A Little Catch Up

Unfortunately i have got a bit behind so im going to play catch up,so here goes sit down relax and please don't laugh.The week leading up to christmas started very badly, me being a total thick head Failed my air brake test (yes i am the one)i mis read a few questions and hey presto a big fat FAIL,so i went sheepishly back to work with those words ringing out from everyone i spoke to oh you'll have no trouble everyone passes.This gave me more time to work in the shop so i through my self into all the jobs changing tyres helping with servicing etc which helped get over the embarressment.I was asked to move a few tractors around then asked to pick some trailers up and back them into the shop etc which after a bit of practice got quite use to even though i was massively under steering then over steering these things don't half react different to a european truck,there was also the odd occasion where i thought i would have enough room to spin around in the yard then run out of space quickly making myself look like a right fool (i know thats not difficult).Christmas eve came it was mid morning and the owner of the company Jack came up to me and out of the blue said "i don't want you being on your own christmas day please spend it with my family" well i was over come with emotion and literally speechless, i just looked at him with slight wet eyes Thanks ever so much i would love that, it took about 30 seconds to relpy he must of though i was ignorant but i was so over whelmed by his generosity.

Christmas Day 2009.

I set my alarm for 6am so i could watch my family open there presents on skype it felt strange not being there, but a least i could watch.As arranged Jack came to pick me up just after 1pm then i was wined and dined by himself and his Family til evening when i was dropped of back to my motel.I want to say a massive thank you to Jack and his Family especially his wife (what a fabulous dinner)for inviting me they didn't have to i wouldn't of thought any less of them for not inviting me and i truly had a great day.

Boxing Day 2009.

I met another driver just before christmas, Ian, he invited me to his house for dinner boxing day, so i gladly accepted there was another driver there his name was Ian as well with his wife Kim ( i think, im so rude i hope thats her name)well Amanda Ian's cooked an amazing dinner then afterwards put on a fantastic buffet, i again can only thank these people for their brilliant hospitallity it certainly helped being here on my own.

Monday 28th

The sales, off i went into Charlottetown first thing to hopefully find some bargains,i found a satelite radio reduced in walmart to $65 so i bought it, happy as larry i trudged through the shops there i was in the Future shop the same radio i had just bought $49 how gutted was i, so in the heat of it i made a mad dash back to walmart to return the one i bought, the kind lady gave me my money back after my feeble excuse my wife had just bought me one, so i ran (yep ran) back to Future shop to get my bargain, i looked all over the place none left,until i spotted 1 right at the back, a quick sigh of relief i parted with 49 bucks.

Tuesday 30th

I Finally passed i my airbrake test at the 2nd attempt 92% this time so well pleased,off i went back to the shop like a cheshire cat im soooo glad thats over with i was really getting fed up of that book.

New Years eve

My first drive out,Blaine took me out to doing some collections,the trucks we have here are all Internationals,some are 9400i and some are the newer Prostars well i hooked up to tralier with one the Prostars and we were ready for the off.These trucks have cummins engines with an Eaton Fuller Crash box (1970's gearbox),Blaine droved first (off to Tim Hortons for a coffee) to show how its supposed to be done well that looks easy (i have used these gearbox before in an ERF about 20 years ago also used the twin splitter as well so i thought i would get the hang of ot quite quickly)Wrong wrong wrong i left the whole gearbox on the road from Cornwall to Charlottetown then what was left of it on the Bypass.What a stupid bloody thing this is, I was ok when i got it moving not sure what Blaine was calling me but it didn't sound good.

Sat 2nd Jan 2010

I was asked if i wanted to work for a couple of hours in the morning to load a trailer at one of the potato farms on the island, i accepted happily, i need more practice lots and lots of it, so Blaine picked me up just after 8 in a 9400i with a Cat engine in it with an automatic gearbox (yeah right) it still had that crash box in, but i found this easier to drive maybe because half the teeth were missing on the gears done by previous trainees.