Bob Sleasman's Blog, September, 2007

Bob's Blog

Jul 2007 Aug 2007 Sep 2007 Oct 2007 Nov 2007 Dec 2007 Jan 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Apr 2008 May 2008 Jun 2008 Jul 2008 Aug 2008 Sep 2008 Oct 2008 Nov 2008 Dec 2008 Jan-Apr 2009 May 2009 Jun 2009

Saturday, September 1, 2007. I met Kathy, her daughter and son-in-law at the camp to show them how to open and close the camp each season. We are hoping to close soon, the lender is holding things up.

I stopped at Mohawk Motorsports on the way home. I spent a little time talking about motorcycles, and stuff. I'm thinking of putting a windshield on the bike so I got some pricing from them.

Donna deadheaded up to her sister Christy's for the weekend, I'm happy she had a place to hang out for the holiday. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Sunday, September 2, 2007. Nothing much going on today. I went for another ride on the bike and stopped at my brother John's house. Nothing much was going on up there either. Today is like one of those days that are just boring and never ends. I'm really starting to miss Donna a lot, it seems strange not being together.

I still haven't cleaned the carpet yet. I need to get on the ball and get it done. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Monday, September 3, 2007. Happy Labor Day! Donna called, we talked for a while, she will be leaving for Reno early this evening. Reno is about a five hour ride from Christy's. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

I spent the day doing inventory of my eBay items, I'll be showing my brother how to put items up for auction tomorrow. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Tuesday, September 4, 2007. Donna picked up her load and is off to California then back to Reno . She is doing pretty well solo, I hope she doesn't get it in her head that she can do just fine by herself. You know how women are, before you know it some other good looking guy will be teaming with her. She wouldn't do that, she loves me too much, I hope.

I went down to JJ's Cycle Works, which is about ten miles from my house. Buzzy, the guy who owns the place, is the son-in-law of one of my ex-battalion chiefs. He gave me a good price on a Memphis Shades windshield, and I ordered one. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Wednesday, September 5, 2007. Donna made her delivery and pickup without incident. She will deliver tonight in Reno . I wish I were back in the truck, I'm going nuts here at home.

I made up a new spreadsheet for the eBay inventory, I need to order a few knives I'm almost out of.

Chuck Pecoraro called, he was a FedEx CC recruiter, when they had outside recruiters. I met up with him at the Expediters Expo, we use to talk a few times a week when he was with FedEx CC. We lost track of each other for a while, so it was nice to see him again. He is with intec Video Systems now. He is going to send me some information and hand outs for the camera systems they have. I managed to sell him a Red Dot scope for his black powder rifle. He mentioned he was looking for one, and I just happen to sell them, so a deal was struck. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Thursday, September 6, 2007. Donna has a load picking up in Las Vegas , going to Illinois, it's a nice paying load, even with the deadhead. It delivers next Tuesday, she might go to Ohio from there and drop the truck of at TSI Western Star for some warranty work. I will meet her there and bring her home if we decide to do that.

I called the Slippery Eel, aka the lawyer. We might close next Monday or Tuesday, that would work out well. I could close on the camp and Donna can go to TSI, I can even get more BLING put on the truck.

I'm going to have a Spinner II oil bypass filter system put on the truck. I'm going to order it and have it delivered to TSI for installation.

I've been talking to Bill Moore, we might swap out our dinette/bunk for a regular bunk. Bill can use the dinette in another truck he has, and we never use the dinette anyway. I think a regular bunk will be more comfortable for us. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Friday, September 7, 2007. Donna picked up her load and is on her merry way. I still call her every few hours to see how she is doing, and just to hear her voice.

According to Donna the truck is running fine, the APU is working well, and everything else is going well. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Saturday, September 8, 2007. I had the windshield installed on the motorcycle, and took it for a ride. I ran into a rain storm and got pretty wet. The windshield worked well, it blocked some of the rain. I stopped at my brother John’s house and dried off a little.

I called Donna again, nothing new with her. She doesn't mind running solo, but we are losing a lot of money without me in the truck. We are getting into one of the busier times of the year for expediting and I really need to get back in the truck as soon as I can. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Sunday, September 9, 2007. Happy Birthday Donna! I wish I could be with you. You never realize how much you miss someone until you're not with them. I think it’s been harder on me than Donna, she has been trucking more than twenty years, me, I started trucking in 1997 after I retired from the fire department.

Today is a cool, windy day, not a good bike riding day. I'm wishing I were in the truck, where I belong, instead of home. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Monday, September 10, 2007. It sure is getting boring here. I have things to get done but my heart isn't in it. I am starting to get into a funk about the closing and not being in the truck, and I am not a happy camper.

Donna had more than enough time to get to her delivery, so she stopped in Oklahoma overnight, and spent the time with her sister Pam. She hasn't seen Pam in a while, I'm happy she got to spend some time with her. Pam bought her a birthday cake and they celebrated Donna’s birthday together.

Donna left late this afternoon for Illinois and her delivery. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Tuesday, September 11, 2007. Donna made her delivery and was given Chicago for a layover. Chicago is usually a good place to get a load out of.

Donna got a load offer that picks up in Michigan and delivers near Pittsburgh . Even with the deadhead it pays well enough for her to take it. It picks up in the morning, she will barely have the hours to do the run.

We all know that today is the anniversary of the terror attacks. I said a prayer for the victims, I will not go into my personal feelings on the subject. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Wednesday, September 12, 2007. Donna again made her pickup without incident. It’s a super hot load, and delivers ASAP. They will offload her as soon as she arrives at the delivery.

Talked to the lawyer today, yup, you guessed it. Everything is in place, including the funding. Now the lender is backed up! Again I have a fix for that, a good old fleet enema! The closing according to the lender is set for next week for sure, but they don't have a day locked in yet. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Thursday, September 13, 2007. Donna is sitting in Youngstown , Ohio , they gave her Canton for her layover. Donna has had a problem with a tooth, she needs to get to a dentist, but refuses to get the tooth looked at until she comes home, which won't be until we have a firm closing date on the camp.

I have been working on my eBay products, I've revised some listings and added new inventory I've bought. I still need to get the carpet cleaned, I'm just not in the right frame of mind to do it. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Friday, September 14, 2007. Donna just received a load offer picking up near Pittsburgh , and delivering in central New Jersey tomorrow. She is now on her way to the pickup. If the load is confirmed for a Saturday delivery Donna will only be about four hours from home. With a little luck she might be able to drive up here, we will see what happens. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Saturday, September 15, 2007. Donna made her delivery last night and deadheaded home. It’s been a month to the day since we last saw each other, it was a very happy reunion for us both. Donna stayed in service, but we were able to spend the day and evening together.

Should have posted this on Friday, I called the lawyer, again, he said we should close by next Friday at the latest. Right. Wanna put money on it? Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Sunday, September 16, 2007. We managed to spend another day together which was great. Donna did take a load offer, she picks up just outside of Newburg, NY tomorrow morning and delivers down by Newark , NJ .

Donna left about 9:00 PM for a two hour drive down to Newburg and her pickup. At least we were able to spend some quality time together. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Monday, September 17, 2007. I'm feeling lonely. I wish Donna and I could have spent more time together, but right now she is providing our only source of income, besides my retirement check every month.

I went for a bike ride hoping it would help chase away the blues, it didn't work.

While Donna was home I did manage to get my eBay inventory out of the truck, so I'll be working on that. I need to take pictures of the knives and rifle scopes, and write up a description of each item. I also will have to make up a spreadsheet to keep track of the inventory.

Donna made her pickup and delivery. She then took a load picking up in Allentown , PA and delivering in northern NJ, A SAP. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Tuesday, September 18, 2007. Donna has a load picking up at JFK, delivering to Philadelphia

I called my brother David, he going to help me with the eBay work, he will also run the eBay store when I get back in the truck. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Wednesday, September 19, 2007. I called the lawyer. It seems now the lender wants some more paperwork. Yup, you guessed it, no closing this week. This guy told me over a month ago that the closing would be by August 21 at the latest. This game that’s going on is costing us a lot of lost revenue, and I let this poor excuse for a legal professional know my feelings in good ole easy to understand words.

Donna has a load picking up in Philadelphia and delivers in Plattsburg , NY. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Thursday, September 20, 2007. Donna made her delivery, they gave her Albany , NY as her layover, which means she will be coming home.

I heard from the lawyer, we are closing on Tuesday the 25th. It’s about time, he said this is a confirmed date.

Donna got home late this afternoon. We went out for dinner, while there she got a load offer picking up in Albany tomorrow, going to Boston , MA . At least Donna can get a good night sleep at home. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

Friday, September 21, 2007. Donna picked up and delivered in Boston . Dispatch deadheaded her to Rhode Island to pick up a load, when she got to the pickup the load canceled, she got dry run pay for her time. Donna said the hell with it and decided to come home for the weekend. She got home just before midnight. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author

September 22-November 12, 2007. Many personal things have happened that kept me from posting during this time period. Donna and I took some time off. I spent some time in the hospital, then some time recuperating at home. I won't go into details, but it has not been a fun period of time over all.

I am now well and we will be going in service at midnight. Donna and I plan to stay out for an extended length of time. Top of page Bottom of page Blog author