Poor choices.

We all make them. I will confess back in 1980, I liked the American Motors Pacer car.

I will also admit, that while the rage is "six pack" abs, I thought "twelve pack" abs would be better.

That explains a lot. Especially, my physique.

This has been a week from you know here when you talk about the trucks. It has been hard. Krl had put together a string stretching into a couple of months that she had not brought a truck out of Laredo empty. That changed Tuesday. It has nothing to do with her or her efforts, I think it is all timing. The end of the month. Tuesday, she brought all three of her Laredo trucks out empty.

Lots of people don't understand dispatching. I understand enough to know I don't like it. I also know enough to know that Krl doesn't like it, but she does it any way. You have to have a lot of faith, because lots of time you put several days of work together going to an area, before you ever have anything coming back. That makes for a snaggle tooth dispatch sheet. Of course if you are off loading in Laredo on a Tuesday, and you already have another load to return to Laredo that loads Wednesday and delivers on Thursday, your window of opportunity is pretty small.

Thing is, you have to strike while the iron is hot and if you don't get loads in advance, you might not get a second chance. You snooze, you lose.

So, Krl had most of her week "going" to Laredo, mapped out. When normal circles failed to produce back hauls, she moved to the next circle. She found loads, but only one of them is in one of our favorite lanes. The other two off load in the metroplex. Worse thing is, they can off load on Saturday which means the chance for loads into West Texas are nil.

I try not to interfere with Krl's dispatch. But yesterday, when Krl called to tell me where she had taken loads to, I began to think outside our normal box, trying to make sure the trucks we sent had the equipment to haul these particular loads. The two metroplex loads are steel coils and require coil racks. When I asked Krl if the trucks had coil racks, she began checking. One did, two didn't. One had left theirs at the farm shop. (I will never understand this).

I know Krl has had a high stress week, but I was in so much trouble when I got home you would have thought I had personally thwarted her efforts.

From here on out, "mum" is the word.

I got a call from Ollie. I could hardly believe it. She wanted Krl and I to buy her a new computer. Then she wanted to know if we would give her one of our older computers. We had done this a few years ago when she was in Lubbock. She said it crashed, Krl says she sold it. I really don't care which it was. I told her I would think about it.

I talked pretty sternly to Ollie. I told her it was difficult to help her with anything, considering her track record. Especially the vehicle debacle earlier this year. My butt is still chapped over that scam. I told her it would be much easier to assist her if she was trying to help herself. I then got some baloney about, "I am trying to set some goals and turn things around". It would be nice if the goals were higher than the gutter.

I just don't understand. Ollie wanted to parade her real estate career in Lubbock. I asked her where is it now. Her response was that after the divorce and her move to San Angelo it was still there, it just wasn't active.

I don't know whether to try to put together one of our old computers for her or go to the store for a cardboard box and make her a cardboard sign and find her an intersection to stand at.

According to her, we were her third option she had asked to buy her the computer. First was Brad, second was her Maw Maw.

I suppose one thing that puts a really bad taste in my mouth is her reasoning. She told me, "I need a computer because I am fixing to have to go under house arrest, and I am trying to do a program on-line". It seems her probation officer has decided to either make her do some time in jail or under house arrest because she visited Brad at the jail. According to the probation officer, she was consorting with an unsavory person.

What really bothers me is that this is so "normal". Since when is it no big deal to be arrested or go to jail.

Needless to say, with Krl's truck drivers and with Ollie calling me, neither of us was in a good mood and our evening suffered.

My today is the quarterly reporting. I know. Today is the deadline. I have had motivational issues.

I caught a segment on the CBS Morning Show about insects. Good ones and bad ones, and going green in controlling them. A quick reference is that a rule of thumb is anything on the underneath side of the leaf is a bad bug. The entomologist said you could wash off unwanted bag bugs with a water hose, or you could use a vacuum cleaner and remove them or you could put on gloves and apprehend and crunch the critters. The final portion of the segment showed them releasing good bugs.

Of course the most popular good bug is the "lady bug". Another is what I have always called "the Devil's walking stick", a gangly green bug that is all long joints and eyes and if it crawls on you it is creepy crawly! It has a grip that drives me up the way. I guess it is all the spike like appendages on it's feet.

I can remember years ago, my grandfather joined an effort to control insects in his cotton crops by infusing "beneficial" insects. We would received cloth bags filled with lady bugs. We would store them in an air conditioned room until night fall. Then we would load the large stack of cloth bags into the pickup truck and drive through the fields, releasing the lady bugs.

It didn't take but one night to learn a lot. The lady bugs would crawl all over us, finding pockets and button seams and invade our clothes and bodies. It was miserable. From that initial night, we would take turns putting duct tape down the seams of our shirts, emptying our pockets, and folding them inside out, buttoning our collars tightly and putting on goggles.

At that point in time, if you were green, you ran John Deere equipment. We didn't know better.

I was a tree hugger!

Well, that is another stroll down memory lane.

Have a day!

FATHER, rescue us. Be with us as we deal with issues. We continue to lift up the kid's step Dad and Tyler for YOUR gifts of healing. Be with us LORD!

Rain again. We are blessed. Actually, as I write this there is a weather box extending from the Permian Basin to the metroplex.

I talked to Edwin yesterday and he was telling me it was just miserable on the gulf coastal plain. Hot, dry, and blustery winds. When he asked, I was almost ashamed to tell him we had rain again. Of course they are in the worse drought in forty years. Outside of some rains generated by hurricanes and tropical disturbances last year, their area is in the second year of drought.

I had a farmer in the parts store yesterday who told me he hated to turn down a rain, but he was fixing to lose some cotton if it didn't dry enough to get in the field.

Sylvia couldn't pass up the opportunity to lambast him. "Farmers, you gripe when it is dry, you gripe when it rains. You're never happy!", she said.

All the farmer could do was laugh.

We had a real treat at the parts store yesterday. Usually I will stop and pick something up for all of us to enjoy during our morning break. Either Mc Donalds sausage biscuits, burritos from La Popular, or donuts from AM donuts. From time to time, Sylvia will reciprocate and bring something. She is also good to fix lunch when I am not going to Memama and Pepa's. Tuesday she told me, "Don't bring breakfast tomorrow".

I asked what she was going to do and she declined to divulge.

When the morning traffic eased up in the store, Sylvia slipped out and went home to get her treats. She walked in and put a bag on the counter. Immediately the showroom was filled with a pleasant aroma. Finally, Sylvia unveiled her ware. She had four dozen homemade tamales.

On Tuesday she had began preparation. She worked until 10:30 getting the pieces prepared, and then went to bed. Wednesday morning, she got up at 5:00 to put them together and get them cooking.

They were excellent. I could have eaten until I was ill. All the traffic in and out of the store had opportunity to indulge themselves, with one exception. There is one man Sylvia does not share her cooking with, and I think she is totally within her rights. Outside of this man, everyone is welcome to share.

Hag, Justin and Watzl enjoyed some tamales early, and returned about 11:30 to see if any were left. When they left the second time, there were only two tamales left in the foil.

Sylvia told me to wrap up the left over tamales and take them to Krl, so she could see what she thought. When I began wrapping them, Sylvia looked, and said, "Let me run home. I have a half dozen in a baggie, and I will send them too." I told her if she thought I was going to turn her down, she was crazy!

Krl was impressed!

As the day progressed, Sylvia and I discussed the tamales. I love a good tamale, and hers and Nancee's Mom (from Midland) make the absolute best I have ever eaten. Sylvia's taste better, while Nancee's Mom's are really big.

Sylvia volunteered the process, which makes me appreciate them even more. The Wednesday tamales were made from pork roast and venison. Sylvia has a few seasoning/cooking tricks she has learned that probably account for the exceptional flavor. She soaks her cornshucks prior to applying the masa, and then adds the meat filling. Then she rolls them in the shuck and places them in the cooker.

I shared with her the story from Nancee and Frankie at the seasonal site. Nancee said that when her Mom decides to make tamales, it is a family affair. Nancee's aunt and uncle join Nancee's Mom in making the tamales. Nancee and her cousins get the word out, and orders flow in. They don't make them often and they don't make just a few.

They were trying to figure out ways to speed up the process. Nancee's uncle begins the assembly process by spreading masa on the corn shuck before sliding it to the women. All his life, Uncle has spread the masa using the back of a spoon. Logic told them it would be faster if he had a larger, more specialized tool, so they bought him a wide putty knife. It didn't make it ten minutes before he had tossed it and had his spoon back out.

You just can't mess with perfection.

Sylvia told me she uses a tortilla maker to spread her masa. Surprisingly, she is a one person show.

I would love to watch and try to learn. Can you imagine? White boy tamales? That doesn't even sound good!

Pat and Hag had a beef slaughtered, and Sylvia asked for the head. She was wanting to make barbacoa (sp?). She had told Pat and Hag that when she did, they were coming to her house to eat. Pat had stopped by the parts store for tamales (what else), and while she was indulging, all of us at the counter were talking about mexican delicacies. When Pat discovered where the meat comes from for barbacoa, she told Sylvia "I'm not coming to your house to eat!"

Pat asked me if I have ever eaten it. I have. I told her it was pretty greasy, but it was pretty good. Of course she wanted to know where I had it and when. I told her my experiences have been expanded by Frank and the boys inside the plant. I have even eaten "tripas". These are made from the small intestines cut into small slices and fried. The look a lot like cheerios but are much crunchier with almost a grissly texture. They work pretty well with a pico de gayo or salsa.

Then the subject changed to menudo. I have never tried it. I have been intrigued, but never enough to indulge. I have never had opportunity to partake from a cook or kitchen I know and trust. Goose, a truck driver who enjoys menudo, tells me if it is cooked right, it is wonderful, if it is not, it can be horrible. Pat shuddered as Sylvia told her that menudo is made from the stomach with things like pigs feet and cows feet added.

Sylvia tells me, menudo is relevant to the area you are in. She told me that in the valley some people even put pineapple and other fruits in theirs. Sylvia also tells me there is such a thing a sweet tamales, where the masa is sweet.

Any way you go about it. Sylvia's tamales were terrific. While Sylvia didn't say, I think she may have made eight or ten dozen.

My morning is kind of backed off today. I am going to the parts store, but a little later than normal. I am picking up some things from a distributor here in Abilene. They don't open until 7:30. Usually by then I am between Trent and Sweetwater.

And with that, have a day!

FATHER, I thank YOU for YOUR continued blessing of rain. I continue to lift up the kids Step Dan and Tyler for YOUR gifts of healing and care. I ask YOUR blessings on Krl as she deals with a difficult week. Greater are YOU!

I was cat napping when the sharp clap of thunder announced the arrival of "significant weather".

That seems to be the new term. "Significant weather". And "ponding"? Is that the same as flooding or high water?

When the weather was announced, the houndgirls immediately began burrowing in. It amazes me, Phoo Do has never been left in the elements and she is so scared of storms. Maple Syrple we know lived on the street for a while because Rescue the animals told us when they asked us to foster her that she was apprehended on Judge Ely Blvd. with her head in a golden arches take out sack someone had tossed. I can understand her dislike for storms a little better.

It doesn't even console them when I tell them, "The angels are bowling!"

It appears we have a very large cell of moisture coming into the state. Thank YOU LORD! I don't know of a Texan ever turning down a chance for rain. I am somewhat confused, what is with the cold fronts in July? I would love to talk with some of the old timers who use all the signs to predict weather. Use to be they would count from the date of the first cold front of the season to determine when a freeze or frost would occur. If they used that same formula now, it would mean the end of September or first part of October.

The parts store was slow yesterday. It is usually that way after rain blows through. Surprisingly, Monday night another storm came through, albeit very spotty.

Well, Brett Favre is retired. Again. It would have been interesting to see him in the Viking purple, but you have to believe that would have just been a personal vendetta. I would love to know all the details of the "feud" he has with the Packers.

Yesterday we put Pepa's other truck on the road. I have mixed feelings. I had received a call from Pepa telling me he and the driver had the notebook out of the truck and were checking the paperwork commercial vehicles are required to carry. He told me his cab card was expired. Hello. In May I had told him his cab cards were expired. We were trying to get the "online" access information to renew them, but couldn't, so Jake was trying to do it by telephone. Crazy thing was, one of Pepa's trucks had already received a $175 ticket for the expired cab card. Until he saw it for himself, it just didn't click.

I need to correct something. Rian is under eleven month contract. Yesterday was his first day back, since the end of June. He spent his day in grade placement meetings with parents. He is off now until Monday.

Krl got a call from Ollie yesterday. It seems that the kids step Dad has been diagnosed with bladder cancer. Needless to say, Ollie was upset. Krl also got to talk with Addie, who was scared and also upset. I called Rian, feeling that he should know what was going on. After a bit, Rian called me back. He had tried to get hold of his Mother, but ended up talking to his step Dad. Rian reported that Step Dad sounded good, and told him they were going to do surgery August 13 (I believe). The oncologist told him this cancer is a more rare cancer than he normally sees and that it is not real aggressive. Today they are looking at a possible cyst on a kidney. Please put him on you prayer list.

I don't want anyone to think I am being disrespectful by calling this man "Step Dad". I do so out of privacy concerns. I don't want to use his name without his consent, but I feel it is important to network his situation for those whoa re concerned. Those close enough, know who I am talking about.

Last evening upon my return to Abilene, I did my regular errands, cashed a check and went to put money on fuel cards for truck drivers. When I finally got home, we cooked burgers on the grill for supper! After my yesterday began so early, I was ready for bed early. It was a good evening.

We did have a visitor at lunch yesterday, Jani Lou was headed to Odessa and stopped in at Memama and Pepa's.

Today it is back to the parts store. Yesterday I set up a Texas Workforce online filing account, and we filed the report. I had caught a small mistake in Pat's report. Not major, but $21 is $21. Today it will be the 941 report. She has filled it out. I will look it over but it did appear there was a .03 cent shortage on the tax deposits for the quarter. Pretty close. I think the shortage must be in the rounding.

Between now and Friday I have got to do our quarterly reporting. I have all the information. I just need to transfer it to the appropriate forms.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for all YOUR blessings. Especially the rain. I continue to ask that YOU bless our family and friends with bountiful harvests. I lift up my children's' step Dad for YOUR gifts of healing and care. I ask that YOU guide and direct the doctors as they treat him. I continue to lift up Tyler for YOUR gifts of healing as well. YOU are good.

My sacrificed Saturday bit into my Sunday and Monday. Hopefully I have caught up. Needless to say, my day yesterday was spent between the home office, Fed Ex Office (formerly Kinko's), the post office, and other points of necessity.

In the best news of the young week, we got mail. Best part of the mail was it contained a payment from our #1 customer and covered three billing cycles! Thank YOU LORD!

I guess Krl had more faith than I did, prior to my going to the post office, she had removed and dated a deposit slip.

I continue to get calls concerning our decision not to sign the contract for the seasonal work. Most are wanting reasons. One thing I have noticed is that apparently no one likes the new general manager, and even fewer people trust him.

I guess I should feel sorry for him.

Naaaa! He deserves it!

The other night I had changed into my lounging clothes and noticed a small bump on my collar bone about the size of a golf ball. Closer observation confirmed what I thought. It is back.

As many family and close friends know, in '07 and '08 I had two surgeries removing 17 lipomas. They ranged in size from the size of a fifty cent piece to four by nine and a half inches. I had commented that all the locations continued to give me phantom pains after they were removed. There are several of these that made it very uncomfortable to sit with pressure on my back for extended periods, yet others seem to be painful when I stand for extended periods.

Closer scrutiny by Krl and I revealed that most of the removed lipomas are beginning to return. I may call the surgeon and ask him for some warranty!

Yesterday Pepa called me. A potential truck driver was at his house. Pepa seems to be waivering between wanting to run both his trucks and parking both his trucks. The employee candidate's name sounded familiar but try as I might, I could not place the man. Finally, after straining my brain, I finally recalled the man. He had worked for the family business when he was younger. In fact, Fred thought enough of this man when he was too young to meet the insurance minimum age, that he had requested a waiver. I am still putting together a timeline, it seems to be a year or two off though.

A few weeks ago, we had swapped one driver from Pepa's Volvo truck into his Kenworth. The Volvo was in need of some preventative maintenance. We had a list of thing that we needed to do, but had put them off hoping to wait until money was more abundant. When Krl's truck had a problem, I moved her driver into Pepa's Volvo until her truck was repaired. It had been used on a standby or spare basis. Yesterday, Pepa decided to put the potential driver to work and they took the truck to the shop.

One of Krl's primary vendor contacts had been on vacation, and the "fill in" seems to only want to dispatch half of the requested number of loads. Krl had secured one load for today and one load for Tuesday. I went on line to a load service and much to my surprise learned there were loads available in the area. We contacted the vendor and began filling out set up paperwork. Before it was over, Krl had another load and expanded our load base.

As our luck would have it, moments after she committed to the load from the new vendor, our regular contact called with loads for today and Thursday. So now she has a load for Pepa's new driver too!

Pete, our primary back haul contact, had been on vacation last week. Even though he was on vacation, he talked with Krl regularly. He has told Krl that we are his number one carrier and even when he was gone, he made sure her trucks got loaded. Yesterday, Krl dunned the man for a payment. She is very tactful, but she gets her point across. He told her he had nothing for her from their payables clerk, but would get something in the works, maybe for when the trucks return there Wednesday. She told him that they owed five figures, and had gone over the credit terms we agreed on. Last time she went through this, they paid totally up!

When Krl's driver called in to tell her he was loaded, he told her Pete was sending a check. It turned out he found a check that had been sent prior to him going on vacation all of last week.

That sure would have been nice to have last week.

Oh well.

Today I have the parts store on my agenda. Rian returns to work at school. He does one day today and then is off until Monday. His summer is over. I am still trying to understand his contract. Jimmy, the building Principal, is on a twelve month contract. Rian is on ten month contract, yet he worked eleven including summer school. Even last week he went on campus and sat in on a departmental meeting and earlier in the summer he helped conduct interviews for vacancies in the classrooms.

Rian had spent part of his day trying to get his pulling tractors ready. Before they went to camp he had taken his big tractor in to have some driveline work done. Yesterday he took it to McAdoo to let Cameron, another puller, teach him how to adjust his multi disc clutch. There they found some other damage from when he broke at Maxwell. It seems the pilot bearing in the back of the crankshaft was bad, the clutch input shaft was bent, and the bearing on the back of the clutch can was broken. Cameron made a quick call to Tim Engler, a leading equipment fabricator, who pointed them where to go to get a replacement shaft. It amazes me how the spline count and the length can identify what they needed. I guess when you are in the business you just get good!

K.O. and his brother went to Lindsay this past weekend. The had a good weekend, four firsts, two seconds and three thirds. Not bad. Worse thing was they hurt their motor in one of their two wheelers. Again. Last time out they had metal in the oil filter which ended up being a rod bearing problem. They ran Friday night and had a similar problem. And they had the engine freshened prior to. K.O. was singing the blues when we talked. He said they are going to check it out, but if it is too major, they will park it until later. I may have to go by the burger and give Larry a pep talk.

Well, I'm going to get a jump on my day. Hope you have one!

FATHER, thank YOU. We are so blessed. YOU continue to amaze me at how YOU meet our needs. I continue to lift up Tyler for YOUR gifts of healing. YOUR will be done.

Yesterday, I did a rare thing, I gave up one of my days off.

But first, a word about my Friday. It was a good day. Of course it had to include my cell phone, but I spent a large portion of my day working in yard. After the prior experiences this year being an all day event with me spending half the day working on the mower and the other half trying to rush to get through before the mower malfunctioned, with the new mower it was pretty enjoyable. I swear, when you start it up, it is mad.

Saturday, I went to Lamesa to see Leonard. Yep. Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Smith Unit. Leonard is a former employee, former co-worker, and friend who has been a guest of the state for about five years or so. Leonard was sentenced to fifteen years for cattle rustling. Yeah, I know. Crazy. In addition, Leonard received a 96 month federal sentence for gun charges. As I understand it, the fed judge refused to let the sentences run concurrently. I wouldn't be doing this in the old days. they would have just strung him up.

This is probably the most correct picture of Leonard's woes that I have had. But to farther complicate things, at the time of his arrest, he had two months probation remaining on a juvenile sentence.

I kind of have a problem interpreting all this, but even though he had guns in his possession, his crime was not considered a violent crime. At least they have not found a cow that would testify he held them at gun point while he loaded them up.

Leonard had written me (we exchange letters weekly) asking that I give him a date to come to Lamesa. It seems that the guards had asked him to box up some of his older correspondences and get them out of his cubicle. He either has to have them approved and processed to be released to someone on the outside, or he has to trash them. So last letter, I told him I would be visiting on the 25th of July.

I will go on the record, I really don't like going there. A few months ago I had never gone through this experience, today I know the process but I don't like it any better.

You first are greeted at the guard shack as you drive on to prison property. At that time you have to give picture identification, you open the engine compartment of y0ur vehicle, you open the hatch (or trunk, turtle, or boot, depending on what you call it), and they will open the doors to make a quick inspection. This is done coming in and going out. Then they ask for the prisoner number you wish to see. You sign in on the log and they send you to parking. After parking, you go through the sallyport and once again give them your Id and the prisoner information. Beyond this point you are not allowed to carry cell phone, pager, pocket knifes, pens, pencils, paper money, or money in excess of $20. (I have gotten where when I get out of the vehicle I empty my pockets, remove my belt, and if I am carrying change for vending machines I put it into a clear plastic bag). From there they buzz you through a double gate and it is a short walk to the visitor center. Here you will be scanned and patted down after you have emptied your pockets, and they will ask you to remove your shoes. Once you are cleared, you will be signed in and they will take your keys and picture Id and put them into a compartmental drawer. From there you go into a Tv room where you wait until they call your prisoner's name. From there, if you are family, you will be seated at a table to visit. If you are a friend, you will be taken to an area of booths and telephones and the visit will take place through a glass partition.

Yesterday I learned another regulation. No shorts. I had been cleared through the sallyport when the tower would not buzz me through. The telephone rang and they said shorts were not allowed. I was wearing a button collared shirt with blue jean shorts and my moccasins.

So, since I was investing one of my days off and six hours driving and 300+ miles, I drove to Wal Mart and bought a pair of jeans.

I had to go through the exit process, drive t0 Wal Mart and repeat the entry process. Yuk!

The second time through I was held up for about fifteen minutes because a lady visitor had made the same mistake.

Crazy thing was, Friday night I had gone on line just to be sure nothing had changed and to verify the visiting hours. I did not see anything mentioned about dress requirements for visitors, but I plan on checking again.

As for the inmates dress code. They are required to be clean shaven (no facial hair), hair trimmed short. The white prison issue shirt must be tucked in to the white prison issue pants. Most inmates wear white tennis shoes although I did see some tan loafers yesterday.

Leonard got a big laugh out of it. I walked in, sat down, picked up the phone, and he said "Nice pants!". I didn't reply I just sat there. Finally he asked if I was going to say anything. I looked behind him and replied, "I was just hoping they would give me a nicer inmate this time!"

Leonard was very emotional. It seems his step son had been in an automobile accident a couple of weeks ago in Florida. His name is Tyler and he just turned 17. He was thrown from the car and suffered some severe head trauma. He has been in a coma since the accident and doctors cut and removed a piece of his skull to allow the brain to swell and hopefully minimize any permanent damage.

I had learned of the accident Wednesday and had done some follow up on Thursday, and ironically, Friday I received a one paragraph letter from Leonard telling me about the accident.

As it turned out, Leonard probably had more current information that I did. It seems Friday he went to the chaplain's office and the chaplain called Tyler's grandmother in Florida. She reported that Tyler remained comatose, but Wednesday he had stopped breathing and they had to rush him to emergency surgery for a six hour procedure.

Our first subject of our visit was Tyler. As expected, Leonard was very emotional and he repeated over and over how he should be there for Tyler. He kept saying how he had messed so many people's lives up.

I purposely tied to steer the visit subject during the entire visit, but on several occasions, Leonard took it back to Tyler, telling me if I learn anything, please keep him posted.

When I visited Leonard the first time earlier in the year, I had wondered how we would possibly visit two hours. What would we talk about? Surprisingly, two hours pass quickly. In fact, we were both caught off guard when the guard walked up and gave us the five minute signal. As I was getting up to leave, I remembered the box of letters. I tapped on the window and Leonard returned to pick up his phone. I inquired and he told me had had not gotten them cleared to be released.

And that was the reason for my visit.

Yesterday, as I waited, I observed. Parents, spouses, children, friends and inlaws, all taking the time to visit. I thought about how these people and their lives were intertwined and how all the lives had been changed because of their friend/relative being incarcerated. I saw grandparents bringing grandchildren to see their Dad.

I understand, the deterrent is being locked up, the loss of personal freedoms. I also understand that the sacrifice and hardship is expanded far beyond the guilty party. I guess this is the "best" solution.

I kept thinking, all of these men dressed in white were someone's son, and someone's mate, and for the most part someone's father. I think about the children who will grow up thinking the visit to the prison is just a part of growing up.

Most of the visitors are friendly. I guess they figure we all share a common bond. In a weird sense I guess we do.

I won't kid you though. It is a relief to walk out, get in the car and watch the prison buildings shrink in the rear view mirror.

Whew.

I would ask that you include Tyler as you lift your prayers.

When I returned home, I went by the post office. On Friday, we received one paltry check from vendors. We had gone 17 days since the last payment of any kind. I am hoping Saturday didn't begin another drought.

When I arrived home, Krl had all sorts of pieces of all sorts of possible meals scattered around the kitchen. "I don't know what I want to fix for supper", she said.

We began a discussion. Left over enchiladas ( she had made from scratch Friday), a chicken flat noodle casserole (whose ingredients were on the counter top), and potato soup. All possibilities.

Since Krl's belly was acting up, we decided on the soup. I decided to make the creamy style, so I used a combination of water and milk. I put it in a large pot. Eight cups of liquid total. I turned the stove on high.
I was briefly distracted by the hound girls and I turned around to watch the liquid expand at a high rate of speed. So quickly I could not even respond by lifting the pot from the burner. All I could do was turn the burner off. Even so, it still spilled over the top. I did a preliminary clean up but I still have more to do.

I did salvage the soup.

Today. The Brickyard 400. NASCAR. Indianapolis. Loud. Fast. My kind of day. Now you know what I will be doing this afternoon.

And with that, have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for a safe day. FATHER I lift up Leonard to YOU, that YOU would lead and mold and change him, that he would be truly reformed. I lift up Tyler to YOU for YOUR miracle of healing, that he would recover and be whole. For I know who I have believ-ed.

One and one.

That is the official count relayed to me from Lindsey and Jake's doctor. A boy and a girl!

Neat!

The plan is to take the babies December 1.

Memama's report from the hand doctor was almost a non report. She didn't see the doctor, she saw one of the residents in training. Keep doing what you are doing was his recommendation. That means continued mountain pancakes at therapy.

Last week I discovered that my mother has been apprehended and replaced by an impostor. The clues were small, but spoke volumes.

Memama and Pepa were in Abilene, and I went to their house during my lunch break from the parts store. I decided I would open a can of chili for a quick lunch, but when I opened the pantry, I didn't find the familiar red can with the blue and white label I grew up with on Wolf Brand. Instead I found Hormel. My mother would never buy that!

Mystery solved! Bring my mother back!

This morning I learned too, that this woman has been lying to me all my life, and is the real reason for most of my problems. #1) My face won't get stuck if I make faces. #2) If I go outside with a wet head, I won't catch a cold. #3) I won't get cramps if I don't wait to swim after eating. #4) You finish your meal when you clean your plate. (It isn't good to make your children clean their plates. They should use an internal mechanism to know when they are full, not an external. I still find myself doing this!). I am sure there are many more!

I talked with Frank, the plant superintendent at the seasonal work yesterday. I called him. I told him I felt like I owed him an explanation why I didn't sign our contract. He concurred with my decision and told me if things continue he may be calling me after the end of this season wanting to make a change. When I spoke with him, I asked him if I could have my on the ground people (forklift operators, loaders and sweepers) contact him for work. I told him I didn't want these people to suffer because we were presented with a contract we couldn't sign. He assured me, he would take care of them.

The more I have analyzed the situation, what I enjoyed about St. Lawrence was not the work. It was the people. I may try to do something later on, and I would love to include some of the people we worked with there to be a part of it. Right now the hold up is $$$$$$. And this project would take a lot of it! But could be very lucrative.

In a very improbable occurrence, just as I finished my conversation with Frank, I received a call from Delfino. Delfino has been my lead forklift operator for ten or twelve years. He has trained others, learned to do maintenance, and has been loyal and dependable. If you tell him something, it is as good as done. Often, other employees have had a problem with him because they have known he was the authority in my absence.

Delfino was very disappointed with my news, but very appreciative of my call to Frank.

The past few days I have reminisced about the years spent at the seasonal jobsite. It took me a couple of years to figure out the old GM's little tricks of the trade. He had a system where he would give caps out with the company logo on them. That is pretty common. But this man took it a little farther. Patrons received one color cap, board of director members usually got another, employees got another, and contractors and their people received another. That way, he immediately knew who he was dealing with.

It seems that a one particular time he ran across a man he thought was sluffing off. He was on the verge of firing the man when he learned he didn't work for him, the man worked for a contractor! It was kind of funny.

Krl and I also have talked about Thanksgiving. I hope someone steps in our place and cooks for the crews. They always seem to have enjoyed it.

On the other hand, it is very appealing to be able to plan for a normal Holiday season.

Just call me Dorothy and buy me some ruby red slippers! There is no place like home. There is no place like home!

And finally, the campers should be coming home today. I hope they had a good time!

I think I may try to do the yard today.

Hope your day is a good one!

FATHER, thank YOU. Thank YOU for good friends, and good memories! I lift up the babies to YOU, that they would continue to grow and be healthy. I lift up our friends and co-workers, that YOU would continue to bless them.

Rain. Nectar of the Gods.

Early yesterday morning I watched KTAB's daybreak news program. Sam Nichols, the weatherman, predicted rain. He made it sound like a "can't miss" and I thought, "Not again".

Throughout the day, Chris kept the animated weather minimized on his screen. We watched as the almost stationary rain s-l-o-w-l-y made its way toward us. Finally, the leading edge came through, raining profusely. then it stopped. We consulted the radar and a hole was opening up, directly over us. Finally, it began raining slowly. In fact, it was raining so slowly, the front porch of the parts store was not collecting moisture.

We had the shop doors open and we were standing in a bay watching and listening to the steady pitter patter of the rain.

Talk about weather made for a big feather bed and a tin roof! Sleeping weather!

When I left the parts store, the rain had increased to a more steady pace, and I drove steadily toward the leading edge of the storm. A short distance from home, I drove into the dry.

I had a couple of errands, stopped and fueled up and headed for the house, just as a few sprinkles began dotting the streets. By the time I changed and sat down in my chair, the rain had arrived.

I was somewhat surprised this morning when I pulled up the radar and it is still raining, and still backed up two or three counties. Although accumulations may not be as much as we had hoped. Any amount is appreciated. Forecasts call for rain until at least mid-day.

What a difference a few days make. It hasn't been that long since we were begging relief from 100+ days.

During our brief respite in the bay of the shop, a farmer came in needing some items. He was very laid back, and contrary to his normal demeanor, he was quite jovial! It is amazing what a rain will do for the mood of a farming community.

Well, I guess the word is out that we did not sign the contract with the seasonal work. It seems I fielded calls all the way home and last evening after my phone went on the charger, I had two more. Many of the calls are from people who had worked with me, wanting all the nitty gritty about the contract issues.

I have been very careful not to "dis" the seasonal work or the current management there, but I was told by one of the other contractors that he would be right behind me. He also expressed some concern about his contract, because he did not take it to an attorney. This man told me he had a one year deal and then he was hitting the road.

I have not tried to handicap management, and I have given all the former subcontractors the contact information to pursue work on their own with the seasonal work.

I guess it is a compliment when I have been told repeatedly that they can't imagine being able to work there if I couldn't bridge the gaps and walked away.

Oh well.

I was told one tidbit. The GM at the seasonal work has told some people that he believes he will buy his own equipment and do the hauling. Heh, heh. Let's see, two forklifts, three bale clamps, eight trailers, four trucks, all the load accessories. That shouldn't cost more than 5ooK, for some solid used equipment. Maybe 200k for some junk. Or 1M for new.

Of course this is all before the DOT red tape, operating authority, insurances, drug program, and then we get to talking about finding "suitable" drivers.

You know what? I must have been crazy to do this as long as I did! Hah!

What I laugh at the most is the part about the GM wanting to buy his own equipment. Of course he isn't talking about spending his own money. This is part of that ego. He is talking about spending the patron's money, promising them it will be a cost saver on the backside.

Every GM I have ever visited with that has tried this, says freight transportation was a money pit, and cost rather than saved. The other side of that is the headache. The GM who retired told me his worst nemesis in his 36 years on the job were the forklifts. In fact, that is what gave him the most sleepless nights, and finally convinced him to outsource the bale handling.

Put me down for one vote for the GM buying "his own equipment". He needs to live the experience.

Whew! Isn't it nice to be retired?

Just kidding.

Some surprising news I learned was that the President of the Board of Directors resigned his position. In fact, he is no longer on the board at all. This is the man who is primarily responsible for bringing in the current management. I have not been able to gather any more information, but I did learn that Rodney G is the new Board President and Chris M was elected to the board to fill the unexpired term.

I figure the more calls I take, the better I can put together the puzzle.

Today is back to the parts store. It is going to be a long day. Any time it rains, our store traffic suffers.

The only variable is that Memama has an appointment with the hand specialist in Lubbock this afternoon. Pat called and asked if I would be on standby to take Memama. A friend of Hag's, along with his wife and step daughter, are visiting and Pat planned on taking the wife and little girl with her and Memama unless Hag nixed the plan.

So I am on standby!

Tomorrow I hope to be in the home office. Saturday I am going to Lamesa to see Leonard. I don't really want to do this, but feel I need to. It has been a while since I have been there. I am very protective of my "off days".

Last Christmas, Pat and Hag, Steve and Jani, and Krl and I went together and gave Memama and Pepa a gift certificate for new cabinet tops for their house. For a couple of years Memama had been wanting them and Pepa had dragged his feet. Of course nothing goes as planned. When Pepa finally came on board with the project, he went "overboard". When he sat down with the people, he told them he wanted to tear our the old cabinets and put in new ones. When the estimate came in, it was over $20,000. Wow! Back to the drawing board! Even when Pepa made changes to what he wanted, the price only came down to $14,000. Finally, Memama told him she just wanted cabinet tops. I haven't asked because I don't want to know what it cost. But Pepa picked granite counter tops with tile back splash. Installation has been ongoing the last two days. They are very pretty, but I just shake my head. What we intended as a gift, now has become an expense.

Go figure! At one point in the shopping process Pepa told me they needed more gift cards. Before the process was over I told him to just give back the card.

Well, Memama should be set. New sinks, new cook top, new ventihood, new faucets, new drains, new cabinet tops.

Well, I must get my day moving.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for YOUR blessing of rain! I continue to ask that you bless our friends and family with good crops. FATHER, thank YOU for friends. Lead on.

It has been a very eventful week.

The trucks are a pain. The drivers even worse.

Thirteen days have passed since we have received payment of any kind in any amount from vendors. I almost crawled into the post office box to be sure there was no obstruction.

In the biggest news, we are going in a new direction. We just don't know which one. Yet!

As many of you are aware, since March of this year we have been negotiating with the seasonal work we have done for the past fifteen years on a new contract. We have been through the entire process, the bid proposal, the meeting with the board of directors, the awarding of the contracts, and the process of drafting the contracts as an acceptable document to both parties.

Since the last week in June, attorneys have been working, trying to come to a compromise on a few contract issues. It appeared we were making progress, and we remained optimistic. A few days ago, our attorney called and said the seasonal work's attorney had called and said, "If your client wants the contract, they need to sign the contract we sent."

Our attorney told him he could not allow us to sign the contract as they sent it. Then the seasonal work's attorney told him they were withdrawing the offer of the contract.

It is really weird, but I am relieved. I had not realized how "tense" it was to work there this past year, and how much I was dreading returning this year.

It is surprising how one key player leaving and another taking their place can make or break a job.

The new General Manager and I have been cordial, but he always seemed to be threatened. Krl has always termed him as "prissy". I think he is very insecure and in need of validation.

I suppose part of this is the result of my applying for the GM position when it was open, at the request of several patrons. It was a last minute move, and it didn't cost anything to enter. Besides, it never hurts to go through the process. While I didn't get the job (obviously) out of twenty-six applicants I made the final four. The President of the Board of Directors told me one of the biggest drawbacks of my application was that they did not want to lose me as a contractor.

Over fifteen years, Krl and I both have developed some good friendships and working relationships in the small community. While there we have witnessed many triumphs and tragedies. There have been tears of joy and of sadness. It has been a very good experience.

Yesterday, I mailed a letter to the Board of Directors explaining the problems with the contract and why we weren't "comfortable" with signing it. I had composed this letter and sat on it, being sure that mailing it was what we wanted to do. I thanked them for a great fifteen years and wished them continued success.

So barring some miracle. It is done.

Throughout this ordeal, Krl and I have felt that if certain things happened, we would continue, if they didn't, we would move on. Early on, we relented control of this process to GOD.

We don't really know what or where GOD has in store for us, but it is exciting to know he has something in the works!

We have turned loose of the handrail, and taken the leap of faith!

I look back, and through all the adversity we have faced, personally, professionally, and spiritually, and however bad things may have gotten, the end result has out weighed the bad.

Onward!

Krl talked with Ollie yesterday. I am trying to gauge news that Ollie delivered pertaining to her step Dad. It is a shame I can't take what Ollie says at face value, but in the past she has been a drama queen and put the absolute "worse spin" possible on things.

Ollie reported yesterday that her step Dad was hospitalized (and has been for a few days). He has suffered a stroke resulting in slurred speech and problems with movement on one side of his body, and he is encountering renal failure. According to her, his prognosis is not good.

I am hopeful that Ollie has embellished what she has been told and that the situation is not as bad as her report.

Well, it is back to the parts store today. Yesterday saw a steady flow of customers all day until I left at four. We had a customer who asked if I could pick up a part from a dealer for the OEM in Abilene. The store manager had called and checked on availability and was assured the part was "on the shelf". When I arrived, just minutes before five, I was informed they were out of the part.

The only good that did me was I got home a little earlier than usual. On the drive from the North side to the South side, I delivered some filters to the Better Burger for Larry to take to K.O..

K.O.'s brother Danny was at the "burger". Just last week he and his family moved back to this area. He had been working at a CoC sponsored childrens home in Keller for the last few years, but decided to return home to help his Dad on the farm and at the burger! Danny is a very gifted guy who can do miracles with wood or metal. I am glad he is back and hope it is a good move for him. His wife already has secured a teaching job in the Abilene ISD. I am sure their two kiddos are glad to be close to their grand parents!

I was on the computer yesterday and during a lull in customers I keyed in the town nearest the camp in New Mexico that Rian and his family are at. At eleven o'clock it was 50 degrees. The low last night was 43, and the forecast high was 70. Wow. The predicted low for tomorrow night is 41!

For four straight days we have had precipitation at our house. Not much yesterday, but when I was leaving for work I had to use the windshield wipers.

And with that, have a day!

FATHER, We stand ready for whatever you have in store for us. We are confident whatever it is, it is big and right, and where we are supposed to be. We lift up the kids step Dad, hoping his situation is not as dire as the reports. We ask YOUR gifts of healing and care for him. FATHER, we are thankful that you are faithful to meet our needs. YOU are good!

It is hard to believe it has been forty years since the first moon landing and our astronauts walking on the moon. This was another case of "I remember exactly where I was".

I was at 1018 Bois d'arc in Roscoe. Mema and Gan Gan's house. I can remember us sitting on the edge of our seats, riveted to the television. Gan Gan said, "I can't believe I have lived to see a man walk on the moon." I have often thought about how much change he saw in his life time. From horses and buggies, and teams to cars and pickups and tractors.

Of course four months later, we lost Gan Gan. I don't know that he ever flew in an air plane. Just a few months prior to his death he bought his first pickup with air conditioning.

I think about how much technology has changed in forty years. What I have seen. Wondering what I will see.

I will say life seemed to be much simpler forty years ago.

Of course all the moon reporting we watched was anchored by the iconic Walter Cronkite. The most trusted man in America.

I think how blessed we were to grow up with Walter, and with Huntley and Brinkley.

Over the weekend we lost Walter Cronkite at age 92. A remarkable man who showed he was human. From the Kennedy assassination to the moon walk, he was the voice of America.

As much as I hate to say it, Katie, Bryan, and Charlie don't do it for me. Neither did Tom or Dan. To be honest I don't watch much national news. If I do, I watch Katie. Not that the reporting is so much better, I just want her to do good.

Hey, I am all for women's rights.

And finally, YIKES! Every day I go to the mail box I just want to throw up! No, it isn't bills. It is that it has been eleven days since we have received any money from vendors! That means we have been through two payrolls, and are going into the second week of pre-paying fuel!

I keep telling Krl that it will correct itself.

A few weeks ago, we deviated from our regular freight lanes. One of the best things about where we had been running was the vendors pay good. Some in a week, some in ten to fourteen days. The lanes we experimented in pay very well. In fact it is premium pay, but it is thirty days and you have to stay on them. Our invoice terms are net twenty.

A good plan would be to mix the good paying customers with a sprinkling of the premium pay customers.

And a couple of quick notes.

Nephew Colby, recently got booted up the ladder. Congratulations on the promotion.

And Mike Cope, the long time pulpit minister at Highland recently preached his final sermon as a full time pulpit minister. He is joining the Heartbeat ministry. Mike is a very dynamic speaker who has a gift of being able to connect. I don't really look as this as changing direction for him, I look as this as changing his medium.
I can imagine it was a difficult decision for him and his family. It doesn't mean we won't have opportunity to hear him in the future, it will only make it more special.

You know, you don't see a lot of people in their prime walk away, making big changes.

I know how difficult it was when I left the family business. Of course, the change was not voluntary, it was a necessity. But I never thought that at that age I would be "starting over". Of course I am not in control. the man upstairs is. At times it has been difficult, but he continues to be faithful to meet my needs.

And that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling that everything is pretty much right in my world.

And with that. Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for all YOU do. I lift up Colby, that YOU would continue to bless him as he takes on increased responsibilities in his work. I lift up Mike as he moves into his new calling, that YOU would continue to bless him and lead him. Thank YOU for men like Walter Cronkite. FATHER, YOU strengthen me!

Well, well. Let's see.

Happy Birthday Chloe! Big number 1. You are gorgeous but you are rotten! Grumpy and Nana Woo Woo have had her since Brownwood. She has been to the farm, petted the cows, and had a really good time. Rumor has it she slept fourteen hours straight earlier in the week!

Hey it is hard work being a farm girl! ' Just wears a girl out!

They left this morning. Chloe's mother wanted her home for her birthday!

And I need to post a correction. I had Rian on an accelerated schedule, leaving today for Camp Following. Actually he is leaving Friday morning. The campers and the women will leave Sunday I believe. Rian is planning on 115 campers and about 80 staff.

He has spent nearly the entire week gathering up or loading camp stuff. Yesterday afternoon he helped "Deacon Stan" check out and fuel and service all the church vans and buses that will be used on the trek.

Yesterday Rian loaded his smoker and some mesquite firewood. They had been asking Rian when he was going to cook for camp, so he borrowed his kinfolks utility trailer and loaded it down! He will pull it with one of the vans. He is doing hot dogs for the camp workers Friday night, burgers another night, brisket one night and I think hot dogs for the campers one night. He told me he as four meals he is cooking on the smoker!

Well, Krl called in re-enforcements for my sprinkler system water leak. I had been digging on it, located the pipe, found the leak, but needed to broaden the hole and take out a bunch more roots. She called Cousin Rick's Plumbing and if she is thinking right, Rick sent Stan and another guy over who finished digging and did the repair. Turned out a root had popped a glued elbow, but other roots held it in place enough that it was just a little leak.

On my way home last evening I began my daily errands, and I needed to put some money on a driver's fuel card. As my luck would have it I had left my checkbook in Krl's Expedition, so I had to go home before I could resume my list.

While I was out, I picked up several bags of sand to put around the pipes in the large hole where the leak was. After I carried everything in the house, I returned outside to partially fill the whole with the sand. I am hopeful I can use the top six inches of sod that has the grass in it. If not, I will have to find a couple more bags of sand and a mat or two of St. Augustine to finish the repair.

Maybe this weekend!

So, being commercially appreciative for a moment. If you need a plumber, call Rick's Plumbing!

I haven't weighed in on the NASCAR/Jeremy Mayfield battle. NASCAR had banned Mayfield from competition after they said he tested positive for meth. NASCAR says they have retested him and he tested positive again. Mayfield and his attorneys contend tests at an independent lag came back negative. Mayfield also contends his positive is a false positive, saying he does take Adderal for ADDHD and Claritin for allergies.

A few weeks ago Ollie went in for a session with her counselor and while she was there the counselor received a call from her probation officer who told her Ollie had tested positive for meth. The counselor told Ollie and she asked if they had given the lab a copy of the medications she was on. That list included Adderal.

To my knowledge, that was the end of that.

Back in February, NASCAR was touting Mayfield as a hero, putting together a racing team on a limited budget, yet being competitive. I have no idea of why they became adversarial.

This is another case of David and Goliath.

I'm cheering for David. I hope he kicks Goliath in the shins.

I just hope Mayfield doesn't have anything hidden.

Have a day!

FATHER, we lift up all the campers and staff for your care and safety.

We had a wonderful evening last night.

We had dinner guests over. Ln and Christian. Ln has been helping her Meme this summer and last week she asked her Meme if they could come over and eat with us. She even chose the menu.

Meme's spaghetti! That has been one of her favorites since she was in a high chair.

On Monday I had begun gathering the parts of the meal. Meme is partial to one particular kind of spaghetti sauce, and I have been able to find it at only one store in town, even though I have made repeated requests for our regular store to stock it. For a while they did but during the makeover, they ran out and no longer stock it. Ragu Green Peppers and Mushrooms. I went to the store where I had bought the last several jars only to find they didn't have it either. However they had a "house" brand Green Peppers and Mushrooms. I bought three jars of it, hoping it was close.

Of course Meme adds a pound of ground beef and some more sliced mushrooms, seasons it with a little oregano. Ladle it over some angel hair pasta and grab a slice of garlic bread and you have a meal.

Magnifico!

Our scheduled meal was almost rescheduled. The little wild man truck driver had called me Monday, telling me his air conditioner was out. He was in Laredo, and the closest Volvo dealer was in Pharr. He found a line that had rubbed a hole in it and I figured the odds were against a dealer having that particular line in stock. I called the Volvo dealer in Abilene and had them order the line. I also set up an appointment for 10 Tuesday morning to have it put on. Krl did some re-arranging and got the little wild man a load to Early.

It appeared everything was going to fit.

Krl and I talked and decided we would pay for a motel room for the driver, opting to keep him as fresh and happy as we could.

As it turned out, the driver over slept and was late getting to his off load site, which made him wait in line. Long story short, he didn't make his repair appointment. He arrived at 11:30, an hour and a half late. Of course he didn't bother to call and tell anyone he was running late.

When I left the parts store to go to lunch I called Krl to see if she had heard from the little wild man. She hadn't, but decided to call him. She and I both were figuring time lines in our heads because the little wild man had a loading appointment at 3 in Lubbock.

I had gone to Memama's and was helping her, setting the table, icing glasses, and such when Krl called and told me, "They aren't going to get him out of the shop until after three!"

I rushed from Memama's house, got in my pickup and made a mad dash for Abilene. In an hour and forty-five minutes I made the round trip, loaded his personal items, plus his tarps and accessories, and put him and them into another truck which was at Roscoe.

On the drive back I began to suspect something was rotten in Denmark. He told me his daughter and grandsons had made a surprise visit to Lamesa yesterday morning. L know how much this man has been wanting to see his "boys".

Just before I left him, he called the loading facility to let them know he was running late. When he got off he told me they said he had to be there by three thirty.

I called Krl and she called the shipper and they said that was bunk, they would load him if he was there by four thirty.

I think the little wild man wanted to go by the house and spend the night with his boys. I told him, he had loads to pick up everyday of this week and through Tuesday of next week. If he missed this one, his whole week went down the tubes.

Reluctantly, the little wild man made a bee-line for Lubbock.

He did get to go by Lamesa to see his boys, his daughter and his wife, plus grab a shower and a meal before hitting the road to make his drop and pickup for today. He should be back through Lamesa again tomorrow.

What this dilemma did was make it necessary for me to make up the extra forty-five minutes I took in extended lunch hour, so I called Krl and asked her to back up the schedule, I wouldn't be leaving the parts store until just before six.

By the time I had run my daily errands when I returned to Abilene, I arrived home at 7:30. When I walked in, I found Ln, Christian, and an added bonus, Kat. By the time it was all said and done, we had nine guests for the evening.

Trc came over and brought their five puppies!

It was great. Good food and good company! We laughed and talked of Ln's spaghetti shirt when she was little!

By the way, Ln cooked and prepared the whole meal under her Meme's close supervision. Let me tell you, the girl can fix a salad too. Lettuce, grape tomatoes, and diced bell pepper.

Excellent.

I hadn't talked with Rian since Brownwood until late yesterday. His summer is compressed into the four days between Brownwood and departing for "Camp Following" on Thursday. This will be his second church camp of the summer. This camp their high school students serve as instructors and counselors for the younger campers from Greenlawn. The guys will go up on Thursday to near Las Vegas, Nm. where the camp is located. They will begin making ready for the campers, cleaning and preparing facilities and laying in groceries and supplies. This is the last year for this camp to be held at this location. Next year it will move to Pine Springs, where the other camp is held.

Rian had told me he had given $1200 in scholarships to youth who wanted to go to camp but couldn't afford to go. Some of these are the students Rian has been taking from Dunbar to Wednesday night church. After the money was gone for scholarships, Rian had three more kids express an interest. Two who usually attend camp but had not signed up. When he called them to ask why they weren't going, they told him money was tight with the economy the way it is and one of their sacrifices was camp.

Rian got on the phone and called the man who had collected the scholarship money and told him, "I need more scholarship funding!"

This man told him, "I gave you $1200 bucks, surely you haven't used it all!"

Rian assured him he had, but he needed three more scholarships. The man told Rian that was great! Two hours later they had funding for the final three to go to camp!

One thing I really like about what Rian is doing is that the kids on scholarships have to pay $10 of their camp fee. I think this is good because they fell like they have contributed and aren't just charity cases. The other thing is, this kids will always remember someone took the time and trouble to go the extra mile.

This morning Rian called me and he was at Sam's picking up the canteen items for next weeks camp. Friday Sysco Watson foods will deliver all the groceries for the week to the camp.

This morning I noticed that "Journey Church had signs up advertising services. I am very intrigued.

Well, have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for days like yesterday that make me excited for today! You are good!

Fizzzz.

So much to do, and so little time to do them.

We returned yesterday evening from the reunion at Lake Brownwood.

It was a pretty good three days. For myself, it always seems like I cover a few bases pretty well, but I fall far from visiting with everyone, other than a quick greeting.

Actually, Memama's children and their children and their children's children probably number enough that we are considering another get together. Possibly coming down a couple of days early or staying a couple of days late. Of course a totally separate weekend is a possibility as well.

Lots of babies. Three since last year, three more on the way that we know of. Thankfully, we have only lost one family member since last year.

So the number moves up. We had Suzie and Nikki from Albuquerque. Lee and his family from Houston. Ron and Linda from Corpus. These would probably be the travelers with the greatest number of miles to get to and return from the reunion.

Of course there are a great number who live within a two hour drive of Lake Brownwood.

For the first time in several years, I didn't get in the water. Fact is, I didn't even get in a boat this year.

One thing we were all in agreement on, it was HOT. After arriving Friday afternoon about three, our travel trailer air conditioning fought to catch up with the heat. Finally, about sundown, it did. We froze during the night and luckily stayed comfortable through the heat of the day for the remainder of the weekend.

The location of the reunion was under new ownership this year. I am betting it will see new ownership before next year. A family bought it. The Dad spends most of his time away drilling oil and gas wells, while the mother works part time in Brownwood. Their three boys are supposed to be running it, but seem to like to open the office and store late, and close it early. Make no mistake, they are nice enough. I just think they have been entrusted with a lot of responsibility. I watched as the brothers "monitored" each other.

Apparently they had one brother who stayed "on site" to close and open at the posted hours. Didn't happen. Another brother who apparently stayed in town arrived to open the store and then went next door, banging on the door for what seemed like forever before rousing the sleeping brother.

The facilities are in need of repair. The are buildings are forty-three or four years old in our best estimate, as we began congregating there when it was almost new. They really need to strip it all out and re-do cabinets and bathrooms.

If I were them, or if I won lotto, I might consider razing the entire structure and rebuilding in a different configuration that would allow for linking several units, possibly multi-level, to accommodate families and groups that might number as high as twenty. You could lock off doors to customize the size needed.

When we went to Cozumel, we had a multi-level unit that slept ten. When we went to South Padre, we had a multi level unit that slept twelve. Both of these were before pulling out couches.

I realize this small lodge we use is booked to capacity from April through September. There are only Twelve units. I think an increase in available units would only mean increased rentals.

One thing I would love to see is the removal of all the travel trailers that set up all summer long down there. I would estimate there are forty travel trailers in a circular pattern who set up in April and will remain there until September. They pay for a monthly rental space and are required have their own meter. Use to be one of the big attractions to this facility was the limited number of people on site.

In addition to this, there are several pull through trailer hookups, a quarter mile from the water.

O.K., call me spoiled or set in my way. I prefer small and personable.

I was the last one of the family to pay out. We had gone over to Robbie's and Jesse's lake place for lunch and homemade ice cream, so we left the little hound girls in the comfort of the travel trailer. When I had hooked the travel trailer up, I went in to pay and the Mother of the family that owns the facility was at the register. We visited briefly and she told me they only had a problem with the way one unit was left. When they told me the unit number, I narrowed down the family member who might have been staying in it to two.

I plan on talking to Memama later today to see how we might need to deal with this.

Krl and I visited on the way to home and we were very pleased with the little boys weekend. There were a few fits and tantrums, but over all they were well behaved. Rian stayed busy taking groups out on his boat, and late Saturday received a special request from Robbie to go for a ride in "old Red".

"Old Red" was Robbie's and Jesse's boat until two or three years ago when Uncle Jesse sold it to Rian. While mechanically it was fresh and sound, it needed some aesthetic work. It hadn't been out of the garage for a number of years at Rob's and Jess's lake place until Rian bought it. It is somewhat dated in appearance, but i guarantee you can have just as much fun with it as a newer much more expensive model.

Before Rian left the dock with Aunt Robbie, Scottye arrived and Rian invited him to take a ride down memory lane with them. The cruised across the lake, traveling up in the cove where their original lake place had been. Robbie share some memories of the old lake place and the red boat during their cruise. She said use to be late in the evenings she and Jesse often came out and took a cruise around the lake.

Over all, it was a good weekend, although I need today to rest up.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the safe travel. Thank YOU for family, and for our much larger family. Bless be the tie that binds.

Yuk. I just got back from Kinkos. Three days late. I am still paying for the sins of the little wild man!

And the little woman is out of control.

She says she doesn't feel well and is hurting. I figure if it gets bad enough she will go see Dr. Mackie.

I am beginning to feel like I am being taken advantage of.

And I don't like it.

Last evening, Krl surrendered the TV remote to me. True to my gender I did what was expected, I surfed.

I went through a lot of channels before I ran across "E".

They had a Michael Jackson life story broadcasting. It was riveting.

It was fun seeing the Jackson Five, back when they were small. Even then Michael was the "center" and quite the little showman. It is amazing we didn't see how much talent was trapped inside that small child's body! That might be the reason he had all those amazing dance moves, all the talent was trying to get out.

I suppose a lot of the Jackson's early success was attributable to their "perfect" harmony, something siblings seem to share.

There have been reports of strict discipline by Joe, the father of the group. Other points of interest included Michael's preference to what he had grown up with trying to crowd into a motel room with two beds.

I don't guess I really realized how young he was and how quickly he rose to fame. He was only fourteen when he suffered the scalp burns in the Pepsi commercial after the Jackson's were hired as spokespeople for the brand.

At seventeen, he tried to go out on his own, only to have that plan nixed by his mother. I wonder if there were other problems within the family, or if Michael simply felt he was being held back. I wonder if he felt like he was the meal ticket for the group or if they felt if not for him "they" might be the headliner. I also wonder if he had included them as writers, producers, or other supportive roles, he might have surrounded himself with a core that was more dedicated to his "real" well being.

Upon his embarking on a solo career, his teaming with Quincy Jones was magical, taking MJ to the number one recording artist in the world. On many recordings, he sang the lead, and then dubbed multiple tracks doing the back up. In addition to this he became the first artist to reach number one having written every song on the album.

Video was just coming of age, in fact MJ's first video was filmed by a handheld camera and some unlucky cameraman trying to stay in front of the performer.

At the time Quincy Jones and MJ parted company, Michael had been working in a studio right next to where he and Quincy had shared one. By then Michael's vision and confidence had grown off the scale.

Never wanting to disappoint, every tour, every video, had to top the previous.

There was no doubt this man was genius, with his music and his dance.

I personally have sat in awe as we have replayed music MJ recorded and released, having forgotten he had been the artist.

Probably the saddest thing for me is realizing how unhappy MJ was. He remained an introvert, and there have been many reports of how nervous he became prior to performances.

For me that is the exact opposite of what his performances looked like.

I guess that goes to prove you can't buy happiness and security.

I guess the most alarming thing for me is that people of my generation are beginning to die off. It is even a heightened alarm when they are more and more frequent, and even younger.

Saturday I was saddened with the news that Steve Mc Nair had been killed, and he was only 36 years old. A successful athlete, though never reaching remotely near the pinnacle the MJ did. Mc Nair was married, the father of four. Circumstances surrounding his death are not good. Late Sunday police ruled his death a homicide and there was the possibility of a murder suicide involving a young female friend.

When Rian speaks, whether it is in one of his groups or to chapel, or maybe one on one with some of the students he ministers to, he always has a central theme. Make good choices.

There is always a cause and affect. Reward and sacrifice.

I don't want to be rich. I don't want to be famous. I think I just want to be comfortable. Within my means financially and within myself personally.

My today is still paying the price for the little wild man truck driver. With the holiday Saturday, mail didn't run, preventing me from receiving his envelope with his week's work inside it. What that means is I am needing to complete billing, go to Kinkos and to the Post Office.

And that is just to catch me up.

Have a day!

FATHER, help me to make good choices. May they bring glory and honor to YOU!

Well, the little truck driver saga took yet another turn Saturday morning.

I had heard the phone ring, and Krl answered it. I figured it was Trc or the girls, but in a little while she walked into the office and gave me the phone.

It was the little wild man! He began with "little" talk, then began maneuvering around. I asked him what he was doing at home, he was supposed to be on his way to Amarillo to pick up his Aunt for the fourth of July celebration. "No, he replied. I sent my son and my wife. I have all our load tarps spread out on the trailer and all across the front year and I am inspecting them and doing some repairs."

I told him he wasn't supposed to be working, and I hadn't authorized any hourly work.

"I should have finished out the week. I need the money!", he said.

I told him he was the one who wanted off.

"Well, I need to see my grandsons, but they aren't coming. Their Dad couldn't get enough leave time to come to Texas. I sure hate that, I needed some time with the boys," he said.

I reminded him that six weeks ago he had told me they weren't coming. I think this is one more case of him wanting something so bad he was trying to make it happen.

He then told me after he got home Thursday afternoon, his banker called him telling him his account was overdrawn.

"I don't know what happened, but I messed up somewhere", he said.

Finally he got on task.

"I need a favor," he said. "Can you put my Monday paycheck on my fuel card today?"

I told him I did not have his paperwork. He told me he mailed it Thursday, I would probably receive it Saturday. I reminded him mail would not run Saturday.

The little driver asked me, can't you figure out what I hauled?

I assured him I could, but it would be a long process working through fax confirmations and using Krl's journal, then there would be the need to go and cash a check and then go to WalMart to load his card.

He finally asked, "Would you see what you can do?"

At 1:30 I loaded the money on his card. I let Krl call him, and he was really brown nosing, telling her he wouldn't forget us doing this favor.

That would be a change.

Today has been "honey doos".

What I though was going to be a quick project ended up being an all day sucker! Krl has to have some sort of noise when she is sleeping. At times a fan will suffice, but during the summer in recent years, I had installed a refrigerated window unit. This past year, her old one had become dangerous, and when we had new windows put in our house, the contractor removed the air conditioner, and although I had gone and looked for one, no one had any available. Of course December isn't prime a/c season.

I found out why the contractor was so relieved when I began installing the unit. Our windows are double pained, and fold in for cleaning. They have been an excellent addition to our house.

However, when I began reading the installation manual, and began fitting the unit, I was surprised that what they had written as one size fits all, wasn't going to fit. It was almost like the pre-drilled holes from the factory were an inch and a half off where they needed to be.

I fought with it for about three hours, then I began working on an alternate plan.

After a trip to get a couple of pieces of lumber, I got busy. Finally, I got it installed.

And I am tuckered out.

Our electric bill has been very good so far this year. I think when we turn the big unit up or off at night, we might even see our bill reduced.

While I was out, I stopped in at the grocery store. Krl and I hadn't discussed it but I decided to pick up a couple of items. We don't do it very often, but I had been in the mood for some Boar's Head Peppered Ham. My big hang up is it goes for $9 @ pound! I could do a rib-eye for that! But, we will make it last a week or so.
I picked up some Hawaiian bread, to put the sandwiches on and some hamburger meat in case Krl and I decided to celebrate the fourth with burger and hot dogs!

Hope your fourth has been a good one!

I looking forward to pulling the covers up to my nose and enjoying the cool and the noise tonight!

FATHER, thank YOU for days like today, for renewing us. Bless me oh LORD, and expand my borders.

I guess the week of eratic sleep behavior caught up with me.

Last evening when I returned home, Krl was grilling out. I couldn't resist teasing her about that Kingsford Charcoal advertisement, so I told her there was a technique involved, it wasn't just striking a match.

I helped, but just before the ribs and brisket were ready, I guess I went to sleep in my chair. She finished it up.

That is O.K., I like barbecue enough to have it for breakfast!

It appeared that Krl had indulged in a boneless rib sandwich.

I am in hopes Krl can have a kicked back day. It has been a stressful week.

I would figure the little truck driver thinks everyone was after him yesterday. He likes to try to aggravate Krl, calling at unreal hours when he knows nothing can be done until customer offices are open. He always is changing plans and expects everyone to adapt to his plan.

Yesterday it all came to a head. He had been telling us for two months he wanted to take vacation the week of the fourth of July. He said he wanted to be home the morning of the third. We had been working on a plan to meet this criteria, when all the sudden he turned down a load earlier in the week, telling Krl he wanted to be home on the second, and he couldn't "run" long.

In addition to facilitating his plans, I was trying to get his truck into the body shop to have some "deer" damage repaired. In fact this little driver and I had discussed this repeatedly.

The day before yesterday he called me, and he was upset I wanted the truck left in Abilene. "How am I going to get home?", he asked. I told him he would have to have someone pick him up. Then he wanted to take one of my vehicles home. I reminded him, the last vehicle he borrowed is still awaiting repairs. When we got off the phone he told me to figure it out and let him know. I countered by telling him he was the one who needed to figure it out.

Yesterday he called and immediately began pushing all the wrong buttons. In an instant I was furious. And it didn't get any better. He said he wasn't taking vacation, he just needed a long weekend. I swear I haven't seen such juking and jiving since Michael Jackson. He was about a mile away from the parts store when he called but he decided in that mile to stay on the highway, he did not want to see me in person!

Needless to say, we had a very animated conversation with him denying having ever requested vacation. I asked him how he was the only one who had a different story and it had changed in the course of a day or two.

I explained to him, that communication is the key and that Krl and I both had written everything down. He told me how violated he felt being accused of changing his plan and he didn't know if he could get over it and continue working for us. I told him not to let the door hit him in the butt on his way out (which only hurt his bruised feelings more).

It seems when he and I got through talking he and Krl talked and he ran into a buzz saw!

Later in the day he called me and I could tell he had talked with his wife. He apologized for any mis-communication and vowing to do better.

We'll see how long the air remains cleared.

Krl and I have very little on our weekend horizon. I hope it is just yard, and minor projects. The only need to do thing is to put an air conditi0ning clutch on one of Pepa's tractors. But that may be a Monday "to do".

Happy Fourth!

FATHER, thank YOU for the many blessings we enjoy. I thank YOU for this country and the liberties and principles it was founded on and ask YOUR blessings on it, and our leaders.

July 1. Wow! It seems this year is flying by and picking up speed!

The parts store was very enjoyable yesterday. We seemed to have a steady flow of customers in and out, and it seemed we had almost everything customers were looking for, or we had an alternative that would work.

Yesterday morning when I got up early, I was serenaded by a steady pitter patter of rain and the low rumble of thunder. By the time I left the house, it was raining heavier. On the commute, I drove in and out of extremely heavy thunderstorms. In fact a couple of times, I was running with the windshield wipers on high and I had to slow down to have adequate visibility.

It was a farm boys dream day!

All during the day, the rain teased the small community the parts store is located in.

While it never rained as heavily there as it did in Abilene and other areas, it was enough to lift the spirits of all the residents.

I have continued to read about Michael Jackson news. I am very intrigued by the Sony music library, which he owned fifty percent of. It's value has been reported to be as much as two billion dollars, while the lower end estimate the value between eight and nine hundred million dollars. I am also amazed at twenty million dollars of antique and collectible cars.

It has been reported the company promoting his July London Concerts advanced him twenty million dollars, which they will ask to be returned.

A co-worker at the parts store said he watched a segment of a news show where a reporter accompanied Jackson on a shopping spree and in twelve minutes Jackson spent over ten million dollars.

It seems that with each day that passes, there are more and more reports of drugs. I hope this proves to be wrong, but I don't think anyone is holding their breath.

There is a lot riding on the toxicology reports that will be coming out in the future.

The way I see it, the only people who are going to come out ahead are the lawyers. And they are already circling.

Remarkably, Jackson has averaged selling five hundred thousand albums or CD's, even when he has released no new music. Of course sales spiked after his death as his CD's vanished from store stock.

Yesterday it was reported that less than two weeks prior to his death he complete the "Dome Project". It is supposed to be the final video performance of his career, a 3D production that he had control over. Early leaks about it are that it is over the top and was to be a key backdrop in the London shows. Of course these leaks are anonymous, because everyone who contributed were required to sign confidentiality agreements.

I had lunch at Memama and Pepa's yesterday. Red beans, cornbread, german sausage and pan fried 'taters. What more could a guy want? Memama was really "on" with her pot of beans yesterday! They were excellent.

Jake and Lindsey also lunched with us. They have been keeping Jason and Christy's boys this week. The boys were participating in a pole vault camp at ACU Monday and Tuesday.

There was an article in today's Abilene Distorter about the camp training these vaulters in a swimming pool. The athletes can work on technique without worrying about falling. Pretty neat.

Krl seems to be having a pretty decent week with her trucks and drivers. I did get one "venting" phone call from her about the little super trucker. He had told us he wanted to get home on Friday and take next week off for vacation. He turned down a load yesterday, which doesn't make any sense to me.

About one more time and he will get turned out.

Two months ago, this man was an excellent driver. I don't know what has gotten into him. I don't know if he was hungrier and needing money and in response dedicated himself more. I do know his wife recently began employment, and that they have recently purchased a brand new pickup.

Their truck is nine years newer than my company ride and fifteen years newer than my personal truck. What's wrong with this picture.

As you can tell, The sand fairies took of early again tonight. I began waking prior to midnight. Finally my nap was out. So, I have my sidekicks, my computer and my television. That means I have been reading on-line newspapers, and watching TVLand. At the time Three's Company was in production I didn't realize how similar John Ritter's and Dick Van Dyke's acting was. Lots of falls and doors hitting them on the face.

My favorites still have to be MASH and Hogan's Heroes.

I know, that is pathetic.

Well tomorrow is Krl and my anniversary. Happy Anniversary dear! I took you to Chilis. That is an inside joke. For about four weeks I have asked her for a date night and she has declined, citing her aching back and foot. After a while a guy gets tired of asking.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU. For YOUR love, for YOUR grace, and for YOUR endless stream of blessings!