Windmills...

Windmills?

I will let you decide for yourself.

Historic Kentucky Rest Area...Thank you Kentucky

Big wheels, Hot wheels, traffic and, “Is there a finish line”?




Interstates Everywhere—What on earth is the rush? Are you getting in a car? Can everyone just, PUT DOWN THE CELL PHONE AND PAY ATTENTION. Sorry, had to get that out. Is your seat belt on? Do you really know where you are going and how you are going to get there? Please do not stop in the middle of the INTERSTATE!, again sorry I get to get that out, because you missed your exit.

Are you prepared to Understand that you are NOT getting on a Speedway, but getting from point A to point B? See, I had more control there. I didn't capitalize everything.

Now, as you are traveling along these roads notice the traffic. Do you notice that there are these large Trucks? Okay well, these trucks are normally carrying about 80,000 pounds of product. A lot of weight to try and manage when no one is paying attention to that truck. These trucks have blinkers and need to be noticed. Upon seeing a trucks blinkers and you are beside that truck in the direction the truck needs to move to, please do not speed up but decrease excelleration and yeild to the truck. There is normally a very good reason why that truck is needing to get into that lane. For example there could be motorist on the shoulder that the truck need to get away from.

These big trucks out there have people in them that are trying to make a living, not to be difficult. Please help them to be able to their job safely by not cutting them off and yielding to them while coming up an on ramp and sharing the road by paying attention to the fact that you are driving a car not multitasking.

There is also something to be said to drivers in the trucking industry everywhere. Please be considerate of others lives and Lose Some Weight! It amazing me what can be seen in truck stops all over America when in a fuel isle and someone can be seen getting out of a truck that is so obese that they can barely get out. Obesity is dangerous and not enough people take it seriously. Some of these drivers are ticking time bombs for a heart attache or a stroke. What are they thinking? Am I being to bold? The trucking industry could use a clean up act when it comes to the health and well being of not just the trucks but the drivers themselves. Saying something directly to someone about that is difficult but, if the doctors nor the companies are going to then someone has to so I guess that would be me. I plan on bringing that up to Anne Ferro, the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

A Big Thank you to all of those states that care enough about drivers to build nice rest area's and places to relax, enjoy the scenery, walk the dog. Not enough states build enough, if any. Kudos to Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin for making them beautiful.

We love you.

Please be a part of saving lives and keep it between the lines.

Thank you

Driving Miss Annie

Driving Miss Annie


That is what this one particular husband does for his wife. He drives. In all actuality Jeff Thompson is a driver, a truck driver who takes his “really wants to be a journalist” wife with him. Most of the time he say's he couldn't do it without her which is good. It has been a great ride being driven all over the country side and it has been amazing. Seems as if Annie say's “Sure would be nice to see … and that seems to be the very next place that the company Jeffrey drives for sends them.

By the way...I am Annie and I am loving this. I asked to see the great wonders of the North, South, East and West of the great U.S.A. and that is exactly what has been given. From New York to Florida, The great St. Louis Arch to the Grand Canyon and then the San Fernando Valley. Sunsets over beautiful cities and sunrises over amazing mountain ranges this has been a blessing in disguise and there is so much more to come.

There is still the journey and an amazing quest for the dream of the Big Truck with the Big House on it at work here and the payoff will happen. So far, this journey has been worth every blessed minute.

Thanks for coming along for the ride and......It was “Off to St. Louis” and the rest of the story is....

$300. Serenity, Luxury and WOW!

That is the kind of three-day vacation you can get from St. Louis. From the moment a person arrives in downtown St. Louis, patrons are treated to the relieving stress-free fantasy of Luxury and a person's heart will go aw yeah.

First stop is the amazing Drury Plaza Hotel on Fourth St. in the heart of downtown St. Louis managed by Cherrie Schulz. There is beauty galore. Imagine taking a Semi-Truck to the heart of downtown St. Louis and worn from the road drivers being treated like their most prized guests. It happened. Free Parking and when they say it...they mean it. Transportation provided by the hotel picks you up at the closest location to safely park a semi-Truck (usually beside another one of their locations and then delivers you back to the hotel. With a staff of 120, there is always someone there when you need them. The guest services, front desk and round the clock house keeping are always delighted to make sure you are treated as royalty no matter who you are or what your lineage is. Beautiful marble everywhere. Chandeliers, fireplaces, fountains and beautiful lifelike statues of frontiersmen and animals over a serene river all await you inside the lobby. Your bags are delivered to your room and when you finally step into the oasis that awaits inside your room you may want to hang on to something as you swoon. On the top floor (The tenth floor) the view is unbeatable for a cityscape. Wall to wall windows give you a view of the heart of St. Louis where in June and July there are weddings galore. The beds are sinkable and so many fluffy pillows that can take anyone into slumbering on a cloud. Cleanliness is everywhere. The bathroom area is a suite all in itself and once settled in it becomes very difficult to leave the room for all that awaits downstairs. There you will find Silver domed buffets serving breakfast that can't be beat and a staff that really cares. Food to your hearts content and so yummy you can very easily overeat without realizing it in the a.m.. So.....hang on to that food for a while because once you set off  all on foot to explore the world of St. Louis under the Arch and the Arch itself you are going to need the energy.

Next it is off explore the Plaza and the beautiful parks. Take your dog if you have one and let them show off their tails. During the June and July months you will see many weddings and there are always carriage rides available to anyone wanting to experience that romantic ride. There is shopping galore but you can easily forget about all the shopping once you realize that you are so close to the Science Center, the Zoo, all of the beautiful fountains, historic buildings and statues that will take your appreciation to a new level. After a brief rest a trip to the top of the Arch at Sunset is a must. Buy your tickets the day before, online to prevent having to stand in long lines for an hour. If you enjoy sunsets then get your tickets for around seven-thirty in the evening. This gives you plenty of time to enjoy the movies that take a person back in time and enjoy the wonderful shops inside the Arch. There is also a Museum inside the Arch you will want to see. This makes a great family trip or even just a romantic get away.

For the price, the Drury Hotel re-defines luxury in a way that that makes the clientele feel like the rich and famous. Remember the word Concierge. The front desk staff know it well. Can I say “Towels please?” Yes you may and delivered to your door in seconds still warm. And then next after a supreme evening meal at Max and Emma's, a nice drink of wine on the house and it is time for sweet, sweet divine sleep.

So, go ahead and take the trip. It is worth it to anyone needing a fabulous mini-vacation.

Have fun, enjoy and until next time...

Keep it between the lines.

Blue Eyes and Misbehavin at Newborn's

Blue Eyes and Misbehavin.....That's what you'll find at NEWBORNS.


Ahhhhh. Yeah. You know that feeling of a wonderful shower after a miserable day? I will never again take that feeling for granted. For a clean freak like me, having to wait a day or two or three between showers can be absolutely horrible. That is what we have to deal with out here during this trucking adventure. I know that it is not like trekking through the Amazon for adventure but wow, am I very grateful for the big plastic container I carry full of towels and wash rags to take a bath in while going down the road. It is during these days that a trucker just can't wait for that moment when the fuel is bought and that free shower and towels are handed to you. That is...until you see the showers. Ooooh gross. With shower shoes in hand and the fear at every turn in the shower that something on the wall or floor is going to crawl right on to the body a person can sometimes feel dirtier coming out than they did going in. My husband say's it is hilarious to watch me wash and re-wash until I nearly take my skin off. For a germaphobic like me, and also a fairly vain person when it comes to looks, that shower can sometimes be horrific challenge.

In the past, I mentioned a truck stop called Sapp Brother's in Wyoming that literally made you feel as if you were in a luxury hotel. Well, let the South introduce you to NEWBORN TRUCK STOP in Tallapoosa, Ga. right off of I-20 at exit 5. Cleanest showers in the South. Georgia rarely disappoints and Newborn Tuck Stop keeps up with that reputation. As you walk in the doors you are greeted by these wonderful ladies. Blue Eyes and Misbehaven. With beautiful smiles and a guarantee that you will enjoy your stay there, no trucker could ever feel any closer to the good folks they have waiting for them at home than they will here, and trust me, finding a place to make you feel at home is hard out here. So many places just don't take the time to act like they care. These girls are like a great big hug and the showers, let me tell you, normally I can't even touch the walls in a shower at a truck stop without crying that I am going to die from some skin eating disease but at Newborns, I believe it may have been cleaner than the one I have at home. The white walled showers and water pressure that can ease any stress away makes a person feel clean already and then there is the ability to dry off without getting so sweaty that you need another shower before you are done. The rooms stay cool and the steam disappears No frizz in this hair. Oh yeah.

Thank you Newborns for your hospitality, great folks, clean showers and for helping my husband and I change the reputation for truckers everywhere by helping us be pretty people and good-looking truckers. And to all the truckers out there, help us change the look and reputation of truckers everywhere by taking a shower, losing some weight(for those that need to), get in shape and stop in at NEWBORNS for a moment to relax and feel like someone cares about you.

New York New York

Let's go to New York, New York.


Let's all get this straight. Going to New York does not mean “I'm going to see something spectacular!” What it means is that we were delivering a load to the state of New York and seeing “Absolutely NOTHING!” There are lots of tree's and …..well, nothing to see from the interstate. The word “sightseeing” should refer to what can be seen within the inter-cities, not from the Interstate. We weren't even able to see the rivers due to all of the tree's and bushes that were overgrown along the Interstates. But, we did have quite and experience.

After getting off the interstate and onto a wicked winding road and up a hill with a 10% grade (which means very, very steep) we delivered to an old shooting range. The conservation department was using fertilizers and mulches along with other soil medications to rehabilitate the soil that had been polluted with lead from the ammunition used during the time that the land up there was used for a shooting range. Everyone should extend a hand of thanks to our conservation departments.

With that done, keeping in mind it was Friday, July 2nd, we were informed by our dispatch that our re-load could not be picked up until Tuesday, July 6th. Wow! That is basically four days off with nowhere to go because we are in a semi and really can't go just anywhere we wanted so we ended up camping out at a truck stop and let me tell you it was Nasty. I guess I survived because as it is I am writing this. So, after doing all of the laundry, cleaning the truck , the dog and ourselves we proceeded to get absolutely stupid. Yes boys and girls, lets not just hang out and behave ourselves, no we have to get in as much trouble as people our age can possibly get into and so we headed to a bar. What a great bar we found. O'Neill in Binghamton, NY just a few steps from the truck stop. Inside this wonderful Irish Pub and Sports Bar we found some incredible people. Jim, the owners brother and bartender has one of the best personalities of anyone I have ever met that bar tends with a smile every second. The clientele were ages that ranged from 21 to possibly 90 yrs. Old and very family oriented. No one could go to this pub and not have a great time and feel like you have just been welcomed into a great family. These patrons and owners “know no strangers”.

The only drama that I experienced was an incredible compliment from a twenty-six year old handsome man. Remember, I am forty-three. This man complimented me so much that he actually had the nerve to ask my husband if he would share. I loved it. Yeah, for me. I guess I was quite impressive. Why is it that so many young men chase after us older women? Later it did cause a little upset for my husband when the man actually came to truck and asked again. I hope my audience is bent over laughing hard because I did but, not so much for my husband. The next day proceeded in a fight between my man and I. The fight was more probably more about needing to get away from each other than anything else. We have been together 24/7 for months. This will happen to couples who take off together in a truck to “truck” around the U.S.A.

O'Mailly's took very good care of me and let me make a idiot of myself crying in my beer and dancing alone like an insane woman on their dance floor to get my frustrations out. This might have been one of those “You had to be there” moments to be ripping a gut laughing but trust me, it was gut ripping funny. Jeff, my wonderful husband made me sweat it out for five hours, in which I called my best friend in the world and swore that he must be dead in a ditch somewhere from being mugged. Not true in this little town in New York. I was finally rescued from my pitty party by my husband who proceeded to attempt to get me to the truck, half carrying me and half dragging me. I think my drinking days are over. They lasted a whole twenty-four hours. In short I think it proves that even in New York, small town America's for the most part are safe and full of good folks. Thanks Binghamton, NY.

I hope this blog leaves you laughing and until next time.....

HAVE A DRINK ON ME.

Mid-Life for The X-Generation

X-Generation ...Welcome to “Mid-Life”
Written By: Annie Thompson
June 2010

Amazing, the changes we have experienced in this lifetime of climbing from the age of zero to fifty. Record-breaking natural disasters, for example, war, economic failures among our states Litter, wait---don't get depressed there is a light at the end of the tunnel-- covers the sides of the interstates and highways and it is from these main veins going through our cities that there can be seen the desolation and ruin of buildings that have been left to crumble. Television and Entertainment are in a good running for control of our young societies in a way that scares us to death. Gangs have replaced the Mob and computers have replaced communication. We have gone from one room school houses, coal and television ending at mid-night or before to Internet education, solar panels and yes...the ever giant, looming windmill farms that can look to some as very alien. 24/7 mind-numbing hours of television to turn any ones minds to muck. But there is evidence that this generation has worked very hard to impress upon all of those that are involved in their lives a great amount of family values, respect and loyalty. This evidence can be seen at baseball games, dance recitals, church functions and almost everywhere we look but with a very different spin on parents attitudes, ages and lifestyles. What we have gotten in return for the years of love and commitment ? Well, that is for each to decide on their own.

There is a change that you may or may not already know about. Introducing itself to the X-Generation is...The Mid Life. It is real and it will and does happen to most adults. It is not an exact age but more like a moment. It is a time in life when children that you have nurtured all of their lives become adults. No one can prepare anyone else for the emotional roller-coaster ahead, but being aware of what is to come helps.

At this time parents are having to endure watching their children, as people in society, walking of cliffs basically and not being able to fix or do anything about it. We have gone from full tilt soccer parents, band parents or whatever it was that was important to the children and their future at that time which was actually dominating parents lives to (pause) Dead Silence. Some couples see each other from across the empty space, left behind by the kids, as for the first time in a very long time. Re-actions happen. It can feel as if couples realize that their relationship has been on hold. New and incredible relationships can can unfold and bloom into wonderful new and passionate love lives.

There are also heart ripping moments of shear terror and hopelessness over your kids lives. Words are not uttered, as before, but the word “No” is spoken firmly along with “My Way” and the safety net that parents had wrapped around their children is jerked away and handed back..

Parents are also going through moments when they have finally had a chance to look in the mirror, after years, it can seem and amazement occurs as to how they became this older person looking back at them and it can make a person wonder just “who” this person is supposed to be. No one can go back to where they left off before they became parents. Not to say that we ever stopped being ourselves while being a parent and, no, being a parent never ends but “parenting” does become more out of reach and impossible as our children become adults. I wonder if anyone ever thought that when they decided that they wanted to have a baby if they realized they were having another person, another human being that will have to face battles of their own, not just a child? And will that person love, respect and understand us as parents? How is going to feel when they face a problem that you can not fix?

These are all thoughts and emotions slamming the people going through the “mid” of life. The X-Generation. I believe that some parents even start treating the family pet like their kids.

Cooperation. Compromise. Compassion. Open mindedness. Faith. These will come in handy. Getting perspective of what you want the rest of your life to be, the goals need to be set. The yellow sticky notes need to be “I n Your Face” reminding you constantly of your goals as it is easy at this time in life to be lead astray by HAVING FUN! ADULT FREEDOM! WOW! Go ahead and fall for it for a while and find that wild side and as long as you realize that stepping out of your safety zone is stepping out of your bubble and you will eventually just be running with your tail between legs back to the bubble. There are scary people out there and scary happenings that you will wish you were not stuck in your head forever. Find yourselves as graduated parents and take that vacation. Fall in love again or find that lover you have not yet found. At least open yourselves up to adult freedom.

This is also a great time in life to reconnect with friends and find that “friend family” that will be with you in the older ages of life and start building on those relationships. The timing could be right to spend more time with family, yourself and re-connecting especially with your dreams. Find adventure.

What still lies ahead is up to each one of us to decide, Everything around us is changing and we must ride the tide or become another tide but movement in one direction or the other is inevitable. The perspective of applying logic and reason to emotional upheaval can often result in regaining sanity. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and wait till you hear that a baby is on the way. Grandparents. Ha! Ha!