Thursday - afternoon

I don't know how I could feel any worse. Ok, it's definitely possible lol I'm just saying this fasting is kicking my butt today. It didn't help that at  6:00 am, a loud knocking on my door followed with one of the kids  can't  find his backpack.  

It  woke me up out of a very deep sleep.  I'm sure I wouldn't have awakened for several more hours.  The worst part? I couldn't get back to sleep.  I tried, trust me. 

Anyway, fast forward many hours and I decided it was time to get a new phone. The ringer isn't working on mine and the microphone isn't working too great either. I've already dumped $400 into fixing that thing over the last few years, I've had that phone going on 5 years now? I think. 4 for sure.  It also doesn't have near enough memory on it.

That was the thing with my current phone.  I wanted 512 worth of memory, the store only had the 128 gigs option.  I bought that and later on totally regretted it.  Just not near enough memory and that phone was particularly cheap.  I decided today to go to the store and get a new one. 

I wanted an Iphone 17 Max Pro with 2T memory. It's the best phone they have, I do believe or if it isn't, it's close enough.  They didn't have that or the 1T which I would have settled for. I just turned around and walked out, not going to be cajoled into getting something that doesn't work for me this time around. 

Why they don't carry the popular phones around I have no idea excepting those high memory versions are pretty expensive.  From my view of it, I'll keep that phone for probably 5 years, that seems to be my average, it will be paid off in 2.  It will have full warranty coverage that covers everything even if you drop it into a toilet or somehow smash it one the ground. I've done both.  

Once, the phone slipped out of my hand and landed right into the toilet. Another time, it fell out of my shirt pocket, fell though the holes in the tractor and I ran right over the top of it.  It actually worked after both instances lol.  

I'm thinking this phone will have a far superior camera on it.  Everything should really be state of the art.  

Anyway, I ended up going onto the website and trying to order one there, T Mobile had given me the full price on the internet a few days earlier, I was just wanting to check out if the store could give me anything better price or perks or whatever.  I had taken a screen shot of it and I'm glad I did. For, the cart was "old" and I had to start over.  The price went up $30 per month on the payments.  What?!! That's an extra $720 !

No, no and no. I ended up on the phone with them, we got the price back down - I don't know how that thing decided to change it like that - and I ordered it.  Should arrive sometime next week.

That was the extent of my day.  I am definitely following through with this fast, at least 3 days but shooting for 5.  It's  just a bit hellish atm, hoping to feel better tomorrow. I was going to go do work at the property but not feeling like this.

I load tomorrow and deliver Saturday and off until Wednesday. Necessary for I have jury duty on the 2cd.  I've been getting a lot of time off lately and I can't say that I hate it tho my paychecks are certainly suffering.  

We went from winter to near summer overnight.  It's in the 80's now with lows in the 50's.  Crazy.  I like the lows, not a fan of those highs. It isn't hot, particularly, but we're still in February lol

 Wednesday

Another night last night where my sleep was far from good.  Sometimes I wonder how I can be so wide awake all day long, driving and doing stuff after a night like that?  I will admit that when I got home from work? I crashed out on my bed. There was no one home, no noise, just some peaceful sleep.  

We didn't get on the bikes today - not enough time - but we should have time tomorrow.  As it stands, I don't have work tomorrow and I"m not sure when I'll be working again. They usually have something for me in the tablet after I am done with everything for whenever, even if it's not the next day.  Then again, the system is full up there.  I mean, there wasn't even enough room for another truckload after I was done and I know there was another one coming.  I hope they showed up late, they would have had to wait for several hours if they came any time close to after I left there.

I watched most of the SOTU address last night.  Ilhan and Omar acting like little kids who have been denied a sugary treat.  Really quite unbelievable that they are even allowed to act out like that in that setting.  Johnson said afterwards he was going to deal with them but Trump was - trolling them, my words not his -  and letting the world see how these people act out.  These are your elected "leaders". I thought it was a good speech regardless of the democrats refusing to applaud or stand for much of anything.  

I'm going to have to go drag the driveway again tomorrow, it's gotten really bad again.  There is no drainage along the hill side of it so the water just runs over the driveway whenever it rains.  It was something I was going to try and fix last time I had a mini ex- but then I messed up the existing plumbing and that ruined any chance of getting that done.

And NO, I am not renting a mini ex tomorrow.  I just want to spend a few hours dragging the driveway with the box blade and then I might have a couple of truck loads of gravel brought out.  Big if on that one, but the driveway is so bad right now, I'm not sure I have a choice. I had a company come out and tell me that they would charge me 19k to asphalt it, well not asphalt, some substitute stuff.  No thanks.  I'll spend $1,600 on gravel - which is only 2 truckloads - and just hope it covers it enough to  get it fresh and not have so much dust kicking up.

I've had 3 workers leave and another one told me today he is leaving soon for a new job in Dallas. I want to fix the driveway and then start running ads, I can't  have 4 lots empty. I have to at least try to fill them up.  I just think the condition of the driveway is so bad, it's a bad first impression on anyone potentially wanting to move in there. 

I'm not going to write much, I am really tired right now, a wave of fatigue just washed over me. Perfect time  to go to sleep. 

 Monday -  night

 My nice little 2 days off  relaxation event is over.[po Well, okay, it's officially over when I have to get up in the morning to go work. 

I was going to go do some work on the expansion today, but the temps were in the low 30's so I just stayed home most  of the day.  In fact, I stayed home ALL day excepting late afternoon when I took the oldest child to guitar practice.  It's only 30 minutes and I just sit out front in the vehicle playing games on my Switch 2.  

I mean, I did do laundry and cleaned the kitchen and did some cleaning in my room, that counts for something, right? 

I also rode the new bike around the block again. I'm halfway through it and my legs feel like iron weights, it reminded me of cross country running. I took that for 2 years in jr high school and was skinny after those 2 years were over. I never got fat again until my late 40's, I slowly started putting on weight until what I am now.

I have motivation to keep bicycling.  The kids are all over it and won't let me get away with saying no, not that I have tried. It's only been 2 days but I foresee doing this long term  and hopefully reaping some cardiovascular benefits and as I start getting into better shape and going on longer rides, losing some fat.  Right now, I get winded pretty quick and my leg muscles are definitely  nothing like they used to be lol.

I've seen people who started riding bikes, overweight and probably not in good health, who stick with it and over time they lose a ton of fat.  I don't know what hit me. Oh yes, I remember now. The kids wanted to start riding around the block and they wanted me to come with them. I don't have a bike.  Go get one!  So I did.

Might be one of the better money expenditures I have made in a while.  

Other than that, there is nothing much else going on. Well there's always politics. Very focused on what's going on in Mexico right now. I wouldn't have traveled over there as a tourist before that powerful drug cartel leader was killed, now? I doubt I will ever go to Mexico again.  I spent a LOT of time over there in the 80's and 90's.  

Anyway, time flies when you're enjoying the last remnants of a couple days off. time for bed. 

 Sunday  - morning

My goodness, it's been a minute since I've posted. I haven't even posted the details of the little trip we took. 

I took the kids to Dallas, got into this really nice hotel and we spent the afternoon in the swimming pool and the hot tub. Indoor, of course.  Played some video games and ate at a restaurant connected to the hotel.  Not bad, a bit pricey.  

The next day, I realized the place we were going doesn't open until noon.  So, we played video games and went out to eat.  IHOP to be precise. We were just enjoying ourselves. Back to the hotel, it started raining pretty heavy. The venue is indoors so that didn't matter too much excepting getting into the facility in the ice cold rain. 

We got in there and you enter the facility through an actual Boeing 737.  The shell of one of course, it was pretty cool but they actually made you go through a real metal detector.  The tickets were pricey, I spent I think around $250 for the 3 of us.  You know, I always forget to check the reviews before going to a place like this and I really should.  There are enough negative reviews on this place that are pretty much in alignment with each other that I would have had a second thought about paying that much for the experience. 

Basically, this place is a mini city with all kinds of businesses along actual rock paved streets, well some of it is asphalt or appears to be anyway.  The kids go into these businesses and they get a somewhat hands on experience what it would be like to choose a career in that profession.  I had some reservations right off the bat, the ad says up to 14 years old.  Most of the businesses were all closed and after I checked the reviews, many people complained that a lot of the stuff wasn't open and for the price of the tickets? That is unacceptable.

There are a couple of things that would be interesting to older kids, most of it is really designed for toddlers up to maaaaybe age 5.  It was really disappointing to be honest. I mean, from the ads, you'd think this place is rocking and has fun activities going constantly all over the place which is complete and absolute fabricated lie.  The oldest boy liked the thing where you go around a map up in the air with a harness on.  It's a thing where you're holding onto whatever is around you and you are trying to walk across a cable, stuff like that. I got pics and video of him, he was visibly afraid but, that's what makes life interesting sometimes.

Another attraction which looked really cool was only opened up a couple of times while we were there and only allowed 4 people at a time.  It was a sort of rock wall climbing thing and it went up really high. We never got to go on it, we waited and then found out it only accommodates a few kids.  That was really lame.  Another popular attraction the kids waited for quite a while only to have other kids cut in line in front of them.  They had their version of fast passes - which we couldn't get because it was sold it when I went to buy them - so they just got to cut us. 

Many of the facility workers were unhappy people who couldn't crack a smile if their lives depended on it.  Not all of them of course, but enough so that it was also mentioned in some of the reviews of this place.  I'm glad I didn't buy the fast passes tho, they wouldn't have been worth it.  You know where they spent the most time in this place? At our end of this "tour" where we found a room with a sand box and toys laying around. Not a structured business place like the rest, the kids played in the sand box for a long time.  

Oh, they did have a snow globe building thing. You actually build your own snow globe. The kids liked that but it was a $15 per person fee.  Anyway, after the sandbox they had had enough and wanted to leave. I couldn't blame them so we did.  I offered to take them somewhere else but they insisted they just wanted to go swimming again and get into the hot tub. Okay! We spent another afternoon in the hotel pool room and they loved that.  

That was Valentine's day and we went to the hotel's other restaurant for dinner. Very ritzy establishment with a pricey menu. Plain ole' steak? $57!  We didn't order steak lol.  People were all dressed up - we were not lolol.  They escorted us to a table in the bar area, very nice area I wondered why they hadn't taken us to a regular table but didn't ask.  The food was excellent even if high priced.  The Japanese style noodle soup - like what you'd see Naruto eating - was very good. I'd go back to that place just for that.  It was a HUGE bowl of it, too.  

After dinner, we spent the evening doing what else? Playing more video games.  That was it, we went home the next morning and went about normal Sunday activities. 

I never did get sick. I'm referencing the fact that the kids got very ill and then after they were almost better, mom got ill as well.  It never touched me thankfully.  

I also haven't seen hide nor hair of that other driver that was continually butting in front of me.  The washout people said the other day that "we haven't seen him in a while". I don't know if he quit or got reassigned.  Work has been a mix.  Several days ago, I was at the loading plant. There was a truck already there, not one of ours, parked in a loading bay that is right in front of ours. It was a bit ridiculous, for it was over 2 hours before they got it loaded. During that time, a giant crane came in and planted itself right smack dab in the middle of the driveway.  Another truck also came in to get loaded, which they did while I was still waiting.  

I was getting annoyed. They always  make excuses but I don't believe any of it.  They schedule trucks to all come in at once on some days and it's the luck of the draw. If you happen to get there first,  you get loaded first.  I did not and I ended up waiting over 3 HOURS before they even started loading me. It was 4 plus hours before I was out of there.  My manager had contacted the rep for us there at that plant, he said they were "loading me now". Uhhh, nooooo, they aren't doing any such thing, I don't even see them anywhere.  That was after the truck got out of the way and the crane finally was done.  It's funny that they would schedule a crane to install equipment at the same time as they have a bunch of trucks scheduled all at once to get loaded.  

That's poor management but they don't give a hoot.  

2 days ago, I was back in there and I still had to wait an hour and 40 minutes to get loaded.  Why? Because they were offloading another truck at another bay nearby and for whatever reason, were in some elongated conversation about whatever.  It made no sense, for the loader guy could have come over and started loading me.  That was confirmed after I asked him about it. "Ohhh, we were just discussing specs of the product"..which was already being unloaded! Why did he have to waste my time over there talking about it? If it's being unloaded already, it must be within specs or they wouldn't be unloading it in the first place. 

Yesterday was uneventful. No one butted in front of me in Gurdon and I got it done quickly, unlike other days such as 2 times ago when the loading plant didn't get the hatch on correctly and it was leaking air pressure. I spent 2-1/2 hours unloading because I couldn't get the pressure up above 25 psi.  

_____________

Many hours later and tired, I'm going to bed.  We went to church, did our Applebee's ritual, went to the coffee shop to get the lady of the house something, home, got on my new bike and road around the block. I'd say it's about half a mile.  The first part, easy. Second part, easy. Third part? Up this long, steepish hill. I was totally winded by the time I got to the top of it an admittedly stopped once.  I am way out of shape but I knew that long before getting on that bike.  The kids want me to go bike riding with them and it's a perfect opportunity for cardiovascular workouts along with fat burning.  I'll just do the around the block thing until I don't feel so winded from it and expand from there.  

No work tomorrow, it's still early tonight but I"m sleepy and getting offa here.  

s

 Friday - late morning

The lady of the house left  for  work early this morning but then maybe an hour and a half ago? Contacted me and told me she is heading to the doctor's office.  I didn't necessarily have to ask considering the kids have been extremely sick this week, but I did anyway. Her head hurting, sore throat, etc. Then the doc confirmed it: strep throat.  The kids also had the flu so that may be coming as well.  

So, she is not going.  She asked if I still wanted to take the kids and I said sure, why not.  5 days off, might as well do something with some of it.  Cancelled the original hotel and got a different one with an indoor pool and a huge hot tub.  Right near where the destination is, which is a kid themed indoor amusement park but with the twist of being awesome fun while at the same time introducing them to potential careers they might pick in the future. I looked at the photos just to make sure this isn't some boring place that only wants to try and sell careers, it doesn't appear to be. There are other places in Dallas that also look good so if this one turns out to be a dud, we can go somewhere else.

I am feeling fine, btw, at least so far. I have been staying away from the kids and the coughing and sneezing. They are feeling fine now, just coughing here and there, nothing a little cough medicine won't take care of or at least help with.

I've gotten over the angst about having 5 days off, almost halfway through it now, might as well just enjoy it and move on.  Come back Sunday - by around noon preferably - and just relax to ready myself for Monday work.  We were going to leave today because there is rain forecast tomorrow and starting early. I didn't want to drive in rain and neither did she. It's too bad she got sick, I hope I don't end up in the same boat. To that end, yes, I spent $8.68 on reservation insurance, if I have to turn around and come home? I'm not going to be out much.  

 Thursday - morning

Well, the manager is, indeed, out sick. This dispatch person just doesn't know what they're doing.  They just fill the slots without any regard to how any particular driver wants it done, the manager is totally in sync with that because otherwise, he is going to get a lot of people telling him about it.  It 's easier to try to make people happy than end up with constant complaints.  I don't try to complain too much, but when he starts getting new drivers in that just jump in line with no regard to a schedule or other people's lives and the idea that other people make plans around the schedule, I have an issue with that.  I should be working today is the end story, the loads were given out before she got to me for she believed I was available this weekend.  It's a chunk of change to lose a run, that's what I can say about that, but what's been done is done.

Now, I find out that it's supposed to rain on Saturday.  That wouldn't be a big deal as we are doing indoor activities. I think that's why they build those giant indoor entertainment places over there, it  rains a lot and they would be out a lot of potential revenue if it was all outdoor stuff.  My original idea was to leave tomorrow, on Friday and not be rushed.  She has a lot of stuff to do tomorrow for  work, so I understand not wanting to have to drive after working all day. 

However.  The kids are feeling much better, number one, that is the biggest thing the second thing is if we, the adults, are still good to go after being around sick kids going on 5 days.  We have kept  our distance, that's for sure, but that is no guarantee, especially with strep throat.  And it hits fast.  The oldest was doing fine Sunday morning just before going to church, by the time we were out of church, he was going down. A few hours later and he was totally out of it and has been out  of it until today, where he appears to be feeling better. 

So, if we don't get sick and providing these kids are up to it, we are thinking about leaving tomorrow.  

Wednesday - afternoon

Kids are sick still, of course, I am home and doing stuff I have been putting off.  Organizing, cleaning, etc.  I ended up kicking one of the kids out of my room - they wanted to watch Youtube in here on my big screen tv, but after 3 hours of that nonsense? I just said bye, you can watch that in the living room or if you want to watch a movie in here, that's fine as well. 

Youtube and the stuff THEY play on it gets intensely annoying after awhile and I just have to say no more.  Trying to have sympathy while they're not feeling well at all, but at the same time trying to keep my sanity.  

I'm still kind of taken aback at having 5 more days off. I really thought I'd be either working today and tomorrow or tomorrow and Friday to help round out the next paycheck.  I didn't ask for 5 days off, I can handle it of course but that doesn't mean I really want it. I need my paychecks to be X amount to keep afloat and if they aren't there, the savings start to dip.

I finally managed to get into my 401k account. I had to register yet once again but this time? It accepted it.  Don't ask me why, I've tried several times before this.  The account doesn't have much in it - a little over 4k - but it's better than nothing and something to draw into if I need it. I'm at the age now I won't get fined if I take some out.  It started at 3% automatically and now it's at 5%. That's the max I want taken out.  

IF I were to work there a couple more years, I guess I could expect to double that number. Not horrible considering it started at zero and didn't have any other 401k accounts transferred into it.  If I'm going to have any more percentage taken out, I'll do that in a savings account instead.  Money that is readily available.  I do have a savings account with a weekly amount taken out automatically. It's not much and I'd like to get the number in there up substantially in case of any emergencies.

+++++++++++++++++

Many hours later. One of the kids has made a remarkable comeback today, to the point the discussion was being had to have him go back to school albeit the fact that there is a doctor's note for each of them to have the entire week off.  I don't think she's going to do that but if he's wild and crazy tomorrow I imagine he'll be school bound on Friday. The other is visibly still not right.

As for me, I have had something of a wake up call from the Lord - not going to go into detail for that is personal but to say that I am devoting some time to prayer and reading in the Word.  And asking God for direction, forgiveness, peace, His mercy and grace.  I would likely go do some work on the property tomorrow if we didn't have the kids all sick.  I wish they were in school, I could get some stuff done over there, especially in the ditch and getting the sewer pipe installed and over with.