I would never have imagined twenty years ago, when we opened this tank wash in the sleepy lttle river town of Catlettsburg, Ky, that it would turn into an multi-cultural international experience.

I have met so many truck drivers from so many different countries that it is becoming hard to remember them all.

There have been drivers thru here that were born in Belgium, Holland, Hungary, France, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, India, Pakistan, Mexico, and more that I've probably already forgotten. I personally know more French Canadians than anyone else in the United States. Some become good friends, some I see once or twice, then never again.

The newest addition to this long list is Peng Gao.

Last Friday was his second trip down here from Montreal. He speaks very little English, but he seems to feel right at home here. He also speaks very quickly and very quietly. I am constantly telling him to speak up and slow down, Peng!

When he came back from delivering his load and I was filling out the tank wash paperwork, I asked him if he was born in Canada. I thought he answered Thailand, so I said "Thailand? Cool, I spent a year in Thailand when I was 22!" He said, "NO NO,  THINA, THINA!!!!

So I guess he has sort of a speech impediment too.Hmmmmm

So then he asks me "when you in Thailand, you soldier?" I told him I was in the Air Force and he said "World War Two?"

When I stopped laughing I shouted at him "No No, Peng! Vietnam Damnit, Vietnam!!" He put he head back and actually cackled!! The little bastard has a sense of humor!

I picked up my camera and asked him to stand by his truck so I could get a picture and he balked a little, asking "why, why, why you want", so I raised my voice a bit and told him "stand by your truck, Peng! I have to take your picture!"

He walks over and strikes this pose for me and I take a couple of pics, and he's still asking me why I want his picture?

I point this one out to him and tell him I'm going to post it on the internet and link it to Interpol. That way if your dispatcher doesn't pay us for the work we did for you by the time you get back to the border, I have your name, truck number, and picture and I'll have the border guards arrest you and impound your truck.

He jerks back from the desk and starts this "WHAT,WHAT, WHAT?" til I crack up and tell him I'm just joking! Or at least try to make him understand that I was just kidding!

He's a little excitable sometimes too!

He's also very, very polite. To the point of being annoying. He asks permission for everything.

And, I mean everything. Preceeded by a long drawn out "Hey, Buuuuuuuuuuuud."

Hey, Buuuuuuuuuud, can I get some water?

Hey, Buuuuuuuuuuuud, can I use your bathroom?

Hey, Buuuuuuuuuuuud, I ready to go?

Every time!

And me, shouting back at him, "Hell yeah, just help yourself, Peng damnit!!! Just help yourself!"

I'm looking forward to his next trip down.

Never a dull moment!

Does anyone know what kind of spider this is? They are tiny creatures. I've never seen one with an abdomen bigger than a BB.

They will take on anything that the web will hold for a few minutes! Bees, wasps, hornets, doesn't seem to matter to them, and they usually win!

I even saw two of them tag team a large red wasp one day. When they finally subdued it, the larger one ran the smaller one off!

-Taken from an inch away in macro mode-

(click for larger pic)

We have two 12' wide by 15' high bay doors in the front of the building with 28 panes of glass in each one. There's a web in almost every corner of every pane.

I could pretty much spend the whole day watching these guys!

Next time they tackle a large wasper, I'll try to get a picture and update this post!

We weren't real busy today, so at lunch time I drove on down to Ashland to Long John Silver's for something different.

Been wanting to try the new Baja fish tacos anyway.

And, they are not bad. Just a piece of LJ's fried fish on an unbrowned flour tortilla, lettuce, and some spicy Baja sauce.

And, for only 99 cents, I guess you can't expect too much.

(oops- I need to clean up my truck)

I think I would like averagebetty's a lot more.

At least, there's BEER in the batter!

I can't believe my good fortune. I have three full days off in a row (first time in two years), and my favorite holiday of the year coming up tomorrow!

With any luck, most of my day will be spent right here!

There will be some of these.

This, of course.

And lots of these.

And these!

And, at the end of it all, many of these over the old river!

Hope all of you have a great day tomorrow.

I'm sure I will!!!!

If you were around in 1919, and came upon this poster.........

I mean, seriously now, would you have quit drinking?

What in the world could they have been thinking?

I know, if I had came across it back then, I would have stepped

into the nearest pub for a couple of insurance shots.

 And a pint or two!

Seedsower has asked me about this biscuit recipe probably only about 50 times now.

So here ya are, Beth! The only way you can mess this one up is to over knead the dough.

Or burn 'em!

Biscuits

Ingredients:

Two cups of flour

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of sugar (can add more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 stick of butter, (8 tablespoons) or 1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco

3/4 cup of buttermilk, cream or half-and-half

(buttermilk is preferred, but if you don't have any, add one teaspoon lemon juice to 3/4 cup whole milk and let set a few minutes) 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Cut the stick of butter into pieces, and work into the flour mixture with your hands

or a pastry blender until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.

Add the liquid, mixing until a bit loose and sticky.

Pour dough out on a floured surface, and knead for a minute. Dough should be

 smooth and no longer wet. You can sprinkle more flour on the surface if you find

 it’s sticking.

Take dough into a ball.

Roll out dough until it’s 1/2 of an inch thick.

Using a round cutter (can use a glass or a cup if don’t have a biscuit cutter) cut out

 your biscuits from dough.

Place on a greased baking sheet close together (so they rise up not out), and bake

 for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Brush tops with melted butter,

if desired.

Makes 10-12 biscuits.

If more than 12 biscuits are desired, make two batches. Don't double the recipe.

Drench 'em with butter, slather on the strawberry jam, or drown 'em with gravy!

They are gooooood!

To one of the more interesting writers on Xanga, and an all around damn fine fellow, (altho he needs to work a little on that low self-esteem problem he seems to have going on, poor thing)! 

Happy Birthday, Bricker!!

I was gonna have my lead beer carrier run these over to you.

 But, poor thing that she is, she would fall in love with you, and then I would have to fetch my own.

So I changed my mind. Sorry, but it is after all, just a birthday.

After you and your family and friends have had your fill of fish, taters, hushpuppies, and greens, there's only one thing you really need. And I hope you saved room for it. If you didn't, force yourself!

Fresh blackberry cobbler and French vanilla ice cream!

It just doesn't get any better!

Or any easier to make. At least when you make it my way!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Rinse 2 1/2 to 3 cups of fresh blackberries, drain, and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of sugar and juice of 1/2 lemon

Let sit while you prepare the batter

Mix together

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

Pour into a 13 x 9 x 2 buttered casserole dish

Spread blackberries on top of batter

DO NOT STIR OR MIX

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or til top is browned

Top with French vanilla ice cream and serve it up warm from the oven

Heaven on earth!

Warning - Do not put whipped cream on this dish!

 Doing so will be just cause for revocation of all past, present, and future rights to Southern hospitality and/or maybe even citizenship!

Whipped cream is for sissies

And strawberry shortcake. Sometimes.

Maybe.

And pumpkin pie.

A friend asked about a hushpuppy recipe the other day, and being a southern boy that dearly loves the little morsels, I thought I'd put this one up for her.

We were on vacation at Wrightsville Beach the summer of 1975 and decided one day to drive up to Wilmington NC to see the USS North Carolina.

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( damn, that was 34 years ago!)

The local historical society had a small bookstore on the main deck, and Karen saw this little cookbook she just had to have.

It was $2.50 well spent.

The recipes were all contributed by local residents and written in true southern vernacular. They're not long on measurements or directions, but with a little common sense you can figure them out!

HUSH PUPPIES

Hound puppies howls in Georgia

Hound puppies howls at home

I 'spect dey cries in Paris

An' I her'd dey squeks in Rome

But de hunters an' de hounds

Dey don't make a sound

After you all passes

Dese here pones around

You chops a cup of onions

An' you chops 'em mighty fine

'Ca'se de hunters an' de hounds

Dey all is here to dine

 But make dis corn-cake batter

An' dey'll make dem plates to shine

A cup of flour, three cups of meal

All de eggs dat you can steal (2)

Four little spoons of baking powder

An' one o' common salt

A cup o' milk, you fries 'em then

An' no man cries a halt

This recipe makes a lot of hush puppies. For those not quite that hungry and/or poetically challenged, like me, I've halved the recipe and made it a little easier.

1/2 half a cup of onions (or 1/4 cup chopped green onions)**

1/2 cup of flour

1 1/2 cups meal

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

Drop 6 to 8 rounded teaspoonfuls into oil one at a time

Deep fry in hot oil (375 degrees) 3-4 minutes, turning once, til golden brown.

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Enjoy!

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*Google Image

**even if you don't like onions, they are not the same without them.

USE THE ONIONS!

I had never heard of a derecho storm. Have any of you ever seen, or heard of one?

So, this is what took the Cowboy's training camp down?

I was wondering why a 50 or 60 mph wind would bring it down, understandable after seeing this.

I don't think I ever do want to see one, up close and personal, at least!