I can't watch ESPN College Gameday without re-living our trip to Norman, Oklahoma to watch The University of Miami play Oklahoma. The atmosphere is electric, hours before kick off.

Probably the biggest thing that television betrays to viewers is speed. I don't care if it is on a race track or on the football field. The players are big and fast! The cars, just a blur.

If you have attended a game at Norman, you know what I mean when I say that the field is close. There is very little room between the sideline and the grandstands. The angle of the seating is almost vertical, two levels on one side and three on the other.

Loud.

Well, it has been a week. I guess the word got out on Tuesday that Max and Chris were out of the parts store because that was the most traffic we saw all week.

The truck and driver I sent to Bishop returned Thursday. That was quick. E ginned 1049 bales. It was all on the yard when he fired the plant up. If it wasn't for protecting our jobs we wouldn't have gone. Now we will look down the road to next year and hope they break their drought down there.

As luck would have it. The very first load our driver hauled, he was signaled to pull into the scales and DOT inspection area. I had told the driver to load for 80,000 and let his permits work it to the right places. Luckily, the permit did its job, the inspection went well and the driver received no write ups! He was stopped two subsequent times during his stint down south.

K.O.'s truck was pulled into the weigh/inspection station on his way from the oil mill and he received a citation for brakes out of adjustment. K.O. was questioning the validity of it because he had put wheel bearings and brakes and seals on the trailer before he sent it south so he knew the brakes were adjusted.

DOT is kind of like some plays can't be reviewed with instant replay because they are judgement calls.

Problem is, DOT judgement calls cost money!

While we didn't receive any tickets, the a/c compressor clutch went out Wednesday morning. Then the driver said the cruise control would not set when he came through Menard. I am not too concerned about the cruise, it may have a pebble under the heel of the brake pedal or it something is just not quite where it ought to be. On these trucks if you have the least bit of "applied" air pressure it would engage the cruise control.

I am so glad August is over. From a trucking stand point it was horrible. Loads were difficult, and collecting almost impossible. Without a doubt, it has been the worst month all year for receivables.

I have looked things over and thought, of all the months for Pepa to put a second truck on. He had better pray for our mailman to tote some money today!

Use to be there was a joke about a man who had one truck and was just losing a little money. He bought a second truck, figuring another truck might get him in the black.

Why on earth if you are losing money with one,would you want another?

The little wild man truck driver has been on a binge. It seems like he just can't get along for very long before he has to try to piss Krl off.

Krl keeps telling me I am on his side and defend him. I'm not and I don't. I do know that she is going to have to whip him in line herself because if I do it, it won't ever last. Crazy thing is, the little wild man had better get it in check or he will find himself bringing the truck in and getting his belongings out.

Krl is a lot tougher than me.

We had quite a thunder storm come through late yesterday. I don't have any idea how much rain we received, but it was heavy for a while. They postponed the start of Abilene High's home opener before cancelling it all together. I noticed that Roscoe's game was delayed until noon today and Permian/San Angelo Central were postponed, Wylie was cancelled.

I was talking to Rian this morning and he told me that Kyle B had driven to Liberty Hill from Frienship to scout Wylie. The game didn't happen! Cancelled!

Trc and krl had talked and decided to fix beef stroganoff, garlic bread, and fried okra for supper last night. I decided to cook one huge batch of okra on the back porch with my over sized cast iron skillet and my turkey fryer burner. It was pouring rain while I was out there cooking!

I am finding I am not a real fried okra fan. Pickled Okra? Love it! Okra Gumbo? Love it. Boiled Okra? Love it.

Fried squash? Now that is my passion! Yellow crook-necked or zucchini.

In a bit of good news, doctors have decided Ln's flu is not swine flu. One of her volleyball teammates was not so fortunate.

My run of Blockbuster scratch off game cards continues. It is amazing. The one card has perpetuated itself since June. Ninety dollars this week. And I have $20 put back from prior winnings should I have a card that doesn't win.

Man if this could just pick up a little, I could quit my day job!

Yeah. Right.

Probably since I began playing it and including the card I bought for Pat's birthday (with winnings) we are probably ahead between three and four hundred dollars. As of last week, there were nine $2.5 million instant winners and 32 $1 million dollar winners, still out.

That would be nice.

I haven't decided, but I am toying with the possibility of going to Stephenville for the TTTPA show tonight. Originally Chris and I were going to go. Late in the week he had a brain fart and decided to stay in Roscoe and go dove hunting. His cousins and aunt were coming in from Amarillo.

There was a time I cheered for 'bama and Tennessee. That was before Saban and Kiffin. Now we can lump them with Florida, USC, Ohio State, Michigan, and LSU.

Hook 'em horns!

Have a good weekend.

FATHER, rest us quickly and rest us well. Bless our efforts. YOU are good!