Move Over Colonel

Man oh man. 3:00 am rolls around early. I made biscuits today that were great. Claujia uses confectioners sugar and yeast in her biscuits and they are to die for. She uses a heart shaped biscuit cutter and the guys love it. (They are just big kids!!) Really hungry kids...when we got ready to do the salad bar stuff all 10 pieces of leftover grilled chicken were gone!!! They ate it during the night instead of sandwiches and chips and cookies like they usually do!! Can't beat that grilled chicken.

We decided on a real Southern Sunday meal. We are going to do fried and baked chicken, garlic smashed potatoes, green beans, corn casserole, coleslaw and honey wheat rolls. Claujia couldn't believe that I wasn't going to do an egg wash and double dip it like the recipes she read. Told her I learned from my grandmother who grew up in the Depression and they didn't waste eggs they could sell...those words straight from Momma Linnie's mouth!!

I had a few minutes to talk to David. There was a little difference of opinion on fire building techniques yesterday and I needed to bridge the gap. We had a long talk about smoking meats, drag racing and his family. He and I are going to do ribs on Wednesday for the crew. I think we can be buds!!! :) Claujia thought I handled it well. I told her it was like teaching school. You want the principal to like you, but it isn't imperative. It is imperative that the custodian and the lunchroom ladies like you though. I figured on the boat you want the Captain to like you, but you got to have the Mate and Chief in your corner and she agreed! Score one for the home team.

We fried up chicken and got all the sides done. And wonder of wonders, Stacy came and sat down and ate. He doesn't make that a habit. The guys don't all get to eat together. The shift changes at 11 so the ones going on shift eat about 10:30. Depending on what they have been doing, those coming off shift will go shower and then come eat about 11:20. The only exception would be if we were tied up and not making tow. Then they might get to overlap and actually eat together. We have finally started moving down river to Memphis with our twenty barges. I went up to the wheelhouse and it is amazing to look at. I've always wondered how the captain knows where to stay in the channel. There are red and green buoys, just light traffic signs that direct them. Amazing. I sat out on the second deck in the sunshine after lunch and noticed some train tracks running right along the river bank. Cut into the hillside above it was the highway and cars were meandering along. Children were playing in backyards and I thought, "All is well with the world. I have the most amazing job!! Am I really here?"

Claujia tells me we are getting a grocery order from the boat store in Memphis, so we have to get it ready. They only get groceries about every two weeks since they charge $250 for a delivery fee. If you forget anything you are just out of luck cause there isn't any pulling over at the bank and running to the Kroger store!! She did tell me you could forget about anything and be ok cause they have two big freezers and a pantryful of stuff as long as you have catfish, steak and chicken for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But it took about 2 and a half hours to get the list together. They have an order guide to help you out but not everything is on the order guide, especially fresh fruit and vegetables. She took it to the Captain and he will call it in. Claujia said different captains do it differently, some won't even look at the order, some will look at it and give it back for the cook to call in. I think I would prefer to call in myself, but we shall see what my captain says. Claujia says the mate and deckhands will take on and check in groceries but she likes to oversee it in case anything is missing or wrong. Grocery boat comes tonight at 11:30 pm!!

For dinner tonight, we are having chicken enchiladas. Normally they would also have some leftover fried chicken, but there wasn't any!! These guys ate two whole chickens and eight extra legs. The Colonel ain't got nothing on us!!!!

Tomorrow I find out if I stay here for a few more days or if I will go to different boat. If its just the same to everyone, I just as soon be here!!