Figured I should write and at least mention yesterday's adventure.

We were heading north on I-55 through Illinois when the winds really started picking up and the sky got very dark. The winds got so bad that we pulled off at exist 145 around Mclean to wait it out and consider our options. Turns out that was a good idea. Next thing we know, the winds were so bad that they were rocking the big trucks in the parking lot. The rain cut loose and was like a hurricane almost. So we decided to play it safe and go into the truck stop where we parked. We had only been in there a few minutes when the manager came rushing through, and she and the employees started herding people into the basement. A tornado had touched the ground in the area.

So, to make a long story short, we spent about an hour in the basement of Dixie Truck Stop, waiting out a tornado with a couple dozen other travellers. And when it was over, we headed on up here to Michigan.

We'll be picking up a load in the morning which deliver on the 24th in Asuza, Californi. We both wonder how many miles U.S. Xpress will screw us out of on this one (they got us for 100 on the last trip, from Fort Worth, Texas to Spring Lake, Michigan). Seems like with all the technology available, a company could do better than a 60-100 miles disparity between the routed and actual miles on each and every trip. Of course, by fucking us out of 800-1000 miles a month, USX saves around $200-300 dollars a month. The injustice there is that we still drive those 800-1000 miles. We just don't get paid for them (because we get paid according to how far the computer says it is, not by how far it actually is). So they're taking money out of our pocket. And that comes out to about $2,500 a year or more.

Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. Oh, well. Enough on that rant.

In other news, Mama told me today that Cilney is dead. She got run over by a car. Mara was very upset, naturally. After all, Cilney and Ciddey are essentially her cats. I was never able to make a connection with them, because they never seemed to trust me much (we suspect they were abused by a man). Mara watched Cilney give birth to the kittens, and was always close to her. She took it particularly hard.

Anyway, I wanted to mention Cilney.

Also, Ted Ford (an old regular at the cafe and a member of Mama's former church, Second Baptist) and his wife, Linda, decided to give Mama a fish pond for her birthday. Mama is tickled to death. And I don't think I can express how personally grateful I am. Mama has seen a lot of hard times, and a lot of times where old friends and relatives turned their backs on her. It's good to know that there is someone out there who holds her in the same esteem that I do.

Maybe this fish pond can be the centerpiece of a revived garden out there in the backyard. Mara and I plan to fix a lot of what is wrong around that house this summer. This will make a good starting point.

I'm also grateful to Mara for understanding how badly I need to do this for Mama.