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.