Rian returned home last evening. When I first talked with him he was at the airport waiting for his flight. He did say the conference was outstanding!

This morning he reported that Erica and the three boys picked him up at the airport. He said when he walked into the baggage claim area the three boys were there in their with their pj's and tennis shoes, except for Holt, he chose boots! Sadie and the pups didn't make the trek.

Rian did give me an update. This was the conference with the large group of teachers. Next week he flies out with two people from Central office and another principal. I think they leave Wednesday and return Friday night.

He is back on his project. He is wanting to fire the engine in his big pulling tractor. I know what he is dealing with, after you take one apart, it is a rush to make it run again. All he lacks is priming the oil system and stabbing his magneto and it should be ready.

Pepa seems to be having a bout of complications from his falls. He is reporting severe swelling of his right leg. Of course he wants to use this as an excuse to skip therapy and just do coffee with the therapist!

That's not going to work.

Well yesterday was another day of no diet coke. At the most, I have had only one per day on sporadic days. So far today will be another one.

To tell you the truth, I think I can tell difference in the way I feel. One interesting side note is that I have not suffered from acid indigestion since I curtailed my soft drink intake.

I have had five time sensitive jobs to perform. Employee W-2's, contractor 1099's, Fourth Quarter 2009 941, 2009 940, and TWC fourth quarter 2009. Since K.O. has been talking with me about coming on Friday morning and working forty-eight hours straight I have begun to get some of these out of the way. If things go good this evening at the home office. I may be down to one or two to do tomorrow night.

I got the first one out of the way last evening, and it required quite a bit of information I will required for some of the other reports, so the avalanche of reports is falling into place.

I am having a pretty good week. Don't ask me why or what. I just am. I know something good is fixing to happen. I am excited.

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the hope we have.

I had an early day at Anson yesterday, so I am catching up.

How about those NFL conference championship games?

It is sad someone has to lose.

Remember, I called it here first. I am a little uneasy with my pick of the Saints in the Super Bowl. It will depend on which game plan they came with, the one they used against Arizona or the one they used against Minnesota. I think their plan against Arizona was far superior to what we saw against the Vikings.

I felt for Brett Favre. He was hit at every opportunity and by games end he was having to "will" himself to finish. I will admit that even though I picked the Saints, I cheered for Brett and the Vikings. My heart was for them, while my brain was for the Saints.

I just hope Brett will make the right decision for him. I would hate to see him come back and be mediocre.

I think if New Orleans brings the heat, Peyton may be looking to go down often and quick.

Rian and Sadie ended up with two puppies. Not good, but better than it could have been. I have teased Rian that now all three boys have their own hound.

Rian is in Dallas with several of his teachers at a conference. If my memory is correct he has nine teachers at one conference and he is taking twelve to another, I am just not sure which is which. One is in Dallas, the other is in San Antonio in a week or two.

K.O. and I are negotiating a deal for this weekend. He is wanting me to work Friday, Friday night, Saturday, and Saturday night until he returns from Oklahoma Sunday. right now he wants me to put a dollar amount on it and I am waiting for him to.

Krl and I seem to be really struggling right now. I know we are worrying about a lot of stuff that we don't need to be worrying about. The transition into post gin season is difficult to get the cash flow coming back in. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we battle with this.

Have a day.

FATHER, we know YOU are aware, and that YOU are in control.

I had almost forgot. NFL playoffs.

Indy over N.Y., Saints over the Vikings.

Saints take the big one in two weeks! Sorry Peyton.

It has taken me a while to get my mind on these because my heart kept getting in my way. I am liking Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan and Brian Schottenheimer more and more each week, but I think Peyton is just too much on his game to let a rookie beat him.

In the NFC game I would love to see Brett Favre go to the Super Bowl, but I think Brett's luck runs out today. I think Brees and company will put it to them.

And in two weeks, I see the Saints take it to the Colts. When it is over the Colts will be saying "Who Dat?"

Answer. The Super Bowl Champion Saints!

Rian has told me repeatedly, he could not believe how "perfect" a dog Sadie is.

Yesterday, that bubble burst.

Sadie had puppies.

Krl and I had tried to get a nap and when I checked my phone I had four missed calls. All from Rian.

When I returned his call, he began by chewing me out. "Where have you been? I have a problem!", he spat at me.

I didn't know I was on call twenty-four/seven, but I let it slide. I asked, "What is your problem?"

"Sadie is under the deck and I can hear puppies. I can't get her to come out", he said.

We talked and elected to remove a board or two from the deck to get her and her offspring out.

When Rian called me back he said there was only one pup. So far.

Late yesterday he called to report they were up to two pups.

The people who sold them Sadie had told him they had kept her for breeding purposes, but they had never bred her and decided they had too many dogs. Thus came the decision to sell her.

Rian had taken Sadie in to the vet to be checked out the day after he had bought her, yet the vet made no mention of the pregnancy. Yesterday Rian called the vet and talked to an associate, not the vet that had examined Sadie. They told him if there were just a couple of puppies it would be difficult to determine she was pregnant.

Duh! I got my diploma from Sears. You can have one too!

I have not received an updated tally, but Sadie has a lot of "splaining" to do."

You got to believe the boys are excited.

I just told Rian to really watch because Sadie could be overly protective of her pups and could get confrontational with the boys.

"Perfect" is hard to live up to.

Have a day.

FATHER, thank YOU for loving me just as I am.

I read the other day that you can never re-coup lost sleep. Once it is gone, it is forever gone.

Drat.

I left our house yesterday between four and four-thirty in the morning. Destination? Anson, Texas. K.O. had a bug and was out, so one of his henchmen and I were supposed to carry on.

I hauled my last load at nine-thirty last evening, returning to get my pickup at eleven-thirty. I have a little routine, where I do my mileage report and paperwork before I get out of the truck, then I move everything to the passenger seat, passenger floor board, and get my pickup and pull beside the truck.

The only thing different yesterday was I had picked up Et's driver paperwork at the compress after he left it with a forklift operator I trust. I had paper clipped said paperwork to the back of my paperwork packet.

I walked in the door of our home just a handful of minutes past midnight. I carried all my paperwork in, poured me a glass of tea and sat down to wind the day down. it was about then I thought, "I didn't see Et's paperwork. I retrieved my packet. No paperwork on the back. I returned to my truck and searched. No paperwork.

I decided it was either still in the big truck or had dropped between the truck and my pickup. I told myself, "Give K.O. a call early and he can check on it."

I got a bath and began to try to go to sleep.

Who is kidding who?

I knew until I knew exactly what happened to Et's paperwork, I was not going to sleep. At one-thirty-nine, I got in the pickup and returned to Anson.

Sure enough, the missing paperwork was sitting in the passenger seat, as if it had never been clipped to the packet.

I returned home and crawled in bed at three. Twenty-three hours after I woke Friday morning.

That is a big chunk of sleep I will never see again.

A personal note. Many years ago when Coca Cola introduced their new formula (which was widely rejected by customers) I signed on for the Diet version, which also was the new flavor. Since its inception, there has not been a day go by I did not drink a Diet Coke. Until Thursday.

Lately I have had craving for unsweetened ice tea. Wednesday I had one canned Diet Coke. Thursday I had none. Zilch. Zero.

I don't have a personal vendetta. I like Diet Coke and if I choose to have a soft drink, I won't hesitate to get one. However, I am going to continue to cut back on them and just see if a life style change makes me feel any better or different.

Pepa is doing better. He called me yesterday to tell me that home health care sent a physical therapist to work with him. He told me, "She really put me through it!"

I told him she was Ms. Congeniality, what was he going to do when the real therapist got there.

Jason has about completed installing the grab bars for Pepa. I guess we will find out how mobile Pepa is Sunday night and Monday morning. Pat and Memama are going to Dallas for Memama's eye appointment.

Have a great weekend!

FATHER, thank YOU for a safe work day. Rest me quickly. Rest me well.

Happy 81st Birthday to Pepa. He is five away from Grandpa's age.

He is spending a portion of his day at the knee doctor in Abilene. Last Thursday when he went down on their patio, he told Pat and I he did not want to go and have his knee x-rayed. Since then, almost on a daily basis he has morphed his story to where now there are bone fragments floating in his leg.

Hopefully they will take the films, give him some injections in the joint and he will experience some relief.

In a radical change from the norm, Memama did not go with Pat and Pepa. She elected to go get her hair cut. (At Pat's encouragement).

A new crossroad will be Sunday. Memama has an appointment Monday morning with Dr. Bowman, the doctor who did her cornea transplants. Pat asked her if she wanted to leave Sunday afternoon or about 4 Monday morning. Memama told Pat, "We can't leave him by himself!" (talking about Pepa).

I suggested they leave Sunday lunch on the table and he can graze until they return.

Memama's big concern is that Pepa will get down.

Pat is hopeful all that will be addressed before Sunday. Jason is installing hand rails and pull bars. Thanks Jason.

Me, I carry a big hat pin!

I talked with Rian earlier today. last week Reid had been sick and Monday Tuesday morning Holt was running fever. Now Drew and Erica have joined in, so Rian went to school and then back home to see if he can help out. (Or catch what they have).

Have a day!

FATHER bless Pepa on his birthday.

I have been observing a few facts about myself, and I have decided I am without a doubt I am a creature of habit.

When I put a pair of underwear or pants on, I always insert the left leg first. When I put socks on, I always put the right one on first. When I put a shirt on, I always put my right arm through the arm first, jackets or coats are the same way. I put my right shoe or boot on first.

When I put shaving cream on, I have a distinct and exact method, every single time. When I attack said face with blade, I also have a strategy that repeats itself every time.

Weird.

I may have too much time on my hands.

My day at Anson was long. I loaded and hauled two loads of bales, however it took me a l-o-n-g time. In fact, I had to wait for the gin to complete the second load. The wait was long enough that I went with K.O. to take a load of burrs and I also installed the starter on the forklift that had had a problem.

The starter was a frustrating project. Too tall to bend over it to work, to short to get on my knees. However, it was just like working through a protective barrier of razor blades. It looks as though I have been in a knife fight! Nicked and cut up, all over both arms and hands.

When I got home, I had to do the billing and driver settlements that I usually do on Sunday. By the time I finished it was almost ten. A little television later, I was ready for bed.

While I did get up briefly around 1, the rest of the night I slept like a yock! (inside joke).

Pepa is doing some better. He was able to get up on his own the last couple of days, and he was in his right mind. On Thursday after Pepa went down on their patio he assured us that we did not need to take him to the emergency room. Today, he was telling us he is convinced there are broken bones floating around. I told Pat we were going to have to get us some of those release forms like ambulances have when people refuse service or treatment.

If I understood correctly, he goes to the knee doctor on Thursday, which is his birthday. 81. Wow. If Thursday is his birthday, that means the ex-sister in law has one tomorrow, the twentieth. It was weird, but the baby in the "ex's" family celebrated her birthday the day before Pepa, and the ex Father-in-law celebrated his the day after Tj's (the baby in our family).

Here is wishing you a really good day!

FATHER, lead me.

The word Sunday afternoon on Pepa was much better than it had been. We will see if it held true through the night.

I am scheduled for Anson today, helping my bud K.O.. We talked last evening and he told me I needed to be there around eight. He also told me they are going twenty-four tonight. That is so strange because just Friday I was told that it was just a rumor and the manager had told them to disregard it.

It seems that some of the board members decided to over-ride the manager. Enough to make a majority decision. I suppose this is something all gin mangers deal with. They make the best decisions possible with the information on hand, yet someone is always backseat driving.

To tell you the truth, I side with the manager, and we never agree on anything.

I think the board is wanting to make the last two or three weeks into a week or ten days. Crazy thing was, the cotton ginned Friday was picked up Sunday. That isn't too bad.

I have a starter to put back on one of the forklifts today. At least I will have a project if I have to wait for a load of bales.

I am trying to cypher some things for the coming year. I wish I had a crystal ball.

Lots of data to go through.

My weekend has been off kilter. I usually do driver settlements, but the on-line site that does the fuel card reporting was doing an upgrade, and it was last evening before they came back on line. Due to the MLK holiday, I am utilizing the extra day since mail won't run anyway.

Now I am behind the eight ball.

Here is hoping you have a good day and a great week.

FATHER, instill in me the assurance that you are in control, and all is well.

I have spoken with Pat, yesterday afternoon and again this morning. She is trying to keep me updated on what is going on with Pepa. All I am going to say at this time is it isn't getting any better.

It is extremely difficult for me to not be furious with Pepa, because he alone is responsible. He has made poor choices, and expects everyone to cater to any whim he might have. If I received the call informing me he was stranded on the toilet, I would probably have a difficult time deciding whether to shove and flush or to pull.

I did tell Pat I have a new found respect for Grandpa. To have lost a leg and remained mobile (for longer than Pepa has) he did a very good job. Routine has a lot to do with it.

I am thankful that there are so many close, who are willing to help, and even though I am only an hour away at any time, and even though I am there three days a week, I feel guilty that some of the grandkids are on the call list first. I am just thankful they don't seem to mind.

I am also very thankful that Pat is close and has had the training she has. I have always called her the family medical revue officer. I will admit I have caught myself wishing and wondering what Fred or Tj might interject into the situation.

Coach was in Sweetwater Friday night. Breckenridge was playing basketball over there and he was supporting the roundball program. Coach spent the night with Memama and Pepa.

It was probably a rude awakening for Coach. Memama had to get him up during the night to help with Pepa. Pat said they all had a pretty good visit Saturday morning, but Memama told her that Coach got really upset before he left.

I'm not sure what the next step needs to be. I talked to Pat about possibly having Pepa admitted and evaluated. She wants to meet with his local doctor tomorrow. All of us think if Pepa is to overcome this he is going to have to build some strength, whether it is through a rehab program or something else. The only thing for sure is we know if it is left to him to do it on his own, he will not do it.

I will probably call Jeanetta in Indiana, just so she is aware of what is going on. It has been about three weeks since I last gave her an update.

Have a day.

FATHER, guide us as we make difficult choices.

This morning I re-read last evenings post and I probably need to clarify something.

Coach has been by Memama and Pepa's in the last three months, but only f0r short spans. Ten minutes, twenty, or even thirty minutes. During all of this Pepa has been in his chair. That said, it needs to also be said that with Pepa perched there he can make you think everything is the status quo, and all is well.

Not so.

Pat and I have talked and we are in agreement that we have hit a new threshold with Memama and Pepa. They have reached a point that they cannot cover for one another. And I for one think there has been a lot of "covering" having gone on the last few years.

Pat made a statement yesterday that made sense. She said, "I don't think either one of them thought they would live this long."

Three days this week, Pepa has had mobility issues. Of course his knee hurts, but it may be time to put his big boy panties on and do what needs to be done. That being either grinning and bearing it, or jumping on that bicycle and developing some strength and stamina. Outside of that it is either a home health service or an assisted living facility, or even a nursing home. I really feel it is up to him.

My biggest fear is that Memama will try to assist Pepa when he is "stranded" and he will either make her fall or he will fall down on her. She is not very big and is very frail to be trying to pull and push on a 268 pound pile of dead weight who can't or chooses not to help himself.

Ironically, Pepa's biggest nemesis is the toilet. He can get sat down but can't get up. Two days this week this has been the case. Now they have taken the incentive and had all the toilets replaced with the taller models. However, this hasn't avoided a problem. The first episode occurred after Memama had gone to bed and taken her hearing aids out. So Pepa's calls for help feel on deaf ears in every sense of the word.

While Pepa's account of the first episode was quite descriptive, the details of which I choose not to include in this post, let's suffice it to say he crawled down off the toilet and crawled on all fours back to bed.

The second episode was Thursday when his walker ran away from him on the back patio and he stretched out full length before becoming immobile.

Yesterday's plight involved the toilet again. He simply couldn't get up. He tried to convince Memama that if she would just let him put his arms around her neck he could pull him self up. It didn't take her long to realize that wasn't going to work.

It turns out that Pepa's local doctor gave him some pain pills for his knee until he gets in next week to see his knee specialist and get some injections in the joint. It is very possible that Pepa has abused this medication which has contributed to his mobility problems. From the stories I have heard, the medications have really messed him up. He sees bears on the television when it is off and he has attempted to go outside to urinate, telling Memama he could do a better job by going outside. He has worked on every lamp or object he could reach while she tried to get him back to bed Thursday night. I guess his short term memory is forgetting his dilemma on the back patio Thursday.

Luckily, Bubba was close enough to help get Pepa off the toilet Friday, and Jake and Chris stopped by to help him get back on the stack of pillows in his chair (the pillows give him a head start on getting up, but they are H E double L for him to get back on top of).

Pat said Jake was strong enough to snap Pepa straighter up than he has been in months!

Oh the aging process.

If it has done anything for me it has made me want to do something to help myself now.

A quick family note for all the family that occasionally stops by this blog. We have selected February 20 to have the get together to celebrate Memama and Pepa's 60th anniversary. It will take place at their home and will be very low key. Burgers, hot dogs, chips, dips, cake and lost of good family time. Each family will be responsible for their own meals (Pat and I will get it all together, it's just due to economics we can't foot the bill for sixty or seventy people. We are hoping Linda and Joni will do the cake.). We are including Memama's and Pepa's sisters and brother. As it stands right now we are looking at 2pm., that way those wanting a day trip can come and go more easily.

Come with your ears ready because I figure Pepa will have lots of tattling to tell on Pat and I.

FATHER, we could use a lot of help here.

Wow. I think I am living a rat race. It seems from Tuesday through Friday I have very little time for optional activities.

Anson Monday, parts store Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Back to Anson Friday.

It has been a crazy week.

Pepa has been complaining about his knee hurting. First of all, I do not doubt for a minute it hurts. However, I think it is going to hurt until he begins to do some activity to use it. Memama bought him a recumbent bicycle in October or November and he has yet to use it one single time. So, I am not very sympathetic to his plight.

Of course when Pat and I get on to him about it telling him he has sat on his butt in the house long enough that he has lost his strength and his stamina he begins to call grand-kids to tattle. He went so far the other day as to tell one that Pat and I were going to have to stop going to their house if we were going to be ugly. Duh!

Usually I go to lunch there Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Wednesday Pat, Jason, Memama, Pepa and myself were there. Pat had already told me Pepa was very put out with her because she had scolded him. Of course he thought Pat and I were teaming up against him. Outside of him getting defensive it was a fun lunch. Pepa has this white glove he wears on his right hand and some how or other it ended up on the floor by my chair during lunch. I refer to this as his Michael Jackson glove and accuse Pepa of "moon walking". Anyhow during the course of lunch, I put the glove on and would pass dishes and pour tea and Pat, Jason, and I were having a hard time keeping a straight face. When Pepa finally noticed my gloved hand all he said was, "That's my glove!"

Thursday, Memama and Pepa had coumadin clinic appointments so they were not going to be home for lunch. I called Pat and asked her if she wanted to go grab a bite because Hag is gone hunting pheasant in Oklahoma. We decided to go to Sweetwater when my lunch time at the parts store came.

As Pat and I were enroute to Sweetwater, we met Memama and Pepa headed back to Roscoe. Pat and I continued on to our agreed restaurant. Just as we returned to the vehicle after we ate, my cell phone toned. it was Memama. "Are you busy?", she asked.

"Actually Pat and I just finished lunch", I replied.

"I need some help" she said, "Pepa got down between the car and the house and can't get up."

I told her we would be there in minutes.

When we arrived, it was quite a wreck. It was very evident his rolling walker had gotten away from him because he was stretched out with one leg behind him, the other leg folded awkwardly out while his head was resting on the seat of the walker.

It became very evident, very quickly that Pat and I could not do this task by ourselves. We got a belt and tried to lift him into a wheel chair, but he is absolutely no help. He is 268 pounds of dead weight. Pat called the parts store and told Chris for him and Max to come to Memama and Pepa's to help. As luck would have it, Jason was at the parts store so he and Chris made the dash.

Talk about keystone cops, we were. We devised a plan and began lifting Pepa to put him in the chair, but when we lifted him, the walker came with him. All of us kept telling him to turn loose of the walker and he kept wailing that the walker had his head! We sat him back down and closer scrutiny revealed we had the belt around one leg of the walked. We took the belt off and re-routed it, but when we lifted him again, the walker still came with him. Once again we sat him down and we discovered we had routed the belt the same way. Pat took the belt and made sure it wasn't around the walker. Third time was a charm and we lifted him up and in the wheel chair, barely. This was not a big chair and it was going to be a tight fit. Finally we had him in it well enough for me to turn him around and back him into the house. When I parked him in the living room, all he wanted to do was sit.

Before we left we got him into his recliner. Whew.

I think the experience was an eye opener for him and for all of us.

Pat talked with Coach and he had some opinions we didn't weight very heavily because he has not seen Pepa in almost three months and has no idea how he has spiraled down.

We may send Pepa to Breckenridge to go through coaches off season program.

Today I was back at Anson, but had a quick day.

Hope your week was good!

FATHER, thank YOU for small blessings!

Day notes. Today Holt and Erica celebrate birthdays. Holt is 4, his mother is not. Happy birthday guys!

I actually had opportunity to visit with both of them. I asked Holt how old he was? Two or three. I could hear his Mom in the background telling him, "Tell him, he can't see how many fingers you are holding up."

Happy birthday guys!

It takes a lot for a man to admit something. But I find the time right to do so now.

My wife, Krl has an affection, some people would say affliction, for flannel footie pajamas. I don't know how many she has, but at least four or five, maybe even more. Some are one piece, some are two piece, but all of them share the fact that they have footies and they are made of flannel.

I think she rediscovered this fetish during the years we lived in the travel trailer at the seasonal work. It can get quite chilly in there. Of course since Trc re-decorated our real home, it is tile from corner to corner with only area rugs. We love it in the summer because the tile remains very cool, but if it has a draw back it is during winter it gets cold and stays cold. Needless to say we have found a regular attraction to socks and house shoes, and of course the aforementioned footie pajamas.

Yesterday, Krl relinquished control of the TV remote in the living room for me to watch the Jets Bengals and the Cowboy Eagle wild card games. Between the games, I heard Krl run a bath and when she emerged she was wearing her favorite pj's. A pink printed one piece footie flannel pair. I have never seen such a long zipper in all my life. Krl is 5'7" and the zipper begins on one ankle and goes to her neck. Needless to say, she was a happy camper!

We had eaten a stew she made from leftovers that she had put on to cook during the afternoon. Of course the final accent was a double batch of honey sweet cornbread. On weekends we usually don't eat breakfast, we usually don't eat lunch, we kind of do a late afternoon, early evening meal. This occurred during the second half of the Jets Bengal ball game.

By the time the Cowboy game was approaching the half, we were both kind of wanting something else. Something sweet. I went to the freezer and found a Sonic Blast I had been stretching for three weeks. Uk! It was beginning to suffer from freezer burn. Krl told me, "I wish I had a strawberry milkshake." I asked if she wanted me to go get her one. "No, I will make me a coke float", she replied. We continued to talk, and I offered to go to Sonic or Rick and Carolyn's during halftime of the Cowboy game. One we had agreed, I asked if she wanted to ride with me and Brandy (the little red head). She said yes.

At the two minute warning, I went to my closet and got clothes suitable for going out. Long Sweat bottoms. since I was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt, I grabbed a jacket and slipped my moccasins on. While I was doing this, Krl slipped her house shoes and a jacket on.

Anytime the puppies see Krl put shoes or a jacket on, they know they are fixing to get left at the house. They were shocked when we let them into the garage and opened the door to the Expedition. Of course Brandy thinks she is supposed to ride with me when she does get to go, so she cried the entire time. I jokingly told Krl we were going to stop so she could get in the back and Brandy could take her front seat.

I couldn't help but laugh when I though how Krl and I might look. Me in my comfortable lounging clothes complete with moccasins and jacket, and Krl in her pink footie pj's with jacket and house shoes. Amazingly, the little girl who brought our order did not seem to notice.

We returned home, finished our nighttime treats and Krl retired. I finished the Cowboys game.

To finish a great evening, the Cowboys won.

I can only hope your day was as good.

Have a day!

Oh FATHER, what a blessed day. Thank YOU!

Let's wind up the ball game between Texas and Alabama. Gilbert came out in second half and did a remarkable job for a true freshman. Shipley had a good second half which lightened the load on the back up quarterback. I could hardly believe it when Texas pulled to within three points. then the Longhorns lost their rabbits foot and turned the ball over.

I maintain my stand that Nick Saban is without class. After Alabama scored again and went up by ten following a Longhorn fumble, Texas turned the ball over again with an interception. With 1:48 left in the game instead of running out the clock, they went for another score. Never in his post game interview did I hear Saban say anything about the Texas effort and how unfortunate it was that McCoy was injured.

What a jerk.

I spent yesterday at Anson helping K.O.. Brrrrr! It sure was cold yesterday morning on the forklift! Over all it was an O.K. day.

And finally, we need to introduce the newest grandbaby to the family. Sadie. She is a two year old female Boxer who has moved into the Freeman 16th Place home. She has fallen in love with Reid and he with her. I do suspect though that "Dad" is quite taken with the girl. Rian said yesterday after school Reid went with a friend, and when they brought him home late in the afternoon, Rian and Sadie were in the back yard. Rian said when Reid shouted out to his friend, "Thanks for letting me go!", Sadie's head shot in the air and she barked one time and ran to the door.

Rian says she does not bark, does not jump on people and does not lick. He calls her the "perfect dog". If I were Rian and the boys I would be fearful Erica might trade the whole bunch for female Boxers!


Introducing Sadie Freeman!











Welcome Sadie.











It has taken about two months since Reid talked Jimmy (Rian's boss) and Jada out of her miniature Dachshund. I was concerned about her age and the boys coming attached just as they lost her, so it is probably a good thing they didn't finish the deal.

I think Rian made a good choice. Besides, the boy's Dandy grew up with Bobo's and Jennie's, which were Boxers.

Go Cowboys!

Have a day!

FATHER, I could sure use a pick me up.

We're barely into the BCS Championship Game and I am going to say collarbone is what happened to Colt.

Dangit.

Although Texas is ahead 6-0, it is up for grabs. Football is a team sport, and every backup player is one snap away from getting the call.

It is going to be up to all the Texas players to do all they can to help their backup quarterback step into big shoes. Obviously, he can play or he wouldn't have been recruited by the 'horns.

What a stage to step on to.

Man it is cold. They say we still have forty-eight hours more of sub-freezing weather.

Worst news is, I am scheduled to help K.O. tomorrow. He called to allow me to opt out, but I told him it wouldn't be fair to the other guys who fill in, for me not to go in just because it is cold. I'll put on my insulated bib overalls, find my Carhart jacket, wear my zippered sweatshirt with hood under that and probably wear two pair of socks with plastic bags wedged in between.

I just hope the wind lays.

Halftime BCS. I can hardly stand it. The Longhorns are still Coltless, and for a while it looked like they might go in at the break down 14-6. Then "Bama" scored a field goal. 17-6. Then a turn over for a touchdown. 24-6 'Bama. I feel for the backup quarterback for Texas. I am afraid they are fixing to break him mentally. If I had an upper classman I would probably play him, just to keep from ruining a budding possibility.

I know it is a game, but I don't think Nick Saban has enough class to call off the dogs.

Don't you know ABC is having a cow. Five plays and McCoy is hurt. They say it is a shoulder and he is receiving treatment and will be re-evaluated. I say bunk. If Colt is hurt, and you know he has to be to not be playing, he doesn't need to put himself in harms way for a game.

Darn the luck. Maybe Mack can pull a rabbit out of his hat (if he wore one).

All I am going to say in defense of TCU is it is hard to win when you have two opponents (Boise State and themselves).

I am continually amazed at all the "flowing hair" that collegiate and professional athletes have this year. A vast array of colors. Dreadlocks.

If I was playing in either division I think I would buy the "hairdo" and have it attached to my helmet, but shave my head! That ought to create a stir!

I helped my bud yesterday for over half the day. I hauled one load, then took the truck to have it and the trailer inspected. The trailer inspection expired the end of this month while the truck expired at the end of November '09. Oops!

I got home after three in the afternoon and the little wild man called me. He was trying to get his vehicle inspected and even though he and I had talked earlier in the day, he didn't hear a word I said. It is way to early in the year to be having that happen. I finally told him to shut up and where to meet me and we got his truck inspected. It only cost $399.59. We had to replace an air spring. Oh well, last year it cost $3600 to get a sticker. Windshield, steering box, air manifolds, pitman arm. It was a major expenditure.

I am at the parts store today. So far it has been fairly busy!

I did some ordering and pricing for Rian.

When I talked with him this morning he was complaining about having to "de-ice" the S-10 pickup. He has so many parts in his garage he can't get the pickup in.

Have a day!

FATHER, I need a lot of help here!

Guess who is awake?

Dadgummit!

Nothing worthwhile on the tele. I've already seen all the highlights of plays of the day.

Los of really good football on this past weekend. How 'bout them Cowboys? For the life of me I can't see how the playoff brackets have Dallas facing Philadelphia again next week in Dallas. You'd think the NFL would make it a point to avoid this.

While I am a Cowboy fan at heart, I am not a diehard Cowboy fan. In fact, I would love to see Brett Favre take Minnesota and finally win it all. Of course the Vikings humiliated the Giants Sunday.

Tonight we flip back to College football. TCU and Boise State, two undefeated teams from conferences that do not have automatic berths in the BCS. I am pulling for TCU in this one. I figure whoever wins this one will end up at number two in the final collegiate poll.

I am still scared for the Longhorns. I still have nightmares with the "Tide" rolling over them big time. Texas' defense had better come to play. I don't know that Alabama's McElroy can have another "Colt" like game.

I just hope the boys from our area have good games.

This past week Krl started the flatbed trucking operation again. We shuffled the little wild man from the truck he ran on the seasonal haul back into his big road truck. Crazy thing is, he wanted to stay in the little truck. Problem was we were running a seasonal tag designated for agriculture products only.

It has always amazed me how, the little wild man can't jump out of one truck into another. He has to move. It is about a two and a half or three hour job for him to gather all his stuff and get moved into a different one. You can bet his bed will be made with his Texas Tech blanket and even the final finishing touches will be in place. That would be his rosary beads, a card with the rosary written on it, and his picture of the Holy Mother.

During the fall, I had to relieve this driver one time and it almost drove me nuts. I am not one of those who likes to drive with distractions. This little driver hangs his CB microphone on a stretch bungy cord which allows it to bounce and sway with the motion of the truck. Combine that with the swinging rosary beads, and it was very uncomfortable for me to sit in this truck much less drive it.

But, knowing I was just temporary, I persevered.

I can appreciated this drivers spiritual commitment as is evidenced by his consecrated area of his home on the road.

I don't have the rosary beads or the printed rosary, or the picture of the Holy Mother. But I'm not Catholic.

Of course all of these are outward signs of the inner commitment I have written about before. I am just reinforcing that now. Wondering what I project.

I just hope what I do and how I do it is evidence of that inner commitment.

Make a difference.

Have a day!

FATHER, let my light shine.

Three tips to live life by.

When you sign in to a site and it asks, "Remember you?" You'd better sign in correctly or your computer and that sight will always mis-remember you.

When working a Rubik's Cube, realize the center square on each side always remains the same. Everything else has to come to it.

And when checking lotto numbers, if you have won you have to have the very first number. Just a quick way to get it over with. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!

My lotto today strung me along until the third number.

I have had a horrible holiday sleeping. It seems like every night I wake having had an episode and it takes about two hours for my pulse and respiration to return to normal. Worst part is MASH hasn't been coming on at four in the morning over the holidays. Best part is I have been able to go back to bed from five to six thirty or seven.

I have been trying to look at different weight loss programs. I have decided to do something about my changing metabolism. I am also looking at doing something like joining a gym.

I have mentioned to Trc this possibility and she seemed receptive. Biggest deal is, she and Ln are wanting to go to LA Boxing. I haven't talked to Rian about doing this "long distance". Crazy part is Krl needs to put weight on.

In an interesting side note; my computer I use is an older model using Windows 98, which is no longer supported by Microsoft and many more cutting edge applications and software do nothing but confuse my computer. I talked with some computer techs who told me it isn't worth the time or money to try to help my current computer. They say bite the bullet and buy a new one. Having said that, I have looked at several different weight loss websites. Weight Watchers, Nutrisystems, LA Weight Loss. When looking at all of these, without fail my computer has given me an error message saying it has performed an illegal act and must shut down.

My computer likes me just the way I am.

But I don't.

This may be an uphill battle.

Have a day!

FATHER, I seem to be struggling again.

Happy, happy!

I hope your new year has been good so far.

I actually worked New Year's Day. Well, part of it. I was scheduled to help K.O. at Anson again (I usually do this on Mondays and Friday), but I also knew I had some maintenance to do on a bale clamp. As it turned out the manager there decided to only gin for about three hours or so.

When I arrived, the forklifts were coated with frost. I started the machine that needed the attention and picked the idle up on the engine. I did a quick count and they did not have a load of bales ginned so I gathered my tools and began tearing down the bale clamp.

These bale clamps are Bolzoni clamps (although Bolzoni has since been absorbed by Cascade). The clamps have four horizontal beams and each side of the clamp uses alternating beams, two each. The actual clamp part slides in and out on these beams allowing the operator to clamp and handle one, two, three, or four bales. The sliding part contains a synthetic sleeve to prevent metal from wearing on metal. Actually this material is something very similar to Nyloil or one of the other space age materials that are impregnated with a lubricant that is released depending on resistance, automatically. You never have to lubricate these sliding parts.

I had contacted my forklift man in Midland because I knew he had some of the sleeves from when I ordered a couple of sets a few years ago. This man's business has taken a downturn the last few years and it is very evident why. He is a very poor manager. He will promise you the moon, but as soon as he is off the phone you are a forgotten commodity. Last year his son left the family business and if I was in a real bind he was the only one I went to. The business owner and I had worked a deal several years ago where I would take my forklifts to their shop at the conclusion of our seasonal work, they would put them through their shop, then they would be placed in their rental fleet until I called for them again. We would split the proceeds 60/40 after expenses and they still owe us $4400 from three years ago. That too may be a reason he is hesitant to call back.

When the bale clamp spit a sleeve (that is the term we use for when it sheers the small plastic like pieces that anchor the sleeve in place) I was operating the machine. There is no reason for the part failure, it just happens. In fact, you can use the machine without the sleeve for limited periods of time. You just don't want prolonged use or permanent damage can occur.

I quickly had the clamp torn apart when I realized the one sleeve I had found in my supply trailer was extremely rigid. These pieces are about twenty inches long and circular in shape, yet open on about one inch for the length of the piece. You have to squeeze the piece together enough to clear the anchor pieces and you have to put it in, "off line" because if the inside anchor get lined up with the outside anchor hole it will snap in making it impossible to continue to insert the remaining portion of the sleeve. I finally placed the piece in front of my pickup heater to warm it up and make it pliable. After a brief while, I installed the sleeve into the clamp slide, place it just above the anchor holes and spun it into place.

I re-assembled the clamp and got busy loading bales. Shortly after I finished loading, the gin coasted to a stop. K.O. came by and we strapped the load and parked the truck for Monday delivery.

I was home by lunch. Made a big pitcher of limeade and drank margaritas and watched football all day!

For supper we had the mandatory black-eyed peas and cornbread. I ate all Krl gave me because I obviously didn't eat enough last year!

I didn't talk with anyone but the little wild man truck driver yesterday, and if he had listened the night before I wouldn't have talked with him. I do know that Rian had Bowl day at their house yesterday. I am sure it started early and ran late and lots of food was devoured. I imagine with all the kids it looked like a population explosion. When I talked with Rian New Years Eve he was preparing to fix Jambalaya from a recipe he got from his step Dad.

My back and feet have not forgiven me for inventory Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the parts store. I have made several suggestions for the new year. Our computer adjusts inventory as we make sales and as we replenish inventory. On a regular basis we get messages telling us to check our order against inventory to make sure it didn't double post or not post at all. I also think we should take an aisle a week or a section a month and do a hard count and compare and adjust the computer numbers.

Well, hope your new year is off to a good start! Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for new beginnings, and for do-overs. Bless this day, this week, and this year. May it be filled with YOU.