Today is a welcome day. It is a Sunday, but more importantly for the crews it is a maintenance Sunday. This results in our first day off since October 8. While one crew has been off since last evening, the other went off at seven this morning only to return at one this afternoon to do scheduled maintenance. Tonight at seven the crew that had been working days will come in for the night shift. This schedule will stay in place for the next fourteen days and then we will flip them again.

We have been to town a number of times (in fact a week ago today I was in Wal-Mart at four in the morning), but anytime we are in town it is for parts or supplies that are needed. The required trips sometimes entail stops in Midland and Odessa consisting of seven or eight stops and probably close to two hundred miles. You always feel rushed and never get everything done! Our one goal for a maintenance Sunday is to keep it relaxed and easy going.

Krl has exercised her rights as a female and selected the restaurant for today. The Cattle Baron. And she got no argument from me. I know for a fact though that she is going to be an expensive date for the day because I can already hear her order rolling from her lips, "King Crab legs, please". I am always leary of items listed on the menu that simply are priced, "market price". But she is worth it and she is due a treat!

I'll just eat the salad bar crackers and drink water. (If you believe that "Have I got a deal for you"!).

I decided not to move Kyle Patrick Henry to the night shift. I thought it would be more work for me policing him and keeping him awake than it would be a benefit. I really think it would be a good experience for him. After that decision was made I decided that he would be able to go home Saturday afternoon, spend Sunday and Sunday night and then come back Monday morning early. In fact I made a concession and told him he could leave at five Saturday afternoon, but that I wanted his trailer cleaned before he left. Immediately after I told him this, the cogs began to spin. Kyle's biggest problem is that he is afraid he is going to miss something. He wanted to know what Aunt Krl and I were going to do in town and then began mulling over data. I told him I wanted to know his decision by five.

At almost five-thirty Kyle knocked on my door. "I've decided not to go!", he said. I told him it was a good thing because it was no longer an option, it was after five.

Krl invited him over for supper last evening. I retired early because truck driver had kept me up the previous night, but when Krl came to bed she said Kyle was in hog heaven, he was watching TV and talking on our phone. Why I oughta ......!

Kirby did a decent job in his first start for the 'canes. I hated to see the INT on his last pass attempt, but for the most part all the message board comments seem positive. They seem to think Coach Coker has been polishing the wrong apple for the previous twenty-one games. Way to go Kirb.

Can't believe those Aggies. They are so close.

Hated to see Colt get injured. I didn't really care that the 'horns lost without him.

Today at the jobsite we topped twenty-five thousand bales. This should mark the halfway point of our season. Hopefully we will be done in twenty-five more days and home for the holidays.

Locally, the Bearkats showed everyone why they are the number one six man football team by making the long trek to Fort Davis and beating them Friday night. This gave the Bearkats the district crown and a bye in the first round. Three top teams to watch appear to be Garden City, Meadow, and Richland Springs. Garden City and Meadow are on the same side of the bracket, but if either of them meet Richland Springs it would be in the semi's or finals.

Good job Bearkats, and good luck! You do us proud!

Have a day. We intend to.

FATHER, thank YOU for all the blessings we enjoy. Bless-ed be YOUR name.