[BigMackCam]

I've cooked clams on a, well you know what.

Those are clams?! They look like mussels to me, but then we Brits don't get to see a lot of clams... at least, not in the shell. Maybe razor clams, but otherwise...

[tim60]

Those are clams?! They look like mussels to me, but then we Brits don't get to see a lot of clams... at least, not in the shell. Maybe razor clams, but otherwise...

They look like some of the east Asian origin "clams" my wife and I saw a week ago, prior to our drive home along the Carpark 25 followed by the carpark 4, which took 4 hours for 80 miles on 70 mph roads. You all might remember that story from a week ago.


I suspect the east Asian word usage follows US nomenclature because of how English is taught to them.

[Racer X 69]

When I started reading that address, I got the shivers... then I noticed it was Newport, OR - and not Newport, RI. The sickest I've *ever* been with shellfish was in Newport, RI. I can't remember the name of the place we ate at, but I had fried clam strips for lunch. Honestly, they looked and tasted great. After lunch, we started driving up to Cape Cod. By the time we got to the hotel car-park, I felt really ill. An hour later I had got rid of everything in my stomach and I was in bed, allegedly hallucinating. Every time I went to the bathroom to throw up again, there was nothing to get rid of, but my body felt like it was trying to turn itself inside out. Twelve hours later, I was absolutely fine, except for feeling dog-tired...

Four years ago when I was still driving trucks I was dispatched to pick up an AOG load at Logan in Boston. I ran a lot of loads in and around the region, and usually stayed at a truck stop near Sturbridge. I had found a little place nearby that I could bobtail to and have a decent home cooked style meal. I had been there many times, even knew some of the staff.

So I was sent for this load, and AOG (Airplane On Ground) is always hot. Load and go, keep the and door shut.



I had the whole thing l planned out, made the truck stop early enough that I got a great parking spot, and had time to do laundry. Ditched the trailer, cleared the trailer drop with the store manager, and headed out. While laundry was going I got my paperwork all caught up, and sent in to the Mothership so I could get paid. After laundry a quick stop at the supermarket to restock my fridge and freezer for the trip West, to the restaurant for some dinner.

To my surprise they had a bucket of steamers on special, so I got some steamed veggies and garlic bread, a beer and the clams. Some off the clams didn't open when they steamed them and I complained. The managed was called, and he was incredulous.

Gaining no traction, I decided to simply eat the ones that did open, the veggies and bread, have my beer and head back to the truckstop, get hooked up and ready to roll. I planned on getting up at 1am local time so I could shower, fix breakfast, fuel the truck and head into the city by 2am.

No problem. It was about 6pm, I was hooked and ready to roll, a full stomach, and I settled into the bunk and turned on a movie. I used movies to put me to sleep when I drove. Never got past the first 10 minutes.

And 5 hours of sleep was usually enough for me anyway.

I woke up around 9 or 10.

Barely made it out of the bunk, into my jeans and boots and out the door.

After coughing up everything I had eaten that evening I went into the men's room and washed up, then back to my bunk. I was up again within an hour, and coughed up that morning's breakfast. Not much longer and it was the previous day's dinner I think, I dunno. It felt like I was going to turn myself inside out. At 1am the alarm went off. I always seet alarms, but usually was awake a few minutes before.

So I get up, grab my gear and head inside to cash in a shower coupon. In the shower I gave up some long forgotten meal.

My abdominal musculature was in agony.

After the shower I stared to feel a bit better. Went back to the truck, put things away and prepped my gear bag for the next shower, and fixed some coffee.

That was about all I could stomach, so i decided to fuel and roll into the city. It was about a 60 mile drive, and mostly on the turnpike. I stopped at two service plazas to what felt like more of the previous 5 or 6 hours, but after stopping, getting a bit of fresh air, I felt better and pressed on.

I made it to the airport security gate. Six trucks were sent to handle the freight, and the customer asked that 3 come early, and 3 come later. Mine was one of the early 3 (I preferred the early picks and drops, beat the rush), and one of the other rigs was there. We waited until security was darned good and ready, then the TSA came out and searched our tractors and trailers. It was dawn when I pulled in, and it was about 7:30am local time when they finally escorted us in. In the meanwhile, I socialized with the other drivers, and finaly fixed some hot oatmeal. It didn't ease the pain, but it filled an empty hole I had where my stomach used to be.

I even laid out on the grass just outside the truck gates.



It felt good, and the morning sun warmed my aching body.


It was always fun to go into airports. You see them from a different perspective.




So the load was a couple of tool cabana sheds (20 foot connex boxes), so once the engineers finally decided I was getting them some guy loaded them, I chained them down and then helped the other drivers get their loads secured. We were able to get loaded and and roll out before noon, so traffic on the turnpike West was easy. The loads were headed back to the factory at Everett, so i hit it hard. A stop at a service plaza on the pike for some grab n go lunch (I actually felt like eating again) and I made it to Youngstown, Ohio before calling it a day.

I skipped dinner that evening.

I still felt like I was turned inside out, and then flogged over some rocks repeatedly. It took me 4 days to make the delivery, and I still ached when I got home. I called the restaurant and talked with the manager, who blew me off.

Needless to say, if I'm ever in that area again, looking for a meal, that place will not be on my list.

[Racer X 69]

I've cooked clams on a, well you know what.

Looks like mussels to me.

Mussels are good.

[BigMackCam]

Looks like mussels to me.

Mussels are good.

Mussels are soul-food. Steamed in white wine, shallots, garlic and parsley... add a little cream and butter, and serve with some crusty bread to dip in the liquor. Mm-mmmmm!!!

[BigMackCam]

Four years ago when I was still driving trucks I was dispatched to pick up an AOG load at Logan in Boston....
...Needless to say, if I'm ever in that area again, looking for a meal, that place will not be on my list.

Thanks, Racer... I enjoyed reading that. Very entertaining

[Rupert]

When I started reading that address, I got the shivers... then I noticed it was Newport, OR - and not Newport, RI.

I've only been really sick from a food illness once in my life. Mexico, 1970. I was living in Piedras Negras for the summer, and ate at all the local places without concern. The food was fantastic and so cheap it was not even budgeted for...and decent beer was .07 cents a bottle at the right places. Not sure where I contracted it, but I got Listeria, which can easily become fatal. Damn near killed me. On the 3rd day I was puking up lots of blood and passing watery bloody diarrhea. Cramps, weakness and dizziness, muscle pain galore. Like the worst flu you ever had....X10.

Fortunately, I got to a doctor in time to get what it took to recover. Took about two weeks before I could go back to work.

Sounds like what you and Racer had could have been similar? There are so many food borne diseases, we are lucky we don't have more problems than we do.

Regards!

[bertwert]

Hey Rupert, how are the lungs feeling today?

[BigMackCam]

I've only been really sick from a food illness once in my life. Mexico, 1970. I was living in Piedras Negras for the summer, and ate at all the local places without concern. The food was fantastic and so cheap it was not even budgeted for...and decent beer was .07 cents a bottle at the right places. Not sure where I contracted it, but I got Listeria, which can easily become fatal. Damn near killed me. On the 3rd day I was puking up lots of blood and passing watery bloody diarrhea. Cramps, weakness and dizziness, muscle pain galore. Like the worst flu you ever had....X10.

Fortunately, I got to a doctor in time to get what it took to recover. Took about two weeks before I could go back to work.

Sounds like what you and Racer had could have been similar? There are so many food borne diseases, we are lucky we don't have more problems than we do.

Regards!

Yeah, maybe listeria was it... I was ill, really ill, though not as bad as you were from what you describe (and there was no blood)...

I've had something similar, though nothing like so bad, from oysters on a couple of occasions. I'm sure I read somewhere that once you've suffered that, it's kind of in your system for good and you're more susceptible. Might be an old wives' tale, I don't know...

Hey Rupert, how are the lungs feeling today?

I'm catching up on the thread... Didn't realise you are (or had been) unwell, Jim - hope you're on the mend?

[robtcorl]

Four years ago when I was still driving trucks

and blah blah blah.
Damn Racer I think you out Ruperted Rupert, and with pics to boot!
Two thumbs way up!

OK, those were mussels, I forgot, cut me some slack please, we don't have any oceans nearby.
clams, oysters, mussels, all the same to me.

[robtcorl]

PS, with all the avatar changes it's hard for us old folks to know who is saying what.
I do miss Bertwert's smiling face.

[Parallax]

Sounds like what you and Racer had could have been similar?

No, I don't think so. The symptoms, and the time from ingestion to onset of symptoms is indicative of staph poisoning.

[ccc_]

Badge coming your way ...

I like it!

[Rupert]

Hey Rupert, how are the lungs feeling today?

Bert, I am breathing fairly well, considering the high humidity the past several days. I am using the albuterol sulfate inhaler once or so a day and it does help. I am also using a lung opening treatment once a day via an inhaler that uses a powdered medication. All in all, I am functioning fairly normal, but lack the lung capacity I would call normal, maybe by 50%?

I sleep a lot and rest even more. No energy. Fact is, this has just beat the hell out of me.....Mrs Rupert had one of her customers yesterday that has the same strain of pneumonia I have...she had just got out of the hospital. Her doctor told her to expect a year of recovery. I've heard that from several people.

So....thanks for asking, but I really don't know what to think of this? In some ways I feel almost normal, yet when I try to do things I find I am nowhere up to the task. How long will this last? Will it kill me? Will it leave lasting misery? No control......that's how I feel...no control over any of this.

Regards!

[Racer X 69]

and blah blah blah.
Damn Racer I think you out Ruperted Rupert, and with pics to boot!
Two thumbs way up!

Thanks!

The driving job was fun for all the adventures it included.

Like the time I hauled a set of tires for Air Force One.

Picked them up at the Michelin factory in Norwood, North Carolina, and delivered them promptly the next day at Andrews AFB.



Even got a large sack full of Presidential M&M's.



Didn't get to see the Prez though.

Or tour the airplane.

OK, those were mussels, I forgot, cut me some slack please, we don't have any oceans nearby.
clams, oysters, mussels, all the same to me.