Thanksgiving Day in Canada

Happy Thanksgiving in Canada!! We crossed the border into Canada this morning, I had to be sent to the warehouse for inspection. Hubby was cleared with no inspection necessary. So off the road a bit to the warehouse and they had a look in the trailer and then we were down the road. The girls passed inspection with no problems, I was a tad bit worried, but had their health papers if needed.
Well, it's Columbus Day back home, but here in Canada it's Thanksgiving. So we had a turkey dinner in Celebration of their Holiday. It's a nice truck stop here in Salisbury, New Brunswick, Canada. And they have Free Wi-Fi internet, Bless them for that. We had turned our Blackberry phones off before entering so we wouldn't get caught with roaming charges while here, and I thought no internet until tomorrow.
The drive here was spectacular to say the least!! The trees are beautiful and only got prettier as we drove farther north. I haven't seen a moose yet, although there have been several signs telling me to watch for them. Maybe on the way home. And if I don't see one then, well when we come back next week maybe then. Yes, I said come back next week. And if you read the previous post you will remember I said we were going to be off for appointments. When the boss calls and says can you.....well we decided to rearrange the appointments and make the trip back again, to the same place even. So, Pammy it will be the last week of the month now.
So, we'll run home empty, hook another loaded trailer and head back here to the Northeastern part of the world. I was out with the girls last night and the sky was so clear and the stars so bright, it was very pretty. Today is sunny, crystal clear and breezy. Well, maybe a few clouds, lol.
Keep warm, cozy and crafting. Till next time, love your comments!!
Hugs, Bren

Relax & Refresh & Enjoy the Colors

Warm yourself with a cup of warm cider while curled up in your favorite chair under a warm quilt, and peek into my corner of blogland. Fall really has to be my favorite time of year, although I really like the Indian Summer part of it. And we haven't had that, yet. Cooler weather is around the corner all too soon. I'll enjoy the colors, smells and flavors of fall till their end. Now back to reality, lol........
A couple of days home before our trip to the Northeast has been very refreshing. It always does a body good to be "home". I have done the usual clean out the truck, laundry, give the girls a bath and a trim and home cooked meals. We had time to run a few errands, go to the chiropractor( a much needed visit there) and managed to relax. The truck is almost packed and ready to go again.
I'm crossing my fingers that the fall colors will still be beautiful. And I know the weather will be cooler. I've packed appropriate clothes. We'll be out through the week and return around the weekend. When we return we'll take a few days off, we have some appointments that week. And I'm hoping to get in some craft time. I have worked on a couple of things while I've been here this weekend, nothing finished, just in the beginning stages. I have plenty to work on when I get the time, lol.
Halloween is fast approaching. My favorite time of the year. I'll be gathering my wardrobe for the following week, lol. And I thought is was time to dress my blog for the holidays, and what could be more fitting for me than the witches legs and boots! My BIL would say a "perfect" fit, lol.
I've been catching up on your blogs, loving all I see and read. And I'll have more time next week. Thanks for visiting my little blog, and leave a comment if you like. I love all your comments.
I'm sure this next week will be a busy one, so I'll see you when I have a minute to spare. Hope I can get some interesting pics of our trip to share. Check back to see.
Until then..........Hugs, Bren

Family, Friends and Favorite Places

Here we are about to start a new week and last week still hasn't caught up with me, lol.
If you're following with me, we were headed for New York last week. It was a pretty drive despite the rain and drizzle, the colors are just starting and are they ever pretty. WOW is all I can say. We made it to new York and did finally reach our destination, although we did encounter a low underpass and the local Police, lol. We were able to get under the underpass even though it was posted 12 foot 7 inches ( we are 13 foot 6 inches) kinda scary for a minute there. And the local Police showed up asking if we needed help, we figure someone in the residential area called and told them we were wandering around, lol. We unloaded and waited for a load.
Hubby has a Foster brother that we knew lived in New York State, and to make along story short we were just a few miles from them. So we took a few hours to visit and they showed us around. It was good to see them. Always good to see family.
We loaded Friday Morning for Upper Minnesota, way up north. Again a rainy, drizzly drive, but still pretty. We stopped in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday and I had enough time to unhook from the trailer and make a visit to one of my very favorite Quilt shops in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, JJ Stitches & Co. I have not been there for quite a while, so it was good to get the time to visit. The owner, Julie is the sweetest person, I just love her. You may have seen some of her Antique Reproduction quilts in McCalls Quilting or American Patchwork and Quilting. And she tells me she is working on another for spring, I can't wait!! I made my purchases, some wool and a doll pattern. Can't wait for the time to work on them!!!
We continued on northward and tonight are in Superior, Wi. We will head over to Minnesota in the morning and unload. Then I'll head just west of Minneapolis and hubby will go just south of Minneapolis for reloads and meet back up to head back to Iowa. We'll have a day at home to do laundry and give the girls a bath and a trim. Then it's off to Canada!
The weather is getting cooler, I'll grab some warmer clothes while I'm home. Think I'm going to need them. Hope you are all well. I'm still trying to keep up with you all even though I don't get much time to post. Keep warm, keep crafting and be happy and healthy.
I love your comments when you leave them! Until next time.......................
Hugs, Bren

Looking Forward

The summer has flown by, it's been busy for us. And it continues to be busy. We've had a few days home here and there, but they were few and far between. Such is the life of our jobs.
This week we'll be off for the Northern part of Illinois and then to New York State. And following that we'll be headed for Canada, New Brunswick. I'm actually looking forward to that, I've not been to the state of Maine, so I will be able to cross that off my bucket list. And I'm hoping that maybe the trees will be changing. What a beautiful part of the country to get to travel through at this time of year. Several of us will be traveling that direction, hope we get to travel in groups, it makes the drive seem shorter and the sights more fun to see. Another group of our drivers will be heading to Vancouver, not sure we'll be going there. The lights headed in that direction are for the Olympics. How neat, huh!
This morning was spent taking the girls to the Vet to make sure we had all our shots and necessary paperwork for entering and exiting Canada with no problems. And of course we both have our passports in order, so we can pass through with no problems as well, lol. Something to look forward to.
I've not had time for much of anything except driving lately. But, winter is coming and I will be laid off and will have time for those things then. Atleast that's what I keep telling myself. Will need to do some fall cleaning then as well.
I do read your blogs, sorry I haven't had time to leave you a note, but I try to keep up. I will be able to keep up with my own blog this winter, lol.
Hope you are all well and creative. Don't forget to leave me a note if you so choose, I love hearing from you!!
Hugs, Bren

Life In the Fast Lane, Literally!

Wow, all I can say is it's been busy this last month! My time at home has been very limited, only home about 24 hours in the last month. I don't like being this busy. I like a little more time at home than that. But such is the schedule, so I have to deal with it . Although I have to say sometimes I don't deal with it very well.
I have not crafted much at all and am having withdrawls, lol. The only thing I have worked on is my needle punch and haven't progressed much.
My computer has not been turned on for weeks at a time! That's not like me, but by the end of my day I'm bushed, and then up and at it again the next day.
In the last month we have been to Phoenix back to back, then Virginia, Indiana, Arkansas and now we are heading out for the Denver area. We have been lucky and run together except for this last trip back from Arkansas, hubby had a reload to Minnesota and I had to go to Chicago. Not one of my favorite places either. We've made a brief stop here at home, do a little laundry, ran a few errands and will leave out a little later today.
The weather here is so much like Fall, the leaves are even falling from some of the trees!! Not ready for this! We didn't have a summer, it was cool and rainy. And now signs of cooler weather are fast approaching! I think I'm sunshine deprived, lol.
I'm so far behind on your blogs I'll take forever to catch up, but I'll try to do better this week and catch up on your worlds.
Hope each and everyone of you are Happy, Healthy and crafting. Enjoy your day whatever you do.
Hugs, Bren

Time Marches On

Here we are again, and again time has gotten away from me. I guess I have been busy. Let me share what has been happening since my last post and you decide for yourselves.
Ok, we had a little time off to refresh before heading out with the next load. And as always time is always to short, I never get all the things done I want to do. That can be frustrating to say the least.
We headed to the terminal on Tuesday morning, we had loads going to Phoenix, Az. Our loads should have been ready by about noon......but we didn't get them until late afternoon. So we had some miles to go, sort of play catch up. While we were waiting on the loads, I made a stop at my favorite quilt shop for some needle punch supplies. I was hoping she had gotten in the six strand punch needles, thinking I would have some time to try it out, nope they hadn't come in yet. Well, she's so sweet she let me take hers with me, and then I didn't get to try it out as I forgot to take an extra hoop, arrgghhh! So, will plan better this time.
We picked up the loads early evening and headed out, getting a couple of hundred miles behind us. A rest area was our stop for the night, but it's a nice big one in Missouri. Newly redone, large lot, nice grass for the girls and clean restrooms.
Up early Wednesday morning and back on the road, thru Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and in to New Mexico. We stopped for the night at Tucumcari, got a bite to eat and called it a night. We haven't been southwest for a while so the ride was interesting just looking for changes since the last time we were through the area. the girls aren't big on the southwest......not much for grass. And sand burrs, we deal with them everytime we go southwest, Miss Maile the Diva Dog thinks she has to have grass and Sofie doesn't really care either way, lol. So off to bed for the night. Morning comes too early.
Thursday Morning up and at it early again. Across new Mexico and into Arizona. We make our way to Flagstaff and then start south towards Phoenix. We head into town to Danny's Big Rig Resort, a nice place to stay for big rigs. A truck wash was in order, they had wash and dry them there, then we had the tanks and wheels polished. Looking pretty good now. We had a bite for supper and relaxed while all this was being done. Took the dogs out, it was dark by now, and Sofie got bit by a FIRE ANT, this was not fun. To make a long story short, I put toothpaste on it on the advice of someone who lives around there. It worked, but it was traumatic for both dog and me, and must have been very painful for her. Finally getting her settled down for the night we got some rest. Off the next morning early before traffic to our destination in town to unload. We unloaded and headed out of town for our reload.
We went north and west a ways for our reload to a small place called Bagdad, Az. A copper mine, out through the desert over the hills and winding around it was like a roller coaster ride getting there those last few miles. We loaded for home and were off.
Back across the same states we went down making a few stops along the way. We saw our Indian friends in Laguna, new Mexico , our friends in Oklahoma and finally back in the home area to unload and then a stop at home. A brief stop, laundry, a quick meal at home, sleep and off again this morning.
And what does this week hold in store...............the same thing we did last week. Going back to Phoenix. The same route, and close to where we were last week. Hubby has a friend in the Phoenix area, a friend he met at a Nascar race a few years ago, hoping to maybe get to see him for a day before heading back. Will have to see what happens.
I haven't had time to do much of anything this past few weeks, I have read your blogs to try to keep up, but no time for posting notes to you. I try to keep up with Facebook, but haven't even had much time for that either. Just driving, most days headed this way are 800 mile days.
I hope you are all well, happily crafting. The weather has been so cool and wet this year, hasn't felt much like summer here, think fall is coming early, and not looking forward to the winter. But time marches on and the days slip by before we know it.
Hugs, Bren

Did I get lost???

I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since I posted! Well, it's been busy to say the least, not even sure I remember everything I've done and everywhere I've been. So I'll just give you the highlights I remember.
Let's see, I did the moving thing a week and a half ago, well I did it again this last week. Yep, you read that right, I moved back into my old truck. I like it better anyway. And that's a long story, so we'll just leave it at that. Niece # 2, who is 10 was going with me this week and all started out well, she spent the night with us last Sunday, we were up early to leave on Monday on our way to Minnesota. Had a good day, got unloaded, back to the little truck stop, had supper, watched DVD's and a good nights sleep. Tuesday morning off to reload and meet up with hubby, and then headed back to the terminal. That was also the day I moved back into my truck, she was a BIG help doing that. And she played with the girls out in the yard at the terminal, they loved that. We stayed at the little truck stop there in town, had a shower, and ordered pizza for our supper. We went to bed, all was well until about 11:45 p.m. when she said Aunt Brenda I can't breathe very well. Hmmmm, ok, have you had this before or is your nose just stuffy? Nope she thought she needed to go to the hospital, ok, don't panic I told myself. I called her Mom, we were only an hour from home, Mom says hmmmmm I really think she's ok. Ok, so she call Dad and says can you come get me, well at about 1:20 a.m. she says she feels better, Thank God and Dad gets there at about 2 a.m.. She just wanted to go home, maybe a little panic attack going on there, but when you're 10 if you want to go home, you want to go home.
So, Wednesday we hooked our loads and headed for Boulder, Co. We hadn't been west in awhile, so the change of scenery was welcomed. We unloaded Friday morning, hubby had a reload out of Nebraska and headed for there, I went back to the truck stop and then headed for Nebraska myself. We met up and headed for home. He delivered this morning, we dropped trailers and came home. Home again, home again, jiggety jog. The girls were as dirty as little pigs so they have already had their baths and laundry is going. We are home a couple of days and then will be heading for Phoenix, again a welcome change of scenery.
I went to my favorite quilting store and my friend Kathy showed me how to needle punch like a pro, so I have been working on that every chance I get. She made it look so easy, but it helped me out just having her show me.
How have you all been???? I have missed being able to get on here and post and read your blogs. So I have some catching up to do! Most of all I've missed your comments, so make sure to leave me a note. I'll get some pics of my projects and post while I'm home.
Hugs, Bren