Pepa report.

I had lunch at Memama and Pepa's today. First time in over three weeks. Pepa got out of his chair with no assistance, not even his lift chair, and he walked with his walker to the kitchen table, and sat down and ate lunch. After lunch he got up, walked through the living room to his bathroom, returned to his chair and sat down.

Excellent.

Things have been interesting lately. More on this when I decide what to say.

I talked with E in South Texas today and he told me he was through planting and that everyone else was either planting or done. It appears cotton acreage is up due to new numbers released last week. Milo carry over is bigger, cotton carry over is smaller than anticipated. Milo acres and price settled lower and cotton prices and acres rallied higher.

E told me the potential is definitely there for a good year.

I am hopeful.

Pat is puny today. Apparently a stomach bug. Yuk, I don't need that.

The trucks are going so well I am afraid to mention them.

And, Rian got the econo tractor fired today. New heads, lifters, intake, and carburetor. He also threw in a starter after the engine kicked back and broke the snout of the old one. He is ordering a new magneto, but now it is scheduled to return to Roscoe where Jason and Devon will swap tires and do the weld on hubs. The new engine combination has clearances so tight he is already indexing his plugs and may have to use washer spaces to keep from closing the plug gaps.

I have to tell you a story about Rian's day yesterday. He called, telling me he had too much help. All three boys. Reid, the oldest, was running around the pickup and slipped and fell int he mud and water. Holt, the middle one, thought it was funny to lock his brother out of the pickup. Drew, the baby, rolled down the off-side window with out his Dad's knowledge and the seat and carpet got soaked. All this while Rian was trying to put the started on the tractor. He called me to vent, telling me, "Too much help is worse than not enough!" Just as he said this I could hear Reid. "Dad, Holt peed his pants!", he said. "Holt Ryland Freeman! Did you pee your pants?", Rian asked loudly. There was a very feeble affirmative answer by Holt. "That makes me so mad!", Rian said.

Today when Rian called he had just left the eye doctors and was heading home to change clothes before going to work on the pull tractor. I asked him if he had any help today. He told me he did, but it wasn't the same help as yesterday, it was good help. His friend Kyle Brown.

Without Rian knowing, I called Kyle and propositioned him. "Kyle, you are aware of Rian's day yesterday with the boys helping him?", I asked.

"Yes", he replied.

"When you meet Rian, tell him I offered you $20 to pee your pants. Tell him for $50 you won't", I said. He laughed and told me O.K..

When Rian called me he still failed to see the humor in our little inside joke!

Have a day.

FATHER, thank YOU for YOUR gift of laughter, and for all blessings, big and small.