Frustration!

That's my middle name. I am so depressed and feel like I have no purpose. I'm not working and that is a major part of why I'm the way I am. However, I would be working if the wheels of bureaucratic Bologna would spin around a complete circle, but alas, we're asking for the impossible.

I took the test to add my hazardous material endorsement onto my CDL driver's license. After many complications r/t being unable to pass the eye exam because of having a recent CK procedure, I finally was able to complete all that was being asked of me. Now I'm told it takes 2-3 months to get through the background check.

And then my husband, Harold, calls me and says, I can't believe no one has called you. They are DESPERATE for drivers here. Watkins brought down a straight truck just in case someone with a class B license comes in.

I said, Harold. Honey. As soon as I get my TX endorsement I'm going to go back and let all know that I now have it. However, I'm no good to anyone without the hazardous materials endorsement.

Of course, Harold's boss, Jack, is in such dire straight he'd have put me on. Boy would that have been easy, initially anyway. No interview. However, I don't believe it'd be such a good idea for me to work with my husband.

Meanwhile, ...

I interrupt this program to bring you ...

... Some important information. My husband, Harold, has entered the truck driving championship here in the state of Florida. We've been busy as beavers practicing every weekend for quite a while now. We just spent the last weekend in Jacksonville, FL practicing with all the guys that have entered the trucking rodeo from Conway Southern Express, the company my husband works for. Florida's state contest is June 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in Tampa. Here is a group picture of all the guys. They're from all over the state. Give them a hand as they've been working hard, and all on their own time.

This is a precision driving contest and points are gained with getting inches from your mark. Harold entered in the flatbed division. Being that he has logged 2 1/2 million miles in one it just made sense to do that. He is going to take a trophy in Tampa. I know he can. I know he will. I know he can. I know he will. I know ...
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Thank you Ann!

I know I took pictures of Billy and Jeanette together, but with my speed set so slow on my camera they were a blur. I bugged Ann and that is the reason why I've been absent. She was working a ton of 12 hour shifts in a row and couldn't get to me. I managed to get a hold of her last night and said, YOU'RE HOLDING UP MY BLOG!!! And her response was, I finally have a night off. I will do it now.

So here it is. Billy and Jeanette, our host family. Billy is sitting down and that's Jeanette standing next to Dave. Hmmm ... I believe you've met all now. I can get back to telling the story.

Except ...
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Dr. Rene Cruz is from the Orlando, Florida area. He is a quiet, soft spoken man. Initially, he did not want to go to Colombia, but then called Renea back saying he had changed his mind. And just because of the way God works, since then he has met a beautiful woman from COLOMBIA and they are now engaged to be married. Rene was a good man to work with.
PS. Ignore that clown on the left!
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Fabian and Jeanie

They're from the east coast of Florida. Neither has much of a medical/dental background, but both are fluent in Spanish. Jeanie worked with Denyse in the women's clinic. A great match as she could translate and assist Denyse. Fabian assisted with translation when the people first came in and he also was The Burro's assistant. They were also going to go to Honduras last summer and transferred to the Colombia trip when the hurricane canceled our flight out. And also, Fabian is from Colombia, although he's been in the states since he was a boy.
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Ann and Denyse

Ann and Denyse are the two gals I went to Colombia with. Ann, on the right, is the one who mentioned going on a missionary trip and that is what got the ball rolling. She's a nurse at a local hospital and has worked oncology for years. Denyse, is a Physician's Assistant and has worked in OB/GYN for many years and is now working with an oncological surgical physician's group.
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Do not, absolutely, DO NOT let this sweet expression fool you!

Meet Dave, the dentist I was assigned to assist for the week. What a piece of work!!! And of course, when I saw that I didn't have to be the shy, obedient, demur nurse, I joined right in with him. We had a blast. We both were acting like comedians. Too much.

Anyway, Dave is from Sarasota, FL also and he and Pat go to the same church. He is the one that told her about this trip.

Dave goes on many, many mission trips and has been to numerous countries. He doesn't even attempt to do the dental work we're accustomed to in the U.S. His goal is to get people out of pain with antibiotics and extractions.
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Meet Ms. Pat

The ironic thing about this lady is how she resembled a nurse that recently retired from the hospital I used to work at. And her name was Pat also. I said to Ann, doesn't she look like Pat? And Renea said, you mean that Pat looks like Pat? Ha ha ha ...

Pat is a recent widow from the Sarasota, Florida area. She heard about this mission trip and that was that. She had to come. She worked for many years in pediatrics as a nurse. Currently she works for the elections committees.
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Me

This is me during a quiet moment in our dentist's room. How I loved going on this trip and am hooked on Colombia. I want to go back!
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The burro and his wife

This is Rick and Marla from Kenosha, Wisconsin. A lovely couple. Marla is a nurse and her husband, Rick is in computers, but for our trip he came as the 'burro' and did all the heavy work. I know he was glad as the week wore on and our load got lighter and lighter as we used our supplies up. We sure had a lot.
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