The day off that wasn't.

That was my day. Today.

I had battled with myself yesterday, whether to drive over to Roscoe and do some prep work for trucks coming in today. I didn't go. So that meant today, I had to go.

I woke early. Took a leisurely bath, read a little, and then found some old jeans that would do for work jeans. About ten 'til seven I walked in the kitchen and got my phone, and other pertinent papers, and I sat down to put my boots on.

When I got on the road, I took my phone from my pocket, just to be sure the ringer was on. It was then I noticed I had a call from a truck driver at 6:42 in the morning. He was having a problem.

Luckily, he was in the route to the shop at Roscoe. I stopped by and checked on him, and we both thought we might have found a faulty sensor. I went on to the shop to service the equipment and get out some tires we were planning on mounting on this driver's trailer.

When everything was ready, I started to drive back to check on the driver when I saw him coming down the road. He rolled in, the engine silent. He told me it would run for maybe five minutes and then quit. We decided we would put his trailer in the shop and while he worked on the trailer, I would take his truck to Volvo.

But while we were formulating this plan, the truck took a turn for the worse. The time period it would run was decreasing with each time.

I talked with Pepa and he told me Jason was leaving for Florida with a RGN trailer that we could load and haul the truck, so I made a quick call to Jason.

As soon as the driver had all his stuff out of the truck, we headed for town. In the first mile, it died twice. When we hit the highway, I ended up pushing him most of the way, not wanting to delay Jason's time of departure. We got the truck loaded and ready to hit the road.

Jason did tell me they were going to eat lunch at Big Boys Barbecue in Sweetwater, so I would have time to take the driver back to the barn. I told Jason to call when they were ready to hit the road.

The driver and I returned to the barn and began working feverishly on the tire work. We had just finished the last one when my phone toned. I hit the road to meet Jason in Abilene and help him unload the truck with the problem.

As luck would have it, when I drove up, they needed a boost on the truck on the trailer. I got my cables, and as I did, I noticed I had a low tire on my pickup. By the time we had unloaded the big truck, my tire was almost flat!

Dang the luck.

Jason aired it up and I headed for the tire shop in Abilene.

$17.50 for a light truck flat repair! I'm in the wrong business. That is the first light truck flat I have paid for in a long time. The tires on our other vehicles came from another shop and their deal is if you buy the tires there, they will fix any flats for free! I think they had only fixed two for me in the last several years.

When they were through with the repair I made a b-line for the post office. Krl and I both were confident we would find the mail box stuffed with month end checks.

The truck with the problem and the pickup flat weren't the end of my problems for the day. When I opened the mail box, it was empty!

That never happens! Especially on a Friday or Saturday at the end of the month!

When I told Krl, she thought I was kidding too!

Soon enough, she realized I had no hidden checks!

I made my way in to the bath and started a shower. I was filthy!

After I showered Krl had a short list of items we needed from the store. I begged off for an hour of downtime, just to relax.

During this time, my phone rang and it was the truck driver. He was just leaving the shop. Three hours after I had left. Immediately I was furious with him. I thought, "Was he riding the clock or what?"

He told me he had to go and fuel the replacement truck, then he noticed a nail in a tire and he dismounted and repaired the tire, then he hooked to his trailer and moved it from the shop and began closing the shop. He had already put away all the tools.

He told me the last thing he did was help Pepa hook up a tractor to a plow.

I pay this man $12 and hour when we are in the shop, time and a half (or $18 dollars) over eight hours in a day. In my books those are pretty good wages.

But, my thought was, I would have gladly paid this man his wages if he had been around to help Pepa on May the eighth. That would have spared Memama all she is going through.

I got over my mad.

Hope you had a day off and it went well.

FATHER, I realize days like today make us appreciate good days even more. You are good!

Hello blogland!

I haven't been too faithful in my blogging of late. It certainly seems as though time has flown by this week.

It was a crazy Memorial day weekend. Of course the truck drivers didn't care if Krl or I either one got a day off. One driver's envelope (which contains all his loads for the previous week) didn't arrive until our Tuesday mail run (around 4 in the afternoon), of course I was at the parts store, so that meant when I got home I had work to do. When I do the driver settlements, I also do the billing, then Krl receives the settlements and I take all the billing and usually go to Kinko's to make copies. (We have talked about getting a copier here at the house, but we would like to have some features that are not available on the machines that are affordable). So for the time being, I am making Kinko's rich, forty-two copies at a time. That is how many pages I copied last week. By the time I stopped in at Office Depot to buy some envelopes, I arrived back home at 8:23 in the evening.

The following morning I woke about four-thirty with a nagging aching in my right knee. I took some Aleeve and laid back down only to wake a handfull of minutes before I needed to be walking out the door!

I hate it when I have to rush to get out the door. Often it seems that sets the tone for my whole day!

In exciting family news this week, Jake and Lindsey revealed that they are expecting. Twins. We are excited for them! Doctors have had Lindsey in the hospital this week. She has had horrible bouts of morning sickness and became very dehydrated. Still the doctors have told them the babies are strong and looking good!

The parts store has been extremely "spurty". It seems that when we are busy we are busy, but when we are slow we are very slow. It seems as though customers have been shopping for some really weird stuff, or they give you the wrong year model for their vehicle and then call back griping about getting the wrong part. Duh! Odds are if you give me the wrong year model I am extremely handicapped on providing you with a suitable replacement part.

If I were a surgeon, you might as well blindfold me before I operate on you!

Speaking of surgeons, Memama met with her's yesterday in Lubbock. Two of her pins are loose and the Doctors say if they come out, trash them. That would leave the two horizontal pins.

I didn't take Memama and Pepa. Pat did. Like me until last week, Pat had not seen Memama's hand unwrapped. I think we both shared in our shock at the amount of swelling, but were relieved that most of the sutures were the result of the surgery, not the injury. Most of the skin is still gone from the palm. Yet, the most encouraging thing for me (having been through a hand trauma) Her fingers, save the base knuckles, apparently were spared any breakage or ligament/tendon damage. The crushing injury was limited to her base knuckles and the bones on the top or back of her hand. Bad enough, but not as bad as it could be.

The Doctors are concerned about Memama developing "claw" hand. Her fingers are bending and it is extremely painful to try to straighten them. It is going to be paramount for Memama to work with them and try to straighten them, a little at a time.

I can remember I had all sorts of gadgets. I had a glove I slept in which had hooks on the palm and on the tips of the fingers and I would put a rubber ball in my palm and connect the rubber bands on the hooks. (This was to keep my fingers flexible). Prior to that I had a splint with a metal "T" that came up between my middle and ring finger and each finger was in a leather sling and connected by rubber bands to the "T". (This was to straighten the fingers).

My biggest concern is that when I had my hand injury I was only eighteen. Memama is seventy-eight. It is going to take a lot of "work" to get her hand anywhere near what it was before.

It is such a shame and so uncalled for.

I am trying to psyche myself. Since I am Krl's new lawn boy, I am trying to get myself ready to mow. Almost three weeks ago, I got out of K.O.'s big Peterbilt truck and stepped wrong or twisted wrong and my knee is still angry. I swear Orville Reddenbacher would be proud with how it pops and cracks. It feels so so right now, but I know how it is going to feel after I mow.

Oh the aging process.

Well, the school year is done! I talked with Rian and Holt this afternoon and they were on their way to the lake. This will be twice in a week for them.

I talked with Rian yesterday after he finished his day at school and he and the entire family went to register their boat (actually it is Rian's and Kyle Brown's). Trying to kill two birds with one stone, Rian was going to loop by one of his barbecue customer's home, who had ordered some barbecue for her daughter's graduation party. Rian said as he was driving, the car was filled with the wonderful aroma of barbecue. So much that he commented to Erica about how good that food smelled.

Immediatedly, Erica turned to look and she exclaimed, "Reid Holden Freeman, you don't eat that barbecue!"

I always knew if it was a three name offense I was in bad trouble!

It seems the baggies filled with the barbecue were in the back of the Expedition and the five year old took liberty to open a gallon baggie of sliced german sausage and begin eating it. He wasn't stingy, he was sharing with his three year old brother!

They probably wouldn't have noticed if he had simply passed a few slices all the way to the front!

Have a day and a weekend!

FATHER, thank YOU for getting us through another week! This one was all YOU! We continue to lift up Memama to YOU for YOUR gifts of healing. We also lift up Lindsey for your care as well. Rest us well.

I would like to officially go on record requesting a do-over for my Memorial Day.

My day began about 4:30 Monday morning. Yep, that infernal internal alarm clock. I came into the office and began reading newspapers on-line, blogging, checking fuel card activity and printing reports I would need later in the day.

My first phone call came a little after 8. One of the drivers. In fact it was the driver who faxed me his final two loads of the week but didn't think it was important I had any other pertinent information. When I had called him Saturday asking him about it, he became very short, telling me he HAD to have his paycheck first thing Monday.

I told him he had better back off or the office would be closed Monday and re-open Tuesday. I asked him why he thought he deserved a holiday but he didn't think Krl and I did. I am really beginning to think we are wasting our time with this man. I think one of two things will happen, either he will become dis-satisfied with the job, or he will trip the B.S. meter and I will terminate him.

Yesterday when he arrived, he told me he went off and left some cash tickets sitting on the table, but some of the fuel card activity needed to be reimbursed. I have been suspecting a little shady stuff going on, but I have always been a student of the old adage, give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself.

This driver knows, no cash ticket, no reimbursement. We'll see if he produces them next week.

I had this driver drop off his envelope at the house and I told him to give me somewhere between a half hour and an hour and I would have his check. I told him if he had any where he wanted to go, I could call him when his check was ready.

I had built as much of his settlement as I could using what information we had from load faxes and such, so I needed only to insert shipping numbers/invoice numbers to tie the paper trail together. When I was through I handed it to Krl for proofing and she wrote the check. I made the call.

This man kind of reminds me of a junky. On pay day, I almost expect him to be nervous, shaky, and sweating profusely. Money to spend and so little time to spend it!

I have seen this man take home very good money and I have seen him take home what he has told me is his base requirement. Thing is, it doesn't matter, whatever is there, is gone. I have paid this man in excess of a thousand dollars after taxes, and by days end he has asked for an advance on the next weeks wages.

Patience is getting thin.

The other driver had called me Friday to tell me he was loaded and he planned to meet his daughter in Eloy, Arizona on Saturday to take a grandbaby home. She lives in California. The man asked me if he could draw some cash off his card and me take it out of yesterday's check. On Sunday morning I printed a card activity report and he had drawn $103 Saturday from an ATM in Eloy, Arizona. When I checked card activity Monday morning, he had drawn an additional $104 from an ATM in Yuma, Arizona. I guess something went awry. I know her had some serious miles to put in if he was going to get back to Lamesa, pick up his truck and be in Laredo by morning.

My biggest complaint is, this man's paperwork didn't make it to me yet. Oh well, he can wait on his check. Looks like Wednesday or Thursday to me because I am at the parts store Tuesday, which means I can't begin working on his settlement until Tuesday night at the earliest.

I may join a union.

I am so frustrated. I am a racing addict. If it goes fast or makes lots of noise, it has my attention. Needless to say, my favorite day of the year is the day before Memorial Day. 1100 miles of racing in two installments. Indy and the Coca Cola 600. I got my first race in Sunday, only to have the second one postponed because of rain until Monday.

I watched the early weather, and every report I saw had the entire Eastern Seaboard "green" with rain. Yet at 11 CDST NASCAR started the race. It was interrupted by rain showers most of the day, then in a different twist NASCAR stopped the race for one minute, holding the cars on the tract, in observance of Memorial Day. More rain and they finally red flagged the race and brought the cars to pit road.

David Reutimann was leading. Rains continued. Jet dryers and support vehicles circled the track until finally all of them were called in. In a decision that took way to long, NASCAR finally called the race after 227 of 400 laps. I made the remark to Krl that if it had been one of the more well known drivers leading, the decision would have been much quicker. By the way, Michael Waltrip is the winning car owner! Good job Mikey!

Yesterday morning I had a call from one of the directors of the little pulling association asking me if they could pick up the scales which are loaded on the sled. This is one of those odd deals where they don't belong to me and they don't belong to them. They belong to the old association. At one time they had been loaned out and actually went missing. I had a line on where they were and located them and K.O. called and got custody of them.

I put in a call to K.O. to tell him about the call. Immediately he was a little irate. One of the other directors had called him and K.O. told him he would bring the scales to the show. We talked for a minute and he told me, if they show up, let them have the scales.

Mid afternoon I fired up the barbecue pit. Krl and I had bought some boneless pork ribs that were on 2 for 1. I was trying to busy myself during one of the rain delays. I began burning the grill off while the ribs marinated. Finally, things were ready and I threw the ribs on the grill.

I was about one turn away from a masterpiece when my phone rang. The director who had called me Monday morning, was on the line telling me they were in Abilene.

Thanks for the advance notice.

I slipped my boots on and gave Krl some last minute instructions for the ribs on grill. I made a quick trip to the storage facility and we unloaded and reloaded the scales. Even though things went well, it still took an hour.

Back to the house. Krl had the ribs on a tray on the stove. Baked potatoes were out of the oven, so we threw biscuits in the oven and baked beans in the microwave.

By the time they were ready, Krl and I both were "out of the mood". I ended up eating one rib, one biscuit and a little potato and beans.

Oh well, that meal will live to be eaten another day!

I have not figured my phone out. When it is on the charger, sometimes it will ring, sometimes it won't. Sometimes it will ring and go to voice mail, sometimes it goes directly to voicemail.

This morning I walked by, and it showed new voice mail. I pressed "listen now" and coded in my password. "Hello, Don . . ..... .. ..". And that was it. It sounded like a "robo" voice, all tweaked and echoed out. I looked at missed calls and it showed the call was from the truck driver who had been in Yuma, Arizona Monday morning. No more calls though.

Go figure.

He has all the other numbers. I suppose if it had been important he would have tried them.

The night has been fitful. If I wasn't getting up, Krl was. I think the first stretch I slept was for all of thirty minutes. And that was after I went to bed and got up once.

Crudola!

School is almost out. I don't really know when what school ends where. I think Lubbock is a full day today and then two half days and then a teacher work day. Summer School starts Monday in LISD. No rest for the weary.

During this post, I have been "speed watching" Monday's NBA game between Denver and LA. I'm sorry, but I just can't like Kobe and the Lakers.

Maybe I am just becoming difficult. It is getting where I dislike Tuesday's almost as much as I dislike Mondays! Have a day!

FATHER, I am afraid YOU have YOUR work cut out for YOU today. Sorry.

All gave some.

Some gave all.

Happy Memorial Day.

A day of reflection and gratitude.

I think back to trips with the Boys Club and George Parks. Usually we would leave the night of graduation, boarding a Greyhound Bus in beautiful downtown Roscoe for various destinations. I believe I traveled to Washington D.C. three times with the Boys Club.

Arlington Cemetery is impressive, but after all the flags have been placed, it is awesome. The tomb of the unknown soldier is also something to see.

I think about being the guests of Omar Burleson and eating in the Congressional Cafeteria. Of being the guest of Lyndon and Lady Bird (although he was unable to meet us) at the White House.

We were so fortunate to have been a part of the Boys Club and to have such a dedicated director as George. We all had our eyes opened.

Well, the Superbowl of racing was only half full. The Coke 600 was postponed until today (hopefully). Indy went eleven seconds before the first accident. Of course a rookie triggered it. Repeats of bad luck took out TK and Graham Rahal. Danica appeared to be much more mature, laid back and patient. She finished a career best 3rd at Indy. Dan Wheldon, a past winner was runner up and Helio Castroneves took the checkered for his third win at the Brickyard. The win culminated a whirlwind couple of months for Castroneves. He had been on trial for tax evasion earlier this year and was acquitted. At Indy he got back in the car and won the pole position, plus the pit crew race, plus the race! I would say it was quite a comeback!

Plans are for NASCAR to try to run the Coke 600 beginning at noon Eastern time.

I am trying to complete payroll. Neither driver got their paperwork to me Saturday. I am about to the end of my rope. If they can't do complete paperwork and get it to me timely, they can wait on their check until they can and do.

Have a Day!

FATHER, thank YOU for all the privileges and liberties we enjoy. Thank YOU for those who gave of themselves to provide and protect. Thank YOU for Jesus.

When I attended Reidman's kindergarten graduation, Thursday evening in Lubbock, I dropped Memama and Pepa off as close to the front doors as possible.


Pepa is still complaining of no wind. Hello, when Memama was in the hospital after Pepa crushed her hand between the farm tractor and the hitch clevis of the plow, Pepa didn't want to take his diuretic. Bad move. He'll pay for it. Last time they put him in the hospital to "tune" him up, meaning get some water off him.


I am not very sympathetic for poor decisions.


After dropping them off, I began looking for a parking place. No small task. After exiting the parking lot and rounding the corner, I spotted a place along the curb. I could have entered a small lot with one exit, but was fearful of getting blocked in, so I opted for the street. I parked and locked the car and began my walk to the building.


A mother and her daughter crossed ahead of me, the daughter holding to her mother's arm while walking at an extremely rapid pace, the Mother was talking to the daughter and all the sudden made a sharp turn to a double door. I watched, wondering if they knew where they were going. The door was open, so I followed. Inside they immediately vanished.


I went on to the cafetorium, where Rian waited on me with a chair.


Shortly the program began, first with Ms. B making a few announcements and then the processional began. Reidman's kindergarten was composed of three classes. Reid's class marched in first followed by the next class led by their teacher, who was escorting the little girl I had seen with her mother outside. After that the third class came and took their seats.


We were seated along the wall, just three or four feet from the first students in each class.


It became very evident, the little girl I had witnessed rushing to the building with her mother, who walked into the assembly escorted by her teacher, was blind.


When I first saw her and her mother, I was behind them, but I never thought for a moment that the daughter was blind, especially at the speed they were traveling.


I retrospect, it was amazing the difference in confidence held between the little girl and her mother, and the much lower confidence level she held with her teacher. I am sure the conversation I witnessed, but did not hear was the mother telling the daughter where they were and what was ahead. No doubt, the girl told her mother to go through the doors to speed up their trip.


The little girl, was very energetic, as Reid's class completed their presentation and crossing the stage, the audience burst into applause. This little girl clapped more vigorously than anyone.


Then it was her classes time to cross the stage and the row stood and began moving toward the stage. The little blind girl led the class along with her escort. We were close enough to hear the teacher, "Step, step, step", as they rose to stage level. Just for good measure the little girl took one extra high step. As she was announced she began across the stage, and you could tell she was not totally comfortable with the hollow sound the stage gave as she walked. After receiving her certificate, she was led by an aid to a seat on the opposite end of her row. When her class was through, and the audience honored them with applause, the little blind girl joined in.


Finally, the last class completed their crossing of the stage and returned to their seats, serenaded by the vigorous applause of the crowd. Once again the little blind girl energetically clapped.


There were a few final closing words before the graduates exited to the song Celebrate, get down! All of the graduates were dancing and jiving as they exited. The little blind girl was no exception, as she danced her way from the room.


I couldn't help getting teary eyed. Not about the first grandson finishing kindergarten, but for the little girl. Reid is blessed that he has all his faculties, and somehow for me, his accomplishment pales in comparison to what his blind classmate accomplished.


I talked with Rian and Erica briefly about the little girl, and I had questions about the quality of education she would receive there compared to maybe private school, specialized in this area. Rian explained the school district educates the lower classes in their neighborhood school, but when they get to Middle School and High School they are bused to a single campus specializing in special needs students.


I guess, seeing this little girl may have re-opened some wounds. Of course this would not be our family's first rodeo with interacting with blindness. To a certain extent, we all were exposed to the trials Chris has had to face and continues to face. I do know that what little sight Chris has, even though he is legally blind, is a blessing.


I have lots of questions.


I think back to Earl McMillan, probably my favorite Bible professor at ACU before he was ousted (for me even after he was ousted). We use to ask him some difficult question and he would remove a small spiral notebook from his pocket and write it down. This little notebook held all the questions he had for GOD.


I know that GOD is loving and merciful, but I wonder what made him let there be disease, and disability in this world. Why is their pain and suffering?


FATHER, I don't mean to doubt YOU, but my heart hurts when I see some of these people who suffer with blindness, deafness, and other diminished capacities. I know that I learn every time I observe or work with one of these people, but I still question the fairness to them. Forgive me. Help me to learn from them. Thank YOU for my blessings, for my children's, for my grandchildren's. FATHER I pray for the confidence displayed by the little blind girl as her mother led her. Where YOU lead I will follow.

I am surprised I am not more messed up as an adult than I am.

I grew up with some explicit rules. If you go to a movie, it must be a Walt Disney Production, and later, you don't take a girl to a drive-in movie.

I have blogged before about the dilemma of growing up with Borden's milk, yet the "acceptable" carton tops for entry into the Saturday movie matinee was Gandy's. I don't know where my Mom came up with the box tops, but I bet they were a bargain for two or three hours of baby sitting!

It was very confusing that at the movie, Disney was the only acceptable production, yet come Sunday evening, Disney was a no-no as it went head to head with evening services.

I think I was thirty years old when I finally got to watch the Wizard of Ox in a Sunday evening slot on the television. (Mom, I may have been in third world country on the other side of the world and it was probably a mix up in days of the week.)

I had a hard time figuring out why Disney was wholesome of Saturday and the devils spawn on Sunday.

I'm getting a headache, just thinking about it.

Have a day and a weekend!

FATHER, than YOU for down time. Rest me well.

Wow. Now that was a long day. Having the entire afternoon yesterday to wait around ended up being a real challenge. Memama had laid down, which was understandable, because her hand was extremely tender after the dressing was removed and replaced. Pepa snoozed in one of the recliners most of the afternoon.

I had opportunity to go with Erica and Holt to pick up Reid from school. I got to meet Ms. B, his teacher this past year. Reid had received a golden horseshoe award for the day. That was in stark contrast to Wednesday when he was written up four times for mis-behaving. In my books the four write ups would have been the equivalent of the golden horse apple.

As a reward for the golden horseshoe, Erica decided to take Reid for a treat. Reid selected Sonic as a destination, wanting to play miniature golf while we were there. You can imagine his disappointment when he learned they did not furnish clubs (he had brought his own golf balls). So we returned to the house and the two older boys made plans for a bike ride with the Mother. Dandy was going to stay and watch Drew in the back yard.

I sat on the deck in a big rocker, as the little man busied himself. It seemed as though there was too much to do and not enough time to do it all. He loved to gather up accessories and then get in the little tyke car. For the life of me I cannot figure out what a badminton birdie and racket have to do with driving the car, but this was what he attempted to do most of the afternoon. He would have his hands and arms full and begin to get in the car. If his luck was good, he didn't drop anything when he opened the door, but more times than not when he stepped into the car he was backward, requiring a do-over. Then it seemed as though the racket handle was always in the way of closing the door, which necessitated putting it through the right hand window. With remarkable frequency, he usually dropped the racket out the window accidentally, or inadvertently dropped the birdie through the bottom, any of which required an exit and re-start of the entire process.

It made me tired just watching.

Drew has to be one of the happiest babies I have ever seen. But I did see his temper when he heard his Mother return and he wanted into the garage. I kept trying to get him away from the garage door which enters the house, hoping to prevent the door pinching his toes or one of his brothers blasting through the door and knocking him to the ground after giving him a face full of door.

I spent some time in the back yard, playing catch, and generally playing play ground monitor. It was a good time for a while.

Holt is extremely mischievous, and is always pushing the limits. So he requires a lot of supervision.

Reid is not as affectionate as Holt, and he is very smart. Maybe too smart for his own good. But, Reid can only behave for a while. After that he becomes very defiant.

Towards the end of our time in the back yard he launched lots of small toys and yard tools to the roof of the house, even though his Dandy chided him each time. The final straw was when he found a Super Soaker water gun and threatened to shoot Dandy. He stood there after I warned him, pumped the gun up and proceeded to spray me with soured water.

That was enough visit for me.

If I had been alone, it would have been highway time right then and there. BUT, Memama wanted to go to the kindergarten graduation. At one time I actually pondered the possibility of leaving and just telling Memama we went. Heh.

Probably the most offending thing about Reid's episode was he went on the offensive, telling anyone who would listen only the things that would exonerate him of fault or blame.

In a lame reaction to my observation, Reid's dad simply said, "Welcome to our world."

I think I have my visit "fix" for the next twenty or twenty-five years.

For those of you wondering how I ended up taking Memama instead of Pat, she was in Austin taking Robyn to the oral surgeon. I think Robyn had five teeth pulled, after having two pulled a few weeks ago. Pat seems to be having to fill a role left vacant by Tj's death, and Robyn's dad's apparent decision not to fill it.

I have observed this situation from near and far. (Last year I was down there during gin season). I have about come to some observations.

It seems that Edwin's interaction with his and Tj's children depends on how well they have gotten along with Stephanie (his new wife and their new step Mom). If the kids have behaved to his or Stephanie's satisfaction they are rewarded, if they have not, they are penalized.

I know this sounds extremely blunt, and I haven't talked with Edwin to hear his side, and there is always two sides to any story.

I will be one of the first to admit that TJ was not a conventional Mom. Sometimes she seemed off the wall. Yet no matter what. Those kids knew come hell of high water, she loved them enormously.

Playing the part of child psychologist or grief counselor, I think it is very evident none of the kids was "ready" for someone to replace their Mom. Along this line, I also believe that anything that questions their Mom's mothering is taken as an insult to their Mother.

I can understand Edwin, not wanting to be alone, and missing his "best friend, mate and partner". I am not evaluating that question or the void he felt.

It seems in the present situation not only did TJ's kids lose their Mom, but they are threatened with losing their Dad.

I wish I had an answer that would satisfy everyone. But only time will tell if the scars being inflicted are temporary or permanent.

By the way, my Thursday ended about ten forty in the evening, after the return from Lubbock and dropping Memama and Pepa off at Roscoe.

Today I may do nothing!

Have a day! (I had one yesterday so I may have a day off).

FATHER, we know I am not the most patient person in the world. Forgive me. Thank YOU for the safe travel and for the good report for Memama.

I am at Rian and Erica's home.

Memama and Pepa decided it would be best if we came to Lubbock late yesterday, so this necessitated a quick hundred mile jaunt to Abilene and back to Roscoe to get me an overnight bag. Had I had some notice, I would have taken it with me to the parts store Wednesday.

When I left Abilene, headed back to Roscoe, I called Pepa and told him forty-five minutes and I would be in their drive-way. I arrived as scheduled, in fact to the very minute .... . . . . . and waited almost an hour before they were ready to leave.

They wanted to stay with Rian, Erica and the boys, but I was and am very reluctant, especially on a school night. They have their routine and the boys would get all hyped about having company. I finally decided to stay with them. I was going to sleep with Holt, in Reid's and Holt's room. Sure enough, they almost got in trouble before they went to bed. Tooooo much excitement!

It was probably good we did come early. We began getting Memama and Pepa up and by the time I finally got a shower and shaved, we were running very close. I told Pepa he takes longer to get ready than a woman!

We arrived at the Medical Pavilion and checked in, only to find additional paperwork to fill out. Surprisingly, they called us back before we had finished our homework. As I worked on paperwork, they began to remove the dressing from Memama's hand. This is the dressing that they put on in surgery after the second procedure on the 11th of May. Some of it was very stuck, so they had to use peroxide to try to loosen it from the wounds. Memama flinched a couple of times pretty good, and finally the nurse left it to soak until the Resident arrived. Even then, it didn't give up easy.

This was the first time I had seen Memama's injured hand. She has four pins, a horizontal pin from the pointer finger base knuckle into the middle finger base knuckle, then one in the little finger base knuckle going into the ring finger base knuckle. The pointer finger and the middle finger have pins inserted through the base knuckle and into the corresponding bones on the back of the hand. Personally I was surprised at the swelling she still has. However, the doctor that did the second surgery thought she looked good. I was relieved to see more movement today than I had seen in the previous period.

They ended up removing a few sutures and re-wrapped her hand and told her to come back in a week, and they would remove the remaining sutures and possibly one of the pins that has begun to come out. After that visit they will probably go two weeks and have her return to remove the pins. That is when the real work will begin, trying to rehab the hand. They did say if needed they would make surgical corrections to help, but movement and flexibility was critical in the rehab. They did say it would never be as good as it was prior to the accident.

After that, we went to Rian's School to take him a jacket for an assembly this afternoon. When we were there we got the real tour of the whole Dunbar School. Then he drove us to a little hide-away Mexican food joint for a quick lunch. After that we took a quick tour through the Lubbock cemetery and saw Buddy Holly's grave. We then dropped Rian at School and returned to his and Erica's house. The two little boys were down for naps. It didn't take long for Memama to decide to lay down and Pepa has been snoozing in one of the recliners.

I made a quick run to dollar store for some batteries for some small remote control cars Krl sent the boys. By the time Holt woke I had one of them running!

The plan now is to spend the afternoon here until Reid's graduation his afternoon at 6:30, then we will light a shuck and I will have Memama and Pepa to home by nine and I will be home by ten!

That's our day, hope you had one!

FATHER, thank YOU for the good report on Memama's hand. Thank you for her miracle of healing and we continue to lift her up for your healing gifts and care. YOU are good!

We have a little Hispanic truck driver. He is a pretty good truck driver, always courteous, and clean. He takes care of his equipment and is very capable of working on it as well.

His real downfall is that he is a motor mouth. You can never tell what may come out of it! Sometimes when he is thinking he is saying one thing something very different may come out of his mouth. More on this later.

This man is very religious, being a devout Catholic. Through the Holy time of the year he has participated. Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, and Easter. He gave up smoking during lent. He always has his rosary with him in the truck.

Now I am not going to start any sort of argument about which or what religion is right. I think GOD could care less if someone is a Catholic, a Baptist, a Methodist, a COC er, or a martian. I think we may have missed the point he intended here, just like I don't know that GOD ever intended for instrumental music or women in worship to be an issue. If GOD ever did a do over, he might clarify a lot of stuff that has been divisive.

A while back when things were pretty slow for the trucks, he was concerned. About work, about money, about everything. This man told me he prays every day that work would come. His prayer has been answered as we have been busier in the last two weeks than we have since December. Any time this driver calls in to check in I always tell him, be safe and play nice. He usually responds by saying "Good LORD willing, I will be at ..... (his destination) when we talk again".

When things got to going good, the work was there, this man began making better money and he was telling me how good a job Krl has been doing dispatching the trucks. Then he kind of blew me away. He said, "I just hope that we can keep blessing GOD".

Now I feel sure that what he meant to say is "I just hope GOD keeps blessing us". It is kind of like the black horse is caballo negro in spanish. I think this man may have had a problem in the translation.

But it has made me think. Can we bless GOD? Is he blessed when we please him?

Hhhmmmm.

Tomorrow I am taking Memama to Lubbock to the hand doctor. Pat is doing duty in Austin with Robyn at the oral surgeon. I don't know, but kindergarten graduation is tomorrow evening in Lubbock.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for blessing us!

Krl and I made a double dose of beef enchiladas last night. I took one of the big trays of them to Memama's for lunch.

Talk about sore. Ouch! My joints are not wanting to work! I guess I will work past this. At least I hope so.

And, Jake is a Mustang. Jake signed his contract this morning. He will be coaching defensive ends at Sweetwater. I think he goes to work about the twelfth of June.

I did visit with Jake about Kirby's situation. He said that it doesn't mean Kirb is through with the Forty-Niners. By waiving him, he could market his services to any team in the league. Jake thinks Kirb will still end up with the forty-niners.

I was so tired this morning, I didn't want to get out of bed, then when I went to move I had the rigor mortis! I needed to soak in the tub, but I was running short on time, so it was an abbreviated bath. Then some Tylenol. Advil at lunch. Tylenol as soon as I got home. I think I am arthritic.

Well, I understand the wild hogs found Pat's garden. She has worked so hard. That is her special place. Her getaway. I bet she puts a contract out on those pigs.

Hope you had a day!

FATHER, I need some relief. Deliver me from this pain!

This year's Indy 500 is the Centennial running of this famous race. For the last several years my sister who lives near Indianapolis and works for the Indianapolis Star, sends me their newspaper from when activity begins at the raceway until the day after the race. Also included in this is an official race program.

I had thumbed through the Centennial Program, but I had not "really" looked through it. I guess yesterday I began the prelude to race day. My mindset was "racy" so as I sat in my chair I began looking through the program. In the center of the publication is an envelope, full of different things. A ticket replica from 1934, a ticket replica from 1961, and a copy of the bid agreement for bricks to build the racing surface, among other things. It was very interesting. the 1934 ticket price was $1, the 1961 ticket $12. Of course anyone who knows anything about the raceway knows it's nickname is the brickyard, a reference to the original racing surface.

Now, all that remains of the "brick" surface is the yard long strip of bricks across the track at the start finish line.

I kind of feel like I have hit the mother lode! My very own treasure chest.

I have not talked with Coach or anyone, and I asked Rian about it and he didn't know anything. I may need to ask Jake about it. I read on the internet that the forty-niners "waived" Kirby. I don't really know what this means. Usually when it is a veteran, they place players on waivers and if they clear waivers with no other team claiming them, the original team can re-sign them to a new contract. I have no idea what the strategy would be to do this with a rookie free agent or even if there is a strategy.

I know Kirb would love to play in the NFL. And, he does possess the physical attributes necessary to do this. I keep going back to when he was at Brownwood and a redshirt freshman at UM. In High School he handled the punter duties, and at UM as a true freshman they considered not redshirting him and using him as a punter. If he could do that, he would provide other options especially if he was the holder for the place kicker, there would be the option of a serious threat of a fake with a former collegiate quarterback holding. My upside is that he would stay healthy and even better clean.

I know Kirb's brother toyed with the idea of playing in the NFL. The big difference is that Kirb has stayed pretty healthy, save the broken foot and a problem with a shoulder when he was a Lion.

Success is where dreams and desire come together! Good luck Kirb!

I have to admit, I have been pleasantly surprised with Rian's "frame of mind". Usually long before now I am hearing on a daily basis about how bad he has spring fever. So either he is in a better situation or he has matured. He has only made mention one time how many days of school were left, and that was toward the end of April.

I frequent a business establishment in town, and one of the employees is a senior at Merkel. Last week he was telling me it appeared they were going to have to make up the days the school was closed due to the swine flu. Rian had told me when the UIL postponed all activities, there was talk of closing the entire school system statewide. He said if they did that, the days would not have to be made up, but if a school district closed on it's on decision, the days would have to be made up.

The young man told me the school year would conclude several days after commencement, so he wasn't planning on finishing the year after crossing the stage. His reasoning was, "What are they going to do if you don't?"

Heh, heh. Oh to be young and foolish. This young man has a lot to learn.

I am "cautiously" optimistic about this week.

I had a call from Pepa's truck driver yesterday. I had instructed him to hunt down a small water leak on the truck. This man is not very "mechanical" so I was telling him what to look for. Of course the obvious puddle would be an indication, but a more minute leak might be nothing more than a discoloration on the frame, block or radiator. Sure enough, a close inspection revealed a pin hole in a hose going to the water filter.

Here is hoping this is the trucking glitch of the week!

Of course it seems as though we get things moving only to have a holiday. Guess what next Monday is?

In a bit, I am going to get our mower out, check it out, and then mow. To have begun with such promise, Krl's lawn deal with Bear and his Dad went South as soon as Bear's Mom got in the middle. The woman must be an idiot. Last week Krl didn't have a $5 bill or five $1's, so she had paid with a $50 bill, telling the woman she did not have the correct denominations to make the agreed $25, so she would just pay for two weeks. Maybe this is what put the burr under Bear's Mom's saddle. Yesterday, when she was so hateful talking to Krl, Krl reminded her that she had pre-paid this weeks mowing. The woman told her she did not. When Krl told them she wouldn't pay $50 a week for mowing, the woman and Bear quit right where they were.

Crazy thing is, they mowed with their mower so high they didn't fill one single bag after mowing the entire front yard.

I am wondering what this woman is trying to teach Bear.

It disappoints me, because we have always been more than fair to any employee or contractor. But on the other hand, this is not the first time we have been taken advantage off.

Why do people take kindness and generosity as weakness or license to exploit?

Oh well, now we've got an extra $100 a month back in the budget.

Well, let's get on with it! Have a day and a week!

FATHER, thank YOU for today and the blessings it holds. FATHER, I lift up the Kerby family for YOUR gifts of comfort in their loss. I continue to lift up Memama for YOUR gifts of healing. Thank YOU for YOUR blessing of rain. Help me to be all YOU want me to be. Be with me!

Bump day at Indy!

The field is full for next Sunday's running of the Indianapolis 500, now whoever is on the bubble (has the slowest time) is at risk for being "bumped" from the race line up.

I love the tradition of the Brickyard. From the firing of the gun signaling the end of qualifying to the unique way of filling the field.

Currently I am pulling for John Andretti to get back in. Yesterday he was in, but was bumped earlier today. John is the son of Aldo Andretti, the not so famous brother of Mario. That distinction also makes him the cousin of Michael. John had left the open wheel racing and pursued a career driving in NASCAR. The last couple of years have found him filling in, but not having a full time ride. One of the car owners for John's Indy car is the King, Richard Petty of NASCAR fame. John drove for the Petty's several years.

I am editing and wanted to post this Indy update, John made it into the field. Yea!

That was short and not so sweet.

As I had noted a couple of weeks ago, I had made mention that Krl had hired a new yard man. A young man eleven years old had left a flyer on our door, and Krl called him and had his Dad and them come over to make a deal. They sat on our couch and "Bear" told Krl $10. Krl told him, "That is too cheap, I will pay you twenty-five dollars to mow, weed eat and edge. AND, you have to bag the clippings."

A deal was struck and Bear scheduled a time to come over. Krl told him from time to time she would need some help in her flower beds or whatever, but that would be extra. In fact, when he came over to mow the first day, he ended up helping her in the flower beds, by the time he had finished mowing, he had pocketed $60. Not bad in my books for an after school gig.

The following week, Bear called and told Krl he couldn't mow, he had caught his hand in the chain on his bicycle, and lost his thumb nail. BUT, his Mom would mow. She arrived and did a so, so job doing the yard.

On Friday, Bear called to tell Krl he would be over to do the yard on Saturday. I guess he doesn't watch the news and weather, because he seemed to think I was from Mars when I told him it was supposed to rain Saturday!

He called Saturday and told Krl if it stopped raining he would mow Sunday afternoon.

About two o'clock the door bell rang. It was Bear and he was starting to do the yard. A short time later I could hear the mower move into the back yard, and the door bell rang again. Apparently Bear and his Mom took our generosity for stupidity.

"Do you want us to run the weed eater and edge?", he asked.

"That was our deal", Krl said.

"That will be $10 extra", came Bear's reply.

"No", Krl said, "We sat down and talked and we made a deal".

He left and Krl returned into the house, and came into the home office to tell me what was going on.

Shortly, the door bell rang again.

Krl opened it and found Bear's Mom on the other side.

"We are charging you $50 to do your yard. After I did it last week, I think $25 is to cheap!", she told Krl.

"We made a deal", Krl said. "That is why I had a parent come over because I wanted ya'll to know what was going on".

"Take it or leave it", seemed to be Bear's Mom's reply.

We left it.

What a witch! Krl said the lady acted as if she was mad about something!

I don't know.

I told Krl don't worry about it. We have a mower and all the other items it takes to do our yard. Our problem had been when we were gone, we needed someone to do it. It is much easier to get someone to do it all year long than to get someone to take it on at the end of the season.

I am a little surprised by Bear's and his Mom's actions.

I can do the yard, Mow, weed eat, edge, in an hour. I can go three weeks on two gallons of gas.

If they are paying $50 per yard, I may need to sharpen my blade!

Go figure!

Oh well.

I talked to Rian yesterday and then again about noon today. At their church, it was Senior Sunday and they were honoring their high school seniors. Since their pulpit minister and worship leader have kids in this group, Rian and Paul, the associate youth minister and the youth minister told them to take Sunday off and just be proud parents!

Rian led their worship service and Paul preached! (In a news flash, they both survived).

It has been a more laid back weekend that I really like. When the mail ran yesterday, there was no paperwork from the driver that lives in Lamesa. The driver who lived in Bangs drove his paperwork over, mid morning. What are the odds, both of them expect to be paid tomorrow.

That little glitch just means part of my Saturday and Sunday slide to my Monday. Yuk.

I hate Mondays.

Hope your weekend has been good!

FATHER, I seem to be treading water again. Help me.

Happy birthday Fred!

He would have been 58 today.

Ironically, I dreamed of him last night.

I have been kind of blue lately. Of course this next month is a difficult month for all our family. (I use the term month loosely). May and June mark the birthdays of both Freddy and Terri, as well as their deaths. It is a tough time of the year.

Pat and I had talked about a week ago. She was in a funk and ended up at the cemetery, talking to Fred. I don't think I am the only one having a tough go of it.

I am hopeful for some precipitation today. Preferably all day.

I am disappointed in my Friday. I said yesterday I had some correspondence to do, and I got it done, but it remains to be seen how effective it was.

In April, the company received notice that they had over paid the fourth quarter 2008 941 quarterly taxes. Usually we will receive notice, but it is for a minute under pay (which I usually attribute to "rounding"). This one, they informed us, was an over pay totalling $1309. Yikes! I am not going to say it is impossible I would make a mistake like that, but I would say "unlikely".

I told Krl that I couldn't imagine making such a huge "misnake" like that, and I hoped they had not applied other taxes (like the 940 FUTA) deposits to the 941 account. We decided to request a refund of the amount they said we had over paid.

Actually, I must confess, there was an overpay, but it was an over pay of the 940 FUTA fourth quarter taxes. We had a full compliment of employees the first quarter of 2008, and I made a FUTA tax deposit because we exceeded the tax liability threshold for the quarter. Second quarter and third quarter we did not reach this threshold. I could not locate the coupon showing the first quarter deposit, so when I filed the fourth quarter FUTA, I paid the entire amount telling them there would be an over pay. I figured better to be long than short!

Krl had been pulling documents and gathering information for my "correspondence".

During all my public address announcing, I have been told to talk like you are talking to a fifth grader. Plain. Simple. Direct. I figured since I was dealing with a government agency I had better drop that about three grade levels. I think I sent eight pages of correspondence, including pictures of checks, coupons, and deposit slips. I am hoping the pictures "as an aid" count for extra credit!

In closing, I decided if I was going to take a swing to swing for the fence. I told them since it appeared the mistake was on their side of the process, and since I was returning the 940 FUTA portion the company owed, I thought it was only fair to waive any interest and penalty.

Well, that should insure the company receives mail for the next couple of years.

Everytime I look in the mail box and find a letter with the treasury return address, my stomach rolls!

A trip to Kinkos, to make a copy of this masterpiece for our records, then to the Post Office to send it on its way.

On my way home I decided to put a dab of money on a fuel card for one of the trucks, just in case. It is never convenient, but on weekends it is almost impossible. I am sure the folks at WalMart and GE that came up with the college cash cards never anticipated a trucking company using them as fuel cards. Sources tell me lots of companies are looking at them for just that. I haven't graduated to Green Dot to reload them, at least not yet.

So, today, hopefully we are back on regular track. When the mail runs we will do settlements and billing.

NASCAR's all star race is tonight. This is the brain child of Humpy Wheeler, long time President and promoter extraordinaire of the Lowe's (Charlotte) Motor Speedway, who retired a year or so ago.

Of course all this is the build up to what I call the super bowl of racing next weekend. NASCAR back at Lowe's and Indy cars at the Indy 500.

Krl and I have been doing a pretty good job of sharing cooking duties the last week or two. Cooking is good therapy for me. She and I have talked about how different we are when it comes to stress. I eat, she doesn't.
For me it has been bliss, ranging from grilled burgers to such delicacies as Broccoli and Chicken Schzuen (sp) to double battered chicken fried steak. Yum. Yum.

When we went out to eat for Krl's birthday, we scolded the two oldest grand daughters for not coming by the house. Krl made a deal with Lrn that she would come by on the weekends and have a meal with us. So far it hasn't happened, but then I haven't been home either. I've got a menu coming together in my brain that begins with zucchini sticks for appetizers and gets even better from there!

Next weekend traditionally begins the summer grilling season. At our home, it never stops.

I talked with Rian late yesterday and he said he and his group were ahead of schedule. Initially he had planned of an ETA of ten Friday night. When we talked, it appeared they might beat that by three hours.

That said, I'm out of here. Have a day and a weekend!

FATHER, rest me well. Renew me, in body mind and spirit. I continue to lift up JDS family and FV family for YOUR gifts of comfort. I continue to ask for YOUR miracle of healing for Memama. I need YOU.

Thanks, I needed that.

I am off today. Thank YOU LORD! (Chris would say I am off everyday.).

I seem to be having trouble getting over last weekend. I was really thankful when I talked with K.O. and they were on the road again, that would have been tough. I was kidding K.O. that his work week was three days with the remaining four devoted to playing. They were going to Maxwell, picking up his other truck and continuing on to Nordheim. I do know that one day of his "work week" was spent working on competition equipment we had brought in last weekend.

Last weekend I was the "leader" of the small convoy. K.O. told me yesterday they were taking a different route, which made very little sense to me. They were going to Lampasas and then cutting across and getting on a road to Johnson City and then to San Marcos. I would think if they wanted to go that route they would go Coleman, Santa Anna, Brady, Mason, Fredericksburg, Johnson City, San Marcos. Now I am curious!

Krl completed the best week this off season for her trucks and drivers. Good job! They are both off loading in Laredo and will reload for Lubbock, Monday delivery.

My infernal internal alarm clock seems to be "on" again. I made myself stay in bed until 6:26 today, which is close to two hours later than the previous two days. I have some correspondence to do, then Krl wants to begin a project in the office. I am all for it!

The parts store was very spotty this past week. It seemed as though the traffic was very erratic. It did seem that we had more "research" than usual.

Have a day and a weekend!

FATHER, thank YOU for time off. Help me to use it wisely. FATHER I lift up Francis V. and her family, and Jimmy Dean S. 's family for YOUR comfort and care. Fill their void with good memories. FATHER, I continue to lift up Memama for YOUR gifts of healing. Thank YOU for YOUR love.

A quick update, Memama was dismissed from University Hospital Tuesday evening. She is now at home and doing well. Thanks to all who have called or visited, for all your concerns.



Krl is having an excellent week dispatching the guys. Four for four so far and she already has tomorrow in her sights. So far the guys have off loaded four loads and will pickup their fifth later this morning to deliver tomorrow. If all goes well they will have loads on over the weekend to deliver Monday!



Rian left this morning on a field trip to Big Bend and the McDonald Observatory. He is accompanying a group of about forty students with two teachers. In a late move, he decided to take Reidman with him.



Their school in Lubbock is a magnet school with a NASA affiliation. I asked what the criteria for selection of trip participants was and learned it is a year long process. Grades, attendance, and discipline all come together with year long fund raisers to select the elite group.



Rian did say three students who qualified, failed to make the bus this morning.



I am having questions of my heart.



A lot of stuff has been going on of late, that hasn't made it to this blog. But I have had a very difficult time maintaining proper perspective. I find myself thinking bad thoughts and wishing bad things for people who try to harm or cause harm to those I care for.



I seem to always come back to our old Sunday School Class when Terry taught that it was not possible to praise GOD and curse him from the same mouth.



For some reason, that has really stuck with me.



I also wonder if it is not possible to think GODLY thoughts and think evil thoughts? Hhmm?



Anyhow, my heart is hurting.



Have a day!



FATHER, I seem to be really struggling!

Well, I studied my eye lids a little too long, so this will be quick.

Memama's second surgery went very well. The doctor who did it is the "teaching" doctor there at University. He said basically all he did was clean things up and try to deaden some joint pain. He did not re-do any of the pins or wiring and he thinks when the swelling goes down, things are going to look even better. Maybe no skin grafts! He is going to release her when she is ready. His big concern is in ten days or so, the ligaments and tendons will begin to shorten. He said she will have to do diligent therapy to keep her hand flexible, otherwise she could end up with a "paddle" hand.

My biggest concern is that the doctor told Pat when he sends her home, he will be sending NO pain medication. He said it will be Tylenol, Aleeve, Ibuprofen, or Advil. I can tell you one thing, this doctor has never had a hand injury. His argument is that he doesn't want the medication to mask the pain. (Duh?).

But, Pat says Memama could be home in a day or two. Any future procedures will probably be done on an out patient basis. She will be traveling to and from Lubbock on a regular basis.

All I got to say is Pepa had better get his apron on.

I got to go catch my day!

Have one!

FATHER, thank YOU for the good report on Memama. I continue to lift her up for YOUR gifts of healing. FATHER I pray for my day. YOU are good.

Lots of stuff going on.

I left Friday afternoon, driving one of K.O.'s big Peterbilts. Destination, Maxwell, Texas. Our departure was scheduled for 2 pm. We missed it by a half hour, then had to stop and fuel K.O.'s pickup which D.O. was driving and pulling their RV. So we were a mini convoy. Two eighteen wheelers and one ten wheeler.

When we left Abilene, I went through the gears and set the cruise control, but it wasn't long until I could not see the rest of the convoy behind me. I was their appointed leader and I had already lost them.

All my life, I have heard the phrase, you got to keep that left door shut and keep those tires rolling! I don't go crazy and speed a whole lot, but I will take what the law will give me. I am relentless though about working through traffic and towns.

As it turned out, K.O.'s big truck was trying to heat. He uses this truck at the gin and while he has gradually been getting it over the last ginning season, he had yet to take off the air to air, charge system and the air conditioner condenser to allow for a really good cleaning of the radiator. It did not help that the thermometer on the pickup displayed 103 degrees farenheit. Yikes!

As we gradually go away from Abilene, we began a quick cool down. By the time we were in Early, it was 93 degrees. Believe it or not, that small difference made a huge difference. We made a couple of stops along the way to check and re-secure the equipment. We had decided to cut from Seward Junction to Georgetown to get on I-35 South to San Marcos. We had some other competitors who joined our route at Lampasas, and they had thoughts about Highway 183 in and out of Austin. I will admit it has been several years since I went that route, but it was a lot of stop and go. We told the other competitors who joined us, they were welcome to take the alternate route, but we were going straight through. Before it was all said and done, the additions ultimately decided to follow us all the way. Save for one accident that backed us up briefly on Austin's Southern edge, we encountered no problems. I had been on the website for the location of the event, and had printed a map from the interstate to there. Piece of cake. We arrived just before dark.

We set up our camp, trying to make the most of the little light left in the day. Finally, D.O. went inside to find something for our crew to eat. While we were there we had a knock on the door telling us the show promoter had cooked pork chops and sausage for any early arrivals. We dropped our plates and hot dogs to accept their offer of food and hospitality, but we may have been an after-thought, the chops and sausage were kind of dry! Just as we were getting in the pickup to leave the CottonGin.Com (the name of the better publicised facility) I took a call from Pat. Our plan had been to return to camp to sit and relax, visiting with others who were coming in to the complex.

Pat's call came at 10:36. She was very direct and to the point. "We are at the emergency room at the hospital at Sweetwater, waiting for a care flight to take Memama to Lubbock", she said.

"What is going on?", I asked.

"Pepa decided he wanted to hook up a plow to the tractor, and he took Memama with him to help because he couldn't do it by himself", Pat said. She then continued, "When they were hooking it up Memama's hand was caught between the tractor and the plow, crushing it!"

I began asking questions, to which Pat told me she didn't know the answers, I would have to ask.

Instantly I was furious. If it was ten thirty six in the evening, that made the accident happen two or three hours prior to. Which would mean twilight at best. My first thoughts were what in the thunder were they doing out there so late. It is not like, there is a great big rush.

I got the next call about three twenty Saturday morning. It was Pat, "They have just taken Memama into surgery, it should take them about one and a half or two hours. This will be the first of several procedures, the next one being scheduled for Monday."

I dozed off somewhere around five Saturday morning. About seven I called and talked with Pat.

Our biggest concerns with Memama stem from her having real problems waking from general anesthesia, but Pat said they did a good job and she had to spend only an hour and fifteen minutes in recovery before being returned to her room. In fact, I got to talk with her briefly.

If any one can sympathize with hand pain it is me. Pat said the nurses were having a difficult time managing Memama's pain. I gave Pat a couple of tips on what worked for me.

Rian had left Lubbock Friday evening, shortly after 8, headed to Maxwell, via Abilene. he didn't stop in at Roscoe orhe might have learned of what was going on and not completed his trip. When I called him to tell him about Memama's accident, he was already closer to Abilene. He asked me what he should do and I told him that it was his choice, but it wasn't like he had stayed at a Holday Inn last night. I told him Memama would be sedated to a large degree, and she would probably tell him to complete his plans. He decided to go ahead and drive to Maxwell. He made a stop in Abilene, loaded his little tractor, and hit the road again. He made it as far as Seward Juntion before he laid down to sleep.

He arrived in Maxwell by mid- morning!

We kept in contact with what was going on in Lubbock throughout the day. Probably the most distressing piece of news was that Pepa had told Jake they needed to hook up the plow to the tractor Friday, late. Jake told him he would help him Saturday morning but that didn't satisfy Pepa. he was aggravated that Jake didn't jump when Pepa wanted him too, and Pepa was mad at him and decided he would show him. Ultimately, Memama paid the price. It seems that after Pepa had trapped Memama's hand between the tractor and the plow, she had trouble making him understand she was pinned.

I am seeing more and more that Pepa wants what he wants, when he wants it!

I told Pat that I don't care how badly Pepa feels about the accident, he is responsible. I don't want him spending the day at the hospital and then going to Rian's or a motel and resting all night. I want him standing right there around the clock and if Memama so much as wants a Kleenex, he had better be standing there with two.

I told Pat it may be time for re-assessing the situation. It is difficult for me to admit we should be glad he just hurt her hand and didn't run over her!

Happy Mother's Day Memama. Krl and I sent her flowers, but they hadn't built the arrangement when Krl called to tell them Memama was not going to be at home. They cancelled the order. That's O.K., I have had second thoughts. I'm going to buy her a hand gun instead!

This morning, they are doing a second surgery on Memama's hand. Saturday morning they had assessed the damage, cleaned up the wounds, and wired the bone back to her knuckles on the ring and pointer finger of her right hand. They will be installing some pins and such today. If they can find something to manage the pain, Memama could be discharged as early as tomorrow, and all subsequent reconstructive procedures would be done as an out patient.

Rian's weekend was not successful. He had picked up his little tractor from his "friends" shop at Abilene. He didn't tell me prior to, but his "friend" had swapped out the carburetor on it. When Rian made his pull, the back two barrels of the carburetor didn't open, so it sounded like the engine was starved for fuel. When He pulled his big tractor, he was just getting into the power when I saw a shower of sparks from under the tractor. He lost a u-joint in the drive train. I had gone to the far end of the track, so I didn't have a very good vantage point, but I do know he was fixing to do a shake and bake! I think he was fixing to lay down a pass!

Maybe next time. Thing is, there was no reason for leaving his equipment down there for next weekend. And, with these developments, I find an open weekend on my horizon.

Yesterday morning, we finished preparation for the drive home. Rian left about forty-five minutes before the rest of us, because his truck runs slower and he had the longest distance to go (150 miles farther that the rest of us).

When we left Maxwell, Rian was in downtown Austin. Drive as we might, probably averaging ten miles an hour more than Rian, we were still behind him by the time we got to Early. He was still fifteen to twenty minutes ahead of us, when K.O. told me to tell him if he would wait on us, K.O. would buy lunch. Rian did, and we ran the last hour and a half of our trip, following him.

Rian called me at 7:14 and he was just about home. He was going to see the boys , unload some things from his hauler and then take and store the truck. Then back home to get the boys to bed before going to check on Memama. He reported this morning it was almost midnight when he left the hospital last evening.

Pat did report to me that Erica had taken the boys to see Memama. Reid had done a picture for her, and Holt had lost to tell her about. pat said they were a pretty good shot in the arm. Pat accompanied Erica down and outside the hospital where they visited briefly. They turned around to find Holt was in the fountain! Best news was, he was clothed. Last year he wouldn't have been!

My day has been busy catching up on driver settlements, billing and such.

I am trying to decide whether to go to Lubbock when I am through.

So, I am off to Kinko's and the Post Office!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the safe trip. I ask YOUR blessings on Rian's preparations for his next competition. I know YOU are teaching us patience. FATHER, I lift up Memama to YOU for YOUR miracle of healing. I ask that YOU be with her doctors and nurses as they treat her.

For whatever reasons, I am exhausted.

Mentally, physically, spiritually.

It has been a difficult week. Lots of stuff going on, that I haven't put in this blog, but it has all been high stress.

I received a phone call from Pat Wednesday evening, and she was having the same kind of week. In fact she was probably a little ahead of me on the meter. I find it extremely distressing when she has one of those days. When I talked with her yesterday morning, it was business as usual.

I am scheduled for take off at 2 pm. this afternoon. That is said, tongue in cheek. I am having to really give myself a pep talk, because I am not feeling like going any where. I'm not sure if it is allergies, sinus infection, or a strain of the flu, but Krl and I both have felt poorly.

And I am going down to central Texas where the humidity is relentless! What kind of idiot am I?

I usually have more distress in the morning when I convert from horizontal to vertical. Krl is the exact opposite.

I am out and about a lot, so if something has been brought in, it is probably me. I tell you, this swine flu thing has certainly made me think every time I handle an invoice or make change for a customer.

In the Abilene Distorter there is an article today about a nursing student who did an undercover study of Abilene Restaurants. She was doing a study for bacteria on the menus and found a lot more. She would carry gloves, swabs, and tubes to carry the used swabs in back to the lab. After she was seated, she would put on her gloves and go to work, swabbing the menu. Then she would insert the used swab in a tube, seal it and document where it came from. Bacteria was present but the big surprises were e coli, staff, and even feces! On the menu! She has kept the names of the restaurants quiet since she was doing her study on the sly, but only one restaurant had a clean test. She is getting some national acclaim for her study.

I am going to be out of the loop for the next couple of days, so hold down the fort.

Have a day and a weekend!

FATHER, I am struggling fiercely. I think I am fighting for control of the wheel. Forgive me. FATHER, I ask for safe travel, for a successful weekend for Rian. I lift up my family, my mom, my wife, and all the mothers out there for YOUR rich blessings. Thank YOU for them and all they do. FATHER, I lift up Nick's family in a very difficult time for them. I ask YOUR comfort and care for them. FATHER, there is so much I don't understand about life. Help me to remember, my hope is built on nothing less than YOU!

Now that was an ugly day!

From Chris to a problem with a fuel card, to Chris again, and all points in between. It should have been a Monday.

I am at wits end on figuring out how best to deal with Chris and try to help him, but it is apparent that Chris takes any offer of help as an opportunity that enables him. Pat has always told me he is the master manipulator. More and more I am seeing this first hand. He works people and things to his advantage, over and over.

On Sunday, Robyn was outside Memama and Pepa's house, talking on her cell phone. She had been walking out back and sat her purse down near the corner of the unattached garage. When she completed her call she stooped to pick up her purse, and discovered a snake coiled around a nearby weed. Thankfully, it was cool and the snake was not moving very well. She went in the house and got Uncle Hag and he killed the snake. A small rattler (about three feet in length). That is scary! To the best of my knowledge, this is the first one killed there since we moved in the house about fifty years ago.

I think how many times I have walked around that area, and how many kids, family, friends, grand kids and great grand kids have played in all the shrubs and nooks and cranny's of that magical play land with nary a thought of a snake. I think back to what my grand dad used to tell me. Where there is one, there is another.

I have decided it is my allergies acting up, but I have sneezed, and chased my nose all over my face. It just runs and runs. Krl has felt poorly too. I sure hope we aren't getting sick.

Rian has been working on readying his equipment for the trek South. He took off from work yesterday to get an inspection on the trailer, and to do some A/C work on the truck. We had ordered a new compressor for him, but the distribution center dropped the ball. Thankfully, an affiliated store in Lubbock was willing to let him have a compressor and charged it back to the DC who will charge it to us! Rian's relative that let's Rian store some of his stuff at his place had all the tools needed to charge the system and agreed to help Rian.

So, Rian was feeling pretty good about things last evening.

Krl had the trucks first half of the week, laid out by end of day last Friday. With all the shut downs, the swine flu and all, it has made her filling the last half of the week difficult. But she has been working hard. Thankfully the drivers know it is tough out there.

I am going into today with the Scarlet O'Harah mentality. Thankfully it is another day.

Have one!

Oh FATHER. If yesterday was a test, I failed miserably. But days like yesterday make us appreciate the good days you bless us with. Be with me LORD.

It has been a while since I had a night like that, but I take 'em like they come. My sinuses are running wild!

My Monday wasn't as productive as I had wanted, but sometimes those things happen. Although I use a cell phone to excess, yesterday even stretched the "excess". I bet I fielded fifty plus calls for the day. It makes me want to toss my phone.

I was out and about yesterday afternoon. I had been trying to get to the Post Office since early, but it was mid-afternoon before I finally made it. I was thrilled to find an envelope from the company's most delinquent vendor. However that thrill was diminished when I opened the envelope. They stretched the thirty day terms to sixty plus, and then took a discount. Krl says she will deal with them. I think we are probably lucky to get what we got. Obviously they are in some kind of financial "pickle". I think it would be much more effective to report them to transcore and some of the other credit reporting services for the transportation industry. Of course Krl and I both agree it will be best if we don't do business with this company.

I suppose that is one of the more difficult things about the demise of the family business. The shipper was a customer that Fred recruited and formed a business relationship with. They were excellent pay, easily within terms. As the family business morphed, this relationship moved with it through various alliances. When the family business was closed after Fred's death, the one remaining dispatcher took this account and formed his own alliance with a company. I find it difficult not to call the President of this other company (who I have met and know) and register my displeasure with him, over their pay system or lack of.

It might also be worth a trip to visit with the shipper and try to eliminate the middle man.

Krl and I have been looking around at recipes. Dee, a former co-worker of ours, made a really mean pasta salad. She had always told Krl she would share that recipe with her, but that was before Krl left the family business and before breast cancer claimed Dee. So, we have been scouring the internet in search of a pasta salad recipe like Dee Dee's. In addition to this, I have been in the mood for frito salad. We use to have a friend in Roscoe who made a deluxe frito salad, but she moved off several years ago. This past Christmas, Trc brought a variation of frito salad. I called and visited with Trc and she said hers used french dressing while the one I was looking for used Catalina. The one I remembered also sported ranch style beans with ground beef. Krl picked a recipe and conjured up an exceptional salad last evening, complete with sliced jalapenos! Yumm!

I have no faith in the IRS. I take that back. I have faith they will screw up whatever they are doing! We got a notice six weeks ago, saying we had overpaid our payroll tax trust account by $1300+. I told Krl to request a refund and she did. I also told Krl that I feared they had applied our 940 FUTA tax deposit to the 941 account.
Well, last Friday we got a check from the IRS. Yesterday we go a notice from them telling us we had failed to pay our 940 FUTA tax. Of course they say we owe penalty and interest. I'm betting this is going to be fun to figure out!

Best part was there was a small windfall.

When I woke this morning, I realized that the weekend is just days away, and I don't want to go anywhere. But I will. I will help Rian and K.O. out, even if it gets me in trouble with Krl. She just doesn't want me to foot the bill!

Memama called yesterday, very subdued and penitent. She told me she did not have a good day Sunday and she totally forgot Krl's birthday. She said she cried all morning when she realized it. Memama said she didn't even remember going to church or fixing lunch. Pat finally put her to bed and she slept all day. Memama denies it, but Pat suspects she mixed up some of her and Pepa's medications.

Well, I am fixing to get my day started!

Have a day!

FATHER, I am pretty tired to begin my week. Lift and inspire me. Energize me. Thank YOU LORD!

It was a grand day!

We met Trc, Lrn, Ln, and Kat at Abuello's. In fact they beat us there and already had a table when we arrived. Well, to be exact, Trc, Ln and Kat were already there. Lrn was still at home getting ready. We ordered drinks and everyone began looking over menus. Our little waitress was "new", having only worked there for a couple of weeks. It seemed that every question you asked, she had to look over the menu prior to answering.

We had waited as long as we could and decided to order, even though Lrn was still absent. That did the trick, and as soon as our waitress was through, Lrn walked in.

I will admit, we are not a rubber stamp group. We tweak things. I am guilty as well. I substituted espinache for charro beans. Lrn wanted queso, not ranchero sauce on her entree. In one really odd happening, when Krl and Trc ordered they ordered the same thing but with different sides. (recon they are kin?). Krl wanted rice while Trc wanted papas.

When the food began to arrive, it was a train wreck. Krl and Trc ended up with double rice, Ln go only half what she ordered. Lrn ordered shredded beef and got ground beef. One bite by Kat and her face showed she had no idea of what she had ordered. Me, I was happy. Mine was exactly what I ordered, cooked to perfection. So for the next bit we slowed down again as our waitress brought other dishes to complete the orders.

We had a lot of fun. Laughed a lot. In a really weird happening, I watched the three sisters. 20, 16, and 10. They should order for each other instead of for themselves. It looked like lets make a deal! Food crossed the table, back and forth, side to side. When all the dust settled, nearly everything was consumed. We topped the meal off with desert nachos.

It was fun!

Krl and I had tossed around the idea of cooking for the party. But we finally decided it would be much simpler to let each person order than to try to modify our cooking to individual taste. Ie. Krl and I cook pretty spicey! Of course we do have some favorites of the girls from when they were smaller!

I was a little surprised when it came to tip time. The girls were ready to draw and quarter our waitress for the miscues. I looked at the ticket and told them that there was only two mistakes by the waitress, apparently the boys and girls in the kitchen were responsible for the other mistakes. Lrn was the most vocal, wanting to leave the coin change. Ln wanted to leave a couple of dollars, while Kat wanted to just trim the 15% a little. Wow.

I have to admit, I was somewhat surprised. You could tell the girls have never waited tables. Krl and I talked and decided the waitress was lacking and we agreed on 10%. While the decision was weighted by the mistakes, I think the attitude had more effect on me. With every request, she seemed to become a little testy, and ice is a vital part of ice tea.

I don't mind paying for good food and good service!

Krl and I got most of our Sunday duties done Saturday, so when we returned home we were worthless. We were both ready for a nap. It was a relaxing day.

We sat in our chairs and I rocked the little houndgirls while watching television. I woke to find I had been abandoned by Krl and the 'girls! They were in the big bed and loving it!

I am hopeful the happenings of this morning are a sample of things to come. We have already had two calls with loads. One for today and one later in the week. As our luck would have it, Krl has the trucks week mapped until Tuesday. Load, unload, load, unload, load, unload.

Today I'll get billing in the mail and then let the day go from there.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for a tremendous yesterday. Thank YOU for YOUR gift of laughter! YOU are good.

Happy Birthday Krl! The big 6-0!

Later today we are meeting Trc and the girls for a late birthday lunch! At this point in time, Abuellos is the front runner. We kicked around a few other possibilities, including Chili's, Red Lobster, Famous Dave's, and Golden Corral. But, Abuellos has always been a family favorite! On top of that, they serve a good margarita!

For years Abuello's most popular margarita was called Top Shelf. A gentleman who had won the world margarita title repeatedly, had always turned down offers to purchase his recipe. When he dined at Abuello's he felt their cuisine was worthy of his margarita, and he gave them his margarita recipe.

In recent years, Abuellos has tired to improve on their margarita selection and offers a Platinum Margarita as their best margarita. A little too perfumey for my taste!

I guess my ratings of margaritas would be something like this;

1) Abuello's Top Shelf
2) Chili's Presidente
3) El Chico's Gilbert's Choice
4) On the Border's Borderita
5) Ajuua's margarita

Of course anything other than on the rocks is not a margarita! The best buy would be Ajuua's at $3 a pop.

Salute!

My favorite entree? Los mejores de la Casa. (sp?) Grilled bacon wrapped beef medallions and bacon wrapped jumbo stuffed shrimp with papas and spinache. Umm!

This will be the first time I have seen some of Trc's girls since Christmas. It should be fun!

I talked with Rian yesterday. He was on his way to the store. Their family is celebrating Mother's Day today instead of next week. They were going to have a picnic last evening in one of the city parks.

I talked with Pepa yesterday. He said Jane had gone to Odessa for the weekend. I don't know if she and Coach are looking for a house or what. It wouldn't surprise me for him to check into the Lubbock Monterey vacancy if he hasn't signed a contract yet! I don't know.

Pepa had talked with Colb and he reported that Kirb is doing well. I don't understand all of it, but Pepa said he is working in a rookie mini-camp and is getting paid every day and staying in a motel at the forty-niner complex. So, he is a pro! Go Kirb!

Next weekend is the tractor pull at Maxwell. I am not working, so I am helping K.O. get his rigs down there and I will help Rian. Plan calls for us to leave some of the equipment at the McLeod farm at Hutto to be retrieved the following weekend for the show at Nordheim.

The Maxwell show is a one day at the Longhorn Ranch. Nordheim is a two day show. Rian is making the Maxwell show, but the next weekend he will be in Big Bend with a group of students. I haven't locked in on a substitute driver yet. I had talked with a friend, but have left it open just in case Jason happened through or something.

I have invited Krl to go to Nordheim, but will be surprised if she does. It would mean either kenneling the two houndgirls or if we took them, figuring out travel arrangements and overnight accommodations. (We won't have any of our travel trailers with us, and K.O.'s family take the family cat with them! That might get interesting!). Rian's trailer that K.O. loaned him has sleeping quarters with a bathroom but no shower, and no cooking facilities. It is air conditioned though! We could make it because I could take my turkey fryer, cast iron skillet, and we bought a grill that stays in the hauler! It may get interesting, the Longhorn Ranch says they allow no coolers, food or beverage brought on to their property.

It is an O.K. weekend for the guys, but it isn't too great for the ladies!

I'd better quit talking about it or I will talk myself out of going!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for this day and the blessings it holds. Thank YOU for Krl and I ask that YOU bless her with health and many more happy birthdays!

Now that was a pretty good day. I got my inspection sticker. I swear, you can never out guess the inspectors. The company truck is a model that they put four wheel disc brakes on, but the emergency brakes use a shoe that applies pressure on the inside diameter of the disc. It is really a Mickey Mouse feat of engineering. Three years ago I went to get an inspection and they wouldn't do it because the emergency brake wouldn't hold under power. (Meaning set the brake, put the truck in gear and step on the gas). The shop that was doing the inspection at that time, told me that parts alone for the emergency brake repair would run $400. With labor, the repair would be about double. What they were wanting to do was replace the brake discs and the emergency brake shoes. I bought the shoes, which were less than thirty dollars and my bud K.O. and I put them on. It still wouldn't hold, so we began adjusting the emergency brake cable which applies the emergency brake. We came up with a farm fix, and each year after going through the inspection process I will back off the adjustment. Yesterday, I took a great deal of time, adjusting and doing a pre-inspection, inspection. When I arrived for the inspection, it was a slam dunk. Then back to the house to put the spark plugs in the S-10.

I haven't done much work on the small engine in the S-10 in the past (prior to replacing the engine). So I found the job would be much easier to do if I purchased a different spark plug socket. I made a quick stop in Sears and found what I was looking for, closed the deal and headed home.

It is amazing how much easier it is when you have the proper tools. Probably twenty minutes later, the plugs were changed.

I am not happy with the engine in the S-10. It has three thousand miles on it and it is still burning oil. It is on it's third set of spark plugs, and second oil change. On the first set of plugs, the #1 plug was in bad shape. The porcelain on the tip of the plug was burned off, way into the plug. I expected to see the same thing on the second set of plugs, but instead I found #1 and #4 extremely wet with engine oil. Not a good sign. I think I will send the little truck to Dallas where they built the engine and let them change it out.

Today I am going to drive the little truck and if things work out I may go to K.O.'s shop and borrow his air conditioner vacuum pump. I have had all the stuff to charge the system, I just need to evacuate it first. I may drive it a couple of days this week to the parts store.

The plugs I put in yesterday are Bosch plugs that have a different design than the two sets of Champion Copper plus plugs that I used before. Max, a co-worker at the parts store thought they would be worth a shot. They cost about four times as much as the Champions.

Krl has been working past dues lately. She talked with a former employee we had done some work with the end of February and first of March. Pay terms were net/thirty days. She had been instructed here and there and finally this man told her if we had an EFS check he would give us an authorization code to settle the account. I had picked up a check from a business here in town and Krl had been calling this man, only to have to leave a message. Yesterday she finally got to talk to him and he told her the home office was issuing a check, she told him she had the EFS check and to cancel the home office check. He told her he couldn't do that. I may have to make a road trip.

I also need to add another to that road trip list. After doing the show at Melody Oaks Ranch, I invoiced them for the services. Monday will be thirty days ,post show. Terms were due upon receipt. I don't know if I will be wanting to do this show again.

Out of the twenty-five years I have been doing these shows, I have only been stiffed once. Good ol' J.T. with Universal Motorsports. I had flown in to meet with the show manager, in fact, he and I were sharing a rent car. The first inkling of something gone wrong was when we left the facility after the final show and found our rental car was gone, along with J.T.. Thank goodness, the airline ticket was a prepaid round trip, and the hotel room was comp'd in exchange for advertising.

I think these current guys will pay, it may just take another bill with finance charge to get their attention or maybe an afternoon trip South.

Well, tomorrow Krl celebrates her birthday. One of the big ones! I had been talking to Trc about what we might want to do for it, and she says for me to decide and let her know. I am thinking we may just go out. I just don't want Krl's birthday to end up being work for her (whether it is cleaning the house or helping cook).

Two area schools have closed because of the swine flu. Four probable cases prompted the closings. That is one more reason to celebrate at home.

You really don't think about how much exposure we have. Lrn works as a teller at one of the credit unions, so she is handling money and paper all day long. I went to the inspection garage and handed them my insurance and later a check. Then I stopped to cash a check, before going to Wal-Mart and loading the cash on a money card, so I handed over the cash to the cashier while she handed me a receipt. My final stop was at a convenience store where I opened the door, then purchased a lottery ticket. More paper. Probably the one place that had a mental impact on me was when I went to the Post Office. Lots of traffic. What if the mailman who delivers our home mail handles a piece of mail from one of the people who are infected. How many homes, does he visit each day?

It snowballs, doesn't it.

But some things don't make sense at all. Officials cancelled Kathryn's softball tournament at Albany, only to replace it with one in Abilene. I guess the flu threat is less here.

Have a day!

FATHER, bless us with good health. I pray for those who are working on medications and vaccines for this flu, that their work would be expedient and successful. FATHER I continue to ask for YOUR blessing of rain for our area, for our family, and for our friends West and South.

In regard to my previous post about the UIL regional meets. The UIL has altered their position and will now run off the meets on alternate dates, but on an accelerated time frame.

I think that is good news!

Wow. My yesterday was certainly stress filled.

Pat had left on Wednesday to go to Austin to be with Robyn. Robyn had been scheduled for some oral surgery later in may, but encountered some problems and the surgeon decided she could not wait. So, Pat decided to go to Austin and then Steph and Chloe decided to meet her there. I guess it turned into a girls trip but probably wasn't much fun for Robyn.

Before Pat left, she stopped by the parts store, just to cover all the bases. Two of those bases were to drop off computer reports for the quarterly 941 and TWC reports. These were simple enough. Just transfer all the information to the forms, write a check, and put them in mail. Those were easy enough. I had them ready for the mail before noon.

I had printed the company reports for Krl's little company, and only needed to transfer than information to the form.

I will admit I was a little leery of my work after I did an online filing for the TWC report on Monday and then noticed I had included April wages in the first quarter totals. Don't ask me, it must be new math or something!

Anyhow, When I began transferring the numbers, and worked down the form, I had a LARGE deficiency in the payroll tax deposits. I was confused. I looked at the big yearly calendar on the wall and counted pay periods and tax deposits. I had one for every pay day! Then I realized that I had experienced another brain fart. I had also included April wages in this report. So when I used the multipliers for determining the Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid that should have been paid in, those numbers were larger than what I had paid in. When I corrected the gross wages, the numbers came in line.

Thankfully, I was able to do little bits and pieces on correcting the report in between working the counter and fielding questions from Sylvia. When I drove Chris to Abilene for his meeting, we circled by the house and Krl signed the report, and Chris and I dropped it off at the downtown Post Office just as the worker arrived to empty the mail box!

And I breathed a sigh of relief as we made our way to Larry's to get Chris' 'burger I had called in as we rolled down Sayles!

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

Krl and I are trying to decide what to do with the trucks. They have been picking up imported steel for return loads from the border, but Krl heard or read somewhere that the Mexican President has ordered business closed and everyone to stay at home for the next five days!

I was talking with Rian yesterday and he said there were talks of closing the entire Texas school system until May 11th because of the Swine Flu. He said Fort Worth had suspended classes already, and that all athletic events have been cancelled until May 11th as well. If the entire education system is shut down, those days will not have to be made up. What happens will not happen until after today because today is the last day of statewide testing!

One thing I didn't like was that the regional track meets have been cancelled and State meet qualifiers will be determined by the fastest times and greater heights and distances at district meets. To this I say bunk! If that is the case they need to just mail medals to the individuals who have posted the best times and heights and distances during the season!

Rian said there is an uproar over the cancelling of the regional events!! He said City officials in Lubbock said that one weekend would cost them $1M.

Maybe if the UIL doesn't do the right thing we can form a group and run the regional and state meet! It might do the UIL good to have some competition. Ha!

I'm going to try to do a little stuff I need to do. Inspection sticker. Change a set of plugs in the S-10. Maybe pull a vacuum on the A/C system and charge it with Freon. I need to do some busy mindless work.

Have a day!

FATHER, I find myself needing a little pick me up. I ask for YOUR blessing of rain.