Saturday. A day off. Or at least I'm taking it off. I have things to do, BUT, I don't want to do any of them. Shrubs and trees. Yuk!

My week doesn't seem like I got anything done, but sometimes the little stuff requires attention.

It seems as though my most enjoyable time is when I can just sit on a tractor and drive. I have one more farm that needs some attention, but I am undecided what I want to do.

Originally we had decided to go fifty fifty. Spray half and plow half. The first plowing was with good results. The later plowing has not been as effective. My gut feeling for this last farm is to lay rows off. Of course this would put us about seven months ahead of normal practices. My biggest fear is laying off the rows (more commonly referred to as bedding or listing) and then during the windy spring the sand blowing and filling up the beds.

Also it would be an issue crossing the rows if we wanted to spray. Of course we could always spray with the rows.

We are supposed to take delivery Monday or Tuesday on the new planter. Actually it is new to us. It is a two year old planter. Some of the latest technology. Vacuum system, precision seed placement. Monitor comes with it.

Yesterday Pat and I sat down and did a roughed out budget for the remainder of the year. I have certain things I know Pepa was considering when he "made" a crop. Probably one item of contention between us is that Pat thinks we should flip some of the farm pickups and buy a new one for me to drive. It isn't a really big thing, but we could buy guidance systems or tillage tools in multiples for what a new pickup would cost.

Another tractor is one thing Pepa had been considering. Of course the other argument is that unless I enlist outside help I can only drive one tractor at a time.

I keep re-visiting the possibility of buying a spray rig. I am awaiting an e-mail right now. Until 2010 Pepa had done a turn key agreement with a man that did custom farming. This man would plant, spray and harvest the crop for an agreed price. All of the prep, all of the maintenance after emergence was taken care of by Pepa.

Our biggest goal is to limit tax liability.

We had planned on looking at Memama's situation before the end of the year, but with the '10 crop carried over to '11, then the insurance benefits collected in '11 (we can roll the insurance into '12). But if we chose to liquidate, not only would Memama have had the insurance monies, but the proceeds from liquidating all her equipment.

Bottom line, there is now way she can get out this year! Maybe in another year, although it could be two.

I suppose the most somber thing for me is the realization that at some point I am going to work myself out of a job.

Doesn't sound to smart does it?

But, I wouldn't take for the opportunity and time I have had to spend with Memama, and even with Pepa his final year. I guess GOD was well aware of where he put me, and when he put me there. Things happen for a reason.

Last week Memama's upper oven baking element burned out. Strangest thing I have ever seen. It looked almost like someone was welding on the element, even with the temperature control off. It proceeded halfway around the element in a spiral pattern leaving a molten trail along the way.

I had ordered an element and Tuesday it came in. Luckily I was able to install it without taking the built in unit out of the cabinet. It wasn't without a little excitement, and I did get a little tingle during the process.

I hate electricity. I know enough about it to be scared of it, but I did get a little careless.

Cotton gin cranks up Monday! Gonna be a short year. Probably between a fifth and sixth of what last year was. We are sending the little wildman to handle the "start up". When it gets going he and Robert will handle the bales, seed, and motes. The gin plans on running "days only", six days a week.

The gin north of Abilene that my friend does the hauling for expects to do less than 1/25th of what they did last year.

By the way, the gin at Roscoe had about twenty modules on the yard.

I have a three o'clock appointment with my favorite massage therapist. I'm going in to do the feet and leg treatment, along with a regular massage.

I am planning on going to Southern Nights tonight, at least for a while. There are two groups, the group which I attend with and the Phenix group. The Phenix group has money. Our group has real people. Usually we intermingle, especially when it comes to celebrating birthdays or the Christmas party.

Tonight we are celebrating Phyllis' birthday. I told Carol I would go, just to see Phyllis in her birthday suit! Phyllis has always been very nice to me, having met her when she gave me a card at my birthday party!

This past week has been really tough in diet terms. I have struggled. It seems as though I have been hungry all week. So last night we took the night off from dieting. We didn't just go crazy, but we didn't stick to our program either. I know Carol has probably gotten tired of it! To justify it, I did walk my three miles last evening. (I don't know if the houndgirls would forgive me if we missed walking when I didn't go out).

On my way home last evening I wheeled by to see my friend Jeremy. He was very disappointed in the Rangers opening game.

Oh well.

Have a day and a weekend!

FATHER, help us to make good choices!