Darn the luck!

Good news, bad news.

Glass half full, glass half empty!

As my luck goes, I decided to print my W-3 transmittal so I could send the IRS copies of the W-2's, As my luck would have it, I had a software glitch and there was a $600.00 discrepancy. It wasn't a big problem to figure out, I did a manual over-ride to make it even out, but it wasted my W-3 form. Dad nabbit it!

Now I get to go to town and chase one down. Oh well, there may be some chips, salsa, and a magarita with my name on it waiting for me!

On a high note, All of the modules are on the yard. There have been twelve trucks running around the clock (for most) trying to get the modules gathered and blocked. This mornings numbers reflected over 131,000 bales processed with 4100+ modules awaiting ginning. That translates to 48.24 days, add two days for four maintenance Sundays, add another couple of days for Easter (I don't know if that will happen or not), and if you throw in a little trouble due to the long season and wear and tear on the machinery, I could be sitting pretty with my April 22 completion date on the betting board.

More good news, Saturday morning at 7 am., bales turn east to Sweetwater. While this means less revenue, it means less expense, and hopefully less headache for me!

Unit #222 had another rough day. That is two in a row. Both times it was air chambers. Once on the roadside and the other time on the Lovington end. Luckily the driver had watched me on Wednesday and knew how he could "engineer" it to get back to me. Julio and I took about a half hour and installed a new one last night!

Bubba lost the transmission in his truck yesterday. It had been kind of snaggled toothed. It had all five lower gears, every other one of the middle range, and only the middle two of the high range of gears! Finally, it was time to replace it. His Dad was coming out here so we wouldn't be behind. Bubba told me he would be here at 5 yesterday evening. Eight o'clock last night and he still hadn't shown. Thankfully some of the others stepped up and things weren't too bad this morning. Actually not as bad as yesterday morning.

Pedro has to go in today to have his blood sugar checked. A couple of weeks ago he was at the doctor and they noticed something they wanted to follow up on.

Del has to go in tomorrow to get his medications. That is all right because he can go to the house get his meds, gets some rest and come back on tomorrow night.

So that means Richard and Curtis are keeping us out of the doghouse right now. They are the locals who have filled in when needed for most of the last two years. Right now they are stuffing their pockets before this premium plus freight ends.

So, lots going on!

Add to this that they are starting a domino tournament for the patrons in the office and I don't know if I can take all the tension and excitement!

Krl and went to Midland yesterday, but on a different trek. Ollie was in Odessa for a training day and we picked her and a friend up for lunch. They only had an hour so we ran down to Golden Corral and ate.

After that, Krl and I pinged our way all the way back to the compound having picked up office supplies, trailer supplies and truck parts all along the way.

The adjuster on the orange truck called me and told me that it appeared that it was a distinct possibility he would total the truck out. Dang the luck!

Well, I had better get started on the hourly payroll!

Have a blessed day and weekend!

FATHER, it is up to you to keep me all together, I can't do it on my own. Give me YOUR peace.

I know I am in a foul mood. I try not to be. I even warn people when they enter "my zone". BUT, some people are stupid.

I have had two drivers this season who act so much alike that I am beginning to wonder if it is biologically possible that they are twins, even though one is caucasian and the other is hispanic.

Regardless, GOD gave them both a double dose of dumb and dumber.

Actually I can't fault GOD on this one. These guys have to try to be that way.

Truck drivers are like kids in grown up bodies. If one of them has a problem or an ouchie, you can bet the next will too and so on and so forth. If one gets a new brake chamber, the other one is wanting something for his truck.

My day yesterday was miserable. I received an early call from a driver who had a problem.

"I can't keep my air pressure up. When I charge my system, the gauge just starts falling. I am ten miles from the plant", he said. He continued on telling me the compressor had gone out. The air solenoid (??) had gone bad, but that he had no air leaks!

When Julio and I arrived I had the driver build his pressure and charge the system, then kill the engine. We could hear air escaping, so it was a matter of finding exactly where. Turns out it was coming from the bottom (exhaust) port of the brake dispersal valve. Two other drivers who have worked as mechanics before stopped to offer help and both of them told me the valve had gone bad. I asked them if it would be an brake chamber leaking through and back to the valve. Both assured me it wasn't.

Going against my gut feeling, I drove like the wind to Midland and got a new valve, returned and we installed it. Same result. I took a pair of vice grips and clamped a line and the leaking stopped. The brake chamber WAS leaking through. I had a spare chamber in my pickup so we began the R & R process. It looked like a quick fix until we began to remove the clevis from the adjustment rod. Rogelio, a gin employee had borrowed my steelson pipe wrench and we weren't able to hold the rod while using a wrench to spin the clevis off. I knew a friend just down the road six or seven miles so we headed for his farm shop. When we arrived there we secured two huge pipe wrenches and STILL were unable to break the clevis loose. Finally I told Julio, put it in the pickup and we hit the highway back to Midland.

My memory had been jogged. The last time I had replaced a chamber on this particular truck I had wrestled most of the day with a stubborn clevis and finally took it to a brake shop and they got it off but it gaulded and stripped all the threads, so that was a wasted day. We were an hour to and an from the parts store and I picked up an extra chamber and two clevises.

I was never a Boy Scout but I believe in being prepared.

When were returned to the truck we made quick work of it, built air pressure, charged the system and sent the rig on it's way. When I got in my truck to return to the plant it was two-forty in the afternoon. Just over six and a half hours. Drat!

I have found that being out in the elements does tremendous harm to my getting well. By the time I got to my trailer late yesterday my sinuses were raw from the tip of my nose to the back base of my skull. Every breath is painful!

I had one driver call me telling me something had broken out his passenger side window. He said he was going down the road and it just shattered.

This morning I had another driver call me wanting to know where I was. (Duh, what is this hide and seek?). I told him I had made my rounds and returned to my trailer. He kept insisting that I come and see what he found on his truck. (I think he wanted to show me the positive battery cable! Yep that driver!). He told me he had found where his rig is leaking oil and wanted me to come see it. I told him I had no parts to repair it and I would catch him on his next load. He was very insistent and began telling me it wasn't leaking at the front seal (where he says I had told him it was leaking). I have never thought it was leaking at the front seal, I have always thought it was on the adapter plate behind the oil filter mount.

Anyway, he was wanting to argue about anything and I feel just lousy enough to be in a pissy mood. I finally told him I wasn't in the mood. I finally got him off the phone. I feel sure if I had gone out there, this Einstein would show me where his truck was leaking oil. On the ground!

The fact of the matter is, this particular driver has yelled wolf so many times when he does have a problem I may not believe him.

O.K., I have vented. I will apologize to him next time I see him. It's just that with sixteen trucks running out here, 99% of the calls I receive are not good news!

I am ready for it to be over. O.K., someone put me in a time out!

Seven and a half weeks more according to my figures.

The module trucks will have all of the modules out of the fields and on the yards sometime today.

Krl and I have to go to Midland today. I need to print and mail the government copies of the W-2's and 1099's along with the W-3 and 1096 transmittal, and guess what I am running low on ink! The new printer we secured is fast and does a good job, but either it uses lots of ink or I print more than I think I do. I had thought yesterday during one of my breakneck runs to Midland about going on to the other side and getting ink. I just felt at that juncture it was more important to get the truck with a problem back up and going.

Also, we got a call last evening about nine-forty something and Ollie was telling us she was going to be in Odessa today and wondered if we wanted to have lunch. I don't know if we will be able to swing that or not.

The new GM is supposed to be on site Monday. He is going to observe the remainder of the season until the current GM gives up his keys. So far I have reserved judgement on the new man as I have barely visited with him, but it would appear that he may be fighting an uphill battle with the plant employees. I don't know how but he has alienated most of them already, and he has only been in the plant a couple of days since he was hired. He may fit in with the board members because I understand that he is very opinionated and stands his ground. The board was going to buy a brand new travel trailer for the new GM and his wife to live in until the GM's house is ready, but the new man told them his wife wanted a house and she was getting a house. So the board found a rent house sixteen miles away. My sources are telling me this man can spend money!

I think I had better get to feeling better and in a better mood before I interact with this new GM. The mood I have been in I would welcome someone sending me on my way!

Yesterday I received a belated birthday card from Pat and a box of cookies from all the boys. (Reid, Holt and Drew). Pat's card even had a bonus poster about donkey birthdays and can be used as a game to pin the ass on the human.

The little boys sent me two boxes of thin mint Girl Scout cookies! One of my all time favorites. Put them in the fridge and let 'em chill.

Funny thing is, I never knew Reid, Holt, or Drew were in the Girls Scouts!

It is interesting how the size of the boxes has diminished over the years.

Well, I must report that my positive thinking book didn't fix the truck yesterday. But that is another blog.

Have a day!

FATHER, I feel rotten. Heal me physically, mentally, emotionally. Help me to the end of this season. For YOUR love!

I am still kicking. Very weakly, but I still am kicking!


Leave it to be on the day of the seasonal work when you feel your absolute most horrible for everything, EVERYTHING, to go to h-e-l-l in a handbag.


Yesterday morning, three thirty-five in the morning, I am on the couch coughing and gagging when my phone rings. Pedro.


"Hey boss, it's me Pedro. I am trying to leave the motel here in Andrews and my truck won't start", he said.


As much as I wanted to tell him that only two people call me at such absurd hours of the night, him and Stinky, I refrained. Now that Stinky is no longer in my employ, he can call someone else. I might end up making someone a package deal.


"Have you checked your cable connections?", I asked.


"No", he said.


"Check all your battery cables on the batteries and on the starter, grab them and try to turn them", I said.


After a minute, "Boss, they're all good", he said.


I told him, "I have to get my day going and then I will deal with you."


Of course this is billing and pay day. I always take a bill in to the office, and I place pay envelopes with my on the ground people situated around the compound.


I got this done, hooked the service trailer to Krl's Expedition, moved my tool box and other selected tools, booster cables, battery tester and other such items. Finally I walked into our trailer and left her a note.


I gassed up her rig and hit the road. After a brief while my phone rang. Pedro once again.


"Boss, what are you going to do, are you sending someone or what?", he asked.


"I told you I would handle it and I meant it, you calling and pestering me won't get it done any quicker", I said.


I know I was sharp, but I don't care. I had a good idea of what I am going to find once I arrive in Andrews.


Upon my arrival, I immediately retrieved my battery tester and connected it. Fourteen volts. Plenty of juice. I called Pedro, "Where are you at? I am at your truck."


It took him a few minutes to get rounded up and out there. Get in the truck and hit the starter.
Click. I began grabbing cables, twisting and turning them. Hit it again. Varroom! I grabbed my wrench and snugged the connections.

Time, two minutes! No cables. Just common sense.

"Boss, what did you do?, Pedro asked.

"I moved the battery cable on the starter", I said.

"Which one?", he asked.

"The big red cable on the top of the starter solenoid", I replied.

"Oh, I didn't see that one", he said.

Huh?

Over two hundred miles to and from. The best part was I picked up super Sonic breakfast burritos for Krl and me, and I treated myself to a java chiller!

When I arrived back at the compound, I unhooked the service trailer and took Krl to Garden city to do her weekly banking.

When I returned my seed poker had told Delfino the incline ladder had a broken caster wheel and he could not load seed any more. I told Delfino to ask Fernando what he thought we did before we had the incline ladder.

I donned a dust mask and went to rewire the problem trailer for the third time. I felt pretty comfortable with it this time.

Then back to Midland. Yuk. I hate that drive. I purchased caster wheels and stopped by HVP to get some part they had ordered for me, along with some add on items. They already had the special order items on a ticket in the computer but when it came time to set them on the counter they could not find them.

Back to the compound. Did I say I hate this drive?

By days end I had driven between three hundred fifty and four hundred miles!

This morning my phone began ringing about twenty until seven. I made a snap decision that if it was that driver with the same problem, I would tell him I would get him going and then send him in to the yard with the truck. I have too many things going on to have to baby sit.

It was Rian on the phone. Pedro, you are safe. (Just don't get too comfortable).

I made my shift change rounds. Decent shape. One truck in, taking a nap while they finished strapping his load, three other loaded trailers.

After a while, my phone toned again. The trucker who had been napping was calling.

"I just left the plant and I blew the motor in my truck, threw a connecting out the side of the block!", he said.

"Where are you?", I asked.

"At Rhonda's old convenience store", he said.

He had made it two miles down the road.

Kind of sounds like my luck.

Surprisingly, he told me that was part of trucking. This was the first time he had every thrown a rod in fifty years of trucking.

So I had to go back to the drawing board. I used two outside trucks yesterday and luckily they were still in the area. I had one bale load Delfino was building on the ground and a load of motes that I planned on moving.

I love it when a plan comes together!

I have been building my settlement spreads for the week. I loaded my first bale sheet and need to go into the office to load seed. In due time. Worst part is I haven't loaded seed tickets since Friday.

I have found that after I get past the initial coughing and gagging, doses of dayquil, tylenol, and antibiotics, make me almost human again!

And here is today's excerpt from the book I continue to read:

Recognize the beautiful and wonderful things around you, and bless and praise them. And on the other side, the things that aren't currently working the way you want them to work, don't spend your time energy faulting or complaining. Embrace everything that you want so you can get more of it.

The words "praise and bless" are worth their weight on gold. Praise and bless everything in your life! When you are praising and blessing you are on the highest frequency of love. In the Bible, the Hebrews used the act of blessing to bring forth health, wealth and happiness. They knew the power of blessing.

The dictionary defines blessing as "invoking divine favor and conferring well-being or prosperity". So begin right now to invoke the power of blessing in your life and bless everything and everyone. Likewise with praising, for when you are praising someone or something you are giving love, and as you emit that magnificent frequency, it will return to you a hundred-fold.

Praising and blessing dissolves all negativity, so praise and bless your enemies. If you curse your enemies the curse will come back to harm you. If you praise and bless them you dissolve all negativity and discord, and the love of the praising and blessing will return to you. As you praise and bless, you will feel yourself shift into a new frequency with the feedback of good feelings.
(excerpt from The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, taken from Lisa Nichols contribution).

Powerful words.

May your day be blessed!

FATHER, Bless-ed be YOUR name! Make me whole, make me what I should be in you grand plan!

Yuk.

I got the grunge.

Thanks to Pepa driving to meet me in Big Spring, I now have antibiotics.

I get cold, I get hot. My head aches. My nose has run so much that my face is polished like worn asphalt.

I don't like feeling poorly.

I tried for two or three days to use the thinking from my book I am reading to get better. It just wasn't working fast enough.

I am kind of struggling with my book right now. I have been in the chapter dealing with "The Secret and Health".

Now I will go on record and say that I think attitude has sooo much to do with disease and whether or not it is defeated or flourishes. However, I think it might be a reach to think about perfect eyesight and then throwing your glasses away. Maybe they just haven't converted me yet.

The worst part about feeling sub par has been there have been a butt load of small projects that need to be done. I just don't feel like doing them. Yesterday I had a trailer with a light problem. This trailer had blown a tire out Friday and the rubber tread had knocked the lights out of the left rear of the trailer. I went into town to get some new pigtails and plugs so I could rewire the entire left rear corner of the trailer. While I was there I got a call from Truck #15 telling me he had the bearings out in an idler. Ricky is not too mechanical so I called Cowboy and asked him to look at it. In about thirty minutes, Cowboy called me back with the bearing numbers I needed.

About this time Pepa called and he was in Big Spring, so we began making the trek around town, trying to find the bearings. Finally, when I felt we had exhausted all the possibilities, I called Frank the plant Super and asked him to check with his bearing man in Lubbock. Frank called me back and told me they had two. I asked him to have them delivered to the oil mill and three hours later they were on site.

About eight last night I finished with truck #15, and I had already re-wired the trailer but couldn't check it out without a truck. At eight-thirty last night I called Carlos and told him to swap over to bales.

I figured we would be behind this morning, and we were. Truck #15 didn't return and Carlos has not swapped even by this time of the morning. Worst thing was the trailer I rewired was still sitting there.

I watched a truck back under the problem trailer and I waited for him plug his light in so I could see what they were doing.

Part of them came on briefly and then clicked off. Another burned fuse. I don't know, and I am not in the mood to mess with it this morning. I am trying to figure out in my mind how the light wiring and the ABS braking system co-exist.

If it persists I may just cut my losses and take it to the shop.

If the trailer is still not fixed when I get to feeling better, I will fix it!

I am through with truck and driver settlements. Krl has written all the checks. I still have to finish the bill for the gin.

I had a driver yesterday ask me if he could change motels in Andrews. He is on a truck with no bunk and in order to adhere to DOT guidelines pertaining to driver logs, we put these guys up in a room. This driver told me "Boss it is only thirteen dollars higher".

"Thirteen dollars a week or thirteen dollars a day?", I asked.

"Per day", he replied, "and they have laundry facilities!"

"Only thirteen dollars per day, your money or my money?", I asked.

The driver didn't know what to say.

I told him I didn't care, but he needed to be advised that we are within a week of changing destinations for the bales. Again.

Friday morning I talked with the compress manager and he told me we lacked eight thousand bales filling our portion of the Lovington warehouse facility.

Plan is we will return to Sweetwater. Yes!

Well, I think I am going to get me a lemon to suck on and hopefully cut all this industrial strength snot. Then I am going to finish my bill and try to sit back and rest while watching NASCAR.

FATHER, heal me!

Lots going on.

We are finishing the Richmond contract seed contract today. We will send one more load, just to be safe that we have met the tonnage.

We will finish the Pyco contract either today or tomorrow, then it will be just be business as usual, with everything going to the oil mill.

All total these contract loads amounted to 360 loads.

I know my driver butts are dragging.

Bale trucks had their problems yesterday. Mainly wheel seals. We had a steadily growing backlog of bales by nightfall but all the drivers made one more swipe at them and we made it through the night. Now my day guys have come in and we areback on track.

I have one truck switched from seed to bales because I had one bale driver who needed to go in to have his medications renewed.

I have awakened today with lots of flu like symptoms. I have had the snots, now I have the headache, the cough, and what I am guessing is a low grade fever. Dang the luck! Actually one of the benefits we have always had out here is we see very few people, so our exposure is limited. Our trip to town could be the culprit or it could be that the bug that has been circling in the plant finally found me.

A little more sharing. In my book I am currently reading about relationships. It says that often times we sacrifice ourselves for others, believing that this makes us a good person. They say this is wrong! To sacrifice your self can only come from lack, meaning there is not enough of yourself to go around, so you are putting yourself last. This leads to resentment. Simply stated, your job is you! When you make you and feeling good a priority, this will radiate and touch everyone close to you.

Unless you fill yourself up there is nothing to give. When you tend to you and your own joy there is a natural overflow.

So, giving should not be from sacrifice, it should be from excess.

Hhmm. I've got lots to figure out!

Weather here this morning is crisp. Early on it was clear, but fog slowly came in.

Last evening my nightshift forklift operator came to me telling me he had a family emergency. An Aunt had been killed in a car accident. He knew that much, and they were trying to find out if his Uncle was with her. My man, his Dad and an Uncle who work inside the plant, and another Uncle who drives a module truck were all leaving last night to go to Houston.

That meant Santos became the one and only man on the ground for my nightshift. Santos is usually a seed loader, although he is learning to operate a forklift. Last night it was time for him to show his stuff.

I went out about two thirty or three this morning and checked on him and he was getting it done, no problem.

I am bringing my floater employee in this morning and letting him work a half day, then he will go home to return this evening to work the nightshift. This man use to be one of my primary forklift operators so that will be no problem!

I had hired an employee on the eighth of February. His name is Fernando and he has been an excellent employee, learning the forklift very quickly. Best part is he speaks a little english! Actually the best part is he is not named Jose. I have had three Jose's this year and if you packaged all of them together they wouldn't make a wart on a forklift operator's backside! Fernando will go to the other end of the complex to help load seed until Herberto returns!

I had hired a guy named Alberto to fill the fill the sixth slot, but he only lasted for a day. I gave him paperwork to fill out and he never returned it. I called him Alberto VO 5. He sent a man by to get his check and I told the man I needed the paperwork. I don't even remember what Alberto's last name was. Yesterday the man who came by told me Alberto had left because he wanted to be paid cash. That may be the story. He wanted cash because he had no papers. Not on my watch!

I shared birthday cake with my day shift yesterday. They all liked Memama's Italian Cream Cake. In fact one of them asked me if I had more.

I may have created a monster!

Hey have a day!

FATHER, I ask that you heal me. Make me well.

Well, my birthday was a pretty good day! At least after you scraped all the crapola off the first half of the day!

My day began with truck driver baloney. The one who messed up Saturday was going for the trifecta. Basically I told him we were fixing to have a come to Jesus meeting. The man has told so many lies that he can't determine what is truth and what is fiction any more.

He had made the deal that he would be at work on Sunday at 8 am. About ten minutes before six he called and told me he had a headache and thought he was getting the flu. He asked if he could delay his return and go to minor emergency to get it checked out. I agreed but only after asking him to keep me informed. Later in the day I talked with another driving buddy of his and I was told that the "sick" driver never intended to come in before four in the afternoon. I decided at that point to penalize the "sick" driver and not let him come in until Monday mid-day.

Monday morning about seven he began calling wanting to come in. "This is costing me money", he exclaimed. Yeah, right, kind of like he cost the company money when he wrecked their truck!

Finally about eleven Monday morning I called him and told him to circle his wagons and head back to the jobsite.

Minutes later I took a phone call from the ER in Ballinger and the young woman informed me that on Sunday, the "sick" driver came there seeking medical care after he was involved in a vehicular accident involving a truck of mine that jack-knifed and hit this man.

I said, "What?"

She repeated herself and I told her, "Lady, that man was the driver who jack-knifed the truck."

So we once again have an employee who wants to make his own rules. I referred the young woman from the ER to Krl and Krl explained the proper protocol, that this driver had been asked if he was all-right not only by me but by Rick who is the safety and insurance man. Both times he answered he was fine. Krl went on to explain that if injuries are non-life threatening, the insurance company has their own care network. So, for the time being, the lady made the driver's file "patient responsible for fees".

Krl tried to go ahead and report the accident, but with it happening on Saturday and Monday being a holiday (for my birthday), the reporting portion has been closed.

Lots of excitement in our area yesterday! The force of the explosion from the refinery in Big Spring could be felt and heard in our location. The smoke was VERY visable. The local volunteer fire department and the volunteer EMS both responded. From visiting with them, while the explosion was bad enough (five injuries, only one hospitalized), it could have been much worse!

Back to my day Monday. About noon we decided to light a shuck and go to town. Eat out, run some errands, buy groceries! We were about half way there when my phone rang. It was Memama and Pepa and they wanted to know what we were doing. I told them we were on our way into town. You could hear the disappointment in Pepa's voice. He told me we should have come their way! I told him if they wanted to, meet us In Midland and we would eat. He told me O.K., he would buy my birthday lunch. I told him he and Krl would have to work that out because we already had made a date.

We flipped our schedule and began making all our stops. We had walked out of the grocery store (our last stop before eating a late lunch) on the way to our car when Pepa called me. They were in Midland, "now where?" I made a snap decision to go to The Cattle Baron and gave him directions. This was my first test of how well I am getting to know Midland. I told him, then called back and changed the name of an intersecting street. Krl and I were fast approaching from the total opposite direction. We arrived at the intersection and I pulled over to take a call from Pat (wishing me happy birthday) and when we got off I still had not heard from Pepa so I called him. They were already at the restaurant one block away! Talk about good directions!

The restaurant looked closed. Krl went to the door and checked it out. They were open. However, we were the only customers in the joint. We had a good little waitress, the salad bar was outstanding, the steaks good. Though the crab legs were not quite up to standard. Before Pepa knew it, Krl and the waitress had conspired and the bill was paid! Heh! She is a sneaky little booger!

We had a good visit! They came prepared, bearing gifts and birthday cake! Memama had a sack full of gifts. I accused her of walking through her house and just picking items up! She has kept some of the neatest things from my past. Some items I don't even know how she ended up with them. Yesterday one gift was a new shirt. (I be stylin'). Another was a copy of the Roscoe Times Newspaper which had a picture from a Boys Club trip in the 1960's. Fred and I were both prominently positioned in it. The third gift was my old pilot's log book from when I was learning to fly and getting my license. It stirred a different era in my life. Last but not least was a birthday card which is a small book. I read about half of it last evening. It is very sweet.

So, my birthday was a good day.

By the way, my birthday cake (the whole thing) is an Italian Cream Cheese Cake! Ummmmm!

Krl and I got home and were so stuffed from our late lunch we didn't even eat a main course supper. We just ate dessert!

I had just gone to bed last night when Jeanetta called to wish me a happy birthday!

By the way, I heard from everyone but Kali, Addy, and Trc and the girls. (Although Trc sent me a gift, it didn't make it because of the holiday!

This morning I got up and my trucks were "right on"! Zero bales ont he ground!

Happy Birthday Kathryn Grace!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for a wonderful day yesterday. Let's do it again!

February 17.

Krl's mom, Nannie's birthday. She would have been 82. It is hard to believe she has been gone nine years next month.

Today is the start of our trio birthdays. Nannie today, me tomorrow, and Kathryn Grace the nineteenth.

I would like to make note that only my birthday is a national holiday. If you have the day off tomorrow, you have me to thank for it.

Krl and I have been trying to gather information for her older brother to get his passport. It is made much more difficult with us being away from home. I am thinking Krl and I need to check our passports expiration dates. I think it is 2010, but I'm not sure.

Fred has really been heavy on my mind lately, I don't know why. It would seem that I am not the only one though. Rian was telling me about his day last week.

Recently Rian acquired his license to carry a concealed hand gun. (I guess this is something all school administrators want to do). He has found that he enjoys shooting a gun and purchased a nine millimeter I am going to get him a ski mask). He went to an indoor shooting range last week and he said when he walked in he was greeted by a very large man who was running the place. Immediately he thought of Fred. As he paid in and the gentleman was giving Rian the talk about safety and range rules and regulations, Rian said the man had that same "fat index finger shaking at him" accenting every important point. Finally, the man was through with Rian and as he walked away the man threw out one last directive, "Hey, we're going to have some fun, and if you don't, you just let me know!"

Sounds just like Fred!

I would say that it is amazing that on occaisions we even see glimpses of Fred and TJ out here. Well, maybe not glimpses of them, but something that triggers a thought of them. Even though I miss them both, this is a small comfort.

I can hear Big Bertha (the plant), singing an octave higher. This means that they are emptying the system in preparation for shut down. Maintenance Sunday.

I rolled the dice last night and gave off to one more truck driver. Pedro had already gone in and he had promised his return this morning at eight. I also have three others who wanted to work today. By rolling the dice like I did, I created a backlog of bales to be hauled, making it worth their time to stay on.

My phone rang at five fifty this morning. It was Pedro. He has a headache. Everytime I try to work with him to go in, he ends up messing me around, so no more. He can work within the same auspices everyone else does. He said he is going to minor emergency to get it checked out.

Hey, it's not like he can go anywhere with a GED and make eight grand a month!

I was shocked yesterday when I looked at his wages for the last month. And he isn't the only one making good money.

I am beginning to see then end of their gravy train though. We have hauled over twenty six thousand bales to Lovington to date. Initially we were told we would take forty thousand bales there. Friday the compress manager told me we were inside two weeks to fill the warehouses. One driver told me we had begun our last one! Rumors have been flying about our next destination. Aztec, New Mexico. Amarillo, Texas. Sweetwater, Tx. Flower Mound, Tx.

Management is telling me we are still scheduled to return to Sweetwater. I hope so. Oh for the good old days!

I am trying to hedge my bet on the truck Pedro jack knifed. I had been thinking about upgrading for a couple of weeks. I had found two trucks identical to BS 22 and BS 222, only a year or two newer with only three hundred fifty thousand miles and three hundred ninety thousand miles respectively. They are also equipped with the larger Volvo engines and ten speeds instead of nines.

In addition to these I have learned of a bank that has three "big rigs" in their repos. It might be worth a drive just to check them out.

Call me crazy, but I'm looking for a bargain! Anything solid and cheap as long as it isn't a freightliner, western star, or sterling. They are all junk and their corporate people are all lying, thieving, bustards! If you EVER see me owning a late model one of these, just shoot me!

Daytona 500!

I'm going with Junior. I'm not a fan, I just think he is the man this year at Daytona. If it can't be him, anyone but Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Ku or Ky Busch, JP Montoya or Sam Hornish!

It would be nice to see Mikey do well.

Our day is up in the air. I wouldn't mind going somewhere, but then it would be nice to just stay close, lay on the couch and watch the race.

Tomorrow I am going to town! Don't ask me where, but I'm going!

By the way, for about the last two weeks bloggers spell check has been on the fritz, I apologize for any spelling errors, but the typos are intentional! Ha!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for birthdays. Thank YOU for memories! Thank YOU for Jesus.

Krl and I made a mad dash to Midland yesterday. It is getting where I really despise these trips. We always seem so rushed, always more to do than is humanly possible. I suppose the correct destination order would be Odessa, Midland, Midland, Midland, Midland, Midland, Midland, Midland and finally St. Lawrence.

Whew!

The only thing we did for our own enjoyment was whip in at Logan's for a late lunch.

This morning we were in decent shape at the bale dock and in the seed house.

Tomorrow is a maintenance Sunday and we will begin shipping what should be the next to the last round of Richmond loads.

Tomorrow is also the Daytona 500, NASCAR's season opener. Krl and I haven't decided whaqt we are going to do with our day. Last maintenance Sunday we did nothing. I had employees working and I wasn't going to ask them to work and me go to town! I may ask for a volunteer tomorrow to help Roy (a gin employee) load out seed from the house, do forklift maintenance, and possibly load some bales (which I think we will have on the ground).

Pedro messed up this morning. He had bartered a deal to go in today but run tomorrow. He was exiting the interstate at Sweetwater and was running a little too fast, hit a slick spot and jack-knifed his rig. He called me immediately and even sent pictures. As much as I hate it, it will probably make him a better driver. He had become more and more brazen. I told him he was going to have to live with it, even if it meant the inconvenience of using the passenger door.

So now we start the insurance tango.

I'm betting they total it!

I have been arguing with myself about a couple of trucks in Houston. This may push me off high center! I also just got a line on three repo rigs not too far away from here!

A few days ago this small community had another accident. A gentleman who I will only call HH and his brother were trimming trees, with HH in a basket on a skytrak telehandler. It seems that HH was on the extended boom when about six things came together at one time and the skytrak over turned, basically launching HH. Both his legs are broken, one in two places, one bone, just below the knee, is crushed, a broken knee, two broken arms. some broken ribs, a dislocated and chipped hip, a dislocated shoulder blade, and a concussion.

Still, he is a lucky man. They care flighted him to San Angelo where he is hospitalized awaiting a bed to become available in Dallas.

I finally talked with Pat yesterday. She recently had changed her cellular service and it is NOT working. She told me that they had completed Hags treatment, but this second time around was much harsher than the first go round. The doctor is optimistic!

I had been derelict in my duties yesterday, so I have had a bust butt day working on settlements. But I finished them and now Krl has the ball.

Right now I am fixing to go outside to the bale dock and see if I can plan a strategy for getting some of these other guys home for a few hours!

Have a day and a great weekend!

FATHER, please bless my efforts. I thank YOU for the good reports for Hag and I continue to lift him up for YOUR gifts of healing! I ask YOUR comfort for him during his convalescing. Be with Pat as she takes care of him. For YOUR love I am unworthy, but so thankful!

Yesterday morning as I made my rounds I was greeted with over seven hundred bales waiting to be transported. This never happened in the past. Of course lots of things are different this year, the multiple delivery locations, traveling across state lines, and an enormous increase in miles to get the job done.

I had vented yesterday about two drivers who have gone to either have repairs made or tend to personal business. Neither of these men had been totally honest about their departures and both had been doing less and less work.

I brought in five new trucks yesterday to catch us up. Two of these are locals I have used sporatically over the years, one was a swap over from the seed, one a new owner operator and the final one a new driver on a Blacksheep truck that recently came out of the shop. (The new Blacksheep driver is kind of sneaky, because you have no idea he is around until you see him. The last one, you smelled before he arrived! Yuk!).

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to find everything above ground and on trailers, the only exception was a planned load for a truck that does not participate in our drop and hook program.

I realize my drivers get tired, I usually stress to them the need to pace your self to prevent burn out. Usually this warning goes unheeded.

I will admit it is a load off when everything is caught up, and it is very refreshing to see these "new" guys get on the job with all their energy. We'll re-assess a week from now, after the extra help is gone.

Now I have to decide whether to bring back the one trucker who went to get his truck repaired (he bought another truck instead). That would put us back at full strength for the first time in two weeks, and it would also allow us some flexibility with bales and mote loads. The problem with this trucker wasn't necessarily him, rather his equipment. When you needed it most it failed to meet the need.

I am in the mood for Ma Allens. I told Krl I can't believe that I am going to miss another birthday meal of my choice. That will make two out of the last three years.

For about the past eleven years I have always requested Ma Allen's fried chicken, boiled squash and her famous potatoe salad. For the first several of those years we picked it up and ate it at the office. The last few years I have been guilty of making the two hour trek from Abilene to Sweetwater to get it. I think the only exeption being 2006 and now this year.

Problem this year is they are closed on Mondays.

I'm going to have to think about what my second choice might be. Hhhmmm.

It is cooling off out here. Thankfully they have taken the snow and sleet from our forecast although they are predicting rain. Our temperatures are predicted to hover just above freezing
while our destinations are predicted to be just below freezing.

It always amazes me that weather can be a two edged sword. The farmers need it, but it can really cause problems for my truckers.

Excerpts from my reading project;

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's comiing attractions." ~Alber Einstein~

and

"Whatever the mind . . . can conceive it can acheive." ~ W. Clement Stone~

Currently I am reading about visualization.

Deciding what you want. Believing you can have it. Believe you deserve it and believe it is possibile for you. Visualize that you already have it, enjoying the feeling of already having it. Focusing on what youa re already grateful for and really enjoy it. Go into your day releasing it to the Universe and trusting that the Universe will figure out how to manifest it.

Lots to digest.

All week long we have been trying to get to Midland. Today has to be that day, otherwise several of the businesses we need to visit will be closed for the weekend.

One humorous note about my day yesterday.

All week long I have not been able to get in to our trailer at night until well after eight. Usually between eight-thirty and nine, sometimes later.

Anytime Krl plans a special meal or one of my favorite meals and she tells me about it, it is like the kiss of death for my day.

Yesterday she told me, "I am thawing some small ribeyes, so we will have steak, baked potatoes, baked beans and biscuits!"

I told her, "Sounds delicious, but you know you just gave my day the kiss of death. You know now that I will have something happent that will not allow me to enjoy the meal while it is hot!"

Guess what? I got to the trailer just before nine last evening.

It was still very good, but Krl played out and went to bed, pretty soon after I walked through the door.

Let's get out those winter clothes one more time!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the productive day and night. I pray for safety for all my truckers as we have the threat of inclimate driving conditions. I continue to lift up Hag to YOU for YOUR miracle of healing. I ask for YOUR comfort and care for he and Pat. I continue to ask for YOUR peace. Bless-ed be YOUR name!

I feel the need to download, it has just been a matter of finding the time and man is my brain overflowing. Problem is, not all of it is good. There is a lot of negativity circling up there and it needs to be expunged.

I have decided truck drivers are the devil in disquise. They have to be the biggest liars, the worst schemers, thieves and the likes. They would rather lie than tell the truth.

I just had one interupt my blog entry. Yesterday he told me he needed to take off this afternoon because he had to go to New Mexico next week for a trial, but he would be able to haul one load today. It seems back in June of 07 he hauled an oversized load and tore down two traffic signals in New Mexico and now the judge tells him he is coming to Sante Fe for trial or he is going to jail. Funny thing is he needs twelve days to do this. This morning he is telling me he can't haul any loads today.

The insane thing is he expected me to keep his slot open for him, and this morning I have cotton "stacked" and waiting shipment.

Another driver dropped the ball and didn't haul but one load yesterday. Supposedly this is one of the CW aces but I am more inclined to call him a CW asse because he seems to be a bigger disappointment each week that goes by. He has gone from being a front runner to being a bottom feeder. He has a business card that lists all the things he has done in his life, all of them preceeded by "ex-". He is fixing to have one more "ex-" he can have put on his card. "Ex-cottonhauler".

Twice this week he has had problems and not pulled his loads, both times parking out in a dark corner and going to sleep for ten or twelve hours.

Thanks but no thanks.

All this, while I have guys calling wanting to put trucks on.

I tell you, it is difficult to be positive when you are surrounded by these drivers.

I have nothing to report from Hag. Pat has not called me.

Well, I must go kick some truck driver booty!

Have a day!

Oh FATHER, I am drowning here!

Our job is not to figure out the how. The how will show up out of a committment and belief in the what. ~Jack Canfield~

The Secret tells me we all have the ability to do things that others have done and can do. The Wrights, the Eastmans, the Edisons, and the Bells. They visualized and all the forces of the universe brought their invention into the world, through them.

Help me out here people!

Have a day.

FATHER, we lift up Hag and Pat to YOU for his healing and care as he undgergoes his final treatment. We pray for good results! Greater are YOU!

Crazy days lately, but you probably knew that.

It seems we have had a rash of really irritating problems with equipment lately. None of them being "common". Of course that means parts to do the repairs are not readily available either.

I have been reading some in my book The Secret, it is interesting. I know already I am going to have to go back and reread the book because I catch myself backing up over and over.

I have been quite taken with a couple of things about it. Of course the principal theme of "the Secret" is attraction. If you think negative thoughts, bad things are attracted to you. If you think positive thoughts good things are drawn to you.

It has quoted scripture and famous people, but my favorite quote is from Martin Luther King Jr.
"You don't have to see the whole stairway to take the first step!"

Currently I am reading, for the third time, the chapter about the gratitude process. I like it.
There is an interesting story about a gratitude rock. More later!

Basically all of the book has been about attitude adjustment.

Pat and Steve return to Lubbock today for his final treatment. Actually I think it takes place tomorrow and the next day, but they are in for pre-procedure blood work today. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Krl and I recently had an opportunity to be a business sponsor for the Children's Miracle network effort of the Reese campus of the Wolforth Schools District. This is the school Rian is an assistant principal at. We, along with another sponsor, did matching donations. Rian's students averaged over ten dollars each and they met both our and the other company's donation. Friday they are havinig a program and asked us to come present the check, but on short notice I told Rian we would mail the check and Reid could be our representative!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU!

Hello campers!

I am reporting LIVE from the badlands of West Central Texas, gateway to the end of the earth!

Help!

I need someone to keep track of me with my telephone GPS, just so someone will know where we are!

It has not been a pretty week. The plant seemed to stutter and stammer for the first couple of days, then she came alive. They have been nibbling along between 1100 and 1200 bales per day. Currently we are at 112,237. We have continued to lose cotton modules. To date we have lost about 313 modules that were moved to some other facility. That would bring us in at just under 180,000 bales.

I want to hit the 180's. If we are going to have to be here, I want it to be worth while. Even losing that many modules we have just trimmed three days from the season.

I went to a farm sale Thursday near Lomax. I made a couple of purchases of equipment for parts for K.O.'s and my sled project. This isn't the complete package because this is a different brand from what we were shoping for, but, there is a farm sale in a couple of weeks that has two of the exact models we desire.

It was kind of crazy. There were two farm sales, one in Seminole the other in Lomax. One circle of patrons attended the one while another circle attended the other. One was high dollar, the other low budget.

Friday an employee that had been gone returned to work. Five days late. I had given him an ultimatum, either be here or I would assume he no longer desired the job. While he was physically present he had lost any knowledge or technical skill he had acquired prior to his leaving.

Friday was an extremely difficult day, trucks were behind, equipment problems, inclimate weather. Late in the day I was working to rewire an fuel transfer pump and it did not matter what direction I faced, the wind was always blowing in my face. Through the course of the day I ran the bucket loader loading seed, the forklift loading bales, and I even ended up driving a truck a little. All these were in addition to my regular duties!

Friday night I added another employee to Delfino and Julio's shift. They had been short one man since before Christmas, but they had handled it well, probably better then the fully staffed shift. The new man is named Fernando. Thank goodness it isn't another Jose. Jose's have not worked out very well this year.

Saturday was not much better. I have a policy that if you are experiencing a problem, don't bring it all the way back to the compound expecting it to be fixed. Stop in one of the towns enroute where you can either find a shop or at least purchase parts. I had one driver bring a trailer in yesterday after slinging the cap (or tread). While it still had air, it had absolutely no tread. It had also beaten all four of the lights out on that corner of the trailer. They were totally gone. I had lights and I had pigtails but I had no rubber mounting boots. I ended up robbing them from our small supply trailer. Thankfully we got them fixed just as the tire service man arrived. I had a take off tire I had picked up at Stanton and the tire man put it on. Just the mileage for the tire service ran $110.70. I ought to charge the mileage back to that driver.

Saturday morning, the employee who had returned to work Friday was absent. About five thirty in the morning I had heard a vehicle drive through the trailer park and I had looked out in time to see who and what was going on. One of the compounds employees was dropping off my man. They had been to Midland, all night. I prepared a letter of reprimand and placed one copy in this employees file and carried the other one to give to him. He never showed. Late in the day he called me telling me he was sick. Either he had a bug or he had eaten something that made him ill. I told him it probably had something to do with staying out all night.

I had heard rumors that this employee was telling people I was all over him all day Friday. Truth is, I told him he was loading some really ugly bale loads. There was nothing striaght about them and that he was going to have to get his head out and do better. End of story. When I asked him about this he denied he had said it. He did continue on, saying that he was no longer comfortable working out here because one of the guys he had gone to town with had made a pass at him.

I told the accused man what my man had said and he went to confront him. My man denied he had told me this. Turns out my former employee was telling one lie after another. I had told him if he quit to be out of his company travel trailer before dark. Late in the day he slithered out of the compound. Now he is the butt of all sorts of jokes. It is a good thing he left because it would be impossible for him work out here after all of his lies!

I am optimistic for this week. I am hopeful that my truckers have caught their second wind. I also have a new driver who is chomping at the bit but has yet to be qualified. Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday he will be ready.

We will be finishing the Richmond contract sometime this week and that will give me access to seven more trucks that have been dedicated to the long haul.

Krl fixed a bowl of guacamole yesterday and cut meat, onions and peppers for fajitas. Although it did require a trip to Stanton for tortillas, it was well worth the trip. In fact, I had left overs for breakfast!

Have a day!

FATHER, I ask for YOUR perfect peace.

This is getting old.

Krl and I talked on the fringes of the unspeakable yesterday. We did so in generalities, because if we get specific about what we miss about home it is much too painful!

I can't even get into Krl's quest for finding a vacation because I know the address I long to go to. It has a nice comfy recliner and a big bathtub!

The week is going pretty well. The plant performance has been sub-par, but that seems to be its personality, especially after a maintenance Sunday. We are still one truck down on the bale haul but they are getting the job done.

I have taken this opportunity to have some repairs done on the truck which is out of the mix. I may cycle it back in and the other one back out. We'll just have to see.

Last week Krl and I had gone into town and made some purchases. One item was a small utility trailer in Odessa. The other purchases were for things to allow me more flexibility, expecially if we had a recurrence of what happened a week ago Saturday.

When we purchased the trailer I was not impressed with the company or the salesman. When we arrived at their location I began walking through their lot, looking over their inventory. I found what I was looking for, compared similar models, and made a few notes. I began making my way back to the Expedition when a salesman slid up in a golf cart. Immediately I was not impressed with this man. He reminded me of a salesman we had at the family business who was loud and crass and would promise a customer the world to sell something and then not deliver.

My salesman began a little banter about I was supposed to go into the office and they would match me with a salesman. I told him I was not accustomed to having to look for someone to sell me something. We continued to his office and I told him of some changes I would prefer and he told me six to eight weeks for delivery.

I got up and left his office, returning to the Expedition and Krl. We talked briefly, I told her about the delivery time and she asked me a couple of questions about why I wanted something a particular way. Finally she told me she thought we should purchase the trailer and I would make the changes I wanted, odds being that the manufacturer would not get it done the way I wanted it done.

We returned to the salesman's office and I told him he was going to have to split his commission with Krl because he didn't make the sale, she did. We told the man what minor changes we wanted (that would not delay delivery) and he prepared all the paperwork, Krl signed it and gave the man a check. We told him we would be back the first part of the week to pick up the trailer.

Yesterday we arrived, having called from an hour away, just to let the salesman more specifically when we would be there. The receptionist called the salesman and he came up front, all smiles and spreading so much manure he needed a shovel. We started back to his office and he told us he had dropped the ball, the trailer was not ready.

I almost lost it. He told us he had just called them and told them to get the trailer prepped and he found that they had not installed the spare mount and that it would be ready after while. I was in his face immediately, telling him we had invested two hours and a hundred forty miles to pick up the trailer and that by missing the delivery time he had made it impossible for us to make the other stops before those businesses closed which would necessitate another two hours and a another hundred and forty mile trip on another day.

I was furious. I wanted to ask this man if stupid always worked for him because he sure wore it well. I told Krl I voted to tear up the contract and for them to give the money back. The salesman began telling us we could void the transaction and they would mail us a check. That was not acceptable.

I finally walked away, because I felt compelled to dispense to this liar a deluxe azz whipping. After a brief while and a few phone calls, I became impatient waiting for Krl and went back inside. This arrogant dumbass was still claiming he dropped the ball but it was not his fault and he couldn't see what the big deal was. His boss must have told him he had better do some smoozing. Finally I told Krl that his sorry butt could deliver the trailer and see how he liked making the trip, although I doubted he would be the one that would actually make it. Surprisingly, he agreed and assured me he would be the one to bring it.

So, the only good thing that came from our excursion to town was I replaced my twenty-seven day old phone. I went for years with my original bag phone, then I went five years with my Nokia, then a year with my Motoraola, and then my new Samsung lasted almost four weeks. Thankfully it was less than thirty days because it didn't cost me a dime and there was lots less hassle.

So now we need to plan another trip to town to pick up all the other stuff we didn't get to pick up.

I just had a break in the action. The salesman DID deliver the trailer! Will miracles never cease. I am amazed they got everything right! Boy was he penitent.

He dropped it off between the office and our trailer so I immediately hooked to it to move it out of the way. Of course I couldn't do this quick enough as the GM, the plant Super and a number of patrons came by to inspect our purchase.

I've got forty bale loads to spread. I need to go to Stanton. I need to go to Midland.

Things to do and places to go. That's me!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for another new day and fresh start!

Now that was a super bowl!

I am thrilled the Giants prevailed, and I think it was pretty low class of Belichek to leave the field prior to time expiring.

I probably would have given the MVP award to the Giants Defensive front line. Outstanding job! It appeared they had the Patriot lineman on their heels most of the afternoon.

Goes to show what playing with "heart" can do.

We did some rotelle dip, some little smokies, and we had ordered barbecue chicken with trimmings from the 4-H club, so we were set up to kick back and feast! Turns out shortly after the game began I had a knock on my door, so I missed most of the first half piddling with a truck that was having problems.

While I made it back in time for the half time show, I was wishing I hadn't. I was very disappointed in it.

The second half was excellent.

We didn't win any money off the game boards, but Krl did come close. If there hadn't been a penalty on the third down pass play near the end of the first quarter and had New England kicked a field goal, Krl would have won $150. She had a 3 and a 3. Turns out Clifford H won two quarters for $350 (2nd and 3rd) while on the other board Matthew F. won four hundred dollars. Wendell J won the end of the game score and $600.

Oh well, they all probably needed it.

Ricky and Pedro put in a really good day yesterday. DOD and Clayton came in and pulled their share of loads as well. We would have been a little behind but when the plant came back on line they burned a motor up on the cyclone vacuum.

Frank had a late night and an early morning!

Since we didn't get to go to town yetserday, we are finding ourselves needing to go to town, probably tomorrow. We are supposed to pick up some things and we will probably make a day of it. I need to make a full circle to Midland, Odessa, Midland, and come back by Stanton and pick up some more take off tires.

Krl and I were on the same page this week on settlements. I made a $143 mistake which resulted in an over pay. Krl made a similar boo boo as well. Mine was spread over seven settlements and probably won't be corrected, (the $143 will be my pennance for messing up). Krl's mistake was on a single driver's settlement and will be much easier to correct.

I am having to educate some of these drivers on how their settlements read. One guy I had given motel money to, accused me of charging him out with the money. I told him I did. The money was charged out as an advance and then he was reimbursed for the cash tickets he turned in. He finally understood.

Man, some of these guys hit grand slams last week! I told Krl I need to quit doing what I am doing and just drive! I think payroll was at an all time high. There were some pretty good checks when the witholding and SS/MC is running six hundred dollars plus for the week.

I have got to get on the books for year end, so they can go to the accountant.

Always another project.

Have a day!

FATHER, let me lean on YOU!

Seventeen more modules were untagged today. That brings the total to 226 so far, or about two and a half days ginning.

Frank the Plant "Super" is thrilled. He says maybe more patrons will follow that lead.

I don't follow his lead. I look at it that it is only two less days here at the plant, and we probably lack seventy eight or nine more. I told the girls that I think it would be neat to start a big poster board titled Glasscock County Coop "Wall of Shame" and list all the customers who tagged and now are untagging modules. Some of these people are friends, but I don't want to let them off the hook too easy. My theory is, they knew how far the plant was behind when they called the modules in.

The girls have a contingency plan in place should some of these modules leave and then something happen and the producers want to re-tag them back in. They get the next numbers out of the tag drawer. That means they might have thought they were helping themselves out but if it doesn't work out, they will go all the way to the end of the line. There may be a chance that someone will win that bottle of Crown Royal sitting on the counter by tagging module number 15,000!

By the way, numbers today look something like this. I am projecting 182,278 bales. and maybe around the twentieth of April for completion.

I am going to have to find my Super Bowl board sheet. Krl has two squares and I have two squares. Not bad numbers, but then again remember, the only thing I have ever won is the draft lottery!

If I were a betting man, I would go with the Giants and take the points. Of course that isn't the popular pick, but I don't like Bellichek, I think Brady is pretty arrogant, Randy Moss has a mouth, and the balance of the organization is guilty by association! I know, I am picking with my heart and not my mind.

I'm staying with it, Go Giants!

Actually I have to modify my statement about the only thing I ever won was the draft lottery. I won a bicycle once for guessing how many jelly beans were in a jar but the entry was in my sister's name. That was way back when Glenn's Pharmacy was still located downtown in Roscoe where the old Sneads Drug Store had been located. They had a soda fountain and boothes but catered to a more mature clientele than Haney's did across the street.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a maintenance Sunday, but you won't be able to tell it by my trucks. I have bale trucks and seed trucks that will run right through. I am going to tell them if they want to shut down during the Super Bowl we will work through it.

We have been cycling drivers in and out since yesterday about this time.

I don't know if Krl and I will go to town tomorrow or not. That will be her decision. I really don't feel right about asking our guys to work and then us taking off to town. Of course you have to realize that at least these drivers see civilization!

I am through with settlements with two exceptions. One is Cottonwood and the other is the new truck that began this week. I can't finish either without some vital information about percentages. I called Cottonwood yesterday and told them if they talked to either of the girls that do their payroll to ask them to call me. Then I called Joni and left her a message. The big problem is that if we miss the window for shipping in the settlements tonight, that will mean Tuesday or Wednesday by mail before they will have them on that end.

Krl is through with checks. In fact she is laying down. Back in December she had called and made an appointment with and eye, ear, nose specialist. We were told this man is very good. She decided the wait would be worth it and her appointment was scheduled for January 31, 2008 at 11:05 am. This past Thursday I woke Krl so she would have plenty of time to get ready. As she was putting on her makeup she called to get directions to the doctor's office. They informed her that the doctor was not coming in that day and they had no record of her appointment.

Duh.

Thursday afternoon Krl and all the pups except Maple Syrple were laying down for a nap. I made a dash for the Post Office to get some of the last quarterly reports in the mail. When I began gathering my cap and jacket and picked up my keys, Miss Maple was looking pretty sad. I asked her if she wanted to go with me and she started bounding around the trailer. Out the door we went and when we left our small yard, she was on cloud nine. She is such a bundle of energy. She was bouncing and running all around. When I opened the door to the Expedition she was in in a second.

She would love to be an only hound!

I don't know how she tells the other hounds what, but they all knew she had gotten a treat they missed out on!

Can you believe it is already February!

I have really been battling getting depressed. Lots of stuff seems like it is riding on me heavy. I'm sure it has a lot to do with being hung out here in the badlands! Think good thoughts of us and for us!

Have a day!

FATHER, save me from myself!