Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Back home again in Abilene! Weather delay! The jobsite GM turned everyone loose Friday at four until seven Monday morning! It didn't take me long to gather my things and point my pickup east! I even did the dishes and made the bed before I left! I got home and enjoyed a HOT soaking bath. I enjoy any bath that involves more than six gallons of hot water!

Krl and I spent most of the evening just catching up. It is amazing how much happens when you are gone for a week. We didn't even watch (or listen to) all the debate. It is a shame the only alternative to Bush and Kerry is Nader. If they don't hurry and have this election I will not be voting for a candidate, I will consider it a vote against the others!

The hound girls and the hound boy were hilarious when I walked in last evening. They were really excited at first and then "Black Dog" decided to punish me for being gone for a week. While the other hounds were battling for hugs and affection "Black" played hard to get! She finally warmed up though.

We are looking at a number of days wait for things to dry out in St. Lawrence. I have to return Monday. We have tried to target some areas we would like to make better preparations. Since the weather has given us this lull, we hope to use it to our benefit.

I had an interesting happening yesterday. Actually it began Thursday. I was in the office visiting with Kristy and Becky. I made the comment that one of my regrets of ten years out there was that I did not purchase a bottle of wine from the St. Lawrence Winery when the convenience store was open and carrying it. The winery was closed and sold off in the early nineties, the vineyards were plowed up and all that remained was a limited supply of wine. I thought it would be really neat to have a bottle as a keepsake, a part of the community history! Kristy made the comment that she thought it would be neat too, and she even took it a step farther saying it would be so neat to have a St. Lawrence Wine crate. Friday morning when I made my rounds and went into the office, Becky reached behind her and pulled out two bottles of St. Lawrence wine and handed them to me! The former winery owner is Becky's uncle-in-law and Becky's husband had secured a limited supply for historic purposes. Becky had gone home and gone to their storage and found the bottles for Kristy and me. She says she hopes to find some crates. That would be neat but I am thrilled with the two bottles of wine! It is a 1988 St. Lawrence "Blush" table wine. I told Becky she was going to be so mad if it showed up on a wine collector's register and was worth a lot of money! She just laughed saying she didn't think that would happen. I think I will go to Joe Spano's this weekend and tell him I am looking for a 1988 St. Lawrence "Blush" and see what he says. His advertisements on television say he has the most extensive inventory in West Texas. I also think it would be neat to create an internet frenzy searching for these almost extinct wines! Krl thought it was pretty neat. Actually the very first time we heard of St. Lawrence it was because one of the outside salesmen Krl worked with was trying to find the winery in hopes of becoming a vendor for its maintenance department. For now, we have two new additions gently cradled in the wine rack in our dining room! Thanks, Becky!

I have no idea what is on the itinerary for today. I need to go to Abilene Lumber to pick up a few supplies before they close. I hope to watch at least a portion of the Battle of the Red River. This will be my one time this season to cheer for the Burnt Orange. Normally I am a Sooner fan but I love an underdog, even if Mac is on their sideline

FATHER, thank YOU for the opportunity to come home for the weekend! I pray that YOU will bless us with a relaxing, recharging weekend. Thank YOU for the safe travel, thank YOU for the good evening with Krl. Thank YOU for the good news for Eugene and Letha, please let them move forward and not be angry or bitter. FATHER I continue to thank YOU for the good reports for Aimee and I continue to ask YOUR healing for Rene', Carol, and Michelle. I ask YOUR spiritual healing for R2D2. I pray for the leaders of Highland as they make a major announcement this Sunday, I pray for you to guide them as they chart the direction of this body of Christ. I pray for the needs of our spiritual family and for the needs of victims of the natural disasters. Let YOUR light shine in us!