Random Ramblings

I changed the title to my blog, because I am done with school but not training, and want to use this for other ramblings and musing along my journey. The title of this one is the name of the next tattoo I am going to get as a memory piece for my dad. Anybody that knew my dad knows he didn't always take the most direct route from point A to point B. Was it the fastest route 99% NO, were you going to see some pretty cool sites and learn some things 100%. The tattoo I am going to get is a simple Compass with that written somewhere and then his initials LRP 4/22/47-07/01/18.       Dad didn't always like using maps, sometimes it was more fun just to drive and see where the road took us. Other times he had real DETAILED directions from point A to Point B. I remember one trip we took locally we drove what seemed like forever, ended up on the Anderson Ferry boat crossing the river, (this was before we knew our way around Cincinnati/NKY area,) Looking back on it now, I know exa...

Aug 17-19      Got home EARLY Friday Morning around 0200, took short nap then got the kiddos up for school they where VERY VERY Excited to see me home early. I called them before I LEFT Thursday Night so they knew I was coming home. Mom and my sister were getting ready to leave to head back to my home town of Elkhart Indiana to visit family and my sister was getting a memorial tattoo for dad. So MRS and I went over to mom's house and took her and my sister to breakfast. To say mom was surprised is an understatement. Had a nice visit, then MRS and I went shopping and came home and took a nap. When kiddos got home from school, we hoped in the car and drove to Louisville to spend time with my inlaw's and early celebrate my daughter's 11th birthday and my niece 6th birthday, they grow up so fast(Daughter's Real bday is 09/11, if you know me you will understand the importance of that day, if not I will include it maybe in a later blog)Had good fellowship and did a little w...

AUG 16  TEST DAY   Well since the cat is out of the bag, at least on facebook. Started the day at 0530 for some reason, Reloaded my bible app on to my phone and started a bible reading plan that will get me through the bible in a year, which I have done 2 previous times, but I will get to that later. Got to class at 10:00 am practiced couple backing maneuvers and the instructor and I hit the road to drive 100 miles to Cookville Tennessee, home of Fortis Driving Institute and where Titan does their CDL Testing. When we pulled in the tester who is a local Sheriff Deputy wasn't there yet, we got in at 14:30 and test was scheduled for 15:00. So instructor said why don't you go out and hit the alley dock a couple times, slightly different set up then what we had a school. At Titan there is an ever so gently slope, back towards the alley dock, so we got accustomed to that. The test site is flat concrete, so tried it 4 times and for the life of me COULD NOT Get it in, either encroac...

Aug 15 th Woke up again at 5:30 am today, not even 100% sure why I bother setting my alarm clock, because the entire time I have been here so far I have awoken before it goes off.   Which is okay gives me time to wake up and enjoy breakfast without rushing, shower, and get into the good word a little more. Got to work this am and was met with a surprise I was not expecting but really appreciated. Two of my classmates said “Hey we read your blog, we didn’t know you were a Christian”!!!! ANYONE ELSE See a Problem with that, they have known me for 3 weeks and didn’t know I was a Christian, they knew I was religious just not to what extent. That’s called God convicting me through others. I know I haven’t been living as I should be for Christ. So I know they read this I won’t mention them by name they know who they are… THANK YOU for helping me open my eyes and realize I wasn’t living CHRIST LIKE. So I know for sure 4 of us are Christians, are we perfect in our walk with Christ? ...

Aug 14th       Woke up this am, took hot shower, ate breakfast, sat down pulled out the Good Book, (really need to get back to reading that more often, which is why when I go OVER THE ROAD, I am not going to have a TV in my truck, I am going to work on studying the bible and work on memorizing verses. Any way got to work today, met a new student, who actually started yesterday so technically was day 2. Not really fair to through him into the mix because we are 3 weeks into class, and after our class is over the trainer is going out of the country for a vacation, so guessing he will be on break from class that week as well. Anyway, I quickly went over pre-trip with him, to show verbitge how it was to be said, and after watching my driving partner and me do it, he stuck his sheets in his back pocket and said "Can I try?" Uh sure, so he went through it pretty well, for being day 2 for him, I was impressed with his knowledge. While we were doing that, 2 classmates went out ...

August 13       What an AMAZING DAY woke up at 0530 took a shower, and had breakfast, did a little bible reading which I need to do MORE of, got to school early, update my DOT LOGS, and went out driving first thing, today wasn't so much about getting the miles in but making turns within the "City" another thing I struggled with at Millis, feeling A TON Better about it now more confident, my instructor told me something the other day that really helped...NO ONE ELSE MATTERS, They are gonna get mad at you for moving slow and taking up a lot of room but they will get around it and get over it, once I realized that controlling the truck SAFELY was far more important then other people driving...We got back to the yard and after struggling Friday with the Alley Dock, I really was worried about it today, but after a great study session of the GOOD BOOK, I prayed about it, got into the truck, did straight back no issues, right sided off set backing NAILED IT, pulled around and ...

Aug 11-12th          Had a great visit with the family, they got down here LATE Friday night, and I'm not who was happier to see me the kids or my Rottie. We crashed Friday night, was kind of fun, the kiddos slept on air mattresses, and some how the MRS and Rottie all slept in the full size bed, it was snug. We got up Saturday morning, had breakfast, loaded into the car and headed to Lynchburg, so the kids and MRS could see the distillery, they didn't go on the tour but got to go into the Welcome center, which is pretty neat, tells the history and process of the tour. Mrs said she wants to come back down sometime when we can all go on the tour, but need someone to watch the puppy, because even though he helps the kids with their Autism and Anxiety I have not gotten him Certified yet as a therapy dog, even so not sure they want a 110# Rottie walking around the distillery. So I did my best "Tour" and basically they HEARD the tour but didn't actually go ON the to...