We have just completed another round of roundup spraying this past week.  The recent rains have been good for the crops but done even more for the weeds.

The end of week before last rain was being predicted for the weekend so I decided to wait it out, hoping to eliminate one spraying.  Well, the rain never happened..

It was a throw back to the old days as our newly remodeled water trailer is in Abilene at the powder coating place.  So we rolled out ol' blue.  Our 1500 gallon water tank of yesteryear.  It is mounted on a big twelve trailer chassis and pulls horribly along with being very hard on tires. First load of water we blew out an airplane twenty ply tire.  Last load of water we broke the center out of a wheel.  (Usually if you break a wheel center out it is because it is loose, but I had witnessed Bill putting this wheel on).

I had found a buy on some implement rib tires last week and put five of them into our inventory.  My big question is what happened to our conventional wheels when the airplane tires and wheels were put on the trailer.  We had an excess of one single wheel in our tire and wheel racks that will accept this size and width of tire.

BUT, we endured.

Got through Thursday in time to do date night.  Memama, Pat, Hag and myself, although Kyle showed up later.

Rian and family are at camp.  I believe they will return this coming weekend.  Then they are hooking on to the RV for a few days trip.

Those boys are always looking for a place to go.

Last week while in the metroplex I had gone by the Sketchers outlet and purchased shoes for them.  One pair for Reid and Holt and two pair for Moses.  Rian and Erica had purchased some shoes for the two bigger boys at the Cardinal sidewalk sale. 

Erica gave me sizes and I adhered to everyone's but Holts.  I liked the shoes I selected for him so well I took a half size bigger.  I think the Freeman boys may be the toast of the class when school starts, shoes any way.

Did not make any plans for going out this past weekend.  Had several options through different groups and friends.  Ollie and Noble came by Friday afternoon and stayed so once again Memama baby sat and we went to the Lumberyard.  Texas Crude, a group from Abilene was playing and the turnout was horrible.  I know it had to be disheartening for those guys.  Of course they would have the misfortune of playing the night before Johnny Rodriquez blows into town.

Went to Abilene Saturday, but did not go dancing.

Church Sunday Morning at Southern Hills.

Brian Randolph, the worship minister I have so enjoyed in the congregation and on the praise team was absent and a brief note was in the bulletin saying he had moved back to Tennessee.  After services I visited with one of the praise team members I have sang with and he told me Brian had been terminated.

Almost a year ago when Brian was hired he was very up front, he was divorced and a recovering alcoholic.  I don't know, but I would assume that he may have relapsed.

I have really struggled since yesterday's service as to whether his situation was handled in the proper manner.

I do know for a fact that at Brian's age and living in a new community he was very lonely. 

The church family may be just as guilty as Brian.

They did give out his address and I DO intend to write him.

An extremely talented, energetic individual who brought a lot to the services.

I will miss him.

Ran some Abilene errands today.  Welding supply, truck shop, dry cleaners, Schzeuwan, and lastly Sams.  Picked up a few supplies for Memama.

Odds and ends at the farm.  Mowing around the shop.  Washing the spray rig down.  A few inside projects.  Probably the next big one will be to get a cultivator out.

Probably a Lubbock trip on the horizon Friday.  Pepa's sister-in-law that lived there died last week.  Memama said she figured we needed to go.

Hope you had a day and things are going well.

FATHER, thank YOU for YOUR blessing, large and small.  I lift up Brian for YOUR healing and care.  As he would sing, Blessed be the name of the LORD!

Sorry for the time lapse since my last post.

We had been busy working around the shop.  Primary project was a rework on a water trailer.  We are to the point of having it powder coated now.  I have talked with the people and am waiting for a price.  Crazy thing is, the price fluctuates with the color.  Some colors require baking the paint twice.

Then we will be to re-plumbing the trailer, putting a new port in the tank and just finishing the project.

It is my intention to have a one of a kind trailer when we are through.

I took Memama to Coaches lake place Saturday.  The annual Lake Brownwood reunion (McLeod) took place Sunday.  Those of you familiar with it know that the place we had it for forty-five years has been razed for new condominiums.

I drove back to Abilene Saturday to go to Firehouse, then back to Brownwood Sunday and returned to Roscoe with Memama.

Then back to Abilene to help rescue a guinea.

Best news is we did get some rain although it was very spotty.  2.6 inches at the barn and surrounding area, but much less on the outlying farms.  In fact the farm I needed the rain on the most only got a half inch.  On this particular place I actually had cotton that had dropped its leaves and only the stick or shank was left.  Crazy thing is that there is also seed still in the ground that did not germinate. Gorgeous cotton on one end and a very sparse stand on the other.  It sure is ugly, and of course it would be a rented farm.

Just goes to show you how spotty our moisture has been.

Working on a couple of projects for my friend who is incarcerated. 

Heading to the barn in a bit to work on one of  the other water tanks.  I am thinking we may need to spray before we are finished with the reworked one.

Its a shame they can't breed cotton and milo and wheat to grow like weeds do.

Going to Irving Friday to have follow up on my lasik surgery.  Salt Grass for Dinner and then Billy Bob's.  Added bonus is that Aaron Watson is playing there Friday night!

Rian is batching it this week.  Erica and the boys are in Ruidosa with her family.  Rian didn't get to go because of his obligations at church.  Best part is KB came over and helped with the pool and last night I received a picture of it full of water.  The boys will be so excited.

I had better get.

Have a day!

FATHER thank YOU for YOUR rain blessing.  Help me to make the right choices on the farm that looks so bad.  Bless our efforts.  To YOU be the glory!

Went to Abilene last evening.  Our group, or the majority of them, had purchased Deryl Dodd tickets for Southern Nights.

A band that used to be called the Gringo Kings opened (They have changed their name now because they got tired of being asked if they were hispanic).

Over all it was a really good evening.  Lots of good dancing music.  Way too many drink specials before 8.  Lots of inebriated people early on.

I stayed in a motel in Abilene and got up and went to Southern Hills with my friend.

Afterwards we did a quick lunch at Chilis before she loaded five of her grands and headed for the mountain.

Since I returned to Roscoe have been near worthless.  Laying on the couch dozing most of the afternoon.

The last two days it has clouded up.  We could sure use a rain.  Supposed ti be a chance tonight and tomorrow but Pepa's sister says no, her sage and barometer don't agree.

We actually have some seed still in the ground that has not germinated.  Hag does as well.  It is so crazy, some rows have cotton on one end and nothing on the other.  I am wondering if the rain was that spotty.

I am hopeful our welder got done with the project today.  Friday night he was getting very near.  Just add ons.  Probably the main thing or hardest thing we lack  is the tubing for the electrical wiring.  The one addition I have not told him is that I want to mount a battery on the trailer for the chemical transfer pump.  After that it should be ready for the sandblast shop and hopefully powder coating if we can afford it.

Then we will be to plumbing and re-assembling everything on it. Then I will have to choose a common plug to put on all the pickups and whether or not I want to put a recharge line on them to charge the trailer battery.  I have thought about a small solar charger permanently mounted. 

Have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU!