I want to be up front, I received this in an e-mail. I am posting it without permission, figuring the reward of sharing it would surpass any reprimand or censor.

Thought you would enjoy reading…

For any of you that are not familiar with the name "Colt McCoy", he was the Quarterback of the University of Texas Football team this past year and was injured on their first offensive series of downs, and forced to sit out the rest of the National Championship game.I had the opportunity to hear Colt McCoy’s Dad speak this Tuesday morning to the Dallas Christian Leadership Prayer Breakfast. The breakfast is an annual breakfast that was started by Tom Landry and other Dallas leaders over 40 years ago and the speakers are usually amazing. Colt McCoy and his Dad, Brad, were supposed to deliver a combined message; however, Colt became sick on Monday and could not join his Dad going to talk about the four principles with which we raised our three boys.” They are incredibly applicable to us as parents (regardless of the sex of our children)and they made a significant mark on my heart. Brad McCoy said that he and his wife raised their children according to the following four principles:

1. “Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child.” Brad said this is not just for our kids – it is for us as parents. The road is rough, narrow and hard to find. We have a book (the Bible), a map vis-à-vis the Bible and God to help us. We must prepare ourselves and our kids for moments in life when doors open and close. He cited Proverbs 22:6: “Train a child the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.” He also cited, almost in jest but also in reality, Proverbs 23:13, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die” It was a funny contrast, but a real contrast. He then said, “Dads, fight for your kids, prepare them!”

2. “Prepare to be our best.” This was one of the four McCoy family mottos. He cited 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” He stated that every day he would take his kids to school and upon them exiting the car, he would say to them, “Do your best and be a leader!” He said that they listened every time and even as they got older (4th, 5th and 6th grades) he would repeat these words even if they said, “ Yeah, Yeah, Dad, I know, do your best and be a leader!” He said that as a coach for 27 years, he would always lead his team onto the field and leave his team at every practice with the chant, “Expect to Win, Play to Win.” And he implored us as parents to instill the same attitude in our home sand in our children. He cited Jim Collins book, Good to Great, stating that good is the enemy of Great! We don’t aim high and miss – as we would like to believe. In fact, most times, we aim low and hit the mark! As parents, he implored us not to aim low! Aim high!!!

3. “Be a Leader” He stated that we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses – great leaders that we can draw from and that our kids can draw from. He said we are all at the mercy of time and money and asked a rhetorical question: How do you spend your time and money. He then said that how we spend our time and money is a direct reflection on where our true priorities lie. He then said as a leader that he has always loved the quote by Ghandi (even though he didn’t ascribe to all of Ghandi’s beliefs): “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with dirty feet.” He said that as he taught this principle to his three boys that Colt McCoy turned this phrase into his own words: “Thoughts become things.” Colt would tell his younger brothers as he mentored them, “ You can’t talk like that or think like that, because thoughts become things that play themselves out in your life.”

4. “Prepare for Open and Closed Doors.” As a Dad, he said it was painful beyond all of his years on this earth to watch his son get hurt in the first series of play in the National Championship at the Rose Bowl. A perfect setting. A setting his son had dreamed of ever since he threw the football with his Dad in the front yard as a kid. As a Dad, he went over to his son’s hotel room after the Championship loss and the demoralizing fate for such a NCAA football star. He went to his son’s room to cheer his son up and was praying to God for the right words. He entered his son’s hotel room to find his son finishing a devotional. A devotional that read as follows: “My positive energy must be better than my negative energy. My certainty must be me stronger than my doubt. The battle is won before I ever start the fight. I choose faith over fear. Leave a legacy of excellence, love, dedication and service. Jeremiah stated, ‘Blessed is the man who’s trust is in the Lord.’” He said as a Dad, he had to find a corner of Colt’s hotel room to sit down and cry over the maturity of his son. His son was prepared for open and closed doors! Wow! He then finished his speech by stating that as he consoled his son under the Rose Bowl stadium, after it was readily apparent that Colt would not be able to go back onto the field and play for the Longhorns. And as he was trying to motivate his son, his son motivated the team and his Dad. His son stepped into a new mantle of leadership. Rather than return to the field in street clothes,Colt insisted on returning to the field to help his team win. He walked back onto the field in his uniform and helped the second string quarterback read the defense and mentored the second string quarterback over the course of the 3rd and 4th quarters. He said that his son had been studying “trust” in a Bible Study all year long leading up to the National Championship game. He said his son had told his mom and dad that he didn’t know why he had been studying that “trust” concept all year, but he fully knew why in the moments leading up to the National Championship loss. He told his parents that he came to the conclusion that God had “prepared me for years leading up to that game, because He wanted me to “trust”Him!” As his son, Colt, was approached by news reporters after the Longhorns had lost the National Championship, the reporters asked Colt how he was feeling and Colt replied: “I always give God the glory. I never question what God does. God is in control of my life and if nothing else, I am standing on the Rock!” Brad McCoy said that his cell phone began lighting up with texts after the game with friends, ministers and family members wildly acclaiming the statement that Colt had made to the reporters. He said that he received letters from non-believers, Jewish ministers, Muslim ministers and atheists in the days following the game – all pointing to the AMAZING statement that Colt had made after the game. He said that as he entered Colt’s hotel room that night, he asked his son, “What did you say after game?” [He had not been able to hear it in the mayhem of the stadium.] Brad McCoy, Colt’s Dad, asked two to three times, “Son, what did you say after the game?” Colt said, “Dad, I don’t know. I really don’t remember what I said. All I remember is that the reporter asked me a question and I prayed that God would supply me with the right answer.” Wow. Brad McCoy then ended his speech by telling a story about a young football player that he was coaching back in his hometown. He said the young football player approached Brad McCoy after he returned from Pasadena and said, “Coach, I heard what your son said after the game, but I have one question: What is the rock?” He said it’s funny son. We sing about it in church.

He then began singing accapella:

“My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ Name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand. When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand. His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand. When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand.”

By the end of his singing, the entire room of men and women were singing in unison with Brad McCoy. It was truly an amazing morning for the Lord and a truly amazing speech for us to learn from as parents.

968 hits on my sled posting on two sites.

I have really been shocked at the interest. I think I have had seven e-mails and three phone calls, from as close as Waco and as far away as Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

I was talking with my buddy K.O. yesterday, figuring since he had helped with the rebuild I might defuse a possible situation. Surprisingly he was very supportive of testing the water. He is a lot like me, but just not a dog-ed. He has gotten to the point where he is frustrated and ready to drop the project.

After I had received a couple of phone calls regarding the sled and a possible purchaser trying to coordinate travel plans to come see the sled, I decided I might should take the battery off so I could charge it. I called K.O. to see if he was in town because since I am driving the Explorer all my tools are in my pickup. Turns out he was a half block from where the sled is garaged. K.O. told me he would meet me there and I gave him the code to get in. He called me back while I was in transit and told me, "Hey, the sled started right up".

I laughed and told him, "Maybe I shouldn't sell it!" We both laughed.

I copied Rian on one off my e-mails yesterday to let him make a judgement on whether or not I was giving too much information or not enough. It has always been difficult for me to sell something at private treaty. I don't want anyone to every think I was trying to scam them.

In a surprise, I filled up with gas Friday and paid $2.689. Yesterday I saw that gas has jumped to $2.799. It usually works the other way for me.

I am driving the Explorer the next few days, then I guess I will park it. I have a dilemma. When we repossessed it, the man who sold it to the person we repo-ed it from, held the title instead of having it transferred showing us as lien holder. So we are going to have to muddle through how to transfer the title and get it all cleaned up. It would appear that we will have to pay sales tax and the title application and transfer fees. Right now I just don't have the excess monies to do it.

Too many other places needing money!

I am going to the parts store today. I kind of look forward to it. These framed or structured days seem to give me some relief.

Then I have to go home.

Last night was the end of an era. I had splurged and bought Krl's favorite meal main course. She cooked it, I just helped by lighting her outdoor cooking device. To be honest I was not in the mood, as her favorite is not mine. When she was through cooking it she decided she didn't want to eat. Waste not, want not. The end. I will never, ever bring that item into the house again.

Krl has been in a rough patch lately. She feels poorly and is depressed. Although I have told her to go to the doctor, she hasn't.

Kind of makes it hard for me to feel sorry for her.

Have a day!

FATHER, please bless this day. I ask that YOU bring that one person to me who needs to own the sled.

I was messing around yesterday afternoon and got a wild hair. I sent a message to Rian asking what he thought would happen if I posted the sled for sale on some of the websites. I decided to test the water, and posted it on two sites. Surprisingly, I have had 416 lookers and three contact e-mails.

What're you gonna give? Hep. Hep. Going once, going twice, SOLD!

Heh.

I don't know. I am kind of at a point with the sled. While it is one of the most challenging projects I have ever done, without a doubt it is the most frustrating. Now if money were no object, it might be different. You can throw a lot of money at a project like this and not even make a ripple.

I did a rebuild in 1990 building to NASOA specifications. Then two years ago after suffering some damage in transit, we made some major renovations.

Crazy thing is, already I see stuff I would like to change. I suppose the one thing that frustrates me most is to have changed something and already see a better way to do it. You know the old adage, throwing good money after bad.

It isn't that the sled doesn't work. It works very well. But, I have always wanted it to be cutting edge, and there is a lot of technology out there. (Believe it or not).

It has been interesting to watch over the years. In 1990 TM, a friend and welder, was helping with the project. We met with the inspector for NASOA to discuss the rebuild. This was extremely knowledgeable, and he had some valid suggestions. However, he was not very receptive to new and innovative ideas. TM and I made a suggestion that was rebuffed and termed to be illegal. In recent years our suggestion has become a requirement and probably the biggest step in technological advances. The sled association was not very receptive until one of the old stalwarts tried our idea and it worked.

Anyhow, I am tired of the sled. I would enjoy just going and watching Rian compete.

In looking back, I am thankful I had the sled project going. We damaged the sled in May of 2007. We lost Freddy and Terri in June of that year. Because we had scheduled the sled to do another show in July, we had a real thrash making the repairs and renovations. But it was a welcome diversion.

Not only was it occupying my time and mind, it was requiring me to interact with other people.

It will, and would, be a mixed moment if and when the sled leaves.

Have a day.

FATHER, I seem to be struggling of late. Forgive me for doubting YOU and not having the faith in YOU to know that everything is happening in YOUR way and in YOUR time.

We have a lady who helps with the house. She has for almost twenty years, with only a few breaks. She is not the best house keeper we have ever had, but more importantly, she is a true friend to Krl.

This lady has had a full schedule of houses she has cleaned for many years, protecting only the days her husband has off. Gradually, her clientele has begun to die off. For her it is more than losing an employer, it is like losing friend.

About two years ago, she had a man she had cleaned for die. There were certain provisions he had made, putting this lady in charge of plants disbursement and such. This lady brought a Ming tree to our house. She felt our closed in entry way would be an ideal place for this tree. It had been in the man who died house for over thirty years.

I will have to admit, this tree emitted one of the most potent smells I have ever encountered. It wasn't like a flower. It was almost bitter sweet.

Last Fall the Ming tree appeared to take a down turn. Krl and I along with out housekeeper made it a special project, trying everything we could to turn it around. Finally when spring would allow, I would set this tree out in a protected area to catch a little fresh air and sunshine. It was even the recipient of rainwater we had caught.

For what ever reason, we weren't able to save the tree. But in a weird occurrence, I can still walk out of the house into the entry way and smell that pungent smell.

It makes me sad, but even now when I smell it, I think of the man and the tree, even after they are gone.

Hope your weekend is going good!

Have a day!

FATHER, help me to make a lasting impression for YOU.

Talked with Ollie last night. She was working on a certification for her job. She said she had a pretty good day. She was put out with her idiot sister.

Ollie is trying to work through a legal matter, and has a plan in place. Now she is trying to make it happen. She has been working with a couple of people she says are knowledgeable in these matters and are willing to help.

It seems that her probation officer has been visiting people listed as relatives and trying to see if Ollie is staying within her terms. This probation officer is the one that a year ago had a bench warrant issued for Ollie and kept her locked up for a week or so. You can imagine her idiot sisters response when the probation officer offered reward for dirt. The idiot and her shrimp would do anything for money.

Oh well, what comes around goes around. I can hardly wait.

For the past several years Krl and I have found it necessary to hire a yard man. When you are gone over seven months in a single stretch, it would become a jungle. For a number of years we used an individual, who did a good job, until we paid him in advance and he stopped showing up. Then we had a professional company who was paid, then never did the work. When I called Bruce the owner over, he told me he had lost his ass on this job. I asked how that could be and he told me he had subcontracted the work to someone else and now he was left holding the bag. Surely he could sympathize with how I felt about paying someone to do it and the work not being done. You can imagine my dismay when he had the audacity to tell me for an additional 64% of the already paid amount he would complete the work.

I told him "How about you get off my property and I won't whip your ass!"

I see the man from time to time and I still have the temptation to waylay him. I can tell he knows I feel that way too. He won't even speak.

Last year Krl had hired a young man who had left flyers on every door in the neighborhood. She asked him and at least one of his parents to come over to talk. The young man told Krl he would mow, edge and weed-eat for $10. Krl told him that was too cheap, that she would pay him what she had paid the previous people. The young and his Dad and Krl came to terms. It wasn't a good situation. He would show up without gas, or his mower was not running, and I usually spent more time working on his equipment than it would have taken for me to do the yard. On his final visit he had run his hand through a bicycle chain and his Mom was helping him.
His Mom came to the door and told Krl we were taking advantage of her baby and that the agreed price would be for the front yard mowing only, double it for mowing and weed-eating, triple it for mowing and weed-eating the front and mowing the back and quadruple it for mowing and weed-eating front and back. Krl told the lady this was the exact reason she had the boy bring a parent to make the deal.

I have wondered if this woman had PMS or if this was exactly what she wanted to teach her son.

Krl and I, along with Ellen and her boy friend then shared the yard work the rest of the summer last year.

This year we hope that I will be gone in July, August and hopefully part of September. Experience tells us it is difficult to find someone in the middle of the summer to do a short stretch, so one day last week Krl was down the street visiting with a neighbor when the neighbor's yard man arrived. Krl began visiting with him and ask him if he would be interested in taking on our yard. They agreed he would come over and give her a price. After a walk around and some discussion a deal was made and the man told Krl he would be here Tuesday morning between 8:30 and 9:00.

The man was a no show. Krl called and he said tomorrow. Again, the man was a no show. Krl tried to call him several times over the remaining part of Wednesday and even Thursday. He never answered and never returned a call.

Best part was Krl did not pay in advance.

Friday Krl hired a new yard man. He isn't fast, but he doesn't cut corners, and he treats the yard like it was his own.

I am the new yard man.

If I had done it when we had people supposed to have shown up it would have been a breeze. By the time we dealt with all the rain and the no shows, it had gotten pretty tall. I didn't get in a hurry, and five hours later the neighbors are once again talking to us.

Continuing with our theme "Some people are just no good!", I was sitting at my desk yesterday when the company cell phone which had been issued to the driver who told us he was going to jail began to ring. I wrote down the number from the display and did an reverse number look up. It wouldn't give me the name but it had a link to trucking companies in and near Odessa/Midland, Texas.

Later in the morning Trc and I were working in the office when the phone rang again. Trc answered it, using just a tinge of hispanic accent and it was a truck driver. "Hello, I am trying to get hold of Pedro", he said, "We are supposed to load together tomorrow and I wanted to run with him". Trc told the guy Pedro was not here but if she saw him she would give him the message.

Later in the day the phone rang again and Krl answered it. It was the dispatcher for the same company as the driver mentioned above. He was wanting to get hold of Pedro. The dispatcher told Krl Pedro had given him this number as his cell phone. Krl told the man this was a company issued phone and Pedro had told us he was going to jail, but evidently he had lied. If you can believe it, this same dispatcher called back twice asking for us to help him get in contact with Pedro.

I never said Pedro was the brightest bulb in the box. Obviously it might be a stretch to say he was a competitor for the dimmest bulb.

I just don't know why people can't tell the truth. I can deal with anything as long as a person is honest with me.

I downloaded the call history from the company phone. It is two months old and has been used almost 69 hours. Nine hours were used for personal use (which I will hold from the drivers pay) and remarkably the driver on Pepa's truck who quit last week and Pedro had talked 62 minutes since Monday. Probably the thing that really gets my drawers in a wad, there are five calls totalling three-quarters of an hour Pedro made when soliciting his new employer.

Wonder what I will write on a previous employment inquiry?

The truth.

Well, I felt for Colt McCoy. I agree with the analysts, he brings some intangibles to the table that can't be measured. Cleveland? Oh well. Now I am a Cleveland fan. Good luck Colt!

Ouch. I have a few mowing pains. It may take me a time or two until I am in mid-mowing form. Actually, instead of my back being the worst pain, it is my ankle I twisted about six weeks ago.

Have a day.

FATHER, I know how YOU must feel when people disappoint you. Forgive me. To YOU be the glory!

Happy Birthday Ollie!

Yesterday would have been the black dogs 19th birthday. Prissy was the last one and we lost her one week before her eighteenth birthday.

I did something yesterday I have not done in 21 years. I ran out of gas. I have been driving the Explorer I repossessed, and I thought I had come to know it pretty well. A while back the low fuel light had been on and then the check gages light came on, I drove 13 miles to a station and fueled it.

I had answered a phone call shortly after I got on the interstate yesterday. I had glanced at the gas gage and it was questionable about whether or not I could make it home, but I decided to get on the road, see where the gas gauge settled and make a decision when I got to Sweetwater. When I finished my phone call, I was already around Sweetwater. I glanced down and was instantly reminded of the gas level by the low fuel light. As I was looking at the gauges, the check gages light came on. I glanced at the mile marker and added thirteen to it and I made the decision to stop at Trent for gas.

Six miles later I felt the engine cut out.

I turned the key off and coasted, finding a spot to get off the road before stopping. Then I sat there for a minute trying to decide what to do. I was almost perfectly halfway between Roscoe and my house. I made a call to Krl and learned that Trc has been driving her vehicle, so that was not an option. About then I turned the key back on. No check gauges light. I rotated the key and the engine came to life. Immediately hit the road, coming up to speed quickly. I was doing everything I could, even drafting behind a vehicle that had passed me. I glanced down the the red check gauges light was glowing again. After almost three miles, the engine began sputtering again.

I coasted as far as I could once again. After sitting for a moment, I tried to recreate my luck from earlier. Didn't happen.

I knew Pepa had been out and about, so I called him to see if he was up to bringing me some gas. He seemed to jump at the opportunity. After an hour he arrived.

One interesting thing happened. Probably ten minutes before he arrived, a car passed, then exited and returned to where I was at. I got out and walked around the Explorer as this man walked up.

He told me, "It seems that every day either you pass me or I pass you going or coming from Abilene to Sweetwater or Sweetwater to Abilene. When I saw the sticker on your window I recognized the vehicle".

We talked for a few minutes and he offered to take me to get some gas but neither of us had a jug and when I tried to see where Pepa was at he didn't answer the phone. So I thanked the gentleman and told him I would be in deep trouble if Pepa made the drive and I was already gone. We shook hands and he went on his way.

Well, I learned that if anything on the Explorer the fuel gauge and the warning lights are not consistent.

Oh well.

It seems Chris's friend Charles came to visit Chris because he was told he could work in the shop on small engines and make some extra money. I thought that was interesting because Chris stopped working on them because he wasn't making any money.

Rian called yesterday from the city Middle school track meet in Lubbock. He said that was the quickest he had ever seen a meet run off. Prelims were Tuesday night. If I understood correctly they ran off boys and girls, seventh and eighth grades in two and a half hours. Rian said the kids from Dunbar were very good ambassadors for their school.

Rian told me they got some preliminary scores back from part of the TAKS testing. Rian said they were disappointed in the math scores they had seen.

Rian said they had received notification of over staffing of their school. Administration has told them that after the six resignation requests the new principal asked for and received, central office says they are still three teachers over. Problem is several of the resignations were in the same department. So, the over staffing may lead to even more turnover than the three because the one department is short.

Kind of sounds like dominoes.

Have a day!

FATHER, I sure need YOU in my day.

We are working unsupervised at the parts store today. Chris and Memama have eye appointments in Dallas. Pat headed east with them this morning about 5. At 8 they were at the Interstate 20 Interstate 30 split.

They have an extra passenger with them. Chris's friend from the school for the blind arrived yesterday. Charles came in yesterday from California and is planning on staying a month with Chris.

Today is Memama's sister's birthday, so that will be an extra stop in Fort Worth. Happy Birthday Betsy.

Tomorrow is Ollie's birthday. #28.

I stopped by Pepa's this morning just to be sure he wasn't in the floor with no one else there. He was still snoozing. That means I will have to check back later.

Krl's driver with the problem with the law is now history. He received thirty days in jail for fighting. He was turning in some of his things last evening and all he said was "We all make mistakes". I think his momma may have made the biggest one!

Sorry about that. That was ugly.

Krl was fizzing about the driver. I told her this would give me a opportunity to work on a couple of things on that truck.

Pat kept the twins for Jake and Lindsey yesterday. She never fizzed. She says it does take some thinking and technique. She said the twins are really noticing each other, along with their hands and feet. That could be entertaining.

Rian and Jason had a little set back on their little pull tractor repair. More money and another day should fix it.

Stormy day predicted today. Let's hope not. We could use a week of no wind and dry. The farmers have lots to do before planting.

Have a day.

FATHER, I ask for safe travel for Memama, Pat, Chris and Charles. I ask your blessing on Bets and Merrit as they celebrate their birthdays. Help Krl and I to know your plan is unfolding as you intend.

Pepa took another fall. Then another.

For whatever reason, Pepa decided he was going to take a tub bath.

Pat asked him, "What were you thinking?"

I know he hates showers, but he also has to realize his limitations. He said when he went to get out of the tub his hand slipped and he went down. He is complaining of knees, feet and ankles and toes hurting.

His excuse yesterday was that his knees hurt so bad they just gave way.

Pepa told Memama yesterday that he might need to go to a nursing home for a month just to heal up.

I know Memama has to cringe at this because you know he would expect her to be there every minute of every day.

It almost seems that what progress he has made, especially in his "want to", we seem to have lost.

It is frustrating.

Have a day.

FATHER, help us to make good decisions.

I made the trip to Roscoe today. I was taking part in an intervention. The little wildman truck driver had told Krl that he was going to look for something else to do. He has been on Pepa's truck, and he was taking the truck to Roscoe. I just didn't feel it was right for Pepa to deal with this alone since we have been dispatching his truck.

The little wildman has been late turning in his weekly trip envelope the last two weeks. However, he has not figured it out that "said envelope" is essential in us figuring his pay. Paperwork is due in by Saturday, pay on Monday. His envelope has made it to us on Wednesday the last two weeks. My work schedule is set up to do driver settlements and billing on my days off from the parts store, so it requires an extra effort for me to work all day at the parts store and then come home to do truck book work.

I suppose the last straw was when the little wild man threatened to hold this past weeks paperwork until he had his last paycheck in hand.

You can imagine his surprise when he threatened to find something else to do and Krl told him, "I will accept that as your resignation." For two days he was telling us he didn't say that although when he called to tattle to me, he admitted he had said it.

Best news of the day. He is history. Maybe things will settle down now.

NOT!

Already Krl is dealing with another driver. I call him pea brain, Krl calls him something else.

On the drive to Roscoe I was kind of in neutral, brain wise. For whatever reason my thoughts went to Terri. I don't know why. But I was wondering if ET plans on being buried there where she is. A valid question, since he has remarried.

In an extraordinary happening, when I arrived at Memama and Pepa's, Memama told me that Colby had called and he was in the cemetery at Sinton visiting Terri. It seems Colby had meetings in Corpus Christ and San Antonio and he was driving, so he made the detour to visit Terri.

I think that is neat, that he would take the time and trouble to stop and seek out her gravesite.

I will admit, I do the same thing when I am in the area.

There is the sweetest poem on facebook. If I can copy it over I will.

I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and a picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake, from which I'll never part. God has you in His arms. I have you in my heart. ♥

Have a day.

FATHER, thank YOU for being YOU. Help us to know that what happens here is trivial, that YOUR plan is unfolding as YOU intend. I pray for Memama as she struggles mentally and physically to take care of Pepa. I pray for Krl as she deals with the business. Bless-ed be YOUR name.

Heh, heh!

At Thanksgiving Ln had just had her tonsils out and she ate like a sparrow. Her Dandy (Me) had promised her a makeup Thanksgiving meal. Being a teenager, her schedule is extremely busy and we have never coordinated schedules. Well, today Dandy got up in the mood. I put cornbread in early. Sliced and boiled squash. Right now, the spiral ham is chasing itself in the rotisserie. Squash dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and biscuits. Krl put the quash on the turkey breast. No pumpkin pie either. Oh well.

Well, NASCAR got rained out in Texas. Noon tomorrow.

I spent part of my day working on billing and driver settlements. Not a spectacular week. One driver continues to out work all the others.

I am beginning to feel like I have almost rested up. My only complaint would be a sinus headache.

Have a day, and a good week.

FATHER thank YOU for resting and renewing us.

I can't decide which I despise the most. Money or truck drivers.

It seems there is never enough money, even for truck drivers, so I guess that would mean money is the greater problem.

The combination is almost unbearable.

We have had a rule, "paperwork in by Saturday, pay on Monday. No paperwork, no pay. No exceptions".

The past two weeks we have had a driver who has not turned in paperwork in accordance with the rules. I guess he thinks we are stupid because on Good Friday he told me he couldn't mail his paperwork because the post office was closed. Little did he know I had already been downtown to the big post office federal building tending to some business. In fact I had a conversation with one federal employee and jokingly asked, "what are you doing here today?" She replied, "Good Friday is not a federal holiday."

We have received this driver's paperwork on Wednesday of each respective week. This man called on Tuesday and told Krl "I didn't get my check today, where is it?" Krl explained, "We have not received your paperwork". "But you can pay me from what you know I did" was his retort. Hello, "No!".

Wednesday night I stayed up and spread his envelope, doing both the freight billing and driver settlement side. I left the work on Trc's desk for her and Krl to proof before making copies and finishing.

On Thursday, the driver called Krl complaining about not receiving his check once again. Krl told him it was not very realistic of him to expect us to jump through hoops when he wasn't interested enough to get his paperwork in to us. He replied, "I am going to find something else to do, I have to have my check every Monday".

Krl's response was, "I will accept that as your resignation".

Within seconds of finishing his phone call with Krl he was calling me, wanting me to trump Krl. That ain't going to happen.

Enough is enough. This man is extremely capable, but his mouth short circuits with his pea brain.

Yesterday morning he called Krl and proceeded to give her a tail chewing, threatening her that he would not turn in this weeks paperwork until he had his last week's pay check in hand. Hello! I believe this is what started this problem.

I had a call last week checking previous employment on a former driver who was excellent. I may need to give him a call.

I had purchased a few lines of the lotto games which draw on Tuesdays, Fridays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. I had not checked them until yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised. All three tickets won, totalling $174!

Excellent!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for days like yesterday where YOU allow us to renew.

It is a gray day in Roscoe. Light drizzle. Intermittent rain showers. I walked across the road to get my daily 44 ounce un-sweet tea and my stroll re-enforced the idea that Mother Nature has a sense of humor. She let me walk in a barely discernible drizzle going over, but when I started the return trip it begin the heaviest rainfall of the day.

We are developing a relationship with the workers at the Town & Country. One of them is a former employee at the family business, so when I walk in, the banter begins! Today I told them, "If Chris didn't let us drink on the job I wouldn't work there."

I talked with Rian this morning. He delivered his resume and had an informal interview with one of the job possibilities he is considering. He was very encouraged.

Last Friday Dr. Garza (LISD Superintendent) told the incoming principal at Dunbar that Rian had requested a transfer within the district. This has been an under current with Rian and a couple of weeks ago he visited with Dr. Garza at her office. The new principal has not included any of the current Dunbar administration team in his assessments and requests for resignations and it be came apparent early on that there were possibly some serious philosophical differences in how business is conducted. Sources tell me the new principal became livid, and couldn't believe someone wouldn't want to be on his new team. No doubt, the new man has a successful track record. No doubt too, he is probably facing the biggest challenge of his career being at Dunbar.

Several years ago, Rian and I had an extended conversation about jobs, debt, and associated subjects. Rian is no different than any other young adult, wanting nice things. I told him there was nothing wrong with this as long as you keep perspective. My advice to him was do not put yourself in a position where if a better job came along he couldn't afford to take it. (Meaning a better job might not mean more money, but it would still mean a better job.).

While Dr. Garza gave Rian her personal assurance he would have a position in LISD that he was comfortable in and felt like he was making a contribution, it doesn't hurt to see what is out there. Also, every interview opportunity is a learning experience.

I thought I was in heaven, I had not talked with a truck driver since last week. I returned to earth this morning. Two calls this morning from the same truck driver.

Nearly every day this week I have gone home from the parts store, only to have truck book work to do when I got home. Actually Krl has wanted me to do the yard and I will call while I am in route and she will tell me if I have "other" (meaning truck) duties. When she informs me I have truck duties also, I give her a choice, yard or settlements? The resounding answer has been settlements! Night before last I walked from the home office at 7 in the evening to ask her a question and she was already in bed. Last night I walked out of the office just after 8 and once again, it was an empty living room. She was already in bed.

Sleep has been a precious commodity this week. I just can't get enough. Yesterday morning I woke and looked at the clock. 4:43. It seemed as though my head had laid back on the pillow and the alarm went off! This morning, more of the same!

Tomorrow, I am going to snooze!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for YOUR assurance. YOU are good!

As I posted earlier, I returned Monday to the DPS office to pursue an advanced certification for vehicle inspections. DOT, or commercial vehicles.

I am very happy to report I competed the training and testing and I was the valedictorian of my class! (Just don't ask me how many were in my class).

Now we are waiting on our area supervisor to receive my scores, so the parts store can be designated officially. That means we have to mark our inspection area, set up our inspection board, order the window tint meter and the gas cap tester, and then order the inspection stickers!

I am excited for the parts store! We have had that shop area and it has generated absolutely zero revenue! Zilch! Nothing! Now we will become the only inspection station in town! I think it will be good for the store!

Now for those of you reading this, don't count your chickens! I plan on using some common sense but I am not throwing out the inspection booklet!

Krl is really struggling with her trucks. Trc is still not back full time. I am at the point where we should look at parking all of them. It is not worth the stress.

This weekend at Priddy, a trio of two men and a woman walked up to Rian's pull tractor. They asked, "Can he feel of your tractor?", indicating the man in the middle. It became evident he was blind. I told them "Sure", and introduced myself. The blind man introduced himself as "George Toone, Antique Tractor Puller". We visited and I called Rian over to meet the man. Turns out the woman was the blind man's wife and the other man was a puller from way back. Rian was telling George about the pull tractor and mentioned that Chris's parts store helped him with parts. The man quickly interjected, "I know Chris and his brother Kyle!" We visited about both of them, catching him up with their accomplishments!

Later in the day I had opportunity to watch George pull. His wife rides on the fender of the tractor giving him directions, "right, left, go, stop". All the other antique pullers lined the track revving their engines as George pulled down the track! He has a website, http://www.georgetoone.com/ .

And I think I have problems!

I need to catch up on some birthdays. Let's see. The three stooges, Kirby, Shelby, and Chris have had or will have birthdays by months end. Joni Zoo last Friday and Merrit in a couple of weeks! Yesterday would have been Krl's Dad's birthday. Happy birthday all!

Have a day!

FATHER, we are back to treading water! Rescue me! Forgive me when I spazz over trivial matters. Thank YOU for using people like George to teach me life lessons!

It was a whirlwind weekend. Extremely busy.

When I arrived at the tractor pull at Priddy, Rian was dealing with a dilemma. The technical group from the pulling association had come over to pump the cylinders of the pulling engines (to determine legality). One of the officials drives around the events in a Kawasaki ATV. Guess who's kid took the keys out of said vehicle when no one was looking? While all of them were scouring the area, Dandy leaned over the bucket seat and looked between it and the console. What did I find? The key! Mystery solved.

Those three boys are going to make Erica gray headed! Never a dull moment, and the second you relax one of them goes missing! It isn't too bad if you can assign one kid per person! Reid had his moments, his biggest problem seems to be recognizing boundaries. Holt is plain mean. He took a swing at his Dandy with his lawn chair and got a boot in his backside! He sure didn't like that! Drew is still on the fence whether he is going to be a lover or a fighter!

Rian ran fifth Friday night. Devon ran 4th. The little tractor broke the end of the valve stem (I know it is weird), so we killed that cylinder and ran on 7 cylinders to move the sled and get hook points Saturday night. Rian ran third Saturday night, the best pass he has made since he began pulling again.

Rian's Friday pull was a little wild. He went toward the right boundary and tapped his left brake and further down the track the tractor hooked hard left, getting up on one wheel before settling back on four tires! Rian said he thought he was going over! They are going to try to post the video at some point in the future. Saturday night he gave up a little hitch height but made a straight pull!

I ended up leaving the pull after it was over Saturday night and got home just after 1:30 Sunday morning.

Five weeks until the next one! Nordeim, Texas.

I went to DPS this morning and took part in the training and testing to become an annual safety inspector for motor vehicles. I passed the morning part so now I go back this afternoon to train and test for the DOT (big truck) certification. Not an ideal way to spend one of your days off!

I had better get back to school!

Have a day!

FATHER, YOU know our needs, YOU know our hearts. Bless us oh LORD.

I find myself struggling. Mightily. I am not sure what to do.

Have a day.

Oh FATHER, I am mired. I am struggling. Rescue me.

Difficult week. For everyone it seems.

Rian is having probably one of his worst weeks ever in school administration. Yesterday the new principal sent an e-mail to the current principal for him to forward to six Dunbar teachers asking for their resignation by end of day.

Spineless. That is my take. Asking someone else to do the dirty work and by e-mail.

It is difficult for me to not tell Rian to flee. Get ahead of the curve and request reassignment withing the district. I get the feeling this new principal would not just throw you under the bus, he would drive over you too. While this man may hold his doctorate in education I get the feeling his success has not been the result of his efforts, but of his teachers.

Time will tell.

I know Jimmy, Rian's current boss is a good person. The new principal seems to think Jimmy has nothing to do except projects for him.

I really object to the timing of the new principal. Taks testing day. It would almost appear he is wanting Dunbar to fail in order to insure his own success.

What goes around comes around.

I am taking the weekend off. In fact, I plan to leave on Friday. Destination, Priddy, Texas. The season opening Truck and Tractor Pull. I am going to support Rian and Devon in their competition. Jason is going as is Rian's good friend Kyle. There is a possibility that Jason's entire family will go, and this morning Rian called me to tell me Erica and the boys are going as well.

Going to be a gang! Should be fun!

I got to do a little work on a truck yesterday. About the time I was leaving the parts store a driver called me and told he he thought he had blown out a tire, having heard a loud pop. However when he checked, all his tires were inflated. But, the truck would not pull. I told him to look for a blown rubber elbow or couple on his charged air system. Sure enough, he had blown a hose off. Two new clamps and he was back on the road again!

This driver might be trainable. At lease he has begun to listen to me and hear what I say. Of course, want to means a lot.

However, another driver is proving to not be worthy of any further investment. He done made the lady what owns this business mad.

I can't wait for the weekend.

Have a day!

FATHER, I could use a lot of help.

Happy Easter.

Thank YOU JESUS!

I find if ironic that the symbolic day CHRIST was crucified is labeled "good Friday".

My question for today is "Why does Easter move around on the calendar?"

Another difficult week behind me. Trucks. Drivers.

One driver has repeatedly screwed up. You can tell him something and he will tell you you never told him that. He has done damage to equipment, delivered loads to the wrong destination, gone to the wrong town for load pickups, and blatantly lied repeatedly when asked if completed an assigned task. This driver left in January, headed for greener pastures. I wish he had kept going. However he found the job market extremely challenging and came back, tail between his legs.

This past week, the above stated driver had some shop work to do, then some short excursions in a big truck. On Wednesday, Krl called me and had a load for him. We worked it in and he was going to go to Lubbock early Thursday morning to load, returning to the farm shop to meet a truck that off loaded in Midland. The truck driver he was meeting is the newest hire and has limited shop time so I wanted the Lubbock driver to be there to help show him where stuff was at and to assist him for a while.

I had issued instructions Wednesday afternoon to everyone, even including Krl in the loop. Thursday morning I talked with the Lubbock driver, re-enforcing Wednesday's instructions. About ten I began calling this driver, figuring he was close to returning to the farm shop. For two and a half hours Krl and I called. Finally Krl made contact and this driver told her he was already passed Abilene, headed to Houston. (Actually, he was at home south of Abilene).

This driver called me, telling me I had never given him instructions to return to the shop. I was instantly furious. This man continued, telling me I was full of what is commonly used for fertilizer! I told Krl I was through with this man. Enough is enough. If she wants to run him that is her business, but I will not have any interaction with him regardless of what is going on.

Turns out on Wednesday night the newer driver had talked with the Lubbock driver on the phone and they discussed the Thursday plans.

Thursday when I left the parts store, I went to the farm shop and helped the new driver. I got home at nine thirty.

Friday back to the farm shop to work on the air conditioner in this truck and look a the exhaust system. The last few times the a/c work had been a nightmare so I decided to do it first. That went like a piece of cake. I replaced a line and a high pressure switch. I was so thankful that no threads were pulled on the condensor or the compressor (this had been a common occurrence last year).

The exhaust was a different story. I needed two pieces. A turbo flange, and an inside outside elbow. We removed the pieces and I called Peterbilt. The parts manager told me, "Come on, we should have it!" When I arrived, he told me that no Peterbilt dealer in the world, and no warehouse in the world had the turbo flange. Production had been suspended. This piece was eight inches long with a fifty-seven degree bend, the pipe being five inches in diameter with a three eights flange on one end. The parts manager told me I would not want the part even if they had it. Price? $401! Yikes. Makes absolutely no sense to me.

I began gathering pieces, making five more stops. Finally I went to a friends shop who has a wire welder. We put together some of the pieces. Then a return trip to the farm shop.

About this time the driver had to leave to return a trailer to a yard in Abilene, and I began trying to figure out exhaust. Finally I decided I was going to have to take the entire system from under the big truck. I got to one point, and I loosened and hammered and banged, but could not get one joint to "slip" loose. I began thinking torch, but location was extremely "iffy". At seven in the evening I closed the shop and headed for home.

Saturday morning I headed back to the farm shop at Roscoe. When I arrived I crawled under the truck with a small grinder and began cutting flanges. In short order I had the exhaust on the floor. I was able to do away with one pipe joint and replaced two flex pipe pieces with one longer one. My biggest challenge was doing it by myself. The driver was a no show. His roommate and him had an argument and she broke the windows out of his house (he says). So I improvised. I used jacks and stands to hold the exhaust in place as I assembled it from one end to the other. Finally I crawled under the big truck and started on one end and began tightening band clamps. It was with a great sense of relief I crawled from under the truck one last time.

I had one other small project on the truck, and then needed to evacuate and then charge the a/c system. I used Jason's gauges and he has what they call a "can tap". Instead of screwing the freon can on the valve on the hose you slip the can in the tap and squeeze the handles together and it pierces the can and the handles interlock. As luck would have it, I had an oil charge in it and I picked the can up to move it and the oil charge "oiled" me down!

It was nasty! Oh well. I got another oil charge, charged the system and tested it and it was working like it was designed. Excellent!

It was a long drive home. I was a whipped puppy!

I got home, took a shower and shortly after eight made a quick trip to the grocery store to fulfill a promise I made to Krl.

It wasn't long until I was looking for the bed.

Have a weekend!

FATHER, thank YOU for giving me the skills and the patience to do tedious work. Thank YOU for JESUS. For His sacrifice and YOUR sacrifice. For the hope and promise we have in Him.