While we were helping to feed the multitude Thanksgiving lunch, the GM's granddaughter and youngest grandson spent time in our trailer watching rugrats, eating popcorn, and much to my dismay, playing on my laptop.

When I began to try to do some work I was almost blinded by a psychedelic background along with a new screen saver. The settings had been changed and everything gave a distorted appearance. Man was I torqued! Finally I got things close to normal and hopefully it will be minor adjustments from here on out. Worst thing was at one point my computer froze up and then crashed, came up in safe mode and with a little TLC and mouth to mouth (along with a lot of pleading) it came back up. I only lost one file, thankfully. When I finally had settlements ready to print, I found that all my ink had been used to print information on "hermit crabs".

We'll survive, it's just not good to get that wound for so long!

I was talking to some of my forklift guys yesterday and they were telling me some information about different drivers and problems and such that they were having. It was during this conversation that I began to wonder what might happen if someone were eavesdropping.

We talk in code. More often than not, I am referred to as "patron". Krl is referred to simply as "Senora". After that it gets crazy. We have a "peg leg" (this man has on prosthetic leg), "Santa Claus (who is round and jovial and sports a white beard, "jeans" who is the only female in the mix (her jeans usually attract unwanted attention), "the ferrier" (I hope I spelled that right, he usually makes a living shoeing horses and mules), "greybeard" (an older gentleman whose beard is grey, "one tooth" (this should be self explanatory, this man only has one tooth in his entire head, give him a corn on the cob and he is entertained for the day!), "speedy" who is faster than a speeding bullet, "hurry up" (for the guy who is always rushing), 'squeaky" who you can only talk to in brief sessions because his voice is so irritating, we have our "gordo's" (who are overweight), "curly" who has long curly locks, "long hair" who's shoulder length hair distinguishes him from all the rest of the drivers, and we have had interesting names like "cheese whiz" and "goose", "bigfoot" and "littlefoot" and one of my favorites, "the silver fox".

An interesting group to say the least.

The harvest continues at full throttle. At the plant we are approaching tagging enough cotton in to gin that we will generate a hundred thirty thousand bales. I really feel that by mid December the majority of this crop will be "on the turn rows". Once it is in the modules, the farmer can take advantage of several options in order to enhance his cash flow until it is ginned. The are several variations of these seed cotton loans through the local ASCS. Some of this cotton will not be ginned until mid March or so. Putting the best face on it, I think that if I start counting from today and count the total number of days I was here last year, we would be approaching completion of the season. Thing is we are already into our ninth week. That would convert to one hundred seventy two days on site. Golly!

Krl is getting stir crazy. She would so like to go home for a few days but knows how much harder it will be to return. I also don't know how the renovations at the house are going, it might be too distorted to live in. Personally I know that if I go home even for an afternoon, it will be almost unbearable to return, so I try to make my own medicine!

I am hopeful that Rogelio and I can get up the outside lights on our trailer and that Krl can put up our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree. Everyone has been asking if we were going to decorate. I have told them to go ahead and organize the caroling hayride. Last year it was sixty feet long, that calls for a really rapid pace for Jingle Bells.

Let's see, we heard from TRC and Kali on thanksgiving Day. Ollie had called to tell us that she would be by on Thursday afternoon. Luckily I told her we wouldn't hold our breath because she was a no show. It is hard to be sympathetic when she can't do what she says she will do. Sometimes it is difficult process to grow up and the lessons are better learned if there is no outside intervention. Oh well.

I think Krl or I will drop Gayla a note and maybe she can relay it to our Sunday School class, we sure are missing them.

Be the real deal!

FATHER, we praise YOU and thank YOU for all the blessings we enjoy. Help us to not take things for granted but to give credit where credit is due. To YOU. FATHER I continue to pray for Krl's healing and renewal. I ask for rest for her. FATHER, I pray for Adam and his men in Iraq. I ask for their safety and care. I pray for Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, Jess, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Verlin, Brenda, K.C., Tyler, and Hope. I lift these up for YOUR gifts of healing a care. I pray for those sad and heavy hearted with grief. I ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who struggle and stumble while trying to follow YOUR way. Give us resolve, and keep us centered in 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 might know that beauty and fame are fleeting, that it is more pleasing to YOU that we be known by our works and our hearts. Keep us pure at heart. I pray for our prayer partners Jenavene and Susan, help us not to be scared or discouraged but to be strong and courageous. There is no other than YOU!