddy, you know what that dream is? It’s a sign from God.
Me: You think so? What is God trying to tell me?
SMYU: It’s simple. He is telling you not to work on anymore garden tractors.
Yeah, it took her 15 minutes to quit laughing enough to speak coherently again.

A conversation with Roxanne prompted me to do this. We had been PM-ing about some innocuous items and she asked where I was headed over the next few days. I told her, and then decided to keep a log of all the places I?ve been from time off to time off. So I started in Orange, TX on the 21st of October. I have logged up to the end of the run I am starting today, which will be in Laredo, TX on the 2nd of January. And I still have four weeks of running before I am off again. {Yeah there was no break at the beginning of December like there should have been. Let?s not go there please}
The towns listed are where I made my pick-ups/deliveries. Keeping track of all the truck stops would have been too much.
The total miles so far is about 32,500 when I hit Laredo. That is miles I actually ran, not paid miles (this will require another blog someday). I figure about another 10,000 ? 12,000 miles before I finish in January.
Orange, TX 21 October 2015
LaPorte, TX
Thomson, GA
Beech Island, SC
Gordonsville, VA
Chesapeake, VA
Marcy, NY
Elbridge, NY
Montgomery, IL
University Park, IL
Aberdeen, MD
Baltimore, MD
Germantown, WI
Sturtevant, WI
Findlay, OH
Wapakoneta, OH
Laredo, TX
Roanoke, TX
Chicago, IL
Loveland, CO
Akron, CO
Waco, TX
Temple, TX
Ochelata, OK
Wichita, KS
Frankfort, IN
Rennselaer, IN
Fort Worth, TX
Lancaster, TX
Brookhaven, MS
Monticello, MS
Laredo, TX
Lewisvville, TX
Paris, TX
Bedford, PA
Shippensburg, PA
Seymour, IN
Wabash, IN
Conway, AR
Newport, AR
Opelika, AL
Fairburn, GA
Hope Mills, NC
Roanoke Rapids, NC
Taylor, MI
Whitehouse, OH
Russellville, KY
New Johnsonville, TN
Greensburg, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Rochelle, IL
Romeoville, IL
Huntersville, NC
Maxton, NC
Marcy, NY
Elbridge, NY
Montgomery, IL
Mendota, IL
Ft. Worth, TX
Chicago, IL
Romeoville, IL
Loveland, CO
Akron, CO
Waco, TX
Dallas, TX
Houston, TX
Pasadena, TX
Tifton, GA
Cedar Springs, GA
Nashville, TN
New Brownsville, TN
Laredo, TX 2 January 2016

Picking up freight and delivering loads
Pushing cross country on highways and roads
Rolling on down through foul weather and fair
To a truck stop and counting the miles till I?m there
Stopping to shower, eat a meal, then to bed
Grab a few hours sleep and I?ll do it again

Lights decorate light poles, houses, and stores
Outlining windows, porches, and doors
Town squares and neighborhoods, oh how they shine
Colorful lights dance through shrubbery or climb trees like a vine
And the stockings are hung from the mantles with care
In the hopes that Saint Nicholas soon will be there

And I don?t know where I?ll be
When folks start rockin? ?round that Christmas tree
But if you listen real close you?ll hear the radio play
A trucker?s Merry Christmas from the highway

Cruising the four lane through the cold, dark night
Seeing decorations on houses, so cheerful and bright
Thinking of families round the cozy warm fire
Singing carols and telling tales by the pyre
And tonight the children will go to sleep without pause
To hasten the arrival of dear Santa Claus

And I don?t know where I?ll be
When Santa stacks the presents under the tree
But step out on your porch and you?ll hear me say
A trucker?s Merry Christmas from the highway

O?er the sound of the engine and the hum of the tires
If I listen real close, I can hear the angels? choirs
I?m pushing the freight a little further down the line
My truck singing Hosannas on this night, oh night divine
The centers of towns are lit with bright, cheerful lights
As my truck whispers through on this silent night
The night will soon pass to a bright Christmas morn
A day to celebrate when true love was born

And I have no idea where I might be
When families gather ?round the Christmas tree
But open your stockings and your presents too
Open your heart and here?s what I?ll do
The blessings and joys of the season I send to you
May they be yours, not just today, but the whole year through

And in a quiet moment you will hear me say
A trucker?s Merry Christmas from the highway

'Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone, in a one-bedroom house made of plaster and stone. I had come down the chimney with presents to give, and to see just who in this home did live.

I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand, on the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.

With medals and badges, awards of all kinds, a sober thought came through my mind.

For this house was different, it was dark and dreary; I found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone, curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder, not how I pictured a United States soldier.

Was this the hero of whom I'd just read? Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

I realized the families that I saw this night, owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play, and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year, because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone, on a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye, I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice, "Santa don't cry, this life is my choice;

I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more, my life is my God, my Country, my Corps."

The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep, I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent and still and we both shivered from the cold night's chill.

I didn't want to leave on that cold, dark night, this guardian of honor so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure, whispered, "Carry on Santa, It's Christmas Day, all is secure."

One look at my watch, and I knew he was right. "Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night!"


This Christmas season, please give a thought to all those in distant lands, those who stand at the ready.
To those that answered the call in years past.
And to those families who now have an empty place at the dinner table.

Army
Air Force
Marines
Navy
Coast Guard
Merchant Marines
National Guard
Reserves of all branches

Thank you to all that have served.
Merry Christmas
God bless.

This was a gift to me a few years ago from one of my brothers here. I would like to share it with all of you as a tribute to all my brother and sister drivers out there.

Safe travels to you all.

Dear Children of the World,
The delivery of Christmas presents to all you good boys and girls may be delayed this year. I am having trouble getting all your presents delivered to me, so that I may then deliver them to you. I feel terrible about this and hope you understand.
Love,
Santa Claus

#&$*%&@%##&^%@ Subcontractors!!!!!