And again I say Wow!

What a monumental task lies ahead for State and Federal officials in the Katrina struck States. I am totally in awe of the damage. Many of the officials and rescue workers are victims as well. They talk of Camille, and compare. Experts say Katrina could be the first of many super storms.

The "Big Easy" has big problems. The storm just keeps on going for them. Nine foot deep water by end of day. Evacuations have been ordered. It may be weeks and months before people are allowed back to their homes. And these could be the lucky ones. They still have homes, they just aren't inhabitable.

Just last evening I caught a news clip at Lake Stamford. The men of Southern Baptist. There has been a constant rotation of men coming in to help with cleanup and reclamation efforts there. Locals feed the men and at the conclusion of the meal, the men sing for their supper. One of the volunteers was already talking of their future participation in the hurricane stricken states. The only problem I see is song selection. Last evening's song clip was (and I quote) "All other ground is sinking sand." These men do "good work".

I feel somewhat guilty going to work this week. I think about past disasters and the way news was reported. Now we have instant news come storm, come war, or whatever circumstance. Sensationalism at the expense of others misfortune.

My work yesterday was a long day of repetition. I worked long and hard on the spreadsheets and modifying the transition formulas for the summaries. I cautiously say "I have finished". Of course, sometimes this particular spreadsheet has a mind of its own. I am hopeful. I saved all the changes on the hard drive and I also burned a CD. Worst part of all this has been that my regular work is building up. I have lease settlements stacked on my desk and I have not even glanced at the "good book" all week. It is going to be difficult but I need to keep my focus.

Last project of the day was helping KO repair a trailer. As of leaving work yesterday we were caught up on repairs. This week is very demanding because of the approaching holiday. We have had a slow increase in can loads and this week the product loads have caught up to it. Another episode where if we had an additional twenty-five trucks it wouldn't be enough. It has been a constant struggle looking for trailers. We had one rogue trailer that had been missing for a while. Late yesterday it was located. Even though we had asked warehouse and production about trailer availability, this trailer had been overlooked. All of the drivers have been busting butt. Actually there are only two drivers who are being problems. One continues to turn down return loads, I can't understand this. Thing is he tells us one thing yet we receive conflicting reports from multiple sources. Another driver wants to do his own program. His latest mode of operation is to hang up on dispatch when he doesn't like what he hears. I think the biggest problem is that he has been pampered and handled with kid gloves and now the pressure is on and he can't take it. Both have been good hands but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Well, I for one am thankful that it is hump day. I am hopeful that by noon I will have moved my rump over the hump and be on the downside of the week. On my horizon I see a three day weekend!

I'm trying to decide where my summer cold/flu is at. I know that I probably shouldn't have gotten out in the heat to repair the trailer yesterday. The dust probably didn't help either. I continue to take all my meds. My chest is feeling better as I cough up flim so I am trying not to take my antihistimine any more than necessary to be functional, but man oh man do I have a sinus headache this morning. Each breath painful bounces along the passages in and out of my body. Yeah, I am a wimp.

Make it a day. "Git 'er done!"

FATHER I ask YOUR blessings on all those suffering loss from the hurricane. I pray for their relief. I pray for the relief workers. I pray for the efforts to be direct and effective. Be with those in positions of authority as they develop plans of action. FATHER, I ask for continued relief from my cold and flu. I thank YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR care and healing for them. I pray for those who are sad and heavy hearted from loss, I ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who struggle as we try to follow you. I ask that YOU keep us centered. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. All other ground is sinking sand.

What a Monday. Busy, busy. The madness that began just after midnight Sunday night seemed to infiltrate the entire day. I'm going to have to check and see what the moon cycle is. When I left the office to run bank errands, three pieces of equipment were still out of service. KO and the owner of the truck with the wheel bearing problem were hopeful that power unit would be back in service by nightfall. I don't believe I have ever seen as lucky a bunch in all my days. If I had been driving that truck, the wheel bearing would have gone out, the wheel would have run off and I would have been hanging on for the wild ride. As it was, the driver assigned to this truck felt something out of the ordinary and stopped. He wasn't totally aware of the problem until KO told him over the phone what to look for. Stroke of luck #1, the truck stopped before wrecking and damaging the unit or someone else's property. Stroke of luck #2, no one was hurt. When KO and KW got down there, the spindle was not damaged even though the hub was ruined, which is stroke of luck #3. KO had the hub for the repair at the fleet shop, stroke of luck #4. These events really reinforce the old adage that one would rather be lucky than good!

I spent a large portion of my day revising spreadsheets. The original spreads were prepared by JM, a friend of KO and DO's. My problem was that while JM had left several blank pages in the spreads, he had not left enough for company truck growth. All the sudden we are eight months in the year and I needed to add another unit. That in itself was simple enough. The hassle has been modifying the formulas that transfer to the fleet and company summaries. I devoted a large part of my day to this and I didn't even make a dent. I had a typo that it took me forever to chase down and correct. One thing about it, I have job security until I get it all modified.

Wow. What a storm. Katrina was a mean one. I have been across, through, and in many of the locations that the news footage have shown. We have friends in some of the areas. The biggest problem is where can the water go. This is going to be a slow process. This morning I have seen flood waters high enough to make the roads impassable and fire raging, unencumbered, in the same frame. The residents of the Gulf Coast may be a modern day story of Job. Pray for them.

I seem to be constant at the moment, thanks for asking. I'm not getting worse but I am not getting better. Currently I am maintaining. The girls at the office told me they thought I had taken my mean medicine. They said I was short, abrupt, and just downright cranky. It wasn't enough to feel below normal, the work load seemed to try to pile it on to add to my "good mood". I think a battle rages inside between the good med cells and the cold cells. If I can keep my nose from running and my headache from throbbing I can be functional. That is what has awakened me this morning. I plan on getting better if it doesn't kill me.

2'sday. Not much better than Monday but it is an improvement. I am afraid to even think about what might transpire in this day. I figure KO is going to want to work at the shop. One of the trailers is not a floor issue, it is a structural issue. I had taken the lead in this exact repair just a few months ago. Bite the bullet and move. It's not going to fix itself. Bob and weave. Jab. Get a bigger hammer!

Well as much as I hate to, I guess I am fixing to get my day moving. I suggest you think about doing the same.

Thought for the day: "Who you are is determined not by what you do when people are watching, but by what you do when you think no one is watching."

Be the real deal! "Git 'er done!"

FATHER, thank YOU for being faithful to meet my needs. I continue to petition YOU for your help. I ask for YOUR continued healing and care. I thank YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR healing and care for them. I pray for those sad and hurting from loss. I pray for their comfort. I pray for those of us struggling to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. FATHER I pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I pray for the relief efforts being made. I ask for good weather to help them reclaim their lives, their homes, their communities. FATHER help us to be ever mindful that YOU know our needs, YOU know our hearts, YOU are all seeing, all knowing. May YOUR blessings surround all those in need.

I've made a deal with the myself. I am at work this morning even though I am not feeling 100% but that should make it easier on everyone else. At least I will be recognizable, not just a small dot on the horizon far far ahead. Heh! Heh! (I am better today I think).

I am working today because I am going to take some time off later in the week to do some personal stuff. Fact of the matter is I may take a couple of days off. Try to get that comp time pulled down some. It's either that or end up being owed for another week after I leave. (Which would mean I would have two weeks more pay coming, since I am held a week back).

I find my patience a little thin this morning. Everything we seem to need to do our jobs is at KO & DO's house, it migrates there over the weekend. Some items have been out in the open, while other items have not been readily visible. I don't mind going and looking on the table or in the den, but I don't want it to be a scavenger hunt. I refuse to cross the bedroom threshold looking for a dispatch sheet or a rolodex. Anyhow, the wheels literally and physically came off last night. One truck had a problem with a starter in Fort Worth and caught the wiring harness on fire. Another had a wheel bearing seize on the steering axle. KO had worked on the farm all Saturday and worked on trailers on Sunday but failed to get everything completed. Two trailers remain here at the office waiting to be put back in the rotation. The repair list is growing! KO and the owner of the truck with the wheel bearing problem have left to try to get it repaired and home. They were loaded for bear. Jacks, compressor, tool boxes, welder, grinder, assorted parts. Hopefully they have what they need because they will be fifty miles from the nearest truck parts house. It's a Monday!

Aren't drugs wonderful. Saturday and Sunday I found that as long as I maintain med levels I feel well enough to function. It seems I feel my absolute worst when I first get up, the meds have worn thin and the transition from horizontal to vertical is not much fun. Give me a couple of hours in a vertical attitude after taking my tylenol, and antihistimine, throw in my blood pressure meds, a little antacid and I am good to go until the next round of meds, I will spit and sputter a little but I can function. Son-of-a-gun, is that clock moving or not? I need my drugs!

Krl and I were pretty laid back. I am thankful she allowed me to be, because I just wasn't up to doing the yard. I did suffer through going to get dog food, going to Dollar General to get pharmaceuticals and cleaning supplies, and then I made the grocery store. I was gone less than two hours and saved a bunch of money. Worst part of it it was getting it all in the house. The dogs were thrilled to have "pup corn" again.

I felt well enough by mid-afternoon Sunday to have a craving. I wanted an awesome blossom. I wanted to see if I could do better than I did on the fourth of July. My first try at making awesome blossoms ended up with it being a three part delicacy. I had battered the onion after I had used my cutter, but when I put it in the grease, all the batter came off. To get the full affect you had to put your crust back on your onion slice with the dip (as glue). It tasted good but it sure was ugly! I had done everything by the instructions. Now it was time for innovation. They had called for chilling the cut onion in ice water, this time I soaked it in cold beer, I sat aside part of the dry batter to mix with beer and pour over the blossom after I had sprinkled it with dry mix. (I have to be honest, the beer batter has been a preference of the Better Burger for years). After pouring the liquid batter over it, I once again sprinkled it down with all the remaining dry batter. By this time my oil was approaching optimum temperature and I introduced the blossom to the hot oil! It is unbelievable how quickly these things will cook. This time, the batter stuck! Just a few minutes later I removed the blossom and briefly considered not eating it, but putting it in the household culinary hall of fame! Nah! Not only did it look good, it tasted great. We grazed on blossom for the rest of the day. I had thrown some burgers and steaks on the grill but we never got around to eating them before we retired for the night. But that's O.K., we have two more meals cooked for the coming week. And I said, "This is good."

I had dozed off on the couch and Krl slipped out of the house and mowed the back yard. When I woke early in the night it was dark, I was alone, all the hounds and Krl had retired to the bedroom. I migrated that way and enjoyed a restful night.

O.K., I have typed a lot of letters, used a lot of words, when I could have simplified it and said "My weekend was filled with drugs, rest and healing!"

I am looking forward to the long weekend next weekend. A sure sign that summer is ended. Labor day.

My battle about giving notice may be getting easier. KO has kept me busy with multiple tasks. Trucks, trailers, new vs. used. It seems that while I have been otherwise kept busy, KO has done a deal on a truck whose owner is one of the last persons in the world I would be doing business with. Due to this development, the friendship may be taxed.

Well, let's have a day. Thought for the day is this: You will get out of this day what you put into it!

"Git 'er done!"

FATHER, thank YOU for the peaceful, healing weekend. I pray for continued healing and for a blessed week. I continue to thank YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and care. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR miracle of healing for each of them. I pray for those sad and heavy hearted with grief, I ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who struggle to follow YOU, keep us centered and give us YOUR purpose. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I ask YOUR blessings on the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. All Hail YOUR power!

Forgive me, but I really feel rotten today. I'm going to take the day off. I could attempt to go to church and SS but that wouldn't be fair to those in assembly and class with me. My hacking cough and sneezing along with the spewing of sneeze spittle might end up causing an epidemic. (I would hate for others to say GOD was striking down the infidels at Highland).

Bear with me. I plan on beating this. I think right now I am going to go fix me a big bowl of chili complete with cheese and sliced jalepenos for breakfast. Two can play this game. If my body is going to pain me, I will pain it back!

Have a day.

FATHER, YOU run this day. I feel too rotten to make a contribution. I pray for all those near and dear who are in need of your gifts of healing, comfort, guidance and care. GOD bless us everyone.

As our driver Ralph would say, "I'm kicking, just not too high!"

Friday was another long day at the office. I had arranged for some antibiotics to be brought to me at work. It would have been quicker for me to have gone and gotten them. It ended up being a three person relay and the end of the work day before they made it to me. Luckily, the phone continued to ring and I stayed "so-so" busy. I got bored for a while and went next door to the owner's house and installed a water mixer for DO. As I have stated repeatedly KO can fix anything, his big problem is getting started. I think DO had the water mixer for two or three months and finally she asked me if I knew plumbing. I told her as long as it didn't involve sweating valves and fittings on with molten lead I could pretty much handle it. KO acted a little peeved that I did the repair for DO but,oh well. She has asked me if I would show her how to put a sink in their vanity in their bathroom. I told her sure, but if we were going to do it she needs to get all the repair parts, faucet, drain assembly, plumber's putty. Everything! Twenty-three miles from Abilene, we don't need to start without having it all right there. Turns out DO has had the new sink for three years! I told you, KO has a real problem with motivation.

My biggest mistake for the day was not maintaining my tylenol, aspirin regiment and when I finally walked back into the office my sinus' were free flowing again! YUK! When KO and DO finally returned, I tried to quickly fill them in on what I felt was pertinent and I made my exit. I felt like something that is brown, cylindrical in shape, and floats in your toilet! I stopped by the bank and then went directly to the house. When I walked in, I grabbed some tylenol and was taking my shoes off when Krl said we needed a few things from the store. #!**!# I decided to go to the store that has the pharmacy we use. I made quick work of the groceries we needed and made my way to the pharmacy. I picked up some antacid and made my way to the counter to pickup a prescription and while I had the attention of the tech I asked what they had "over the counter" that would give me some relief from my cold symptoms. They asked about a few health questions and then made a recommendation, which I purchased. Talk about disappointed, when I got home the antibiotics I had had shipped to me and the cold and flu relief I bought at the pharmacy were little bitty tiny pills. What is the problem here. I am dying. I need industrial strength! I need something the size you would give a horse or bovine! I went ahead and took the meds and surprisingly, a short while later I was feeling better. At least my nose wasn't dripping and my head wasn't sloshing. More importantly I was able to sleep, which was a tremendous improvement over the last two nights.

No guarantees, but I may survive. Either way, I don't care. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

When I returned home the second time Friday evening, I sat down at the computer to respond to some e-mails when my cell phone toned. It was Pepa wanting me to tell them how to go to the website of a radio station that carried the Brownwood Lions. I don't know how many of you have ever tried to walk someone through something on the computer by talking on the telephone but it is frustrating. Finally I talked on the phone with Memama while Pepa executed my instructions with the keyboard and mouse and we "Got 'er done!" From my quick scan of sports scores this morning it wouldn't appear their support of the Lion's helped because they got drilled. Not to worry. The last few years that seems to be the way coach's teams start. Slowly and build. They sure have a schedule this year! I don't think a victory will be on the scoreboard, I think a victory will be if they can come through it all without serious injury. Their district schedule might look like "Ned and the Primer" after their non-district schedule.

I am seriously considering giving my notice at the office. I am struggling with the dollars right now to see if it might be do-able for a short period. A few things are really bothering me. I have always heard that the best way to ruin a friendship is to try working for one. So far, our friendship has not suffered, but I am beginning to feel used and abused. I can devote days and days to a project and when I report in on it, KO says we can't afford that! Which I knew in the first place. I now find myself questioning some projects, asking how realistic he thinks the possibility is of actually doing it. If he says not very, I respond "Why bother". Our biggest project got shot down yesterday. It hasn't hit the ground but it is a wounded bird. The smaller of the two banks KO uses told him one acquisition we were looking at was beyond their limits. I asked him if he asked the bank if they had a partner bank they worked with on large loans and he said he didn't ask. My theory is never take a "No" without making the other party feel inferior. (Not capable, no vision, no guts, no glory!).

I received a call concerning my core customer yesterday. There was a gentleman on the line wanting to "help" me with some parts of it. After some brief courtesy talk he told me he had been referred to me by a mutual acquaintance and that with some revisions to my program he could help me to get some stuff done for the core customer. I quickly told him it wasn't negotiable. Eleven years of managing this customer's affairs, I know what will work and what doesn't. This gentleman began telling me "why" and I interrupted him. I told him "Correct me if I am wrong, but you called me." He responded, "Yes, but . ." I thanked him for the call and disconnected. Another golddigger wanting to force his program. (There ought to be a hunting season, three golddigger bag limit).

Well, as you can tell, I still don't feel very good. If "Don't mess with Texas" didn't already use that phrase I would say "Don't mess with me!" And I mean it!

Have a weekend on me!

FATHER, YOU have some work to do. I feel rotten, I am short, I am abrupt. FATHER, I need some relief. I ask YOUR healing from this dreaded cold. I continue my thanks to YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR miracle of healing for them all. I pray for those sad and heavy hearted with grief and hurt from loss. I ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us struggling as we follow YOU. Keep us centered in YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I ask YOUR blessings on the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. Some glad morning.... . .

I have developed a personal rule of thumb. Do not blog before two am., no matter what time I wake up.

I am now the beneficiary of a full fledge summer cold. That is putting the absolute best spin on the situation. (Buy myself a little more swamp land).

Finally Friday. I have looked for this day all week long.

MC's yesterday blog is very worth reading. A letter to his daughter who would have been twenty-one today. You can read it by clicking here!

Work has been just that. It seems as though this week has been constant. Who would have ever thought that shopping and drawing and coloring could be so tiring. Who woulda thought you can get paid for it? Every cloud has a silver lining. There continues to be much to do. We are at capacity trailer-wise. Actually to be comfortable we need about two more at present. Either late today or Monday morning the '00 Freightliner should be ready to go into the rotation. I happened by the dealer Friday and I think it will be a miracle if it is ready late Monday. We have another gentleman who is wanting to lease on two trucks to be dispatched out of Abilene while there is another man wanting to put three trucks on and be dispatched out of Fort Worth. We have a new driver (actually an old one who returned) who is supposed to begin Monday which means KO's personal truck will be going into the mix. In short the net gain in power units could be seven which would mean nine more trailers for a smooth drop and hook flow. For every action there is an adverse reaction. Going into this time of year I don't know if you can have too many trucks. Just KO's gin contract would require a minimum of five.

We have a fugitive running around. I don't understand why if a driver has a problem they just don't 'fess up. We had a driver earlier this year who was attempting to back under a trailer and poked two large holes in the front. KO and I took the trailer to the fleet shop and had to remove and re-skin the lower portion of the front. Sometime during the day Wednesday someone did the same thing to the same trailer again! No-one has volunteered any info so we will now begin to scan through all the bill of ladings and see who was the last person to drag the trailer before the damage was reported. I have an opinion but I will refrain from sharing it at this point in time.

Things have been kind of wild at the office. I began to try to leave yesterday and an hour and a half later I finally made it. Lots of nit picky details. Blowouts, trailers not loaded on time, unloading appointment changes, helping the core customer locate a delivery. I don't know what will happen when I'm out of the office. Call forwarding is good but sometimes it isn't possible to have all the resources with you to fix a problem. This week has been the first week of school and preschool for the owner's kiddos. I think the drive time for DO on Tuesday and Thursday delivering and picking up kids is going to really leave a huge hole in her day (ninety-two miles each day). I think that she is currently trying to put together some sort of car pool. I think it will make it easier on her and her gas bill! I also think KO is going to have to step up to the plate and become a contributing player on a consistent basis, not just in spurts. If you are going to be in business there are always going to be calls and jobs that aren't fun or pleasant to deal with, but a necessary part of doing business.

Flashback Friday! A few weeks ago we were anticipating a celebratory Friday at work after successfully negotiating the new contracts. Upon arrival at work we were notified that the contracts that had been signed the night before were being withdrawn. The gentleman who had negotiated on behalf of our core customer had told us that due to some problems with "corporate" the contract was not being offered (even though it was signed). We had successfully negotiated an eleven percent increase. Since then we have been notified that the leasing companies for our trailers is increasing their lease rates eight percent (which is why we are now intent on buying trailers). Everytime we have talked with the gentleman we negotiated the contract with, we never fail to ask him about progress on the freight allowances. He always points to the manufacturer as the problem. This same gentleman had been putting together a centralized dispatch for all of Texas featuring equipment maximization continuous move. We had learned that "corporate" had denied his request for 1.3 million in funding for computer hardware and software. At that point I told KO that I felt the gentleman from the core customer was on rapidly eroding ground. Yesterday this became a reality. The centralized dispatch is on hold. The position this gentleman hoped to fill is not going to be filled by him and his current job is being phased out. The company offered two options, transfer or retirement. He opted for the retirement and will be moving back to Minnesota in early fall. If you live by the sword you die by the sword.

Texas High School football began last night. There is a full slate of games tonight. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone's team could win? Thankfully I am not all wrapped up in the football thing. My first and foremost thought is that everyone needs to remember that it is, just a game. Play to your utmost ability, know that you can learn just as much from losing as you can from winning.

FATHER, I thank YOU for it all, for the victories, for the defeats, for the lessons learned. FATHER I pray for relief from this vicious cold, I ask for YOUR healing. I pray for a blessed day and a blessed weekend. I thank YOU for Krl and pray for her healing and renewal. I ask YOUR gifts of healing for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR comfort for those hurting and grieving from loss. I pray for those of us who struggle as we attempt to follow YOU. Give us focus and keep us centered. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts to expand YOUR kingdom. Into my heart.

Brain to body. Brain to body. Are you there?

What do you think stupid! Now leave me alone.

I think my brain is claustrophobic. It doesn't like it when my eyes are closed for extended periods. I think what I am going to have to do is remove it every night. Much like my grandfather put his teeth in a cup on the nightstand.

If that were only possible.

Actually, two things woke me. I heard water hitting on the bedroom windows, which brought me to a semi sleep state before I realized it was the sprinkler system. (I wasn't aware Krl had turned the lawn computer back on). The second thing was that my head was stopped up making it necessary for me to breath through my mouth. It's that time of the year. Allergies and a summer cold. Who says GOD doesn't have a sense of humor. Knees, elbows, hips, shoulders, ankles, allergies and the list goes on and on.

Over the last few days I new I was battling the dreaded summer cold. Every morning seemed to be a battle of sneezes and kleenex as I tried to rid my head of all that horrible sinus drainage. Yesterday afternoon when I exited the office I had both hands full and was racing to the pickup when I felt a horrific sneeze building from the very tips of my toes and it was rapidly headed to exit my nose! I hastily slung the door to my truck open and pitched everything inside just as this level 8 sneeze ripped through my being! I was lucky I was close enough to put everything down otherwise it might have been hurled hundreds of feet through the air. I am sure my spazoid body reflex from the sneeze made me closely resemble a crash test dummy. (I know I am right about the dummy part!).

O.K., I have written lots of words when I could have just said I feel rotten. I do.

I am developing a new appreciation for graphic design artists. I have worked two afternoons on the layout for K and D's yearbook and football program ad. What is really difficult is not having some of the software that would expedite the process. I finally got "basically" what I wanted, it also passed DO's inspection, but when I put it all together and printed it, some of the detail didn't come through. Hopefully I am going to tweak it this morning and be done with it.

I have been entering more data in the spreadsheets from the checkbook. It amazes me how much stuff comes through and doesn't make it to my desk. This could really distort numbers. Thankfully we have been on a good up swing and can stand a little distortion.

While I stayed busy yesterday, it was a strange day indeed. Time seemed to stand still as the hands of the clock refused to move. I don't know which was more irritation, the ticking of the clock or the clicking of my "undo" button on my tool bar. About the only variations to the day were a truck with a transmission problem (synchronizers), and a driver we cold not contact and he did not contact us. He was in Colorado. I am cautiously concerned. This driver is very good and we don't hear from him unless there is a problem or he needs load information, but it is alarming when we cannot get hold of him just to be sure things are good. He may have a lot of "splaining" to do.

We survived the transition from CC&S Abilene to hauling from the warehouse in Dallas. The biggest problem was the core customer making a schedule change after hours Tuesday night. This could be a good thing but it needs some fine tuning. We are scheduled to pick up our first loads of endcaps today. Who woulda thunk? I am becoming so well versed in can terms, can bodies and endcaps.

I suppose I will make another attempt to find trailers today. After twelve months it is beginning to bother KO how much money we are sending the leasing companies and yet we have nothing to show for it. Nada. Zilche. If we are making payments on purchases or if we are doing a dollar buyback lease, at least we are building equity. The biggest obstacle I am running into so far is everyone wants to sell us what they have, not what we are looking for. In our case specifications are specific.

I have got to get busy. I had hoped to take off around the first of September but that may not be possible. I have several projects "to do". I may have to rest "on the job". There appears to be a lot of uncertainty about when the fall work will begin. I am hearing 19th, I am hearing 26th, I even heard after October 1. This is bad but this is good. The later it begins the better the harvest. Conditions appear to be near perfect! Thank YOU GOD!

All I can say is when it is time it will be time.

Well, let's get this day out of the way so we can have a "finally Friday". "Git 'er done!"

FATHER, thank YOU for all the blessings I enjoy. I continue to ask for patience and guidance. I pray for relief from this cold, the allergies and my aches and pains. I thank YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR miracles of healing for them. I ask YOUR comfort for those hurting from loss. I pray for those of us struggling to follow YOU, keep us centered, keep us focused. FATHER I ask for guidance for Aaron as he seeks employment in the metroplex, please put him where you want him. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. I surrender all.

I feel GOOOOD! Nannahnanananaaa! So good. So Fine. I feel goood!

Hump Day. Yeehaw!

We got an interesting start on the day. I arrived at the office to find KO already milling about. He was needing to go to town to work on the air conditioner in truck #16. He wanted to know if I wanted to ride along and bring back my S-10, because it has been parked at CC&S for weeks on end. It has been convenient to have it there, but there have been air conditioner parts sitting in the floorboard of the company truck I am driving, waiting for an opportunity for me to flush the system and install the new accumulator and compressor. I am needing to get get the faulty compressor returned so they can warranty it!

O.K., I kind of got off track. KO and I got to Abilene and began to case the truck out while we waited for the driver to show up with the key. We began to replace air filters until the driver drove up. Once we started the truck, KO attached the gauges and they showed low side pressure was low, high side pressure was to high. Sight glass indicated low freon level, but in hot temperatures the high pressure switch cuts the compressor off. None of the different scenarios should go together. We are thinking that there is an expansion valve with a problem. We are trying to do a temporary fix to keep the driver happy until we can get it to the fleet shop and drain the system to replace the faulty valve.

I did pick up the S-10, it now sits at the back of the office building. Hopefully with it being accessible and all the needed parts being on hand, circumstances will be conducive to me getting the parts installed. I know my pocketbook could use the relief because gas is high! The company truck was taking an extra twenty-five dollars for gas each week over the "S", no telling what it is with the higher prices. I may need to just retire. Stuff envelopes from my home.

School began Monday for the oldest boy of the owner, yesterday was the first "pre-school" day for the youngest. It was really quiet on the office front yesterday. I think every once in a while DO would think that the boys are too quiet and then remember she had an empty nest for the day. The boys may have handled it better than Mom did.

I think we are looking for something that does not exist. We are asking for quotes and availability on fifteen to eighteen, 57 ft. plate van trailers. Not something someone can retire on the commissions, but it would be a solid lick. So far the closest we can come is on used units (1990 models, yuk!) that have been turned in from leases. New, I figure you are talking three hundred thousand dollars. Used prices will be whatever the market will bear. Just now I took a call and they said the entire used group I talked about earlier in this paragraph were purchased sight unseen by another buyer! Hopefully there is another group coming in later this month.

It is getting slow here in the office, finally. I am the only one left at the office. My day is almost in the books. I can't wait to get to the house, Krl called and told me she had a pot of red beans going and was figuring to put on a pan of cornbread. A West Texas boy's vision of sugar plums dancing in my head!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for all YOU do. I ask for YOUR continued guidance and wisdom. I ask for YOUR healing. I pray for Krl and ask for her continued healing and renewal. I pray for those near and dear who are in need of YOUR many gifts of healing and care. I ask YOUR comfort for those who are hurting from loss. I pray for those of us who struggle to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. Glory and honor!

Tuesday. Yuk!

For a Monday yesterday was O.K., busy but O.K.. It was long though. I didn't get home until close to eight. The day ended up with me going one direction and KO going the other to look at equipment. We are hoping to go south to pick up some supplies and also to look at "more equipment". Right now it seems as though we are doing the shop 'til you drop thing. Seasonal needs!

The latest acquisition to the fleet is a 2000 Freightliner. We have been dickering for days over this deal. Now there will be a trickle down effect as different trucks become available as drivers are offered opportunities to move into newer trucks. It will take weeks before the dust settles.

I continue to receive calls. Wannabe participants in the fall work. Lovely. Maybe we ought to open it up for bids. The roster is almost complete.

Today has been dedicated to a little graphic design, a little data entry into the spreads. Research and more research. Already I am pooped.

Not much news, nothing to say for the day except, "Git 'er done!"

FATHER, take control. This week seems so fast and furious. Instill in me YOUR peace and patience. Help me to appreciate and enjoy the wonder of YOUR creation. I pray for those near and dear who are in need of YOUR gifts of healing, I pray for those needing YOUR comfort. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to spread YOU. YOU are my all in all.

Anticipation. Apprehension. On alert.

All the above.

After as good a week as last week was, you just got to believe that things will settle back a little more like normal, or worse.

School begins today for most of the remaining students of the big county. Classes begin at the three Universities located here. The start of another cycle.

Sunday was a fun filled day. I haven't ever seen two six year old girls play like Addie and Kat played! You can bet they slept last night. Meme finally made them get out of the pool just after five so they could bathe and get the chlorine rinsed off their bodies and out of their hair. Addie had a birthday party to go to at six. Lots of hugs and kisses when Addie left.

Kat is smart, you can tell that she has older sisters. Addie is sly. She is also lazy and doesn't want you to know how smart she is. Yesterday morning as we were leaving the church building to go to Meme's and Dandy's house, Addie's mother and I were spelling parts of our conversation out. I said, "She doesn't have a s-w-i-m-s-u-i-t at our house". Her mother replied, "I know, I will bring her s-u-i-t and some s-u-n-s-c-r-e-e-n." As Addie and I left the parking lot, she looked at me and said, "Why are you and my mother spelling about swimming?" It was hilarious! We are almost to the stage where spelling isn't good enough cover.

Trc came over late Sunday to pick up Kat. Kat had to take home one of the "dress up" dresses from the trunk in their room. I swear, I have never, ever, seen a child that loved to dress up like she does. What an imagination!

Meme and Dandy got caught up on all the goings on with the two bigger granddaughters. Of course Lauren is busy with cheerleading. Her first official cheering activity was the eagle extravaganza Thursday (which Meme and Dandy didn't know about until Friday morning). From the sound of it there are lots of cheerleading politics going on. Ellen is playing volleyball, she tried out for the teams last week, one day after she hurt her shoulder. She is also running cross country. ???? This kid doesn't like to run any further than the bathroom or the fridge and she is running cross country. Turns out she thinks it will be good conditioning for basketball (her passion). Busy busy!

Brently was working yesterday. Their little business enterprise has been on another famine cycle. I hadn't really thought about it but all the recent rains really brought their outdoor construction projects to a stand still. They have lots to do, they just need the weather to get it done. Feast or famine. What's good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander. They have had an on going renovation for the customer from h e double l. This lady has been totally unbelievable. She has told them what she wanted, picked out tile and paint and when it was finished didn't like it and had them tear it all out and begin again. They are so close now. They had textured and painted earlier in the week and were finishing some trim and hanging fixtures when she decided she didn't like the light fixture. Brently took the old light down and it messed up some of the texture on the ceiling and the new fixture wouldn't cover so they are back to patching, texturing, and painting. Sad thing is, this lady had been difficult to deal with on the money end. Past history has made Trc and Brently require a fifty percent deposit when work begins. They will work against this until it is gone and then weekly settlements are required until the job is completed. I think this woman paid thirty-five hundred down and hasn't paid a penny since, her tab is now in excess of ten grand! This reminds me of some of my ventures. Lots of cash flow (the wrong way), and not much sticks or stays (in my pocket). I think Brently's week includes two days in Breckenridge and then a day or so at Brookesmith. Better "Git er done" while the sun is shining.

I had opportunity to see the extended forecast for our area as well as the Roscoe, St. Lawrence, and Coyonosa areas. It appears that weather for the next ninety days will be favorable for growing conditions and for harvest. Warmer than average with average rainfall. Textbook!

Well, let's get on with it. Have a good day!

FATHER, for this day and its bounty of blessings I thank YOU. I thank YOU for YOUR love, YOUR mercy, and YOUR grace. I ask YOUR wisdom and guidance as I enter the work week. I thank YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I thank you for all the grandbabies, I ask YOUR blessings on them and ask for YOUR watch and care over them. I pray for Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR gifts of healing and care for them. I ask comfort for those hurting from loss. I pray for those of us who struggle to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and for our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. I pray for Aaron as he looks for work, that you position him where intend. I pray for Adam as he prepares to ship out for Iraq with his men. I ask for their safety, and ask that YOU will guide and protect Adam as he leads them in a dangerous land. I pray for peace. YOUR perfect peace. For the world, for me. Perfect peace.

I woke this morning to find three of my most favorite, gorgeous females in the world in bed with me. Eat Your heart out!

Black dog was sleeping at my feet, Maple Syrple cuddled in the middle, and Krl made up the other side so there could be a middle. Excellent.

Reluctant as I was, I slipped from bed, did some reading for SS, got a bath, shaved and got dressed for early church and SS. It was a good morning. Torchbearers 'Let Your Light Shine' is the name of the new series MC is beginning.

Right at the end of the early worship I felt someone pushing against me and I turned to find Addie, her mom and her friend coming to sit with me. They had forgotten about the time change! They did stay for SS and then Addie rode home with Dandy. Of course we had to stop at Taco Bell and pick up light lunches. Once we arrived she got settled in her room watching a movie and eating lunch but finally she came into the living room and coerced Meme into calling Kat to come over. Surprisingly everything worked and Trc brought Kat. It was almost comical because when Addie opened the door and it was Kat and Trc, I thought they were going to do that jump and bump chests! Lots of shrill screaming and giggling! Shortly, they were in the pool! They are really a joy to watch!

I am beginning to put two and two together. As most of the Highland family has known, MC spent three weeks this summer in Guatemala. This week I have seen advertisements for "Survivor Guatemala". What are the odds............. Is it possible that .......... Anyhow, we do know he survived E Coli. Inquiring minds want to know.

KB was not in SS this morning. I inquired to his wife about his whereabouts and she simply said it was job related. I wasn't prying. I was just asking and hoping it wasn't food poisoning (since we had eaten breakfast together Friday morning). Class was very unstructured and basically it was agreed to re-discuss this weeks lesson next week.

Some things are finding their way full circle. Some of them are so bizarre it is almost spooky!

Krl and I are kind of excited. We are having RSVP invitations printed for all the grandbabies regarding our Christmas extravaganza. At the present we are scheduling it for March 11-19, 2006 and getting the invites out way ahead of time so the babies can get passports! And that's all I am going to say for now! Going to be a blast! We don't expect to get 100% participation but 100% of the grandbabies on the ground at the time invites are sent will be receiving one!

Well, I have got to get serious about my weekend. It is winding down. The coming week we have lots of possibilities at work. Treks possible include Sweetwater, Hico, Brownwood, and in a perfect world, KO and I would still love to go to South Texas for a quick visit.

Hope your weekend has been good.

FATHER I thank YOU for a blessed weekend. I pray for a blessed week. I thank YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for those near and dear who are in need of YOUR gifts of healing. I pray for those hurting from loss. I pray for those of us who struggle to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and for our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. Reign in me!

It was a pretty laid back day at the office. For once I was so caught up on my work that when a driver settlement came off the printer I was ready to enter the data immediately into the spreadsheets.

KO continued to spread fertilizer on hay fields until he had to go to town to help with the dinner run at the drive-in again. About half an hour after he had to leave, DO came up with the idea that we would go to the local community and pick up lunch and I could look at a trailer she had found. We could combine both tasks in a single trip. So everyone remaining at the office loaded up to go. DO had called in everyone's lunch order but mine (I had my sack lunch) before we left. Just as I walked out the door I grabbed some directions and made a copy as we had two trucks in the metroplex that were going to a new pickup location and I thought they just might call while we were on our excursion. We had forwarded the phones to DO's cell so while we were out and about we were still functional. We were about four miles from the office when the first call came. Driver needing directions. DO began to turn around to return to the office when I produced my directions. When you are good you're good! I am and I am.

The trailer is a possibility. I am going to do some weekend research to see what kind of value buy it is. I am not quite sure it is the best fit for KO. When I had finished my visual inspection we resumed our trip, picked up the food and took the long way back to the office.

Once we returned to the office and finished lunch I began making phone inquiries and searching inventories of equipment listed on websites. I renewed several old acquaintances, many who openly admitted they had wondered about my whereabouts. The transportation industry is changing. Equipment needs are changing. High fuel prices, driver turnover, and repair bills are now coming front and center. I have always preached that shippers don't pay for pretty. Give me lightweight, give me aero-dynamic, give me economy and I can turn you a profit. It doesn't have to have bells and whistles and be painted chromium. Of course what I have always preferred is now what the industry is looking for and trucks that were cheaper are now demanding a premium. Isn't that my luck. I've been outed!

I checked on eight particular pieces of equipment that were currently in inventory. There are also many units that are being traded in or turned in at the conclusion of leases over the next few weeks. If money were no object a guy could load up with a lot of neat equipment. I didn't really think any of the current inventory was worth taking to KO with a must buy recommendation although we did discuss each unit in broad strokes. There is a group of power units which will begin coming available that I would probably give my priority distinction. These are late model units ('03's) which can be certified for warranty extensions of an additional 500,000 miles. New shoes, brakes, fleet specs., inspected and guaranteed road ready. Yep, if I was in the market I know what I'd buy. The used truck market is beginning to make a come back. When KO and I began our conversation I told him I have good news and I have bad news. He said tell me the bad news first. I told him used trucks were getting high. He asked for the good news and I told him I recommend selling all of his trucks. He just laughed.

KO and I didn't get to travel west to check on the individual's Peterbilt and trailer like we had planned but we will get there. I plan to be in phone contact today.

An old salesman friend asked me if money were no object, circumstances were different and I was looking for a new truck what would I buy. I told him Pete, 387, C-12, Super10, 3.70 rr, fleet interior, low pro 24.5's, aluminum wheels, air ride suspension. His response was "You ARE looking to make money!" Duh. It's not that much fun so there had better be another reason.

I went to La Popular Bakery yesterday morning to meet the guys from SS. I had never been to this particular breakfast hot spot. We were supposed to meet at 6:50. I arrived at 7. It wasn't exactly where I had thought it was. I was really glad that I attended as only two of us did. When I arrived KB was sitting in a booth waiting. This was a test drive to see what kind of participation a breakfast meal would be. While the entire class wasn't invited, more than two were. The food was pretty good and was economical (much more so than $9.24 for the buffet at Skillets). Authentic breakfast burritos $1.50 each. Excellent hot sauce. With it just being KB and I, we did a lot of questions and answers. Surprisingly there is only five years difference in our ages. He grew up in Longview and attended Texas Tech. He has served in a youth minister capacity in Austin and now serves as a counselor at one of the local Universities. He had not made the connection to Colb, Kirb and Coach. He wasn't aware I was a graduate of the University that employs him. I hope he doesn't look at my record, surely they had to destroy it because of its size making it a fire hazzard. It is remarkable what is locked in our minds. 25238. That was my student Id. number. I wonder if the meal ticket is still good.

Let's see. What other news is there.

Ordered the new forklift for the core client. I'm glad to have that out of the way.

I've been contacting contractors for fall work. During the next week I plan to have everything in place. Regardless. People that can't make up their minds about equipment are fixing to have their minds made for them. I am one driver short for the slip seat regiment. I have filled all the other seats that contractors had asked me to fill. You snooze you loose. I usually try first to contact people that I have worked with before, if they don't respond in an appropriate time frame I just go on to the next one. There is never a shortage of possibilities. Best part of this years roster is there are no parasites or leeches. This will be the first time in a couple of years that everyone will be responsible for their own maintenance. No more wah, wahs!

KO and I had a really good visit yesterday after hours. It seems as though we are cramming a lot of stuff in right at the end of the summer and before the fall contracts begin. I think we are both trying to see where I fit in future plans for his company. Regardless. I have done my job. I don't think anyone can argue that. I have uncovered some problems, I have provided input, I have allowed KO and DO a little breathing room by taking some of the load from their schedules.

Who knows what tomorrow holds.

YOU know FATHER. For YOU know the plans YOU have for me. And I am thankful for that. FATHER, I ask that YOU help me to seize the opportunity to surrender myself to YOU. Let me pour out myself and allow YOU to fill me with YOU and YOUR goodness. FATHER, I thank YOU for Krl and I ask YOUR healing and care for her. I ask YOUR healing for me. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR many gifts of healing and care for them. I pray for those suffering and sad with loss. I pray for their comfort. I pray for those of us who struggle as we try to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able.......

Thanks, I needed that.

Good day yesterday. It didn't have anything to do with work, didn't have anything to do with trucking. It just had to do with GOOD people. Myself, and a seasonal co-worker who has become a good friend and mentor. He is very well versed in my situation, yet he is very supportive and always quick to offer an encouraging word or a helping hand. We hadn't talked in several months. Too long. I need a pick me up like that on a regular basis. The thing this gentleman does that gives me the warm fuzzies is simple. He believes in me and believes in what I am trying to do. Never has he asked what our relationship is going to do for him. In fact yesterday we were talking about a client's different equipment needs and told him of some things I was working on and how due to current circumstances of my client I was being confronted with some obstacles and having to be creative in ways to fund them. He listened, and without hesitating told me to figure out the equipment needs and give him a dollar amount. I told him that he needed to realize something from this, maybe he could make the purchase and then lease it to the client, maybe with a buy out on the backend of the lease. He told me "No, I don't need or want to own any equipment. I don't need the money, I just want to help you do what you do. Just see that I am repaid." I was quite moved.

It has been a long time since anyone other than Krl had made me feel that I am good at what I do. There are "a few good people" still out there. Never did he have his hand extended for what was in it for him, never did he try to lay down rules and restrictions, never once did he tell me "he was in control". Never ever has this man doubted what I do and how I do it. I have always been honest, I have always worked hard alongside this man, and I have always done what I told him I would do. This isn't the first time this man has made the offer of assistance, I have never accepted funding from him, on my own or anyone else's behalf. I don't know if I will now. His offer of capital and his confidence in me and my abilities is "a shot in the arm for me"!

Golly, I am still glowing.

Work was work yesterday. It seems like for the last two days all I have done is work trying to find work to do. TJ and I did work on spreadsheets yesterday. I did a quick over view and then began showing her some of the checks and balances. I have been trying to load comments throughout the cells in hope that they can help navigation.

Today, DO and I are supposed to go to Anson to look at a piece of equipment at the start of our day. After that KO and I hope to go to Sweetwater to look at a Peterbilt and flatbed trailer that an individual has for sale.

We had some very honest, very direct, and at times harsh conversation yesterday concerning KO's and DO's family business. I don't fault KO for wanting to have his cake and eat it too. In time it will come. KO currently is assigned to the newest, biggest, nicest, truck in the fleet. Being the owner he is entitled. Problem is, it sits in the front on the office for days on end. In a given month this truck will run between twenty-five percent to forty-seven percent of the miles the other trucks in the fleet run. (And this is with KO and myself piloting it when needed). I have been preaching to the choir that we needed to put a full time driver on this truck. Since I have been on the job this year, this particular power unit has never showed a profit. KO responds that if he is going to drive a truck he is going to drive the biggest best truck in the fleet. Understandable. Choose your role. Manager or driver.

Up on the hill where the fleet shop is located sits an older model Freightliner truck. Shaped like a box, small sleeper, no chrome, no visible "bells and whistles". This is the "first" over the road truck that KO owned. He never intends to sell it, in fact he would like to send it to town and have it cleaned up, painted, the interior re-done, install aluminum wheels, put on new shoes and have the motor rebuilt. Make it a little show truck that could be used on occasion. It would definitely catch your eye. I know I like old trucks when trucks were trucks and men were men.

My suggestion to KO is that if he doesn't want to drive full time, put a driver on his big road truck, do the work on the little nostalgic truck and make the most of the situation. I know from time to time we have drivers who have family and health issues and need time off and on these occasions KO would have opportunity to drive a late model big rig.

After the first round of conversation KO left the office. He didn't want to hear anything more on these subjects. He spent some time on a farm tractor putting out fertilizer on the coastal hay fields. KO is a thinker. He does his best thinking while working, driving. Actually it is sometimes frustrating because he can almost think something to death (mind over matter). Later in the day he and DO returned from working the dinner run at the drive-in. They had talked and we explored some other variations of our previous conversations. By days end he had come full circle and we had a plan. KO will give up his "big blue truck", we will get serious about some additional acquisitions, and we will move forward with their enterprise!

I just love it when a plan comes together.

We received a call from a potential customer that we interact with in our work for our core customer. They are asking for rates for some of their lanes where their product is shipped freight included. This is a development that should really help in our continuing negotiations of the "can" contract because the potential customer is also who sets the freight allocation amounts.

Warm birthday wishes for Pat and Kyle. One is about nineteen, the other is about fifty, but I'm not going to say which is which!

Well, finally Friday! Make it a good one! Gotta go meet the guys from SS for breakfast!

FATHER, thank YOU for the tremendous day yesterday. Thank YOU for friends like my friend. Help me to always be Christ like in my dealings. Honest, fair, open, and help me to always carry through on my promises. Help me to be insightful and tactful. I pray for YOUR guidance and wisdom. I pray that YOU will keep me centered, keep me focused. I thank YOU for Krl, I ask for her healing and care. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR care and healing for them. I pray for those hurting and heavy hearted from loss and I ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who stumble as we try to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. It is well with my soul. Surround me with YOUR perfect peace.

Don't get mad. Get even!

I never have liked that saying but sometimes it is appealing. If the opportunity presents itself...... I may be having a weak moment.

Hump day was tough. Long. Boring. Actually my day could have been condensed into three or four hours. The entire week has been tilted off. It began good enough but then missing paperwork (that wasn't turned in on time) made it grind to a stop. It disrupts the whole week. Instead of flowing through the stages you work to a point and then have to back track and pick up the stragglers as they come in. That was the case yesterday. The two of us that have been in the office all week have hopped and skipped through our work so that we did mostly Friday work on Tuesday. It is a messed up deal. I will be glad when this week is over.

The on again off again saga continues with the big black and chrome Peterbilt. After the last exchange the sales people took the truck for a test drive. It is now in the shop under going repairs. Every once in a while they call and give us an update. Then they tell us they think they have it sold. One thing I am impressed with about KO he isn't caught up in the rush. Often times you get caught up and chasing something and you end up making poor decisions.

The dilemma with the spazzed truck yesterday has escalated. Yesterday the driver was able to drive the truck in using the accelerate and coast features of the cruise control. The dealer shop here had said the computer coded out a faulty throttle sensor. Turns out the ECM (on board computer) has gone bad. Of course no one has one (thankfully because they cost about twenty-five hundred dollars) so the faulty one off this truck was overnighted to Houston where it will be rebuilt and shipped back to us by end of today. The rebuild is a much more reasonable twelve hundred dollars. Toughest part of this situation is the lost revenue. This truck is one of two leased trucks owned by the same people. They have really had a tough go lately. Musical chair drivers and then it seemed they had to have two trucks to keep one driver going on a daily basis. We started a new driver Monday on the truck that went down and it has been a puzzle to keep him doing something so he won't bolt for the door and greener pasture.

Today is a mixed bag. Durango, Colorado; Wichita, Kansas; Lenexa, Kansas; and of course a solid mix of metroplex runs, including three ab-fw-waco-ab. Trailers appear to be the question today. If the plan stays the same for me as it was when I left the office, KO and I will be looking at some other equipment today.

Let the record reflect that results were downloaded yesterday for the company random drug screens KO and I took last week. My score was perfect for accuracy with a negative test result. KO scored a 41 for accuracy with a negative result. So once again we are good to go after meeting DOT guidelines. Some people don't have any fun while others have way too much!

Not much to say, have a nice day!

FATHER, YOU are all seeing, all knowing. I pray for YOUR wisdom and guidance. I pray for a blessed day. I thank YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for those near and dear who are in need of YOUR miracle of healing. I pray for those hurting from loss. I pray for those of us who are struggling to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. LORD lead me on.

Forgive me for sleeping in. What a slackard I am. It sure was nice.

I will accept any improvement as monumental. I've been up and down for the last five hours. I could still be in bed but I wouldn't be sleeping, my tossing and turning would only be disruptive for Krl and Maple Syrple.

Talk about rags to riches and rising to power. Maple is a little hussie! Eight months time and she's gone from the streets, to Rescue the Animals, to self appointed queen of our house. We didn't know it at the time, but she was sent here to be boss of this house. At this very moment she is curled up in a ball and backed up against Krl in the middle of our bed. Actually she began on the far side and throughout the night she has gradually pushed Krl across the bed to my side. (I will have to give her a doggie treat because this trick could be valuable come winter). It has been really fun watching her as she has adjusted and become more secure with us and the other hounds. While she is getting better about sharing, every once and a while we still see that street mentality. She's a little hustler. It's a good thing she doesn't have to work for a living because it would be hard to work around her sleep schedule. Just about when we are ready to go to bed, she lights her fuse and wants to play. Best part is all the other hounds now have an exercise program "watching" her play. I can only imagine what they are thinking, "Ouch, that's going to hurt when you get old!"

What a crazy day at the office. 2'sday was nutz. It was a breakfast scrambler all day long. Scrambling for trailers, problems with power units, drivers and dentists (score dentist 2, drivers 0). We had one trailer that I had done some work on about six weeks ago. All we lacked was making some adjustments on the door cables and aligning it on the tracks but before we could finish it a higher priority problem came along and my project trailer was put back in the equipment repair line. The trailer shortage yesterday required it to be the priority! I was well into my day when KO came into the office and told me he was going up the hill to the shop to work on the trailer. About an hour later he called and was in a predicament. He was almost done but he was inside the trailer with the door closed and he needed a tool from outside. Problem was if he opened the door he "would not pass go" and would have to start over again. I got to a stopping place and went up the hill and helped him finish the trailer. By nights end this trailer has been to the metroplex and back having been loaded and off loaded two times.

We had one truck that was spazzing. I don't know if it has some wiring that got wet or what, but it has to be something weird. Onboard computers are great, when they work. The protective circuitry monitoring vital engine information is wonderful. Some of the interfaces are suspect, to say the least. Our problem yesterday coded out as a defective throttle sensor. Mash the accelerator and all that happened was ........ you mashed the accelerator. We talked with a local shop and they told us that if the driver could drive the truck with the cruise control (using the accelerate and coast features to shift gears), the computer would bypass the foot pedal. This was the only option outside of a tow truck. What we needed was an expert playstation player to drive this truck. The trucker was able to get going, headed to the shop but it appears we may have a different problem. It seems that when the speedometer is functional everything works fine but on occasion it will "peg" and the foot pedal becomes useless. Sounds like gremlins to me!

The end of my day came with KO moving trailers, getting his service trailer and replacing a blown out tire and then replacing a wheel seal and checking some bearings. It looked like he was going to have a late evening. The price of ownership!

I am probably going to begin training TJ to do my spreads today. I told her that I feel that it is do-able in about two and a half or three days a week. My problem is that I don't ever know what might happen that would require me to be out of the office and often times I am relegated to playing catch up. The spreadsheets themselves are not a full week's work. Currently TJ has been working twenty to twenty-eight hours a week. This might end up being a full time gig for her!

We received a call yesterday from the truck dealership with that gorgeous black and chrome Peterbilt we test drove last week. While they didn't accept KO's offer, it must have been close enough for them to continue to toy with the bait. There is no doubt we could use the equipment. The problem "is" with this particular piece of equipment. Tires, brakes, engine brake, air leaks, radio. Do they really want to sell this piece of equipment? We have yet to find a salesperson that has driven this piece of equipment so they have no idea what we are talking about.

As usual, the highlite of my day was coming home to Krl. Yesterday was even more special because when I arrived home she had prepared a feast. Chicken breasts stuffed with mushrooms and brown rice, squash dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Wow! It was wonderful. Thank you sweetie. By the way, she is unavailable and under long term contract!

Hump day. Harrumph, harrumph! Have a day!

FATHER, for YOUR love I am thankful. I thank YOU for YOUR mercy and grace. I thank YOU for YOUR faithfulness. YOU are good. YOU are great. There is none other than YOU. I ask that YOU continue to mold my week and this day, and that YOU use me as YOU see fit. May YOUR light shine in me. FATHER I thank YOU for the relief from my back problems. I thank YOU for Krl and I pray for her continued healing and recovery. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR gifts of healing and care for them. I pray for those sad and heavy hearted with grief and hurt. I ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us struggling to follow YOUR way. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to spread YOUR kingdom. Greater are YOU who is in me.

And he's up, and at 'em. Dang it!

This is getting old. It is getting frustrating. I am becoming exhausted. At one point in my day I seem to have narcolepsy, at another juncture I suffer from insomnia. There is only a brief interlude separating the two. Last evening Krl and I grilled out. I removed the main entree from the grill brought it to the kitchen, went in the living room, sat down in my chair and ....... lights out. Next thing I knew Krl was asking me if I was going to wake up to eat. After supper I watched a little telly and went to bed. By the time Krl came to bed I was already awake. After a couple of fitful hours of tossing and turning, I am up. I don't want to be, but I am.

Maybe I can get a night job.

By the way, the back is much better. After suffering through a miserable day at the office I came home and got a list of errands to do. I ended up walking a good distance, did a little stretching, and administered my own self-help version of Dr. Summer's adjustment and I am much better this morning. Thanks for asking. I just hate it when I got "back".

Monday was just that. I have had better. I have had worse. Surprisingly things went pretty well considering the minimal discussion between the owners and I. We have made tremendous strides in this area. When you have one person doing dispatch, much of their plans are filed away in their brain. This makes it impossible for someone else to help. Earlier this summer we went to a dispatch board and that has helped some. The only problem with a board is that you must be disciplined enough to update it everyday. The easy part is the regular scheduling, the hard part is the add ons and "hot" loads that receive the ASAP distinction. It's not a perfect world but we are working toward it.

KO and DO had to have their oldest child at the day surgery facility at five-forty-five Monday morning. They had to get up at four to make all their preparations and the drive into town. The procedure went well, about eleven o'clock they made it back to their home. They got the boys settled and made a quick appearance in the office, then left to grab a nap. I do not know how they can sleep with phone ringing. (They have the office lines in their home also). During their brief appearance they told me to "run it, give them whatever they need to do the job". Just before I left the office, they came back. You can imagine KO's dismay when he looked at the dispatch board and I had him down for two am. cans. "Aah Nnoo. No. I don't think so", he replied. I told him there was no way I could run the thing if he wasn't going to cooperate. Of course TJ and DO were giggling because they knew I was just putting KO through the paces. Actually I had a driver who had worked through the front end of the weekend that I was allowing to rest up for the two am. cans. Heh, heh. Golly this is fun. Now I know the feeling of elation and power that Dumbya, I mean Dubya, must feel! I need a five week vacation too.

Over the weekend I faxed contracts for my core client to their fall customer. We had hashed out the deal, it was just getting the language right. By nine-thirty yesterday morning I had the signed copies back. That is a good feeling.

In closing that deal I was on the phone several times with the GM. He was telling me they had received nine inches of rain since Friday evening at six pm.. When I visited there in June many of the farmers gave me ideal timelines for rainfall. All these have been met. Things are looking good. When the GM says things are looking good you can count on it because he is a pessimist. On one phone call I spoke briefly with Kristi in the office. I work very closely with the Plant Superintendent Frankie, and Kristi and Becky in the office. It has to be a pretty monumental happening if we take it up the chain to the office manager or GM. Last year I had popped off and made the statement that if we busted 100,000 bales, my client would buy them bikinis and send the office girls to Mexico for a week of R & R after the season. We did 89, almost 90,000. Yesterday Kristi told me that she and Becky were going to start going and tanning for their trip. I told her that we would have to find them their new bikinis because we can't have tan lines! We had a good laugh. They are going to Ruidosa later this week for a training school. It's about that time. Right now the crops need sunshine and heat.

Krl had mobile veterinary come to the house yesterday. Nothing major, the hound boys and girls needed some shots and a petticure (to humans that would be a pedicure). The Vet and two assistants came. Krl said they did a health screening and checked all of the hounds out. They said the older hounds were pretty healthy for a bunch of geriatrics! They couldn't believe how well behaved the hounds were (even Maple Syrple). Anyhow, they are working things out to catch all the hounds up on their shots. That is one of the problems with having a litter, the expense hits all at one time, the money straggles in.

I talked briefly with Memama. She was telling me how well Meme and Dandy had done selecting Reid's gifts. One of them is his favorite! I hadn't talked with Memama in a week or two. Usually you have to go through Pepa and sometimes that is difficult. She sounded good. Kyle Patrick Henry was out there so I guess he and Pepa had some kind of project going. Memama filled me in on some health issues for her sister Bets. She had a biopsy and preliminary report was not malignancy but "suspicious" cells. They were going to remove the tumor as a precaution. Memama said Bets was doing pretty well but she was concerned. Memama asked me to add Bets to my blog capsule prayer.

I am concerned for Krl. She tells me she just doesn't "feel right". Her stamina is gone, she is constantly dizzy, and she hurts. She is always tired. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

I am constantly amazed at GOD's nature. How insects, plants, and animals "know" when and what to do. They put back for the winter. They begin to burrow. They reproduce to preserve life. They cycle. They die. And it all begins again. How do they know. What do we know. Are we freaks of nature? As an intelligent lineage do we work within nature or do we ignore it. Are we a learned species. Love seems to be a natural reaction. Is hate learned? Is bias? Is prejudice? I think back to our SS book, The Way of the Heart. Solitude. Silence. Prayer. Maybe we need to back off. Take some alone time. Shut up and listen. And talk, with the master designer who created this remarkable, beautiful, astounding, majestic place.

FATHER, thank YOU for a good start to the week. I thank YOU for the relief from my back pain. I ask for a blessed day today. May YOU reign in me. I continue to thank YOU for Krl and I pray for her healing and renewal. FATHER I thank YOU for YOUR wonderful gift of rain, here and across the area. I thank YOU for blessing my farming family and friends at Roscoe, St. Lawrence, and Coyonosa with such tremendous crop potential. I ask YOUR continued blessings upon their efforts that they might have a good harvest. Help them to be good stewards of YOUR earth. Help us to be ever mindful that YOU are good and it is through YOU that all blessings flow. FATHER, I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., and Karen. I ask YOUR gifts of healing for them. I pray for comfort for those who are hurting from loss. I pray for resolve for those of us who struggle to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. Oh to be like YOU!

Crapola, what am I doing up again at this hour.

Actually I know what is going on and it is not good. I went to bed about nine-thirty and went sound asleep. About midnight I woke to piercing back pain. I made the trek to get some tylenol, which a little later required a second trip to get some antacid. So far no relief from the discomfort. Might be a trip to Dr. Summers is in order. I have had several tell tell signs of a possible problem developing but usually some stretches and a conscience effort to not compensate with poor posture will ward it off. I don't think I am going to be that lucky this go round. Ouch! I will have to look for some muscle relaxers. I hate back spasms. Bad part is that the back problem along with the medications makes me nauseous.

It seems as though it is an annual thing. Just about the time I go to the fall job, I usually have a flair up with my back. I can remember one year when I would crawl out of my trailer, fortunately it was the perfect height for me to use to stand upright. What a miserable deal.

Church was charged! There was a crowd, lots of moms and dad's dropping off sons or daughters for the coming school year. MC was MC. Thankfully. The time off seemed to do wonders for him. I think we were all concerned after the accident all the way up to the last Sunday in June that he preached. Val and his praise team led and did a very good job. As gifted a speaker as MC is, he is equally as gifted in coordinating the service. Everything fits together.

Kurt led SS. Attendance was poor. Only seven of our regular group were there. We did have three visitors though. We continued with the study from the book The Way of the Heart. It would appear that we will complete this study the last Sunday in August. We are through solitude and silence. Next up is prayer. This has really been a thought provoking series so I guess it is doing its job.

I am not looking forward to the day. I am supposed to be in charge again this morning. I think the owners will be back sometime around mid morning. Worst thing is, we were not able to talk prior to them leaving so I hope everything is either scripted or that they have left me good enough notes to roll with it. I know I took a call Friday adding loads that could make it a monster Monday. We have the "can" regular run along with the regular product runs to the metroplex accented with three Ab-Fw-Waco-Ab runs. At last report Saturday we had one truck still in the shop in Abilene, one in the fleet shop and one other needing to go to the shop somewhere. We also have a new driver starting today. It should be a feast or famine kind of day!

FATHER, take this day and mold it and make it what YOU want it to be. Place me in it where YOU see fit. FATHER I ask for relief, from my back and from the nausea. I thank YOU for Krl and ask for her continued healing and renewal. I ask YOUR miracle of healing for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S. T., and Karen. FATHER, I ask YOUR care and comfort for them. I pray for those sad and heavy hearted with grief and ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who struggle as we try to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the three A. A. boys. For their safety and for their guidance. FATHER I am thankful that MC returned, rested and renewed. I ask YOUR blessings upon Ben and Jen and their family as they unpack and adapt to their new surroundings. Help them to find their niche, help us to encourage and help them. I pray for all those returning to school today, especially for the four granddaughters. I pray that they will apply themselves and that their school year will be one of learning and growing. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. Shout to the LORD.

What in the thunder am I doing up?

There seems to be lots of unrest in our house tonight. Krl is having a fitful night, all the hound boys and girls seem to be really antsy. No one can get settled enough to "get settled in". Combine an oddity and I might be able to make some sense of why I am up. In the headboard of our bed there are some mirrors. Umpteen times a night I will glance in the headboard to see what time it is. I am always concerned first with the hour and depending on the hour possibly on the minute. Somehow, the clock was turned around during the night and what I was seeing was the reflection. The number one is O.K., can't go wrong with that, but the number two, at a glance, comes off as a five. Oh! Yes, I will admit it. Initially when I got up I thought it was five something but instead it was two something, and I am WIDE awake. Oh well.

Of course it rained today. Gotta love it! Thankfully we got the yard out of the way before it rained, but the shrubs are going to have to be worked in. I have to brag on Krl. Over the years she has put in a lot of time and effort on her yard and flower beds and it has really paid off the last couple of years. Even when we were on water restrictions she has been able to maintain a gorgeous yard. Thank goodness for lawn computers, Krl has done it within city guidelines as well. This year two of her neighbors have noticed that they too are benefiting from Krl's work, as her yard is spreading. We have one new neighbor to the south that has yard savvy. The last one thought the yard was a nuisance, never watered and made it a practice to mow and discharge her weeds and seeds across our yard and everyone else's! I think that Krl has one of the prettiest yards in the neighborhood and she is responsible, not a hired gun.

Krl and I did the unmentionable today. But I am going to mention it. Adventurous readers, read on.

I had gone on a fact finding mission and returned to the house to pick Krl up for our weekly trek to the grocery store. She wasn't quite ready so I sat down and began sketching some plans for a construction project for the fall job site. I finished a little before Krl did so I had a few minutes to contemplate our weekly project. Odd thing is we didn't do it last week. I have been very disgruntled with our regular store. I have talked with section managers, I have talked with front end managers, I have talked with the store director. I detest going there and then to another neighborhood store to complete our shopping. So, unbeknownst to my lovely associate, Krl, I had made the decision to be adventurous! We grabbed her umbrella, hopped in the car and took off. When she realized we were not on the regular route, she knew she was in for something out of the ordinary. We didn't stop in our neighborhood, we drove by store after store until we came to "the" store I had selected as our "contestant" today in our search for a new market. It was fun! Krl and I laughed, took our time, shopped, compared, and had a good time. Talk about a produce section, they had one! Gotta have that meat market with butcher where you can requisition exact cuts, they did! We had not prepared a detailed list, this was a mistake because I have gotten in a rut and know when I hit certain aisles what I need on a regular basis, but we did remarkably well. Krl thinks I am a nerd because as we walked through I would tell her what the pricing was at the "old store" in comparison to the new store. The Price is Right would be surprised if I was ever a contestant. Anyhow, it was a hoot. When we completed our purchase there was little difference in total from our old store. This wasn't necessarily the exercise. Each store has their own sacrificial offerings and each has their own profit generators. This was an exercise concerning availability and service.

O.K., Krl and I are easy to entertain.

I am looking very forward to church today. In some ways it is going to be like our grocery store adventure because after a long absence MC is going to be back today. It is also the first Sunday for two services, and I love going to the early service as I am always up early. After Krl's and my extended leave for the fall job, we returned to Highland shortly after the January wreck that saw one youth lose his life and several others were injured very seriously along with the driver of the vehicle. While some have recovered, some continue the process. Needless to say, the Highland family will forever carry the scars of that mid January day. It seemed as though all the pieces of the church community didn't fit like they once did. Many people have struggled and continue to deal with this tragedy, some on a much more personal basis than others. Through a stroke of luck and Divine intervention, 2005 saw the fruitation of the Into All the World campaign. Over five hundred of the Highland family served in missional roles throughout the world. It seems to have been a good diversion with miraculous healing powers. Numerous people have witnessed about their trips and God's work. There has been a steady stream of willing and capable people who have filled the pulpit throughout the summer. This list has included some from within the membership but has also included local Bible professors like RH (who I have referred to as the "Gene Hackman" of the pulpit) and JT who delivered on two powerful Sundays. Thankfully, Highland is a community where there are a lot of options available when necessary. Today with MC returning along with the return of the ACU students, I suppose many of us are looking for answers along with that warm fuzzy feeling we all once enjoyed. I suppose we are anxious to see progress, to continue to adapt and refit the pieces as a whole, to see GOD's powerful powers of healing and renewal. This is the season for a new anointing.

FATHER, thank YOU for weekends. Thank YOU for rest, for renewal, for healing. Thank YOU for caring. May this day be blessed. May it honor and glorify YOU. Be with all those traveling. I continue my thanks for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, and S.T.. I ask YOUR miracle of healing for them all. I pray for those hurting from loss and ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who stumble as we attempt to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. Into my heart.

I was beginning to wonder. Everytime a particular program scans this computer it removes some settings and disables others. Usually it is a quick fix, but not today! I didn't think I was ever going to get it to accept the old settings. Finally my computer decided to talk with blogger!

Wow, I am glad that we are through the work week. I am reluctant to speculate on today because if it follows suit it could be a tough day.

Friday was pretty good. It was the most laid back day of the week but that means I was constantly scrambling to find something to do. At times that is harder to do than if you have a mountain of work waiting on your desk. The week proved to be a pretty good mix of physical work and mental work. Not a bad blend when it comes in the right proportions. It certainly keeps Jack from becoming dull.

When KO and I made the trek to town Thursday it was a good opportunity for us to visit uninterrupted. We were talking of the positive movement of his business and other tangibles that we can influence to make it even better. During the conversation he asked me what my plans were when I finished my fall work. I told him it would be something that we would have to discuss when the time arrived. There is a good possibility that they will find it necessary to bring someone in to do my work. I am afraid the girls in the office have too much to do when they are "in the office". KO told me that I was going to be missed. That kind of made me feel warm and fuzzy. I like to have fun when I work. I told KO that there were times earlier in the year that I felt guilty working there because there were a few month that things were pretty lean. There are some annual expenses that if you haven't put back a little along the way it sure is hard to digest in a single hit. Actually we had three months like that in a row and it took a while to dig out. The up side is we did work through it. I told KO that while at times I felt guilty, there were other times I sure felt like a bargain! Long story short, KO and DO want me back as soon as I can return. Ain't it nice when people fight over ya? We may try to do some type of a hybrid week. There are several possibilities, there are also some variables that could influence them. We will see.

Someone is having a birthday today! The big "2"!

Reid is celebrating today. Meme and Dandy went shopping for him and then UPS'd his gifts to him. Meme got to talk on the phone with him and it appears that we did good. No duplication on the gifts. Dandy was on some errands and didn't get to talk, but Meme says his speech is very good for two. He kept telling Meme he is a big boy now. Happy birthday Reid, Meme and Dandy love you!

Well, lots to do today and sitting at the computer is not getting it done. Have a day! "Git 'er done!

FATHER for this day and its blessings I thank YOU and praise YOUR name. I pray for a blessed weekend. I continue to thank YOU for Krl and ask for her continued healing and renewal. Thank YOU for Reid, I ask special blessings for him as he celebrates his birthday. My prayer is that YOU will bless him with many more. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin and S. T., I ask YOUR gifts of healing and care for them. I pray for those sad and hurting with loss. I pray for their comfort. I pray for those of us who are struggling to follow YOU. Keep us centered, give us focus. I pray for our spiritual family and for our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to spread YOU in a world that needs YOU. May my day declare YOU.

Another finally Friday! Yippee!!!

My yesterday was messed up. Nothing ordinary, nothing as usual. When I arrived at the office between seven and seven thirty, I began my downloads. Shortly afterwards KO walked in and said we were going to take a trailer to the production facility in town, then we were going to the office of the company drug program administrator. It seems that KO and I both came up on the random list this time. After that we took KO's big blue Pete to the shop. This truck drove like a dream last year but this year when I have driven it, it has been like the truck from H e double l. You can never relax, all the sudden it will just take off like the back end is going to pass the from end. It is much like trying to stay in the middle of a horse that has been spooked. We had been concentrating on the rear suspension but finally we decided we would let the repair shop put it on their shaker machine. Turns out the front end is the problem. I am not totally convince but they say king pins and king pin bushings. We are ready to try anything. KO was taken back with the cost of the repairs but I told him if it kept that truck out of the ditch and in an upright attitude it would be "priceless".

While they were doing the diagnosis on "big blue" we test drove a gorgeous black and chrome Peterbilt. Thankfully, it had some problems and it never made our wish list. It just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover.

We finally arrived back in the office at almost two o'clock. I loaded a little data and then we went to work on a trailer that had a floor issue. These are becoming so "old hat" that we can whip out a major repair in just over an hour. It also helps that all the materials and equipment are centrally located in the service trailer.

I finished my Thursday at the office helping DO with some payroll. We had one driver who stopped by to get his check early as he was leaving to go deep sea fishing over the weekend. That weekend excursion sure is appealing!

My Friday has been busy. I am the man in charge. The man with a plan. KO & DO have taken their oldest kiddo to do some pre-admittance paperwork and get blood work done. They are having a procedure Monday morning. I guess that means for a brief span I will be in charge Monday too.

I have gone over settlements, written checks, entered fuel and entered payroll into the spreads so I am on top of my day. I have this feeling that by days end I will be hunting for stuff to do.

My weekend is looking full. It has been thirteen days since the lawn was last mowed, so it is looking pretty shaggy but with all the daily rain we haven't been able to work it in. I have been putting off trimming the shrubs but I am going to have to get serious about them as well. This weather is making the pool a constant project. It seems like it has been more work than normal. Oh well, not much summer left.

Well, have a weekend!

FATHER thank YOU for a good week. I pray for a blessed weekend. I continue my thanks for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for those near and dear who are in need of healing and comfort. I pray for those of us who struggle as we try to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and for our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to spread YOU. To YOU be the glory, great things YOU have done.

Method to my madness!

Maybe I am getting up early in order to rush my week to the weekend. Sounds like a plan.

I reflect on my Wednesday and while I stayed busy, I don't have much to show for it.

The day began with KO throwing a tantrum. His youngest son had cleaned Dad's desk off. Nothing was thrown away, it was all piled on the floor behind his desk. An entire can of Pledge had been used to dust and polish the wood desk. Justin was very proud of his work, his Dad was not. KO kept saying he couldn't believe we would commission a child to clean his desk (we didn't). Finally KO calmed down.

A portion of my day was dedicated to the equipment we are looking to sell for salvage. We have moved on from the first contact. These guys are pretty specialized (junk yards have come a long way since Sanford & Son). We are discovering that these guys deal exclusively in Cummins powered trucks, some in Caterpillar and some in Detroit. It also appears that the majority of the equipment ends up in Mexico or is totally dis-assembled and card filed for parts.

My spreads are 99.9% complete for July and it looks good. Some changes in cash flow and cash management have made some major differences. It sure makes the bankers happier. The business has been on and around the bubble so long it feels good for it to finally ride over the crest and have a really solid month. KO and I discussed this yesterday and talked of favorably posturing the business as I take leave and as the business goes into the "good margin" time of the year. I feel that the difference from last year to this year is monumental. If we can get the "can" contract put back together it could really be a grand slam. I am happy for KO and DO and for their success, they have worked long and hard. I do realize that at times I have probably sounded like a broken record and come across like scrooge. It's a tough job but someone has to do it!

KO and I talked in earnest about the fall work. Mine and his. He made a couple of calls and was told his work would probably begin around the twentieth of September. I haven't looked at the calendar but the last couple of years I have been on site by about the twenty-second of September. Thing is usually the better the crop, the later harvest begins. I had tentatively planned on close to the first of October even though I figured I would be on and off site for the two weeks leading up to that getting camp in order. I am budgeting between one-hundred-twenty and one-hundred-fifty days for this year. Anything less is a surprise, anything more means my friends have done well.

Lots to do between now and then.

If I ever have money I am going to start a leasing company. Talk about "both sides" of their bread being buttered! Lots of tax advantages, depreciation, and when the equipment is returned, you nail them to the wall with repairs for normal wear and tear! Go figure. Its kind of like having your cake and eating it too. You buy the equipment, lease it out, basically have someone else pay for it and when you get it back you have a piece of paid for equipment that has been restored to like new.

I was distracted for much of the day yesterday with computer problems. Every morning I boot everyone up, establish all the network connections with both servers and then begin my work day with fuel activity downloads. This entire week I have not consistently been able to print from the network printers and yesterday I was up and running and then the network connection was gone. I sometimes wonder if the servers encounter a problem and are rebooted, which would necessitate me rebooting. Regardless, I rebooted yesterday until my rebooty was tired. I never did get my fuel downloads yesterday. TJ had to download them for me.

We had two trailer issues yesterday. One vendor is really being hard on the equipment. We are watching them closely. KO and I were getting ready to begin repairs prior to my leaving for the day. He got on the phone and then all we were able to do was get tools rounded up and back in the service trailer before I had to leave. I hope he was able to complete the repairs because we needed both trailers for today.

I had advised everyone in the office that I was leaving early yesterday. Krl and I had been discussing some shopping we needed to do. That is the way I like to shop. Know what you want to buy and then get it. One store, in and out. Man on a mission.

Well, make it a day!

FATHER, take charge. YOU can see all that is out there, take me through the maize. Help me to not become distracted with trivial issues and projects, keep me on task. I ask for YOUR wisdom and guidance in all I do. I continue my thanks for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin and S.T., I ask for YOUR miracle of healing for each of them. I pray for those sad and hurting with loss and ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who struggle to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. Let YOUR light shine in me.