I was going to write this meaning full piece on Memorial Day and how we have changed a day of rememberence into a a long party weekend, but Tex beat me to it. However, I would like to pass on a few thoughts of my own. During the civil War, we lost over 600,000 men and women, that was 2% of the population at the time. In Vietnam we lost over 68,000. Over the coures of our history we have lost more then 2.4 million people. As a Company we lost 12 during the course of the year.
To those who lost family we thank you for your sacrifice, you are a part of us and we are thinking about you this day.
This morning on Fox&Friends there was a Country&Western singer on, "Rockie Lynne". He sang a song , "We Want to Thank You" this song was for those who lost thier lives in Nam and for you. Better late than never I guess.
If nothing else in this world, we have each other. Like Tex said, we are "Brothers", and brothers are "Forever". I will not wish everyone a "Happy Memorial Day" as I have done in the past, instead I say Thank You for your service and sacrifice.

"Less We Forget"

FIRST TO SWWOW HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

THATS RIGHT THE RAT IS NOT MY FRIEND.....HE IS MY BROTHER!!!!! AND I WILL ALWAYS COME TO THE AID OF MY BROTHERS! SORRY ABOUT HIS TRUCK, GUESS IT JUST COULDN'T TAKE ANYMORE GOING AROUND AND AROUND IT HAS MORE THAN LIKELY PASSED ITSELF SEVERAL TIMES GOING THE OTHER WAY.

TO ALL MY BROTHERS, MONDAY IS MEMORAL DAY, LAST YEAR MY NEIGHBOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE SET OFF FIREWORKS... GO FIGURE... SO I WENT OVER AND EXPLAINED WHAT MEMORAL DAY WAS... I THINK HE NOW UNDERSTANDS AND I DON'T EXPECT TO SEE ANY THIS YEAR. AS I AM SURE YOU ALL WILL MY THOUGHTS WILL RETURN TO OUR BROTHERS AND THEIR FAMILYS WHO ARE NOT HERE TO ENJOY THE DAY. I THINK OF THEM EVERY DAY NOT JUST ON MEMORAL DAY, AND I KNOW YOU ALL DO TO. GOD BLESS AND KEEP EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!

FROM THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS,
1SG TEX





GOTA GO PLAY MY GUITAR AND TAKE CARE OF ALL THOSE PRETTY GIRLS NOW.

Before I start on my truck, it is SWWOW's birthday today HAPPY BIRTHDAY baby.

I bought my black dodge truck new in 2001. It has been a plague on me ever since. Just a little history. 3 lift pumps, two transmissions and as of a few days ago 4, count them 4 cooling lines. If the transmission is screwed up and cost more than a couple of hundred dollars, I am going to clean it out and sell it for junk. Unless somebody out there is a tranny man. It really gets old some times.
My mother in law is really wore out from her trip. Before she left Florida, she was pretty good, talking and eating pretty well. As of today, she is still pretty wiped out. Can't speak so she can be understood, can not feed her self and sees things that are not there. She is a tough ole bird, I expect she will come back. In any case Danny, thanks for asking.

Having vented and feeling better, I hope everyone is doing ok. Harry treated me to breakfast on my way through Louisana, gave me some pretty damm good venison too. Thanks Harry. It is a true gift of kindness because as we all know, Harry only gets a deer about every three or four years, at least until the JUJU stick appeared.

Start thinking Gatlinburg in Sept, 16-20 or as many of the days you can attend. Any body up for a 7 card stud poker tournament? Give me some feed back. Do you want a dinner like Vegas or just reservations at a good eating place. Talk to me people.

Good Evening my Brothers,
Rat

Overton says for every one to stay calm over the Arizona problem. No individual actions are authorized.

You are fortunate Rat, with all the guys you had in Alpha Co., you could probably break down in most any state and hopefully find somebody to help you out. What kind of truck did you buy anyway? Too bad you don't live around Michigan, I might have been able to fix your truck the right way for you. Any way, I'm glad Tex was able to help you so quickly. By the way, how is your mother-in-law doing? Dutch

My wife and I had to drive to Florida last week and pack up my mother in law to bring her out here to Texas. Some of you know that you can not check on nursing home staff if you are not there. In any case, I rented a small trailer and loaded up her stuff. The plan here is that I leave on Wednesday,drive back to Texas, with my trusty dogs and Lynn flys in on Saturday and I pick them up inDallas for the drive to the Nursing home in Malakof. I stoped in Sulphur, La, to have breakfast with Harry on Thursday morning. I eat, take off about 0900 hrs and figure on getting home about 1400 hrs. I get about 70 miles from home and blow a transmission cooling line. (this line has blown twicw before.) I am in a town called Jacksonville and as I said, I am still 70 miles from home. What to do. I call rental car places, no one has any cars. Can't just pack up my stuff, grab my dogs and walk around town .
What do you do in a case like this, you call a friend? Now as everyone knows, there are two kinds of friends. Those who say, "If you need any help, just call me." And, there are the other kind of friends , who when you call, they say "I will be there ASAP" .
So what is the meaning of the word friend, "TEX". I called the only person I knew within a 100 miles, Tex Dilday. Tex never hesitated or said anything about having to do this or that, he said "I will be there ASAP. Let me tell you something, he was there in less than ASAP. He drove about 100 miles, picked me and my dogs up and then drove us anpther 70 miles home. Tex had to be back in Omaha by 2100 hrs. to greet all the female bar flys at the Cajun Cowboy.
Tex is my friend, a true friend. Not many others would do what he did. I kind of think it is a "Vietnam Thing". In any case, thanks Tex, your my "Brother Forever"
Oh by the way, I tryed to give him $3.00 for gas and he wouldn't take it, what a guy. Your my friend Tex, any time any where.
Rat

Do you think any of the sheep in Texas may be from the Black Sheep Squadron ? It's just a thought. Anyway, I hope the Rat is doing O K with his new land and trying to get used to The Lone Star state! Dutch

The sheep around these parts use to be content with the way things were. Now the Rat has come to town and they are losing their wool. The abuse has been too much for them. Even the ASCLU (American Sheep Civil Liberties Union) has got involved. We knew how to treat our sheep, but the Rat has got them running into Oklahoma for safety. The Rat may be chasing them. There have been a lot of tornadoes up there. When I went to the casino the other night I saw a sign at the Red River that read "I wouldn't give a Rat's ass if he would just leave mine alone". Now I don't know if a sheep actually wrote that or not. But it can't be a good sign no matter what it was.

Hello Alpha Co. It's been a long week and I'll be glad when Friday night gets here. Anybody else ever have those weeks at work that have been bad? At least we're supposed to have a nice weekend with sunshine and highs in the low 70's. Hey Briggs, it sounds like you like to go on cruises? Where do you go and what cruise lines do you use. Rat, I called my Reps office and they got all the paper work in and they got it all sent in. I will give you a call in a little while to try and keep you updated. You all have a good weekend! Dutch

I believe that in a case like this one should seek the advice of a sheep expert. So, I will be calling the Cowboy. He may be afraid of horses, but if it is one thing he knows, it is sheep. I have heard and do not know if it is true, but the Cowboy is supposed to have have a close and personal relationship with more than one sheep.
I do appreciate the help from you guys. It is good to know that there are others besides Cowboy who are familiar with sheep
I have been looking at tractors and have learned a lot in a short time. I looked at a Mitsubisheand, the guy says he is selling it because of health. All the labels were in Japanese. I asked him what year it was and he couldn't tell me. I asked him how long he had it and he says 4 weeks. The guy is sell ing refurbished tractors from Japan. I don't think so.
So the quest goes on.
Happy Mother's Day to all of the hard working Mothers out there.
My Brothers
Rat

Good morning Alpha Co. I just wanted to give the Rat my 2 cents on the sheep for cutting the grass. They definitely would be better on gas, but the smell wouldn't be worth it, and I would hate to think about snuggling with them. Yuck. I think you would be much better with something that will give you about a 68 inch cut. HAVE A GOOD DAY! Dutch

RAT, a clarifacation is in order, my referal to Sheep, was a simple soulution to your GRASS problem.
Now here in the great fly-over country (Midwest) Sheep eat Grass. In the great republic of TEXAS, sheep, may be an alternative to companionship, but I,m not judging, how many playboy bunnies can there be? GET SOME TEX!
I know of your fondness for LiL Cowboy and his fear of horses, a nice furry ewe may help him that respect.
How's your well, a friend moved to the republic and was accused of being a yank that came to steal the sweet water of TEXAS. Anyway I wish you the BEST.

I can not understand it, we go through the effort of putting this site together and no body uses it. I'm just saying.
Larry/Dan, thanks for the words. I am not quite sure about the reference to sheep though. Now I have nothing against sheep, I love to eat lamb and mutton stew.
I now have an official address, however , I will not be getting mail there for a while. If you want to see the property, go to Goggle Earth and put in 17601 County Road 4052, Kemp, Texas. Call me and I will talk you through the property lines. It is long and narrow, but a nice piece of land. It looks a little like Nam from the air, you will see what I am talking about if you go and look.
I have talked with a few of the guys, we have some good door prizes this year, save up your money.
I am still looking for a tractor, going to an auction this weekend. Also found a Cub Cadet over in North East Dallas if it is still there. If you have not seen one of these, they have all the horse power of a bigger tractor at about 2/3rds of the size.
Wish me luck my friends, I need a tractor ASAP. The grass grows wether I have a tractor or not.
All right everyone please for the millionth time, use the blog.
Good Night my Brothers,
Rat

The Grass Grows The Wind Blows and The Sky is Blue. How about some SHEEP? Sweet Water?

Good Luck RAT.