Wow! Long time no post!

Well, I am not sure exactly what has been going on with blogger, but is hasn't been cooperating.


I have a bunch of pictures to post when I can get blogger to agree.


It has been a long dry summer.  After the beginning of planting things looked very promising as rains put about an 18 day kink in our planting schedules.  We were timely getting the crop in before the insurance deadline.


Winds and unsettled weather made for a difficult time getting the crops going.  We had a wall of sand hit at Wastella, complete with rain and hail.  We were sand fighting when it hit and dirt and twigs and stalks were pressed to the windows, much like if you were buried in a glass box.  When  we left the field, we discovered the rear window of the farm truck had been knocked out by hail.


Later we discovered the landmark Wastella grain elevator had been blown over.  When I was in the FSA office certifying our crops I saw Scott Etheredge (who's family owned the old elevator, and Scott borders us on the North).  Scott said a weather recording station in the area recorded winds of 108 miles per hour during that storm.


Later, we had a rogue wind that blew right down the rows at the section, characteristically this farm does not blow but one neighbor began blowing on another and that one began blowing on us and then it was on, even though we were already on site running a sandfighter.


Bothe of those farms saw some replanting.  The first place was completely replanted while the second place was spot planted..


Even  replanting, we were finished before some people were for the first time.


Persistent winds and hot temperatures sucked the moisture from the ground.  We usually need a fourth of July rain to make a crop, and we didn't get it this year.  However we did get 9 tenths of an inch at the barn about the first of August.  Talk about strange, you could go a half mile down the road and throw up dust, but water was standing inn the middles south of the barn.


I flat planted the majority of cotton this year, although I did bed plant some on the section.  I am thinking that in 2015, GOD willing, we will bed plant it all.


In September we finally got good rains, in places nearing 6 inches total.


Makai had hip replacement in September.  Her left hip had bone that had died due to lack of blood flow.  They don't know why.


As soon as we heard about hip replacement, we called Colby, one of the family authorities on joint replacement.  He was lots of help, referring Makai to a doctor who uses a newer less invasive procedure.  Makai sent Colby a CD of her s-rays and MRI and Colby got them to the doctor and ran interference.  Colby was good to answer any questions for Makai, and reassure here when she was wavering.


September 18 they did the surgery.  They resurfaced the cup and then installed a metal bearing quality cup, then they resurfaced the ball and put a bearing quality ball cover on it.  Then the doctor drove the ball back into the cup.  Two hours after the surgery, Physical Therapy had Makai walking in the hall.


I took Makai and Scott down there, and stayed until she was released from the hospital.  Two days after the surgery, we were headed to West Texas.  Outside of some nausea from the pain pills, Makai did very well. She is doing home therapy with a PT and later this week she may get her bandage off and may graduate to a cane.


Oh, by the way, Makai's prosthetics are Smith and Nephew parts!


I have had Noble twice since my last full blog.  He is quite the little farm boy.  The first night he was here, he surprised Dandy by peeing all over both of us,  the second night he only had a minor accident and by the third night he was totally dry.


Noble and I worked in the horse pens the first day, then at the barn the second, and on the third day we went to the zoo!


We ate at Szhewuan (Me, Georgiana, Merrit, and Noble), and I wasn't quite sure how Noble would react.  He stole an egg roll and chowed down on it while we waited on our food.  When the food got there he got fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, sweet and sour pork and General Tsu's chicken.  As you can tell, he ate off all of our plates, we just had a setup for him.  He loves the rice and had two helpings, he liked all three meats, so I decided to give him some carrots, bell pepper and pineapple.  He scarfed down the carrots, and the bell pepper, then when he got to the pineapple he told me, "Dandy, that is fruit!"  He is a really good eater!


When he and I went to the grocery store, as we walked along, he would tell me, "I like broccoli, I like bananas, I like apples, I like squash, I like carrots, I like beans!"


I don't know if there is anything he doesn't like!


His favorite meal was Friday when Frances came to clean and she always cooks breakfast.  She cooked refried beans, and fried papas, and fixed him an egg to go with bacon and biscuits.  You could mix the egg and refried beans and stab a potato and he was a happy little guy.  Oh and he loves jelly!


Last week on Wednesday I drove to Abilene to pick a pickup up from the shop, after I let Slats out, I went to San Angelo for a CPS planning meeting for Merrit.  There is lots going on but CPS is now looking at placement of Noble with a family member instead of a parent.  Luckily, the CASA people and the attorney ad litem do not agree at this point.  Merrit has three month until the next meeting to show stability and responsibility.


After the meeting, I stopped by to check on Makai, then I returned to Roscoe.


On Thursday. I was in Lubbock before 8.  I was returning a wheel (But they wouldn't take it back, even though they said if it didn't work I could bring it back.  So don't do business with Southwest Wheel.  They are crooks), I was picking up some parts at Bozeman for a 4440 tractor we had in the barn, and I was dropping a Lincoln 225 gas welder at a repair shop to have a rear main seal replaced.


Then I ran to Shallowater and saw Rian, got a tour of the school additions, saw his house, met Jack (Our newest family member) and had lunch with Rian and a friend.


That was a very odd deal to see all three of my kids in two days.  Usually this just happens at Christmas.


Jack is Holt's show pig.  Of course when Holt got his pig, all the sudden Reid got interested and wanted a pig.  Last night Rian called me and said he bought Reid a pig out of Iowa, and the pig will be here Saturday.  I had suggested Rian call a friend of mine but there was $100-150 difference in price from when I talked to the friend and when Rian did.  Rian and one of the ag teachers (Rob) bought Reids pig from an online auction.  They say they got a whale of  pig at a good price.


I'm not sure what Reid's pig will show in.  I guess it will be imports.


Best thing to happen was the guy Rian bought it from is coming to Levelland Saturday and will deliver the pig.


So the boys have a Knight pig (cross) and an Iowa import (duroc).


Memama is doing pretty good.  She is resting her back, as we have a cold front coming in.  She has felt good enough to walk around the house two laps about three times a week.  We go to the cardiologist tomorrow.  She is his first patient of the day.  Cross your fingers we get in before she fires him.


FYI, when I was in fort Worth with Makai and Scott. Stevie and Jani came to Roscoe and stayed with Memama.  At that same time Pat was in Houston for a checkup.  So there were lots of moving pieces to cover all the bases.


Currently Pat and Hag are in Cortez, Colorado picking up Hag's Trans Am.  This is the first car he bought without his parents help back in 1976.  He sent it to Cortez to be completely restored about a year ago.  It is a frame up restoration, engine, overhauled, transmission overhauled, rearend reworked, new brakes, new paint new interior, new decals and everything has been re-chromed.  The pictures I've seen, it looks new.  They are doing a road trip before loading it and heading home.


Let's see, what else.  I announced the West Texas Fair Pull in early September and I am going to Sulphur Springs in a couple of weeks to do a show down there.


I have to take Makai to the doctor October 15th in Fort Worth, then we will come back and on the 17th Georgiana and I will go to the metroplex and stay before going on to Sulphur Springs.  We will return to the metroplex after the show.  Usually I am wired for a couple of hours after finishing an announcing job so the 80 or 90 miles back to the metroplex should fit my schedule.


I'm sure there is more.  I will try not to be derelict in my blogging.


Oh Father, I give YOU total control.  Work YOUR plan in me and for me.  I lift up Makai and ask you bless her with a complete and quick recovery.  I pray for safe travel for all of us on the roadways.
I lay my burdens down.