I think I have Senior-itis

History is important, Here is the beginning of ours.........

Our new business began officially on September 21, 2013 so one year later our 2nd year began.  In that first year we learned a great deal.  Well, honestly, we learned nearly everything we currently know, if that makes sense.  The learning curve to stepping out on our own in a trucking company was very steep, even though I had done some of this before.   I have had so very much to learn and really a very short time to learn it.  And I have found out that I do not learn fast.  When I KNOW something, I KNOW it, but getting to that point takes time.  Time that we have really not had so I have had to stretch in all directions. 

Jonathan is VERY SMART, a risk taker and a VERY fast learner.  Sometimes, he has a hard time understanding that many of the rest of us do not learn things as fast as he does so we have frustrated him a great deal over the last year.  But he has taken some amazing risks for us to get where we are today and the future is wide open.

It has been a lot of fun, a lot of frustration, a lot of many different things to figure out that we really do balance each other well and we are growing to be truly partners in this venture. 

When we bought the equipment, and started the company, we also hired the woman who had owned the company we bought the equipment from.  She had the knowledge that we needed to get things going and couldn't have done what we have done to this point with out her.  She and her husband ran a very stable company that was pretty entrenched in the local area.

One of the first and most important things we have learned is that good truck drivers are not easy to find in our part of the world.  Don't get me wrong, there are a number of drivers out there, but when you are doing what we do, first and foremost we have to be very choosy as to who we hire.  In January, we added a driver in to our little group.  He is a 3rd generation truck driver, who has a wonderful, supportive family. 

In April we decided that if we were going to make this business what we wanted it to be we were already going to have to branch out as there was simply not enough work "locally" to do what we had the vision of doing.  We were not sure what we were going to do, but knew we had to do something. 
Then one day, a phone call came in looking for the previous company to see if they had any trucks available.  So, after some brief negotiation and modifications on the trucks, across the mountain Jonathan and Jody went. 

With in just a few months our Territory is now basically a square  from El Paso to Albuquerque to Amarillo, to Big Spring to Odessa and back to El Paso.  The possibility of growth from even here is only limited by what we choose to call out of bounds. 

Because of the growth of our territory, we also needed to grow our ability to deliver product. The beginning of November, we contracted with our first owner operator and brought on his truck. 

This addition was going to make it possible for us to have 2 trucks on the road every day as Jonathan would spell out the driver who went home for his days off. 

 Then end of November, surprisingly, someone at the company we are working with found another tanker for sale.  It was similar to what we needed, and at a price we could afford and the owner agreed to finance it for us!  All of this came together just in time for us to be VERY THANKFUL. 

So as of December 1, we have three complete sets of equipment on the road.  Two every day and three part of the time.  This will enable Jonathan to be back in the office a few days a week to continue to look for opportunities to build our little company into what our vision is becoming. 

So, two days before the end of November, 2014 God only knows what is next on our horizon! I am gathering my energy to see what He has in store for us. 

Avulsion Fracture

You have an avulsion fracture.  Avulsion fractures are chips of bone pulled off by muscle tendons or ligaments.  Common avulsion fractures are on the hand and foot.  Avulsion fractures can also involve the elbow, knee, hip and pelvis.  These fractures may cause a deformity if the growth plate of the bone is involved in growing children. 


More specifically, this one involves the hand, and my biggest question is.. is a couple of weeks from 18 still considered a growing child?  

What does an avulsion fracture look like?  

What Retirement Means a Year Later

As we were riding along yesterday afternoon, Jonathan looked over at me and said Hey, Retirement is great.  I finally get holidays off.  (Cue the knowing chuckle) 

My response was, well at least now I can go WITH you sometimes. 

LET FAIR FUN BEGIN!!!!

COUNTY FAIR PARADE IN SMALL TOWN AMERICA.....

FROM START

 

 

 

TO FINISH.  

Eyes

Do you see what I mean?

Summer?

"Summer Vacation" is almost over.  Of course Summer really is barely started and  isn't over until almost the end of September, but that is another pet peeve of mine  altogether. 

Im not sure where the time as gone but I know that it has gone furiously.  Since the middle of May, our business has changed major locations twice and may now be kind of splitting "home base locations"  Of course HOME BASE, is right here.  This is one of the interesting parts of this business, HOME BASE is here and BASE OF OPERATIONS is where ever the work happens to be at the moment.  We are working with a wonderful company that is trying very hard to keep us busy and our work load keeps increasing exponentially with all that goes with those increases. 

Family Reunion in South Texas

     And the party began with a prayer.  Well not really began, just for us.  We were late getting there< as usual, some would say>.  I don't apologize as we were very tired.  I had been up well over 24 hours when I went to bed and we had all 4 worked very hard in the days leading up to us going south for the weekend.  When my alarm went off, I turned it off and honestly was JUST going to close my eyes for a few more minutes before I had to wake everyone.  That few more minutes turned in to an hour and a half before the big guy in the red shirt woke up.  I still had to go and bake my cobblers that were my contribution to a wonderful spread of food. And so, we were late. 
      But, as I say, our part began with a prayer.  The big blue-Hair by the pillar was asked by his Aunt to offer the blessing over the food.  Usually Uncle Sonny does it but this time, they decided that it was time to start passing some of the traditions on to other generations and since Blue Boy, is a locally liscensed minister in spite of his young 17 years, it was time to ask him to do it.  "Mom, What do I do?"  I gave him the best piece of advice I knew.. Pray, son, just pray over the food and bless us all.

After the dinner bell was rung, we all filled our plates and found a place to sit and eat and swap tall tales. This is Texas after all.  The food was wonderful and very filling.  I think we could have fed another army besides.  It was good to catch up on each others lives as well.Deep conversations of the oil and gas industry from several different points of view.  Amazing how corners are turned to take us places we had no idea we were going.  And some of them full circle back to where we started.

Discussions of continuation of college, and moving to other places.  Spending time with cousins, and friends.  Laughter is a great sound. 

Sharing experiences of recent retirements and new days to come over a juicy slice of cold water melon,  Does it get better than this?

Can you imagine this being the window to your world every summer?  I would never cook in the house all summer if this were my house.  Just the serenity of that space would move me to tears every day.  Even though the kids said NO!  Aunt Linda, Would you adopt me? 

Then, Uncle Harold took all the kids to see the cows.  What a treat for the kids who don't get to see those things very often.  And the cows LOVE cow candy!!!  And kids love cows.  And, getting to meet REAL COWBOYS!!!

I brought the scrapbook that I started from the very first year I attended  2004.  I would love it if someone would add the 9 years in between to it or send me pictures from those years. 
I really did have a grand plan for that scrap book but as we all know, sometimes time slips away from us, no matter what our intentions.

 

 

Maybe a joke or two was told, or maybe just a "do you remember the time when?" That brought about the bright smiles.

 

While the laughter and frolicking continued in groups around the house,  others were more content with more intimate conversations away from the fun. 

Each was able to enjoy the day in his or her own way. 

  

 And THEN,   

                                                        

 Sigh, we were done.

Linda, and Harold, I want to tell you, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the work you put in to doing this,  Thank you for all the hugs for me and mine and the wonderful support for our endeavors in this life,  and thank you for sharing your world with us.  As for me, and mine, we love you more than you will probably ever know. 

 

What a difference a year makes.

Holidays tend to do this to me.  Make me sit down and take notice.  As I think about it, I realize that Independence Day is less steeped in family tradition as some other days.  Still, it is a family holiday for our clan.  Honestly, there isn't a holiday that ISNT a family holiday.  Thanksgiving tends to be the holiday that we offer to share with others more than any other, but I digress. 

As my family circle declines in size, I wonder what will be next for us. 

Family Reunion

Last Thrusday, the alarm went off at 6:30, as usual.  This day, however, I jumped right out of bed to meet the day.  I had miles to go before I slept, quite literally.  There was a very long list of things that needed to be done at work before I could easily leave town for a few days.  So, I spend the day going through my usual routine and adding anything in that will fit that needs to be done. 

TRUCKS, TRUCKS AND MORE TRUCKS

Jonathan/California

The Many Pensive Faces of Jonathan

 

Toe Shoes?  Yes, they are his favorite pair.
 

J

Let me suggest that you not consider joining the Russian Submarine Team, unless you are very, very short

My Three Guys

I just like this shot
 
 
 
 
 
And the very best part.  A beach of half naked women all around him, and he is striding very purposefully toward ME. 

Last of the Prophets in California

Those Next In Line

I was sitting here tonight going through the files of photos on my laptop.  As I searched for something that needed to be shown or heard about I began looking at my photos of the group coming after me.  Grand children, great nieces and nephews, the loves of my life.  This is what needs to be shown. 

 

This is what Life is ALL ABOUT!