Tuesday afternoon my good friend K.O. called, asking if I could assist him later that night. He had received reports of aggressive driving by one of his truck drivers a few weeks ago, brought the driver in and kept him close for a week or two, then put him back in dispatch circulation after having a very stern talk with him. Earlier this week he received a call telling him this driver had a dream about wrecking the truck and killing himself. All of this is alarming, but when the driver volunteered the fact that his father committed suicide K.O. felt compelled to take the driver out of the truck.

What I was going to help K.O. with was to retrieve the truck. We joked that I was along to pull the driver off K.O. after the azz whoopin' lost entertainment value.

K.O.'s talk went much better than we had expected. We took the truck to a location in town and K.O. asked me to take the truck Wednesday morning to Anson and haul a couple of loads of cottonseed for him. It was between 10:30 and 11 Tuesday night when I walked back in the house.

Wednesday morning I woke early, cleaned up and was at the truck by 7 and in Anson before 8. I was third in line to load and was soon on my way to Lubbock.

I made a good trip and unloaded and was on my way back for a second load when I received a call. It seems that Memama's baby sister, Betsy, had suffered a heart attack while in route with Scottie to DFW airport. Scottie saw an ambulance at an accident and drove to the ambulance where they did CPR on Bets before transporting her to the hospital in Plano. My sources say she had a stint put in before being admitted to critical care. Later she suffered another heart attack. Sources say that the doctors put her into an induced coma last night. This morning they are reporting no blockage, eight broken ribs from the CPR, and were supposed to begin bringing her out of the coma. The big question is how long she was without oxygen before Scottie realized she was in distress. Lots of questions and the prognosis is not good.

Only minutes later I received a call from a frantic Krl. It seems that Ln was going to Dallas with friends to shop. One of the friends mother was driving them and near Eastland a pickup crossed the median and hit them head on. Ln and her three friends were all care flighted to Hendricks and had surgery last night. The mother was transported to the Hospital in Eastland before being transferred to Abilene.

If Krl and I understand correctly, surgeons inserted rods in Ln's legs and screws in her feet. Earlier reports were that her pelvis was broken too but thankfully that was incorrect. MRI's and x-rays indicated no concussion or internal injuries. The got Ln back to her room about 2 this morning.

Reports are that none of the injuries are life threatening. We will continue to hope.

The driver of the pickup was killed, although there is speculation that he suffered a heart attack prior to the accident.

Reports today are that Pat is taking Memama to Dallas to be with Bets. Trc reported a very difficult night for Ln.

I am trying to do some year end business today.

Have a day!

FATHER, we lift up Betsy, Ln and her friends and friend's mother for YOUR gifts of healing and care. YOU are in control and we trust and put our faith in YOU.

Good Christmas Day. Quite a crew at Memama's! I snookered all of them at White elephant! Heh, heh!

Did almost four hundred miles today to see Ollie.

Good visit. No crying! Scarfed down two Diet Dp's and the treats we purchased on our way up to floor 7.

Trying to figure our her release day. She was under the impression her mother was picking her up! (That might be cruel and unusual punishment, wandering for weeks, months, possibly years trying to find West Texas). Just kidding!

My first trip there I didn't really pay a lot of attention. Follow the GPS. Today was much, much better. Not too complicated.

Truck issues tonight! Spring hanger and a seeping water pump! Cross your fingers!

Cold enough for this guy in West Texas. What kind of idgets would go to New Mexico or Colorado to ski?

Had a day. LORD willing have another!

FATHER, Thank YOU!

Christmas Eve gift! (I have been fighting the urge to call people for hours).

IF, you haven't been out and about. You are one lucky person. Crowded. A large percentage of the shoppers are in a rush and rude while there are a smaller percentage of shoppers who are filled with the joy of the season.

I can only imagine how difficult it must be to be a cashier or wait staff.

Probably more than anything, I enjoy eavesdropping, listening to plans of friends, family and even strangers.

We have commercialized Christmas beyond any resemblance of the true meaning of the season.

Yesterday Krl and I were out and about and we couldn't help ourselves laughing at recalling Ollie's experience with the bell ringer at Target one year. Each year when the kids finished their shopping, we required them to put some of their change in the bell ringer's pot. that [articular year, Ollie had done her entire list for something around nineteen dollars. (This was the year she gave Rian a left handed baseball glove off the clearance rack). Visions of a financial boom were dancing in her head, only to have them dashed by Krl and myself as we made her "dig deep" when she made her donation to the Salvation Army.

For the first time in years, Krl and I re-visited an old tradition had lunch at Abuello's. Good food and excellent margarita's.

I use to enjoy their Top Shelf margarita and now find they list it as their third best. Call me crazy, but I tried their "top" margarita before and it is about like drinking perfume!

I ended my day yesterday taking truck signs and other items to Anson for one of the Loop seed trucks to pick up today. This morning I am traveling to Roscoe to do a few things before returning to Abilene to begin preparing things for tomorrow.

I am taking some finger foods, probably a spiral ham, and a couple of pumpkin pies to Memama's.

Memama continues to have a strong will about her Christmas dinner although she has told Pat and me that she is getting too old. Thankfully Pat and Steph are handling the delicate transition of power without "threatening" Memama's sacred kitchen. More and more meal parts are being prepared elsewhere and walking in the door. (Pat, Steph, Linda, Joni, Jeri, Christy, Lindsay, and me will all be contributors.).

I love the smells and sounds of the Holiday season.

By the way, Coach and his family are not attending again this year. Scheduling with Kelsi's job made them elect to opt out.

Personally I think we should consider "moving" the big Christmas to another date.

For me it is quite sobering to realize that while this is a very festive time of year for most, for others it is a time of struggle and renewal of old wounds.

My wish for you this Holiday season is this: safe travel, good food, good company, much laughter and lasting memories!

Roscoe today, Roscoe tomorrow. Dallas Sunday (to see Ollie).

Have a day!

FATHER, please bless us. Everyone.

Wow. I have had gremlins nipping at my backside! After being gone a week, then working for K.O. Sunday, I have lots of stuff I need to do!

I got Jason to go with me Monday to Colorado City and the little cabover truck acquisition is now at the farm. Of course if things go well, it is sold and the Kelly KDA drive tires have to come off because I sold them separately!

I had hoped yesterday that Jason and I would go back and get the big blue Pete. That didn't happen though. I was able to spend some time rummaging through old tires and finding something to put on the cabover.

I had a first yesterday, my good friend DMS gave me a gift certificate for a massage. I didn't know what to expect really. The masseuse is licensed and been doing this for about eight years. She is a small woman with very strong hands, and she uses hot stones. Excellent. I may be in love! I think I was so relaxed when she got through that I stepped on my tongue! I thought she had only been working on me twenty or thirty minutes when she finished. It had been an hour and a half!

Now that would be the way to start every day! Thanx DMS!

Thirty days in the Ollie count down!

I am not real sure, but Krl and I may go to see Merrit Sunday.

Three more days and that jolly little fat man comes!

Bah Humbug!

Have a day!

FATHER, Please bless this day!

I spoke too soon. Before I got to Lubbock yesterday I received a call telling me the first driver who became ill was down again.

When I turned in my motel key I had told the manager if I returned and begged for my key to not give it to me. They didn't do as I told them, and I checked back in.

Prior to leaving Lubbock to return to Brownfield/Loop I went by Rian and Erica's and left the card/gift for Moses, his birthday cake complete with "Let My People Go" inscribed on top, and a box of Christmas cookies from the United Bakery.

Moses had to take the cake to church to share.

If he fed the entire assembly we may have to change his name to Jesus.

So, I drove a truck again yesterday afternoon, and again today. I got the call just about six thirty. I was two drivers down.

K.O. and I began working on a long term plan that would allow me to go home. (K.O. wants me to work for him at Anson on Sunday). A plan was put in motion to cycle the two bale drivers out, but that won't happen until Monday. D.O. requested a new room for the new drivers.

And Christmas plans for gin "down time" are being made and checking them twice. The gin is shutting down at seven in the evening on the twenty-third and will resume at seven in the evening on the twenty-sixth.

Already drivers are jockeying to put the screws to the other drivers. What Christmas spirit.

I am ready to return to Abilene! Next time I may bring more touches of Abilene to make my time away more endurable.

Maybe tomorrow.

Have a day!

FATHER, heal us quickly, heal us completely.

Wow. For the first time since Sunday all the truck drivers are back on the job. That meant I didn't get called out at three in the morning.

And I slept like a rock.

Fixing to get a shower, dress, load my stuff and head to Lubbock.

I need to take Moses' card by and also a check for a project Rian was collecting for. I may go by the store and get Moses and Holt a cake. I think it would be funny to have them put "Let my people go" on Moses' birthday cake!

Then I am putting my truck in the wind, headed East down US 84.

Don't you dare get in the fast lane!

I have things to do and places to go!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank you for safe work and for the healing of our drivers. I ask for safe travel.

Sorry for the hole in blog posts, let me explain!

But first a commercial! Happy Birthday Drew (aka Baby Moses) Freeman! Big #3!

What a last few days!

Thursday I worked on the little Peterbilt a little, and I decided to do some maintenance on my pickup.

I had been hearing a chirping noise and finally decided it was an idler pulley on the the front of the motor. I replaced the idler and as I was replacing the fan shroud, I hit the fan. It had some play. Further investigation revealed the water pump was going out. Chris did have it too though. I removed the faulty pump, but took a farm pickup home Thursday night.

Friday morning I was running Abilene errands when I got a call from Jason. The seal on the first stage cylinder on the forklift he has leased, turned loose again. I called my hydraulic shop and they began trying to find where the seals were we ordered two weeks ago. Turns out they are lost in transit. While they worked the phones, I checked every other possibility, even trying to find the man who bought a shop that had closed inventory. Ultimately we settled on new seals Saturday delivery!

Then not too far after lunch the driver on unit # 424 called with a truck problem. Turned out it was the power divider. I began making my way to Roscoe to finish the little Pete as the driver limped #424 in.

The only good luck was that this driver was coming in to graduate from TSTC Saturday morning any way!

I worked on the little Pete and my pickup until between 1:30 and 2 in the morning. Pat even came out and helped me with some things I couldn't do alone! (Thanx Pat!). Anyhow, I finished the Pete and I drove my truck home.

I got home close to 2:30, put on some laundry, fixed a sandwich, grabbed a bath, waited for the washer to finish, put my clothes in the dryer, and finally got to bed between 3:30 and 4. My alarm went off at eight minutes til seven.

Destination Dallas, Texas. The Dawson unit to be exact. All I will say is it is crazy. It took me two hours to be processed in to visit Ollie!

The first twenty minutes of our visit Ollie just cried. Which made it very hard for her Dad. It had been two months since her last contact visit (by the way all of her visits at Dawson are contact visits). I didn't know who she was going to hug, me or the Dr. Pepper I had bought downstairs. I also brought her some M & M's and some chips, but she told me if I came again to bring her five DP's. I told her she didn't need five.

We had a good visit. Way too much ground to cover, but I will say she is well. Still discovering stuff about herself and why she is there. She does have a job waiting on her when she gets out and is making other plans, which I will let her tell everyone about in her own time frame.

It was hard to leave her there. 38 days from today, I think. She will walk out the front door.

For those of you who have never done this jail or TDCJ visit, it takes a lot out of you!

Drove home. Fielded a lot of missed calls, which the most important of all was informing me that one of the Loop truck drivers had a stomach bug. K.O. was turning flips fitting everyone where they needed to be. We talked and agreed on a plan and began working it.

Sunday morning I was headed to Coyonosa to repair the forklift, driving back by Loop to get driver envelopes. To be safe I threw in enough clothes for 4 days in case the bug made its rounds among truck drivers. Sure enough, before I got by Roscoe my plans changed. The sick Saturday driver was still sick. I came to Loop and ended up being a safety or relief driver.

This morning I have already had calls. The evil bug is making its rounds. The day bale driver is now ill.

I have already reserved my room for tonight.

That is O.K., because I need to have a face to face with the one driver who is not playing well with others.

Gotta get!

Have a day, and play well with others!

FATHER, I know you will get me through this. To YOU be the glory! Great things YOU do everyday!

To expedite Merrit's mail here is a more specific address.

Merrit Freeman Ryan
Dawson (JD) Unit
7E-2G
P.O. Box 2650051
Dallas, Texas 75265-0051

We got a new letter yesterday. Her handwriting was very good (which is a good sign), but she was complaining about the facility and her fellow inmates! She said the facility needs to be condemned, and her follow inmates need to learn some manners and respect for others. She was really bragging on the Woodman Unit.

More when I can!

Just got off the phone with the information office at the Dawson Unit in Dallas. I was told Merrit does NOT have to go through the 10, 20, 30 day orientation. In fact she could have had visitors last Saturday or Sunday!

Krl and I were just at the wrong place! Visitation is 8-5 Saturday and 8-5 Sunday. I will try to find out who is on the approved lsit of visitors.

I may possibly go down there this weekend.

Rian called and reported that his maternal grandmother was doing well. They inserted four stints Tuesday night at Abilene Regional and she would have been able to go home yesterday except they discovered she is diabetic. Rian reported her blood sugar was 300.

Rian and Holt are bach-ing it this weekend. Erica dn the big and little brothers wert to Salido. Rian said Holt is already putting on a full court press to go hunting!

It would appear I will have to go to Loop Sunday to pickup driver envelopes.

That means I may get to doa lot of drive this weekend!

Well, we're over the hump and gaining speed! Look out weekend, here we come!

Have a day!

FATHER, into my heart!

I have been asked, so I guess I should clarify Merrit's mail rules.

You cannot send anything but correspondence. No cash, no stationary, no stamps, no gift of any kind. Any book or magazine has to ship either from the retailer or the publisher. An individual cannot buy a book at Hastings and ship it, but a book can be bought at Hastings and Hastings can ship it.

Any money has to be deposited into the inmate trust account to the inmate's benefit! then they have to spend the monies at the prison or jail commisary. (sp?).

Also keep in mind, every piece of mail in and out, is read. So don't be too cute!

We did get a letter from her Monday night. So far this week we have sent two letters. Our weekly correspondence and an extra telling her to put Jeri on her visitation list.

I guess that is one other thing I should say. Any visitors must be on her list. visitation is Saturday and Sunday from 9 or so to 3 or 5. I haven't even looked at the hours yet for Dawson. Family members can visit sitting at tables. Non family members visit on phones through glass. Maximum visit is two hours.

You may be going "Two hours?" But I can tell you from going to the Smith Unit to visit my friend Leonard that two hours fly by.

I spent my day at the farm shop fabricating. I do not get in too big a hurry and I don't stay on task too long. I have been measuring and cutting patterns and drilling holes and late yesterday began one of the final pieces.

Lots of work to repair something that was pure negligence by a previous owner.

About the only other fix would be to cut the corresponding piece from another wrecked truck at the farm shop, then cut out the ruined piece from the truck I am working on and fiberglass the wrecked truck piece on to the good truck.

I have to stay in town for a while and meet a man, then I plan on going back to the farm shop. A little fabrication is usually fun, but this is beginning to get old!

Rian and Merrit's maternal Grandmother was experiencing chest pains and went to the ER at Sweetwater and was transported to Abilene Regional where she will have angioplasty and two stints put in this morning.

And, I did get a good report on Ashlyn Kate. She was released from the hospital yesterday! Much shorter stay than was anticipated. All the surgical repairs look good!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for a blessed day! I pray for another today. Thank YOU for the good reports on Ashlyn Kate, we ask that her recovery continues to do well. We lift up Rebecca and Lou Ann for YOUR gifts of healing and care. YOU are in charge!

We have verified Ollie's new address.

Merrit Freeman Ryan #01675411
Dawson (JD) Unit
P.O. Box 620051
Dallas, Texas 75265-0051

Let's begin the Christmas card barrage! I would hope all of you readers would send her at least one card or letter!

I had a busy, busy Monday!

I began at the hydraulic shop, went by to check on some truck parts, went to the farm shop, and ended up back in Anson working on forklift! I got home about 7:30 last evening.

I had not eaten or even had a Diet Coke (I may have had fever. Actually I had a Nuvia 3 energy shot drink and couldn't slow down). Just kidding. Although they are pretty good. (I am a dealer for it!). End of commercial!

By the time I got home I was chilled and hungry. Krl had homemade chili and cornbread on the stove! After a very hot bath and a bowl of chili I began to make a comeback! (And that is something I can't say about the New York Jets).

The part I checked on at the truck shop was almost $400. A simple belt tensioner. I had put one on the Expedition about a month ago and the parts cost about $60. I told the parts man I had a wrecked truck that I would take the part off of. He told me he couldn't blame me for using my pieces. I told him, "Use it hell! I'm going to take it off and bring it here and sell it to you!" And all the parts men laughed!

I went to the farm shop and took the belt tensioner off the wreck along with one other part that the driver had requested. Working around the engine fan was like working around razor blades. I am cut and skinned up and my hands are swollen and puffy and so very, very sore!

The worst part was putting on my hydraulic gloves at Anson to do the forklift repair!

Ouch.

Oh well. I look at it that I made $400 yesterday, just in that short time span!

Headed back to the farm shop today. I am going to open the engineering, fabrication shop to finish my windshield wiper repair to the little Peterbilt!

But, first stop is the hydraulic shop to see why we had another seal failure!

Have a day!

FATHER, YOU know!

If you have not secured a spot on my calendar it may be this time next year before I have an opening!

O.K.. That is an exaggeration. But my week is filling very rapidly!

First matter of business is the forklift rental unit at Anson. One of the main hydraulic cylinders is leaking. We had put seals in the left cylinder twice, having gone to a one-piece seal the last time. Yesterday the right hand cylinder got jealous and began having an issue. Best part is that my hydraulic man has the seal on the shelf and I am going by to get it before making the drive to Anson. We'll pull the rod (or ram) and in about two or three minutes we will be ready to re-install the cylinder.

The worse part of making the repair this morning is it is pretty cool! 23 at the airport!

Then I need to chase parts for truck #222. Travel to Sweetwater to get driver envelopes. Work on the final issue on the little Peterbilt. Deliver driver envelopes to Hawley.

Then it gets busy!

The TAVIS supervisor did not certify me to do the commercial inspections last week. She forgot her checklist and was not comfortable doing the certification without it. So for the third time I am at her mercy. So far I have two days invested in the certification (or lack thereof). I am not a good waiter.

I will feel much better when I have the new cylinder seal for the Coyonosa forklift. So far my last repair is holding, but I would breathe easier if I had the new seal in my glove box and could hit the road in a heartbeat.

Of course there is some farming waiting to be done as well.

I need to take some time and clean in the farm shop. My quickie repairs have left a trail of mess behind. Tools are put up but I need to sweep and put speciality items away (cherry picker, spike etc.....).

Not only did Pepa have a good cotton year, he also harvested a kitten crop. Pepa keeps cats in the farm shop to battle mice, rats and snakes. Last year he put five cats our there and ended up with only two. A male and a female. They had kittens, and now they have become big enough to make a noticeable difference in food and water consumption. I think there are four.

I spent a large portion of my Sunday on jailhouse correspondence. I don't know why but it was very difficult to know what to write this week. I am holding Merrit's letter until the TDCJ website updates, just to be sure she went where she went. If the information the guard gave us is correct, she is in downtown Dallas! 106 Commerce! Dawson Unit.

Well, I had better get my day rolling!

Have one!

FATHER, thank YOU for the rest over the weekend. I pray that this week will be productive. I pray for safety for all of us workers as we travel and do our jobs. I continue to lift up Ashlyn Kate and Rebecca for your gifts of healing and care. I lift up Merrit and Leonard for YOUR watch and care. Thank YOU for JESUS.

I am still feeling deflated from our yesterday trip and episode. I guess Krl and I both were looking forward to seeing Ollie more than we realized.

I have done some research and learned that the Dawson Unit is located in downtown Dallas. In fact their physical address is 106 W. Commerce. (Their mailing address is a post office box and once we are sure that is where she is at I will post it!).

I did a little research and if I am reading it correctly, Ollie won't have to go through the ten, twenty, thirty day regiment for visitors. The way I read it, once they have completed the intake program and assessment and been in the system they do not return to go and they do not collect $200.

In an interesting development my truck driver who gave notice that today was his last day, recanted. The job he thought he had lined up has not materialized. So last night when I was calling him to tell him I was leaving the truck at Loop and would pick him up and drive him home, he was very courteous and appreciative he still has his driving job.

Me? I'm kind of happy too. I have things I can be doing!

I woke this morning very chilled. I touched my nose and it was like an ice cube. After a quick run to the bathroom I returned to bed to get warm, and finally hopped out of bed and headed for the office. I could hear the heater running, but a quick look at the thermostat I knew something was awry. The pilot light had gone out.

After a very quick trip to my pickup to get some pliers I began the process of re-lighting the pilot.

I felt like I had been in the mountains!

We are so spoiled!

Today I just plan on kicking back! After all, tomorrow is a work day!

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the safe travel yesterday. I pray that wherever Ollie is at, she is good. Protect and keep her.

Krl and I drove 304 miles from Abilene, to Gatesville, to Abilene. Objective? To visit Merrit!

We went through all the security and got to the desk to sign in when the lady asked for Merrits number. I proudly gave it to her. If I learned nothing else today I learned #01675411. After I recited Merrit's number, the guard had a very puzzled look and very quietly said, "She's not here. She transferred out yesterday."

So please disregard the address for Christmas Cards from today's earlier post. She is now thought to be at the Dawson Unit in Dallas. Monday we will find out for sure.

Sorry for the confusion, but that is how it is when you deal with the State of Texas.

When we were waiting at the sign in desk a young Dad and husband (about Rian's age, or a little older) and a daughter had just gone in to visit their wife and mother. He had returned, inquiring if he could go to a nearby ATM and get some money for their visit to buy goodies from the vending machine. The Assistant Warden informed him, "If you leave, your visit is over". He was very dejected when he re-entered the visitation area to wait for his wife to be brought up.

When we learned that Ollie was not there and we would not be able to visit her, Krl asked a guard to bring that young man back out. When he came out, she handed him a baggie we had brought with $10 worth of quarters and told him "We can't visit our daughter because she isn't here so take these and have a good visit!"

The young man was dumbfounded and took the money and returned inside. Then almost immediately he returned to give Krl a great big hug and to shake my hand.

Priceless!

That was a pretty good week.

The little Peterbilt truck is sitting outside the farm shop, radiator swap complete. After sitting for three days the truck was still full of water and anti-freeze. Excellent. I started it up again yesterday and let it run all afternoon while I was working on a few odd and end things. I could almost swear the little truck has a smirk on its grill and would love to hit the open road. I picked up new pad mounts for the hood, and began researching a windshield wiper issue. By end of day the only thing not compete was the windshield wiper problem. But I do have a plan in progress. Apparently someone (the previous owner) let a screw get loose and it wallowed the hole out in the fiberglass before breaking the other hole out! So, being the farm boy and southern engineer I am, I developed a plan. A couple more holes to drill and I will have a fix ready to install.

I have never been able to fully explain how fulfilling it is when I have made a repair (whether it is a simple repair or an engine overhaul) and a vehicle starts and rolls out of the shop. Just call me crazy!

On my Facebook page today I made a confession, I feel compelled to let my blog readers in on it as well.

I had a weak moment and gave in to temptation. After having my original checking account since 1964, I recently requested a debit card. Yesterday I gave in and used it for the first time. I feel like such a slut! As I keyed in each of my pin numbers (my account is so old my pin is in Roman Numerals) I knew there was no going back.

Rian told me how quick and convenient the debit cards are, but I don't think the people behind me in my checkout line thought so as I recorded my debit card transaction in my check register.

No luck to date in my truck driver search, but oh well. I will leave Sunday, Monday or Tuesday and go to Loop and drive the truck myself. It would simplify and slow my world down AND it would put some extra Christmas Money in our pockets! Things usually work out for a reason!

But, today I plan on going to Gatesville to see Ollie! I haven't seen her since she turned herself in in July. I am actually rolling the dice in hopes she has filed her approved visitor list. It is my understanding that the visit today will have to be through the glass, on phones. The rules call for no visits the first ten days and then from day eleven to day 29 all visits are through the glass, but after 30 days you can sit at a table with them. I plan on getting a roll of quarters before I go. While she is in a State Jail, I guess my visits to Leonard have been training on the do's and don'ts. I always want to run to my vehicle after I leave the Sallyport!

I would like to encourage any readers to send Ollie a Christmas card between now and the twentieth of this month.

Here is her address and #:

Merrit Freeman Ryan #01675411
Woodman SJ Unit
1210 Coryell City Road
Gatesville, Texas 76528

48 days until her scheduled release!

This week we made the decision to postpone our family Christmas until after her release. (This is nothing new to our crew. Use to when we were at the seasonal jobsite we would do Christmas in February or even later. I think one year we did Christmas in June. It is pretty neat because everything is open and no one is rushing to be somewhere else.).

Well, I have mile to go before I sleep, and things to do before I sleep!

Have a day! Have two in a row and we will call it a weekend!

FATHER, thank YOU for a good week. I love it when YOUR plan comes together! Instill in me the assurance that everything is unfolding as YOU intend. I pray for safe travel and a good visit. We will glorify and praise YOUR name!

I talked with Jeanetta last evening and she reported Ashlyn Kate is doing well. Probably looking looking at ten days or so in the hospital prior to dismissal. She was running a low grade fever last evening. According to the medical staff everything went well. Her surgery was about six and a half hours and her family still covets your prayers.

Memama had an eye appointment in Dallas yesterday and got a good report. The pressures were within an acceptable range.

Pepa had called me yesterday morning asking me where I was at. (I was already at NAPA). He was wanting his newspaper and his mail. I swear, Memama has him so spoiled. He also reported he had a burglar Wednesday night. I had talked with Jason. He had taken Dillon to the orthopedic doctor on Wednesday and didn't get back to Roscoe until after nine, so he sent Devon by to check on Pepa. Devon reported Pepa was already in bed (after eight) and Devon didn't disturb him. Pepa's report was that the burglar came in with a flashlight so Pepa played possum (so watch it BLLR, that might be my Dad in your garage). When the burglar left the bedroom Pepa yelled at them and then jumped up and chased them out of the house.

Well, it sounded like a good story. I would have liked to see the jumping up and chasing part though!

I spent all day at NAPA yesterday. Once again we were supposed to be getting TAVIS certified. We waited until between two and three for them to show and then they only did the light vehicle certification, telling me they had forgotten their paperwork and weren't comfortable doing a commercial certification without their reference sheet. Even though we had gone to the trouble to have a commercial vehicle there they wanted to reschedule until next week! It was three-thirty and they said it would be after five when they completed certification and they do not get paid overtime. They want to reschedule for next week!

Sounds like poor planning to me!

Abilene errands this morning, then the farm shop.

Just saw a report on a new high speed train in China. 302 miles and hour. Wow.

I think we have made the decision to hold our Christmas until Ollie is released. I talked with Rian and Trc about it and also discussed some Christmas rules and guidelines. I also tried to recruit Kathryn to come help Meme with the tree.

Slowly but surely all the Christmas decorations are finding their places.

Bah Humbug!

Got to get! Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the good medical reports! Thank YOU for safe travel. I continue to ask for YOUR help in my driver search. Help me to plan well, and to make good decisions! Dwell in me!