Mission accomplished.

The S-10 has a new inspection sticker. It has been almost two months since we replaced the engine in the little pickup, but due to some problems with the engine, I hadn't been able to get it inspected.

I told the man who inspected it, I had mixed feelings. I felt like an outlaw renegade before I got the sticker. He asked if I would feel that way if I got that $111 citation.

The past two weeks, one of my drivers has been driving the little pickup. He drives fewer miles on weekdays but drives more miles on weekends. I also wondered if a different style of driving might help too. My driver tells me he has added one quart of oil in a thousand miles. (I was adding a quart every two hundred miles). Maybe the rings are seating. I have already changed the oil (at six hundred miles). I was using a synthetic oil I use in nearly everything. The
re-builder recommended a cheap multi-grade oil. I put in the cheapest oil Chris's store carries in a 5W/30.

The little S-10 is fifteen years old. My insurance carrier didn't want to carry full coverage on it. In fact they told me it was too old to for them to insure. I explained that I had just put in a new engine and I was wanting to be sure if something happened, I could recoup that investment. It is not like it cost an arm and a leg, it is about $362 per year. I am sure they probably wouldn't pay more than a couple of thousand if it was totalled.

I thought it was interesting that when they told me they couldn't insure the little truck and I told them I would look else where, and if I found coverage they would lose all my business, they suddenly could insure the little truck.

I can't imagine any one or any business turning someone away in times like these.

Krl and I had surprise company yesterday. It was very pleasant. I just wish I had more time. About time our company arrived, my driver returning from Fort Worth called asking me to meet him at Tye.

Ollie had driven Addison to Abilene for Addie's Dad to pick her up for her birthday visit. I'm not sure it will be a birthday visit. When Addison has spent Christmas there, her Dad and his live in don't let Santa come for her. (Of course, Addison now has a half brother on her Dad's side.).

Who woulda thunk Addison's Dad would be the cream of the crop that Addison's mother would drag home?

Krl had told Ollie she would pay to refill her prescriptions one more time. Ollie stopped by to get a check. She had the 'scripts tranferred to the pharmacy closest to our home. Between her insulin and her bi-polar and antidepressant, she needs all the help she can get in finding a job. (To be honest, not even her Dad would hire her when she is off her meds).

For those of you sitting on the edge of your chairs, the Fort Worth transmission shop did exchange transmissions, no questions, no problem. That almost proves my suspicions that the unit was one of theirs. While that is re-assuring, it is also alarming. It makes me wonder if we got another hybrid, and if so did that contribute to the problems we encountered.

They did give me a one year unlimited miles warranty.

Now we just need to find some work and get busy!

I hope to get all of the date sensitive material for the board meeting/bid presentation finished up today or tomorrow. Then I have no intention of touching it again until it is handed over at the meeting.

Last night I dreamed I won Mega Million and went to the meeting and told them I would pay all the freight for the next season. I gave the contract to Greg and then I was his boss. It was a hoot!

Hope your weekend is off to a good start!

FATHER, thank YOU for this day and all the blessings it holds. FATHER I ask that YOU bless my efforts with the new contract proposal. Help me to be gracious in victory or defeat. I know that whatever happens, it is part of YOUR plan for us. And, I know who I have believ-ed.

I should've stayed in bed this morning. All I have done is spend money I don't need to spend. In this case you have to spend money to make money. If the work presents itself and you aren't ready to roll, you snooze you lose.

The transmission deal has dragged on way to long. Two weeks. I shopped the deal and shopped the deal before taking the transmission to a local shop to be rebuilt. $3089. Best deal I found. Then I got a call asking me what this was supposed to be (meaning what model transmission). They said they could not figure out what transmission it was because it had parts from three different transmissions.

More research pointed to the possibility that this transmission came from Fort Worth, and whoever did this was very, very smart and very, very, good. However to rebuild this single unit (rather than having a hundred various units to rebuild) it would require buying three different kits and none of the three kits would be used completely.

To do what the local shop wanted to do, the rebuild would escalate to six thousand dollars!

I talked with the people from Fort Worth and they told me send it to them. I told them it was broken down into pieces. They said bring it on! We'll see if he has his enthusiasm after it arrives. He told me he would still exchange. We will see. I expect a phone call shortly after one o'clock either from my man or the transmission shop man.

I decided to get an inspection sticker on the S-10. (My driver took the big company truck). So I decided to go and see a friend in the exhaust business to check and see if I needed a new muffler before it would pass inspection. I could hear an exhaust leak, and sure enough when we put the little pickup up on the lift, it was very evident it had to have a muffler. $72.

Then I went down the street to get an inspection sticker and everything was good until they turned on the windshield wipers. Try as I might, I could get them to run once, but then they would quit. Finally I took it home to find the problem.

What the hey! This is West Texas! I would promise not to drive if it would just rain!

So, hopefully, in a short time I will return to get an inspection.

I am toying with the idea of going to Lubbock/Post/Lamesa Saturday morning. Just a possibility. The pork is ready. They called Rian Wednesday but he has been busy. He has a lock-in tonight, so it may not work to pick it up tomorrow. He said several of the churches in Lubbock are having a joint youth lock-in at the Texas Tech recreation center. He and Paul will probably go to Greenlawn Saturday morning after it is over to try to get a few hours rest. He said they would probably crash in the youth center where there are several couches.

I have been toying with the idea of going and seeing Leonard. Currently I am finding myself needing a diversion. The closer the presentation gets, the more pissed off I seem to get. I told Rian it wouldn't surprise me in the least if I walked in there and told them to take a hike. Crazy thing is, I wouldn't really care.

My numbers remain constant. I don't plan on changing anything in the proposal except the date. I have wondered if they thought the extra ten days after the first meeting was postponed might give us cause to want to change the numbers. If that was their intent, it didn't work.

I am just ready to get it over with. Win lose or draw.

One stipulation I did put in my proposal is "it is submitted as a whole, not to be pieced or parted out". I guess it is the whole enchilada or nothing. If Greg gets the contracts he only thinks he has had bad days at the jobsite before. I am afraid he would be in line for an education.

That may be one thing that would make it worth giving up the contract. Heh, heh!

Well, I had better get. I need to make one stop before I return to try again on the inspection!

Have a good day and weekend!

FATHER, bless my day. Help me in my mindset. Lift me!

I read a story yesterday on Yahoo news that said if you are in the process of being foreclosed on, there are three powerful words you need to use. "Produce the documents." They say with the many mergers, and the ever popular selling of mortgages, lenders are finding it difficult, if not impossible to proceed with the process because they can't find the loan documents.

I thought that was interesting.

Our loan has changed hands three times.

Krl is not feeling well. I am concerned. About her physical health as well as her mental health. She is tired of not feeling well.

I guess we are in the market for a new lawn man/woman/person. Krl has called our old one multiple times and he has not returned our calls. Krl had paid him for four more weeks when we went to the seasonal jobsite, but by all appearances when we returned, he had not been here since we left. He may have decided he would rather take the money and run than perform the work and keep a customer. I think last year there were four or five of us in our neighborhood who used him. We may have to talk across the fences this weekend.

Back to the parts store today. Then off Friday. I think I am going to send one driver to Fort Worth Friday and the other to Midland. My forklift dealer/shop/support is closing down their Midland location. They had two company machines and one bale clamp we had left for repairs at the end of the season. The equipment is ready to come home.

When Brent and Jason opened the forklift dealership several years ago, they were one of two in that area. Now they are one of a big bunch. The troubling thing for me is Brent is moving the location to a smaller market. Jason, his son is job hunting. We talked yesterday and I told him it was not a good time to be job hunting.

The transmission saga continues, but I don't want to talk about it.

That's all I have got to say about that.

Have a day!

FATHER, I am struggling big time. I ask YOU for relief. I lift up Krl for YOUR gifts of healing and care. I ask YOUR blessing on the proposal presentation. I pray that YOU will lead Ollie to a job. YOU are good.

I need to get this off my chest.

I didn't blog this morning. I made myself stay in bed.

What do you suppose the odds are, that I purge my feeble brain every morning of negative thoughts.

If that is the case, I suffered all day long. And it was self imposed!

I am blue. Bluoooooooooooouuuue. I don't know why. It seems like I am missing Fred and TJ a lot.

And I seem to be really struggling. The closer it gets to proposal time, the more I just want to tell them to take a flying leap. Maybe they deserve Greg and Greg deserves them! It is a bitter pill to swallow, to have to go through the process. First time in fifteen years!

Parts store has been interesting. I took Chris to Western Marketing yesterday, then to Radio Shack and then to the Better Burger. I told him I didn't know how he made it to 23 almost 24 without eating at Larry's. He said that was the best burger he ever ate! Larry put it on K.O.'s tab. Chris loves free food. In fact he loves anything free!

Hope you had a day!

FATHER, I need a lot of help! Love lifts me.

Parts store today. Gotta go give Chris a hard time about Mikey!

My Monday was a necessary evil. Gotta have it to get to Tuesday. Most of my day was spent doing more research on the RTLO16713Aopo transmission, that my guys removed from the big truck at the farm shop. Of course, this is one of three trucks that are in the farm shop undergoing similar work. I have one truck we are switching transmissions in with a wrecked truck I bought back from insurance (to use as parts). My guys thought I was crazy when I told them we would remove and switch both transmissions. They thought we should quit when the good truck was finished. Thing is, the transmission supports the rear of the motor and even more important, if all the trucks are on the road and we need to move or spot trailers, we could use the wrecked one. You just have to get in from the passenger side. (The truck was jack-knifed on the drivers side).

A week ago I got my first estimate on the RTLO tranmission repair. $4000.00. Yikes! I got my first exchange estimate. $4400.00. Aaarrghh! I continued to e-mail and try to contact one other re-builder, but it seemed like they weren't interested. Then out of no where I got an e-mail. They had one in stock and quoted $3695.00. Comparison shopping, this was the best I had seen. There was a note to call them and I did. On the phone, the man quoted $3495.00. I sure liked the way this was going.

I had talked with Pepa and he suggested I stop in one other local shop. I did. Normally, I hate to go into this business. They are rude and crude, and act like they are doing you a favor. But, economics came into play and I decided to stop in. They began an estimate. $3089.00. (+-). I asked how big the plus or minus was and they said 10%. So $3397.90 on the high side and $2789.00 on the low. No 300 mile drive.

I began comparing warranty and they were all the same. 1 year unlimited mileage.

Just before the end of day, we unloaded the transmission at the local shop. They told me two days. I told them, no hurry. Friday would be fine.

I kind of feel good doing business locally. It is always my preference, but sometimes they aren't competitive. Maybe, just maybe, I saved someone's job.

Wow! I am impressed with President Obama's aggressive attack on the economic situation. He appears to be decisive, and willing to be bold in his goals. Quite a change from the noodle we had before. I appreciate the fact that he has put together a group of advisers that share in his sense of urgency. His weekend announcement of cutting the deficit in half by the end of his first term indicates to me his sense of fiscal responsibility.

I am sure it it a catch twenty-two. Darned if you do, darned if you don't.

Krl took a bad spill Sunday night. She had come by my chair and we were talking and she sat down on the arm of the chair. When she went to get up she went straight down. I am convinced that the antibiotic she is taking for her sinus infection/ear infections is not doing the job. It seems as though her equilibrium is really off.

She is beginning to wonder where she needs to go to get answers. That is pretty bold if you know how she feels about Dr. Mackie.

She and I have been talking some about a will. I have been in and talked to Lance about it and he gave me some bold guidelines. Currently, we are talking about skipping one or two generations, which would mean Great Grandchildren. It is really difficult. It would be penalizing one for the sins of the other three, but we both feel the three girls would breeze through it quicker than a hot knife through butter. Besides, the three girls have been a drain. Krl and I were talking about money the other day, and lack of it, and I told her I was comfortable I could provide a good living for me and her if we got rid of some of the excess baggage.

I discussed with Rian the above possibility, and he said he had no problem. In fact he said it is yours, do what you want. He said if he came into a windfall he would probably use it to pay off student loans.

For the record, since Ollie got the insurance check for the new wheels Friday, neither Krl nor I have heard from her. Krl says this is a sign that she doesn't need anything. Go figure.

Estate planning is difficult. But, after some of the things I have seen and heard about Tj's and Fred's estates, it makes it much easier if a will is in place.

I got a text from Rian last evening. 2 lbs. I could tell he was a little disappointed, but hey he is already halfway to his first stage goal. He said they talked about salt intake last night, and he confessed he doesn't do well without salt. In fact his trick with the pickles for treats is high in salt content.

He does tell me he can already feel a difference.

I am realizing my need to do the same everyday. My biggest problem is I need to lose weight and Krl needs to gain. That seems like it would be hard to prepare meals.

By the way, there is another empty Blue Bell container on the cabinet this morning. The woman can eat it as fast as Blue Bell makes it. I gain weight just by putting it in my shopping cart.

Looks like summer may be here the next few days. Mid-eighties here, ninety-one today at the seasonal jobsite. Good golly! Krl is wanting me to put plants out for the next few days. Some of them are having cabin fever.

And in one final note, Pat had given me five lottery scratch off tickets for my birthday. I had let them lie on the cabinet top for almost a week. Last night while cooking beef stir fry, I began to scratch them off. $41. Not bad! And only two tickets were winners.

Isn't it grand to be a winner!

Have a day!

FATHER, I seem to be struggling. I need a little pick me up. I pray for a good day. That I will make good decisions. I lift up Krl for YOUR gifts of healing. Oh THOU fount of ev'ry blessing.

I laid down on the couch last night, watching NASCAR. I didn't make it to the end of the race.

Krl and I had a pretty laid back Sunday. I had settlements for drivers to do, and billing to prepare to mail. I am going to have to try to find some sort of software I can use to do the billing. For the seasonal work I use Excel spreadsheets that have been built and formulas entered. The big difference between there and hauling now is there we will haul 170-190 loads per week for one customer. Now, we may do five or six loads, per truck, per week, and every load may be for a different vendor.

At the defunct family business, we had a software made for the transportation industry. It was very good, but also very expensive. At one point in time, when the business was still going, we looked at installing the software on my laptop to do billing and payroll. However, that software required a nethasp. The nethasp is what determines how many users can access the program at one time. The nethasp plugs in the back of the server computer and resembles a plug with no cord. I can't remember what the current nethasp cost, but it was expensive. I think back to when we bought the software, the nethasp limited users to three. Then we boosted it several times until we had permission for thirty-four users to be on at the same time. Each time we bought a new nethasp, it arrived with specific instructions on return of the old one that would include shipping labels they supplied so they could track it back. I guess the nethasp to a software company would be like the key to the vault. Without it, their software is useless.

The one thing I would like about the old software is, you enter the load information once and it routes it throughout the entire program. You can set it to bill each individual load or you can do a statement summary, if will figure driver pay and do all the necessary summaries to do the required tax reporting. There are interfaces available that will download fuel purchases, and others that track mileage.

Some of the newer features for transportation software were pretty neat. One big problem is keeping a driver on task and in route. Some of the software available gives drivers specific fuel windows between certain times, and limits the fuel stops to the chosen route.

Those yahoos who stop and play in the arcades or decide to take the scenic route would be in trouble.

Yeah, industry specific software would be nice, but it isn't going to happen.

I can wish can't I?

Krl and I have been laughing. I bought some lotto and mega million numbers. I told Krl we are going to win it because we deserve it. As you can tell, I have read the book The Secret. It was an enjoyable read. Very thought provoking.

Krl asked me yesterday if I checked our numbers. I told her I did, and we didn't win anything. I continued on, saying we didn't win because it isn't big enough!

We had a light moment.

As many of you know, I enjoy TVLand on television. Most of their programming is vintage television. I Love Lucy. Good Times. Archie Bunker. Star Trek. Mayberry RFD. Currently on is Little House on the Prairie.

This particular episode is of personal interest. It is where Mary goes blind as a complication of Scarlet fever. Many of you know that I work with my nephew Chris during my off season. The same many know that he is visually handicapped. He is legally blind.

Chris constantly amazes me and teaches me. It is unbelievable what things we take for granted. I can only imagine what his world is like.

One of the things that Chris's eye doctor has always tried to do is to insure what limited vision Chris has, in order for that part of his brain to develop. Much to the surprise of the many specialist who have worked with Chris, his vision has improved. One eye sees close, one eye sees in the distance. Due to scaring, he cannot look directly at you, but peripherally.

This episode of Little House is particularly distressing. I can only imagine having the gift of sight and losing it. How terrible that would be. Yet, as this episode shows, the loss of sight brings out other things. The other senses become more attuned. I watch in awe, as visually handicapped people function almost flawlessly within the confines of their world.

I don't know that I could do that.

Folks, we need rain. The wheat is suffering. I have heard many people talking about in three or four weeks having their wheat assessed by insurance adjusters. The cotton prognosis does not look good either. Pat gave me an almanac and it says below average rainfall until late summer. I would hope we could only be close to the under side of normal rainfall.

I talked briefly with the hooligans yesterday. They are so proud of their Daddy driving them around in that big truck! This past week I received a birthday card from them and enclosed were several pictures of Drew. He is a big boy! If I understood Rian correctly, Drew weighs one pound more than Holt, and Holt turned three in January.

But, the prize may go to Dakota. If I understood correctly, she is five pounds behind Drew and she is six months old! I saw some pictures on the computer and she is a chunk! I think all they do in Florida is eat and fish! Ha!

By the way, on the wetlands reclamation project that Jason is working on, he plowed up an old canoe. There are archaeologists who constantly watch their work. Anyhow, they shut them down on that track of the project. They say that when the canoe is displayed in a museum it will list the date it was found, the location, and Jason will be listed as the person who discovered it.

Pretty neat!

Well, have a day! I am.

FATHER, we have so much to be thankful for. Thank YOU for the special skills we all possess. Help us to use them to their fullest. Help us to know that with all the uncertainty of this world, YOU remain steadfast. May all we do bring glory to YOU! FATHER we pray for YOUR blessing of rain, for our family and friends, in our area, at the seasonal jobsite, and on the coastal bend.

In a quick message, left by Dr. Mackie, he told Krl her tests indicated no cancers of any kind!

Wonderful. That is a big relief for both of us.

Now the question is, what is wrong?

I suppose we will move on to other tests.

I met Rian yesterday morning, just North of Abilene. I had driven my pickup, he had taken the big truck he retrieved from the shop. He had one stop he needed to make, so we swapped vehicles.

I went on to K.O.'s shop. There I began gathering tools to move the fifth wheel. This truck is an International the company purchased in October and put to work in November. A little over a week ago, when the flat storage was emptied, this truck was needing some attention. It had several small oil leaks requiring the attention of a shop. I have developed a pretty good relationship with the service manager at one particular shop in town, and he has done an excellent job of getting trucks in and out for us. When I called him, I told him I needed an assessment and estimate before beginning work. I waited a few days, but when Rian wanted to move the trailer K.O. loaned him and his pulling tractor back to Lubbock, I gave the go ahead to complete the work.

The repairs were completed Friday afternoon and I ran by and paid it out. $1154.73. Yikes!

I may be in need of a personal bail out!

Speaking of bail outs, I am appalled by some of the GOP congressmen who are voicing opinions against the bail out, saying we are spending money we don't have. Funny they didn't voice those same concerns about Iraq.

Arnold isn't bashful in California. He is willing to take all the bail out anyone else turns down.

I met Ollie and her mother in Winters Friday afternoon. I gave her the insurance check to pay for her new wheels. She is still searching for a job. She has lost some weight (she says that is what jail and no money will do for you). I am in hopes that she isn't all talk. She says her nine days in the slammer made an impression on her.

She did tell me that her beau had a development in his saga. The DA offered him a deal to do eighteen to twenty-fours months in alcohol rehab. Her beau became angry, saying all he would deal for was time served. He said he would take his chances at trial going to jail for 10 years. He said he was firing his attorney.

I don't think anything will have any affect on his habits. I told Ollie she needs to move on because within two hours of his release from either, jail, re-hab, or prison, he will be drunk and driving.

The last stage of my Saturday was a quick trip to Sears to return a broken Craftsman tool, taking the replacement tool to the drive in for Larry to take it back to their shop on the farm, then home to pickup a grocery list.

I was surprised at the grocery store. I had not seen a flyer this week, but they were having a two for one sale throughout the store. I had gone in with a minimalistic mind-set, but I ended up with a lot more that what was on the list. The surprising thing was that even the Butcher Block had two for one specials. Maria, now the Butcher Block manager, was working and she does a good job. She meets the customers very well, and always tries to help them stretch their budget. She had to save me from myself a couple of times because packaging is important at a two for one sale! I picked up a couple of things to try to change up our menu this week at the house.

Oh, I did pickup a couple of frozen entrees from Smart Choice (I think). Rian was still very hyped about his diet, and I have just about made up my mind to do it with him. (Krl tells me if I set my mind to something, I'll do it. I have convinced myself I need to drop some weight to feel better and be able to do more).

A funny moment yesterday was a phone call from Erica to Rian. Reidman was being a real pill.

Rian told her, "Tell Reid if he doesn't mind you, he is not going to the pancake supper Saturday night!"

Erica told Rian, "If I tell him that and he still doesn't mind, it means none of us will go to the pancake supper."

Rian said, "Use something else then, because I have saved my extra points all week to eat pancakes!"

I have to say it was good to spend a little time with Rian. He is so excited to go pulling. The main reason for him leaving his tractor at K.O.'s shop was for D.O. to build a roll cage for it. It took about a month longer than anticipated due to some material problems, but it turned out really good. First show of the season is April 3rd and 4th.

I was selfish first thing Saturday morning. I did a little personal improvement and got a hair cut. I found it hard to believe, but I arrived just minutes after the shop opened and I was already third in line. I do think I got a good haircut though.

With that said, I'm out of here!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the good reports for Krl. Be with Dr. Mackie as he diagnoses and treats her. Thank YOU for the good day yesterday. YOU lift me daily!

I feel like a firecracker that the fuse was lit, but it went out. "Fizzle."

After all the preparation, all the anticipation, I received a call late yesterday morning from the seasonal jobsite General Manager. We exchanged pleasantries, visited about his trip to Washington DC, and talked about the dry weather conditions. Then he asked if my bid proposals were ready for the Board Meeting. I told him I was prepared and everything was loaded in my truck. That when I left the parts store, I would be driving directly to the meeting.

He told me that they had some scheduling conflicts and that the other party submitting a bid proposal couldn't attend due to his child's illness and possible admission into a central Texas hospital. (This child lives with his Mother, an ex-wife of the other party. I have to confess I had bad thoughts and started to ask the GM if they would shut the plant down if this occurred during the season. But I just thought it, I didn't say it.) So, they removed the hauling contracts from the Board meeting agenda and tentatively rescheduled it for March 3 at 8:00 AM. in the morning. (That will mean an early departure from Abilene.).

The thing that gripes my butt is that all the proposal presentation folders are filled with dated material. The GM told me to just take a pen and strike the date. My personal opinion is that this will only be distracting. Since I have the proposal saved on my thumb drive, I will reprint it all.

Oh well.

After the call, I guess I lost the adrenalin rush and immediately I was tired.

My afternoon was filled with calls from well wishers and to interested parties.

Chris rode to Abilene with me yesterday afternoon, he was wanting to go to Academy to pick up a couple of things before going to his meeting. My taking him allowed Pat to have another couple of hours in her day before driving over to pick him up.

Chris is quite the shopper. He went on to the ATV accessories while I looked through the bicycle accessories. I told him I was looking for him some handle bar tassels for his new 4-wheeler. I do not know that there is one accessory Chris didn't look at or fondle. However, his tight-fisted way with money didn't allow him to spend money for anything extra beyond what he was initially looking for.

I was kidding him that last time we went to Academy, I ended up financing his shopping. He had gone on line and put some money in his account, but it wouldn't post until midnight so the funds were not available. When his debit card worked yesterday, I asked him what he had done for his banker to make the debit card work!

Chris quickly informed me, "You ain't right!"

I am going to meet Ollie sometime today, somewhere between Angelo and Abilene. I am going to finance another car for her. Her insurance paid off the last one yesterday, so I am re-investing those monies in transportation or her again. Worst part is, she is late on two payments. The car note, and a small short term side note.

Then, either tonight or tomorrow I am going to meet Rian and he is going to pick up a truck from the shop and a trailer from K.O.'s to haul his competition pulling tractor back to Lubbock. Somewhere in there he is going to have to do a drug screen for DOT purposes. I have already gotten a report and his approval from insurance.

I have to admit, I slept last night. Like a rock. I don't know I moved until about four when I made a quick trip to the bathroom. I returned to bed until seven-thirty when I was abruptly wakened with a severe leg cramp. So severe I had to jump from the bed to stretch the muscle and try to find a position to relieve it.

By then I was wide awake. But the sleep was wonderful while it lasted.

Here is wishing you a tremendous day and start to YOUR weekend!

FATHER, thank YOU for the wonderful night. I pray for a blessed weekend. Victory in YOU!

Wow. I am a whipped pup.

After a full day at the parts store, I returned to Abilene, made a stop at Office Depot, and then made my way home. After unloading my mobile office, I quickly made my way to my closet and put on my comfy clothes before heading to the home office.

I finished editing the final draft of the bid proposal and gave it to Krl to proof.

I finished the final draft of the preface to the proposal and gave it to Krl.

I began the final draft of the fuel surcharge, when Krl began returning documents with corrections. I made the corrections and gave the copies to Krl for proof once again. This process went on for several hours.

When it was all said and done, I had the bid proposal, the preface, the fuel surcharge addendum, a burr bid proposal, and a preface to the burr bid proposal.

Finally I had Krl's go ahead to print the copies for placement in the proposal presentation folders.

We began putting together the folders for each Board Member and the General Manager.

When we thought we were through Krl laid down on the couch and I went into the kitchen to finish the meal that she had started. A quick glance at the clock revealed it was 11:42. It was midnight when I ate.

After that I returned to the office to check for some expected e-mails. When I had turned the lights out and gone to bed, it was 1:00AM. I had been up almost twenty-two hours.

Rian called this morning and said he had a fitful night and thought I probably did too. He was very surprised to hear me tell him I slept very well until 4:00AM.. From there I cat napped until getting up at 6:00AM..

He asked if I had butterflies, or was I a bundle of nerves. I told him I was very calm.

I am very satisfied with my preparation for the proposals, and I am ready for the process to be over. Win lose or draw.

I am dreading the drive out after I leave the parts store this afternoon. The Board meeting starts at 7:00PM. after which I will drive back to Abilene. Its going to be a long late night.

But, I can sleep in tomorrow. To quote one one of my truckers, "We can rest when it is over!"

Think and pray good things for me and for Krl as I make the presentations later today. I know this is going to unfold exactly like GOD intends.

I hope you can experience the calm I feel today.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the good preparation. Thank YOU for giving me YOUR calm reassurance that all is well. Be with me as I make the presentation, help me to be confident, knowledgeable, and positive. It is in YOUR hands.

..... Five, six, pick up sticks!

56.

Happy birthday to me.

A crazy day yesterday. It was a wild mixture of parts store, trucks, drivers, shippers. And, in between I even took a call about announcing a show. By the time I left the parts store, the clock was sweeping upward toward six o'clock.

I am preparing the final draft of the contract proposal. I will be so glad when tomorrow night is over. I guess it is a combination of the stress of trying to put together a proposal that is worth while, and the disappointment in others who have tried to pass themselves off as friends, only to have used that "friendship" to hopefully gain insider information.

I'm guessing that by feeling betrayed, it has made the entire process bitter.

Krl is still complaining about a bad headache. She asked me how long mine usually persisted after the iodine Iv. I told her to expect another couple of days. She told me she just kind of feels generally yuk.

I don't know why, but the iodine Iv has always done that to me, and usually if they use gas as anesthesia or in combination, it does the same thing. That problem led Dr. Cochran to us a shoulder block during hand surgery back in the early seventies. That would be another story, but watching them work on my hand was weird!

A few years ago, when Ollie was moving from Lubbock to Angelo, she was very cash strapped. She called wanting to sell her almost new refrigerator to Krl and I. She gave Krl and I a bargain price, which we ignored, and we paid more (feeling it was fair). When the rental truck loaded up, the refrigerator was at the front, so it made the trek all the way to the storage facility in Angelo. Krl and I didn't need the refrigerator, as buying it was just insurance for future need. The refrigerator has remained in storage until recently.

Ollie's Mother and Step Dad have managed the storage facility until it recently sold and the new owner was going to run it themselves, so they needed to move everything out of the storage unit they were using. About the time Ollie was in the slammer, her Mother, Kali and the midget were moving everything out of storage. Ollie's mother got to feeling ill, and they told her to go home, that they would finish. About this same time Kali and the midget were moving out of the girl's Mother's house into a rent house. Recently Ollie stopped by to look at their new rent house, and there sat Krl's and my refrigerator in their kitchen. Turned out, when their Mother got sick during the move out of the storage building, it played right into Kali and Scott's hand. They didn't put the refrigerator with Ollie's stuff at Brad's house, they moved it to their rent house. And Kali's Mother and Step Dad were none the wiser.

I told Ollie that it didn't surprise me, and if Kali had used proper channels I might have agreed to loan the refrigerator to her. But, anyone who has ever done a favor or loaned anything to Kali knows it is never returned or repaid. Add to this, the fact that she has been very disrespectful of Krl and I, and I feel no obligation or desire to appease her selfish wants.

Ollie told her Mother of Kali's indiscretion, and yesterday morning the two of them went and got the refrigerator and put it into Brad's garage. Crazy thing is, there was another refrigerator that Kali had used before, in the same storage unit. She just coveted mine.

Darn the luck. I was ready to file charges.

My infernal internal alarm clock is out of control. I am so tired. And tomorrow, I will go to the parts store, spend the day, and then make the two hour drive to the seasonal jobsite for the meeting with the board of directors. Once the meeting is over, I will be looking at the three hour drive back to the house. Another yuk.

But I can sleep late Friday!

I'd better get busy. Have a day! Cake's on me!

FATHER, help me through this process. I pray for a blessed day. May it be productive. I ask YOUR guidance as I work through the bid proposal. Help me to be thorough and fair. I know whom I have believ-ed.

Back to the parts store today.

Our Monday was turned on end yesterday, very early. I had waken Krl about six-thirty, to allow her time to cough and spit and sputter, before she had to begin drinking her barium dye. The medical imaging place called and needed to reschedule her appointment. Now it was 12:30pm. Please arrive thirty minutes early.

I blame the attorneys for the six pages of paperwork we had to fill out. I have a real problem with the questions most pages repeat. Of course they had to have picture Id with our insurance card, then the next two pages have blanks for this same information. Hippa forms. Releases for injections and Iv's.

Finally they called Krl back. Already her stomach was revolting against the thick dye. I could hear her stomach rolling over and over. When they took her back, they began an iodine Iv, and gave her an injection. Stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys, ovaries, the lower abdomen in general. Dr. Mackie had ordered a multitude of tests.

I appreciate him trying to do as much as he can at a time. No sense in subjecting Krl to this over and over. When we get the results back (which they said could take twenty-four to forty-eight hours), we will move to the next stages of diagnosis. Of course we are hoping for Monday's tests to reveal nothing. Which in this case is good. The next step will be an esophageal scope (I forget exactly what they called it) followed by a colonoscopy.

Please continue to lift up Krl and Dr. Mackie for good results!

After we left the imaging place, I told Krl that she probably needed to eat something to hopeful dilute or flush the thick dye from her system. IHOP was the restaurant of choice.

My day was spent on the cell phone yesterday. By noon, it was showing one bar. By three it was on the charger again. I can't remember what it was like before I had this appliance attached to my ear, but I would sure like to try it again.

I began the day with my usual call from Rian, in transit to School. Then I began looking for loads for trucks, then driver calls. I returned calls to the insurance company about Ollie's wrecked car. They needed to ask me some questions and get my address since I am the lien holder. That one phone call expanded to five. They say the car is only worth 3000 something and repairs will cost over 8000. So I had to figure the payoff as of yesterday.

I then began checking on truck parts. Number one was the transmission I had left at the shop on Friday. Three gear sets, plus two single gears, plus a shifting fork, plus synchronizers. Almost 2500 in parts. With labor, we wee over 4000. The service manager told me he would recommend exchanging the transmission. It would cost about 400 more but the warranty is much better than their shop warranty. Now we were on the computer, making a circle of shops that rebuild transmissions. I am not sure which one Fred used, but if I remember correctly, they would take his core, give him a transmission and he would pay a flat fee, then they would rebuild his core and send him a bill for the difference between his transmission and the flat fee. Before the day was out I had begun to get replies.

Finally I talked with Ollie, telling her when she could expect her check for the amount over the payoff on her car.

Then I talked with Rian. He was on his way to his first weigh in at Weight Watchers. He told me they had begun a "biggest loser" at school. Some of his teachers and staff decided to weigh in and pay a ten dollar entry fee. March 15 they will weigh in and the biggest loser will take the pot! They actually have two deals you could buy into. The most pounds lost, or the biggest percentage of body weight lost.

In short order I received a text message from Rian. 5.4 pounds. He was the big loser for the week at that particular meeting. His group is made up of sixteen people, meeting at Covenant Hospital at six on Monday evenings. For the group, they lost thirty-two pounds. Rian said everyone wanted to know what was working for him. He was reluctant to tell them, but he finally did. Pickles. "I ate a gallon of Kosher Dill pickles", he said.

"A gallon?", they asked.

"Yes", he replied, "I have always loved pickles, they are crunchy and tart and tangy, so they make you feel as though you are getting a treat."

"How many points is a pickle?", one of the group asked.

"Zero", Rian proudly announced.

Now Rian is using all the lines he had used on him to entice him to join Weight Watchers, on me to join. I have been by, but the meeting was already over. I need to go, and of course it would do nothing but benefit me!

I continue to put together my proposal. I find myself having a hard time staying on task. I may be having some doubt about whether I want to do it. It has been a GOD send, but it has meant a great deal of time away from home the last fifteen years. I have made a lot of friends I would never have made. I am probably just feeling a little under appreciated because it has been a long time since I have had to go through this process. It may be the new Manager, or it could be the board just wanting to exert their authority over him on major decisions like this.

I only had one driver working at the shop yesterday. One was taking care of personal business. Hopefully the one working got his truck loaded up and ready to go. We were ready to haul flatbed freight with all the necessary equipment, but when we began hauling seed, we removed all of it to lighten up the empty weight. So we find ourselves back tracking again.

I plan on taking advantage of some of our vendors being in the Eastern time zone. I will be on the phone bright and early!

It is a little crisp in our house this morning. For whatever reason, the pilot went out in our central heating unit. I kept listening to the fan blow and blow and blow, so I finally investigated. I bet that is the first time the pilot has gone out in six or seven years. It lit readily so I will hope it was just a rogue wind gust that blew it out!

I have decide that the two little houndgirls have a lot to do with how well Krl and I rest at night. The entire night is a process of realigning and positioning. I have no idea what is the preferred spot. But sometimes it looks like a shift as one will move to the other side while the other takes over the position just vacated. What really bothers me is how hard they can press against us. Before you know it, they have ooched and pushed until they have Krl and I contorted and balancing on a small portion of the remaining bed space.

I know Maple Syrple is addicted to our electric blanket. We can get out of bed and if she goes missing, you can bet she is basking under or on the blanket! She just hasn't figured out why it times out and turns off. If she learns to work the control we may be in trouble.

I sure was thankful for the warm blanket this morning! Brrr!

I visited with Pat yesterday and she told me the almanac does not look good as far as precipitation goes, from March until August. We'll hope that mother nature will decide to put these mere mortals where they belong!

I'd better get. Have a day!

FATHER, I continue to lift up Krl and Dr. Mackie for YOUR gifts of healing and care. I ask that you will help him as he diagnoses and treats Krl's ailments. I thank YOU for Rian having a good week in his self improvement program. Help him to remain on task and to be excited with his results. I thank YOU for all my friends and family and ask that YOU bless them and keep them. I continue to ask for YOUR blessing on my work proposal presentation. Help me to make good choices. Forgive me when I fall short. YOUR love lifted me!

Yikes! It is way too early to be awake.

I guess there is to much stuff running around in the vast emptiness of my mind. Krl's test. The proposal preparation. The meeting later this week.

I am having a hard time giving it up to GOD. I know he is in control, but I also believe he expects us to make our best effort.

I know this morning's test for Krl are paramount in comparision to the other items. Dr. Mackie told us when he decided to schedule this, that to be up front with us, "We are looking for cancer."

I told him, "Doc, I like it better if we say, we are doing these tests to rule out cancer."

Being the man that he is, he apologized and agreed.

Isn't it odd, that even though we know, and knew, what the test were scheduled for, we feel better if we put a warm fuzzy outlook on it.

I guess I am the "glass half full" optimist.

Krl and I have skirted the issues of what if. Krl is much more direct in this matter than me. I say we will cross that bridge when, and if, it presents itself.

Once again, there is that "don't borrow trouble" attitude.

Dr. Mackie says if would be twenty-four to forty-eight hours before he has the test results.

I have a feeling this week is going to d r a g .

I do have to laugh at myself, because I see a lot of the same traits as in my Pollyanna sister.

I probably worked seven hours on the proposal yesterday. The old contract was originally structured in 1995. It has had very little tweaking since then. There is a baseline fuel cost of $1.18 per gallon. Back then, in order to protect ourselves over the multi-year contract, we included an addendum with a variable rate fuel surcharge. When fuel reaches a certain price, a corresponding percentage of the base rate is added to the base rate. The addendum had been expanded several times. In fact, in 2007, it was finally expanded to $5 per gallon fuel. Beauty part of it is, when fuel goes up we are protected, when fuel goes down the shipper is protected.

Last summer, I had begun preparing for contract negotiations. At that point in time I probably spent a week working on a variable rate fuel surcharge based on baseline fuel of $3.50. Needless to say, all that work went for naught as fuel spiraled down at the end of 2008.

Fuel prices for road diesel have fluttered about $2.00 per gallon at the seasonal jobsite. Oil industry analysts project fuel to gain about $0.50 per gallon by mid-summer. So, my day yesterday was spent working up a new chart of variable rate fuel surcharges.

To do this, I elevated the base rate to reflect the $2.00 base line fuel. As much as I would like to see $1.18 per gallon fuel, I think that possibility is a pipe dream.

Any base rate change is important because base rate influences driver pay. Driver pay is a percentage of the base rate, while any fuel surcharge is paid to the truck after the driver pay has been figured. In simple terms, any increase in base rate is a raise for the drivers.

I am of the opinion that our economy is "oil" driven. Anything product that is a petroleum based product, works from the price of oil. Fuel, engine oil, drive train lubricants, tires, batteries, tarp straps, even the material for tarps and load covers.

I nearly did my britches this last year when a driver had an oil change service that was over $300. And that was one of the more popular engine oils, not a synthetic. I would guess a full synthetic service would be $600. I had a driver turn in cash tickets last week for engine oil for $68.oo. That is high, but most weeks, if a truck is putting on the miles, I would say $25 per week would be average.

Lots of things to include in preparing pricing.

Wow, I'm getting another headache.

Darn the luck. The only way Matt Kennseth can win the Daytona 500 is for NASCAR to give it to him. Rained out past halfway. The end, checkered flag. I am not a Rousch Racing fan. Prior to the race, I received a text message from Jason. He and Devon and Dillon were at Daytona sitting in the Dale Earnhardt grandstand.

Junior had a bad race. Just more evidence that to a large degree you make your luck. He had a couple of pit road miscues that were "his alone", and even though he said he didn't wreck Brian Vickers intentionally, I think the frustration of the day led to Junior being overly aggressive. Maybe Rick will call him to the principal's office. I think this year is probably pivotal in Junior's career. Either he steps up to the next level or he regresses. My gut feeling is he will do the latter.

And, Joey Logano looked like an eighteen year old kid playing a man's game. Hello wall. I do not see what JGR saw in this driver. One thing about it, Home Depot gets some air time, because he is always wrecking. Just watching the in car camera, he just doesn't seem "at ease". Too much herky jerky!

I am wondering about my sleep habits again. Krl tells me when I go to sleep, I am out! She said it is like I do my deep sleep very quickly, usually snoring very loudly. She says as the night moves on I become restless, but the snoring subsides. I know it is very common when I wake to have a stopped up nose and an extremely dry mouth!

I may ask Dr. Mackie for another sleep study when we do our annual visit in a couple of months. I have no idea what it would be like to sleep all night.

Well, thanks for bearing with me as I have rambled and roamed as my mind has flittered and fluttered.

Have a Monday.

FATHER, please bless this day. I pray that Krl's tests will yield good results. I ask that you bless my efforts as I prepare the work proposal. FATHER forgive me when I try to do too much. Help me to give it to YOU. Redeemer.

Krl and I had a great Valentines Day.

Not too much to do. It was a short week for settlements and thanks to a problem with the Phoenix fuel program at St. Lawrence, we could not finish owner settlements. They are finished with the exception of the fuel deductions. Driver checks are finished, and late yesterday I took the co-op checks, the last two oil mill tickets, and the original copy of their bill (which was faxed), along with the January employee roster and February premium for the accident policy, and a letter to Leotard Kitten to the main Post Office downtown. That is the latest mail pickup in town. I don't know if I was in time or not. I was just a few minutes late and the box sounded empty, but I figure as close as I was and as many boxes as they have to empty they would still have been retrieving mail.

Oh well, I tried.

They have slowly moved the pickup times. I can remember when I was in college, the last pickup was downtown at midnight. Then it moved to ten to nine to eight to six, and yesterday the boxes all showed the last Saturday pickup to be at 5pm. During that same time span, postage has gone up twenty-nine cents.

After I finished the post office run, I went to the grocery store. Krl had prepared a brief list of things we needed. As per usual, I took the liberty of expanding the list.

Krl and I had talked about going out to eat for Valentine's but we dismissed that possibility. While I was at the store, I bought some king crab legs and steak. I filled the turkey fryer pot with water, and put it over the burner I had moved onto the back porch. Krl had already put baked potatoes in the oven while I was gone, even though she didn't know I was going to "splurge". Krl prepared the steaks and cooked them on the stove top. We used some of the Popo's Voodoo seasoning I had recently acquired. Everything came together as if all watches had been synchronized. As per previous occasions we have done this, we cleared the big coffee table and sat on the floor to eat!

During one of my trips in and out of the house setting up the burner and fryer pot, I had stopped just long enough to start a fire in the fire place.

It was a wonderful, relaxing evening! Good company, good food, and a warm crackling fire!

I am working in earnest on this Thursday's contract proposal. I have to admit that Greg competing against us is a lot more bothersome than I would care to admit. I like Greg's parents and don't want to do them any harm. While I consider Greg a friend, I do not consider him a good friend but I don't care to intentionally hurt or harm him. It's simply a case where I can't allow him liberties at my expense.

Daytona 500! Excellent. I am ready to go fast. My two picks for this race are mark Martin and Jeff Gordon. In that order. If you are tempted to, don't bother me until the race is over!

My week looks like this. Today NASCAR, Monday Krl to medical imaging for her scan, Tuesday parts store, Wednesday parts store (personal note, Wednesday is my birthday), Thursday parts store (personal note, Thursday is Kathryn's birthday) Thursday night meet with the Board of Directors at Glasscock, Friday is currently open.

I am hopeful that we can get some hauling for the drivers that will be in the shop otherwise.

Have a good day and great week!

FATHER, thank you for a wonderful Valentines day, and for my wonderful Valentine Sweetheart. Bless her and keep her. Help me to not let other things weigh on our relationship. I pray for good results from her procedure Monday. FATHER, I ask that you would bless my efforts as I prepare our contract proposal. Help me to be fair and just in my numbers, and do good work at a fair price. May my work, and my interaction with others bring glory to YOU. Bless be the tie.

If all my "days off" are like yesterday I may become a work-aholic.

Actually, I suppose I am going to have to do better structuring and organizing my days off. When the company trucks are working, I can usually handle any issue by telephone, since the trucks completed the flat storage hauling, they were scattered around the general area.

As most of you know, I am an early riser. It would be very feasible for me to get my eight hours in prior to lunch. Yesterday I had a driver returning a leased trailer to between Hawley and Anson, then we were going to put that truck in the shop for an oil leak that recurred. I saw no need for the driver to be trying to find a location he had never been to in the dark of night, so I told him to be there at nine o'clock. I did this too, to allow me opportunity to go and pick up Krl's medication at the medical imaging place for her Monday scan. (The medical imaging place didn't open until eight.)

While I was out and about town I picked up breakfast burritos to take back to the house. Krl had vocalized that she had been wanting one. On my way back to the house I received a call from the truck driver telling me he was at the Flying J, having already delivered the trailer, and he was fixing to get him some breakfast. I tried to slow down as much as I could, and I even sat down with Krl and ate. After an hour I called the driver I told him I would meet him at the shop. He told me he had just got his breakfast and he was fixing to "tear it up". He then told me he had a friend with him that he needed to take to the bus station. I reminded the driver he had a missing mudflap and that he probably didn't need to flaunt that fact by driving downtown. I told the driver, finish your breakfast, meet me at the shop and we will take your friend to the bus station in my pickup.

I had done some research at the repair shop, and was just about visited out when the driver arrived. I signed a work order to inspect and assess prior to any repairs beginning, talked with the service manager briefly about a transmission problem with another truck, and returned to my pickup. The driver and his friend were standing by the little S-10. They threw the friend's duffel bag in the bed and we packed in the little truck. We drove downtown and went in to the bus station. My truck driver went to the counter and bought his friend his ticket. They talked briefly before we left. Prior to leaving the man had told me he would "discover" downtown Abilene. I told him where the library was and the Grace museum location because he he had a ten hour wait.

The driver and I began our trek West. This drive had originally signed on for a ten week stay. He had some other things in the works that if it all came to fruition he would be leaving just prior to Christmas. As it turned out, he had stayed on for three and a half months. Normally, we have parked the big trucks or just done specialty hauling between the seasonal works. This year we had a couple of driver that wanted to stay on, year round. Both of these men had an idea of what they wanted to haul, and both thought they had the contact to do it.

This industry always has a slow down around Christmas and New Years. While we were all concerned, we didn't expect it to be so "dead" after the fifth of January. Luckily, we picked up the near 100 loads of hauling from the flat storage, but it was completed Wednesday.

In the meantime, the driver who signed on temporarily, found that he needed to stay on because all of his plans had collapsed. I was trying to get him on with K.O.'s dry van business, in fact K.O. and I talked extensively last Saturday and again just a couple of days ago.

During the drive from Abilene to Sweetwater, this driver informed me he was moving to Waco. In a sense this was a relief. One less man expecting me to save him from the economic crunch. But, the man told me he wanted to go to South Texas and back to the seasonal jobsite. I wish he had told me prior to taking his truck to the shop. With no work to do and no driver, it could have waited.

I am concerned for this driver. He is a project, but he is very likable and hard working. Two weeks ago he and I did the tire work on his truck, and I learned a lot about what he has gone through in his life. When he went to work for Freddy, this man had just been paroled from the TDC. He told me he will forever be grateful to Freddy for giving him a chance. (Vintage Fred). This driver was also thankful for meeting our family, who he feels have been a positive influence in his life.

Here is part of his story.

When he was about twenty he got messed up with cocaine, lost his wife and daughter, and went on a rampage of armed robbery to feed his habit. He robbed six restaurants and convenience stores brandishing a pistol. On one of these robberies he took the manager hostage and drove him into the country where he fully intended to "execute" this man. He said that they were walking, the manager in front, when something clicked in the driver's head and he just turned and walked the other way. Lucky for both of them.

This man was eventually apprehended, convicted, and was given a fifteen year sentence. He served eleven years, seven months before being paroled. It seems he had become romantically involved with a female prison guard and intended to marry her when she was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and died after a brief illness. In the seven months since her death he has bounced from relationship to relationship, with four different women. His move to Waco is to be be with one of these, but even more troubling for me, it is returning to the general area where he got in trouble.

I guarantee you, if you met this man and he didn't volunteer any information, you would never know he is a ex-addict ex-convict. I am hopeful he continues to find his life. I hope he stays in good places and makes good choices.

Craziest thing to end this segment of today's entry. I had been to the farm shop where the drivers have been working on trucks. They had removed the faulty transmission, and before I arrived they took the top off of it. Three gears show major damage. One of the gears on the through shaft has no teeth left, while the two counter shaft gears that run against it show major damage. When we turned the transmission to inspect all the other gears, we saw no other major damage. My biggest wonder is how many of the damaged gears are made together with other gears. If it is only two, parts could be quite reasonable. If it is a multi gear cluster it could be expensive. So it could be two of whatever it is. The through shaft gear is a single gear. The two counter shaft gears appear to be at least two gears on each, made together.

We put the transmission in my big pickup (I was leaving the S-10 for my truck driver to take to Lamesa for the weekend), and I raced toward the truck shop to drop off the transmission for inspection and assessment. I exited the interstate at Tye, and as I flashed by an entry ramp to the highway, I noticed a hitchhiker with a duffel bag. I went to the truck shop and off loaded the transmission, minutes before they closed. It will be Monday before I know the fate of the transmission.

As I was leaving the shop, I thought about the hitchhiker I had seen, so I back tracked, to get on the interstate at that ramp. Sure enough when I slowly drove by the man thumbing for a ride, I recognized the man as being the one I had driven to the bus station that morning and my truck driver bought a bus ticket for. I could tell by the expression on this man's face he recognized me too. I called my truck driver and asked him how well he knew this man. "Not real well", he said. I told him I saw the man near the truck stop trying to get a ride. The driver told me he thought he had requested a non-refundable ticket, but maybe the friend sold it to another passenger or maybe gave some of the returned money to the ticket clerk for allowing him to cash it in. My driver told me he was just trying to help out someone who needed a boost.

I don't think this hitchhiker man was Jesus.

I don't think I could ever be a hitchhiker. Maybe a hobo. Just kidding. (As a small child I can remember while waiting at the major railroad crossing at Roscoe, watching all the box cars passing, inspecting every open door, hoping to sight a hobo!).

Ollie called me last night. Of course with her recent trouble, she had no job to return to. So she has been busy trying to find a job, any job, and also to find another vehicle. She talked with insurance and they told her they totalled her car out. They said it would cost $8400 to fix it and the car was only worth $3600. Thing is that was a good little car.

She has her eyes on a used Explorer. I tried to discourage her, but she sure seems hell bent. I told her it was not going to be as economical, but she seems to have a SUV mentality. The main thing she is wanting to know is if I am willing to finance another vehicle for her. She is wanting to know if I will re-invest the insurance money in another set of wheels for her.

I probably will, but I'm not going to up the antee! It will have to be within the budgeted funds and must be something Krl and I would drive if we end up repo-ing it.

I have settlements to do. Accident insurance for employees to report and prepare the monthly roster. I am going to finish the proposal for the Thursday meeting. But I keep thinking about making a mad dash to Lamesa to visit Leonard.

Of course all this has to be done today because my afternoon tomorrow will be filed with NASCAR. Daytona 500. My sentimental pick to win it is Mark Martin. A seasoned veteran, driving the best equipment of his career. If he can't win I will cheer for Jeff Gordon.

Hey, have a good weekend! Happy Valentines!

FATHER thank YOU for another week and the many blessing I have enjoyed. YOU are good. I ask YOUR blessing on the driver leaving our employ, help him to remain on the right path and to make good choices. Help him to find his niche in life and love. Oh THOU fount of every blessing!

I am more and more convinced that the medicine for healing Wall Street is worse than the disease.

I have read numerous letters to the editor about our new President. What they fail to mention is the bail out was already underway (with very few checks and balances) when President Obama took office. In fact all the players were poised for the second serving of bail out money. That might not have been a bad place for a change of direction. We would be out 350 billion dollars, but that is a drop in the bucket compared to where we are headed. Many letter writers contend that with all the happenings they will have less disposable income plus higher taxes, meaning they would have to terminate domestic help and services. I would think they would rather do with less rather than lose all (or substantial portions of) their investments due to impropriety of Wall Street executives.

My biggest concern is how they are trying to turn the economy around. I think when you pour it in at the top and expect it to trickle down, you are going to have a long wait. I think it would work through the system much more rapidly if you worked from the bottom. Too many of the banks and investment firms are hoarding the bailout money, possibly for future losses, instead of freeing up credit and circulating the money in "good" investments.

That's all I gotta say 'bout that. (Today).

The majority of my Thursday afternoon was spent on hold, waiting for the next available person at the state comptrollers office. The January sales tax report is the first parts store sales tax report that is required to be filed on-line. Pat had gone in and set up the Texnet account for paying the taxes. Sylvia, one of the parts store employees, had the computer report for total sales, and taxable sales. She just wanted me to do the first filing. So we got on line, using Pat's instructions and sign on information. It was very quick and very painless (The money would be transferred directly from the business account. Chris wouldn't feel a thing!). In a very brief time, we were in and out of the state on-line pay system. I had not ever filed a paper copy of the report, but I have enough reporting experience to know we weren't through. I kept reading and looking through the paper copy and I told Sylvia, "I don't think we are through." I logged on at another Texas window and sure enough I found where we needed to transfer all the information from the hard copy to the on-line site. We put the cart before the cart. We paid before we had filed. Everything was good until we reached the submit report time because it put us back into a screen to select a pay preference. I was afraid after we chose Texnet, since we had already been on that site and paid, that we would double pay. We were on hold for 62 minutes before we finally talked with a girl named Arthur (yep, she said instead of King Arthur, she was Queen Arthur.) and she assured us that if we clicked on the "submit" button, it wouldn't automatically charge the account again, it would only direct us to the Texnet account where we could escape.

Better safe than sorry!

I have been thinking a lot about how fortunate I am to have family close by Memama and Pepa's. Particularly Pat and Jake (and Jason before he returned to Florida).

Pat is wise beyond her years. She has experienced so much with her personal experiences as a nurse, and as a mother of children with special needs. She could probably pass the state bar and become a "trust" attorney. She is not afraid of jumping in the middle of something and working through it. I can remember many years ago when I still lived in Roscoe, she came by the house and picked me up. She was having a hard day, and dealing with a lot of anger. She had a lot of questions of "why". Of course I had no hard answers. She told me she just wanted to be a mother and for her children to be normal and healthy. She pointed out that Steph had arthritis in her knee, Chris had been burned, and Kyle had learning disabilities. I told her I couldn't tell her the why, but I did tell her I thought it was a God send that by her choosing the nursing vocation, she had been equipped to deal with all of these. I continued by telling her that I could probably learn the daily routine and function, but I was not equipped to do it with the ease and assurance she displayed daily and of course the children would suffer from my lack of expertise. I don't think my reassurance did much for her that day, but the more I watch in amazement, I know she was led to nursing. (But I know too she could have been a doctor).

It hasn't been a cake walk, but I have to believe when Pat reflects, after some particularly rewarding step by one of the kids, she has a really warm fuzzy feeling.

Of course Pat is the family medical revue officer and responds above and beyond the call, checking on Memama and Pepa and going with them to doctor appointments.

This entire week she has been preparing their own farm budget to submit to the bank. I don't know that Hag knows how fortunate he is for her to be this involved.

Jake has grown in to quite a young man. Fred would be proud. Jake is working as a juvenile probation officer in Sweetwater, but he usually has lunch with Memama and Pepa, and checks on them regularly as well. Currently Jake is helping Pepa plow the cotton land, "after hours". If anything requires physical labor, Jake is stout as an ox!

Jake does an excellent job maintaining contact with cousins and other family members. If you have questions about a family member, chances are Jake has talked to them.

I know that a while back Memama was having an episode at lunch and Jake had Lindsey check on her when Lindsey was on her way home from school, and then Jake stopped in on his way home.

When Jason was home he had a daily ritual where he spent some time with Memama and Pepa.

Kudos to Pat, Jake, and Jason.

I'm off from the parts store. Today I get to try to do thing I need to do. I have a driver returning a lease trailer and then putting the truck in the shop. I have to pick him up and return him to his home. Then I have two drivers working in the shop. We are pulling the transmission in a truck to see why it is beginning to make some noise. I am hoping it is preventative maintenance. If any of you have thirteen speed expertise give me a call.

Well, I am already behind in my day! I need to catch up. I don't want my weekend to be late!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for Pat and Jake and Jason. For their endless giving of time in caring for and helping Memama and Pepa. Bless them and their efforts. FATHER, bless this day. May it be productive and fun. All hail YOUR power!

"Yer out!"

That phrase has broken the hearts of countless baseball players over the years, but that same phrase was music to Ollie's ears!

She's out, spring, sprung!

I had a call from her yesterday afternoon. She told me those were the worst nine days of her life, and she's learned her lesson.

We'll see, only time will tell.

She still contends it is all a mis-understanding, mis-communication.

Wednesday was a full day. Memama and Pepa had received a stack of Fed Exes from one of the creditors from the family business. I swear these people have more money than they have sense. Either that or their attorney is trying to retire from representing them.

As it turns out, I had one of the same Fed Exes at my home. I didn't go to the cemetery to see if they sent Fred one.

These folks had come in as second lien holder in a few things, third or worse on others. Even after all the discharges, they were notifying us of a foreclosure sale pending. Crazy thing is, they are even listing property that has been homesteaded, property that was sold as far back as 1982, and even my farm which was sold on the court house steps back in '04 or '05. They even list Fred's real estate, which they are about number three lien holder on.

RstC, the attorney who has represented the majority of us in bankruptcy proceedings, say that he is working on the assumption that opposing counsel is off the wall. I even saw an agreed judgment in a suit filed within Memama and Pepa's bankruptcy case, which declared the deed of trust null and void, signed by Judge Jones.

If, and it is an expensive if, there is any validity to what the notices delivered to us do tell us is that if they want to do what they would like to do, they will have to pay off all the lien holders ahead of them. Any exposure would be minimal according to RstC. The sentimental favorites have been protected.

Probably the worst news of the day was interjected at the end of a conversation Pat had with RstC. He said he had a call from the Treasury agent who had been beating the dead horse of the family business and making broad threats last summer. He said the agent told him he is preparing a new offensive. For those of you long time readers, you will recognize this man as being the same man who told me he didn't care what I had done with his superiors (meaning my offer in compromise). He is a minority race, with a badge, and an ego as big as Texas.

What I would love to see happen in both cases, is for them to cross the line where we could sic RstC on them. I would starve to deal them the misery they have given the family members.

Needless to say, Memama had a tearful day. She said it all when she asked "Will this ever be over?"

She later told Pat this would never be reconciled in her lifetime. We will hope. I wouldn't give these people that satisfaction.

And, the trucks got through with the flat storage seed move yesterday. Darn the luck. We moved 96 loads from the warehouse. (5,040,000+- pounds). Drivers are making their way to the farm shop last night and this morning. We will do work on the ag hauling equipment before putting it to rest until mid summer (provided it rains in South Texas).

I did have a call from the seasonal jobsite. They were telling me that one of Greg's driver's told them he was really mad. I guess the GM told him that I had asked to bid on his job since he was planning to bid on mine. What I was told was that Greg thought it was pretty "chicken sh_t" for me to go after his hauling. They turned it back and asked what was the difference between what I was doing and what Greg did, first! They said he had no reply. I think what he is mad about is he was planning an ambush, and I found out about his plan.

One big question for me is, is the GM playing both sides against the middle. He is who told me. I told him if Greg was going to submit a bid proposal for my hauling it was only fair I be allowed to submit a bid for his hauling. Now, Greg has been informed. I would guess by the GM.

I am surprised the Board President hasn't called both of us. Of course he may not be aware of all the developments. I will say that in the past neither the board or the old GM would have let this happen.

Anyhow, I am going to present my numbers and then let things fall where they may. Shoot, I wasn't looking for a job when the old GM called me fifteen years ago. I honestly believe it has been a workable situation benefiting all parties. I just don't think I can or should allow Greg to step across the boundaries without him experiencing the same.

What is good for the goose ..... . .. . .. . . .

A project at the parts store is coming to a close, almost three years after the fact. I had never noticed an imprint on the posts of the display shelving at the parts store. Yesterday I did, got on the 'puter, and began searching. Had a good strike, sent an e-mail and just before noon yesterday I had a call and a price. Turns out this is a standard issue shelving specifically for the parts store chain that Chris's store is a franchise of. (They don't pay me enough to advertise for them here). Just joking!

The display shelving should be here in two or three weeks. This project could be my legacy in the parts business.

I am seriously considering joining Rian and joining Weight Watchers. He hates doing it along, and I could use dropping some weight. Of course I have encouraged him to join and it is more effective to lead by example. I just don't know if I have enough time to budget it in.

I'd better get.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the many blessing you pour out on us. FATHER, bless Memama and Pepa as they work through another chapter with the remains of the family business. Give them the peace and assurance that it is all part of a grander scheme of things. FATHER I would ask that YOU deliver all of us from the persistent nemesis who pursues us. FATHER I lift up Krl to YOU for YOUR gifts of healing and care. Bless her with health. FATHER thank YOU for Ollie's release, and for her hard lesson learned. Faith is the victory.

Don't you just love a breeze?

Wow. Even as a lifetime resident of the Lone Star State, I still am amazed with the wind. When I woke this morning, I could still hear the remnants of last nights storms. Local television reports West winds at 30mph.

Yikes.

We did a little more work and some diagnostics on the little S-10. I was kidding with a co-worker at the parts store that the way it is eating (oil) I hope it is a crew cab when it grows up!

I had a passenger on the ride back to Abilene last evening. Chris had a six o'clock meeting and Pat had an afternoon appointment, so by Chris riding with me, we saved her an extra hundred miles.

After I dropped him off, I went to Office Depot for a few supplies. While I was waiting to check out, a customer entered the store and both sets of automatic doors were open just as the big winds hit. When the inner doors closed and the outer doors were still open, the winds slung one of the sliding doors out of its track and bent it back against the wall.

From there I went to Circuit City to look at some display shelving. At the NAPA store we are wanting to take out a couple of existing displays and move them into the shop area. That will leave us with about eighteen or twenty feet of wall we need to cover.

I was pretty shocked to walk through Circuit City. This was probably only the fourth or fifth time I had ever been inside, but make no mistake they are having a sale. If a person has money, they have bargains. Prominent signage notifies customers, "No Checks".

It is a very sobering thought to look at these workers and know they are working themselves out of a job.

Obviously, after the President's news conference the other night, it is very evident that other areas of the country are feeling the downturned economy much more than ours. We may not have flourished like some areas, maybe it is the conservative nature of West Texas, but that same trait may mean we will endure more easily.

I am concerned about the economy, but I am more concerned with the dry conditions (which affect our local economy.

The brightest spot of the day was a phone call from Reid while I was in the grocery store. He was asking me if I wanted to buy some cookies from him. I told him I didn't know he had joined the Girl Scouts! He quickly told me he hadn't, that he was selling cookie dough as a fund raiser at school. He had such a large selection, I asked if I could confer with Meme and call him back.

When I got home Krl and I talked and then she called him with our decision. Of course this was a good way for Meme to get to talk with the boys. Reid is all business, and as soon as his transaction was over he was done talking. Rian put Holt on the phone and I could hear him rattling to Meme, and I was all the way across the room. Now that one is a talker!

Well, I am twelve minutes behind my day. I'd better catch up.

You have a day!

FATHER, I am thankful for the blessing we enjoy. I pray for those hurting from job loss and market losses. Help us to make good decisions. Guide us and place where YOU intend. You are good, and I know YOU care. Thank YOU.

Monday, Monday, don't like that day.

I know, Monday takes it on the chin just because of placement.

My Monday followed a fitful night in our household. Krl had a horrible night, probably a side affect from the monster antibiotic injection Dr. Mackie prescribed. It has to be a nightmare for doctors to determine what medication to prescribe knowing that side affects may vary from patient to patient.

Our visit to the doctor over the weekend did "enlighten" me. I had decided I was fast tracking through the aging process, and figured I was just becoming arthritic. Dr. Mackie told me that one of the side affects of my cholesterol medication is muscle and joint pain. He described the "ache-y" all over feeling.

I was in no hurry yesterday. I dragged my feet as much as I could knowing I would still be running ahead of my drivers. I left the house at nine, spent an hour at Memama's and Pepa's and then began my drive to the seasonal jobsite. While I was at Memama's and Pepa's, he volunteered his little yellow Volkswagen for the trek west. That little car is a very "fun" car to drive. It will run a hole in the wind, I'll tell you that. You have to really resist the urge because you get a feeling you are running really slow.

I arrived at the seasonal jobsite at 1 o'clock. Perfect. I didn't want to disrupt the girls in the office lunch. I presented a bill to the office manager, and purchased a gallon of cottonseed oil. Then the other girl that works there asked me if I still wanted the seasoning I had talked to her husband about. I told her yes, and she went to her car to retrieve it. The seasoning is called Popo's Voodoo seasoning. I had become familiar with it at the season ending party at the jobsite. It has garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper, looks like jalepeno seeds, and all sorts of other spices. It is pretty potent mix.

For years my family has used Todd's seasoning. We use a seasoning for beef, and they have seasoning rubs specifically for pork and chicken. About the only place you can get it is direct from the factory up in Iowa or Ohio (I think). It had become extremely expensive, so much in fact, that Rian quit using it for his catering.

I thought it wouldn't hurt to expand our horizons and see how Popo's Voodoo compares. (Popo is the grandfather of the man Rian and I purchased the pigs from last week).

Back to Monday, I still had a little time to kill, waiting to deliver checks to the drivers, so I spent some time at the conference table in the lobby of the office, looking over farm auction flyers, and other items of interest. The GM came out and sat down to visit. We had only began when he had a call he needed to take so he went back to his office.

My drivers began cycling through the scales for empty weights, and I took a few minutes and visited with each one.

Shortly, the GM returned and sat down at the table, signaling to me he wanted to talk. I could tell he had something he wanted to say but was having a hard time finding the right opening and opportunity to bring it up. Finally he said, "I think it is only fair that you should know, you will not be the only one presenting a proposal to the board of directors for your hauling on the nineteenth. Greg has asked for and received permission to present a proposal on the hauling you have done for the past fifteen years."

Greg is the son of the burr contractor at the seasonal jobsite.

I didn't flinch with this news, and quickly asked, "If Greg is going to be allowed to bid for my hauling am I going to be allowed to bid on his hauling?"

You could tell I had startled the GM, he spittered and sputtered before finally responding, "I would think that would only be fair."

I told the GM, I really didn't want to haul the burrs, but I am on site anyhow, and what is good for the goose is good for the gander. If Greg is coming after my hauling, I'm going after his.

This revelation comes as no surprise. For two years I have been aware that Greg was swimming just below the surface, talking with some of my subcontractors, trying to form "unholy" alliances with them against me.

I think back to what Greg's uncle who is a good friend of mine told me about Greg's father and Greg. Don't ever think you can trust them.

I also think back to this past season, calls from Greg when he was away from the jobsite (at home), asking if I would help one or the other of his drivers with a problem, or borrowing parts he didn't have the foresight to buy. Come to think of it, he was going to repay or replace those parts and never did.

I hope I don't ever come across as untrustworthy.

On my way back to Abilene, I made several contacts, beginning to put a strategy in place for handling burrs. I am going to have a proposal prepared, and if Greg chooses to go head to head, and if the board allows him, I will launch my proposal. If Greg is wanting to compete, he had better be willing to lose it all.

Actually, I am surprised the board would allow this situation to develop and it makes me wonder if the GM is playing both ends against the middle. The GM and Greg had become "tight" dealing with the milo crop this past year. (I didn't want that added responsibility because my plate is usually full with seed, bales, and motes). I have been told by sources that about three or four weeks ago, the GM and Greg had a falling out of some sort.

I try not to read too much into a situation and I sure don't want to be spoon fed what information Greg wants me to have. Rian has expressed concern that the GM might share existing information from existing contracts to Greg. I think the GM is more ethical than that.

Interesting thing is, Greg submitting a proposal will not change what I intend to submit. I'm not going to do a bargain basement fire sale, and if it is worth doing, it has to pay accordingly.

I got to figuring what it would cost Greg and his Dad gear up for the hauling I do and it would cost them a minimum $200,000. I can be in place to do the burrs without spending a dollar.

It's not what you know, it is a combination of who and what you know!

Oh well, I am disappointed (again) in Greg, but I am not surprised. Eventually, his past will catch up with him.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the safe trip. I continue to pray that YOU will reveal to us YOUR next work for us. Help us to be diligent, and worthy workers. And when I'm lost and alone, YOU strengthen me.

Best made plans saga. Again.

While I was out and about Saturday, Krl spread driver envelopes. By this I mean she takes everything out and put the loads in date order for each truck, doing the same with any fuel or cash tickets. She called me, telling me there was a problem with one driver's paperwork. He had failed to turn in one load ticket and had two unloading tickets with the same load number written on them. I told her I would look at them when I got home.

My plan had been to make quick work of this weeks settlements!

I have always encouraged the company drivers to do their paperwork each load, each day. I learned this is the easiest way to keep things straight. I will never forget several years ago when we had trucks running from Lubbock to Oklahoma City. I did my paperwork everyday, loads, fuel, and toll road tickets. We ran this run for about six weeks. On the final night, we off loaded and found a place to get some rest. I quickly finished my paperwork and crawled in the sleeper. Shortly, I felt the truck list and I looked out to find one of the other truck drivers standing on the step looking in. "You'd better get your paperwork in order", he said. I informed him my paperwork was done. As it turned out he had a cowboy hat in a hat rack in the roof of the truck and he had put all his toll road tickets in it, the entire time we were gone. He had quite a mess and while the rest of us slept, he spent his night trying to put things together!

When I got home, I began looking at the problem trip envelope Krl had told me about. It was very evident this driver is not good with record keeping. It is a simple concept, when you receive a load delivery receipt, keep up with it until you unload, then write the delivery number on the unloading ticket. This man couldn't write the correct number from the delivery receipt he had stapled to the unloading ticket! And you could see it in plain view without lifting the front ticket!

When I began building the master billing sheet for the week, I had three stacks for the three trucks on this particular haul. I began entering them in numerical sequence which means one from each stack, and working the three stacks together.

I decided to wait until Sunday afternoon to call the driver with the missing paperwork, but I went ahead and entered all the loads I could and left a line for where I thought the missing load belonged.

Shortly after noon Sunday, my phone rang. It was this driver calling me. "I'm getting ready to go back to my truck", he told me, "I was going to stop by and pick up checks if they are done".

I informed him checks weren't done and the reason why they weren't done. I could tell he wasn't happy and probably thought Krl and I had lost his ticket, but he didn't vocalize it. He said he would look in the truck, but was almost positive the ticket was in his paperwork. I told the driver the load appeared to be a Thursday load, probably the second one, and if I cut the bill off there and put the remaining loads on next weeks bill, none of the drivers would get paid for their final two loads of the week until next week! This does not seem fair that the others who had complete paperwork would be penalized because of this man's poor record keeping, but with the difficulties we have had with the office manager at the seasonal jobsite, I prefer not to complicate things by having an incomplete load.

In a few hours the driver called me, sounding very sheepishly. "I found the missing ticket", he said and that his wife would drop it by on her way home. Turned out it was a Tuesday load!

I don't think the driver realize how much information is on the scale tickets. Of course the carrier is identified, unit number is recorded, and there is a time in and a time out along with gross, tare and net weights.

The driver with the problem paperwork was one load short for the week, and he told me he had over slept. When I was looking through his paperwork I saw he had loaded his second load one day at two o'clock, yet he didn't off load it until three the following morning. He should have unloaded it about five thirty the same day! He became very quiet when I asked him about it.

Truck drivers aren't rocket scientists, that's for sure. Don't get me wrong, there are some good ones out there.

I am beginning to have second thoughts about the bail out and stimulus package. I am hearing of over pays with the first round of bail out money. My thoughts are that we are feeding the wrong end. It looks like in a consumer driven economy, that is where the input needs to be.

I am driving to St. Lawrence today. This should be the third to last trip for me. Since we are going to finish hauling the seed from the flat storage this week, I will drive back there next Monday, and then again the nineteenth for my meeting with the board of directors.

The remainder of my week is Tu-W-Th at the parts store, Friday in the home office.

Have a week!

FATHER, bless this day. I pray for safe travel. I ask that YOU lead me in our search for our next work. YOU are faithful to meet my needs!

I thought I was losing my mind. I had prepared a draft for my Saturday post, and when I looked it wasn't there. Turned out it has posted as a second entry for Friday. Oh well.

I took Krl to see Dr. Mackie yesterday. I am so thankful we have him. When you talk he actually listens, and hears what you say.

He determined Krl has a severe sinus infection, along with ear infections. They drew some blood and ran a bevy of tests. He said as difficult as it is to get a vein on Krl, when Buffy got one he wanted to take full advantage of her luck. By the way, I think Buffy, the little nurse is about as good as I have ever seen at drawing blood. Usually they are crying and complaining that Krl's veins roll, then they are chasing it with the needle inserted and Krl is about to come off the wall. Krl told Buffy what to expect, to use a baby needle, and told her where they had the best luck in the past. Two minutes later Buffy left with her viles of blood for testing. In a few minutes, Buffy returned with a BIG shot of rosephen (sp?). Dr. Mackie gave her a prescription for an antibiotic to chase it.

Krl's blood tests came back showing elevated liver and kidney numbers, but Dr. Mackie said he didn't believe they were high enough to be concerned. He did say he wanted to scan Krl's stomach and abdomen. He is still trying to find out why she has such acute stomach pains and the first step he said is to rule out any cancer. They are supposed to schedule the scan and notify us of the time and date.

The trip to the doctor took over two hours, right in the middle of our day. During our visit we did learn what malady Dr. Mackie is suffering from. MS. Not only do we consider Dr. Mackie our physician, we consider him a friend.

After Krl and I left the doctor's office, we cut through Sonic and picked up breakfast for lunch! Then I took Krl home and I went to Hawley to my friends where I made a contribution to their junk pile and then to their shop where I changed the oil in the S-10.

Craziest thing. I knew a vacuum line was off. Sometimes when you raise the hood, one line will slip or pull off. I replaced one of these, but now one of the others has begun doing the same. I could tell the line was off though because the A/C heater control didn't route the air out the chosen outlets. The crazy thing is what the pickup consumed very little oil while the line was off, and any smoke was negligible. When I put the line back on, the little truck smoked like a chain smoker when I would apply power.

When I finished servicing the little pickup I drove to Anson and visited with K.O.. I was just trying to give a little support to my friend still camping out at the gin. He has been so ready to be through and I keep telling him that is a nice problem to have. They are in hopes of finishing sometime Tuesday night. As I was preparing to leave, the gin went down. He looked out to make sure there wasn't any smoke (meaning a fire) and I used this development as an opportune time for me to exit.

I stopped by another friends house to deliver a check for a trailer we have leased from him. We visited briefly before I pointed my little truck South to Abilene.

As I entered the Northern edge of Abilene I called Krl to see if we needed anything from the store. We did, so I made one more stop.

When I walked through the door, Krl was finishing cutting beef tips. She already had the peppers and onions cut up, so it was show time for me! I quickly changed into my comfy clothes. washed my hands and began concocting the sauce we cook our beef tips in. Krl directed her attention to egg rolls and rice, and in short order supper was well on it's way.

We ate. Krl went to bed and I watched NASCAR until I fell asleep in my chair.

All in all, it was a pretty good Saturday!

Today is qualifying for the Daytona 500. There have been so many car, driver and sponsor changes I may have to get a program!

Hope your day and weekend are good!

FATHER. thank YOU for a good day. FATHER, I lift up Krl and Dr. Mackie to YOU for YOUR gifts of healing and care. I pray for good results from Krl's scan. I ask for safe travel for Pat, Hag and Robyn as they are on the road. For YOUR love!