Thursday - night

 Just got home 30 minutes ago. It's 8:30 pm btw. 

The last 3 days of work have been rather hellish.  

Today was over 5 hours at  the plant. They are having issues with one of their tanks and delivering it through the lines.  "Something" is wrong but they allegedly don't know what.  Considering I spent 7 hours in that plant 2 days ago, I started asking questions. Not in a harsh or critical way, I just wanted to know when I was going home? T he mom needs the help with me there to watch the kids while she goes and does her stuff.  

Today, however, the loader didn't like me asking him about it so he got on his phone and called for a supervisor.  Or whatever the guy's title is, I don't know, but he walked up to the truck and said "you called for a supervisor?".

No.  He started talking about me asking and I said yes, I asked when I would be getting out of here?  We went back and forth, I kept my composure, he did not. He started getting angry, I guess because I wasn't  backing down to him. Is there something wrong with asking questions? No, he replied, but you have an attitude.  Uh, no, I'm simply asking questions since I'm spending so much time in here lately.  You, however, appear to be getting angry. 

No, I'm not angry, you have an attitude! No, I don't, I just  want to get a glimpse of why it's taking so long for me to get loaded and get out  of this place.  Back and forth, I'm not going to back down to a power tripper tho I remained polite and respectful,, I just wasn't going to be intimidated by him, let  the chips fall where they m ay, I am not in love with this job as it  stands as long  time readers will already understand. 

Well, I heard you say God da** the other day when they told you it was going to be awhile.  NO, sir, I  do not EVER say that, ever.         I think I said damn because I needed to get home and help with the kids. I don't really like to cuss at all but sometimes it slips out.  He replied he has 8 kids and he has been here today for 12 hours.  Well you work here... but it gave a glimpse into a man's mind who is probably unhappy with his job having to be there so many hours and taking it out on someone he figured was easy prey.  i

Well you work here too, right? No, I come here to load. This dude had something up his crawl;, he couldn't accept  anything I said. I do not  work for that plant, I work for a trucking company. They pay my paychecks.....more back and forth and I said, look I'm hungry.  I want to get this done.  Oh, well we have food here. Yes and I was in there getting water right next to the food and I wasn't offered any even tho I was acknowledged being in there.  

The conversation was petty and the man finally said, well no offense, but  you don't have to come in here ever again if you don't like it in here. So, you are getting so angry now that you are inviting me to leave here?  No, I'm "just" saying you don't have to come back here.  Pettiness, complete and total petty, childish behavior  at this point.  OH and btw, you shouldn't be outside of the truck at all!  First time I've ever heard that at the plant but I decided that was my queue to end this, I got  back in the truck, shut the door and stared at him.  He walked off in a huff and a puff and I could have cared less.  

5 minutes later, this giant black dude - this guy is 6 feet 6 I'm guessing and a bundle of muscle - comes walking up to the truck with a bag in his hand.  Now what? I'm  thinking. He said he heard I was hungry and he was bringing me some food. Oh, well thank you!  but I was just invited out of this plant.  Oh, we're all grown @$$ men, just ignore him.  He handed me the food, I shook his hand and began eating some very wonderful smoked brisket and sausage with mashed potatoes, beans and rolls.        

I actually felt much better after eating.  ;The power tripper never came back, I was in there until mid afternoon and finally left. 

After fueling I started driving up the road. Got 30 miles and kablaaam!  A tire blew and blew loudly on the trailer. I succumbed to the fact  that this entire weeks? sucks and just accept it.  That was a 3 hour ordeal to get a tire truck out there.

Let's go into yesterday. I was at the delivery plant.           They have become anal about delivery times, which doesn't bother me, I show up 30 to 60 minutes early, completely acceptable in t he trucking industry.  But..;. it took 15 minutes just t o get on the scale to weight the truck in and then it took 45 minutes to find a manager to sign off on the paperwork and unload the lock on the valve on the pipe we hook up to. 

I finally got some guy to sign off on the paperwork that  I didn't even know had that authority.   The issue is that t hey are still down to 1 tank and they want us showing up  at our appointed times, not 7 hours early.  Yup, it's ONE driver that is causing all of this nonsense and yup, it's the dude that keeps trying to get ahead of me all the time. I won't go into my thoughts a manager who can't control his drivers and puts up with the contempt this driver is giving him.....

And then there's the day before that which was 7 hours and not even going into that. 

My days are being consumed by this job. For the slowness that it took them to load that stuff today, I expect it to take 2 or more hours to unload it tomorrow.  Whatever.  I'm not going to sit around crying like a baby, I'm just printing out my days and just how much of this I am willing to tolerate before I draw a line and say nope, it's time to quit.  

I'm tired. It was a 13-1/2 hour day. Reminder of days gone by when I'd spend that much and more on the road constantly. I don't want that life again.                                                                                                                                                               

Oh, did I say they are still having water issues?  They "fixed" it, but it's  a clamp and they dumped concrete all around it.  Many are saying it won't hold. I'm saying let's hope it does!  The kids are allegedly, finally going back to school tomorrow - can't  have a school without functioning toilets.  And then there's the  huge debate going on in the local gossip group. Much of that conversation was started by yours truly.

Anyway, I'm getting off of here, watch a little tv and going to sleep.                                                 

 

 Tuesday - evening

Went to the washout today, no issues and left quickly. Got to the plant, they told me to watch for people because there are a lot of external contractors there but go ahead and back in.

A few hours later, I wandered into the control room. When are you going to get to loading my truck? They had said nothing to me about any issues at all. 

The man replied he was going to get to it "in about 45 minutes" I knew that was a lie. If they say 45 minutes, figure a couple of hours. I contacted my management, who contacted the factory rep and after quite a while, I got the story that there is a malfunctioning valve and they can't transfer the product to the outlet for our product. 

Why on earth wouldn't the workers tell me that? It was near 5 hours before they even started loading the truck and 7 hours before i got out of there. Yes, it took them 2 hours to load it.  Ridiculous.   

I didn't get home until 6:00 pm and I was the first load. You  know, the latest loading time should be 1000 am?  

Things weren't any better around here. A 24 inch water transmission line ruptured in town today effectively shutting down water for the entire city.  They shut the water treatment plant down, which shuts down the pumps which of course means no water supply.  They very quickly declared our town a "local disaster area" which apparently frees up money from the state and other entities to help considering there is no water to flush toilets, take showers, clean clothes - you know, the basics in life?  

The city immediately got bottled water over to the civics center and started handing that out until it  was gone. They said 8:00 pm, they were out before 5.  There are more truckloads coming. Bottled water isn't that expensive at  the stores, but  that isn't the point. People will panic buy and clear out the shelves quickly.  

Most business shut down quickly and kids were sent home from school before the morning was out. Well, yup, you can't have a school full of people without working toilets.  That would get nasty pretty quickly. 

The REAL problem here is our  water infrastructure and the fact that officials have known for YEARS that it's old, rusted, worn out, valves failing, pipes bursting, needs completely replaced.  In the last 3 weeks, we've had 3 major pipe bursts, but this one by far is the worst. 24 inch line is huge and a lot of water going  through it. 

________

It wasn't until 8:30 pm tonight that the school district finally made up it's mind about kids going to class tomorrow morning.  The city had to call out an out - of - town contractor to come in and do the repair, they are estimating that the repair will be completed mid morning. So, the school district said they are going to have class starting at 10:00 am.  I get that they need their money - the school district that is - from the state but at the same time, how on earth do you leave 1,000's of parents up in the air about whether they need to find someone to watch their kids the next day or not?  

But, that's what this town does and has done quite well since I moved here 11 years  ago.  Uh, make that 12 years and wow,  it doesn't seem like I've been here that long! 

Time to go to bed. 

 Saturday - morning

Day off, doing laundry and cleaning whatnot.  

I've never been charged to go to a person's birthday party in my entire life that I can remember, so it's a bit  disconcerting to have to go to one for the first time. Well, I don't have to go but I was asked so I'm going. It's $11 person. It's  not a great deal of money, it's the principle of the thing.  I would never dream of charging guests to come to a party, even if it's being held at a restaurant, which this one is.  We will gladly pay for our own dining experience, but I doubt anything but cake is involved in this offering. 

Why not just have it at your house like everyone else? Then again, these folks used to be a part of our group of families and bowed out after meeting other people that they apparently like more.  I don't hold that against them for the most part, but it's not like they are an integral part of any of our lives.  At all. 

That's at 2.  I asked if we are staying long and I got a "no" reply so I'm good with it.  Money aside, I don't tend to spend much time at b-day parties, as most people don't. Show up with your kids, sing happy birthday, slice cake, hand out presents and then go home.  It's a day off and I have cleaning to do plus the kids are coming home today. They've been gone since Sunday morning and the house has been magnificently quiet without them around, especially the younger one who is constantly screaming - and yes, I do mean screaming - about something. Usually something minor/petty as well.  

We are bracing ourselves for that, they will be back in about an hour and a half.  I love those kids but I definitely like it when we get a break from them. Grandma always wants to take them, sure!  They'll be gone for 2 weeks coming the beginning of summer.  Make that almost 3 with the church camp.  

 Thursday - evening

The woes of having the receiving plant having half of their system's tank capacity shut down.  Normally 2 tanks that can hold 6 truckloads a piece, one has been drained and they are waiting on it to dry out and then they will chip it all down to the metal.  I was informed 3 more weeks before it's back up online.  I arrived at 10 am and there was not enough room for my load.  

I didn't start trouble with them. I didn't get angry, in fact, I just brushed it off. I have my Switch 2 with me, I played games for an hour and 15 minutes before the glue pit manager came pounding on the truck window and said "It's ok now!".  Music to my ears, I got out and got started.  My fortune  today - blessing - is that it only took an hour to offload.  

That was it. The other driver had already been there and gone, but I knew that so no real complaints.  The manager said he was going to ask them to have us come later on second load.  I texted my manager and conveyed the message, they don't need to tell him now.  They can and will, of course, but at least my manager is prepared for it.  It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't take so long for them to clean out those tanks....

I sort of have the next 2 days off. I say sort of because even tho I don't have a load tomorrow, I have to take the trailer down to the washout.  They informed me the caked on, dried out product on the ceiling of the tanker is so bad now that it's starting to fall off. If enough falls off, it will clog the drain and I won't be able to drain out the tank. So, I am taking it down there and dropping it off, coming straight back up.  I can simply pick it up on Sunday when I'm headed down to load.  It takes half a day to chip that stuff out of there.  I am not waiting.  I have to go down that way to get loaded anyway.  

 Wednesday - afternoon

It was raining when I got up at 3:00 am and it basically hasn't stopped since.  Torrential downpours on and off going down to Nacogdoches and then Lufkin, when it wasn't a downpour, it was at least medium heavy rain. Difficult to see anything, night time, it wasn't fun.  I was given the option yesterday of going in super early or just sticking with the second load.  I opted for super early, I got done today at around 10:40 am.  

I came home and went back to bed lol. The rain drops falling on things outside making  the pattering noise was soothing and I've been listening to it all afternoon.  Rain is supposed to stop in the next 30 minutes, total drag.  I like doing much of nothing with the excuse that it's pouring rain outside. 

2 days ago....

I arrived at the washout at a little before 8:00 am, I was first load. I was not informed of any special circumstances so I became very unhappy very quickly when I saw the same driver who has stepped on my toes many times now? right there ahead of me.  I immediately contacted the manager. I don't care if he doesn't like hearing about it.  It turns out, this driver was supposed to at AT the plant, not the washout, at 8:00 am.  No sympathy, I told my manager he needs to tell this dude to wait and not even go to the plant until after I arrive.

The driver's phone was going straight to voice messaging and texts were being ignored.  The manager tried, I'll give him credit for that, but then he said "I've got bigger fish to fry" and that was the end of that. Dismissive and curt, I get tired of his attitude, he is very reactionary and gets into his emotions instantaneously in situations like this.  

I get down to the plant and of course the other truck is in the bay. They hadn't even started loading him yet.  A few minutes later, he pulls out. I know he wasn't loaded for sure the way he was zipping around the plant making turns like that.  I had a hard time believing the manager grew a set and actually told him to get out of the way. 

As it turns out, he did not.  The plant told him to take that trailer out of there, it is out of inspection.  Lol, I laughed out load. Serves him right, no sympathy from me. He would have had to have driven it clear up to El Dorado to get the inspection, taking 4 hours? or more, I don't remember, it's a pretty long haul because El Dorado isn't anywhere near any interstates and the speed limits getting there are 55 mph excepting towns where it goes down as low as 30 mph. 

Anyway, they are back to shuttling. This is a situation where one of the drivers was climbing over parked rail cars at the delivery plant and both the plant manager and plant safety manager saw him doing it, was kicked out and never let back in. So, they worked a situation where this dude could still load but then drop the trailer in Shreveport and go back and load again, while another driver takes it up to Gurdon. They haven't asked me to do that at all and I want nothing to do with it.  I had to pick up an empty there one time, their parking area is WELL out of the way of anything, it adds a lot of time. 

So tomorrow, I am having to wait until after that driver leaves the delivery plant, but, the manager said I could arrive there at 10 am. Which isn't terribly bad, tbh.  It could be a lot worse. 

Now?  I am told that my trailer needs an entry and it will take 3-4 hours. I'm referring to a person actually getting inside of the trailer to chip out the glue that has dried to the ceiling.  It's a tedious process and it definitely takes a lot of time.  So after this load, that is what I will be doing I guess.  

Definitely taking my Swtich 2 (portable gaming console), food and drink with me on that one.  Not tomorrow tho, I deliver tomorrow I am assuming it will be on  Thursday and I dunno if they'll have me load on Thursday as well.  We're talking 7 hours round trip just for that entry plus at least 3 more hours if I have to go load. A longer day, but I'll do it if they want me to. 

I've been enjoying today after getting home. A very long nap, then some games, some  tv, more games - listening to the rain which is starting to subside unfortunately.  

I've also been watching the war.  The cluster bombs the Iranians and Hezbollah dropped were sick. That stuff has been banned from any war theaters forever, but we all know Iran doesn't care about the rules of war. They are also targeting neighboring countries, a stupid move that will just bring even more military might into the theater against them.  Apparently there is some elite group of military personnel guarding the new supreme leader or whatever his title is - Israel promised to kill anyone that was elected, I'm waiting to see if they can actually carry that one out.

That will take some serious insider info, they must have spies in those ranks.  I'm sure they're going to try to take him out regardless.  Then there's the Iranians targeting ships in the Straight of Hormuz.  They don't really care about civilian lives as plainly evidenced with Iranian government killing as many as 30,000 of it's own people who were protesting.  

_____________

Long interlude it's time to go to bed. No super early rise but I still need some sleep lol. 

 Friday - evening

The folks are here - grandma and grandpa and the oldest brother - half brother that is.  

I had no idea they were all coming, I thought it was just grandma coming to get the boys for the spring break and taking them home for the week.  Anyway, I asked my friend - the "man of the house" I suppose you could call him since he's the father, what we are doing for dinner? Oh, well I think we're either going to Applebee's or Chili's.  Oh? Is this a family thing only?

He got a look on his face and got disgusted for he knew what I was referring to instantly.  No, we aren't doing that anymore, I had a conversation with "her" - the grandma that started all of this nonsense with me.  The most notable time was when I had just arrived back at the park from trucking, was fixing to come home and got a call from one of the kids. 

Are you going out to eat with us? The grandma was standing there, the kid was on speakerphone and told him and therefore me "NO, we are going as a family ONLY".  Notwithstanding the fact the parents here consider me family.  I took great offense at that but I let it go as best as I could and said something like, oh really?  Ok then, I'll do something else.  When my friend was at their house for a month or longer getting his CDL training up there, he apparently had a discussion with them about it.  

I don't need to go today, that's a fact. I just want to to insert myself, not in a boisterous or "loud" type of way, just being there. I'll happily pay my own meal and drink.  

I was planning on getting some work done at the park since the kids will be gone.  However, it is going to rain.  Gag.  Ahh, well the forecast has changed, perhaps Tuesday and Thursday I can get something done. Perhaps not. The temps are perfect for outdoor work, that's what I can say about that.  I still have 4 lots available, I have them listed on my facebook business site but I'm not really thinking about advertising via pay ads until that driveway is fixed, that is what I want to get done as well as some work on the expansion.

I have work tomorrow - up to Arkansas to deliver the load, Sunday off - tho no kids to take to church, I'll probably go but skip Applebee's and save the money.  Then work Monday and Tuesday and who knows what after that. 

 Wednesday - evening

Just got back from taking the kids to the mid week kids service at church.  

Last night was probably one of the worst night's sleep I have had in quite a while.  I don't understand it but it always happens when I'm coming back to work? I don't sleep that night.  As it stands, I completely passed out on my bed with the kids watching TV (I have a giant screen tv in my room ), I just happened to wake up, look at the clock and say, what?@!! it's time to go to church!

Jeffries proclaimed that the US would fail in the Iran operation. What a miserable @$$.  I have been watching endless footage of this war and notable politicians from both sides making their statements and also watching Hegseth and whatever that crazy general's name is along with Trump.  

I absolutely despise war.  People die, a lot of people in most cases and it's not all military personnel, which is bad enough.  The bloodshed, the aftermath of broken families, maiming, the psychological aftermath, the potential for the incursion to grow well beyond what it initially started out to be.  I'm not particularly worried about it, I believe in God, Jesus Christ His Son and the blessed Holy Spirit and nothing is happening here that God didn't already know about long before it started.

He isn't surprised by it, shocked or otherwise shaken. Don't let your hearts trouble you.....be anxious for nothing (haven't quite arrived on that one yet) and a multitude of scripture that points to simply trusting in Him and living your days out before Him and having your peace from Him.  He transcends politics, the world and the enemy of our souls. I sort of wonder tho whether Russia or China might get involved since apparently this whole thing is going to end up affecting them through the oil supply chain.  

Who knows. If it's the end times, there is nothing stopping it.  I'm going to reading through the book of Revelations again, I haven't  been in that book in quite a long time.  Need to refresh my memory on certain things that will happen when it all goes down. It  may be the time now, it may not.  I just want to be prepared. 

Anyway, a resolution was introduced into the Senate attempting to limit Trump's authority to execute t he operation in Iran.  It was already shot down, voted on and gone. 

I have 4 lots available at the park and only one bite a few days ago but they apparently decided to stay elsewhere.  My rates are as low as I'm going and I've been through this before. Where I have numerous lots available and just waiting for  people to take them.  Might stay that way a month or longer and then all of a sudden, they all fill up. It was full for a very long time before these workers all lefts. That's just a park update. 

The group is talking about going to Gulf Shores for the group's summer vacation this time around. I've been there, it's probably nicer than Galveston beach.  It's quite the drive, however, comparatively speaking.  I wouldn't mind going on a trip to the mountains somewhere instead.   I don't need beaches, they're fun of course but I like staying in the mountains better, a thing I haven't done in ages.  ]

I'm going to be honest here and tell you that I really do not feel like traispsing back to Arizona.  It's just  a lot of money and time spent. I like seeing my mom and son  and I haven't seen my brothers in many years, but it's quite the ordeal.  Note that none of them are bothering to come out and see me. I give mom a break on that one, she's very old and getting around is quite a chore for her at this point. My son has talked about coming out and I have the door open for him any time.  That may or may not happen, but I only talk to my middle brother maybe once a year and the oldest a few times per year here and there.

Still, it was interesting that after all this time, he finally invited me for Christmas. Too late, of course and I already planned on being home here, but still.  I still wish I hadn't committed for going back for Easter, I just plain don't feel liike it.  Spend half a day at airports, stay in a house where the  occupant isn't really geared for company and then see people who may or may not care about me?  I could easily pass.  I'd rather  stay at a hotel as well and let mom sleep in her own bed. She insists I take over her bedroom but I don't like doing that, not at all.  But, she'd probably be upset if I stayed at a hotel so I don't  plan on staying more than 2 or 3 days at most.  

I don't know what else.  Oh, bicycles. Yup, I'm still doing it. 2 trips around the block now, I'm try for 3 tomorrow.  I did 2 today but I was tired so I parked the bike and went in and took a nap.  But I did it and I keep trying to extend it, not shorten it.  I can't say soon I can go further distances, the hills are killers. My legs feel like dead weights by the time I get back from a round, just hoping the muscles will get worked enough and build up enough to not feel so ridiculous.  

 Tuesday - mid morning

Sorry, but I'm catching up on sleep. I guess can never really "catch up" on it, but it feels good to get 9 hours worth versus 4 or 5.  Oh, yes, I slept in until after 9:00 am.  

The new phone is a beast. It makes my 13 look like a 4, a dinosaur, an ancient relic you'd find in the Smithsonian. It 's that much better. And yes, I checked it, it has 2T memory, contrary to what the liar on the phone told me a few days ago.

For some reason, a T Mobile "customer service" rep told me that 1T is as high as it goes. Surely he knows his own product line, so why would he tell a lie like that?  It said it plainly on the website that there were 1 and 2 T options. T meaning terabyte. But the guy was being a total @$$ anyway so there is that.  

I'm taking the 13 to the store today to turn it in. I got this new phone with a trade in - I don't need or want the 13, it's got issues.  I also want to get a screen protector on this new one and a case for it.  

In fact, I need to do quite a bit  today, got a late start on purpose, don't really care.  I'll be trucking the next several days I'm assuming, I'm hopeful the manager will take command again and get schedules back to normal.  Not that I have minded the time off, frankly.  I needed it.  Especially the sleep. There is something about having to go to work the next morning when going to bed at night that does something psychologically and causes me to have poor sleep. Because when I don't have to go to work?  It's usually very good sleep and large quantities of it. 

But yes, the Iphone will be the first order of business, can't have it in my pocket without a screen protector on it. I go through a lot of screen protectors.