The Big Move/Vacation

Well, where do I begin? For those that do not know, my girlfriend is a truck driver, and has been for our entire relationship. Meaning she has been home maybe 7 days a week every month. As many people could assume, yes it put quite the strain on our relationship in many ways. But we pushed through. When we got together I was working for a beer distributor and hated it. I later found a job at Lowe’s working the Admin Office, and I loved it, until I didn’t…lol After that a friend and old supervisor of mine assisted me in getting a job as General Manager at a local convenience/grocery store. Which was also going pretty good, until of course, until it wasn’t. That is one of the things that I’ve learned, that while working jobs for other people in jobs that don’t go anywhere, and you stop learning may start out all fine and dandy, eventually things will start to dwindle.

We had been talking about team driving for a while, and after things started going south at my last job, we set a date and decided to take an actual vacation, one in which neither of us had really had and then begin the journey together. I had put in my two week notice the week of July 4^th, and set my last day of work for the 20^th of July. It was easy to leave my job, but difficult to say goodbye to the people that I had spent time with grooming and teaching management to and just basic professionalism to. But it had to be done.

Upon quitting, we decided to pack up our two bedroom two bath apartment and stick everything in storage. I spoke with a recruiter, filled all the appropriate paperwork out and went for a physical and drug test. Once that was approved I scheduled the written portion of my CDL with the DMV in Texas City (my dad’s) so I had an official appointment thanks to COVID, everything is done by appointment now, and I wouldn’t have been able to get an appointment until September in Smith Co. We decided to have a little get together and invited a few close friends, yes we know we are in a panorama, but the house was Lysol’d down, restrooms were equipped with soap and hand sanitizer as well as masks on deck for those that wanted any. But needless to say it was a good night with good food, drinks and company. Since my house has been the “meeting place” for so long it really didn’t set in that I wasn’t going to be the host for my friends. For those of you that know me, my door is always open and there is usually a soda, cold beverage of the adult kind, and food in the fridge, pantry, or cooking that you are welcome to. But this is me just being me and making sure that everyone around me is taken care of. Realizing that made me tear up several times throughout the night but I didn’t let myself slip. lol The next day was for moving the final things and preparing for the first leg of our vacation. The first leg (week) of the vacation was spent in Las Vegas, at The Strat, at the end of the strip looking 360 all the way around Vegas. We had a blast. The first night once we landed and got checked in, we met up with my uncle who was on vacation with his daughter from California. We ate at the buffet at Circus Circus, and walked down to Bellagio to watch the water show (Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ was the song of choice for the show) We went sightseeing at The Grand Canyon West and the Hoover Dam, went to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, and had 2 hours of free drinks at Senior Frogs (was only supposed to be 1 hour but our bartender was pretty cool), chilled in the pool at the hotel and did lots and lots of eating and walking lol.

Once we got back to DFW we went to a friend’s house to crash and get ready for the next part of our vacation. We went to S4 in Dallas the next day because why not? YOU NEED TO GO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL QUEENS!!!! I got to meet up with some more of my friends and one that I have not seen since 2009 as a freshman in college and that was so refreshing to know that everyone is doing well for themselves. Drinks and a good time was had. The next morning we all got up and got ready for the 1^st inaugural BAEcation, which was created by me and another friend in order for all of us to stay in contact and have a good time once a year. This year we settled on floating the river in south Texas. 4 couples split an Airbnb, food and stuff and took off for a weekend get away. LOTS of food was made for all meals, but this is just how we do.

Upon the end of that weekend we continued on to Texas City to see my father and my grandmother, and to take my test. We went straight to the beach and to ride the ferry once we got in because that’s what you do when you go to the coast, and eat Bahama Bucks too. The written part of the Texas CDL exam to get your permit is tricky. There are 5 parts of the test (there are more but I only had to take 5). Texas Special Rules, General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Tanker, and Combinations. You have 3 tries to pass each exam. If you fail any part of the test, you have to come back the next day and attempt again, upon your 3^rd attempt if you fail, you have to start all the way over including paperwork, and payment. We aren’t gonna get into the logistics of things just know that ya boy messed up on the Texas Special Rules and Air Brakes both once lol. Pretty good to be self-taught in my book. One that stress was over we went up to Friendwood to meet a friend for lunch and catch up with her. It was fun as always.

After leaving Texas City, we were on our way back north to Tyler, to pick up Leo (the pup) and Jessica’s truck to get the stuff we put in storage for the truck and we kept on towards Kress (my Mom’s) along the way we stopped and had dinner with Jessica’s mom and relaxed for a bit. Then we kept trucking with her in the truck and me in the car. After about 10 hours we made it to the other side of Texas to visit my mom, brother and his kids, and to see his house he has rebuilt. After chilling there for a few days, I left my car at my mom’s and we made our way to Springfield, Missouri where I am now in the training portion of my employment.

I will say that this has probably been one of the biggest leaps that I have done personally. But what is life if we aren’t living it!? I hope you all enjoy this blog and my progress into making it into the truck with Jessica.

~Ron