The mystery of the missing post.

I blogged earlier in the week but my computer ate it.

I guess.

Don't ask me what happened. I typed it, spell checked it, and hit the post button.

Somewhere, out there in cyberspace, my post is lost.

So, I will try to do a brief catch up and move on.

My Monday was a disaster. Sunday night the little wild man truck driver called me to tell the one repair that topped our list, did not hold. The pinion seal on the front rearend. In fact, the new seal was leaking worse than the seal we replaced. We made an alternate plan for the driver to move into another truck that was also working at the jobsite, so the customer was covered.

I began formulating a plan to pick up parts and get the service trailer and then go to Brownfield, where the truck was located.

I carried multiple seals. New style. Old style. With speedy sleeve. Without speedy sleeve. I even purchased a seal installation tool. I was carrying six gallons of synthetic gear oil.

On the spur of the moment, I decided to load the incline ladder on the service trailer. K.O.'s drivers haven't ever used one, but my guys think it is a must. Especially for safety concerns.

One of my character flaws is that when something goes awry, I want to go warp speed to fix it! Patience is not one of my more abundant virtues.

As I entered the Brownfield city limits, I called the driver to wake him. By the time I arrived at the truck he had his shoes on and was ready to go to work. We unfolded a cardboard box to lie on under the truck, and I gathered wrenches to take off the u-joint. Once the driveline was out of the way, I fired up the big air compressor and put the socket on the one inch air impact wrench.

Thankfully, the big nut that had given us so much trouble Saturday, came off in the matter of seconds. When we removed the yoke, the seal we had installed Saturday was in two separate pieces. This seal is supposed to be state of the arts and they call it a two piece seal, one piece attaching to the outer housing, the other attaching to the yoke. Both of the attached points "seal". There is a three rib joint where the two pieces interact, and the inside piece actually turns onside the outside piece. For whatever reason, this seal had come apart.

We had a problem removing the broken piece from the yoke, but luckily my forklift man has opened a shop in Brownfield and he allowed us to use his vice and anything else we needed.

As difficult as the repair was Saturday in the farm shop, it was equally easy Monday on the roadside. Don't ask me, but sometimes pieces just go back together the way they were supposed to and things just fall in place.

The main reason we made the decision to park the truck was to prevent burning up the differential due to oil loss. When we went to pour oil in the rearend, the truck driver was amazed when it held only a gallon and a half.

The driver took the truck and did about a twenty mile test run and everything remained dry.

Thank you LORD!

About five, I hit the road, headed to the plant to deliver the ladder.

By the time I got home between nine and ten, I had driven 416 miles.

Yep, it was a Monday.

The rest of my week it seems I have done nothing but stay on the phone arguing with people. Insurance adjusters. The engine warranty technician on the S-10 engine. I don't know why people can't do the right thing. The engine technician has all but called me a liar saying that there is no way i received the engine I received and returned the engine I said I returned. That go him a letter to his supervisor!

In good news, Addie made the A B honor roll. Good job Addison!

Also Ollie is still recovering from her allergic reaction to the medication change her doctor made, but she is scheduled to go back to work and she has also begun enrolling at Angelo State beginning in January. She says she is 22 hours away from completing her degree in Mass Communications. My big question is what she is going to do with it once she is finished with it.

Lindsey was hospitalized earlier in the week. She began having contractions and they were having trouble controlling them. The original plan was to take the twins the first of December. Now they say that Lindsey is in the hospital until the babies come and they hope she can carry them at least once more week.

On a somber not, a few weeks ago there was an accident close to Winters that claimed a young woman from Rotan. One of Rian and Erica's friends was riding in the other vehicle along with her three children and her Mom and Dad. Her Dad Sonny was driving her suburban. Luckily her husband was in Dallas at a sales meeting.

The vehicles hit head on, and the suburban caught fire, luckily one of the first "passerbyer"s was a paramedic from Lubbock. . The most severe injuries in the suburban were to Sonny, the driver. He suffered internal injuries and was care flighted to San Angelo. The young mother suffered a broken leg and a broken ankle. Her Mom suffered a broken arm. Amazingly, none of the three kids were hurt.

Yesterday Rian called me to tell me things did not look good for Sonny. He has had multiple surgeries. They have removed the majority of the intestines and his colon and he suffered severe lacerations to his kidneys. His kidneys and his liver have shut down. His blood pressure is extremely low and his circulation is so poor they are entertaining the possibility of amputating fingers and toes due to complications.


Please add Sonny and his family to your prayer list as they and the doctors make difficult decisions.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for all the blessings we enjoy. We lift up Lindsey and the twins to you for YOUR care. We lift Sonny and his family to YOU for YOUR gifts of healing and care. Be with the doctors and nurses as they minister to him. Great things YOU have done!