You Never Know What Each Day Will Bring

I was so looking forward to getting out June 19, 2022. As part of the basement renovation we just completed, I went through a thorough reorganization and purging (just trimming the fat, not a complete purge) of every aspect of my wardrobe. Jackets, overcoats, blazers, folded sweaters, hanging sweaters, blouses, tops, dresses, shoes, purses, makeup, jewelry, belts, skirts, pants, exercise clothing, leggings, well, you get the point. This was made necessary because my principal closet was part of the renovation, so I had to pull everything out.

The reorganization left me with a large basket of sale or consignment items. My plan for this day was to hit my two clothing exchanges and then my favorite consignment store (for selling clothes). Then do some shopping for needed household items. Oh yeah, I also planned on going out without a wig for the very first time when I styled my own hair. The previous times I went out right after I went to the salon.

I felt wonderful! I was dressed very simply. I got to the first store and poked around and found a few cute items while they processed my basket full of clothes. Then the phone rang…. Truck issues.

Blown hose, with the good fortune to actually coast into the place I get the truck serviced saving a tow (it was all down hill from there).

I head home, tear down as Kandi, quickly walk the dog and head across town, phoning and texting the entire drive. Oh yeah, two accidents along the way made that drive twice what it should have been.

At least I got two cute dresses. Here I am, just before I cleaned up, trying one on (which you will see in full very soon). I was happy here because I still remained hopeful this would be a short term problem.

Find out they can’t look at the truck for a few days.

There is a load of heat sensitive material (in 90 degree heat) on the truck.

Pay a mobile mechanic to get try to get the truck running, but he can’t do anything.

Call everywhere and browse the internet looking for a rental.  None, anywhere.

Pay a tow truck to tow the truck to our client and back to get it unloaded.

Already a grand out the door and I haven’t solved anything other than getting the freight delivered.

No rental, anywhere.

I had to download an app for a lead on a possible truck (I have very few apps on my phone). The guy on the phone tells me the log-in is my e-mail address and my last name and last four of my phone number is the password. I try and try to log in, unsuccessfully. Try to call him back, he’s gone for the day. I run to the local library to review an e-mail and link he sent (I don’t receive e-mails on my phone) and discover he misspelled my last name in the password. What else could go wrong?

Find a possible rental near Columbus (2 hour drive) but I cannot confirm until the next day.

To top off the day (and by no means is this a small thing), we find out one of the people we work with daily in our shipping department had passed away that morning.

I literally hadn’t eaten a thing all day, so I decided to treat my wife and I to our favorite pizza. Of course, their credit card processing was down and I had no cash. No pizza. At least I was able to get a few very necessary things at the liquor store, my liquid dinner.

We head down to Columbus at 5:00 AM the next morning, fingers crossed, no Plan B.

Halfway there we find out there is not truck available. [Expletive deleted.]

In Mansfield (half way to Columbus) we hit all the truck rental companies, literally knocking on doors.

This takes about three hours waiting until many places open. We do find a truck, but I have to rent it personally and pay at least twice as much as I did for a truck rental four months ago. Had we not been there in the flesh, we would still be looking for a rental and I would also probably be looking for a new job.

Throughout all of this, I have to keep our client happy, all with no solution in process until we found this truck by blind luck.

Last time I needed a rental (March 2022), I was behind the wheel in one within an hour.  Now they simply don’t exist and I spoke with half the industry, it seems. Supply chain issues are pervasive and horribly damaging to many industries and our economy.

74 phone calls (I counted them), at least twice as many texts in a 24 hour period.

I’ll lose at least five grand over a $25 blown hose. At least I got two cute dresses!

Check out our latest video, it’s not perfect, but it’s all I can do by myself!