No news is good news, I guess. It isn't that there isn't anything going on 'cause there is lots happening. The plant seems to have lost its rabbit's foot and can't find its "groove". Another gin fire yesterday morning, a broken hydraulic line that had to be welded last night, each of these probably cost us three hours of production.

It has been near perfect harvest conditions. Dry mornings allow the farmers to get started early and run late into the nights. Many of the guys are starting between eight and nine in the morning (after servicing their machines) and run until around midnight.

The crops continue to be phenomenal. I had a group of farmers telling me that is is taking them six minutes to strip a basket of burr extracted cotton! Yikes! Now that is some cotton. That is about two bales every six minutes per cotton stripper in the field. The gin had stayed up pretty well until a couple of days ago and the farmers just inundated us with modules tagged in. I helped in the office as one farmer tagged fifty modules at one time! That would be about 620 bales or about $175,000. Not bad for a day's work. (Just kidding, this is the culmination of a year long effort!)

My truckers are doing so so. Nothing to brag about, nothing to complain about either.

Early yesterday I made my rounds checking on personnel. I got a wild hair and decided to run to Shadow's grave site to be sure that none of the varmints had tried to violate it. It was very calm and serene. Soft sun-light was awakening the day, I could hear water rippling from the stock pond, and birds were beginning to start their day of song. Nothing was disturbed, thankfully, and I felt that I had made a good decision in where we laid him to rest.

Two weeks to Thankgiving! What's with that? I can't believe it. We are beginning to assemble our plans for feeding our crew. Twenty-one of ours and we usually have a few extras. We have never turned anyone away. Two years ago the General Manager scolded me for preparing a meal for my guys. He told me that it would end up with him having to join Krl and I along with the Miller's and feed the entire group. That would bump the number up to about ninety-one, but it would also make the kitchen at "The Hall" available as well.

I can remember one of the most miserable Thanksgivings I ever had was out here when we were buried under a mountain of cotton waiting to be ginned. Originally Krl had planned on coming out but some complications with her Mother necessitated her staying in Abilene. That particular Thanksgiving I had already turned down numerous offers of hospitality only to end up eating bacon and eggs for Thanksgiving Dinner by myself. At the time it was a feast.

Be the real deal!

FATHER, may our day of thanksgiving celebration become our way of life. I pray for Krl's healing and renewal, as well as for me. I pray for safety for Adam and his men in Iraq. I pray for Kali. I lift up Addie, Memama. Pepa, Hag, Bets, Jess, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, K.C., Brenda, and Tyler for YOUR many gifts of healing and care. I pray for 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. I pray for Richard, Anastacia, James and Terah, that they would hunger and thirst for YOU and that they would be filled. I pray for Jenavene and Susan, our prayer partners, for perfect peace that comes with trusting YOU. YOU are able!