Things have calmed down some. Yet demand continues to be high.

My drivers had been gone from home a month, so they were due some R & R. One had taken ten days off, the other took only a few days before his wife booted him out the door.

I know that these guys get tired, but I also know they need to make some money. And, money is directly tied to work.

I learned yesterday that we won't be summoned back to South Texas any earlier than Monday. Monday in itself is doubtful since it is Labor day, yet we could and would go. Just knowing we were "off the hook" until Monday made yesterday ease up although late in the day we had to jump through hoops to get one truck gone to the grain harvest.

I had been intending to replace the front brake pads on Krl's SUV. I decided to do it in the driveway instead of taking it to K.O.'s shop. I had run errands earlier in the day and picked up parts from AutoZone (ironically Chris called me asking what I was doing as I walked into his competitors).

I can't believe how they build things now days. Of course they say products of days gone by are over engineered and subsequently, over built. Meaning that they last forever. What I found yesterday was a much lighter brake caliper configuration in more parts than before. Parts of it were cast steel, part of it cast iron and part of it aluminum. The worst thing they do is put hardened bolts (grade 8) into aluminum that is threaded.

When I removed the bolts, I noticed one of them had aluminum thread remnants in the steel threads. It had galled and pulled some of the threads. I took a hack saw and cleaned up the bolt, but when I re-installed the bolts I decided to swap places with them, putting the best bolt in the worst bolt hole. Still I had a problem with it starting and when it did, it just didn't feel right. So, I decided to go to a parts store and purchase a tap and die set to chase the threads.

It went back together much better after I had refreshed the threads. But, the job that should have taken an hour had stretched to three.

I put up tools and got in the house in time to watch the Baylor football season opener. Kirb got the start against a strong Wake Forest team. I didn't expect a Bear victory. In fact I had a pre-game revelation of the final score being 41 to 6. I was close. 41-13. Kirb didn't have the game we hoped. I felt Coach Briles pulled him a little to quickly. I thought at UM Kirb's receivers dropped way to many passes, but even last night it occurred again. Kirb had 2 int's, one was a tipped pass but the other was his. Kirb's replacement was a true freshman from Copperas Cove, and he reminded me a lot of Vince Young.

Remember, you heard it first here.

Today I am going to try to buy a truck. Actually I have tried to for three days. My driver with the most seniority called and tipped me to a buy. So far I have been unable to make the connection. Maybe today is the day.

When I was running errands yesterday, one stop was at Bruckner's Mack Volvo in Tye. When I was there I noticed that overnight gas had jumped eleven cents a gallon at the Wes-t-go fuel stops in the area. I don't know if it is Gustav unsettling things in the Gulf or if it is greed unsettling things for the Labor Day weekend, but another stopped showed the Valero fuel stop at Albertson's was still at the reduced price. Knowing I have to drive to Stephenville Saturday, I filled Krl's SUV and my pickup.

Crazy thing is, Valero is a major player in South Texas. In fact I fuel there frequently. The biggest difference is the additional eighteen cents a gallon they charge here in Abilene. And it isn't where the fuel comes from because I watched a Coastal truck drop it's load in the underground tanks. It amazes me, I watch all these different trucks pick up fuel from local distribution points from the same spickets, yet when they off load, the pumps proclaim cleaner fuel yielding better mileage, longer engine life with better performance.

And I have some swamp land for sale.

The best news I heard was that Allsups on North Pine Street was under four dollars a gallon for diesel!

My today is a blank page. I guess I will color it as I go.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for getting things calmed down. Help me to make good decisions. I pray for safe travel for all those on the road this weekend.