Home, travel, clearing the mess, Victoria

It was good to get home Friday night. Mama and I enjoy the time away but our hearts are really attached to the farm so it was very good to get back. I traveled over 1400 miles during the week in order to see everyone I need to visit with. The circuit was from Borger to Perryton, TX then to Guymon, OK and on to Dumas, TX and back to Amarillo. The next day was an easy one; I only went to Elk City, OK and then back to Mama in Amarillo. I got done in plenty of time for church. Thursday I stayed in Borger in order to visit with the folks there and Friday Mama and I traveled back to the farm.


This week will be focused on completing what I started last week with the performance reviews for my staff. I got four done during the time in Borger and I have four to go for this week; all of whom are in the Decatur office with me. After I complete the one on one review of each person I have a mound of paperwork to complete by Friday to finalize the exercise.

I have heard nothing from the Licensing group but I did call Mitch Scarbrough, my old boss, to get some insight into the issue. He has worked extensively out of the country so I had hoped he could allay my concerns about the time they were taking to contact anyone. I was informed that it was very difficult to break into the ex-pat group; meaning a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing.

With the amount of paperwork required by some countries for entry, visas, medical exams, immunization shots, etc, they do not just jump at each and every interested candidate. I will have to bide my time and let the Lord work out all the details. If I can accept that answer, it will be very liberating. I have a lot of things I can get done as I wait.

I was not able to get anything done on the farm this weekend because of the rain and wind, but it was a good time to relax. The “rain” was more of a heavy mist that accumulated to less than one tenth of an inch. I did work on some boxes in the farm house and cleared away some of the accumulated empty boxes and wrapping paper. I made room for some of the clothing that will soon not be needed to be stored in the large garment boxes we have sitting nearly empty in the farm house.

I have to admit that it is difficult for me to work on the pile of boxes. Such a mountain of boxes, less than purposefully placed, makes me a little nervous. It is like the refrigerator Grandma shoves items into. It is such a clutter that I usually shut the door and walk away. It reminds me too much of Mildred, a person Mama and I knew from way back.

She had paper wrapped blocks of cheese she had bought from the local deli that had been in the back of the refrigerator so long that they had shriveled to the size of a pill box. Grandma is not that bad, but things could be much better organized. It works for her and it is hers to superintend, so I will let it be. As always, it is the small things that wear on us the most; and that is a really small thing.

Mama and Victoria are headed to the doctor in Denton this morning. Victoria is going for an exam that she has been dreading for a month now (a pap smear). I know everything will be okay but I am praying that the doctor will be easy on her so she does not have this lingering anxiety to deal with. Being the private person she is it is almost overwhelming for her to be examined in any way but this one is especially upsetting to her.

My boss has been on vacation for the last week so I am expecting to be hit with multiple assignments as soon as he gets his first cup of coffee this morning: goody, goody.