Sometimes you’re up and sometimes your down. Last week was a fabulous week. Not only in revenue but also because I got to spend some time with my lovely daughter and finally cut off the mop that I called hair. The before and after.

Yeah, I clean up pretty well when I want to.

My day started ugly early yesterday. Like 1am early. After making my drop, and backing like a boss into one of the hardest doors I’ve dealt with so far, I headed another 90 miles down the road to a new pickup. After picking up that load, it seemed that everything went wrong.

First it started when I decided to stop for the night. I pulled into a truck stop and after backing like a boss 7 hours earlier, I couldn’t hit a spot to save my life. I admitted defeat, looked at my map and saw there was a rest stop up the road. After driving for another 30 minutes, I found the rest stop closed. Frustrated and tired, I drove another 40 minutes to the next rest stop and happily found it open and deserted. Across the street there was a small restaurant and I had stuffed cabbage rolls and purchased an apple dumpling for later. Once back in my truck I tried to sleep but although I’d been up for 18 hours at that point I just wasn’t tired. I decided to put on a movie to see if that would help, but it didn’t.

After the movie, I went inside to use the facilities and was treated to an amazing site.

There was a bluegrass group playing songs and having an amazing time. I stood and watched them for a while and when I left I had an amazing smile on my face.

Finally ready for sleep I climbed into bed with the sounds of the music spinning around in my head.

I should have checked my appointment times

I should have gotten my paperwork ready.

I awoke to quite a few messages about my eta to the drop off spot. Confused, and walking back to the restaurant to get a breakfast sandwich, I sent a message with my confusion.

The response “you missed the appointment time. It was due by 23:59.”

I quickly pulled up the delivery info while waiting on my food. It was due today, the 8th. Sudden horror pooled inside me as I switched over to my calendar and saw that today was the 9th.

Shit

Shit shit shit

Shit

I got my sandwich and a cup of coffee and headed back to my truck, quickly typing out a message that my eta was 3 hours.

While walking down the little hill, I slipped on the wet grass. My much needed coffee was now on me instead of in me. My sandwich, still wrapped was ok. One shoe was lying next to me at the bottom of the hill. My ankle…well that was at a bit of a weird angle and screaming at me wanting to know “what the hell, dude?”

Another trucker saw my spectacular landing and came over to help me. I thanked him for his care and hobbled over to my truck. I quickly changed my clothes, took some ibuprofen, and started driving. My injured ankle was at least the left one so I didn’t have to worry about using it for pressure.

Upon getting to the receiver my ankle, while not so angry was still a bit sullen at my lack of consideration for it, I realized I didn’t have enough fuel in my refrigeration tanks and the closest truck stop was 20 miles away and on a toll road. So off I went again, and got lost, and frustrated. I paid twice as much as I should for tolls due to my own idiocy. I may have quit my job, in my head, a few time. This was the wall that everyone told me about. This was the day where everything I did went poorly.

I finally found my way, got my fuel, drive back to the receiver, dropped my trailer, found my new trailer, and now here is where I sit waiting for another load.

I lost out on a great load that would have taken me to Wisconsin. Luckily I have my leftovers from dinner last night minus the apple dumpling which was consumed to keep me from crying earlier, so I won’t starve, but I’m desperately in need of a shower. I don’t want to leave here to head back to the truck stop I went to earlier as it’s small, there were no parking spaces when I was there, and I just don’t want to tempt fate anymore than I already have today. The yard dog said it was ok for me to stay hooked to my new trailer and to just hang out for the night. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers.

So today may be a down day, but I know it won’t stay this way and I know that everything will be ok in the end.

So I will leave you with a bit of a bright spot from yesterday. This group meets every Tuesday night at the rest stop in Williamstown, WV. Just in case you are in the area.