Saturday

So, Anthony is on Myspace challenging Caleb (my son) to a fist-fight.  This because of the situation with me throwing him out.  I had to ask: why isn't he challenging ME to a fight, since I'm the one that threw him out - Caleb had nothing to do with it.  Caleb wants to engage him  in such.  I think it a BAD idea.  I do not get that Anthony is the type of person that would engage in a fair fight, number one.  He would bring weapons or a lot of people with him or probably, both. 2, it's juvenile.  I would like my son to see that fighting over such a thing is a total waste of time besides the potential incurrment of injury.

However, there IS the theft portion of this - which he is still mad about and would like a piece of Anthony to at least somehow pay him back for taking all of that stuff.  Anthony has a lot of gall, I'll give him that.  He also has never had his @$$ kicked.  Many times in life, when a person is spouting off all over the place like Anthony is and does, if such an event does occur, that has a bit of a taming effect on the mouth. 

The very important thing that Anthony is forgetting here is that he is now 18 and Caleb is 17.  Even the threat of "kicking Caleb's @$$" coming from an "adult" - if you can call Anthony that - to a minor is a serious enough offense.  Caleb has some sort of plan that I have yet to hear since he said he would be telling me it today - I don't usually see him when he comes home on a Friday night because I still go to bed early on the weekends the same as weekdays.  I just don't want to stay up late, I start getting tired around 8/8:30ish and yes, I just plain go to bed. 

Regardless, Anthony apparently feels "entitled" to just come in here and take whatever he pleases.  The thinking that goes into that guy's head - beyond me.  It comes from his alleged upbringing - his whole family and relatives think like this: "We are poor, so we can just take whatever we need or want".  I'm totally serious, the fact that they are poor some how entitles them to steal, rob and lie their way into getting whatever.  With Michael's departure I have finally washed my hands of the entire lot of these people.   BTW, if I CATCH Anthony in here, his entitlement days will be over, at least at my house.  He would be spending quality time in a hospital before being transferred - wherever else.  This word I have let out on the streets. 

Completely changing the subject - I tend not to dwell on that stuff too long, it isn't worth the mental energy.  I have the trailer tenants watching out now for anyone entering the property and that is as good as it gets.  The man with the pond shutting down called me yesterday.  The man that wants to buy his Koi wants to come over on Sunday.  So, he wants me to come over on Sunday to get the other fish that this other buyer doesn't want - namely: up to 15 goldfish and 2, black and totally cool-looking Koi.    I don't want or need 15 more goldfish, but, he has to drain down the pond, basically til' it's almost empty, to catch the fish.  Once the fish are in containers, he's removing the filtering system and selling that to the other buyer as well. 

Well, I told him I don't really want that many more fish.  I just want the Koi and maybe a few goldfish.  He practically begged me - he wants a good home for the fish, the alternative is their death.  So, I agreed to it.  I'm going to take all of those fish, BUT, I am going to get rid of some of them and I told him as such: I will bring them home and then give them away to whoever wants them.  Even with 3 ponds running, that many fish is far too much of a load on the eco system.  Toxins from fish waste will build up and that can end up killing all of them.  I have GREAT filtering systems on all 3 ponds going right now, don't get me wrong.  I have one pond's water cycling through the filter about 4 times per HOUR.  Yup, it's moving a lot of water.  The second pond is cycling about once per hour, but that's still plenty enough.  The third one is about 3 times per hour.  Good water movement is key to keeping healthy fish.

So, that's my plan.  I'll pick and choose which fish I want to keep and then I will isolate the rest of them in another pond - so I don't have to pick and choose all over again, they will all be in the same pond.  Catching them is relatively easy in a small pond, especially considering I have 2 nets to corral them and get them scooped up.  Oh, he is also giving me his pond plants for free as well.  One of them is a huge water lily which will go great in one of the ponds that I don't hardly have any vegetation.  I am really acquiring all of this stuff for the inevitable:  the start up of the large pond.  The temps are going to be great this coming week and I will be motivated to get out there and finish the digging job to get that puppy in the ground. 

Bonus time at work.  I did not expect that I would get a bonus this year.  Our hours have been cut back and I figure if anyone does get a bonus, it's probably going to management.  To my great surprise, I found out yesterday that I WILL be getting a bonus and a pretty good chunk of change (by my standards, anyway).  That money will be a lifesaver.  This summer with high electric and water bills - and I do mean HIGH - depleted my funds to the point I was just floating.  I think we get that money on the 12th or 13th of this month.  I was thinking of paying off one of my 401k loans and then, having that money freed up to take out another loan if I ever need it.  But, probably not. 

Yesterday, after work, I also took the car to the emissions testing station.  I didn't exactly expect it to pass, but, when you get it inspected, it gives you an idea of what needs to be done.  The fuel mixture is running too rich and "spark" problems, they called it.  In other words, replace spark plugs and wires to deal with that and then - take it to a shop to diagnose the fuel  problem.  I can't just guess, I  have to have a shop do that.  Hook it up to their equipment and the electronics tell them what's wrong.  I will be taking the car to work Monday and dropping it off at a repair facility that is 100 feet down the road from my work.  It is a highly reputable shop and I would rather pay the $75 to find out what's wrong than to start shelling out money on guesses.  Guesses can be VERY costly.  My son can take my car home and drive back and forth to work and school with it.  Oh, well, I can get a 30 day permit to legally drive the thing around and get it done. 

Plus, the trailer tenant volunteered his work to sand the car down and bondo one door of it so we can paint the thing.  The paint is pretty rough on that car, lol.  Just trying to get it presentable, a cheap coat of paint will make it look good again.

Today?  Well, I was going to do some digging on the pond, but - it's going to be 104 and I'm still bucking the temps.  The pond can WAIT - just a few more days and it will be nice outside.  I'll do indoor cleaning tasks instead, plus whatever else comes to mind.

G'day.

ben