Butch Comes Home!

I can hardly find words to describe how happy I was - knowing my husband was heading home!  The time he'd been gone felt like forever.

March 2, 2022 Butch drives down Elm!

We weren't sure until the last minute, whether he'd be routed home or dispatched for another run.  He had transported a trailer from Joplin to the Tractor Supply lot in Waverly, NE.  When something was mentioned about another dispatch, Butch said;  "Yes!  Home!"  

I told him to call when he was a few minutes out.  At 2:44 a.m. Thursday morning, I got the call!  He was at the intersection of I-29 & Hwy 34!  I grabbed my coat & sat out on the front porch to wait.  It was so quiet out, it wasn't long at all before I heard the rumble of a Big Deisel engine coming down Sharp.  It was quite a sight to see Big Red make the turn onto Elm.

Parking Big Red by the Cabin~

It's hard to appreciate the size of these 28 ft. semi tractors until you see them maneuvering in your driveway :-) Butch made it all look easy.  He looked tired as he got out & did his post-check.  Soon though, his arms were around me & I cried in relief.  It had been eight weeks & two days since he'd left for training the second of January.

He took a shower & we both slept the best we had in all that time.  We had our first latte's a little late on Thursday morning. :-)  It was to be a short stay, Butch wants to make the most of this mandatory year of driving so planned to be back on the board by Saturday.  

We unloaded all the things he'd taken to training with him, the same items he'd used for the month he was on the road with his Finisher.  Then, it was time to go shopping for the items he would need to outfit the rig for his solo driving.  I wiped down the inside of the truck, Butch had cleaned while he was on the road his first week too.  

"Big Red" is a handsome fellow~

Butch's Ford F-150 looked like a toy compared to Red!  A couple people stopped by to talk to Butch, knowing he'd been gone & now knowing why!  We did have our discussion about my riding along - guess who won?  It wasn't me!  :-)

Friday, we started loading up the new things we'd purchased & finding places to stow everything.  The little refrigerator with a small freezer went up in the bunk.  So did a three drawer portable dresser for clothes etc.  Butch had obtained a Passenger Pass for me to ride along & of course Nika too!

Refrigerator in the upper bunk~

TV & table area~

I packed my bags, baked cookies & made up some meals for us.  I sat in the passenger seat for the first time & admired the view from way up there!  

The "View"!

Butch sat in the driver's seat & instructed me on the safety rules he wanted me to follow.  There were only a couple, but I was glad he made clear what I should & should not do!

Big Red enjoys Home Time ~

We were still rushing around when Butch got a dispatch to leave 1 a.m. on Monday morning & return to the Tractor Supply loading facility in Waverly.  We went to bed early Sunday night - I didn't sleep a wink.  Butch woke me at midnight & of course it was snowing!