Hello friends and family. Yes I know, it's been way too long since I've made an entry here to keep you informed of our travels. Right now we are sitting in Brandon Connecticut enjoying a leisurely weekend. May as well just enjoy it as it seems there is no freight moving over the weekend. We made a delivery early Saturday morning in Plainfield, CT and then moved down here to the TA in Brandon. It's over 60 miles from were we delivered, but truck stops are really scarce in this part of the country.

Spring has finally sprung up here and it is very nice. I really don't have much news to bring you as it all seems to be routine now. We just get assignments and go get them. Crossing the country is still very enjoyable and we love to take in the local culture when we can. Like yesterday... we walked a few blocks to a place called "Chowder Pot III". It is an upscale seafood restaurant and mostly the locals go there. But as I sat there enjoying my meal, I couldn't help thinking that I was sitting in the middle of a mobster meeting place. LOL It was just the stereotype that I get from TV. Seems every table had the "godfather" that was in control of everything. With there mannerisms and accents, I just could not help seeing that image in my mind. Oh, I'm sure they were all really nice folks and that Belinda and I were the only ones with the "accent" LOL.

Well there is one piece of news that I should share with all you that keep up with us. A few weeks ago March 24th, I was involved in a pretty serious accident. I knew the odds were against me with as many miles as I drive. Anyway to keep this short and sweet and not provide too many details, a fellow ran a stop light and clipped me doing about 50 mph. I was moving very slow as my light had just turned green. A mid sized car does not fair very well against big rig as you may suspect. The law cleared me and the company cleared me as a non preventable accident so all is well. The driver of the car also seems to be ok after a few days in the hospital and I am most thank full of that. My biggest fear out here has always been that I may hurt someone whether my fault or not. I am much relieved that he will be OK. It did not look so good at the time of the accident.

Well, that's it for now. I'll work on getting Belinda back in the groove to keep "my blog" up LOL.
Till next time......
LIVE YOUR DREAM


Ricky

AH, SPRING-IT'S ON IT'S WAY!
The temperature has been well above freezing for a week and that has been welcomed with much gratitude. It's raining today with a little thunder. A good day for doing some computer browsing and crocheting.

Ricky made it here for Valentine's Day, well a little piece of it, a little before midnight. We spent the night at Kelly and Brian's, since Holly and Ryan had taken Kaitlynn to see his family in Terre Haute.

Kelly made Ricky a coconut cake for his birthday from his mother's recipe. We enjoyed it and a couple of days with her and then he stayed with us at Holly's for 2 days to see Miss Kaitlynn. I hated to see him go. We swapped dogs on this trip. He took Paco and I kept Isabelle.

He is in Taylor again today, he took a load from above St. Louis to Taylor that is headed to Canada. He dropped it and is waiting for a new load, we hope south. While he was in St. Louis he got to go out to eat with Kelly and Brian, who were there looking for a house to move in to. They sold their house here last week, Brian is being transferred with Domino's to St. Louis.

Holly goes back to work Thursday, and Ryan is being transferred to the town where she works tomorrow. That will make it easier for them to carpool to work. Now as soon as she finds a daycare there for Kaitlynn I will be looking forward to joining my other half for our (normal?) life again.

Well, there you go, caught up, phone signal and Internet is a hit and miss around here and I get frustrated looking for either one sometimes.

Until next time..Living our Dream....Belinda and Ricky

GOSH,SO MUCH SNOW
We had a foot of snow that has been hanging around and this morning it's snowing again. There was a bad wreck this morning on hwy 69, and my new son is a fireman,EMT, he was on off time but got called in to go help, things were so bad. He said they had to call a surgeon to the scene. The fire engine from Fishers was hit by 2 semi's.

Kaitlynn went to the doctor yesterday for a check up. She weighed 7lbs 2ozs. She slept really good last night. She was having some belly problems since she had been on an antibiotic for a week. Holly got some Mylicon for her and it seems to have done the trick. She is such a cute baby, like all of mine were ; )

Ricky is having kidney stone trouble again. He was on his way to Taylor, MI Saturday and was having bad pain on his right side and a bad headache. He was about to come on into Indy and go to the hospital. He stopped around Nashville and took some Tylenol and a nap for an hour or two and his side eased off. So hard headed as he is, he went on to Taylor. He took that load on into Canada after getting his paper work at Taylor. They deadheaded him back out to Taylor after he unloaded and got a load out of the yard to go to New Jersey, and he is on his way there now.

We are hoping for no more pain, that he just passes the stones on his own. His birthday is next Tuesday, so we are planning on him coming here around then for some cake. He may have to go to the doctor then. If not , I have to go back to mine in April and he is for sure gonna go to some doctor then. It sucks, getting old and falling apart. Although, he has been falling apart for years. ; )

Guess I'll close for now...till next time.

Living our Dream...Belinda and Ricky

GRANDPARENTS AGAIN
Kaitlynn Brooke Timmermon has made her appearance at last. She was born Thursday January the 22nd at 7:44 a.m. weighing 6 lbs. 15 ozs. and 20 inches long. She came in blue and not breathing, but thank God after they worked on her for a few minutes she was fine. Holly got an infection from her water breaking early, so Kaitlynn got it too. There for she has been in ICU getting antibiotics and will come home tomorrow. Holly has been staying at the hospital so she can nurse her. I will be glad to get them both home.

We got 10 inches of snow last night and it made for a rough morning all around and in Indianapolis. Ricky was coming down from Montana on his way to Louisiana, and got caught up in the ice storm coming down to Oklahoma City and was in snowy dangerous roads coming out of Montana. He has had a bait of winter this week. He should be in Baton Rouge tonight. Hopefully he can get a rest from the extreme cold for a day or so.

The kids in Missouri had an icy spell too. Jenn did some sliding the other morning. Cody has been out of school for a couple of days because of the cold too.

Just wanted to catch you up with the baby news. I'm still trying to catch up on some sleep before Kaitlynn gets home tomorrow. I cleaned the house all up today getting things ready for the homecoming. Until next time.

Living the dream....Belinda and Ricky

AT MY POST
Wow, it's truly been a while since I have been on the job of keeping this up to date. There is not much signal here for the computer or my cell phone. So I'm not sure how many posts there will be while I'm here. Hopefully more than there has been.. ; )

We had a great Thanksgiving and I got to go back out with Ricky for a short time. We came back home a week before Christmas and got our shopping and decorating and celebrating done for that holiday. Cody and Emily had a great time and so did their Mamue and Paw Paw!

We left from home on Friday night after Christmas to set back up in the truck. There was no board when Ricky checked in at the terminal so we got a load right away to go to Canada. We threw our stuff in and took off to get ahead of a weather front of high winds. We drove to Illinois and took a 3 hour nap and then we took off for Indianapolis to do our 10 hour break.

So we made a decision to leave me there with Kelly, to spend a little time with her and Brian, before I go to Holly and Ryan's to get ready for Miss Kaitlynn to arrive. I spent a nice week, mostly with Brian, since Kelly had to work, we had a good visit. When Kelly was home we watched old movies, made a cake, and had some good meals out.

Now I am at Holly's and we are having a good visit, hoping our new grandbaby comes soon, mostly so my Holly can get some relief in her back. She looks like a toothpick with an olive stuck on it. : ) She is so small herself this is really getting hard on her this last few weeks. The baby is a real gymnast in those small quarters.

Ricky is on his way to El Paso today, he went on to Canada from here and was lucky to get out the next day after he delivered. Power was out in Detroit when he went across the border from a strong storm that blew down a lot of lines. He was lucky that the power to the terminal had been restored an hour before he was getting his escape papers faxed back to him, so that he could come across the border with his load to Ohio. He got that load delivered then picked up one in Cincinnati and took it to Atlanta, Ga.

He got there in time to sit for the New Year and for a couple more days waiting to get a new load. Finally he ran up just north of Atlanta to pick up a beer load and run it to Memphis, I guess they drank all theirs over New Years... Ha,Ha.... He got in the icy weather when he got to West Memphis, he did some local work for the terminal after he delivered his beer. The temps were just at freezing, so it was raining and freezing on everything.

He left the next day after picking up his load in Memphis taking it to El Paso, Tx. He called me as he drove across Arkansas, telling me of all the ice on the trees east of Little Rock. I called him last night and he was just getting into Lancaster for the night. He was a tired puppy when he made his landing there. He got up and called me for my good morning call and is going across west Texas now, out of the bad weather finally.

Well, now we are caught up...except, yesterday was my baby son's birthday...number 30!!! Happy Birthday again, Jason, we love you!!

Until next time.....

Living The Dream......Belinda and Ricky

ANXIOUSLY WAITING
Ricky is going to put in to come home Monday or Tuesday and the company should have him home within 5 days, then he will stay home through Thanksgiving, and then hopefully I will go back out with him. : )

The doctor said all went well with my procedure and I go back on Monday for test results. I had a rough few hours after I left the hospital, till Jenn got me my pain meds and my stomach settled down. Jenn stayed with me till I kept some food and water down. Jay had my spot on the couch made up with pillows and blankets.... he loves his mama. : ) Then he checked on me before he went to bed, all my kids and my mama called to check on me, Jenn had called them all from the hospital. So after I got off the phone I slept good and had a good day yesterday... just crocheted and watched some t.v. .... pretty much back to normal today.

Ricky is in St. Louis, picked up a load of tires in Alabama, Sunday but couldn't deliver till Tuesday, short run with too much sitting time, and that is too common lately, freight is taking a hit too in this economic mess, but the planners suck. They surely should be required to ride in a truck for a week or two before they plan a run. He is picking up a load today, after he delivered yesterday afternoon, a beer run from St. Louis to ( I forget where ) in Iowa for delivery tomorrow. He has been short-runned and sitting to death, it seems staying away from home doesn't guarantee more miles. He hasn't been home since Sept.10th.

Enough bitchin and moanin....at least he's got a job and working. I just miss him..... but he'll be home soon : ) and I'll be through at the doctors and the kids will come home............ and life is good.. : )

Kelly and Brian are having a great time in St. Croix, ( except Kelly is having sinus problems ) went scuba diving, their friends are flying in today, and they are getting married Friday.

Living the Dream.....Belinda and Ricky

COUNTDOWN TO TURKEY DAY
Can't wait now for Thanksgiving, the girls, Kelly and Holly, and our new sons, Brian and Ryan, and Jay and Jenn and the grandkids, Cody and Emily all here for a big ole southern style holiday dinner. Nothing like a big family, just hoping for a surprise from our other two kids in Texas, Daniel and Tricia.

I went to the doctor on Friday and I have to go to the hospital for an out patient procedure on November 10th.
Ricky can't come in and then be sure to be back home in time for Thanksgiving, so we decided he would stay out till a few days before Thanksgiving, so I'll have him to help me with the holiday preparations. Jenn said she will take and bring me home and I am very thankful to have her, she is very special to me, she and Jason are good about being there for me.

Cody and Emily had a good Halloween, Jay decorated their yard for the trick or treater's and I was so proud of him, he thinks of some cool stuff. He put a projector in the driveway and had "The Night of the Living Dead " playing on his garage door. How cool is that?

So I guess that's the update for now. Maybe Ricky will add his 2cents when he reads this.
Till next time....

Living the Dream.....Belinda and Ricky