Busy week. We have been trying to bring quite a few things together on the farm.

We finished the stalk shredding, and I finished the terraces on the section. Next matter of business was what we needed to do to put the land up.

I opted for hooking two plows up to two different tractors while weighing my options. Finally I decided to go with a V-ripper at the section in the curved rows. I was pleasantly surprised with how the plow was leaving the soil. Before I was done, I decided to try one of the straight row parallel terraces.

It looked so good, we began running around the clock.

As of yesterday morning we lacked 577 acres and counting down. We lost quite a bit of time with gauge wheel flats (stalks penetrating the tires) and moving from North of Roscoe to near Wastella.

My day had started at 4 when my alarm went off. I got on the tractor before six and off just after six in the evening. After a few errands, I was fueling my pickup at 7:30. When I finished fueling I made a split second decision to not go by Memama and Pepa's and head to Abilene.

I got to the house at 8:20, kicked off my shoes and began reading a four page letter in the mail. I was on page three when my phone rang. It was from Memama and Pepa's house.

I figured Pepa was wanting a report on how the farming was going.

Not so. It was Pat, and immediately I knew something was wrong. The call was too reminiscent of her call to me four years ago when Tj died.

She told me, " Memema called me saying Pepa was in the floor again".

When Pat arrived, Pepa was in the floor, no pulse and no respiration. Pat and Jake , who had arrived, began CPR and continued until an ambulance and EMT's arrived.

I took a quick bath. Bathing so fast that I didn't even get wet when I hopped in and out of the tub. Then it was a quick dressing and out the door, destination Roscoe or Sweetwater at a high rate of speed. While in route, Pat called to report they had Pepa on a gurney and were going to transport him to the ER at Sweetwater. Before leaving, the EMT told Pat and Memama that Pepa was not responding and that they were breathing for him.

I was about nine minutes from the ER when Pat called and said they had pronounced Pepa dead at 9:15.

Several family members were there at the ER, along with a handful of friends. Thank you friends.

We waited for the funeral home to pick Pepa up before returning to Memama and Pepa's house.

A long day got even longer.

This morning we met with the funeral director to make plans.

We are going to use the McCoy's Funeral Home in Sweetwater. Visitation will be Sunday afternoon from 5 to 6:30. Funeral Service will take place at 10 am. Monday at Roscoe Church of Christ. Interment will be in Roscoe Cemetery in the family plot.

There has been a tremendous outpouring of love and care from around the community. Thanks to one and all.

FATHER, bless our family in this hard time. Bless all of our friends and family who minister to us.