Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Wednesday

1 day left to go in the work week! Yayyyyyy!
I can't believe I have 305 posts on this blog already (if I copy and paste this to KCL, I am referring to my other blog, not my KCL blog).
Like, didn't I just start on this site a little while back? Seems so anyway.

Work? I took out a huge order this morning, the flatbed was fully loaded from front to back. Pretty heavy stuff, too. They always make these jobsites a test of your truck driving skills. This one was no different. Oh, and this is a new customer for our company. Anyway, get the truck unloaded, get turned around and head out to the exit gate - to find a truck blocking the exit and quite apparent it was going anywhere anytime soon.

The foreman comes up to me and informs me there is another exit - just go "back there" and "down that road" and you'll see it. Too bad a semi truck isn't like a Tonka toy, just pick it up, turn it around and off you go. Instead, I'm backing down a narrow lane and having to back around a very tight corner. It's amazing how many sets of eyes are on your truck when you're maneuvering like that. It was lunch time and they were all watching this. Figured because of that - gloating in stupid pride - I would nail it the first time and not have to do a pull up. Well, I did nail it the first time, but the pride stuff is fodder for for the trash can, so is gloating.

Mr. DOT was following behind me on the freeway. That would be a Department of Transportation Commercial Vehicle Enforcement pickup truck. They do not have to have "probable cause" or whatever to pull over a commercial vehicle, or so I've been told, and so it's happened many, many times to me. I have been pulled over by this particular individual several times. He followed behind me for a while - kind of unnerving - you're waiting for the lights to start flashing as he had quickly gotten onto the freeway and pulled up to me from sitting still on the side of the road.

I was relatively sure the truck and trailer would pass a full inspection, so no worries there, and my paperwork is ALWAYS good, no worries there - still, it ain't no fun gettin' pulled over. I was quite surprised when, after some time had passed, he got into the next lane and apparently changed his mind. Must have been lunch time for him, too.

My newest tenant paid me today - well it IS the first of the month - but there was a surprise. He paid me for the full month, not just 2 weeks. I don't mind getting paid bi-monthly, but right now, that extra money is going to do some great damage to my bill-paying efforts. I haven't had a tenant pay for the entire month in quite a long time. I make the bi-monthly payment option available - because it's just another thing to help get tenants in here when I need one. I FAR prefer the full month in advance, but as I say, it's not that big of a deal.

Ken - the drunk tenant story from the other day - I have only seen once, I think, since the ordeal. That was yesterday as I came home early, but only for a second, to drop something off. I was in the area - there are several vendors just down the street from my house that I go to frequently. I rarely stop at my house - I used to all the time and eat lunch here (with the blessing of my-then manager), but I discontinued that practice as I didn't think it sets quite well with my current manager. He told me a story of a guy that used to work for him a long time ago that would go home and stay there for up to THREE hours. Now obviously that is not only abusive, but that is stealing time from the clock. He eventually fired the guy - don't blame him there, either. I have no ill feeling about stopping by my house for a couple of minutes to drop something off. In this case, I had bought a monitor for dirt cheap from the City of Mesa - they have a surplus sale every Tuesday and Thursday, I happened to be there during the sale hours making a delivery of some fire hydrants.

Umm, I got way off subject. That's because I LOVE this new monitor, it's a flat screen and the resolution and the appearance looks a hundred times better than the old monitor which was also a huge electric hog. I bartered with them to get the price cut in half of what they were asking. Umm, it's not a NEW monitor, it's a used one - they automatically get rid of stuff after X amount of years of service. They usually are asking FAR too much for everything. I just suggest "my" prices to the lady in charge, if she accepts it, great if not, oh well. They also had a Brothers printer/copier/fax/probably a robot that makes dinner for you/all-in-one thing at only $35. But - I didn't know if it worked and I didn't the time to spend to find out - the lady in charge said she would be glad to hook it up and show me if it works or not - again, I don't have all day. A few minutes is one thing, half an hour is another.

So - the lady is asking whether I'm coming up this weekend. I had to say I dunno. The vibration on that car is still there. I really don't want to drive clear up to Flagstaff with that kind of nonsense going on. I'm going to give another try at Discount Tire - where I bought the tires - a freebie of course - to see if they can actually show some level of proficiency with their equipment.

Overcast most of the day, humid and nasty outside. I WILL take dry heat over humidity any day of the year. Actually, I'll just take this summer being over with and bid it adios, thanks. Yeah, I know - IN YOUR DREAMS@!

I'm done.
ben

 Sunday - early 20 minutes until departure time.  I don't much care for delivery on Sundays for it takes a while to get security to the ...