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May 3, 2012

Where We Are

When I first started blogging, there was a girl in Kentucky whose blog I read and she read mine. We were pretty faithful commenters for each other and got to be sort of friends. Then one day, she vanished. Just stopped blogging and I had no way of contacting her other than through her blog, and had no idea if she just got bored or if something had gone terribly wrong. 

Over the weeks, I finally decided to just assume she'd gotten busy with life and her little boy, and tired of blogging and let it go at that. Because there was no way to know if anything else had happened and nothing I could do about it if I did find out. 

But I also made a promise to myself that if I ever got to the point where I was done blogging, I'd make sure I said a proper goodbye, just so no one worried.

I realize I just vanished for over a month without a word. I thought I'd come on here and say something about that, but never got to it. And for a moment or two I considered being done with blogging. But at the same time, I can't just drop it. The thing is, I've just gotten really bored. I mean, how many things can you say about the same road. It may be all new to you, but we've driven them over and over again, and frankly, it's gets a little old and I don't have anything much to say about it anymore. 

Well I finally worked up enough motivation to come on here and do a post a couple days ago, only to discover that in my absence, blogger had changed things....again....and it wasn't working compatibly with my browser. And I wasn't motivated enough to fight with it, so I took it as a "sign" that I still had permission to neglect you all. 

But then within a couple days, I had two of my blogger buddies, drop a note to say "hey, where on earth are you and are you ok?" and I realized I'd just done exactly what my Kentucky friend had done. And after a little digging around I finally figured out that I could just come over to FireFox and blogger works from here. So....sorry to make you worry. And I can't promise lots of long interesting travel blog posts, at least not at first, but maybe I'll work my way into it.

Mid-way through my blogging sabbatical, we went home. I can write all sorts of things, lengthy meandering blog posts about home! But I figure most of you got interested in my blog because of the traveling and trucking, and maybe yet another blog about farm life isn't that interesting.
Along with blogging, I'd kind of dropped the photography (how many pictures can you take of the Great Salt Lake?), and so it was kind of nice to finally find some inspiration at home to get the camera back out. The first was a sunrise that was shockingly beautiful.

And then there were all the ducks and geese up on the lake behind the buildings. I do love migration season and all it's busyness! When a flock of white pelicans stopped in for the day, I finally convinced myself to get the camera and go. Of course, by that time (it was evening) the pelicans had departed, but it was still a pleasure to sit up there on the hill by the lake and soak it all in. So peaceful!

Half way through our break at home, we flew to Pennsylvania to pick up a new truck. I don't have a picture of the truck because it's not ready yet. It's an older truck (I say new meaning new to us) and needs some tweaking and a paint job. I'll introduce you to her later. But I did take a picture of Colorado, from a different angle, a more interesting one that I haven't seen over and over again. I love quilts and that's exactly what the mid-west looks like from the sky!
We drove the truck home from Pennsylvania. Our time in this current truck is nearing it's end. We'll have been in it 3 years by August and we're already up to 451,000 miles. So we need to let it move on while we can still get something out of it. And the "new" truck is our first step in downgrading. We'll truck together in it for a while, till maybe the end of the year, and then (if I want to) I will start to stay home while Malcolm goes out for short stints between longer home times. Yes, that's right! I just might be on the verge of being a full time ranch woman! It's totally up to me if I quit or not, and right now I'm leaning towards "hell YES!" but we'll see when the time comes. I do have nostalgic moments when I wonder what on earth I'll do with all that time, and know that I'll miss being on the road in many ways. I think for the rest of my life I'll either be craving home or craving the road. Trucking has ruined me that way. 

We got back to work on Monday for a short 3-4 week stint. We go back home at the end of the month for branding and to pick up the "new" truck from the beauty shop. 

Monday morning we loaded corn in Bowman, ND, about an hour from home, and headed to Billings to a feedlot. Then took a load of sulphur to an Idaho fertilizer plant on an overnight trip. It is fertilizer season, and that's mostly what we've been hauling these last few days. We're dry as a bone at home with hardly any green yet (as seen in the above pictures), but other places have had rain and are green and starting to grow things.
And they need fertilizer to do it!

I like fertilizer season. We end up running a lot of short loads up in our part of the country. Two of the main fertilizer plants for our area are in southern Idaho, and so we've been bouncing around from here to there. We took the sulphur to the Twin Falls area on Tuesday morning...
...and then loaded fertilizer in Pocatello and went to northeastern Montana to a little town called Scobey. Then we reloaded a partial load of seed potatoes and brought that back down here to southeastern Idaho, where we're waiting our turn to unload. And after this, we're going 20 miles down the road to load fertilizer going to Red Lodge, MT which is southwest of Billings, and just shy of being in Yellowstone country. And after that it's another load of seed potatoes from near there that they need over in Grand Forks, ND. Fertilizer, potatoes, fertilizer, potatoes, fertilizer.....and all that is just fine with me! I like sticking close to home. Makes us more likely to end up with one of those chance weekends at home. And you all know, I never turn down one of those!

So that's the scoop, and I'll try to be more diligent in staying in touch. As to my book blog, I'm hopelessly behind. My intentions of blogging about every book I read in 2012....ha! I didn't keep a list and I can't remember what I've read in my absence! And just three days into this week I've finished three, a paper page book, a kindle book, and an audio, and blogging about them all feels like too much at this point. So I guess I'll start with the one I liked best, and maybe I can pick up the ones I missed as they come to mind.

17 comments:

Charade said...

Welcome back! Many of us go through those periods of blog neglect, and I don't see a downside to it. It doesn't affect world peace, it feels necessary at the time, and there's always a warm welcome upon returning.

What I missed most about your absence was the casual, friendly way you talk about your days. You have a storyteller's gift, and I'm glad you're not chucking it all. Again, welcome back.

rainydaze said...

Sarah, I don't blog, so I can't imagine the pressure one would feel to "produce" something for people to read. But I am a reader (and a lurker at that), and have been enjoying your blog for quite some time. I love learning about trucking, there are so many aspects of the industry I have learned about through your blog. That being said, I would have one bit of advice for you. I think you should write what YOU want to write about. YOU should be your own audience and the rest of us will come along with you. i want to thank you for taking me on your journeys so far and I'm looking forward to seeing where you take us next! Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Glad to have you 'back'!
I am totally behind too!

Shirley said...

Hey- it's your blog, and you can publish whatever you'd like on it. Life changes, and blogs do too. Don't feel that you have to keep your blog specific to trucking-
I for one enjoy your posts about the ranch, and especially like seeing your horse growing up. Any posts on your joyful little dogs too!

Hidden Haven Homestead said...

So good to see you back!!! We visit your blog because we consider you a friend. We enjoy reading what you have been up to, thinking, or reading. Doesn't matter if its in a truck, on a farm, or about a book. We just enjoy "chatting" with you by way of your blog. Hope you stick around. Now as for staying home.. I think you will soon love it. I missed being with hubby in the truck the first few months but then I got into the animals and homesteading projects and didn't want to leave. Now he is off the road and loving it more than he ever thought he would. Welcome back!!

Dreaming said...

And I thought it was me! I thought I hadn't seen your posts because I have been busy! Although I've been putting posts up, I haven't been as diligent about reading my favorites and responding to them. So, anyway, welcome back! It's nice to hear from you. I do want to say that I don't get tired of your travel posts.... although I guess it may be tedious for you to write them. Your life fascinates me. I would love to hear about how you get your loads, how you get scheduled, what your truck is like, how the new truck is different from the previous one....etc!
Anyway, I'm glad you are back in blogger land!

KarenTX said...

Nice to "see" you! I've enjoyed your "tales from the road", love seeing the girls and reading about your ranch and horses. I've really enjoyed seeing photos of parts of our great country that I might never get to personally.

Michaele said...

Oh Sarah you must know that it is YOU we love to hear from not where or why or how or how many times. You write very well and that is what makes your blog so interesting. I am so happy for the changes coming your way. Happy because you now have a choice.

ACountryCowgirl said...

I am sure it is hard to find time for you sometimes and I know what you mean about not wanting to write about the same ole things. But I love whenever you do post:) So I will just watch for updates. Yeah for the ranch wife:) You will love being home with your horses more and such:) Sounds like life is going to have some changes and excitement coming. Praying all goes well with new truck and life:)

Oak Creek Ranch said...

I follow your blog because I like the way you write about your life. Blogging, and writing in general, is best when you write about what you are passionate about. So, do that. We won't drop you. Write about the transition to home, about the struggles of that decision - I think that would be very interesting.

small farm girl said...

I'm so glad to hear from you!!!! I, for one, hope you DO start writing about the ranch! I love your writing style and I have felt like we all are friends on here. It doesn't matter if you're behind a truck wheel or a tractor wheel. We just want to hear about You! Lol

MTWaggin said...

Love LOVE that last shot and just for the record we read your blog to learn about YOU not just to hear about being on the road. Please continue to keep us up to date - even on your home stops. It is your life we enjoy sharing --- ALL OF IT! :) Hugs....

john said...

thx for coming back love the pics of your travels and hearing about the farm

also the trucking aspet, whats the new truck?

you have a wide audience, some of which will never get closer than the your pictures

thanks again

dc/va

Meagan said...

Hey sis! So glad you are back to blogging. We all have dry spells, but look at all the comments!!! I have blog-comment envy! lol. :-) LOVE YOU!

Jake said...

Heck just write about about what ever you feel like. It's YOUR BLOG. :)

thecrazysheeplady said...

I'm going to be selfish and say you HAVE to keep blogging...because you are one of my favorites. Great stories, great photos and I love to "follow" you around the country. :-D

The Village Queen said...

Im glad your back too. The trucking life is interesting, but equaly so is the horses and all the other critters. For one stuck in a big city any country life is wonderful to see. And you do write very well, even if its only occationally I hope you keep on telling your story. Hows the little dog? All healed?