As the comedian Jose Jiminez would say:

"Please don't let them do this to me!"

I think I will be a much happier camper once I am camping. And you can quote me on that! I am to the point now that I just need to get 'er done.

Yesterday was filled with little busy details, unloading and reloading the company truck, trying to pack it in as tightly as possible. Several trips to the post office. (3). Churning out some last minute correspondence. Beginning the musical vehicles parking. Rotate! Loading personal affects. Meeting with the interim yard man, (the last time he came back after dark)! Meeting our neighbors to the north and giving them a quick virtual tour before giving them a set of keys to our house, briefing their daughter on plants, mail etc.

Thing is, we didn't get it all done! And that means an early start to today.

Krl and I were exhausted last evening. We sat and argued over who was more tired. Of course "supper" was an issue. What, when, who? I gave in first and did one of those off the cuff meals. Luckily she had some meat thawed. It was a tired poor boy's quick version of Swiss steak with English pea salad, mashed potatoes and sliced bread. ( I wanted club crackers. Krl did fix the English pea salad.) Actually this may be one recipe I need to write down.

I didn't make it through the day without injury. At one point in the day I was standing in the dining room and Krl and I were going over some things when Maple Syrple ran out of patience with her understudy, Phooey. Maple snapped at Phooey, the pup snapped back and the jig was on! When Phooey realized that Maple was serious she dashed for cover which just happened to be my leg. Now I have been snapped at and have the wounds to prove it!

For some reason Krl didn't accept my injury as serious. I told her I would need months and months of physical and mental therapy to overcome the trauma, that immediately I needed a wheel chair and that she had better go on to the job site without me. I realized it would be difficult being here at home injured and alone but I would persevere. She didn't buy what I was shoveling. (If I had only thought to grab the ketchup ........).

Maple has been penitent all evening and night. Phooey is leary of me because she knows if I get the opportunity, I will bite her. After all, it is Phooey's fault!

It has been interesting as we load everything. The two black dogs realize what is going on and they are moping. Maple Syrple has a good idea what is happening, earlier in the week she had gone to the travel trailer with me as we were prepping it. Phooey has no idea! It must be blissful to be blond!

Kyle Patrick Henry's mother and I have been talking. She says he has not left the house because he is afraid he will miss my call. In fact, she made him go to the post office and he went but only after she swore to stay by the phone. He is riding with a driver today to Midland to pickup forklifts and then back to STL. He has convinced himself that he needs to be in place Monday. (I never told him such, although Krl and I have discussed letting him come out and stay with us and work some. Get a little experience, a little exposure.) Just recently he applied for his first job ever outside of the family. It has been a real hoot talking with him about that process. I realize that he can be difficult to work with but I think it would do him a world of good to land a job. He would feel ten feet tall and bullet proof.

My biggest question is how he will handle things when he has to work and he knows that Memama and Pepa are going somewhere. Also how will Pepa adjust if KPH is at STL and the birds need fed while they are gone.

Holt is getting tubes in his ears this morning. He has had recurring ear infections. Actually he is pretty young to be getting tubes, they probably won't stay in too long. It's odd, because he isn't a bottle baby. I think his dad is hoping this will let him sleep all night so mom and dad can do the same.

Dream on dad.

Congratulations to the girl next door. I don't think she reads this but I still won't tell her what I am congratulating her about. You'll find out today! (KPH's mother isn't the only parent I talk to!)

I learned something yesterday. The post office has a $4.05 stamp. I went in to get a number of "flat rate" priority mail envelopes and was going to pre-pay them. In the past they would print out the tape that had the postage on it and stick it on the envelope (or put them in a bag for me to put on later). The gentleman at the window asked me how many $4.05 stamps I needed and responded, "You have $4.05 stamps?" My first thought was, "they must be huge!"

I have moved the cell phone fuss to the next level. After today, they will have seven days to respond to our request or give us a reply with their reasons for refusing. Man, I haven't sued or been sued in over a year! I think that is why postage went up, because since I was not being sued about something the mail volume went down. I kind of miss ol' Lance.

Can you tell I am stalling?

When next I post, it will be from the badlands of further West Texas. I don't know exactly when that might be. I expect it might take a few days to get the new ISP up and running.

Think of us, pray for us.

FATHER, this is difficult. I'm not ready for this but I know this is an opportunity you are giving us, and I am thankful. Thank YOU for being patient with me, I'll get my head right. I pray for Holt and his procedure. I pray for safe travel. Bless-ed be your name.

That was a very fitful night, in every sense of the word, literally and figuratively.

Phooey couldn't get settled which makes things difficult for Krl, Maple and me. Apparently Krl had either a tummy ache or a toothache because she was up and down all night. When I come to my computer in the mornings and she has been playing free cell, she's been up a long time. Once the hooligans had vacated the bed, Maple and I were able to go to sleep. For me it was doubly fitful. Of late I have an extremely hard time finding a comfortable position where my shoulders don't ache. Lots of tossing and turning, a recommended dosage of night time pain relief, but last night was terrible. At one time I woke up and some how I had gotten under the fitted sheet and was between it and the mattress pad!

And for my next trick ......... . I think for all of us it is the anxiety of having to leave tomorrow morning. This too will pass.

Krl had a doctors appointment. She gained four pounds! Yea! She was very disappointed in her doctor. He use to be so perceptive, prompt, and seemed to be genuinely interested. Since Krl began seeing him again, he has been behind his appointment schedule both times and rushed Krl in and out. She wanted to discuss with him some really bad side effects of the med changes he had made and he just discarded her concern telling her "this too will pass". (I told Krl that if you could figure out how to swallow a car, this too would pass.) She was extremely disappointed and is threatening not to go back. While we were out and about Krl wanted to grab a quick bite to eat so we did. This was the first time we had eaten out since our anniversary. We then went to the equipment yard and got the S-10 pickup. I had gotten a bill and a nasty note from the manager so I took great pleasure in going in there and telling her we were relinquishing the company's storage bays. She had been bent because I hadn't put one of the trucks in it's bay one weekend. I had parked it outside. Big woo!

I then made a trek to KO's to return some items and pickup a few of mine that he had. We visited for a brief while although about nothing important. He did tell me they we picking up their first load from their new customer yesterday. That little business is really unsettled at the moment. Traditional customers are slow for some reason.

I spent a portion of my day researching cell phone number portability and the Federal mandate which took affect May 24, 2004. I am preparing a certified letter requesting our current cell phone service provider release our numbers either to us or our proposed new cell phone service provider. Everything I have found concerning cell phones is that contrary to what they tell you, "You can take it with you!". The only exception is if you are moving hundreds of miles to an area not serviced by that number. (Ie; San Francisco to Dallas). Supposedly if you have a problem the FCC will deal with it for you if you go through proper channels.

I had begun my final project prior to the move. I just need to get back on track. I am having to unload everything from my company pickup bed and load from the floor up. I have sheets of plywood to load, to be followed by some two by four studs before we can get to the necessities like barbecue grill, supplemental refrigerator, and clothes. (Yep, it is a remote area but we do wear clothes although in hot weather it may be limited to a loin cloth.)

Later today I need to go see the company's tire dealer and have a tire adjusted. It is a rite of passage every year that one of these tires "pops" during the move. (And these are top quality Kelly's. The last two seem to have had seam faults.)

I am trying to make my mind up about our fenced yard at the jobsite. For years I have constructed a "bright orange construction fence" (it worked well at Halloween). This year I am thinking about changing to a little more durable structure. In fact I think I can probably do the change for less than fifty dollars because I can continue to use the posts and such.

Krl has been on the phone getting all the utilities turned back on from "vacation". Talk about close, when I suspended our Direct TV service I was asked (as is customary for them) "When service would need to be restored". I told them October 1. Missed it by two days. Now I will have to make a call and ask them to move it up a couple of days.

For those of you who e-mail, we will be changing our "freeson" service provider (I hope). We now have opportunity to go to DSL out there. Last year we received the modem but it was so near the end we didn't install it. All we are planning on changing on the mail address is the @address, so keep checking back and you can get the new @ portion of the address here!

Well that ought to do it! I don't know if I will publish tomorrow or not. It all depends.

FATHER, I hope YOU are ready for this because I'm not. I'm gonna lean real hard! Thank YOU for the opportunity, thank YOU for being there when I need you and even when I don't. Thank YOU for being YOU! May my day, this week and this season be filled with YOU.

I like it when I have days that are really productive and I feel good about.

Yesterday was one of those and it has been a while since I had had one. It was a long day. It was a hard day, but it was extremely fulfilling. I awoke shortly after five, grabbed a quick bath and hit the road. I had spent the better part of an hour the previous night loading my pickup (have you ever loaded a freezer by yourself? It isn't that difficult if you can figure out how to grab it!), and prior to that I had taken the time to load a few last minute items into the company travel trailer before I hooked it to a truck and it left from in front of the house. Tuesday morning we were to meet up at my parents house and travel to the jobsite together with the final two travel trailers. When I arrived at my parents, I immediately sprang into action (I did take a brief minute to flash my headlights across my parent's bedroom window (Pepa had told me not to. I'm sorry I just couldn't resist). I hooked up the travel trailer and circled to the front of their house, making sure that I left enough room for the big truck to park beside me. I was running an hour ahead of schedule! I gathered their newspaper and walked to the back of the house figuring I would have to ring the door bell. Much to my surprise I found the door unlocked and I made my way inside. Earlier I had seen the lights come on in the master bathroom, but now the house was dark. I turned the kitchen lights on and proceeded to start making coffee and then sat down with the newspaper. Shortly after the coffee was made Memama and Pepa made their way into the kitchen. I guess their is some truth to that old adage "wake up with coffee". I made a call to Kyle Patrick Henry (of course he hadn't heard his alarm) and then Memama, Pepa and I visited while we waited for his arrival and the big truck's arrival. Finally everyone was present and we bid goodbye to our hosts and began our trek westward.

When we arrived at STL, we immediately positioned the big travel trailer and unhooked it. I sent this driver back to my parents to leave this truck and pick up the truck I had left there yesterday that was pulling the company supply trailer. The plan called for Kyle and me to setup the two new arrivals during the four hours the truck driver was gone. Immediately we began the process on the big trailer. Leveling and stabilizing. Since I live in this one at the jobsite I was very particular. Last year I was never satisfied with the trailer setup. It never felt solid and it never seemed totally level. After three hours, everything was in place and hooked up with the single exception of the satellite. Water, propane, electricity, telephone, sewer. We then jumped to the second trailer. It is a much simpler setup because it doesn't possess the slide outs. Kyle and leveled and stabilized it very quickly and when we completed hook up of all the utilities we were ten minutes ahead of schedule. We then went inside Krl's and my trailer and began moving a few items. We put the microwave in place and began positioning items that "traveled" in weird places. (Call me crazy, but we have found if we will wrap the rolling tub files with a comforter and place them in the bathroom and shut the door, they will remain in place and upright.) I then began to purge the air from the gas lines and lit the cook stove and turned the water heater on. We were just about to walk out the door to light the water heaters on the other two trailers when Blacksheep 2 pulled in with the supply trailer. This trailer held many items important to our camp. Front porch, fencing material, satellite, and things like rolling bins that store dog food and diet coke or serve as a garbage dumpster. Kyle Patrick and I were about melted down. It was after three and we had not stopped all day for food or drink. We decided to remove a few items and then to park the little truck and trailer and hit the road back to Abilene.

Sixteen miles later we pulled into our local convenience store and bought refreshments. I'm sure the lady thought we were nuts. I got a one liter bottle of water, a one liter gatorade, and on the way to the register I couldn't resist a 44 ounce fresh brewed ice tea. The other guys loaded up too, just not to excess like I did. Surprisingly, by the time I arrived back in Abilene, all my drinks were empty! I was so thankful I had made excess purchases because almost an hour after our stop I began to cramp up really bad. In fact the truck driver offered to drive because he could see my hands and arms twitching and distorting. I even noticed at one point the indentation of the steering wheel in my hands and fingers. I guess I had lost a lot more fluid than I had thought.

We dropped Kyle Patrick Henry at his pickup and the truck driver and I continued on to Abilene. The plan called for him to pick up the last remaining truck from the yard and get it back to his house. I suppose I had purposely made this the last task of the day because I know this truck is the "favorite" of this driver. We coded into the yard and while the truck built air, I gave the driver two hundred dollars for fuel. Later in the week he will take this truck and make an Abilene, Midland, STL run to pick up and drop off forklifts.

After two quick stops on my way from the equipment yard to the house, when I arrived home I made my way almost directly to get a bath. When I exited and rejoined Krl in the family room it was almost nine o'clock. Krl had grilled dinner and after I had made a couple of phone calls, we enjoyed a good meal and then retired. Exhausted! It was a wonderful night until the muscle cramps returned about four. Finally I made the decision to quit battling them and I got up and drank a cup of pickle juice. It took longer than usual but finally the cramping subsided, worst part was I was awake by then!

While my day was filled with miles and physical labor, Krl's was filled with staying at home and doing business on the phone. She called the cell phone provided who had shipped the phones (the one's that they sold to our answering machine) and found that the previous day's information was not totally correct. I will admit, the free phones (after rebate) and the service package are far superior to what we currently have. Four times the minutes for $29 per month increase. Coverage area is excellent. No long distance, nationwide plan. No roam. The kicker is, our current cell phone service provider will not code our cell numbers over to the new provider. Now they are wanting to change our plan. They will give us double the current plan's minutes at an increase of $59 per month and they will have new phones for us to select from to purchase (no rebate) in about six months. I don't see comparable here.

I don't think the current cell service company has heard that the supreme court ruled that the number belong to us, not them.

I have been with the current cell service provider for sixteen years. Faithful and loyal. This is the only cell phone number and provider I have ever had. I wouldn't want to make a change if they were offering a comparable plan with comparable coverage and comparable perks. The way I see it, they can either tend to business or they need to get up off that porcelain chair and let someone else have their turn.

"Please release me, let me go. For I don't love you anymore!" (Who was that ? Ray Price?)

And that's news from the cell phone service beat.

Our plan is to vacate this humble abode Friday morning. We are hopeful we can spend Friday and the weekend finalizing the jobsite setup "inside" the trailer. Fall festival weekend begins Saturday.

FATHER, thank YOU for the tremendous day. Keep me centered, keep me focused. Abide in me.

And he's already up!

And at 'em.

I have got to get the move to the jobsite completed so I can get some rest!

I am waiting on insurance cards so I can get an annual inspection for BS 2. I had asked for one Wednesday and again on Saturday but so far, no card.

Krl and I had a pretty productive day. I would say that the office is ninety-five percent loaded. I only lack breaking down her computer, grabbing the wireless router and loading a rolling file cabinet. We did a non-spaz kind of day and worked in spurts. Krl took a break and clipped some on dogs. I had to help by holding Maple Syrple. She is so ticklish she can't stand for you to touch the pads on her feet and getting clipped is almost too much. Krl has done a good job and we are hopeful that they won't need clipping again until we come back home.

I am trying to get my day and week planned. It may consist of working in town this morning, taking BS 2 to Roscoe in the afternoon and then returning with a driver to pickup BS 222 and the company trailer late in the day. That would make it possible for me to travel to St. Lawrence Tuesday morning with the last bumper pull trailer and for the truck driver to follow with the big trailer, drop it and then double back and get BS 2 and the supply trailer while I set up camp. Then we would leave BS 2 and he would ride back to Abilene with me to get BS 22. That would get most of the large items moved west and give us three days to work a run to Midland in the plan. My last trip out will probably be loaded with frills like freezer, extra refrigerator, some shelving material and an air compressor.

Hey, we've learned that if we have to be isolated out there we need to make it easy on ourselves.

It may not be exciting for you but we are excited because they now have ice at the jobsite. In the past you bought twice ice as much as you needed while you were in town because half of it was going to melt before you made the trip back to camp!

Krl has been working on a few projects, both personal and work related. She has been looking at consolidating all of our communications accounts with a single vendor. She says that it will be a minimum savings of fifty dollars per month. She has also been trying to get new company cell phones. Our cell phone service provider is a very small company that just happened to land a protected area that they have now used in dealing with other cellular providers for trade offs. They let the larger companies use their protected area and the large companies let them use theirs. The old you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Problem is, service sucks. Dropped calls, busy circuits, you name it. And it hasn't gotten any better. I have been in need of a new phone for quite a while. Mine has been dropped, kicked, or thrown so many times that it no longer phases it. You have seen the phones that are clear and you can see the guts inside? That's my phone but it isn't clear, those are holes in the case! My voice mail doesn't work (although it never worked well).

The company had received a notice from a cellular provider saying free phones, and pre-approval. Sounds simple doesn't it. A coverage check proved that this company probably has the best coverage for the jobsite location. Sounds like three pluses to me. Krl called them and talked with a person and everything was wonderful. We could keep our phone numbers, we just needed to decide which plan we need. Krl got all the information so we could discuss it and told them she would call them back the following day. Turns out when we made the decision and she called back, she got another person and that person was not a good person. All the sudden the account was not pre-approved, they wanted a deposit of eight hundred dollars because the company has limited credit references (because they try to pay as you go) and the company does not have a Dunn and Bradstreet rating. It didn't matter that the company pays it's ninety thousand dollar monthly fuel bill weekly which actually appears to be a pre-paid expense on monthly statements. It didn't matter that other references range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. Now the phones were free "after rebate". But the thing that got my drawers in a wad was this new girl told Krl we COULD NOT keep our old numbers. For me this is a deal breaker. Krl was talking to the girl on one phone and to me on another and I should have been on television because I snapped out "No Deal". (Howie would have been proud). Krl tried to call back and talk with her initial contact but had no luck.

Call me a fuddy duddy but my cell phone number was mine before the company assumed the bill. It is the ONLY cell number I have ever had! Same for Krl. I don't want to change numbers, it is just that simple. Nothing peeved me more than when our area code was changed. How many business cards, letter heads, invoices, and other printed material were no longer correct. Besides, I know my old cell phone number as do countless contacts.

Saturday afternoon, Krl walked by the answering machine and saw it blinking. When she pushed the play button she heard a message from the cell phone provider she had been talking with. "Your new phones have shipped. Please activate them by dialing your assigned number". I wonder which part of "No" they didn't understand. We have no idea what number they are referring to. We couldn't believe a sales person would have the audacity to call and leave a message like that. The service had been inquired about but not authorized. This could get out of hand. I guess we have run across the hard sell. I hope that girl hasn't spent her commission of this sale.

I wonder if they are going to want an early termination fee if we don't ever activate their phones?

Even I could sell phone service to an answering machine.

Lots of good football today, also an excellent NASCAR race. I'll go on record as saying I am pulling for the Colts to win the Super Bowl, Jeff Gordon to win the Nextel Cup, Auburn to win the NCAA Championship (but only because Miami is out), and I could give a rip who wins the world series (My world series was at Williamsport).

I can't believe Abilene High is still looking for their first win of the season. Even more unbelievable is that Lubbock Monterey is undefeated. The mighty Plowboys got humbled (but that may be exactly what they need to go deep into the playoffs. Abilene Christian High School played the Garden City Bearkats Friday night (the Bearkats are the closest high school team to the Fall jobsite). The Bearkats beat ACHS 66 to 16 in three quarters before the game was called.

Nothing brings a community together like a successful season.

I will mention that the Super Dome hosts Monday Night Football tonight. Lots of hullabaloo. Commentators talk about giving the people of New Orleans something to cheer about. I realize this is a milestone. I realize this is a big blip on the screen of rebuilding New Orleans. But there is so much need on a much smaller individual scale that will never receive the attention the Super Dome project did. A lot more people were affected than the hundred thousand that might pack the stadium tonight. For a lot of people it's not about sports. It's about living.

FATHER, oh to be like YOU.

This is going to be a frustrating week. And it has already started.

I find myself having trouble getting motivated, and that isn't like me. Usually I am quick to get it in gear and prefer to do the most difficult task first. This past week I have been guilty of procrastinating. Big time. My analyst (Krl) tells me I am depressed about leaving for the seasonal work. She is probably right. We haven't been at home as long as we were on site last year (which stretched into this year).

All sorts of variables come into play, just getting ready to leave. From making plans to get all Krl's plants in (or given away) to winterizing the pool, to finding a new person to do the yard. Even the grocery shopping is affected because you sure don't want to buy for past Thursday or Friday if it is perishable.

Today the home office will have to be boxed up and loaded. We are trying to limit paper because it usually consumes us in the travel trailer. I am going to have to make myself transfer files from the old company laptop to the new one but I'm having a difficult time liking the new one. The old one is big, heavy, and bulky, but it is a lot like an old friend. If we can get the wireless router set up it will make this change necessary and probably easier for me because my antique laptop isn't set up for a wireless network while the new one is. Krl and I haven't discussed it but I am figuring she is going to want to take her scanalizer computer.

The scanalizer is another subject. In March of this year Krl saw a Martha Stewart show and Martha was pushing a new product, a scanalizer with proprietary software. While the concept is admirable, our experience hasn't been as good as Martha's. Krl is trying to save everything to a memory key, but several times this summer (as she has put old records in the computer) the software has hidden or lost some files. Needless to say, Krl has become a regular at backing up her computer. Week before last, the scanalizer developed a problem with the image. Parts of it were readable, the majority was not. We worked all week with tech support, cleaning, and changing settings until we finally became frustrated with the "techie" and asked for a supervisor. Just yesterday he authorized a RMA number to replace the scanner. I figure when it is all said and done we will have "messed" with this malfunction for two weeks.

My mental notes are filling up. When I woke this morning I was thinking about ordering more gloves. We have enough to begin the year but probably not enough to get through it. Dust masks, safety glasses, rain parkas. My list is growing. And these are just the little things.

Pleasant surprise at the fuel pumps on site. Friday, unleaded gas was 2.08, road diesel was 2.39. Usually it is the other way, what ever it is in town you can add forty cents. When your fuel runs twenty-three thousand dollars a week every little bit helps.

The first employees have been summoned to the jobsite October 2. The others have been summoned for October 9. Krl and I are planning to be on-site by this Friday night. The next travel trailer I take out will be a piece of cake, the last one (the big trailer) will be more involved. It isn't too difficult to set up but all the frills add up to work. I will have to under pin it with the fencing panels, drive t-posts and build a small yard, unload and put the porch (with "dog" ramp) in place. The satellite was scheduled in March to be turned back on October 1, but it still has to be set up. Telephone and broadband ISP should only require a telephone call to activate but still will require my time to connect them. As you can tell, Krl and I will have lots to do after the trailer is in place. I may end up staying in the trailer one night during the week and try to get some of this done before Krl and the houndgirls arrive.

Of course I figure while we are doing all the above, the hounds will be sulking and going into culture shock. After all they are city hounds, not country hounds.

I talked with the repair shop yesterday about BS 222. They completed one of the computer related repairs but the last one, the cruise control, is going to be an all day sucker. Maybe a couple of days, which means $$$$. The service writer tells me someone has gone under the dash and modified a lot of the wiring. He said it is fixable but it is going to be time intense and he didn't know if I had the time or if I would authorize the expenditure at this point. Good choice. At seventy-five dollars an hour it adds up quickly. What I need to do is catch the mechanic and make a deal for him to take the vehicle home with him some weekend (because he only draws about twenty-two dollars of that seventy-five an hour). The hardest part for me making this call is that at some point the fuel savings of having the cruise working would pay for the repair.

It will all happen.

In due time.

FATHER, help me to be motivated. Help me to plan well. Help me to practice patience. Let YOUR glory fill the earth.

The Fall work has begun. I kept on trying to put it off, a Wednesday trip out slid to Thursday, Thursday to Friday. Finally I made myself go. An early morning departure was postponed until just before lunch.

Pepa was concerned that I was going out by myself. I would say that this has probably been the case for the last seven or eight years unless I was taking a prospective co-worker with me to witness the remote location first hand. For whatever reason, Pepa called Kyle Patrick Henry and as usual for Kyle he jumped at the chance to go ----anywhere!

At the jobsite we have a trailer park. It isn't much, just water, electricity and sewer hook ups. No trees, no picnic tables, and no recreational area. We are on site to work. Initially there were only two travel trailers, last year that number grew to seven. We are kind of like sardines. Packed in place. There is an order that everything goes in place. The first trailer sets the layout for all the rest. I have a secret recipe for determining the exact location of the "first" trailer, I have used the same land marks for years and years. It has actually become an automated response when I arrive there. Hit the marks.

Kyle and I took the first trailer out yesterday. This is for the loaders and is set up with bunks, accommodating five at maximum population. An optimum number is two. We disconnected the trailer from the pickup and began immediately to install leveling jacks and make the trailer solid. We then connected the electricity, water and sewer. Next project was unloading and connecting a hundred gallon propane tank that the trailers share. (This sure beats trying to keep six gallon bottles filled.) I think that Kyle was a little numb since he was witnessing the routine process for the first time. Everything was present and everything had a place it had to go. When we were out of pieces, the job was complete.

One down, two to go.

Once Kyle and I completed the trailer setup, we went inside to visit with the GM. He is having some health issues and is scheduled for surgery, October 2. That date is also the date we are scheduled to begin production.

Fall festival is next weekend so we are expected to be on site and in place by next Saturday. The annual event will begin with the massive sausage making, followed by setup for the Sunday festival. Saturday afternoon will see the residents gathered around the barbecue pits and beer kegs as they get some quick R & R before mass and beginning their assigned duties. Some will be up all night preparing the main course for the noon barbecue meal, others will be making sure all the side dishes and other preparations are completed. For a few hours Sunday, St. Lawrence will become the largest city in the county.

I'm glad that is behind me. Often times the most difficult part of an undertaking is getting it underway. Three more trips out this coming week.

And they're off!

FATHER, thank YOU for the safe day, the productive day. I pray for a blessed season. Reign in me.

Guess who's up?

I don't know what the deal was tonight. Actually I was uncontested for my part of the bed (Maple Syrple and Phooey were on the other side of Krl) and very possibly not having to fight for space may have awakened me. When the pups realized I was tossing and turning they corrected their oversight.

I have delayed all I can delay. Stl. today. Ouch. I just can't get pumped for this.

Yesterday saw a little more prep work. BS 222 is now in the shop. Two issues that are computer related that I am not equipped to diagnose and fix. I will have to see what the service writer does. I told him (and I wrote it on the service authorization) to call with an estimate before repairing. Verbally I told him funds were limited and if the first repair was too expensive the second would have to wait. I didn't receive a call from him. Last time I sent a truck to him a couple of hours repair turned into two weeks and a three hundred dollar project ended up costing twelve-hundred. (I think they charged the company storage). They were in need of a special o-ring and it took two weeks to get it right. I am hopeful this man remembers those events because I certainly do.

We did have a little comic relief yesterday. Krl continues to work in the travel trailer. At one point she came storming into the office and told me, "We have rats!"

I said, "What?"

"We have big rats in the trailer", she exclaimed, "in the ceiling and in the walls."

When we store the trailer, I do all I can to discourage "visitors". I wasn't going to say it wasn't mice or rats but I wasn't prepared to say it was. When we store the trailer I don't lay the power cord on the ground, I suspend it from the wall plug so as not to give access to "stowaways". Earlier in the week I had been all through the storage areas of the trailer and I didn't see any evidence of "company". I slipped on my shoes and followed her outside and into the trailer. She went into the bedroom on my side of the bed and beat on the wall and ceiling and stepped back. In a few moments you could hear scratching and screeching. I asked her to wait there and I went outside and took a broomstick and moved the small tree limbs that were in contact with the trailer. I went back inside and asked her if she heard the noise again. She responded affirmatively and I explained. About that time, the noise rustled again and she wanted to know why. We went outside and watched as the wind gusts moved the small branches against the trailer, one of the very smallest branches had a blunt end and when it made contact it would make a high shrill screech. We laughed as we made our way back to the house and I reminded her that when birds are on the roof of the trailer it sounds like tap dancers!

I would never have caught that one. (And that's all my psyche needs is another unattainable goal).

Another hot topic over at preachermike.com. Mike's post yesterday was about the Time magazine cover story, Does God wants you to be rich? Lots of good view points. I was surprised at the amount of bashing the prayer of Jabez was getting. Call me stupid but I never thought about "expand my boundaries" as wealth. I always thought of it as "making" me more complete. As a spouse, friend, son, parent, Christian, worker. Kind of that "be all you can be" mentality. Let me get back to you on this one.

I don't want to be rich. I just want to be comfortable. I would like to go out and eat once in a while (although the best place to eat in town is at our house). I would like to be in a position to be able to help someone. I would like to be able to splurge once in a while at the grocery store. I want to have a small reserve in my pocket. I don't want to worry when I use a credit card whether I am over limit or whether or not they have received their payment.

Ever since the episode with the family business and it's aftermath, I will never part with a dollar without thinking it through. Now don't be mistaken. I/we were never wealthy. Even though the business grew to $20M in annual sales, it wasn't around long enough for the small margin to accumulate. In fact, I would think most people would be surprised how little family members drew as salaries when compared to other businesses in the industry. When an outside firm was brought in to evaluate the family operation, the only salaries that weren't criticized were those of the family members (which proved to be only a third of the industry standard).

I still laugh to myself when I think back to a conversation with my Mom in the aftermath of the failed business after it's association with the less than honorable international company, and after our unsuccessful lawsuit. Neither my Mom or I ever prayed for a verdict in our favor and neither of us ever prayed for a large "reward". We just never felt it was right to approach GOD in matters like this. Since then, we have had other laughs about our exit interview from this world (or our entry interview to the hereafter) with GOD.

GOD- "You seem to have really had a problem with the demise of the family business, the international barracuda and losing the lawsuit."

Me- "Yes."

GOD- "You never asked me to help out with that."

Me- "I just didn't feel it was right to ask. You have lots more important things going on. I just prayed that things would work out as YOU intended."

GOD- "Oh, and I thought it didn't really matter to you."

End of interview.

I might need a do-over for that. I look at all that has happened since then. How I have grown. How I have mellowed. How I have hardened. How priorities have changed. I can't help but think "my boundaries" have expanded. I am confident GOD's plan for me remains on track.

I probably need to re-read a book which talked about prayer. It said to be specific in what you pray about. Pray about individuals by name. Pray about needs specifically. Pray about thanks specifically. Be specific.

I need to work on that.

It is ironic that as I wrestle with dollars and cents, a few of the wealthy individuals are giving and pledging huge amounts of their excess to projects like global warming, world hunger, HIV, and other worthy projects.

I like the fact that we have a former President (Clinton) who is young enough to still be active for chosen causes. Lately he seems to have been very visible. Like him or not (we all have our demons), I think he is doing good things with his celebrity.

On another note, I look anxiously forward to when we have another former President.

I saw a guy the other day that had a "W" 04 sticker on his car. He didn't respond when I asked if the "W" stood for "Won't come off".

FATHER, I pray for safety today. I pray for a smooth, productive day. I pray for motivation. I ask that YOU remove the dread of the task ahead. Fill my day with YOU.

I am jealous of people who can sleep. I can't.

I've tried lots of remedies, but none have worked. I'm tired and I want to sleep but my brain is hyperactive and keeps calling my body out to play. Drats!

Maybe if I had an out of body experience I could sleep. Hhhmm.

My Wednesday was pretty much a wasted day. I did get the o-rings on the valve spools and BS 2 back together but that was about the only productive thing I did. I took a pickup to Roscoe. Pepa had called and asked me to come assess some trailers which are needing some work. When I arrived he was out and when I called him on his cell phone he told me he was with a crop insurance adjuster. It was almost six in the evening when he completed his excursion with the adjuster. The other part of our deal was he would drive me back to Abilene and we would stop and look at some new seats for his truck. I had looked and located what appeared to be the "best" prices and largest inventory of truck seats in the area. When we arrived at the dealership (they have extended hours), they had nine seats on display in multiple colors. I have never been inside the truck Pepa was shopping for, but Pepa wasn't comfortable with any of the colors they had on display. We ended up not buying anything. He wants to do a little more research. He says the interior of the truck is diamond pleated plaid. (??). The dealership didn't have any plaid seats but "Sharpie's" are available in multiple colors and I do have a straight edge. Seat prices range from two-ninety-nine to eight hundred dollars! Wow.

I guess if you buy an eight hundred dollar seat you have a pampered butt!

I got home after eight. Krl was in a tizz. The payroll tax issue I had mentioned earlier this week and the offer in compromise my negotiators had submitted had hit a snag. Actually I had received a call from the negotiator handling my case and she asked me to fax her a few copies. I was suspect at this point but she didn't volunteer any information. Turns out when I got home I had a letter from the governmental office rejecting the offer and questioning earnings. Upside to this was they made a counter offer so we have an area bracketed where the final number should be. Downside is I don't have a source at the present time to pay either one although I am researching possibilities. I am hopeful that the rejection and the counter offer is simply part of the dance the participants do. I suppose if they accepted the first offer they would think they were being too easy and we would think we had offered too much. So they agree to disagree so eventually they can feed their egos and think each of them got the better of the other.

Ring the bell. Let's get on with this thing!

I am so ready for this to be over. It seems that it is a constant irritant for Krl. I get to thinking how much simpler her life would be without the baggage I drag into the relationship. In her fragile state she doesn't need the stress. The craziest thing is that up to the time the mail ran yesterday afternoon she had had one of the best days she has had in some time. She had a terrific appetite, which is supposed to be a side affect of her new medication. I am hopeful that things will work out to get her stress level down and to put a little weight on her.

When I talked with her yesterday she commented that she felt like a bottomless pit and began listing for me, everything she had eaten. I was kidding her and told her I might come home to a blimp! She has a long way to go there!

Yesterday's move of my pickup to Roscoe was actually the first part of the move to the seasonal jobsite. It needs to be carefully orchestrated to minimize miles and costs. Next trip I will take the company pickup, deliver one of the travel trailers to the jobsite. Leave the company pickup in Roscoe, bring my pickup and a truck driver back with me to Abilene and send the first big truck to Sweetwater. My second trip will be another big truck towing the company travel trailer. I will meet the truck driver and he will take over the big truck, I will get in the company pickup and hook up another travel trailer, we will make the trip out and back to Roscoe where we will leave the second big truck, the driver will get in with me and we will return to Abilene to pick up the third big truck towing a trailer. This truck will remain in Roscoe until we double up again.

My head is beginning to hurt from all the planning.

FATHER, I pray for resolution with my problem, I ask for YOUR perfect peace for Krl and me.

Calf Rope!

Uncle!

Olly, Olly, Oxenfree!

Time out!

Make no mistake about it, I've had enough. I have piddled until I am piddled out. I am fed up with little picky repair projects.

Yesterday I returned to the equipment yard to do a bit of troubleshooting. The last time I had been to Waco, BS 222 threw me a curve. Highway 6 had just been surfaced, there was no center stripe, it was dark, there was intermittent rain, and the road was packed with vehicles. It was one of those deals where your reference points were not visible. Finally, when there was a break in on-coming traffic I clicked the dimmer switch for the high beams. The lights went out. Immediately I clicked again and the low beams came back on. Talk about surprised! I didn't risk clicking the high beams on again until I was at the yard in Abilene. As I coded into the security gate, I clicked the high beams on and they lit up the yard! As I drove in, they began to flicker. I parked the rig waiting for day light to look it over. Last week I had gone over wiring harness, connections and such but never found anything suspicious. I also never got the high beams to come on. In July I was chasing down a cruise control problem and I had replaced the combination cruise control, signal light, dimmer switch assembly with a brand new part from the dealership. $128.00 part. It didn't fix the cruise but I left it in place. Being the conservative I am, I placed the old one in the plastic bag and then in the box the new part came in. Yesterday I took the steering column apart and began probing with my test light. It became evident that the problem was located in the two month old controller. Finally I retrieved the old cruise, signal, dimmer switch controller and plugged it in although it dangled beside the new one (which was still bolted in place) . When I turned the lights on the low beam headlights came on as planned. When I clicked the dimmer switch the high beams came on as intended. The new part was bad. Since I am curious and since we are fixing to be taking all of this equipment to a remote location where the closest dealership is a three hour round trip, I began to test and probe to see which of the sixteen wires control the high beam lights. I then plugged the new piece back in to make sure that the corresponding wire on it was not carrying current. Sure enough, it wasn't so this started me looking for problems with the small printed circuit board and its connections. What ever it is, it is inside. I do intend to visit with my parts man about the "brief life" of the defective part. I have enough legitimate problems going on without working with faulty replacement parts. In brief moments, I had removed the faulty controller and re-installed the old one it had replaced. The faulty one is back in the bag inside the box. I suppose in a pinch if a guy can run low beam head lights only, this controller could be used for it's other functions.

Best part was, I did get the problem resolved.

I moved on to BS 2. I needed to re-install an electric brake controller under the dash. Actually the only time this is ever used is when the company travel trailer is being towed. Sometime during last season, one of the drivers had decided to take this controller out. Don't ask me, it is a truck driver thing. This small project turned out to be pretty time consuming but worst of all when I opened up the dash, I discovered an air leak.

Turns out the dash mounted trailer charge valve had a small air leak. I guess better here than on the road with someone who isn't skilled enough to fix it. Realize this wasn't a safety issue, this leak was minimal enough that until I was working inside the dash it was not discernable. Once the air system dropped to ninety-three pounds the valve would seal again but once the compressor cycles and air pressure builds over a hundred pounds, the valve begins leaking again. I decided to take apart the valve. I was confident it was just an o-ring problem and shortly I had the spool removed and "in hand". Plastic with multiple o-rings, inside and out. I gathered tools and locked the big truck down and crawled in my pickup to run down the street to a parts store. When I arrived there, the counter man asked broad questions and then told me it would have to be a complete valve replacement, not just the spool. I almost gagged. I didn't ask the price, but I know it would've taken all the good from a hundred dollar bill. About that time the parts manager came out and told the guy waiting on me that repair kits were available. In a few minutes I was looking at a repair kit. A spool replacement. $57.00 plus tax. Luckily I didn't have a check or my wallet so I told them I would have to come back. I stopped in down the street to check on some air seats for Pepa's KW and while I was there I inquired about a repair kit for my valve. The answer was the same, spool replacement. Price $51.00 plus tax. I was still not convinced I needed the whole thing. Finally, just before five, I pulled into the driveway of the house and dropped the tailgate and began totally dismantling the spool. Sure enough I found a torn inner o-ring on the plunger. When I was working in industrial sales we used to give these parts away they were so cheap. I am willing to wager that in the morning I can take a dollar bill and buy all the replacement o-rings. Add a little lithium grease to re-assemble it, I figure within a couple hours I'll have the truck back together and ready for it's annual inspection.

I am alarmed that so much of our world is disposable. I am alarmed that counter people are not concerned about helping their customer, but making that "big" sale. What happened to service? What happened to "the customer is always right"?

Greed and laziness. Most people would rather stuff the company coffers and get accolades from superiors. I am sad to say that the new generation of countermen are there only for the check and aren't going to look past their easiest solution for a problem, not what is in the best interest of the customer.

Last week I was chasing a brake fitting and was waiting in line at another of the dealerships in Abilene. An elderly man was sittings on a stool at the parts counter and a younger man who was accompanying him was talking with the parts man. I've been around the block a time or two so I do have a little knowledge of repairs and I was positive that what this partsman was selling them wasn't what they were asking for. My first thought was with some of the questions the young man was asking he probably had no business working on what he was working on. I was more concerned that the parts man seemed to be loading them up. When it came time to pay out the parts man told the younger man who in turn loudly told the older man the total and that he needed to pay. The older man stood and took out his wallet and removed a twenty. He replaced his wallet and pulled out a small coin purse. He told the parts man "I don't want no coins". Following this the parts man handed a copy of the invoice across the counter and told the men he would have to take the money to the business office. As soon as the parts man left the counter the older man and the younger man walked out the door. I thought they had very possibly paid exact money. In a moment the parts man returned as inquired as to where the men went. I told him they were getting in their vehicle. The parts man let out a small laugh and said, "I guess that old man doesn't need his change". I asked him if he wanted me to call them back in but the parts man said that wasn't his business. I went to the door and whistled as the men were just backing out, they pulled back in and I told them the parts man had some change for them. The younger man returned and claimed the change. It was about twelve dollars. The parts man made the comment that he thought maybe the old man didn't need the money and the young man chimed in agreement. When the young man left, I stepped to the counter and inquired about the fitting I was looking for. The parts man went to the back and returned with my part and while my ticket was printing he told me, "You cost me my beer money".

I said "What?".

He replied, "You don't know how often that happens. Someone comes in and pays cash and leaves without their change. I put it to the side but come the end of the day, if it is still there, it goes in my pocket."

I'm sure I paid a premium for my part. Cash, and I did wait for my change.

I don't think I'll patronize that dealership again.

Reminds me of another establishment owned by people who seem to be fine upstanding, church going people. If they have a customer who they think knows too much, they charge a "stupid tax".

Wonder if the two businesses are related?

I've had enough busy work. I am tired of repairs. I need to go to the jobsite for R & R.

FATHER, help me to always go the extra mile and to treat others as I want to be treated.

I wasn't ready for that.

But I guess I had better get adjusted to it because it is that time of year. Yesterday the company travel trailer came to my house. All of the sudden it was very real. It is time to get it together and "lock and load" for the seasonal work. Year twelve in this saga. Sixteen is the record for the previous company. I have been there for the eleven previous years although working for and with multiple companies. Now I have to load clothes, inventory supplies, and purge all the "crap" that accumulates over time "on-site". I am hopeful the trailer is loaded and ready for transport before the tow truck is ready! Of course this trailer is usually last to arrive on-site because it will ship filled with Krl's and my personal affects which takes it out of the mix as a possible temporary solution to the housing shortage. (I sure don't want to see Pancho wearing Krl's clothes).

Over the weekend I received a call from a co-worker from the past two years who is currently working in South Texas (using his training from the Fall work). Of course he is wanting to be included in this season's crew. He is an excellent worker and speaks fluent English and Spanish and he is cross trained to work anywhere with the exception of driving a truck (he is working on his CDL). Last year, due to the huge harvest and the extended season, he was moved into a position of floater. Whatever needed to be done. This was due to the fact that we had extra employees on site to allow others time off for various reasons. This year the harvest is one-third of last years. Instead of being on-site six months, I am projecting three. The floater position is eliminated. His pay is too high to do the lower end work, and those employees are returning as well as the skilled workers. So it is very possible that he is odd man out. (Now he knows how those workers at Ford feel!). Actually it is not as harsh as it sounds. This is option one, option two is getting him on with another contractor he has worked for before and option three is working under the GM of the plant (which I arranged for him after the plant closed in 2004. In fact they offered him year round employment which he spurned). I would hate to lose him as a co-worker, but I must be diligent in my recommendations.

When this employee called over the weekend, he was telling me that other co-workers were arriving at the jobsite. (Unsolicited). Anyone who has called and asked me when to report has been told October 9. I realize these people need to work. I do too. I asked that they delay their arrival as housing is an issue. For those already on-site, I told them I would try to get the transport of the company's other travel trailers accelerated. I just hope they understand that compressing two weeks into one is difficult.

Immediately after I had received the first weekend call, I put one in for the plant superintendent, with no luck. Cell phone, home, no answer. I had planned on calling him again Monday morning but he beat me to it. It was good to speak with him. As much as I seem to be dreading the return to the jobsite, I look forward to working for him and with him. Not only is he a good "super" he is a good person and one I feel fortunate to call a friend. After small talk, we got to the upcoming work and the current housing problem for the "early arrivals". We worked out a short term solution, but it would appear I will transport at least one company trailer there by the weekend, possibly two. He did make it clear that he does not plan on putting "the crew" on until after October 1.

Probably the best news the "Super" gave me was that he would bet that I am home for Christmas. That would be a change, the past two years we have been on site straight through the holiday. If his prediction comes true, that would mean a maximum of eighty-five days on site. A far cry from the the one-hundred eighty-five of last year.

I can probably do this.

Maybe.

I have visited with Krl and told her I want her to make regular trips back to Abilene for R & R and to check on things. She is balking at this. I may have done too good a job convincing her how difficult it is to return to the jobsite after brief visits home. We have made provisions with the girl who watched the house this summer to come in and check things and water and care for plants. The yard continues to pose a problem.

I have been "tipped off" that I will be approached about going to South Texas next summer to perform similar work to what I do at the Fall jobsite. I am excited about everything except being away from home even more. But I like to eat and a guy's got to do what a guy's got to do! I am thankful for the this potential opportunity and flattered to be considered. I am very curious about what might be offered!

I have had a firm working on a payroll tax problem that lingered from the now defunct family business. These negotiations have been going on for several months. I think often times about my Mom saying, "I am more scared of the IRS than I am of a bear!" I cannot count how many nights I have waked up in the middle of the night thinking about the IRS and this dilemma. Earlier this year, (shortly after I returned home), I had two "Revenue Agents" come to my home wanting payment of 1.3M+. I told them I would love to pay them. They told me they wanted me to pay them, but when I asked them if I could borrow a check they didn't see the humor. You know it isn't a case of want to, it is a case of can't. If the company fell behind in deposits when it was functioning, how in the world could I pay this after the company is gone?

It has been a long process, but I am optimistic that we are nearing resolution. We have forwarded a multitude of documents to them and a couple of months ago submitted an offer in compromise. This is based on the ability to pay. Late Friday I received what was termed to be a final request for two items. One was faxed Friday, the other I personally delivered to the local office for posting and to be stamped for proof of delivery. Correspondence with them has said I will have their decision or recommendation by October 1. Lots of interesting things; The 1.3M+ has been reduced to about 500K after subtracting penalty and interest (I guess). The IRS plays by their own rules. They are not dischargeable through bankruptcy. Their remedies for collection can be "far reaching".

This appears to be the final chapter in what has been a hard life lesson. The family business is gone, the farm operation sold off. Things I took for granted are forever changed. But I am ready to put this behind me. I suppose I have been through a "funk", fighting depression and quite happy to be only a laborer. I think this may have been some sort of self preservation mode. I have found myself beginning to think "What if ..... we can resolve the tax issue, what do I want to do?" And I am finding myself beginning to be optimistic.

Once this dilemma is behind us I intend to take on a couple of other projects. While we were under the protection of the bankruptcy rules, we had three entities who violated these rules. (Actually one of these was the IRS, but if we can make a deal, I won't pursue them or the agents who violated the court order). One of the others was flagrant, a law firm who talked with my attorney and yet continued proceedings. If my attorney wants to pursue them, he can have all of whatever he can collect (a person can sue on the basis of harassment through violation of the protection rules). The third one appears to be an honest clerical error, but does need to be corrected.

Healing is a long process. Learning, a life long exercise.

FATHER, thank YOU for YOUR faithfulness to meet my needs. I thank YOU for the plans YOU have for me and I ask YOU to help me be patient as YOU work YOUR plan for me. Thank YOU for lessons learned through these troubling times, I pray I have learned them well.

I don't like professional sports. I can't believe the amount of money people are paid to play. They are spoiled prima donnas who think they are celebrities. The gold chains, the fur coats, the high end automobiles, it all makes me want to puke.

I find myself wondering why anyone would want to coach these people. Actually you don't need to be a coach as much as you need to be a psycho-analyst. Balancing these huge egos has to be an art. Athletes who think they are above practice, above the admiring public, and above the law.

I caught the 60 Minutes segment with Bill Romanowski. Romo. This man is scary. The hatred he could harbor, the intimidation. Wow. Of course he is promoting his new book about his sixteen years in the professional football league. 271 games, without missing one. He took a hundred pills a day, ranging from vitamins, to supplements, to amino acids. He produced a large fishing tackle box complete with petitions, still filled with evidence of this. It appeared his inventory would rival many pharmacies. He was injected with living cells to promote healing from the trauma his body encountered on the field. Steroids? Yep. Of course Balco had to be in the mix somewhere (which he confirms). They assured him what he was taking was "clear". As soon as the league began testing for a particular variety, he quit taking it and moved to something else. Eventually it came to a point that he was spending $200,000 annually for performance enhancing drugs, supplements, and doctors, and he had no idea what was in many of the substances. At one point in the latter stages of his career, he got in a fight with a teammate during practice and shattered his teammates eye socket. This ended up costing him $415,000 to settle.

Throughout his career his goal wasn't just to dominate, but to destroy his opponents. Doling out cheap shots, he is without a doubt one of the most controversial players every to step on the field. His plan was to maime, hurt, remove from the game. He spoke of breaking fingers while at the bottom of a pile of players, after the play was ended, sometimes they were his opponents, sometimes they were his teammates.

Pathetic. Romo, No mo'. I won't buy the book. It has been thirty years since I bought a ticket to any type professional game. I have no intention of breaking the streak.

Yahoo sports broke an exclusive story about Reggie Bush and his family accepting money, trips, and gifts during his playing days at USC. Reggie denies it all. Yahoo claims they have the goods.

Why not make a pact between the NCAA, the professional leagues and the Player's Association. If a player is guilty of violating amateur athletic rules of the NCAA, they are banned from the professional ranks, regardless of how good they might be. If a former professional player comes clean after his career is over (like Romo hoping to make another big check with his book about cheating), or if a current player is caught violating league policy, they should be banned from playing and forfeit any future pay or retirement benefits.

Why not fans boycotting the guilty teams, and players.

Bring on Pop Warner! (But leave the parents at home).

Hey, it's just a game.

FATHER, help me to arrange my priorities and truly realize what is important. YOU.

It seems as though I have been "more" aware the past few months of my mortality. I'm not sure if this is part of the aging process, a normal concern, or a premonition.

Throughout the summer it became a regular ritual for me to jot a quick note, usually in abbreviated form, so Krl would have some idea of where I was at on a particular day and hopefully she could figure out an approximate time frame. Lots of mornings I might already be in the metroplex area or the high plains before she and the houndgirls were stirring.

I have also found it interesting that I leave a fairly good trail about where something is at. I don't guess there is any reason for me to lock my pickup because everyone should know by now where I hide my keys! Same for access codes! Bookwork is pretty simple, trying to keep it at basic steps where nothing is assumed and no-one would wonder where a particular number came from.

I'm just wondering if this is normal. Hhhmmmm.

I do know I would be lost if something happened to Krl. I can look for something in the kitchen or in her files with no results. When I finally ask her for help it is usually only a brief moment until she produces the item.

NCAA Football Separation Saturday was definitely that. Pretty good football in spots. Oklahoma and Tennessee probably feel robbed while Oregon should buy a lotto ticket and send the officiating crew a thank you card. Michigan, and USC flexed their muscles, Texas completed their therapy against Rice after the Longhorn loss to Ohio State. The Buckeyes had a down week after thrashing Texas. Miami and Notre Dame have to be in shock. They didn't get beat, they got routed!

Already the Miami message boards have petitions for Coker's firing, other contributors are demanding he resign immediately "to give potential recruits the message that Miami is serious about returning to national prominence". Other message board threads call for Kyle Wright's demotion.

To this point I have stayed out of the fray, but it is becoming increasingly evident that the Hurricanes have been out coached. They come out primed and ready and when their opponent makes adjustments, Miami never counters. Four losses our of the last five games to BCS teams and they have not scored in the second half.

I am partial to Kirby for obvious reasons. I have seen him play. He and Kyle may be "good friends", but Kyle appears to be a politician saying all the right things. Kyle apparently is a "practice player" who excels in controlled situations but locks down and spazz's in realtime games. Kirby is one of those players who thrives in game situations, stepping up to the next level. I think Kirby is deserving of "meaningful" playing time with the best supporting cast Miami can provide, not filler time with reserves after games are safely out of reach with Division 2 opponents.

Last January Kirby seriously considered leaving "the U". Coker made a trip to Brownwood during the holidays to urge him to stay. Kirby was told of changes in the works. We have read press reports of a special package being put in, just for Kirby. Maybe Coker should become a politician. Not only has Coker failed his team and Kirby, he has failed the alumni.

It's a sad sight when the 'Canes come out and talk the talk, but when it comes to walk the walk, they waddle.

And those are the observations of a "couch coach".

I am excited about today's NASCAR race. Loudon, N.H. begins the ten race chase to the championship! Sentimental choice is Martin, loyal choice is Gordon, most deserving is probably Johnson, Burton would be o.k., Jr. probably needs to win it to measure up to Sr., I just can't like Harvick, Kennseth has had his day and newcomers Busch, Kahne and Hamlin will have their day in the future.

Hope your weekend has been a good one!

FATHER, I pray for renewal!

I survived the day.

Actually it was enjoyable to spend a portion of the day outside and work along side my "sweetie". I had waited until she and the houndgirls were up before I began to get yard equipment out of the garage and fuel and service it. I had weed-eated the front and was beginning to mow when Krl came outside. She was wanting to help but I completed the front before taking a brief break and moving everything to the back yard. When I began running the weed-eater in the back I heard the mower start up and Krl was on the job. It was interesting to note the differences between how we want and do the yard and how the yard people have done it. To them it is a small ingredient in volume with $$$$$ signs stamped on it. For Krl and I it is getting it done right.

Krl had recently gone to see Doctor Mackie (he wasn't in so she had to settle for his associate). I was surprised but she weighed in at a hefty 96 pounds. (I think she might have had rocks in her pockets). The doctor told her she had double ear infections which was affecting her general health. Of course she was thin before this came along. She was given three shots and a prescription for an antibiotic that really has some raunchy side effects. About a week or so after this doctor visit she was wondering what happened to her doctor of twenty years who had retired in 1999. She was checking to see if he still lived in Abilene when she discovered not only did he still live in Abilene, he had just come out of retirement and opened a new practice. She called and in just a few days she was sitting in his office. He has made some changes in some of her meds, adding some, deleting others. He told Krl that it was of utmost importance to build her up because she is so frail (he feels she is forty to fifty pounds under weight for her five foot seven inch height). Currently she is having a hard time adjusting to her new meds. She keeps telling me she just wants to feel good again.

I was surprised that she held up to helping with the yard.

As for me, my shoulders, knees and back are telling me it has been too long. As I age I am questioning the wisdom of foregoing shoulder surgery while in college.

I have got to get my game face on. It is time to get motivated about the seasonal work.

I had a call yesterday from Suzanne. She has been doing some negotiations for me. Scary part is, everytime she calls it usually costs me money. Yesterday was no different although it was cheaper $21.22. She tells me that with the money and completing one more form we could have our long awaited response by the end of the month. I am somewhat unsettled that she refuses to express an opinion in this matter. I am preparing a letter to her firm when this is all behind us telling them about our association from my perspective.

"If you risk nothing, then you risk everything." --actress Geena Davis

"I'm not an optimist. I'm a prisoner of hope." --Archbishop Desmond Tutu

"FATHER, my hope is built on nothing less than JESUS." --d lee

One size does not fit all!

That's close to what I encountered yesterday. I was very optimistic about my day. I only needed to replace one specialized air fitting and a leveling valve on BS 222. The entire project would entail only two bolts, and five press release air fittings.

When I arrived I backed my pickup beside the "patient" truck, opened my tool box and then laid out the new parts. The first part of the project, the specialized fitting was completed in less than five minutes. YES! I then grabbed the new valve, a ratchet, extension and the appropriate size socket along with a screwdriver to press the releases on the air fittings. In about fifteen minutes, the new valve was in place and ready for testing and adjustment. Crud! When the valve was activated it worked opposite of what it was supposed to do. When the cab was low, the valve released to make it go even lower. When the cab was too high, the valve closed and applied more air raising it even more. Frustrated, I went back to the pickup and retrieved the instructions. (I know it's a male thing). The instructions entailed two pages of diagrams and arrows. Picture one was designated for one particular truck model, picture two for another, picture three for yet another and finally picture four was for all others. You can probably guess where my project landed. I inventoried the valve kit (which had been open when I picked it up at the dealership) and I found it did not contain one bracket. I went back over the instructions and found this to be irrelevant because this project truck didn't fall into that particular group of instructions. I then began experimenting. I turned the control arm around. It still didn't work correctly. I changed places for the supply and charge lines, still no luck. More and more it appeared that I needed that mounting plate. Finally I was so frustrated I called to talk with my parts man. He was alarmed that the box had been opened but outside of that offered very little advice. Finally, using what I was presented with, I began flipping and inverting the valve, changing the angle and direction for mounting and finally I hit it right. Don't ask me what I finally did. I do know that the valve is set up almost the complete opposite of what it was when it came out of the box. My fifteen minute valve replacement had grown to over four hours.

I would like to have a talk with the engineer who wrote the instructions for the multiple vehicle valve! It was kind of like having written instructions for a Rubik's Cube.

Personally, I think engineers should stick with trains!

I visited yesterday with one of my long time co-workers. It always does me good to talk with him. He is very laid back and quiet spoken but when he speaks it is usually worth listening to. We had brainstormed earlier this summer about a project that never came to fruitation. I hated it for me and him both but I am glad we didn't get so far that he tied up time and money in the hundred mile commute to get it going. He is ready for the fall work to begin. And so am I.

I plan on doing our yard today so I am hoping for a cool cloudy day. Krl had made a deal with a friend to do it after the yard man had to have surgery. This friend does not charge as he is doing it just to help out. He is also using our lawn equipment. The two times he has done the yard it was only after his spouse reminded him of his commitment and it never happened on the appropriate day. I figure I will save Krl and I both some grief and just do it. Of course this will be the first Friday I have been home since everything became unsettled.

FATHER, I am struggling.

My week has been one of pursuit. First of problems with equipment, second for repair parts, third for more parts and fourth begins this sequence again.

I began with a power steering sector seal kit. BS 222 has been seeping just a bit of fluid but over the course of thirty thousand miles, it has accumulated between truck washes and has made the truck nasty. Parts cost $30.01.

I had chased an air system leak on and off this summer. On this particular model there is a bank of air solenoids located on the left hand side of the engine. Six of them to be exact. These operate the engine brakes, the fan clutch, the a/c, and they tell me the cruise control. I had replaced the line and stopped the problem but over the course of the summer it became evident one of the special connectors was bad. Part cost $16.67.

Often times when you fix one problem you reveal another. This was the case with the air connector. Another special connector bad, thankfully this was a straight one and was priced much more reasonable. Cost $3.75.

Probably the most irritating gremlin this year has been a recurring problem with the cab leveling valve. It has been very sensitive and has a mind of it's own. Finally I decided enough is enough. Replacement part cost $79.43.

Knowing I am doing all I can do before this equipment is under the gun at the jobsite. Priceless!

I have been working my way back from the front bumper. In fact there are only a couple of other things that I intend to look at and none of these should be major. With a little luck, today could be the day I put this project in the completed file.

I was sad to hear of former Texas Governor Ann Richards death. I feel Ann did more for women in Texas than any other politician, she was a staunch supporter of equal rights. When she came on the scene Texas politics were pretty much an elite male club. Although she lost her gubernatorial re-election bid to Dummy (I mean "W") her approval rating remained near sixty. She had stated that she might have lost the election but she didn't lose. A no non-sense, clear spoken lady. One of my favorite "Ann stories" is that after she won the governor's race she showed up with a T-shirt proclaiming "A woman's place is in the dome".

Just for the heck of it I typed in my name for a web search. What I found is that I don't know myself at all. 15,200,000 hits.

What?

I found that I am quite accomplished. An author, an educator, and a researcher just to name a few. Probably the most startling revelation is that I am dead.

And just when I was finding myself.

LORD lead me in the ways YOU want me to go.

Rats! I was so enjoying my sleep time when my inner self deemed my rest complete.

Actually I think I had some sort of episode. Possibly some early stage of sleep aeptnea (?). Dry mouth, breathing rather rapidly. That must of been some dream! Based on my life it would have to be a nightmare! It doesn't help that I seem to be developing arthritis in both shoulders making that perfect comfort position very evasive.

Ain't it grand to get old?

Monday I had made the trek to Sweetwater so I went on to Roscoe to spend a little time with my parents. Turns our they were in Abilene for doctor appointments. Darn the luck! Anyway, I ended up visiting briefly with my older brother and had a fair length visit with my sister. I was discussing a little business with her and getting caught up on other happenings. Early Tuesday morning I received a call from my brother-in-law which was a continuation of the the business discussion Monday and even more catching up on current events.

It is unbelievable how insulated I am by being only fifty miles away. While I will talk with my folks a few times a week, I guess my phones have a filter which limit what information they feel is relevant. Even my sister sometimes seems to protect me by putting the best possible spin on things. Now my brother-in-law is a no nonsense kind of guy. What you see is what you get and you don't have to wonder if he is being on the level because he's a lot like me, it's going to come out. And I guess that is why I love all of them, for trying to insulate and protect. Some by information restriction, some by putting the best face on it, and others giving me the straight facts.

There is a lot of baggage still being toted from the defunct family business. It continues to try to poison and pollute what are already strained ties. To date the defunct business has forced three of five of the involved families into bankruptcy. Three of the five face tax issues. There have been tears, there has been finger pointing, seeds of gossip have been planted and everytime you think the family unit might survive this, someone throws another rock in the pond and the ripples start all over again.

At one point in time I had served as CFO. That's what they tell me. Basically I headed the paper side of the business. Billing, receivables, collection, payroll, safety, compliance, drug testing, receivables funding. It all lived on my end of the office. (What no one knew was that the only paper I wanted to manage was the toilet paper). Out of necessity, I was thrust into this role. Realize that this business went from a half million dollars in annual sales to twenty million dollars in annual sales in a five year period. Basically this meant that very quickly my Mom was covered up with paperwork and for a period of time we were chasing this albatross! I've said it before and I will say it again, "to much growth is just as bad as no growth"! We were along for the ride trying to reel this thing in. All of us were thrust into roles which played to our strengths. Pepa sat in an oversight role, Memama remained active until the computers distanced her from a lot of what she had done for years. My brother has an uncanny ability to grow business. My strength was organization. My brother-in-law took the lead in everyone's farming operations. When we moved into our new offices in early 1997 there were four of us and we thought "How will we ever use this space?". At it's peak, we had built on to that office twice, staffed it with thirty-four employees, had seven satellite offices and three remote yards not counting the two shops and yards located near the office.

Communication became an issue. I can't grow a business like my brother, but he doesn't understand what has to accompany that growth. The final straw was the company's involvement with a large international company that proved to be less than honorable. Contrary to what my Momma taught me, some people are just no good! While this mammoth company promised to "Make the business whole", they were lying through their teeth.

It was very difficult personally to learn of the stories circling through the small gossip community because most of the stories pointed at me. I finally decided that sticks and stones can't hurt me and these people weren't worth losing sleep over.

I was sad to learn that modified stories continue to circulate. Basically the story remains the same only the targets have changed. All the stories seem to allege personal greed and ineptness. What is alarming is that some of these stories seem to possibly be spooled by family members not in the inside circle and certainly not informed enough to be credible. If this is the case I will be extremely disappointed. I understand the natural reaction to protect your spouse, your child, or your parent, but this protection should be based on fact not fiction and honesty should be the policy.

Just about a year ago I was gathering information for my attorney and went into a local office in my home town. This office has a coffee pot and is a regular gathering point for locals. It had been "years" since I had been in there. Some of the patrons were like old times, some seemed cold and stand offish. I didn't realize at that time the lines drawn in the sand and all the different allegiances. One particular person who I had always been friendly with and went to church with (where he serves as a deacon) was extremely cool and brief. Recent revelations have explained his behavior although it is not acceptable to me.

I don't know if the family will survive this mess. I know as long as the locals stir the pot it won't ever settle down. If I had my way I would pull out all the waggin' tongues and cut off all the pointing fingers.

If you want to blame someone, blame me. Because I don't live there and I don't care! Nanna nanna pooh pooh! Some people need to get a life!

And I am thrilled I no longer reside in Peyton Place!

Sorry. I don't know where this blog came from. It wasn't my intention when I booted up.

FATHER, surround us with YOUR goodness!

There is no joy in "non"-sailboat land. Sigh, now I'm going to have to develop another fantasy.

Par for the course, I find myself in a familiar situation. While I am employed, the company that employs me is without revenue producing work. This should be for a very brief period as we have received notice to ship out to the jobsite in two weeks. The move will take a portion of that time.

Hopefully I will take advantage of this "down time" to do those little "to do's" that have accumulated on my list of repairs. Yesterday I picked up a seal kit for the steering sector on BS 222. $30.01. What the heck! It should've been $3.01. I'm glad I'm installing it because they get $75.00 an hour.

Since I was on the West edge of Abilene, I went ahead and drove to Sweetwater to visit with a customer who had promised fill in work but had waffled. In fact they kept me on a string all summer long and I endured many idle days and late nights to accommodate their requests. I think I moved sixteen loads from May to now (all but two of them after eight in the evening and before seven in the morning) while they had told me initially they had ninety loads to transfer and then we would be given the opportunity to consolidate their warehouses into a single unit. Now they have brought in another company which submitted a higher bid. Go figure, but it is possible someone may be getting a kick back. Sad thing is, this customer is a member owned cooperative and the guys making the decisions aren't risking their own money, it is company money. Knowing a vast number of the member owners, they tend to be ultra conservative and not fond of waste. Turned out while this customer is spending a premium for identical service, the man that made the call is on holiday in the Caribbean. Next contact is up the ladder, his boss.

As you probably have surmised, I am no longer working with my friends K.O. and D.O.. It had become increasingly frustrating and my Friday helped make the decision that no work was a more desirable option. In fact it took three "bad" Fridays in a row to make my mind up. Basically it came down to a lack of communication and the inability to see something to completion. K.O. and I are going to sit down and talk. I don't relish the conversation but I feel I wouldn't be much of a friend if I wasn't honest in my assessment of his operation to him. Having worked in their office and worked outside through their dispatch I think I have a realistic grasp of where problem areas are.

Well, things have been stirred up over at preachermike's blog. The erection and dedication of Jack Maxwell's artwork "Jacob's ladder" on the campus of my alma mater has unsettled a few. Lot's of comments ranging from holy ground, sacred place, and many other positive accolades. These have been countered by a much smaller number of negative comments about waste and poverty. Typically, it has been a dog pile on the dissenters. I personally don't know where art falls into GOD's priorities. Does it have a place, yes I think. But at what cost. I have much more problem with waste on the physical plant, millions of dollars to move a road a few years ago, more recently the summer long project at the entry way with the man made lake that is following on the heels of the exercise walk way which surrounds the campus. Lots of glitz and glitter. Some talk of the number of people who will be changed at this institution of higher learning, I wonder about the number of people who become too discouraged to enroll there because of the costs. Of course with every project comes the disclaimer "our thanks to our friends who made this possible".

I once had a Bible professor there (who was later dismissed. Future student's loss) who posed the question to our class to describe "Christianity" in one word. After much discussion he gave us his answer, moderation. He went on to explain that over and over we are warned of excesses, and in his opinion moderation best fit the question he had asked our class. To many this would be the glass half full or half empty question, to others it would be considered a non-answer. (Eventually his view on moderation cost him his job as he was presented with a "change or be changed" ultimatum).

Over the years I find myself pondering this same question. The catch phrase the last few years seems to be "missional". I would term that as an incomplete answer. I don't buy in to the "moderation" answer although it does have basis. My answer is "selflessness". And this is a real problem for me. Do I practice it. On occasion, but then I catch myself backsliding. I doubt I practice it as much as I don't practice it. I fail miserably because I don't really know how everything looks from GOD's perspective.

Paraphrased;
'Sell all you have and give it to the poor. And the man was sad because he possessed great wealth. '

and then

'It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven'. (Not impossible but extremely difficult)'.

And I wanted a dumb sail boat.

FATHER, Oh to be like YOU!

Just my luck!

For the last few weeks I have gone to and from our house and along the way I have admired a small Hobie Kat Catamaran (?) sitting in someone's driveway with a "For Sale" sign on it.

I really don't know why it is so appealing to me because the first thing I probably should do is learn to spell Catamaran (?), before I fantasize about driving one. (O.K., I know it's not driving, it is sailing!).

This one is probably sixteen feet in length, the mast would be fifteen to twenty feet tall, a mat approximately eight feet by eight feet spans between the twin hulls. Nothing fancy, bare bones sail boating, yet this craft leapt out at me every time I passed.

I don't know why sailing seems so relaxing and enjoyable because I know nothing about it. My only sailboat experience is limited to small craft in the bath tub when I was a child. (Of course if your sail boat tended to turn over you could pull the mast and rub it across the stern several times and miraculously your boat would sail right. (I don't know so don't ask me).

If I were to depart on a sail boat it would be much like people feared for Columbus, that I might sail out of sight never to return. (Maybe that is the appeal). Before I depart I would leave specific instructions and time frame for my return with appropriate reaction should I not return. These would include approximate destinations depending on wind direction should I not be able to return against the wind, and last but not least a powerboat large enough to tow me and my "vessel" back to my point of origin.

This all became a moot point the past couple of days. I had been leaving while it was dark and returning while it was dark (not continued darkness, dark again). Yesterday morning I left for Lubbock just after daybreak and as I prepared to admire the object of my dreams, I found that it was gone.

Alas, someone else has similar dreams.

My biggest problem now is explaining to Krl that my dream of sailing her to Cozumel for vacation is no longer possible. (I felt this would be the sure selling (or sailing point) to her!). I was very confident that if I could sail South, we could ride the leading edge of a hurricane back home.

I would have made a tremendous Captain and she could have been my Gilligan.

For several years, Krl and I have bantered about "dream" vacations. Hers is filled with blue water, it's white foam blending into white beaches.

Mine has always been aboard a "sailing" cruise ship. I have even checked on them on-line. They call them tall ships and I think they are gorgeous. I can imagine sitting on the deck listening to the ripple of the sails in the breeze. There are working ships (where "you" are a member of the crew, and there are luxury cruises. Either way, I have found they are expensive, much more than the cruises you run across daily. One trip that was "my dream" cruise was listed at just over ten thousand dollars per person.

Hey, a guy can dream.

Friday I was in the metroplex and then went to Waco. I was amazed at the number of out of state cars packed with college students headed south toward Austin. Of course, Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and I even saw a car from California. I began to wonder how many parents thought the last three hundred dollars they sent "Junior" was for text books. I can only imagine the dorm and classroom conversations. "O.K., if we share books, we can put this money toward our road trip!" Nearly every car, I saw all the inhabitants (with one designated exception) soundly sleeping while the driver filled his time slot at the helm. (Another sailing term!). Let's see, nineteen hours to Imperial Valley, twelve hours to Birmingham, sixteen hours to Columbus. Hhhhmmm.

Not that I ever did anything like that.

The week that just ended should have been shot about day two. Lots of miles, lots of waiting. Endless frustration. I should have been home Friday evening between seven and eight. I left Waco just after eight, put the truck in the yard after eleven. Gathered my things, got in my pickup, arrived home just before midnight, got a shower and a bite to eat, tried to relax before going to bed just after one. I didn't set an alarm. If I woke up early enough to deliver Saturday (yuk), fine, if not, Monday works for me. Legally I could not leave before completing a ten consecutive hour break (of course I was out of hours before I arrived home Friday night. I turned in a blank log with the message that the office can figure this crap out). I awakened early, and departed. Destination, Lubbock, Texas. After all, I am a professional.

I have been arguing with myself for the past few weeks about whether or not it is "worth it", putting up with the frustration and hassle. Friday made it easy. D.O. called just after I bumped the dock and I told her "This load is my swan's song". I tried repeatedly to call K.O. to tell him but either he refuses to answer or isn't carrying his phone. (Either would be indicative of the problems I encountered daily throughout the summer).

So, one week until we begin the move to the seasonal jobsite. Three weeks until hopefully we start work. I have a list of things to fix on Blacksheep 222. I plan on making good use of my time.

Actually, it is a tremendous relief.

I've got a little time, ......... . . if I only had a sailboat.

FATHER, restore in me, YOUR joy and hope.

Ah, three days off. The timing is tremendous.

Of course, any holiday affects revenues. While I am salaried, it makes no difference but since I am accountable for coordinating work for the company, it makes me look at the bottom line. It seems as though this year has been feast or famine. Feast while at the seasonal jobsite and famine ever since.

I suppose that I should be thankful that I have had the opportunity to observe first hand the major equipment used at the seasonal jobsite. It has seemed like two pieces are exceptional while the one has been a money pit. This past week saw me replace the air conditioner compressor for the second time in a month. Of course it was warranteed but the unit lost two days of work.

My week consisted of Abilene-Lubbock on #18, shop work on #222, Abilene-Fort Worth-Abilene, Abilene-Lubbock-Plainview-Abilene, and Abilene-Fort Worth-Dallas-Abilene. It was a pretty good week until the last day, Friday before a holiday. Any dispatcher who schedules appointments in the metroplex after noon on a Friday before a holiday should be shot! And that is exactly what my dispatcher did. I had a ten o'clock appointment to unload in Fort Worth Friday morning, but since I was the first company truck in, I had the luxury of dropping my loaded trailer and picking up an empty to expedite my day. I arrived in Dallas at eleven to pick up. I didn't have a load number but my appointment time was 2pm. (???) Turned out another company truck had finaled out nearby and beat me there, his appointment was for 5pm. but he had signed in under my load time. (Yuk!). A call to the office sorted things out, but I sat on the street waiting to enter the plant until my appointment time of two. Finally just after three I was loaded and out the gate. As soon as I hit Interstate 30 it was backed up with traffic, for almost the next ninety miles. All the way through Dallas, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Fort Worth, continuing all the way through and West of Weatherford to the 391 mile marker at Hillbilly Haven on the river. I have never seen such idiot drivers. No common sense, no reasoning ability. I saw drivers taking exits around bridges and enter the next entrance ramp trying to improve their positions by a couple of vehicles. An accident at the 413 mile marker was the reason for the extended backup to Weatherford and it seemed no one could drive for rubber necking. Another accident farther west of there ruined someone's long weekend plans. Finally, four and a half hours after I left Dallas, I arrived in Abilene. I'm not going back at least for three days.

Krl had made a deal with a man to do our yard. He began shortly before we returned from the jobsite in April. Every Friday, (with one exception) he showed up and mowed, weed-eated and edged. On occasion, his wife would help. Krl always had a big pitcher of ice tea ready for them to take a break. The fee was minimal, especially when you consider the cost of gas. Thursday evening before I got home the yard man called Krl and told her he was having elbow surgery this coming Tuesday and he was through for at least three months. Crudola. That meant the second team had been elevated to the game. I had total confidence in the equipment and Saturday morning I began to get it out and fuel and service it. A friend had called and volunteered to help, in fact he has been wanting to do the yard but we had refused since Krl had her other deal in place. As it turned out I spent all morning working on the mower. The gas weed-eater ran like a top but the mower kept faltering and dying. I finally determined it to be a fuel problem and removed the carburetor and cleaned it and repositioned a pin in the float. I assembled it and it ran like a top for just a few minutes and died again. I removed the bowl from the bottom of the carburetor and it was dry, no gas. In fact when I would work the float up and down no gas flowed. I reached up and loosened the gas cap and gas would begin to flow. Hummmm. A vent problem. I don't know what the deal is but once I had it back together and loosened the cap, the mower ran like a charm!

Of course we were racing the weather, we wanted to get done before the monsoon rains began. Of course the meteorologists were talking just to hear themselves. I am still waiting for the rain.
And to think, I whipped a poor turtle with Johnson grass so it would rain!

Dumb deeds. Yesterday morning I was on the cordless phone talking with my Mom when I walked outside and began rolling mowing equipment out of the garage. I finally sat down on one of the flower boxes and finished our conversation. When I had finally healed the lawn mower, I began to gather tools and such when I realized I didn't know where the cordless phone was at. I still don't. I have called it, I have paged it. I have listened to the dumpster to see if I threw it in there. I have looked in the flower beds, the shrubs, my pickup. I have looked everywhere. Only possibility is that I layed it on the bumper of my pickup prior to me going to get my tools from the big truck. Actually, I even re-drove that route. I would have liked to at least known what I did with it. Finally I unplugged the base unit and retrieved the company phone that goes in the travel trailer. If you see a black and silver cordless phone (I think it was a GE) and it is ringing, please answer it and if it is for me, leave me a message here.

Actually it was a piece of crap phone and if I had seen it on the roadway intact, I would have been tempted to run over it. But, now we'll never know.

I hate it when I do dumb stuff. My only excuse was I did catch a brief glimpse of Dumb and Dumber yesterday on the tele.

FATHER, is there a factory recall on me?