Got a Load to Nebraska

We spent the night in the back lot of the client we delivered to yesterday. Thank God.

We stopped by a TA to drop off our Trip Pak envelope, and ate some breakfast, then we got a load heading for Nebraska. We ran over to the pick-up place in Baltimore... but they weren't ready for us.

The load we are to carry to Nebraska... is coming in to Baltimore from the port. So we have to wait for it to get here. Our appointment was a 2pm, we got here at 12:30pm - I know... a little early, but that way we didn't have to pay anything to sit at the TA for a few hours. So we decided to come over here and wait at the shipper's place instead.... There was already one guy ahead of us. So we are still waiting, but at least we have a load. Thank you God! and our wonderful dispatcher, Jay.


Hurry up and wait... but it's all Good!

I'll keep you posted.

Stuck in Maryland

I was just reading some other blogs and realized that I don't give nearly enough effort to this blog as others give to their blogs... and I should.

We knew (heading into the east) that truck stops would be few and crowded... so we did two things:
1. tried to get provisions (food) to last til the next day at least. That way - if you're lucky - you can deliver, get the next load and get out and NOT have to stay overnigt.
2. we called ahead to our drop client to see if there would be some place for us to park at their place over night.

Thank God, there was. "Just park in the back and no one will bother you. There is lots of space, and it's an ok neighborhood. Mostly industrial."

We just had no idea that we would be here, at the same clients place, another night AFTER our delivery. Tomorrow morning we are heading over to a TA that is close (about 8 miles away) for breakfast and to mail our Trip Pak envelope. If we don't get our Trip Pak envelope in the box soon... we might not get paid this pay period.

This company has a two-week pay period. 1st-15th, then, 16th-end of the month. If your envelope isn't in the office by the last day of the payperiod, it goes on the next paycheck... which is usually not big deal... except that this time we had a longer that normal hometime.. so this is our ONLY trip this payperiod, so far, so it better get there. Boy is this check going to be short!

Luckily... we had showered at a Love's in VA, yesterday, on our way here. Our company wants us to use Loves as a first choice, then Pilot, then.... wherever our FleetOne card will work... but try not to go to the TA for FUEL. Too Expensive! But all of our repairs on the road are done at TA's... go figure.

We were hoping for a load out today, but no luck. Here's hoping for a load tomorrow... to anywhere! I know... we're in the same boat as everyone else.

Keep truckin', and Watch You Trailer!

TTFN.. Ta Ta For Now.
Laurie

Los Angeles to Maryland.

We finally got a load out. Friday 11/7. From Los Angeles... Going to Essex, MD (a suburb of Baltimore). Delivery on Tuesday... We got there on Monday,... but after hours. So we spent the night in their back lot.

Delivered first thing in the morning... Then waited all day for another load... to anywhere.... but nothing.

It is now Tuesday night. Hopefully we'll get a load out tomorrow. We really need to keep moving in order to have any kind of a paycheck. But we know that God is with us, and He will provide for our every need.

Along the way, God has brought people into our path. We get a chance to talk to people about God. We encourage them... and they encourage us. God is Good!!

One man... (an angel)... I met at a rest area in New Mexico, gave me a music CD of hymns that really touched my heart. Just what I needed. Thank you God.

Another man we met in Maryland was out of work. We treated him and his wife to McDonalds.... A hot meal, and a gift card for another meal.

God is Good!

Pass It On!!!
Love you,
Laurie

Hometime in San Diego - Halloween & Voting

After we left Council Grove... we did a few loads. Then one ended in Denver. From there we got a ... slow... load from Denver to Phoenix.... So we took a day "off" in Trinidad, CO. with my cousins, Jimmy and JoAnn. Boy was that fun!! We got in a friendly argument over politics, got a tour of Trinidad, then went fishing!! Fun! Leroy caught 2 fish. No one else caught any.

What a riot!!









Leroy with fish. He threw it back.



From Phoenix, we got a load going to the border of Mexico in San Diego. Otay Mesa. We got there, dropped the trailer and left it for a Mexican driver to drive it across the border to get unloaded. We waited from 7am till 8:30pm. The trailer finally came back across. Yeah!! (We were thinking we were going to have to wait another day to get it back.)

From there we got Hometime!! in Lakeside, CA. We rested. Had doctor appts. got refills, and delivered our trailer to our church to be used for the Halloween/Harvest Festival. That was fun!!




Mom and Uncle Jeff at "Trunk or Treat".









Trunk or Treat (Halloween) Festival:






See our truck in the background....























Our church has people decorate the trunks of their cars and give out candy from their trunks in our church parking lot. Also.. there are games to play, concessions (food) to eat, a Cake Walk, a miniture train ride, and story telling, along with a Movie Theater for the little ones (they used our trailer for the movie theater-very cool).






We also got to Vote, clean out our truck, get our "winter" stuff out of storage, shower, laundry and generally clean up stuff. It was Good!!!

But when we were ready to get back on the road (after being out a week), they couldn't get us a load right away. We were ready on Wed. and we didn't get a load out until Friday. Bummer... too much down time.

Lay Family Reunion Picnic in Council Grove, KS 9-27-08

We had such a good time!!! We only had 3 days... but they were sooo good.

We got to see Leroy's Aunt LaVerna in the rehab center....

Leroy, Deborah, Phyllis, and LaVerna in front.

We got to see Leroy's cousin, Michael and his wife, Ronnetta, and 8 (yes, eight) kids perform in a street festival.

Here they are, with Mom, Ronnetta, on the guitar.

The two littlest ones. Too Cute!!

Leroy did the chicken dance with them.

The whole family plays a musical instrument. Most of them play multiple instruments. There was singing, fiddlin, dancin, clogging, juggling, and a whole bunch more.

Boy are they Good!!! Ages 3 to 16.

THE LAY FAMILY.

Michael & Ronnetta Lay.

In the Kansas area... If you would like them to perform for you or your event...

Call Ronnetta Lay at... 316-772-5284

email: mrlay@sbcglobal.net

web page: http://www.thelayfamily.weebly.com/

Leroy with his Aunt Virginia. Sweet.

and Katheryn in the back ground.

On Sunday, was the family reunion picnic with more visiting and more relatives. Sooo much fun!!!

We stayed in our truck, but visited a bit with Deborah, and Deborah's parents Phyllis & Ralph Anderson.

Kathryn & Jim Miller took us on a "tour" of Council Grove on our last evening there, and treated to a nice Mexican restaurant.

Everyone was really nice. We loved it!!!

Leroy's cousin Bruce, and his wife, with Leroy.

Good memories... Good Time!!