Visiting, no news, taxes and trucks

Instead of traveling back to Decatur today I elected to work out of the Borger office today and head home tomorrow. It will give Mama more time to visit – something she has not gotten to do too much of in the past three days in Amarillo since Mrs. Patrick has had multiple doctor’s appointments. Plus, it will allow me some time in the office here to let people visit with me as needed.


Mama has enjoyed the respite from the farm and the tight quarters of the mobile home. The good news is that I will get a bonus this month that will allow us to get the roof and siding for the apartment and most of the shop. With that in place I will be able to move a little more quickly on the interior of the apartment. I am still more than two months away from completion, but we will at least be under roof and sealed in against the weather.

Since our plan is to be in the apartment for two or more years, I would like to make it pretty nice – without going overboard. I have almost all the materials, windows, cabinets, and fixtures, etc at the farm, but they are a little out of order at the moment. All I have to do at this point is get everything into its assigned place and I will be done. It is a simple plan. Like Michelangelo, when asked how he carved the statue of David, responded simply, I cut away everything that was not David.

I still have not heard anything from the Licensing group, but I have only been waiting about two months. My colleague has been waiting off and on for over seven months. I count myself fortunate to be able to enjoy my current job. He does not necessarily feel the same about his and is probably more anxious for news than I am. I know his family certainly is.

I have learned one very valuable lesson in dealing with the certain quirks of the hiring manager for the licensing job. He has put me off twice and put my boss off once with the same catch phrase; “Should hear something next week.” Each of us has a “put off” phrase, this is his. I might say, maybe, we’ll see, or isn’t that something when I do not want to go any further in conversation. His is “next week.” So, whenever I see that in an email I will know that I have been told to “get lost” for the moment.

I will turn over all the accumulated tax information for 2012 to our accountant this evening. I am not completely sure I have gotten all of the documents I need to file but he will be able to get started and may be able to tell me how much of the bonus I am getting that will have to be spent on paying taxes. It will be nice to have that accounting finalized.

I also got a call form a friend at church yesterday. He has an inside track on used trucks a friend of his releases every quarter from his company’s fleet. They are very used, but well maintained, in service to the oil field. He bought a 2001 diesel two years ago for $2000, complete with a utility bed. It had high miles but it was a good price. We are hoping to do the same – if possible.

Mama and I will know “sometime next week”.