Sixty thousand bales in the books. One hundred to one hundred-ten thousand more tagged in, awaiting their turn to be ginned. It's beginning to look a lot like April.

Bertha has been running like a well oiled machine. Last week she turned out one hundred seventeen loads of cotton seed, seven loads of motes, and eight thousand four hundred sixty-one bales of cotton. That converts to almost thirty trucks a day leaving the plant with loads. Golly!

Sunday was a maintenance Sunday. It was a very welcome reprieve for all of us. We are tired. Our three day weekend for Christmas seems an eternity away. Three whole days with no phone, no scheduling problems, peace and quiet.

Krl and I went to Midland Sunday afternoon. I had spent most of my night lying in bed listening to the plant. I had phased out all my seed trucks by about two-thirty in the morning. I was concerned about whether we had enough storage to hold the seed for the remainder of the night. Finally about twenty to five in the morning I heard Rogelio and Paco turn the valve to the last storage hopper and I knew at that point it was in the bag. I slept very well the remainder of the night. Krl and I decided to try a new restaurant. Big mistake. Oh well, that just makes our list of choices much shorter. We then made a couple of stores picking up some Christmas stuff. Gift certificates, Christmas cards, things like that. We have only a one day window this week to deliver Christmas gifts to the girls in the office. That day would be Thursday. I am confident Friday will be one of "those" days.

Krl and I are going to Lubbock early Wednesday morning for a meeting. If things go well we will finish up our immediate shopping needs while on this excursion.

The new company forklift is in Midland, still waiting for some of the optional equipment that was back ordered. They are telling me it will be here Friday afternoon.

Krl is clipping her houndgirls. It is so odd, they really like being "pretty". Krl even has them some Christmas "finery" to wear during the holidays.

We are trying to determine what our scheduling is going to be for the holiday. Of course the hourly payroll will go out Friday, the salaried and commission payroll is scheduled for Monday, but that is one of our days off. I figure the guys are going to be clamoring for their checks, even if they aren't out here, but therein lies the dilemma. Most drivers will be back her Tuesday morning making it impossible for them to receive their checks by mail. The only other option is for Krl and I to try to accelerate generating them and getting them out and or in the mail by Saturday. I am hedging my bet and doing what I can to "pre" build all the settlements I can.

Yesterday I had spent two hours in the office keying in some data. When I clicked on the save command my laptop belched and went down like it had a glass hard drive! Out for the count! When I finally revived it, my file was lost. I spent another three hours this morning rebuilding and re-keying. Krl got on the Dell website and told me to order a new laptop but I procrastinated. This morning my "tab" key is not functioning. I have rebooted, used two cans of air and still it is being fickle.

Dear Santa,
In the Dell brochure dated December 16, 2005 on page twenty-......... And I have been really good this year.

Wouldn't that be nice.

Have a good day, a good week, a good holiday!

Be the real deal!

FATHER, instill in us the joy of the season. I pray for Krl's continued healing and renewal. I pray for safe travel and that our meeting would go well. I pray for safety and YOUR care for Adam and his men in Iraq. I lift up Addie, Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, Jess, B., Lillie, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine, Brenda, Hope, K.C., and Tyler. I ask YOUR gifts of healing and care for them. I ask YOUR comfort for those who are sad and heavy hearted with grief. I pray for resolve and focus 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 be encouraged and united in love, and that they would know the riches understanding and know YOUR mystery and in it all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I pray for our prayer partners, Jenavene and Susan knowing that nothing is impossible with YOU. How majestic is YOUR name!