This and That

I see it has been a few weeks since my last post and I had a friend on Facebook ask if we were all right since I hadn't posted in awhile.  So, I guess I better get ya'll caught up.
View out the window today.

First off, not much is going on.  We do have a few guys here getting the equipment setup to install the meters and other stuff to get production going.  They should be done later this week, then the pipeline guys will be in.  There are two more pads planned for this ranch but who knows when those will go in.  The most activity has been on the ranches around us.  We are at an area that we call "the four corners".  A ranch right next to us, one across from that one and one next to that one.  The surveyors have been in on all three of them and soon gates will be built on all three.  This means that within 50 yards there will be 4 gates in close proximity to each other.

The one next to us has started the grading for the road and the pad.

Right after that,  the big grader came in and why we didn't get a picture is anyone's guess.

They have finished the grading next to us and have moved across the road to start on that one.  Apparently they have to have a pad with a rig on it by the 15th of April.  Since we are leaving the 16th I guess we will get to see the beginning process.  Our first gate we got there just as the drilling had started and this gate we got here just in time for fracking, so the beginning is the only part we haven't seen.

They were going to be wetting down the dirt and rolling the road and pad, but since it's raining they have been saved most of that expense.  As soon as they get it rolled then the caliche trucks will start coming in.  That's the part we hope the wind is out of the North so all the dust blows away from us!

They do have to build the gates first as the gates that are there now are not wide enough for the trucks to turn and get into.  That's something we haven't seen built either.

We've had some illegals action here the last week.  Last Friday night around 9pm, 2 illegals in a stolen truck from Austin crashed through the fence that runs alongside the road up to the pads.  I was out front talking to one of the ranch owner's friends when they came driving up to the gate, but since Glen was parked talking to me in front of the gate they turned and drove down the road that leads to the house.  When Glen started to follow they took off and the chase was on!  They drove through the house's yard out the other side and then turned east along the fence on that side.  It runs for about two miles.  Glen said they were racing down that dirt road at about 70 mph and then drove right through the fence on the NE corner of the property.  Glen was trying to get his gun out to shoot their tires but it was too dusty to see.  The owner had already called the Border Patrol and they rushed in about 10  minutes later.  They were in for about 45 minutes, left 2 guys to go with the ranch owner on that side and were gone.

When Glen told them he was trying to shoot out the tires they said, don't shoot the tires, shoot them!  They figure they were drug runners since they usually steal vehicles and drive down here to pick up their drugs.  As far as we know they never caught them and still haven't heard if they ever did find the truck, nor did they figure out where they entered the adjoining ranch before they drove through our fence.  They destroyed about 50 ft of fence coming in and about that going out.  These are no sissy fences either..they're 8 ft high and about every 100 ft there are large round heavy metal posts.

In any case I'm sure glad the owner and his friends were here, otherwise they probably would have just drove up to the gate and then I would have had to deal with them!

Thursday morning as Dave and I were standing outside talking we turned around and here comes an illegal walking up to the gate.  He asked if we spoke Spanish.
Espanol?
No espanol.
Cotulla?
I pointed the way.
He then motions at his mouth asking if we have anything to eat.
I said no.
He turned and walked out to the road and as we watched, climbed the gate across the road and with Dave yelling at him took off running.

In the meantime I called the border patrol and reported it.  They sent someone out about 30 minutes later.  He drove around that ranch for awhile and then left after finding nothing.  The dude was either hiding or had already reached another ranch headed for Cotulla!

That's about as exciting as it's been around here.  I went around the corner and watched Mary and Jack's gate for a few hours on Wednesday.  Their daughter was visiting and they wanted to go visit their long time friends Maury and Susan who are gate guarding about 45 minutes North.  They don't have much going on at their gate either, although I think they've got coil tubing going on for the next few days.  I got half a book read and caught up on some HGTV watching. They will be returning the favor this Wednesday when we go up to San Antonio for my dental appt and Dave gets the oil changed in the truck.

So now you are up to date.  The guys inside working left about 30 minutes ago.  We will be hanging out inside today.  Dave is watching race practice and I will be reading when I get done with this.

OH, yeah!  I made some cupcakes yesterday.  They taste better than they look!

Instead of rainy days I'll leave you with these....

Oh. Look!  There's the grader in the background!