| Here is a nicer picture of Michelle packing. Geoff, Michelle, Mike, and I were
on a pack job for two days the week starting on February 10, 2004. |
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| Here is a picture of Geoff marking a mirror pac (box for pictures or mirrors)
after he packed. Geoff came back on the 12th and loaded the shipment onto a
trailer that he will be driving to California on the 14th (Valentine's Day). |
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| On the 12th, I was out with Bob, first picking up a shipment for Singpore
and then delivering a shipment from Bosnia to this house in Happy Valley, OR. They had been
in Bosnia for five years. |
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| They had brought back some really gorgeous furniture. Here is
a table and chairs that they brought back. |
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| Friday was a short day with a delivery from storage of about 1800 pounds.
When we got back Marsh and Jack were cleaning the car trailers with a pressure system. Here
is a short video (about five seconds, 120K, 40 second download) of Jack cleaning his
trailer in preparation for sending pictures back to United to demonstrate that
the colors and logos were OK for a United trailer. |
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|
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| Alexi was very hesitant to have his picture taken, but after I asked him several
times he finally relented. I told him that my mom and other family liked to know
who I was working with. Anyway, he asked later what my mom thought of his picture.
I asked her next time I talked to her and she commented that it wasn't a very
good picture of him (background to bright). So here is a better picture of him.
Now, mom, what do you think of Alexi (he is Yuri's brother and also a Russian
immigrant). |
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| On March 29, 2004, we had an opportunity to get ready for summer when loading
the contents of this house into a truck which we then shuttled to the curtain
trailer and stored them in vaults. The house had five levels was built on a hill and it was
all down the hill from road. Boy were my legs sore.... |
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| Toward the end of April we had a three day move to pack and load the couple who
lived in this house up to Seattle. She had moved up to the Seattle a few
months ago for work. He had stayed behind while they sold the house. |
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| He was a really phenomenal chef who taught cooking to students
as his current job. He made us lunch the first day, gumbo with rabbit,
pheasant, and three kinds of sausage. The
second day he went overboard and made us breakfast (magnificent omelettes
with three kinds of sausage), lunch (chili with bison meat), and dinner. |
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| He was the ideal shipper. Very thoughtful, provided meals (and fine
ones at that), and gave a tip at the end. Most amazing. |
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| On May 3, 2004, I went to TestYou, a CDL driving school and rented one
of their trucks and a trainer for six hours as well as for the test which
started just outside their facility. |
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| The training was most useful and covered the items that were important
to the tester. Just before 2PM I started my test in this combination;
a short tractor with automatic transmission, which makes it easier,
and a short trailer which makes turns easier and backing up a bit more
difficult as you have to correct very quickly with a short trailer. |
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| I passed the test and headed off to the Washington DMV where I upgraded
my license to CDL class A. The next day I talked with Mike and got
a $1 an hour raise. That should pay for the cost of the training
and test in about ten weeks (as well as having the class A allowing
more options in the future). |
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