The battle rages with-in and as far as I am concerned, it can rage without me!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Krl and I both are so weary we didn't even go to Midland on maintenance Sunday. We did absolutely nothing. N-o-t-h-I-n-g!

Sunday I had awakened at seven in the morning to assess truck needs, and I needed plenty. We had two trucks that ran one load each and one that ran two loads. Problem was there were three loads, loaded, strapped and waiting. As of ten-thirty last evening there were still two of these. About 8pm. last evening, the plant began coming back on line. By ten it was down again. A broken auger. I was in the office with Frank, the plant superintendent while he tried to contact a machine shop for repairs. No-one answered the call. Finally Frank decided to go out and "frankenstein" it. Let it be known that Frank is sometimes a magician when it comes to "southern engineering". Last evening he worked his magic again and shortly after midnight the plant came on line again. For about two hours. Then a motor burned out on the mote fan (this was about number five this year for this fan), the wires shorted out just at floor level where the metal conduit gives way to the flex conduit, then the breaker exploded in the breaker box. Needless to say, we were down the rest of the night. In fact we didn't get up and running until
after ten this morning. I told Frank he needed to go home and eat some lunch/supper/ or breakfast and catch some z's.

I currently find myself trying to maintain sanity without losing my temper. We are shipping two loads of seed per day to a dairy (in additon to our regular schedule). I could care less about hauling this seed, in fact the burr contractor lobbied hard for the job. Luckily the GM never called me (which is part of the problem) from his hospital bed.. I thought the owner of the burr business and I had reached an understanding Thursday on what the dairy hauling would be over the weekend. Two loads per day. I stressed to him that whatever they did one day, they needed to do it every day. Then the owner left to go home for the weekend Friday morning. Immediately things began to get distorted. The son, who had been hauling the dairy seed called in one of their other drivers with another truck. It seems that four days had exhausted the son. We talked, I told him what his dad and I agreed on and he said he would like three loads for Sunday. I told him we would see and talk Sunday morning. When Sunday morning arrived, there was no movement in the dairy seed hauler's camp. By late Sunday, the two, hopefully three loads had been pushed and shoved down my throat to total five. I think the proverbial doo is fixing to hit the proverbial fan.

One of the things I have always noticed about the burr contractor and his son is that they think everyone else is placed here as a convenience for them. Give them an inch and they will try to take a mile.

After today I will not be a candidate for Miss Congeniality.

O.K., I am venting, but I need too.

The office manager was asking me about some charges, saying I had erred. She said she just wanted me to be forewarned that the GM had noticed them and was ready to accost me. Since I was in the mood I told her "Bring it on". Nothing like a good fight when you're in the mood!

And this is only Monday?

Be the real deal.

FATHER, deliver me. I need some help here. I pray for healing for Krl and me. I pray for safety for Adam and his men in Iraq. I lift up Memama, Pepa, Hag, Bets, Jess, Douglas, Jack, B., Lillie, Ashlyn Kate, Dr. Mackie, Jeanine and Hope for YOUR miracles of healing and care. I pray for those who are hurting from loss and ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us who are struggling to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for efforts being made to expand YOUR kingdom. I pray for Richard, Anastacia, James and Terah. That they would choose the narrow path to YOU and life. I pray for our prayer partners Jenavene and Susan, that we would be productive in partnership with YOU. Fill us with YOU!