Woo Hoo!

Everyone at the compound has one eye on what they are doing and the other eye on the production board. Yesterday we were 37 days and a few hours to completion, today we show to be at thirty five and lots of hours. That means we had a good day yesterday! In fact we ginned 106 modules. That in itself is not unusual for this plant, but lately we had been ginning high bale count modules and only around 85 a day. That means yesterday we were either in a batch of small modules or they were stripped modules. Usually that will bring our average bales per module down, but we know we have lots of picker modules to come which will pump the average back up.

Many of you have been aware of my quest to purchase some older equipment with diesel engines and hydrostatic drives. In February I had purchased two older red cotton strippers at a farm sale. While one was field ready, the other was missing some pertinent parts to being ready to strip. Both were guaranteed to run. For a month, any time Delfino and I could get away for a few hours we would go there and piddle with these machines, trying to get them ready to move away from the sale site. One of these we could start with ether, but it would not run or come off idle. Later it would run, only if you feathered the air intake with ether. Yesterday Julio and I went to work on these machines again. I had been thinking and thinking about what might be wrong and I had decided it had to be an obstruction in the fuel lines. When we arrived I backed in beside the machine so we could blow air lines with the air compressor and I instructed Julio to begin by removing the fuel line to the fuel bowl. When he pulled the line away, it was barely dripping fuel. I was getting ready to blow air through the line, removed the cap from the fuel tank and was tracing the line when I realized two lines crossed and I had been assuming the destination of the line. Upon closer scrutiny, I found that the line did not go where I thought it did and said line had a valve on it. Although the valve appeared to be open, when I firmly grasped it, it opened more. Long story short, fuel began to flow and the mystery had been solved. We filled all the fluids, attached the booster cables and started the machine! It ran like a champ. I even drove it before we directed our attention to the other machine.

I love it when a plan comes together!

We removed a flat steer tire from the second machine, went into Big Spring to pick up Krl's meds and a few groceries and while we were there picked up a new tube. Later that evening we broke down the tire and installed the new tube!

Maybe, just maybe, we will make a quick jaunt back to Lomax this afternoon.

Krl and I had been wanting to make OUR beef enchiladas. Often we make them flat and in layers. Corn tortilla flash fried, meat sauce mixture topped with cheese, then a layer of lettuce and tomatoes, with the process being repeated until you get the desired serving size. The final topping is a fried egg. In New Mexico I have seen several restaurants that offer this entree, in Texas the only place I have seen it on the menu is Abuello's and it is called Grandfather's favorite!

While I was in town, I secured all the missing ingredients and last night we feasted!

Carlos, one of my truckers who had been gone returned yesterday. He was only three days late. He was rewarded with a load of motes to Lubbock.

L.M., another driver, is off today. he had a doctor appointment.

We are so excited. We have a maintenance Sunday this Sunday and then we will shut down for Easter at seven in the morning on the 22nd, and not begin until again until 7 in the morning on Monday the 31st!

Eighty degrees out here today! I can't believe it! I may have to find my shorts!

Hope your day is a blessed!

FATHER, I find myself anxious. I ask for YOUR calm!