In The Rocking Chair

I used to get on the forum nearly everyday. I've been away for nearly two years. I hung it up. Retired now. I was on the job a little over a dozen years. I started a little later in life then some. I quit the forum when I quit the job because it hurt, and I didn't feel that i belong here anymore. But Ive missed it. I still miss the job sometimes. The first eight or so years were the best time of my life. The last few were not so good. In fact rather miserable. But it was still the better part of my life.
I've decided to come back to the forum, hear stories and tell some of my own. And to say Hi to everyone and wish you all the best.

 

The Rocking Chair and retirement is better than I expected. I worked a little longer than I should have because I was scared of being inactive. I have a nice little apartment, small but it's just me, no immediate family. And a part time job two days a week. I live and work at the Veterans affairs grounds and work at the laundry plant. Easy work, perfect for a senior citizen. I have a one hour group counseling session on Wednesday mornings which is a requirement for the job program. Then the rest of the day is mine. Four full days off each weekend. I relax, watch movies and video, play and listen to music (I'm a singer) read, write, play chess with some of the other guys, take little day trips, all the things that Old Farts do. As I said, I've missed the banter here on the forum and have come back.

 

Chinatown, and Full Metal Jacket, you're a couple of people I always enjoyed hearing from and reading your posts.Glad you're still around!

 

What dogged me most was I no longer made the long trips I loved. The first eight years, I went coast to coast all the time. I covered all 48 states and went to every major city. I know I cracked nearly a million miles. Most of that time I worked for a small outfit who grabbed all kinds of long runs for us. The last few years was with big companies that had me locked in the 11 western. I rarely got out of five of them. Most runs were no more then four or five hundred miles. I learned that long runs were strictly for teams. The last company was a joke. Most shippers took hours to load and off load. Which meant sitting and waiting all day. I don't miss that.

 

My health was definitely being damaged. My weight was bad. I didn't bloat up like many drivers. I went down 20 lbs below my normal weight. I couldn't sleep mor then six hours every night. My digestive system was in a havoc. Constant constipation alternated with diarrhea. Not something that I wanted to continue to live with, because I probably wouldn't have lived much longer.

 

I still get calls and messages from recruiters. I even got one from one I left long ago. I tell them Thanks, but I'm retired now.