Anticipation.

Notice I did not say EAGER anticipation.

For the last three nights I have slept in small patches. Maybe a few minutes, maybe an hour, but never an extended period. I hate looking at the clock! I also know I have been a disruptive force to our bedroom. Occasionally one of the black dogs will bark and I will tell them to hush, now I think they are barking at me!

I can tell I am dreading my visit to the doctor's clinic.

I have about an hour before I need to begin preparing to go in for my out-patient procedure. I tell you what, if I see that little nurse who gave me those two injections in my nose last trip in, it will be an "out-patient" procedure! They'll have to catch me first!

I have spent a portion of the last few days working on a project for the seasonal job. It went well Friday, it went well Monday, but yesterday the gentleman I have been trying to work with in Memphis decided to be difficult. I told him I have no problem maintaining the status quo. I have two years remaining on my contract. It seems he wants to come on scene in a big crop year and deserve a deep discount. What he fails to realize is the many years we worked below estimates. Thirteen years ago I was told to budget on seventy thousand bales production. In thirteen years we have met or exceeded that target two times. 2004 and 2005. Where was this gentleman when we were doing less than half of the projection. Monday he told me he was very pleased and that we were just dollars apart. Of course at that point we were working with approximate miles. Yesterday I told him I needed specific addresses to load into the computer for exact mileages Turned out the Monday mileages were about ten percent short. My base rate is lower than his, but I have a variable rate fuel surcharge in place. He tells me he is not planning on any fuel surcharge. I told him it was not only to protect me and my people but to protect him as well. The project completion date is close to eight months away and lots can happen in that time frame. A hurricane in just the right (or wrong spot), problems in the Middle East, a hard winter with above average heating oil demand, any of the previous can make fuel prices sky rocket. Of course this gentleman is only a broker traffic coordinator. He and his company own no trucks. He wants to run this project from a thousand miles away and stuff money into the company and his bank accounts. I am so frustrated because he wants to dicker on every front. I finally told him I was happy just to complete my contracts, with their delivery points.

They say this is the way the industry is going. I don't really believe this. What we are seeing is the result of management and their advisory boards failing to respond to new and improved crop varieties, increased yield trends and technology, and better than normal growing seasons.

I can't see where doling the bread and butter of their industry (meaning warehousing) out to "turn key" henchmen is a sound business decision.

Most times, an ultra-conservative approach is worse than no approach at all. Hey, we've heard it before, if you aren't moving forward, you are moving backwards. There is no such thing as "just maintaining".

Oh well, I have a couple of days to recuperate and figure out what I want to do.

I have enjoyed watching the show America's Got Talent. My personal favorite is Cas. He just seems to enjoy what he is doing so much! I also like the fact that he practices by singing and playing his guitar to his small baby! I'm not into the rapper "Butterscotch", although she has been impressive. Where DO all those sounds come from. Julienne is good but I don't think she is quite good enough to take the top prize. That leaves the ventriloquist. Unbelievable. Dean Martin, Sinatra, Garth Brooks, and his finally Roy Orbison. He does them all and very very well. Is it possible that the "dummy" is a crutch?

Go Cas!

Well, I had better get. The doctor and his scalpel await!

Have a day!

FATHER, I ask for a successful procedure, for a good prognosis. I ask that YOU bless this day!