Home Sweet Home
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Posted:Oct 5, 2008 6:22 am
Last Updated:Nov 19, 2008 11:35 am
1321 Views
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Officially started going West at 12:01am on the 4th. It may be a week or two before I get all the way over the road, but I`m back. Can`t say it was all bad being away but it wasn`t an experience I want to repeat anytime soon.
Outside of the return announcement, not much else to post. Winter`s coming and I`ve got to get the old shack ready for another one. My free time at home is going to involve getting a lot of things ready for ol` man winter, including me.
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The Count-down begins
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Posted:Sep 16, 2008 7:40 am
Last Updated:Apr 28, 2024 9:19 am
852 Views
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Was informed by my supervisor yesterday that I`ll be relieved of my Temporary by no later than October 3. I`ll be going to Mo no earlier that Oct 4. The end is in sight.
I need a break, I`ve begun to lose my mind on this latest off- district venture and have stated to management that I am no longer interested in long-term commitments to the other side. I`ll still be willing to help on a day-at-a-time basis but no more signing on for 2-3 month stints.
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Stir Crazy
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Posted:Aug 29, 2008 7:29 am
Last Updated:Nov 15, 2008 10:53 pm
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It`s been slow at work these past two weeks and I`ve been home enough that everyone who lives here recognizes who I am, a definate change from normal. I`m ready to climb the walls. On the bright side, I`ve been informed that I`m "Batch`n" this weekend. Maybe I can find something to do to relieve my boredom. Also on a happier note, I will be returning to Missouri shortly. I`ve seen enough of the city to last me a lifetime. Some places a country boy wasn`t meant to be in, Chicago`s south-side is definately one of them. It` like down-town Baghdad in places, not the tourist mecca of the world.
Signing off, see ya later.
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Rode hard and put away wet
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Posted:Aug 12, 2008 7:38 am
Last Updated:Apr 28, 2024 9:19 am
890 Views
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That`s how I feel. I`ve been home approximately 18 hrs out of the last 100 and I`m beat. I`m begining to think round 3 of the Chicago side wasn`t such a hot idea. I made two back-to-back trips there in the past five days and got drenched on this last trip, hench the title "rode hard and put away wet". I`d like to have a more upbeat story but it didn`t work out that way. My highlight of the past week was watching the (cough) street-merchants (cough) peddling their 'goods' along 87th street at 3 am. My opinion of the Windy City, it`s just one big toilet bowl.
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Away again
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Posted:Aug 4, 2008 4:58 am
Last Updated:Aug 5, 2008 7:04 am
895 Views
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Business is slow and I`ve been offered the chance to work the Chicago run (again). I`ve kinda had a gut full of it, having spent 8 of the last 12 months over there. I am working, for the moment, but it could drop off to nothing by next week. The offer is for sixty days (approximately the middle of September), it looks as if I`ll take the offer but this time sixty days and not a second longer. I`ve gone above and beyond for the past year making sure everyone keeps working, while sacrificing my sanity and health (that side gets worked to death) so some other lazy-ass can stay on the pud-runs. This is the last time I`m taking one for the team, it`s someone else`s turn.
MSH: I`ll catch you in September, sorry that round two is taking so long! 
I`m sure this will happen again >>!
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Summertime blues
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Posted:Jul 27, 2008 6:42 am
Last Updated:Jul 31, 2008 7:59 am
874 Views
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The annual drop in business starts tommorow, greatly reducing my chances for a play visit at the end of my working trip. Trying to actually meet the people I`ve conversed with here or meet up with again for the ones I`ve actually met (I guess thats the polite way of saying it  )is a never-ending challenge. To those whom I`ve met up with, thank you for being patient and from experience know it wasn`t easy getting together. For those who we`ve yet to meet face to face, it will happen in due time.
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I`m Back
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Posted:Jul 5, 2008 5:08 am
Last Updated:Jul 27, 2008 6:48 am
1322 Views
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Got word we are running west as of 7am on the 4th. I got home last night and one of my co-worker`s, who also went into hiding, said he showed displaced when he put off duty and he was set up to go west. Couple of phone calls later and I was set up behind him. At the time of this writting, I`m 1st out to go to Moberly (hooray). I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones.
Oold friend, check your phone tonight and I`ll get some sleep on arrival.
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Trapped in purgatory II
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Posted:Jun 26, 2008 6:47 am
Last Updated:Apr 28, 2024 9:19 am
919 Views
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Recieved word last night that along with the floods putting the hurt on my regular run, Ford`s annual shutdown will be longer than usual. As Ford is one of the largest customers we handle; when they have any disruption in production, we feel the effects immediately. My Local chairman advised me to remain in hiding on the Chicago side for as long as I can. He said business is predicted to be slow until the end of august or later  . It wouldn`t be so bad if this side had ever heard of an "early quit', 10-12 hours is the norm over here. Oh well, the bright side is I`m still gainfully employed. Things will stablize again and I`ll return to the Missouri run, I`m just not sure when.
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Trapped in purgatory
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Posted:Jun 25, 2008 6:25 am
Last Updated:Jun 25, 2008 6:26 am
917 Views
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I`m at 10+ days into my exile and I`m ready for it to be over. NOAA website shows the river recceding but it will be at least two weeks before my company opens the route for us and another week beyond that before I might return to Missouri, got my vacation scheduled in there.
Stuck on this side of the river it`s all work and no play. I miss the time away from home and being able to have fun discreetly. It`s nice to have a couple hundred miles between where I live and where I play, lowers the risk of being found out (aren`t we here for secret fun in the first place?). Oh well, the longer I`m away the more exciting it will be on my return. Look for me in late July.
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Why is Led Zeppelin stuck in my head?
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Posted:Jun 17, 2008 4:39 am
Last Updated:Apr 28, 2024 9:19 am
980 Views
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Led Zeppelin`s "When the Levee Breaks" is stuck in there.
The river topped out at 28 + feet this am, with a slight decrease. Not that it matters much, there`s still so much to come down from up north. It`s climbed over seven feet since friday when my company shutdown traffic through Hannibal. It sits currently at three feet below the 1993 record.
Started working toward Chicago this weekend, the situation with the weather isn`t much better there. North-eastern Illinois looks like Louisiana, the prairie-potholes are everywhere. Watching the news,it was said corn futures are at over $9.00 a bushel for fall delivery. I`ll translate that for those who don`t understand. Basicly what that tells me is the price of meat (including poultry) is going to be sky-high this winter as Farmer Bob doesn`t want to pay for high feed bills and sells of his herd. I`ll be talking to several of the local 'Farmer Bob`s' I know trying to get some beef and pork for the freezer before prices go through the roof. Look for everyone`s favorite alternative fuel, Ethanol, to have a price increase as well.
I`m looking forward to the waters receeding, still trying to meet up with my old friend on the west bank of the 'Miss' again ( you know the way over here too!). As i wrap this up another Zeppelin tune enters my head, " Good times, Bad times. You know I`ve had my share...."
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Back in Exile
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Posted:Jun 14, 2008 6:24 am
Last Updated:Apr 28, 2024 9:19 am
913 Views
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The situation with work and the Mississippi river only gets worse. Friday, operations over my regular route were suspended due to flooding that is predicted to rival the great one of `93.
Now I am faced with the difficult choice of `riding the storm out` or going back off district where I spent the winter. Being that out of 75 employees, 50 are faced with real hardship of having nowhere to hide during this time; I am fortuate to have the option of going elsewhere. Word of mouth says we`re down for 2-3 weeks but the old timers say that `93 put them out for 3 months. Regardless, I must exersize my option to keep working elsewhere. I have these habits that I must support: Sleeping under a roof, having running water and electricity and eating 3 times a day. So my travels take me away from Mo and back toward the Windy City but thankfully it`s not permanent. I will meet up with my friends on the west bank of the `Mighty Miss` again, I`m just not sure when.
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When it rains........it pours.
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Posted:Jun 8, 2008 8:54 am
Last Updated:Nov 19, 2008 11:35 am
1559 Views
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It`s rained so much this past week, home looks like bayou country. I`ve been at work most every day this past week, so this `ll be short, and look to be out again in the next few hours. I`m looking forward to some down time on either end of the road, as I don`t know if I`m coming or going right now. Every day I`m gone , my to-do list doubles with no end in sight for that. Have you ever tryed repairing water pipes while half-asleep? Well it doesn`t leak, so far.
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Wet feet and water-wings
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Posted:May 21, 2008 4:23 am
Last Updated:Jun 1, 2008 12:54 pm
909 Views
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I`ve been back on my home territory long enough to get flooded out for the first time this year. We shut down for two days as the water reached 10" over the rail at Hannibal. The water has since receeded and we are moving at a break-neck pace. I`ll be in Moberly on a regular basis again for most of the summer, so C U there.
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