Someone broke into the widow's house

3/9/10 Tuesday
We got back from tearing down the barn in Odessa at 4:30. When I looked at the pictures I figured it was a one day job, but I figured wrong. At least I’m consistent when it comes to my ability to estimate how long it will take me to do something, consistently off. I suppose it’s one area where I’m an optimist because I constantly think I can do a job quicker, and often times better, than reality reveals. I took pictures of it with the phone but don’t know how to download them or anything else. It’s the first time I’ve taken pictures with the phone so it’s all new to me.

We managed to get all the tin, or steel, or whatever you call it, the old metal corrugated stuff, off of the frames. I took the generator I picked up at the Michigan auction to power my hand grinder/cut off tool with the thought of using it to cut the metal used for both the building frame and fencing but it isn’t angle iron like I thought. Nope, much more than that. We will need a cutting torch to dismantle it all and that will be a big job in and of itself. I saw a welding set up so asked the wife if her husband has a cutting torch and he does, but needs gas. They are going on vacation so will be gone a couple of weeks. Hopefully after that we will be able to finish the job. It would provide many of the building materials I need to build a barn.

I told the guys to take tomorrow off as it’s going to be another windy day and we’re about out of money so this will help stretch things out. I plan on selling the truck but need it and the trailer to finish my obligation to tear down the rest of the barn so will have to wait. Kind of a catch 22, need the truck to pay for help and need to pay for help to finish the job and plant the crops. I told the guys to watch and see how God provides. Don’t know where or how but He always takes care of our needs, not our wants. It gets exciting to watch.

I’m beat. Forgot to take my pain medication with me, along with not thinking to pack a lunch, so by the end of the day I was shuffling around again, not able to move fast or well because it hurt too much. But I kept going as best I could. Alan was thoughtful enough to throw my little fold out stool in the truck when we left. He’s been around enough to see how much I need it.

Called the widow. Today is normally the day I go to Midland, poop scoop, and visit her but I was in Odessa tearing down the barn. It seems that Sunday night, around 2:30 in the morning, her dogs woke her up barking. Someone was trying to get in through her back door so she called the police. He went around to the front door and actually got inside the house. She has her grandson staying as his marriage is failing so he was there and the police arrived just as the guy got in. Come to find out he had several warrants and was so drunk he didn’t remember how he got there. It was a relief to hear she didn’t get hurt and that the police got the guy. She decided not to press charges against the kid, who was 23 years old, telling me that he had plenty of problems as it was. The widow is a true Christian in how she lives her life. Odds are I would have not been so nice. But I’m learning and working on it.

Good night all. I’m gonna head to bed and call it a night.