A Strong Back: The Adventures of Tom Mc Sherry

[Skim]

Hi Tom holding thumbs for your test next week!

[Tom van Brits]

Hi Tom holding thumbs for your test next week!

Appreciate 

Here is currently no shortage of feed for cattle in Kansas.
In fact, they said over the radio it is a very good year for the farmers.

[Tom van Brits]

I love this sign when you enter Dodge City from Cimarron

[Tom van Brits]

Sneak into the barn and got the owl

[Tom van Brits]

I love the old barn, such a shame it's now left to rot away since this was excellent craftmanship.

[Blou Zebu]

TOm show these owl and barn pics to your boss. Who knows where it might lead!
Jy het n oog vir n goeie foto!

[Tom van Brits]

 

Zandre jump out of his truck and shout "whatchout the snake uncle Tom!'
I missed it one step away....pok

[Oubones]

Lucky for the warning, so the only nasty was the jock and not the hospital! 
Your photo"s are really good!
You capture more than just an image!

[Tom van Brits]

Lucky for the warning, so the only nasty was the jock and not the hospital! 
Your photo"s are really good!
You capture more than just an image!

Thanks Oubones 

[TrailBlazer]

What snake us that Tom?... apart from the scary type 

[Tom van Brits]

After a Wallmart visit 
So much cheaper to buy bulk!
I still haven't received my bank card.
Could not open an account without social security and now it's open but card should be here next week.
Yesterdays groceries worked out 115usd and my daughter let me know the SA bank sms said exactly R1800.
Well, the first month expense all in all worked out 600usd and that included a Samsung J7 cellphone since my SA J4 would not work here.
Straight talk cost me 55usd a month for unlimited data, phone within America and sms. I have already recharged for next month.
So I think one can make it all in for around 400 to 450 usd a month.

I am going for Cdl on Tuesday morning and must say I am not comfortable. I did get very limited time (2 hour total) to practice parallel parking with the semi and reverse lane change.
I could not yet manage to do a 90 degree dock.....miss it completely.
The truck must work and I get very limited time. Tomorrow sialage 40miles away at a town called Fowlers and we will probably work till 9 pm and only be back and finished at 11pm. Then 7H30 Tuesday I need to be in Dodge city for the final cdl test and all these guys had to go twice and even 3 times. I can only go once since you need 90 days left in visa and I only already miss that by 2 days but they may be lenient....just maybe. That if I do pass. It is what it is, my time in the states may come to a quick end now if the boss decides that he has no further use for me if I don't make it and like said chances is not good. I have never driven semi trucks, only code 11 EC1 auto in Fire brigade and Samil 100 in Army and Samil 20.
The gears is mastered now, I almost float the gears up and down flawless.

There is no shortage of cdl drivers here now, we just got another guy from another contract and Donald made his last week.

Let's see how my life pans out, whatever I will adapt and move on.

[Tom van Brits]

What snake us that Tom?... apart from the scary type 

They say it is a bull snake 

  scary type sure thing!

[FanieKrismis]

pok = fok?

[big oil]

Sneak into the barn and got the owl

You’re here a few weeks and get an owl shot, a creature I’ve not ever seen in the wild in my lifetime!!

I love this sign when you enter Dodge City from Cimarron

Very nice.

I love the old barn, such a shame it's now left to rot away since this was excellent craftmanship.

It is sad, and they’re everywhere.  Parents that are long gone, willed the property to too many kids without naming an executor and none of them can get along long enough to make a decision on what to do with the assets, so they sit and decay.  I saw this often working land deals, sometimes a deal cannot be reached where all would benefit because one sibling wants to be stubborn or holds a grudge with a sibling, or bogged down in probate court.

Zandre jump out of his truck and shout "whatchout the snake uncle Tom!'
I missed it one step away....pok

If I’d been there and witnessed a serpent that size within 20 feet of me, you’d have witnessed a large man with temporary  cat-like speed and reflexes!  Although snakes are beautiful creatures, I’m not one of the careless individuals who blast every snake with a shotgun, I’m terrified of snakes unfortunately.  I need to face my fear and handle one........ in a few decades!

[big oil]

I failed to write previously, you’ve likely come to expect this comment, your photos are fabulous.

Keep em coming as I have not spent much time in Kansas

[Tom van Brits]

@ Big Oil I am also very uncomfortable with snakes. I got bitten once before by a poisonous snake (I stepped on it) but it was a dry bite. So needless to say I am shit scared and sometimes even skrik for a piece of garden hose that lies in a odd position.

Regardless they are beuriful animals and I like them as long as there is no interaction 

This one was to close to comfort but somehow I remained calm and even took a pic with the cellphone. Maybe just because I am at a low but that's life, we all face challenges.

The other day we chopped a raccoon and that was sad but they love the corn fields and I saw many of them running for shelter.  I also see many skunks and many toads living in the wet water trails of the pivots in the corn fields. Many haks and so on. If only I had a long lens here but then again I work and long hours and do not often get time off.

I did get to run a few kilometers this morning, and what really impress me and make me to respect American people even more is that they give way (like a generous huge safe space) for a road runner and that is each and every one and 3/4 of them waved at me.

This Country is like any other not perfect but it is dam close to that! What I don't understand about the American culture is that a guy will greet you back and say something like "What's upp' or 'How you doing" but continue walking and don't even here your reply like....I want to stop and say: I am doing fine sir and you? But nope... Many don't greet but that doesn't mean they are grumpy, like the guy in the sialage compact tractor. I wave and he just look and move on. Later we get stuck in the mud and I got task to ask for help. I stopped him and asked; sir we are stuck in the mud, can you kindly pull the truck out? "Yes no problem I'll be there now now'.
So we got a plan and I had to drive an old John Deere and hold and punch the truck upright with a bale while he pulled it out....poken  cool man!!

I really like America so far, there is a lot to like but I am not wrt myself in a good spot. I am keeping up but there is quite a lot of pressure and some of our own South Africans makes it a bit hard  with gossip (running to the boss with everything they see or think...) and a bit of a pissing contest. That typical South African thing where they don't see the sun shining on another man's face and if they can make you look kak it seems rewarding  so yes not all moonlight and Rose's but like I said; I can move on and adapt if it does not work out for me. Now I know first hand what a little part of the States is like. 

[Oubones]

Tom, hang in there.
Jealousy makes you nasty and accept the guys nonsense as that!
You are a good hardworking and considerate man so just keep on being yourself and you will win them all as friends in the end.

[DUSTRIDERS]

 with gossip (running to the boss with everything they see or think...) and a bit of a pissing contest.

Ai tog n klomp gatkruipers!! Plaas dat hulle hul werk doen en minder ander manne dop hou.
Sterkte Tom, en geniet dit. Ek is net bietjie bekommerd oor daai drawwery van jou, spaar jou kragte vir die werk!!?

[Ri]

I guess everyone wants to return to work there again, and they think the way to do it is to "gatkruip" and make others look bad.

My view is, if the boss is going to lend them an ear and swallow their bull, then possibly he is not a man you want to work for anyway. If he rather watches you work instead and evaluates the situation for himself, he'll know soon enough you are worth 2 of any "gatkruipers" he currently has working for him. They are most likely talking nonsense about everyone, and not just you.

As others say: keep yourself out of the workplace politics and keep on doing your best. Even if this farmer doesn't invite you back, maybe he'll do a good word for you with another farmer next season.

In the meantime, all the best with the CDL, I really hope you nail the 90 degree thing against all odds and expectations

[Tom van Brits]

I got my CDL today 

Thanks for encouragement and prayers