Local weather forecasts say we will be into summer like weather a week from now. I saw several century marks on the forecast highs around our area.

Yuk. I like my heat about medium.

It has been a strange week at the parts store. Traffic has been very sporatic. Early in the week it was so slow and boring. Everyone was in the fields. That all changed Wednesday afternoon. Coveted rain fell across the area. Many of the farmers and their help had been working dervishly, trying to beat the June 20 deadline for planting their crops that insurance requires. So after the rain, everyone had things to do and places to go, as they caught up on personal stuff that had accumulated since planting began.

I think the guys at the parts store thought I was lying, but it rained at our house in Abilene, three straight days.

That was good, but it was also bad.

I had mowed the front yard Saturday, then the mower had problems, so it went to the shop Monday and returned Tuesday. There is a retired man in Roscoe who has found a second career doing small engine repair. His diagnosis on my mower was in line with mine, so he removed and cleaned up the carburetor. Then he re-installed it, only to find it still had problems starting. Finally he discovered a pin hole in the primer bulb. Once he replaced it, it appeared the problem was solved.

I returned home with my mower, unloaded it, and mowed along the side of the house. The mower performed flawlessly.

I decided not to begin the back yard because the grass was still very wet and there was a threat of rain.

By now, the back yard is getting out of hand. In fact I think I could actually see the grass growing!

Wednesday saw afternoon rain, so mowing after work was not an option.

Thursday, I knew I had to mow, so after a brief respite I slipped on work jeans, a light colored T-shirt, and my work boots. I know, that doesn't seem like proper mowing attire, but growing up, my grandfather insisted on it, and to this day I think about it every time I mow.

I got all the equipment out of the garage, policed the yard, stowing water hoses and moving other objects, then I fired up the weed eater. This took longer than usual, but I really wanted a good close trim. Then the time came for the mower. It didn't start up as easily as Tuesday, but it did start (which was an improvement) and I began mowing. The grass was so tall, and so damp, I could not run the self propelled part, so I began taking less than full mower widths. Everything was fine until I killed the mower to dump the bag. It didn't want to start up again, but after some coaxing, it did. Until I needed to dump the bag again. Needless to say, a long process began.

Nothing frustrates me like an engine that has mystical intermittent problems. Finally, I decided to park the mower and try to complete the job Friday morning.

I see another trip to the shop in this mower's future.

This mower has a six and three quarter horsepower Tecumseh engine. When it performs, it does really well. Problem is, it is moody.

Rian and I talked and he told me how pleased he has been with his Husqvarna mower. I don't doubt it. I know when we made a change to Husqvarna chain saws, it was unbelievable. He tells me his mower is seven horsepower. Surprisingly, it was not out of line, price wise.

I am tempted to shop for another mower, BUT, I dont need to spend the money right now. In fact, right now I hate money.

More than that, I hate companies you work for who s-t-r-e-t-c-h pay terms and then lie about mailing the checks. I don't think it takes two weeks for mail to get from Arkansas to Abilene, or a week for mail to get from Houston to Abilene.

They may wonder why we don't want to work for them in the future.

Then we have one customer who is horrible at paperwork, and not smart enough to figure it all out after the fact. He also is our biggest receivable right now. And that is scary.

Monday night, I had heard Krl talking in her sleep. She said, "I'm going to have to get up and get me some crackers and cheese or something."

Shortly after, I watched her silhouette get up from the bed and go to the bedroom door. As she opened the door and stepped back, I was watching as she fell flat of her back. I jumped from the bed, opened the bathroom door and turned the lights on so I could see better and rushed to where she was at. I helped her to her feet and asked her where she wanted to go, as I held her up. She told me she didn't need any help and I needed to go back to bed. She grasped the door frame, as I released my hold. She stood there, shakily, until her legs became jelly and she sat down, very hard on the tile floor.

It happened so quickly, there was no time to catch her.

I picked her up again, and helped her back to the bed.

She is so bruised, and she can hardly move.

I had so hoped we could avoid anything like this, this summer.

And three months after being told a contract for the Fall work would be sent, it came in the mail. I have read it and see some things that make me wonder if the new GM is trying to "pull some sneaky business" or just what. Now it will go to the company attorney, and we will let the legal beagles work it all out.

Crazy thing is, I really don't care if we go or not. I do know however, that many of our long time employees "depend" on that work.

Isn't it odd, that as circumstances and supporting cast changes, the influences how you look forward to or dread something.

I saw a very cute news segment this morning. It seems that President Obama had a town hall meeting and a father attended, accompanied by his ten year old daughter (who was skipping her last day of school to go see the President). The father told the President about his daughter wanting to come to the meeting and he hoped she didn't get in trouble for missing school. The President asked if he need to write her a note and the father accepted the President's offer. The President wrote and deliver the note. It simply said, "Please excuse Kennedy's absence. She is with me. Barack Obama."

That'll be one for framing. Ten years old and already the recipient of a Presidential pardon!

Well, I think I will assault the mowing project again. I am hoping the mower just got too "hot" yesterday, so maybe if I mow in the cooler part of the day!

Speaking of day, have one!

FATHER, I could sure use some relief. thank YOU for the blessing of rain. You are faithful to meet our every need. Bless-ed assurance.