Day one, Tornado relief.

[Lakota Wolf]

I get a nice cheerful ring of the phone around 3;00 a/m, (Yes I'm still up watching something on TV and writing on my netbook). I hear,, wuzzzz up ya old fart!!!. (Its an old friend who runs a Hot Shot company. I reply,, umm contimplating the meaning of quatum physics and its effects on dehydrated drinking water,, why, wuzzz up on your end? A brief silence as the caller is trying to figure out what the heck I just said.He asks,, is your truck set up for some hauls? What a stupid question,,  duh,, Of course its not as I reply,, (but everyone knows Im always ready for a road trip adventure). He says I need to saddle up the pony's and he has some quick runs he needs done,, due to the majority of his fleet drivers are on the west coast and east coast and at least a day or 2 out. And,,,, slight pause,, Your the only one crazy enough to attempt multiple bonzai runs. I ask, How many? He says he has 14 that need delivered yesterday at the latest., Wow,,  that soon huh? Your not to far behind if your working for the Gov. Thats pretty much a day ahead of schedule. So I grab a quick shower,, get all purdied up,, even threw on some foo foo stink purdy and grab my go go bag of nessesities and head out the door. Quick stop at the end of the steps,, turn around, Admit to the duh moment to myself,, go back inside and kiss the better half and give my pup a nose kiss,, She has to stay home on this run, I grab the last cup of coffee, and then head back out the door,, I get the ole Ford fired up,, Knowing I just woke up several neighbors,,,,(If you have ever heard a diesel fire up and run on a still quiet morning,, you will know what Im talking about). I idle slowly out of the park trying to be quiet as to not disturb the rest of the tennants. I live on the far back side and have to drive through the whole park to get to the main road. I cruise out of the park and head for the fuel station to make sure the fuel tanks are topped of and grab a super industrial sized coffee to go,, BTW, thats the huge sized cup,, just shy of a 35 gallon drum with a sippy lid. Some would say, thats equivlent to about 14 cups of coffee,, But here in Texas,, thats a small cup,, We dont do tea cup portions. Its kinda like Bubba buying beer,, he dont go for those teensy 12 packs, (thats considered a whistle wetter),, Bubba grabs a man sized beer,, a 24 pack, minimum.

Anywho's  I head over to West Tx, (Yes thats a town,,Remember in the news that fertilizer factory blowed up,, almost leveled the town? ) Yea that West Texas. There is an RV, (slash) used cars and truck sales (slash) Uhaul,(slash)grocery store (slash) Bait shop there and he has several Fema trailers ready to go.I get there in around 20 minutes,, maybe 30,,, and half my coffee is already in the gulet and the ole bladder reminding me so. Ya ever notice that,,, its like a straight line funnel from the lips to the bladder with coffee?

I pull in,, make a waddle jog to the ole mens room,. So after standing there for what seems like 20 minutes,, I finish up, and realize,, wow, thats a lot of coffee. Almost deemed a courtesy flush. (you can either be offended by that or laugh, your choice). Now ole Randal,, the owner of this fine establishment, comes walking out and asked,, you here to pull a fema trailer? Now me myself can be somewhat of a sarcastic ole cuss,, and I try to never miss an opportunity to throw a wrench in the works with a slight curve, I said nope,, Im here to rotate the propane in the tanks. Move the propane form one tank to the other,, then rotate it back,, keep it fresh,,  You do know ya have to do that,, it keeps the fizz  all fresh.  Ole Randal has that slack jawed, deer in the head lights look on his face and utters  Huh?  I said, Im here to pull these trailer to Canton.. He sighs and goes ohhhh,, good. Then asks why does propane have a fizz?  I think to myself,, is that all you heard out of that sarcastic joke? Seriously? I shake my head,, its all good,, dont worry about,, just as long as the propane is less then 2 yrs old, your good.. He sighs again, andsays,, ok good, cuz they was filled back in January..(Do you know how tempting it was to just really mess with this ole guy). Anywho,, I locate the 1st one, hook it up,, do my inspection and whoooosh, out the drive and down the road. I get to a red cross area and was told this is where the trailers are being dropped off to be distributed to the family's,, I unhook, hand them the paper work,, head back down to West,, and in proces of hooking up number 2 when Randal asks,,,, whers the 1st one?  I said signed sealed and delivered,, Almost in a song. He says dayum your quick,, He said he just sat down when I left and wasnt even settled in and Im back already. He even calls someone in Canton and asked if I had really delivered the trailer and they confirmed it.. He hangs up and says,, dayummm again,, you dont mess around. I said, I have people to do, things to see and places to go, and not nessasarilly in that order. I love the looks Ole Randal gets when hes confused.. So number 2 is hooked , and on the road,, I get to the destination and get it dropped. I notice a couple other drivers rolling in from the dallas area towing Femas,, We chat a bit and this one driver is complaining that the hr drive about beat him up,, that was a long run.. Im thinking ,an hour? 60 minutes,wiped you out? I asked him,, how many you pulling today, and he replies 2,, then calling it a day.He asked where Im comming out of and I say Waco...and this is my second,, and have a handful more before I take dinner break. He says, well Waco is only like what 15 to 20 minutes away?  I laugh and say, Your NOT from Texas are you? He said hes from the east coast originally. I told him its roughly 1 hr to West,(normal driving) and 2 plus hours to Canton, sometimes 3 depending on traffic. And Im ahead of schedule,, even doing the almost kind of stated posted speed limit. (ok,, yell at me, I went 56 in a 55,) (oh the shame of being a speed demon). I told him I have 1 more before I grab a greasy sammich at the local choke and puke, then probably squeezein a couple more, for good measure. Hes like no way,, thats to much driving,,, they dont pay me enough to do all that.  I laugh and say, Im a volunteer,, I get paid NADA, Ziltch, ZERO,,, because Im here to HELP. and you sir, are one of the laziest pieces of human garbage to even being driving. and I walked away.

(I do get my fuel covered and a free dinner). Its sad, that in a time of need for so many fellow people,, there are the ones only out for the pay off.. Dont get me wrong,, we all have bills to pay etc.. But it wont kill you to have a little compassion,,, I just believe in Karma and pay forward when you can.  If I can put a family in some clean shelter,with a roof over their head, clothes on their backs and food on their table, Then I have done something constructive, No expectations of a fortune,, just a simple thank you from a child whos family has lost everything, That my friend is worth more then a brick of solid gold.

BTW,, I got 2 delivered,, the others wasnt ready for the road. Will see what tomorrow brings. So, I finish choking down a bonafide Tx, style grease burger with cheese and all the fixings,, and feeling all that wonderful grease run down to the elbows onto the napkins under my elbows (I have table courtesy,I put napkins under the elbows as to not make a mess,, we of course are Civilized ), I stand up,, feeling all that grease starting to harden in all the arteries and making the heart thump a couple extra labored beats,, I grin and burp,, and say, heck yea,, Im stuffed, and head home,,, WITH an extra large super jumbo cup of coffee. Life is good,,, ( I do believe that burger is solidifying in the ole gut,)  I burp once more as I buckle my seat belt, and just realize,, That it was just Vapor lock,,

Be safe,, make memories.

[Lakota Wolf]

Everything was put on hold for anything getting moved Wednesday. Ole Mother nature is still throwing curve balls,, kicking up some wind,,, but is being generous with the sun shine. Local E,R.T ,(Emergency  Response Team), Was busy routing and calculating relief aid  They suspended trailer transports, excluding semi supply trucks, The Fema trailers are to light at this time to take the chance with the still gusting winds, (winds steady at 22 to 25, with gusts of upwards 40 plus). Local truck stop has several travelers heeding the wind advisory to pull off and wait it out. Louisiana had their fair share of flooding and wind damage,, and several other Mid East, lower states,Alabama,Mississippi,So, and N.Carolina. I guess,, everyone had their big bowls of Wheaties, and sitting on the wait. Its good to see Humanity pulling together in such a short time..Friend sent me this,,, At least there is still humor.

[Rich Thomas]

Good on you Lakota, may you have safe travels. Prayers out for you and all the other folks that stand up for those feeling the angry side of mother nature.

[Lakota Wolf]

Good news update,, My friends contracted hot shot drivers enroute to storm damaged areas,, made a pit stop in Pocahontas Ark. The flooding there was an understatement, They are hunkering down there for a day or so and rendering what ever services they can to local Red cross and Military reservist who have been dispatched there. He had 2 drivers make it down into Canton and got several fema trailers set up, and are on standby to make runs to truck in more, Canton Tx, was really on the ball getting people shelter,dry clothes and food. The people really pulled together as friends, neighbors and even strangers.If your in an area of devistation, go out of your way to say thanks to the volunteers,, it really means a lot, that their help is really appreciated.

[Russell E Johnson]

I wish I was closer. We could make a heck of a team hauling trailers. I found out that without DW along I can get in 6-8 hours of driving with only stops for fuel in the MMP. That sure beats the get up at 10 drive for 1.5-2 hours stop for 2 hours, drive for another 1.5-2 hours then call it quits for the day, LOL I love her to death, but she is no traveler. Hope all goes well for ya on Wednesday. We are suppose to have a bunch of rain again. I hope you are high and dry--or get someone to hook and unhook for ya so you can stay inside and be dry LOL. And you better take the pooch, I bet she is getting antsy with you being gone. Be safe and keep the greasy side down--and NO I an not talking about your belly LOL.