Our good friend Lee showed up just in time to take us all on a last-minute shopping trip for a few cruising essentials!

As we waited to board the ship, Champagne Lady and Zookeeper got some last-minute Facebook updates in!

On January 15th, we left the Port Of Tampa on the Carnival Legend!

Bobby Boofay checked out all the ship’s safety procedures!

We toasted the beginning of our FUN CRUISE with an exotic cocktail!

And the PARTY was ON!!!!

1st stop….. Grande Cayman

Taking a Tender out to Grande Cayman

We had the pleasure of meeting the Pilot of the Ship who is a Cayman Native!

Bobby Boofay Had a “GRANDE” Time!!!

NEXT Stop…… COZUMEL

We partied like ‘Rock Stars”!!!!

Sightseeing with the group, we took in many of the local sights, we partied, shopped and had a blast!

NEXT STOP…… Belize

NEXT STOP……. Isla Roatan, Honduras.

There was a chair lift to take us to the beach and then we took a cab tour of the island! It was great to meet some beautiful local people and learn a bit about the culture!

There was also much fun to be had on the Ship!!

And many people to meet!

Great Food to eat! A great Staff! Lots of entertainment! Beautiful views and wonderful memories!

An finally we came back to the Port of Tampa!!

Check out the rest of our great pics from this wonderful vacation on Facebook!

We are really looking forward to another cruise next year with this fun group! We hope that many of you decide to join us! Start making the plans NOW! We pay a little each month and can even pay for extras in advance also! Message us for details and we’ll be glad to hook you up!

 See YOU on the next TRUCKERS Cruise!

(I couldn’t give ALL the fun away….. you’ll have to join us next year and see for yourself!)

Keeping your enemies close……

I have thinking about this often used cliché quite a bit lately. I have seen many people write this recently and in the past. What exactly does this mean?

First we must define the meaning of enemy.

en·e·my( n -m )

n. pl. en·e·mies

1. One who feels hatred toward, intends injury to, or opposes the interests of another; a foe.

2.     a. A hostile power or force, such as a nation.       b. A member or unit of such a force.

3. A group of foes or hostile forces. See Usage Note at collective noun.

4. Something destructive or injurious in its effects: “Art hath an enemy called Ignorance” (Ben Jonson).

adj.    Of, relating to, or being a hostile power or force.

Synonyms: enemy, foe, opponent
These nouns denote one who is hostile to or opposes the purposes or interests of another: betrayed by enemies; a foe of fascism; a political opponent.

I also searched the internet for the meaning of the cliché, “ keep your friends close, your enemies closer”, which is actually an AL PACINO line from one of the Godfather. Yet, people mutter this quote like it’s gospel, like it’s the right thing to do or something!

Now that we know what an enemy is. and where that questionable cliché actually came from,  let’s look at the ramifications of “keeping the enemy close” and ask…. Just HOW close should you be to your enemies, to keep from having to suffer the consequences of such an association?

Is it to YOUR benefit to keep the “enemy” close, the one that attempts to make you, and others you care about look bad?

Do you think that keeping such enemies “close” in some way makes YOU look good, when they continue to slander you and those you claim to care about? Is there REALLY some benefit?

How do you feel about NOT standing up for what’s right and betraying a friend by continuing to keep this “enemy” close?  Are you just “keeping them close” or are you actually consorting with them?

Eventually, it seems that as the enemies you are keeping close, rise in number, you become one of “them” in other’s eyes. How then can you defend your refusing to do the right thing, because you think it’s more important to keep your enemies close?

It’s one thing to keep an “eye” on an enemy, it’s another to associate as if nothing is wrong. To keep such destructive associations condones the enemy’s behavior and send them the message that you have no problem with what they have done.

So with all of this being said, I think that keeping your enemies close is something that we should all really think about before we utter this phrase. Don’t use this as an excuse when you don’t really mean it.

 To me, keeping the enemy close simply means to keep a watchful eye, not to continue association as if I agree with them and condone their destructive behavior, because when you do this, you are just as guilty as they are!

What the average person “thinks” this means is actually way off base! Most people, willing or not to admit, are actually using this quote as an excuse to sit on the fence. THAT, my friends is the bottom line here!

So next time someone hurls that pathetic excuse for being two-faced at you, take a step back and think about what they are really trying to tell you, and before YOU decide to use that line on others……..

Dont let “keeping your enemies close” make YOU look ”guilty by association”

“JUST SAYIN”

A Personal Note:  We (Jim & Jan) don’t alway recognize those who have less than good intentions right away. When we figure this out, we keep those in question at arm’s length.  We have no problem cutting people out of our lives that are a bad influence, or those we wish not be associated with, due to their moral character. To us, it’s just the right thing to do.

There are a couple of old sayings that we DO hold dear. They come from a very old book called “THE HOLY BIBLE”:

PROVERBS 13:20  (King James Version) He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

1 CORINTHIANS  15:33 (International Standard Version) Stop being deceived: “Wicked friends lead to evil ends”

In both our personal and business lives, we find that holding to our moral standards is what’s best for us. Setting a good example for others kinda just happens all by itself when you practice good morals!

It began with getting the title to our truck, a great new paint job and a new opportunity at JB HUNT!

We have been blessed to meet so many people and make lots of friends. We have been touched by many and hopefully touched others as well.

Sharing our experiences on several social media sites has brought us enlightenment as well as frustration but it has, in the end been a great year!

We would like to thank each and every one of you for all you have done to make this year such a memorable one!

The Keystruckers are looking forward to new and better things in 2012. There are people to meet, places to go and things to accomplish!

Thanks again and God Bless you ALL

Have a SAFE and prosperous 2012