Whew! I slept like a rock. That is the absolute most sleep I have gotten in one stretch in years and years. Close to eleven hours. I could still be in there catnapping but I know it would bother Krl's rest. I knew this summer flu had drained me but I had no idea how much. I took my meds last evening, and went to sleep. Ah!

Add one more casualty to Katrina's aftermath. Michael Brown. The Homeland Security Chief replaced him with a Coast Guard Officer to head up FEMA's relief efforts. George Dumbya Bush's approval rating is in the toilet. Criticism continues.

You know what I would like to see. I would like to see George Dumbya say "Hey, we messed up. There were problems. We plan on doing better. You elected me as your leader and ultimately the buck stops here. I'm sorry. This thing is big, really big. The biggest natural disaster to ever hit our country. The need is tremendous. Help is on the way. We must learn from this and never again fail to react quickly to the needs of people devastated by circumstances beyond their control."

There has been so much finger pointing. "State and local governments have always been in charge of relief efforts, Federal government is just there to assist." How would you like to be the county commissioner or parish president with a budget of only a few million dollars facing a multi-billion dollar disaster? Doesn't make sense to me. Federal budget cuts contributed to the failure of the levee's protecting New Orleans. They knew anything over a level 3 storm would result in devastation. "Shhh, If we don't say it outloud it won't be real." Now there are people living the results and those results are very, very, real. Sad part is, the people affected are not the same ones who made the decisions. Where is the justice.

Probably the biggest problem I have had with all the post Katrina happenings is that everyone became so obsessed with New Orleans that other areas of need did not receive appropriate response. In actuality, Katrina could not have targeted a group or area as a whole, that is more ill-equipped to rebuild their lives. Two of the lowest median income states in our Nation of plenty.

Now, what makes me proud. American's have been quick to open their homes, their hearts, and their wallets to those devastated by Katrina. Never before have we seen this level of giving. I get to thinking about the small paltry amount Krl and I have been able to donate individually and it doesn't seem like much. Multiply that by the vast number of American's in similar situations and the totals become astronomical. A common bond. A common goal.

At the office we have continued to be over run with opportunities. It all began with truckloads of water to be shipped into Louisiana and outlying areas as their inventory was quickly mover closer to the center of the disaster. We have had multiple calls from churches and organizations asking us to take clothes, and supplies to Houston. Some of these have been totally volunteer, some have been for equipment donation with fuel reimbursement. Our biggest problem has been scheduling. We have been committed to the water transfer with every available unit. In fact even today we have FEMA water cans being shipped with ten additional loads toward the metroplex. We ended up canceling our quarterly driver's safety meeting to make equipment available. Only two of our group failed to volunteer. Not surprisingly, it is two of the same people from last week.

Hopefully Krl's and my weekend will be filled with rest and recuperation. Shadow continues to suffer with us, but that is much better than the alternative. I am fixing to have to requisition more antibiotic. It goes quickly when there are multiple users.

When I am out of the office and on the jobsite, I love to wear the popular "pocket T's". Krl had seen where the local outlet for a large chain had their shirts on sale, which was really good because I have great need for them. We made a quick run through the store and a clerk showed us to the "pocket T" table and Krl began loading up. When we got home she was complaining about how the young checker had "stuffed" the shirts into the sack and she began to get them out. It was only then that she noticed that only a fraction of the shirts from the display were "pocket T's". She was miffed. Looks like another trip there today. My money is on the ultra-lightweight I live with!

Currently I am waiting on a call from my main man forklift operator from the fall work. A few weeks ago he had called wanting to borrow some money as he was having difficulty securing a summer job. I got approval from above me and I got a money order and mailed it to him. I had sent him an insurance check to this same address and he got it, but for some reason the USPS returned the letter with the money order, not once, but multiple times. He failed to call me and I cannot make any number he has given me work. As luck would have it he called yesterday. He is no longer in South Texas, he is in Central Mexico. I told him about the returned money order and he was not upset. Maybe he left before it got there. Anyhow, he asked me to get a refund and find a Moneygram outlet to send his money. Suprisingly, the money order was not difficult to convert back to cash. The biggest problem there was they wanted to sent it by Western Union when there are no Western Union outlets nearby for him to redeem it. Finally I left with his cash and went to a nearby Moneygram station. This was a first for me. It had been years since I had wired money, and I guess that was before Moneygram.

The way this worked was pretty interesting. You pick up a phone, make your language request, and begin. It went about three stages into the program before an operator picked up. Operator #718, Wendy. She was good. I explained I was a rookie and she walked me through it. It had taken me fifteen minutes to write down the city, town, state, and country at the office but Wendy got it first time (and with correct spelling!). I quickly gave her the individual information, she gave me a number, a transaction fee, a total fee, the exchange rate and told me to go to the cashier. I gave the cashier the transaction number and the appropriate cash and she gave me a receipt two feet long with a reference number. Today when my man calls I will give him the number and he will go to an outlet and pick up his money. Slick.

This is a very common transaction for the many seasonal workers coming from South of the border as they send money home quite regularly. My boundaries continue to expand.

I have rambled quite enough. Let's "git 'er done!" Be the real deal.

FATHER, thank YOU for seeing us through the week. YOU continue to meet our every need. FATHER, I continue to ask for your blessings on all those suffering in the aftermath of the hurricane. Be with those displaced, those that lost everything, those that lost love ones. FATHER give them that glimmer of hope of things to come. I pray for all the relief workers and their efforts, I pray for all those who have donated time, money and supplies. May we always be a compassionate people. FATHER, let us allow YOU to shine through us as we try to aid others. FATHER, I continue to ask for relief and healing. I pray for Krl that YOU heal her and renew her. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashylyn Kate, Jess, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, S.T., Brenda, and Shadow. I ask YOUR care and healing for them. I pray for Kali. I pray for those hurting and suffering from loss. I pray for their comfort. 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 to expand YOUR kingdom. It only takes a spark.