Some of the responses I have received from my "Once upon a time" post seemed to indicate that some readers missed what I was hoping for. My point was and is, that everyone get on down the road with their lives and quit devoting so much time to wishing ill for others.

Ah, the jobsite.

We are getting antsy! 53,000 bales and counting. 55K by Monday morning. The yard should be cleared by sometime Monday, the night shift will become history, a celebratory barbecue is in the works for Tuesday. Then the hard part begins. We have no idea how long it will take the remaining farmers to harvest their crops and get it to us for processing. The only for sure thing is that we will be here until it is all over.

Kyle Patrick is really beginning to be hard to deal with. I think he is really wanting me to fire him and send him home. But that isn't going to happen.

All the sudden he is not happy he is on the day crew, because the night crew will be through. He is getting extremely lazy, just trying to make someone else do what he is supposed to be doing. I have rousted him from his pickup so many times I quit counting! He is beginning to complain about this and that.

Yesterday we had a situation where I needed to take Blacksheep 2 and make a run, while I was gone he took control, telling other drivers what to do and when to do it. Funny thing is, one of them knew no better and then was mad at me. I think I have dealt with this problem for the time being.

The frustrating thing for me is that Kyle had done well. He had actually surprised me. But lately he is almost zombie like, simply going through the motions and not really caring what the result is. He came over yesterday to the trailer, "just to check on Krl". He spent an hour and a half and all he talked about was going home. In the course of the conversation he asked Krl if He came to visit next year would we put him to work or could he just visit. Apparently he wants to be sure that no one misunderstands that when he is done, he is done with this! Forever.

This was supposed to be a learning experience and evidently it has worked because he has learned that he doesn't like or want to work! I will be furious if when he gets home his Mom and Dad allow him to sleep 'til all hours and watch endless television. I was hopeful that the money could motivate him but I guess I was wrong. They may have to take his gas card and some of his frills to make him not only need to work but to want to work.

He had voiced a desire to try to get his CDL driver's license. He will never be an over the road driver but I think in the right circumstance he could do repeated regional hauls. Of course anyone who knows him already knows his love of trucks.

He has been exposed to so much out here in a very short time. I had a talk with his former roommates, threatening them if they didn't exercise some restraint and better judgment. There have been all sorts of vices present but I am in hopes we nipped some of them in the bud. Thankfully everyone has been very kind, very tolerant of Kyle.

But I am beginning to look forward to not having to police him on the job!

Krl and I don't know whether to put our "charlie brown" tree up or not! It would appear we will be an the fast track for Christmas regardless of where were are, here or in Abilene.

Regardless of where we are at, I can't imagine better company than Krl!

Think of us as we enter this difficult part of the harvest season.

FATHER, keep us tethered, keep us centered in YOU!