Still running like a scalded dog-guess that's good,but I was highly pissed off when I had to go back out Thursday-4th. of July weekend-after running 2 Ohio loads already.

I picked up a big long round thing-no,no,no,it was a roll shell-at the paper mill in Riverville last Friday and left Sunday going to Sandusky,Ohio. Got unloaded early Monday morning and went to Oak Harbor to the nucular (George Bush) pear plant to pick up 3 air compressors and 2 drying towers to take back to Ingersoll Rand in Richmond,Va. Had to go through the whole "search the truck" process twice going in because the compressors were just inside the secure area-like about 50' inside the secure area. After going through the metal detective,taking my steel toed boots off and emptying my pockets first,I went in with an escort.The escort just sat his fat ass in the passenger seat and read his book while I got loaded and strapped the load down.For all 50' of the trip.Prolly makes 3 times what I do anually.

Anyhow,I turned the truck off while I was getting loaded-I wasn't about to leave it running with the AC on for him.

After I finished strapping the load down I started the truck to leave and go back through the "truck trap", but Mr. Escort's door wouldn't shut properly. The passenger door won't shut sometimes,probably because it's only been opened a few times in the last 5 years.I got out and went around to the passenger side and was fooling with his door when I heard something rattling. Went back to the drivers side and pushed the clutch pedal in,thinking maybe it was the throwout bearing...no change...checked the tool box and battery box covers,because that's what it sounded like,a loose cover vibrating on something...all secure...then I saw a little wisp of smoke come from under the hood and thought "awww f#@K-it's the @#$%&*ing starter!!"

By the time I got the engine shut off smoke was rolling out from under the hood. Mr. Escort even got out of the truck-he was on his 2 way communicator "uh...truck on fire...smoking bad-think the summich is gonna burn up-no rush,it's just a Peterbilt...over".

So a crowd of big shots came over and were standing around looking while I opened the hood. I let it cool off a few minutes and tried to start it and couldn't even get a click out of it. I said "y'all got anything that will pull it?" So all the engineers thought about the situation and came up with a plan. "We'll take this big ass fork lift,pull you backwards so we can get this big truck out,and give you a pull with this big ass truck".

So I says "uh...why don't you just pull me with the fork lift-shouldn't take but a few feets to start it". So all the engineers and geniouses huddled up again and said "uh...OK!"

So I got a chain and they pulled me a couple of feet and I got it started and didn't cut it off anymore until I got to the shop in Concord,Va. Tuesday,after I unloaded in Richmond.

After I got a new starter -in fact,the "old" starter hadn't been on but a few months-I got a load of pipes going to Harmony,Pa,near Zelienople. Then I went to Alliance,Oh. and picked up a load of firebrick coming back to Madison Heights,Va.

Unloaded in Madison Heights early Thursday morning happy as hell,thinking I was done for the week-already had 2 good rounds in. So I called headquarters to see what I might load to deliver Tuesday and Jeff said "go to Griffin Pipe and pick up a load of duck-tile iron pipes going to Conyers,Georgia". So I says "is that to deliver Tuesday?" He says "hell no,have your ass there in the morning".

And that's what I did.

Unloaded early Friday morning in Conyers,Ga.

Called headquarters.

They said "go to Barnesville,Ga. and pick up a load of lumber for Moneta,Va."

So I go to Barnesville,Ga. to Jordan Lumber and they said "we're closed,you idiot-come back Monday".

So I called headquarters...they said "are you serious?"...yeah,they're closed-it's 4th. of July weekend...so they said "arrrrright then...mmmm-hmmmm....well,go to Marietta,Ga. and load these coils going to Orange,Va."

And that's what I did-fighting all that traffic through Atlanta to get there.

Made it home a little before midnight last night-still cooked some chicken breastesess,hot wings,corn dawgs,and bubber burgers on the grill today.My oldest son and my grandchildren came over and we had a great time.

All is well.