Esterhazy Flax.

3123 kilometres - Five days.

____ I have been at Penner International for just over a year now and with a kilometre count of 207,207; you would think I might have good idea of how things worked. But the office never ceases to surprise me with new illogical ways of working. Last weeks job finished with me dropping a trailer in Winnipeg and bob-tailing home. This week, I get to finish the job; although from the instructions I receive; it seems the office doesn't know it's arse from it's elbow. So after a two and a half day break, I leave Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon for a Monday morning tip in Regina and the Calgary drop on Tuesday.

____ When empty; there is a trailer swap in the Calgary terminal and I'm off to Saskatoon with some Christmas decorations. Thick fog across the Prairies and thick fog again on Wednesday morning as I get up early to meet a 5 o'clock unloading appointment. I have serious doubts if any one is going to arrive in the middle of the night to unload paper chains and baubles; but seven shop workers do turn-up on time to hand-ball half a trailer. Then to Prince Albert; to another store in the Arts and Craft chain and another couple of hours waiting for the gang to do their stuff.

____ The next link in my chain; a five hour run across country to Esterhazy where the nice lady in the office says that they work until mid-night and I will loaded as soon as I arrive. I get to the remote seed-farm just before dark after following directions to a remote weigh-bridge to scale the truck. It is only when I arrive, I realize that I have been there before; about five years ago with Flying Eagle. Then it was with snow on the ground; this time the place is knee-deep in mud. I make a return visit to the scale when loaded. With little time left in a sixteen hour day; I stay at  weigh-bridge and am treated to a show from the Northern Lights. Very little light pollution in the Rural Municipality of Spy Hill.

____ Eight hours after park-up; fire-up the engine and back on the road. Back to Steinbach in six hours and drop the trailer in the yard. The load of flax seed is destined for Ohio and is something I could have carried on with; if asked. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. You never can tell.

29 kilometres from scale to farm then another 29 kilometres back to the scale. All done for no extra pay. Taking the piss.