08/03 Update

Well,after sitting all day in Miami, we received a call at about 5:00 pm and had a load dispatched from Miami, Fl(British Airways) going to Orlando, Fl(British Airways). The load was to be ready at 7:00 pm and to deliver in Orlando at 8:00 am on Sunday morning. No problem, we hooked to an empty trailer and headed for the Miami airport. The pickup was literally only 3 miles away but I am always a little apprehensive about driving a semi truck and trailer into an airport facility, when we don't know where we are going and what to expect. Anyway, we got in okay, got loaded, no problem and off we go to Orlando. We headed north on I-95 and had planned on stopping in Vero beach for dinner. We got within about 60 miles of Vero Beach and received n "emergency" message from Dispatch. It seems that British Airways needed us to return to the loading dock so that they can add some more freight to the load. WHAT!!!!? Man, we were both hungry and were looking forward to getting out of the truck long enough for a meal, fixed by someone else. Oh well, we turned around, headed back to Miami, and Tina fixed dinner in the truck. We got back to Miami about 10:30 pm, they spent 15 minutes removing freight and making room for the new freight and off we went, back on our way to Orlando.

Since the Orlando delivery couldn't be made until "8:00", and we were very tired and only about 4 hours from delivery, we drove north about 1/2 way and found a rest area to park for a few hours for a nap. Got up about 4:00 am and went on to Orlando. Once again, a new delivery point, in an airport, always brings apprehension so we were cautiously optimistic, but forged on to make a timely delivery. No problem, we got to our delivery point at about 6:30, no-one around so another nap was in order. Got up at 8:00, still no-one around, checked dispatch orders, and it seems that after our initial contact from dispatch when we were told about an 8:00 delivery, our actual dispatch order indicated a 10:00 am delivery. Not real unusual for that to happen bet every time it does I just wonder why people can't be honest...ALL THE TIME. But I digress. Back to bed for a couple hours and I checked at 9:30 am and sure enough they were there. I checked in with receiving and backed into the dock where, 2.5 hours later, 12:00 we were unloaded.

we went back to our terminal, again about 4 miles away and dropped our empty trailer,met with a friend who drives for the same company and visited for a bit. While standing around talking, a fella in a parking lot sweeper drove up, got out of the unit he was driving and screamed, SAVE THE CONSTITUTION. We found out this this guy had been to every taxpayer revolt in a 50 mile circumference of Orlando that he could get to and another interesting fact. He had just, in December, filed bankruptcy on a business that employed 4 plus himself. He hadn't asked for a bailout, help, or any other relief from our government but decided to climb back out of the hole, while paying his debt, on his own. Hey Chrysler, GM, Citi Bank, AIG, B of A etc, etc, take a hint, learn a lesson here.

Anyway, after about 45 minutes in the blazing sun, we decided we had better call dispatch and find out if we would be getting a dispatch out of Orlando anytime soon. Not only would we not get one Sunday night but in the words of the dispatcher on duty, he hoped that we would be out of there by Wednesday morning when he comes back to work after having 2 days off. So, we, the friend and my wife and I headed for our house about 70 miles west and spent the day at the house. The friend left last night but we are still here, relaxing, waiting to here from dispatch.

I called them at about (;40 this morning and still not looking good, but would see what they could do. We'll see.

In God I Trust
Have a Great Day and a Better Tomorrow
ADW