Sunny

This song was included in the Scandal soundtrack of tonight's show.  It was released in 1966, a year before I was born and I remember hearing it often as a kid, maybe when I was 7 or 8 years old.  Great flashback memory.

It was written by Bobby Hebb and after all these years, I still remember most of the words.

SUNNY

Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain.

Sunny, you smiled at me and really eased the pain.

The dark days are gone, and the bright days are here,

My Sunny one shines so sincere.

Sunny one so true, I love you.

Sunny, thank you for the sunshine bouquet.

Sunny, thank you for the love you brought my way.

You gave to me your all and all.

Now I feel ten feet tall.

Sunny one so true, I love you.

Sunny, thank you for the truth you let me see.

Sunny, thank you for the facts from A to C.

My life was torn like a windblown sand,

And the rock was formed when you held my hand.

Sunny one so true, I love you.

Sunny

Sunny, thank you for the smile upon your face.

Sunny, thank you for the gleam that shows its grace.

You're my spark of nature's fire,

You're my sweet complete desire.

Sunny one so true, I love you.

Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain.

Sunny, you smiled at me and really eased the pain.

The dark days are gone, and the bright days are here,

My Sunny one shines so sincere.

Sunny one so true, I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: After All Others
2014: This Red Giant Is Also A Star
2013: Turn And Burn
2012: The Landscape Just Runs All Together After A While
2011: Flippin’ Swag
2010: Warm Fuzzies
2009: I’ll Get You My Pretty
2008: The Kind Of Misunderstanding That Can Never Fully Be Explained
2007: Let The Adventure Begin
2006: Coming Soon
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Crooking Its Bright Red Finger

The desert is truly in bloom.  Usually we're not here this time of year so we rarely get to see all of the color.  

This is an Ocotillo plant.  It looks beautiful with these bright scarlet flowers, swaying in the wind like fingers waving for you to come get a closer look.

But don't let its beauty fool you.  Underneath those little green leaves that line their stems, and below those bright red tips, you will find this.

Probably best to look and not touch.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: This Is Why
2014: Fill'er Up!
2013: Texas! Texas! Margaret...
2012: He Forgets He Lives With A Maven
2011: Does Anyone Notice The Shoes Of A “Very Important Person”?
2010: Do You Think Raquel Owns A Dog And Gets Enough Potassium?
2009: No Need To Do Anything Drastic; There Will Always Be Re-Runs
2008: Beautifully Retro
2007: Ready, Set, Go!!
2006: Giving New Meaning To An Ambulance Chaser
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Hot Cargo

It's always fun when we get to deliver freight directly to a plane waiting on the runway.

This delivery point was called the "Hot Cargo Pad".

They must've been in a big rush to get it wherever it was going.

Hot, indeed.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: The 43rd Annual Mid-America Trucking Show Comes To A Close
2014: Heading On Down The Highway Until Next Year
2013: Thirteen Ten Clinton
2012: Better Than Team Drivers
2011: The Three Musketeers Make Dinner Plans
2010: Try To Find A Parking Space For This
2009: If The Life Expectancy Of A White Male Is Over Seventy Five Years, You Have Plenty Of Time When You're Ten
2008: Sweet Suite Sugarland
2007: The Superbowl Of Moving
2006: Catching Flies
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Right Only At The Big Yellow Tree

On this trip back to the house we noticed that much of the desert landscape was in bloom.  The most noticeable were the Palo Verde trees.  Yellow everywhere!  Big, bushy, and bright!

In 1954, the State of Arizona named the Palo Verde as its State Tree.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: High Shine Pete
2014: A Big Thumbs Up On Day Two
2013: The Hospital Survives Another Week
2012: More Distracting Than Texting While Driving
2011: The Aftermath
2010: More Than Halfway To A World Record
2009: If You Need Your Hump Fixed, This Is The Place
2008: The Flight, The Hotel, The Walk, And The Sleep Deprivation
2007: A Lot Of Beauty, A Little Citrus And A Mini Moo
2006: Shorn
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Shopping Trip

Ed's looking at new trucks again.  This time it was a Western Star.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: Straight Up Show Truck
2014: One Line Sums Up The Entire Show
2013: Howz About Them Howitzers?
2012: I’ll Hobble On My Walker To Visit
2011: In The Still Of The Night
2010: The Final Count
2009: Eddie My Little Ex-Marine Friday
2008: Delayed By Lipgloss During A Period Of Elevated Security: A Travel Debacle Ensues
2007: A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
2006: Your Cat Is In My Garden
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

I Guess We Can't Park Here

This rest area made it pretty clear that these particular spots were not for trucks.  

It's kind of hard to miss the fifteen signs they posted.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: It's Show Time!
2014: Determined
2013: Nashville Is One Of Their Greatest Picks
2012: Monday Is A Smash Hit
2011: Home At Last
2010: Wake Up In The Morning, Put Your Hand On Something Useful, And Take Care Of Yourself And Your Family*
2009: Copter
2008: Atchafalaya Whaaaaat??
2007: There’s A Skirt On The Door For A Reason
2006: South Of The Beijing Border
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

In The Thicket

We visited the government center in the Town of Marana, Arizona for the first time recently, looking for some planning and zoning information.

Marana was named for the Spanish word maraña ("thicket") by 19th century railroad workers who had to clear a line through the area.

Over 30 years ago, when we first moved to Tucson, there was nothing in Marana but horses and people who lived in trailers. In the seventies and eighties, a government air base was located there, and still remains.  Generally, Marana was a joke, a place that no one wanted to be from or live in. 

That all changed in the early nineties when it became one of the fastest growing cities in Arizona.  During that time housing developments were built at the speed of light, and it's still growing.  Where there was once nothing, you can now find everything from a Five Guys selling burgers to an outlet mall selling high end brands.  Oh, and cotton.  They grow a lot of cotton in Marana.

Marana is so much more now, and our experience was good.  The government building was beautifully designed and the people who assisted us were the nicest government employees I've ever dealt with.  We look forward to any interaction we may have with them in the future.  



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: Live It
2014: Blizzard To The East, Clear Skies To The West
2013: The Discriminating House Hunter
2012: Oh, Sweet Cream Cheesus
2011: Pit Stop
2010: Sorry, no post for this day.
2009: A Peek Behind The Sacred Pantry Door
2008: Thistle Or Thatle
2007: Big, Rich, And Free
2006: Look, Honey! A Grist Mill.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Cat On A Hot...

My mother recently sent me this photo of Maezy - the cat who's "never on the counter".  Despite being told repeatedly to get down, the cat decided she was going to do what she wanted, as cats are wont to do.

And what she wanted was to sit on the stove.

I might have trouble getting people to come over to eat after this picture makes the rounds.

Back to Maezy...look at her face.

This is our cat's version of a "fuck-you finger".



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: Starwood Is Still A Star
2014: Transylvania Has Better Internet
2013: Can I Get An Amen?
2012: Imagine Life Artificially Sweeter
2011: Sweets For The Sweet
2010: Silver Shoes, Cliff Clavin, And A Guiness World Record
2009: A Bevy Of Pavo Cristatus
2008: How Much Happy Can A Dollar Buy?
2007: The Heat Is On
2006: The New York Catch And Release Program
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Stopping In Style

A rest area in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi.  It looks like a resort hotel.



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2015: Patiently Waiting
2014: Find Out Where You Can Dine With Giraffes
2013: Sputtering With Excitement
2012: Water May Not Be The Only Liquid Nourishing These Flowers
2011: Nappy Time
2010: Dick. Not A Dick. Which One Are You?
2009: First The Poultry, Now This
2008: California Moon
2007: Ryno And Rob
2006: Living The Dream
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn't start until May 2005!

Resting Up Down South

We're sitting around in North Carolina, recuperating from whatever ungodly germ has gotten hold of us.  We've both been feeling under the weather and the only way I can seem to get any sleep is when the coughing stops.  Which doesn't happen often.  I think I got three hours last night, and it wasn't even all at once.  I'm pretty miserable.

I have no intention of leaving the truck until I feel better.  We're fully stocked with food and water so we can eat, shower, and sleep undisturbed.  I was planning to do laundry after we delivered our load yesterday, but since I have enough clothes to last me several weeks and I'm not planning to go anywhere, why bother?

I can't talk on the phone because I have no voice.  And if I do attempt to talk, the vibration in my throat sends me into a coughing fit - not pleasant for the person on the other end.  So I've been texting.

And I'd also like to tell you, home remedies are bullshit.  I've done tea, tea with honey, plain spoonfuls of honey, tea with mint, saltwater gargle, Vicks on the chest, Vicks under the nose, Vicks with hot compress, Halls cherry cough drops and Halls honey cough drops (they're both just candy), Robitussin, DayQuil, fluids, etc.  NONE of it works.

Today is already a little better than a few days ago, so maybe I just need a little time.  Ed's voice isn't as bad as mine - he's fielding phone calls - but we're still going to hang around for a few days and get some rest.

I should have this licked by the weekend!



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: Looking For Our Container
2014: Bringing Sexy Back
2013: The Veteran And The Rookie
2012: Spring Has Arrived In Culpeper
2011: Food. Essential.
2010: Sometimes It Takes A Libra Two Weeks To Make A Decision
2009: What The Hell Is This?
2008: What It’s Like To Bee Watched By More Than Twelve Million Eyes
2007: My Man Is Ripped!
2006: Take Two Caramel Lattes And Call Me In The Morning
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Squeezed By Guilt

A while back, Ed bought the Aerobie AeroPress Coffee Maker for the truck.  It's like a French press only easier, and he loves it!  He uses it for regular coffee and espresso.  It makes a really good cup of coffee and it's extremely portable - we can take it into a hotel room, or even use it at the house when we're home - and perfect for the truck because it's small enough to tuck just about anywhere.  In a place that's short on space, this is exactly what you need.

When referring to the finished product, Ed and I call it "squeeze", because that's actually how the coffee is made...by squeeeezing the water through the filter to make the coffee.  So when he wants coffee, and he wants it pressed and not brewed, he says "squeeze".  No clarification needed.

Tonight while I was boiling some hot water for tea he said to me in a singsong voice, "I see you're making a beverage."

"Yeah, I'm going to have some tea.  Want some?" I said.

"No," he said.  "But I'll have some squeeze."

Ugh.  I mean, the AeroPress is easy and all, but there's a little process to it.  Get out the coffee, put the filter in the bottom of the AeroPress, set the AeroPress on the mug, measure out a scoop of coffee grinds, dump it in, fill it with water, insert plunger, and press.  Squeeze all of the water out and watch coffee magically appear in your mug.

It's not hard, really, but it does take longer than just throwing a tea bag in a mug and pouring hot water over it, and after I'm done, I have to rinse the pieces.  At night when I want a hot beverage, and maybe a cookie or some Jell-o, I don't want to actually be making anything. I want to boil, pour, and drink.

So I sighed in annoyance and said, "Can't you just have tea?"

Ed replied with a scathing one-liner.

"Pretend I'm Mac Gee."

Snap!  He just tried to guilt me into making him coffee by invoking the name of Marlaina's husband!

It's a running joke around here - whenever MacG and Marlaina are with us, I pull out all the stops.  I make MacG squeeze coffee (my finest blends), I make him pork loin, I make him delicious breakfast sandwiches.  I'll even slip him Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate cookies when Marlaina isn't looking (she doesn't like him to have the extra sugar).

Of course I felt like a shit after balking about making Ed some squeeze.  So I caved.

He got his coffee.

And honestly, it's not hard at all.  Literally takes two minutes.  But don't tell him that.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: Get Excited!
2014: They're Not Just For Babies Anymore
2013: Winding Down For The Weekend
2012: Towering Peach
2011: Trucks, Friends, Life On The Road, And A New Throne For My Queen Sized Ass
2010: Changing It Up
2009: They Gots Lots Of Soul
2008: Eddie Calculates Everything Friday
2007: Working On It
2006: The Bird On The Hill
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Elixir

My ribs are killing me from coughing.

My throat is raw.

I have no voice.

I communicate in a whisper.

So today in the truck, I made a big pot of chicken soup.  Chunky carrots, slices of celery, onion, garlic, the works.  Spooned over al dente orzo and served with a slice of crusty Tuscan Boule slathered with butter.  The soup was made from scratch, the bread store bought.

And the weather was cooperating.  Despite being the first day of Spring, it was cold and rainy here in North Carolina, a perfect day for steaming hot chicken soup.

Everything was delicious, but I certainly hope it has the healing power people claim it does, because I can't take too much more of this coughing crap.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: March Woods
2014: What A Guy Will Do To Get Out Of Watching Girl TV
2013: Up And Over The Green Mountains Of Vermont
2012: Perhaps She’s A Closet Road Warrior
2011: Fifty-Five Years And Counting
2010: Humor That Needs A Humidifier
2009: Eddie Is He Wearing Trousers?? Friday
2008: Soon To Be Yummy Snack Food
2007: This Is What I’ve Been Doing Lately
2006: 1-800-PRODUCT SATISFACTION
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005! 

Blue And Crabby

Maryland Blue Crab at Crab Quarters restaurant in Middle River, Maryland.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: Drive Less, Make More
2014: While You Were Sleeping
2013: Between Brattleboro And Bennington
2012: Man At Work
2011: Under A Rock
2010: Practicing For Retirement
2009: Truckers Are So Sensitive
2008: Light Sweet Crude
2007: A Antiquing Conundrum
2006: How Can You Not Love This Face?
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Abandoned In New Mexico

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2015: We Entered Through The Big Mouth
2014: Getting Ready For The Really Big Shooooo
2013: You'll Know You're Getting Close When You See The Zebra
2012: You Can’t Go Wrong At ShopRite
2011: When The Feelings Get Too Strong For Words
2010: Looking For Loads In All The Wrong Places
2009: CTRL Freak
2008: 1. Cut String 2. Walk
2007: Amish Down The Lane
2006: The Competition Is Stiff
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Hitching A Ride

Ed took this picture of piggybacking turtles in Rockefeller State Park Preserve located in Pleasantville, New York.



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2015: Ocean To Ocean
2014: Where We Go To Squeeze Melons
2013: Yet We're The Ones With All The Rules
2012: There Is No Problem Here
2011: If This Is What Being A Loser Means, Count Me In
2010: The Only Thing It Extends Is The Humiliation Of Having A Small Johnson
2009: Wishing You All A Happy Lá Fhéile Pádraig
2008: There Should Be Some Sort Of Award For This
2007: Table Talk
2006: Cats And Grandchildren Make Great Indentured Servants
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Boot Up

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2015: It's Always Pie Day In Shipshewana
2014: Clap Along If You Feel Like A Room Without A Roof
2013: On The Run
2012: The Town Under The Giant Oak Tree
2011: Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
2010: Yeah, Cause Heidi Klum Is So Easy To NOT Notice
2009: Busy Week
2008: Small, Yet Mighty
2007: Zen
2006: Riding The Rusty Rails
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Woman With Dog

Several years ago I posted a photo of my mother sitting in her La-Z-Boy, cat perched above her head.  I titled that post Woman With Cat.

Today I present to you Ed's mother, with her dog Mischa perched above her head.

Woman With Dog.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: The Supers And More
2014: Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
2013: House For Sale: Goats Included
2012: Hanging On By A Thread
2011: Does A Bear Have A Diner In The Woods?
2010: Would You Rather Sit On Your Ass All Day Eating Cheetos And Watching TV, Or Would You Rather See?
2009: The First Bit Of Spring
2008: Pop Secret
2007: The Kind Of Shopping That Makes Me Want To Commit Suicide, Right There In The Middle Of Macy’s
2006: The Benefits Of Memory Loss
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Barbed Badlands

Antique Barbed Wire display in Wall, South Dakota.  



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2015: Exotic Tropicals
2014: Eggs, Milk, Bread, And Good Blood Pressure
2013: Clowns Looking For A Place To Live
2012: My Early Version Of Google
2011: Food With Integrity That Fuels Creativity
2010: If Only It Were Dollars Instead Of Miles
2009: The Last Bit Of Winter
2008: Eddie Fr-Eye-Day
2007: Authorized Personnel Only
2006: Stolen Zillow
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Around Town In 80 Days

Well, really, 79 days.

We've been home for SEVENTY-NINE days!

But we're back to work now.  We just took our first load of 2016 a few days ago, all the way to Pennsylvania.  I can't tell you how thrilling it's been for me to see a landscape that doesn't include cactus.

This last visit home was very fun, very busy, and very productive.

We saw doctors, did yard work, got our DOT physicals (and passed!), hiked a mountain. Sort of.

And had lots of quality cat time.

One of the best parts of our visit was spending so much time with my brother.  He stopped by the house several times a week, which I'm pretty sure was only for Ed's monster breakfasts, but I didn't care.  Any time with him is valuable.

We didn't want to go back to work, but it was inevitable.  When we got the call for the load, Ed actually hesitated and asked if he could call back with an answer.  I don't think he was ready to leave the La-Z-Boy.

But he came to his senses and took the load, and we ran around like headless chickens getting everything together to leave.  That's the part I hate.  No matter when we're home, the day we leave always seems to come as a surprise and I'm never ready.  It took several hours to pack the truck.

The last thing we did before leaving town was have one last dinner at El Charro with our CBF (couple's best friend), Kim, and then hit the grocery store to stock up on at least a week's worth of food since the cupboards were bare.

The next thing I need to do is catch up on what's been happening in the industry.  I haven't read anything about trucking since before Christmas!

I'm looking forward to Spring, hoping for some good photo opportunities, and most importantly, meeting up with Marlaina and MacG - it's been WAY too long!

See you on the road!

  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: The Gold On The Hill
2014: Be Happy You Don't Have A Bolt In Your Head
2013:  Seriously Up To Our Ass In Alligators
2012: Such A Fragrant Sprig!
2011: Coast To Coast
2010: The Joke’s On Us
2009: Eddie Monsignor Starbucks Friday
2008: All The Better To Smell You With, My Dear
2007: Neon Railroad
2006: I Left My Heart…
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Debonair

My cousin Greg from New York recently visited us in Arizona, which prompted me to look through some old photos.  When I did, I came across pictures of his wedding from August 2004, which is the first family event Ed and I attended.

This is a picture of Ed from that day.  It was the first time he met my family - my entire family - and he handled it like a champ.

Will you just look at how freakin' handsome he is!  It's no wonder everyone loved him.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: Geographically Centered
2014: Full Brain, Full Belly, Full Wallet
2013: Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo
2012: Honing Her Skills For The Nursing Home
2011: Fire Up The Grill
2010: The Voice Of Tucson Speaks
2009: Crossing Over To The White Side
2008: Eddie Voyager Of The Seas Friday
2007: Indiscriminate Discrimination
2006: Dancing Queen
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Flashback Friday

My three nephews, in 2009, riding the dirt track on their property.  Pusch Ridge serves as their backdrop.



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2015: The Rich Coast
2014: Getting Hosed
2013: River Of Grass
2012: Stupid Rock
2011: Crab Rangoon Makes Me Swoon
2010: Bonnie And Clyde Meet Toni And Frank
2009: Finally…A Bib That Is Both Functional And Accurate
2008: Trickling Down
2007: Anonymously Yours,
2006: Over 7,000 Feet Of Pristine Beauty
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!