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.