I'm not a good waiter.

I am so tired of waiting.  I have looked at cotton several times and I just don't feel we are at a threshold to spray it with a harvest aid (boll buster and drop leaf).  You will be in a spot that is ready and then go to the other end and it is far from ready.  I am hopeful that the warmer days this week help dry out some of the bolls.  You can press on then and they still won't crack and they are almost impossible to cut.

I am really frustrated with Dakota.  I had told him earlier in the year that I was keeping him on strictly for harvest to run the module builder.  Yesterday morning when I arrived at the barn Dakota was pouting, and he was mad at Slats (his dad).  Dakota told me "Today is probably my last day, I don't have to put up with that".  I reminded Dakota of all the fits he had thrown through the year, and told him the harvest coming up is hard work, but it is also fun.  He called some friends to co0me and pick him up.

So, we began looking for a new addition to our harvest team and we have found one already, I believe.  We will know more later today.

We almost have everything ready, waiting for some parts for the builder and for our pickup machine.  Probably two days and we could be ready to rock and roll.

I went to San Angelo this past Saturday.  I got to see Noble from 11-1 at Mr. Gatti's Pizza during Merrit's visit.  He warmed up quickly and had a blast.  His appetite is huge and he really plays hard.  He is a really good looking kiddo and still has that bubbly, smiley personality.  It was good to see him.

Pat and Hag returned home Sunday evening.  I missed them when they stopped by but on Monday I ran by and saw them.  Pat was showing me her scars and how you can feel the valves and pump under her scalp.  Weird what they can do now.  Apparently she is doing very well, and I know she has to be glad to be home.

Merrit's situation remains very volatile.  Brad has been on a drinking binge again which makes him abusive.  I received a partial text from Merrit Sunday night, then nothing else.  I finally called the sheriff's office and asked for a well being check.

Thing is, last Thursday, the judge put Brad and Merrit's family plans into court orders.  Brad's calls for NO alcohol..  So now I guess he could be held in contempt of court.

I'm not very pleased or comfortable with CPS, several things going on seem to be slanted and one sided.  I was thankful for Danny asking the judge for any qualifications to pertain to both Merrit and Brad.  It also appears that Brad's Mm and sister's manipulating Merrit's visits is going unpunished.  Merrit's attorney tells me to stay calm that if we give them enough rope they may hang themselves and the case workers in one fell swoop.

This morning I received a text from Merrit that she had moved into a women's shelter.

I was very disappointed that Don Payne, Noble's attorney ad litem didn't show up in court.  While I had been impressed with him in the beginning,that impression may have been wrong.

Let the record show!

Oh FATHER, help me to be patient, anxious in nothing.  And let me allow you to work YOUR plan.

Whew! What a life!

I don't know where to begin, much less where or what to do.

Here is the story as I got it from Merrit.

She says, while she was incarcerated, two checks hit her school funding account.  One was for $2200, and one for $1700.

When she was in Roscoe, she wrote four checks.  one to her Mom for $2000, one to Lou
Ann (her maternal grandmother) for $1700, one to me for $1500, and one to Memama for $700. 

I don't think any of us believed the checks would clear the bank.  In  fact, I saw Lou Ann at the grocery store the week after Merrit distributed the checks and Lou Ann told me they had asked their bank to check on the funds in Merrit's account and learned that funds were not available to cover their check.  In Lou Ann's own terms, "The check wasn't worth the paper it was printed on.
.

I personally saw all four checks and I am positive about the amounts.Upon further review, Merrit talked with Higher One, the bank at her school.  They finally determined that one check that cleared for $2200 was cashed by her Mother, and the $1700 check  that cycled through was to her maternal grandmother.

Merrit was counting on getting $6100 in living assistance, childcare, groceries etc.... . However, she received only $3800 and some odd dollars, resulting in her account being over drawn fifteen cents.

The remaining money ($2600) remains in her account pending her getting a job.  I don't understand it but somehow, if there is a work study job available this money would be made available in correlation to hours worked.  However, since no jobs are available, if I understand it right, if she gets a minimum wage job the school funding will supplement her pay.

But, in the mean time she is in a real pickle moneywise.

After the last CPS hearing Merrit, her Mother and I went to lunch and to talk.  Merrit's mother and I had talked about splitting the cost to bail Merrit out of jail earlier in the week, ($300+) dollars, however I learned at lunch that Merrit had given her attorney a check for a $!000 dollars that we all knew was no good.  So I picked up lunch and wrote a replacement check to the attorney.  For obvious reasons I didn't repay Merrit's Mom for half the bail money.  However, I would be glad to if she wants to pay half the meal and half the attorney!  (LOL).

I asked Merrit's Mom why she thought she should get paid such an amount and her mother get paid her amount and no one else receive any payment.  My suggestion would have been for them to take a partial payment and still leave a little money for Merrit to operate on.  I didn't ever expect to be repaid, nor did Memama, and I still hold those checks, having never presented them for payment.

I think we need to set up a website, maybe www.IgaveMerritmoney.com where we can have some interaction between the parties that Merrit asks for money from.  I get the feeling often times Merrit may use the same ruse to get money from multiple parties.

I for one have given deep and given often, and I have told her if I ever find she has lied or conned me, that will be the end.

Her latest discovery is moneygram.  Of course she has no idea about the fees charged.

Some how, some way, some day, this has to stop.

FATHER, I lift up Merrit for YOUR blessings and ask that YOU will make her open her eyes and see, and realize what it takes to make it in this world.

The Little Iron Man

A few weeks back, Reid, my oldest grandson (Turned 10 August 13th) ran in a mini Iron Man Triathlon.

This was his second foray into this type competition, having participated n his first one earlier in the year at Texas Tech.

Competitors swim, ride bikes and run.

Reid's second competition took place at Lake Allen Henry, south of Post.  It didn't come off without a hitch, they forgot his bike helmet (a requirement) and the stores in Post didn't have one so Rian stopped at a house with a bunch of bikes out front and borrowed one.

When Rian arrived he called me and said, "Oh Dad, Reid may be fixing to be baptized by fire.  Some of these kids he is competing against have full body suits with sponsors on the backs and some of these kids bicycles probably cost as much as my pickup!"

Reid was unfazed by all this, standing there in his swim trunks.  At a pre-race meeting they asked if they had a volunteer to be first out.  Reid raised his hand.  One of the other boys in his group told him, "you may start first but you won't finish first".

Reid swam the 100 meters and exited the water, running up the long boat ramp to get his shoes and to board his bike.  He rode for 3.5 miles, actually passing the pace bike at one time.  Finally he dismounted from his bike and began the 1.2 mile run to the finish.

Throughout it all, he stretched his lead, but with the staggered start it was not clear as to his over all standings.  In the end he finished first by more than five minutes, his total time being 22 minutes.

Good job Reid!

Lots going on.  Too much to write about right now, but I will try to do better.

Roscoe Homecoming this last weekend.  Plowboys won big!  Class of 71 met.  it was a fun time.

And we received between two and three inches of rain, depending on the location.  Too late for this years crop but an excellent beginning for next year!

FATHER, thank YOU for YOUR rain blessing.  Thank YOU for Reid's abilities YOU have blessed him with and the success he has had.  Thank YOU for memories and reunions.  I continue to lift up Pat and Memama for YOUR gifts of healing and care, I lift up Noble for YOUR blessings and care and I lift up Rian and Merrit for YOUR gifts of wisdom and reason.  YOU are good!