As horrible as the night was, the day was that good and more!

Krl and I laugh. If I pick a line at the bank, the grocery store, Wal-Mart, wherever, you can bet there will be upteen price checks, requests for additional identification, whatever. People that have not even arrived at the store as I enter the check out lane will be home watching television and eating ice cream before I exit the store. It is a gift.

This gift seems to be expanding its scope. If I try to do anything special, the effort will end as a total wreck.

That was last evening. Krl and I had a couple of small steaks we had purchased. "Perfect for the grill" the package proclaimed! Krl had baked potatoes in and was planning on doing the steaks on the stove top when I volunteered to do them on the grill. The wind quieted just before shift change and I lit the fire to burn the grates off as I left the yard to make my rounds. Finally about seven-thirty I returned, took my steel wire brush and cleaned the grates, reduced the flame and put the steaks on. It was a little nippy but I persevered and remained outside tending our main course. Finally I deemed it "done enuff" and placed it on a platter, turned the gas off and made my way in the trailer. One I sat the platter down I removed my shoes and began to get comfortable when the telephone rang. Charles, my main man was on the line reporting a trailer wheel bearing failure just north of Garden City (23 miles from the compound). I told him to find a place to get off the road and into the ditch and I would be there with "dollie plates" to drop the trailer. When I arrived, the truck was still on the shoulder of the road. Charles was not comfortable with the incline between the highway and the bottom of the ditch. I took a quick survey and got in the truck and made a quick arc and down and into the ditch we went with no fanfare. We unhooked the trailer and returned to the complex to pick up another trailer. By the time I returned to the house and ate a portion of our meal, it was 11:00pm. Throw in a little time to get out of the work clothes and unwind and you were talking midnight. The best laid plans of mice and men ..........

About three-thirty this morning there was a knock on the window of the trailer and we had another trucker in the plant with a problem. It was quickly dispensed with and I returned to bed. Then just before six I made my way from the bedroom to my desk and found a flashing light on the answering machine. Another driver had had a problem and his truck was dead in the water, so to speak. However, by the time I called him he had hitched a ride in another truck and was on his way home, with the keys to the problem truck.

If there was a stroke of luck it would be the fact that only a mile separated the trailer with the failed wheel bearing and the truck that had the problem.

Roscoe was sending the service truck and personnel to make repairs or to get the problem equipment home to their shop. Another stroke of luck.

Just about noon, Krl and I left to go to town. We were fresh out of ideas on where to eat. I threw out some options and Krl deflected the decision making back to me. As we were going around Midland I took an exit and drove all the way through town to the Claydesta Center and the Cattle Baron Restaurant.

We ate like, well, cattle barons! That was without a doubt the most absolute excellent meal we have had the joy of partaking of since we came out here six months ago. The appetizers were appetizing, the entrees were top knotch, the salad bar was huge and varied and fresh, and the service was outstanding! Pricing was premium, although I have paid much more for much less.

We made one stop for pleasure, three stops for supplies and began to make our way home when my cell phone toned and Pepa told me he was on his way to our trailer at the compound. Things worked much better than his last trek out here as we were heading back and shortly after he arrived we did too. Turns out he and Memama were taking a Sunday drive and were taking the long way to San Angelo, through St. Lawrence. We had a good visit. They had brought our Christmas (we had sent theirs in earlier). Homemade candies, some funds, and my grandfather's pocket knife. Over the last few years Memama has been gradually passing all of my grandfather's possessions to me. I guess she knows with how special our relationship was his belongings will be equally special. Krl is wanting to build a case to display all of my acquisitions from the last few years.

One of my stops was Office Depot. I have a "ten key" that I have always used with my old laptop but my new lap top doesn't have the same port. It seems that everything is going USB ports. I began my search and first found an adaptor for $25. Then as I was making my way down various isles a gentleman asked me if I was finding everything. I told him what I was looking for (the 10 key) and we made our way three isles over. He had two choices, wired and wireless. $20 and $25 dollars. Technology really amazes me. Of course since the new laptop already sports so much wireless hardware and software, it is easy to know which one I purchased. My new laptop is going to look like a wireless antennae cluster!

The truckers used the "blitzkrieg" method today. They all arrived at the same time and we shipped all our loads almost instantaneously. The plant maintenance is moving very slowly. The Super says 10pm. Some of the nearly half million dollars worth of equipment installed since last year is giving up the ghost. Frank was not a happy camper. It seems the manufacturers only want to build something durable enough for it to get out of warranty.

I guess if I had to rate my crews, the one just going to nights would be my "A" team. They have been with me the longest and understand our mission and how to reach it. If the truckers perform it should be a blissful two weeks before we do maintenance Sunday again and flip the shifts.

Be the real deal!

FATHER, thank YOU for the extremes YOU let us experience. Thank YOU for making the good experiences outweigh the bad. I pray for those near and dear in need of your blessings. I pray for our students and our prayer partners. The glory is YOURs, praise be to YOUR name.