Oh what a week!

I am very tired. Things seem to have been spinning along at a very high rate of speed. The good I cannot take credit for, the bad is probably my bad.

Of course things were complicated by Pepa being in the hospital. That adds at least one hour to my day plus a couple of extra phone calls. Usually I will call in the morning and then again some time during the day before going by the hospital on my way from the parts store to home.

Tuesday evening Chris and I had a list of things to do. He was adding to his trap drum set and wanted to go by and pick up two new drums and two or three cymbals more. I think that gives him seven drums and five cymbals. More than enough to make a lot of noise.

The music store was supposed to have everything ready. We would just stop by, Chris would pay and they would load the drums and equipment up. It didn't transpire that way. The guy hadn't even began an invoice. We were there about forty-five minutes, which made Chris have to decide between stopping at the hospital or going to the Better Burger. The Better Burger edged Pepa.

Then I dropped Chris at his meeting and I returned to Hendrick's to transfer the drums to Chris's Mom's vehicle and to go up and check on Pepa. Pat came to the parking lot where I had parked next to her vehicle and we made the transfer and returned to Pepa's room. Linda and Joni were there too, so Pepa was feeling pretty special.

Besides the fluid build up, the Doctors found his kidney function was poor. His came back at 4 point something, and they said at 5 you are in kidney failure and doing dialysis. Immediately they began changing medications, trying to take a load off the kidneys. Pat scolded them and told them it was very important they come clean on their Aleeve, Tylenol, and Ibuprofen intake because those are all very hard on the kidneys.

To get Chris out of trouble, I will report that he and Pat returned to the hospital after his meeting.

Wednesday was parts store again. Back by the hospital, and home.

While I was at the hospital I got a call from a truck driver who thought he had blown an air to air hose. (This is on the turbocharger charged air circuit). It was after six and I told him to check with Freightliner in San Angelo, hoping they have extended hours like Abilene does. They didn't. He called an after hours number and while he waited for a call back, removed some hoses from the turbo. Turned out, he had a broken shaft in the turbo. (A turbo has two fans, in opposing directions on opposite ends of a common shaft. The exhaust turns the fan blade on the exhaust side, speeding exhaust gases away from the engine while the common shaft is turning the other fan on the other end which is rushing or pressuring air (boost) into the motor, resulting in increased horsepower.)

This is one of those deals where I am beginning to think of flipping this truck. Between the $3000 it took to get a sticker, $700 for brakes, $4000 for transmission, $$$$ for tires, and now this, it sure is looking like a money pit.

As luck would have it, no one had a turbo, in Abilene or Angelo. I did some figuring and decided I would make a flying trip from the parts store to Angelo, pick up the driver and return to Roscoe and put him in Pepa's truck. From there he would return to Angelo and pickup his trailer and load, and get on his way to Laredo.

I think Tuesday night I was on the phone until ten something and Wednesday after my usual stop at the hospital I was on the phone until near midnight. Both nights it was after nine when I got home. (Tuesday night after the hospital I returned to Larry's Better Burger to pick up supper for Krl and I, and I ended up working the phone for almost an hour. They were very busy!)

Thursday was parts store where we are preparing to put new fixtures on one wall. Sylvia decided it was important to strip the floors. Crazy thing was it seemed as soon as Max vocalized a time frame, she picked the same time frame to strip and wax.

I seem to get it from both sides.

I know it will look nice once the floors are done and the new fixtures are in.

Chris and I had to make a jaunt to the janitorial supply to pick up more stripper, stripper pads and wax. We returned to the store briefly before leaving for Abilene. We stopped by the hospital where we found Jake and Lindsey visiting, on their way home from Bossier City.

While we were there a church friend stopped in to check on Memama and Pepa.

After a brief visit, I told Chris we needed to make a track if he was going to eat at the Burger. Once in the vehicle, Chris confided to me he was thinking about stepping it up a notch, to a double meat burger. I told him I didn't think he was man enough! We went in the back and I told Clayton (who works the grill) what Chris wanted. Double meat cheeseburger, mustard and onions only! When Clayton delivered it to the back, Chris was eyeballing it like a sly fox as he prepared his assault.

The helpless burger was no match for Chris.

I dropped him off and sped toward home.

Friday I wanted to sleep in, but I knew I had responsibilities. Two trucks were off loading in Sweetwater and I had load information for both of them, plus I needed to take our driver to San Angelo to pick up his truck from the shop. We made a quick trip, parted with some serious money and returned to Roscoe. The driver seems to think his truck is running better than ever!

After a couple of stops, I turned east toward Abilene. I had decided Friday morning to drive the vehicle we recently repossessed. Ironically, it was a trip back to its previous stomping grounds of San Angelo. I was pleasantly surprised, with just a couple of repairs I think it will be ready to list for sale!

I will admit it has crossed my mind to sell the S-10 and keep the Explorer.

When I got home, I had an hour and a half to try to get an invoice out to one of our Shippers. This company is very quick to pay, and I figured if I got the multiple load invoice out yesterday, we might have a check by Thursday. It was a thrash, but when I walked in the Post Office I had ten minutes to spare!

Whew!

From there I went to the hospital to check on the patient and his faithful sidekick Tonto. When I walked in, Tonto was sacking their belongings. They were waiting on discharge to pick them up. It seems the lung doctor didn't require keeping Pepa and his kidney function had lowered to 1.8 (target is 1.5) so they were releasing Pepa. After about an hour and a surprise visit by one of Memama's cousins (I had seen Barbara Sue at the nurses station and told Memama I thought it was her, so Memama went down to see.) we were still waiting when Rian arrived. He had driven down from Lubbock to pick up his tractor pull engine and stopped by to check on Memama and Pepa. Finally, the discharge nurse came in with her wheel chair and cart. Memama had been looking for her car keys and finally decided they were gone. She gave me her valet key and began telling me where her car was.

"Go down to the front and to the statue. I am parked where that statue is looking, about a half mile in front of it."

I decide I might need help, so Rian went with me. The discharge nurse had told me where they would meet us. Rian and I went out the front of the hospital, and across from the statue was a string of handicapped parking space. We walked all the way to the building next door. No car!
We decided to begin a broad sweep of the parking lot. After a brief search, we located the car. It was right where Memama said it was, if the statue is looking out his ear! Finally, Memama and Pepa exited the building, we got them loaded up and on their way!

I told Memama when we found her car it was locked and running! She hesitated a moment before she decided I was teasing.

From there, Rian and I drove to the Better Burger. Rian got a couple of hot dogs while I picked up supper for Krl and I. Rian left to go to his friends, and I raced across town with supper. It was sure nice to get home!

The week that was.

On a good note, the trucks have moved well. We seem to have zeroed in on a Central Rolling Plains, Southern Plains area to Laredo, running loaded both ways, sometimes deadheading zero miles before reloading! It has been great.

Krl has been getting her feet wet looking for loads and load planning and it has sure helped me, especially when I am at the parts store.

I am hopeful things will continue working well.

Have a weekend! I am!

FATHER, thank YOU for getting us through the week. Thank YOU for the good reports and improvements in Pepa's health. Thank YOU for the work for the trucks. YOU are my GOD!