Same ol' same ol'.

I hadn't mentioned it, but for the last few weeks, possibly months, I had almost slept like a normal person. The last few nights have been flashes of the past and as you can tell by the post time, I'm already up and at 'em.

For the first night in a long time I woke with one of those episodes. Heart beating out of my chest and respiration very rapid. It's really kind of scary.

I spoke with Edwin late yesterday and much to my chagrin, he is planning on ginning cotton today! I was so in hopes he would wait to let the farmers finish their harvest before he started the plant up. The season down there has been long and drawn out for no more cotton production than they have had. As soon as I had the word I called K.O. so he could line up his drivers and I began to try to get hold of Mario. We had told the drivers if they chose to, when the plant shut down for the storm, unload in Harlingen and go West (inland) in order to avoid heavy traffic and possible outer bands of Ike. When I talked with Mario, he was still in Harlingen. He told me that when they stopped talking about Ike on his fm radio station he figured the threat had moved away from the area so he was in no hurry to come home. He told me he had just been sleeping. That saved about $400+ in fuel had he come to West Texas. As it turned out he only had a hundred miles to drive back to the plant. At the time I retired for the night, I had not heard back from K.O. as to his drivers status.

At the present time, I don't think I am going to take my travel trailer back there, if I go. Fact is, if I go I may have to take one of the trucks that is in need of a driver right now.

Yesterday I placed a call to an insurance adjuster I had been dealing with for seven months. The company had a truck that had an accident in February and in April the adjuster told me they were going to total the truck out. I think this man suffers from ADD because every time we have talked, he has promised me quick action, but with little to show for it. Yesterday he told me this next week he would be closing the file this week. I am optimistic. The biggest hold up had been the salvage value of the truck. Yesterday I made a deal for the company to buy the wrecked truck from insurance. This is going to be a pretty good deal I think because the company has one remaining truck that is identical to this one, so now we will have an engine, transmission, rearends, radiator, air to air, alternator, compressor, and many more parts. Fact is, if I could locate a similar truck with the engine out I could buy it and put this power train in it. Crazy part of this deal is that we drove the wrecked truck for another two months after it was wrecked, it is just a major inconvenience for the driver to get in and out from the passenger side.

I have done a lot of computer work the last two days. Trying to see what I can find to replace the above mentioned truck and looking around for a new company pickup truck. I've found two possibilities, one for each. The only thing I don't like is the pricing. I found one pickup on the internet and it had a price after all the incentives. When the dealer contacted me, they had added six thousand dollars to the price on their website. I went to a website called why pay sticker price and they gave me a price sixteen thousand dollars under the dealers pricing. I don't know what is going on.

I will say that it appears I am looking for something that is not in an abundance. I'm looking for a work truck. Tough, durable, rubber floor mats (no carpet), no trick wheels, no chrome bells and whistles, 2 wh. drive. The only splurge I do want is a four door crew cab (my existing company truck is an extended cab four door).

To be honest I have a real problem looking. I don't like to spend money, mine or the company's. I guess that is one thing about the roller coaster ride with the family business. I am gun shy. I talked with one truck salesman I have known for several years. Freddy did a lot of business with him. The salesman was giving me a run down of all the used big trucks he had and he told me the best truck on the lot was one particular make. I cut him short and told him I wanted nothing with that company's name on it and he could understand why. (It was the company that cancelled the contract they had with the family business that resulted in eight figure losses and finally bankrupted the family business). He told me he totally understood and "Let's move on".
He does have one truck I would like to have for the company but it is about double what I have been authorized to spend. Thing is the salesman will roll new bearings into the engine and the bottom end will have a one year warranty on it. (This is a 2003 Peterbilt). The best thing is, this salesman does not sell junk. Anything he has on his lot is usually pretty solid equipment.

I did find an '02 truck similar to the '03 at another dealer in Tennessee. The '02 is fourteen thousand dollars cheaper.

If I could only find a 1965 model the price might be right!

Another project I worked on was a contract for when we take "the project" to a show. We had always worked from a verbal agreement, but one show we did earlier this summer has made it necessary to get everything in writing. Everything is pretty well spelled out in black and white, complete with descriptions and disclaimers.

It is sad that today a man's word is no longer his bond.

A few have spoiled it for many.

Have a day.

Oh FATHER, there is much to do. Help me to be wise. Help me to be a good steward. I know my REDEEMER lives!