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.