Working sick, progress, more calves, missions

After being sick for several days it is nice to feel better. I started feeling badly on Wednesday last week and almost did not go to church that evening. By the following morning I was undeniably ill. I had a pretty good idea it was the same thing that Victoria had been dealing with for several days; a stomach virus. I let it run its course for a day and then I treated it with Imodium. I was much better by Sunday.


Even though I was feeling bad I used the time away from the office to work on the apartment. Grandpa and I went for the first of the lumber on Thursday afternoon and by Saturday had made trips three return trips for supplies – all of which are paid for. What was not on the paid invoice I paid for in cash as we got it. By Saturday evening we had all the walls up with the cutouts for the doors in place. We had even put up three ceiling joists to stabilize the walls on the long sides and we nailed up some of the OSB on the corners to hold everything square and plumb. It looks pretty good.

Mama took pictures but I have not got any of them to share with you. I did discover a new found superpower – the ability to walk through walls. Hopefully it will be short lived as we complete the walls, but it is nice to be able to use every opening for now. The only frustrating part of the construction is the eminent need for the roofing materials.

Unfortunately it will have to wait for several days as I am out of town. I have to travel to Borger today so I can conduct an interview with a candidate for the open position I have been backfilling. The candidate is one of my past direct reports, Judy Calhoun. It will be interesting to interview her for the job. I would like to do the interview with less of an audience but I will be sharing the time with three other interested parties so it could turn into quite an event. Friday I will interview one of the ladies who works for me here in Decatur. It will be much the same type of show.

Grandpa and Grandma were invited to a shindig in Windthorst, TX yesterday. The man who had gotten us most of the little ones we now have wanted them to come over and meet some other farmers and dairymen in the area. I think they had a pretty good time. I do know that Grandpa is going back today to get three more little bulls, one of whom Tom thinks is blind. He is giving him to us because he does not have time to nurse him along but does not want to put him down. A blind steer will still produce something for us, we just have to get him acclimated to the area where he will be raised. It should be an interesting project for Grandpa.

There was a missionary at church on Sunday morning from the Murillo ministry in Guadalajara Mexico. That is where Victoria spent the first three months of 2007 working in the children’s home. Mama went to go get her to see the slide presentation but she was too embarrassed to leave class so we arranged to see the DVD after church. She and Mama looked over the pictures and remembered a great many of the little ones. I think it brought back some good memories for the two of them. I know God was in it.

It was something I think Victoria needed whether she would admit it or not.