Hello readers. This is D. Lee reporting to you live from ................... . . . . Abilene, Texas!

Civilization! Yes!

After a very busy day, we left the compound shortly after five in the evening. We arrived home just a tick before nine last night. Enjoying one of "city life's" perks, we ordered out to be delivered! Wow!

Bobbie, the lady who cleans our house and waters plants and looks after things while we are gone, had come by and turned the thermostat up and given the house a quick run over.

I have to say, "There's no place like home!"

I posted before about what it is like to return from extended period in the travel trailer, but I still don't think I have gotten the point across. It seems so huge!

Immediately after we walked in, Krl put her glasses down. Shortly, she was searching for "said glasses". I told her that one of the benefits of living in "tight" quarters is, it is harder to lose something!

The houndgirls have run and run, and played and played. All of them had to go out and check "their yard" multiple times last night.

My yesterday had been filled. I began the day with hooking up to my service trailer. I wanted to get the bale clamp that blew the cylinder to the shop in Midland. Of course nothing is simple, when I got to the other end of the plant my night operators had parked one forklift right against the faulty clamp. When I tried to start it, it didn't even turn on a light. At first I thought there was a battery/alternator issue, but after investigating I found they had backed under a trailer and collapsed the backup/brake lights, turn signal bulbs, where there was a dead short. For some reason, most manufacturers of forklifts, put these backup lights on the ignition circuit. I gave Arturo a pair of pliers and told him to remove all the broken light bulbs and I began looking at fuses. Sure enough, the ignition fuse was burned in to. I made a quick dash to the farm store and bought a new box of fuses, returned and installed one, and the forklift roared to life. In retrospect, I now believe the night operators had to push the forklift with the problem to where it was at.

I hate it when someone tries to cover up their miscue.

In a mistake on my part, I did not listen to Arturo completely. He had told me the forklift would not start because it was out of diesel. I thought he meant that was the reason he was not running it, and that the mobile storage tank we fill from was empty. So immediately after I had the bale clamp loaded and Arturo's machine running, I dropped my service trailer and hooked to the fuel tank. I thought I could feel fuel sloshing as I drove the half mile to the fuel facility, but decided to fill it, just to be safe! Sure enough it only held eighty-five gallons.

When I took time to think about all that had transpired, I knew that Arturo was telling me the reason the forklift wouldn't start was because it was out of fuel. I don't know what it is about his association with something not starting and fuel. I am sure if he would think about it he would realize it had no electrical power.

When I was in Midland, I went to the forklift shop, Target, Home Depot, Petsmart, Lowes, Albertsons, a filter supply, and Tractor Supply. It was an intense trip.

When I returned to the compound, Krl was packing for our sleepover at home. I unloaded and reloaded and arranged, and fueled and took all sorts of precautions, giving Delfino all the tools he might need to be the acting "Patron" while I was gone! I think it is a real ego booster for him when I put him in control. He does me a really good job!

Things are really beginning to slow down at the compound. What I mean is, fewer farmers are tagging cotton in to be hauled and processed, and yesterday when I left, there had not been one load of milo in-bound.

The GM made the declaration yesterday that he believed we would be through with the cotton by December 16! That is two weeks. He also said he thinks we will be just under fifty thousand bales. That news is bitter sweet. Being home for Christmas would only be the second time in the last several years, but that would be good. Bad part is, $$$$ are tied directly to the total number of bales produced. Much like the farmers, we have good years and bad years.

Well, the doorbell chimed and the window installation people are on the job! They told me they would have no problem making all the installs today. And that is good because that is all we budgeted for them!

It is so odd, I have internet that responds, I have a keyboard that I can type on. It has been so frustrating working with our ISP on the jobsite this year. They told us it was a modem problem so we bought a new DSL modem from them, while it is better than before is still has hiccups! For whatever reason, this year my laptop's flat keyboard has bothered me more than ever before. In fact, I have even thought about hooking up a conventional keyboard, but haven't . . . . . yet!

Well, I am going to see my barber today. I may even splurge and get a haircut and a shave! I have always wanted to do that, today may be the day! My barber shop is one of the few old timey ones that still uses the hot lather and straight razor. None of that weed eater on your neck and over your ears! Of course the crim de la crim is when they stretch those springs from the vibrator over their hand and give your shoulders and neck a brief massage!

I have parts cores that have to go back to the distributor, and I have lots of other stops I would love to make. We'll just have to see if time allows.

Krl and I are discussing when we are going back. She is thinking today sometime, I am thinking in the morning.

Surprisingly, this is the first time I have been away from the jobsite overnight during the season in probably ten or twelve years (for more than a quick jaunt to town for supplies or a direct jobsite to Abilene turnaround). The burr contractor does it all the time. I have found in the past that it is much harder to return than it is to stay.

Maybe I am expanding myself to allow more responsibility on my key people.

Well, it is getting noisy here. I can hear hammers and saws (so far no breaking glass). Brandy and Phoodoo think they need to protect their home. They are the biggest chickens. They both wanted with me, but since they got in the office with me they have been growling and barking at the noises!

Rian called this morning and wanted to know what it felt like to sleep in our own bed! Wonderful!

He said he is trying to map out the rest of his week where he can be in Abilene this weekend and go to a rules meeting in Stephenville Saturday. He is wanting to bring his tractor to Abilene, remove the motor so he can roll in new rod and main bearings, before dropping the chassis at K.O.'s shop where K.O.'s brother is going to build Rian's roll cage.

One of Rian's biggest problems is overloading his boat. Tomorrow night he and Erica are taking the boys to "The Polar Express" in Lubbock. They already have tickets. They have brought in some passenger cars that are replicas of the movie and they ask parents to bring their kids in their pajamas and serve hot chocolate and such! I know the boys will enjoy it!

Well, I am going to sign off!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for home. Thank YOU for giving us a place we return to, to rest, to refresh, to renew. We can only anticipate what it will be like when we go home to YOU!