The Adventure Rages On

I bid farewell to my seat mate who had shared stories of his many overseas adventures and his job flying Black Hawk 'copters as well as the more refined topics of growing tomatoes in the NW and juicers...He sold me on the VITA MIX....(Manda we need to get one) (",). I left with warm fuzzies of connecting with a fellow military-"family member"  We both said "see you around..." (",)

After retrieving my 50 lb. bag with looks of disbelief and be-wonderment from the rail worker, I hit the curb outside and called the hotel for the shuttle...I noticed a few guys nearby wearing trucker grade hats and talking big about trucks. I kept to the shadows a distance away...not long later they started looking at me and realized I was the 5th GUY (",) We got to talking and they were actually pretty nice and friendly. Then they made reference to my huge Bag and laughed...later I found out they all leave after 3 1/2 days...
I have 5 weeks....laugh it up boys!

We waited long for our cab then drove a while to arrive...
FINALLY at the hotel...ready to start my maxin' n' relaxin' vacation, HA!

A room all to myself! yay! Relief! I unloaded my stuff, shoes off, then plopped down on the bed...

AACK! I saw a bug...or was I imagining it, paranoid of bed bugs....
I looked again
NOPE...
BLACK BUG JUMPING ON THE BED...
Killed it, then another!!! AACK!
Researched bed bugs on my iphone....hmmm bed bugs don't jump!

Maybe it was just a fluke
OOOWCH! right as I had thought that there was pain on my hand...looked down to find a black bug biting me...I KILLED IT!
stood up, there was another on the bed jumping!
I grabed my stuff rushed it into the hall... took evidence to the front desk and discretely, graciously informed...
OK, lets try again
A new room 2 floors away
I left my stuff by the door until it passed inspection...bed, sheets, mattress, chairs, bed again...
no signs of bugs
sat on bed and waited...looking watching....waiting.....
still no bugs...
I had successfully fleed the fleas (",) (ha! as I type this a flying bug is visiting me at the computer, funny...I guess we won't know if I survive my stay at the pest infesto motel till I check out)
Once my mind could relax and stop with the itching and paranoia I went to sleep @ 12:30 midnight.

ORIENTATION-DAY 1

4:30 am up (4 hrs. sleep)
Brown water...really bad brown water (I'm not exaggerating, for serious brown water is all I can call it!, not even dinner grade coffee....geesh!)
Dietary Roulette begins as I'm finding minimal options to eat vegan or even vegetarian or even any good omnivore food...luckily I'm a lifetime girl scout so I came prepared with emergency provisions...
Pee in a cup...so fun!
Lift 75 lbs.-It felt like PE class everyone watching each person, so weird...but I passed
CLASS: 18 MEN, 2 WOMEN (",)
Hazmat homework QUIZ, so lame! It was way too long and torture for an open book share answers quiz. Interesting that so few have hazmat, seems like there must be a reason for that....hmmm? note to self.
So exhausted from only 4 hrs. sleep after class, took a nap then more HW
The good news: my exhausted body = sore muscles =  get a special treat in the HOT TUB!!!!

ORIENTATION-DAY 2

Today I will pass on the brown water @ the hotel and wait to try coffee @ the company office and HOORAY it is much better...I guess sort of dinner grade..I'm glad it's not brown water, so thankful!
Full day of learning, 7am-5pm....10 hrs!
My brain hurts with all they've tried to cram in there!

The piles and piles of info I will be
learning over the next 6 months-wow!

Also, I got soy vanilla creamer (",) and ground coffee-I'M TAKING MATTERS INTO MY OWN HANDS!!! 




ORIENTATION-DAY 3

Oh yea taking matters into my own hands....yeah right!!! Ha....so I attempted to make my coffee this morning with some amazing smelling grounds....

While sitting on the pot....I heard spattering and crackling for a few minutes and finally was able to come out... coffee was everywhere, water filling the filter area....after I cleaned up I realized that this mini pot only takes little packet/pouches....WOW!

so I tried again with the hotel provided pouch...
now I'm drinking lightly flavored coffee water with vanilla soy creamer...

Someone somewhere is laughing at me as they watch me try to get a good cup of coffee....maybe God....or my dead grandma....seriously I can just see them watching me try to fight the good fight and come out victorious with one good cup of coffee in this trucker world....well laugh on you spectators.....this girl is not giving up!!!

I WILL BE VICTORIOUS!!!!

-Ariel