Thursday a.m.

Good morning! How are you on this Thursday? I'm up and ready to get going and have been for quite a while. I didn't sleep well last night for some reason, but, hey, it happens from time to time. Makes me appreciate the good nights a little more.

Yesterday I drove part of the 3rd grade to the Children's Museum in Indy. Like I mentioned yesterday, I was able to settle in quickly and get quite a bit accomplished, positioning me well to finish the week strongly.

On the way home, my sister, an aide for one of the teachers on the trip, was telling the teachers how I got started driving buses. Well, this triggered a trip down memory lane. I'll give you a quick report of what I found on my trip.

Back when I was around 19, maybe 20, I think, I had a friend named Eric. Somehow Eric, slightly older than me, had talked his way into a job of delivering Carpenter school buses to Texas. Mitchell used to be known for its bus plant. Sadly those days are gone and new generations are coming along that no nothing of this history.

Anyway, long story shortened, Eric got me a job driving new buses to Texas during one of my summers home from college. It was the best job ever! My first trip was a convoy of 14 buses all going to Lubbock, TX, driving straight through. What adventure for a young man! Eric and I, naturally teamed up, and had a great time. Once we delivered the buses, we would fly home, all expense paid. It was good money!

On that first trip, we were delivering buses to Lubbock for forced integration via busing kids around. Of course it was not popular with the locals. In fact we didn't realize how much so until the bus in front of me got a brick through its windshield as we drove through Lubbock. It could have killed the driver, but it went through the passenger side.

I don't know how many trips I made to TX, quite a few. I made at least one by myself, which I didn't enjoy. I did rig up an 8 track player with headphones, the big kind, to wear while driving. I also learned how to unhook the governors so we could go faster. The good old boys taught me that trick. I'm not especially proud of that, but it happened. There are lots of stories, but that's enough for today.

Today is going to be pretty busy. I have a few meetings throughout the day. In between those I hope to get my sermon finished, along with all the other things that it requires.

I hope your day goes well. Thanks for coming by.