So, it's Thursday.  

Got up this morning, got out front, hooked the hose adapted and fired up the boat.  Cold blooded beast, takes a while before it will start running smoothly. But it's an old 6 cylinder 2 stroke, so it's really not that bad.  I wondered how it would run on the lake, under back pressure and the only way to find that out was to take it to the lake and see what happens. 

The thing took a while to get running smoothly, something I guess I'll just have to live with, but after that I had no problems at all.  I ran it all over the look at various speeds and then idled down and let it sit for several minutes idling.  It started to cut out so I gave it some gas and took off again.  Having had run the thing all around a huge portion of the lake - there were other boats but none of them in that area - I then took it to the "dock"- a primitive ramp with no pier, no place to actually place your boat besides just aiming for land and beaching it.  

So I beached it with it idling, never quit (a miracle in itself from everything else that was going on with it before), got the suv and backed the trailer into the water.  Well, I backed it too far in apparently and lessons learned with a small ding on the boat.  After a couple of tries to get that thing lined up with the trailer, I rode it in there, but apparently too fast and because the trailer was too deep in the water, it hit the crank.  I was like, dang.  I could have saved it, too, if I had known it was going to do that simply by putting it in reverse and hitting the gas.  I'm new to this, lol. Old boat, no worries, one of the reasons I wanted to start out with something older. If I screw up, at least it's not a 40k piece of technology that I just trashed.  

The incident got me to forgetting about the motor idling tho.  I was about to pull the boat out and realized that I had not only left the motor idling, I also hadn't tilted it up to avoid the prop from smashing on the ground.  I think I need to write down the procedure for launching and capturing the thing until I have it solidly in my head.  Just little things you can forget and if you forget them, that little thing can be costly.  I was amazed, however,, that it had idled that long with no issues at all. It was just sitting there purring away.  

On the way back, tire blew out.  I really thought it had good tires on it, if I didn't I would have replaced them.  These two - black - guys were right behind me when it blew out. They pulled over in front of me, got out and offered assistance.  Considering I was rather screwed - no spare tire - I handily accepted that offer. I only mentioned their skin color, by the way, because of all the s*** going on in America now.  I absolutely do not believe that America is deeply infused with racism.  I believe we are all God's handiwork and can choose to see beyond whatever color your damn skin is. These 2 were in the poor department, driving an old beat up truck and pulling a beat up trailer. But- they go around looking for the odd jobs to keep their pockets filled with some money in them.  

I had a long talk with the driver of the pickup - the other decided he was getting into the back of the truck to allow me to have room to sit in it. No rear seats. I rejected that notion, we can all sit together, there is room. No, he declared. So, I just got in and we talked a long time about everything.  I mean, I have had black friends and I have had numerous, various encounters with black people throughout my life and the personal encounters haven't been all bad and usually very amicable.  Just saying here, we can get past all of this bs the media is pumping out right now.  Look beyond what a person looks like - whether young, old, white, black, brown, red, yellow, whatever religions, whatever else comes to your mind.  

I was particularly encouraged that they get out and hustle every day, do whatever they can find to do, mostly their main thing is cutting down trees but they'll do whatever, they bust their asses and don't feel like they are being left behind or that society owes them anything.  I've been poor, I know what it's like, no one needs to tell me what it's like struggling from day to day.  I think we probably spent about an hour and a half with this endeavor, from pulling the wheel off, going to the tire shop, getting the new tire and getting back and putting it back on.  I handed them $80 for their generosity - they didn't ask for anything either.  I thought that not only fair, but I have always thought it a good idea to help out your fellow man/woman.  They helped me, I could only help but give them something back.  

The experience was enriching and rewarding beyond any flat tire.  

Anyway, at the tire shop I got a text from the dispatcher: it's run to Morris, Illinois. It's not that much further up the road than the Mapleton run, I think it's an extra 50 miles, but that 50 miles changes how the run works.  It's still a 3 day run, but the 3rd day is all day driving, not half a day.  I will go up to Kenny's tomorrow, spend the night there as with the Mapleton run, but then driving up to Morris will add 100 miles considering going up and back, so I won't make it to Newport tomorrow. I will be happy if I make it to the truck stop on the state line in Missouri just south of Neelyville. That leaves 450 miles left to go, if I recall correctly.  

Yesterday - Maria texted me that the lawyer wasn't going to pay the rent and that they needed to move out immediately.  What.  My first thought anyway. We just moved you both in there and you're telling us that the deal isn't a deal anymore?  So I texted Kim, who called me instead of texting back. She was rather pissed that Maria had texted me that, although the situation can be dire, it's not hopeless.  The problem is her brother hired some sort of management company to deal with Kim's portion of the inheritance and it said they couldn't pay the rent, she needed to buy a house with the money instead.  

Okkkkkkkkkkk - so buy a d*** house! She knew this all along, apparently, but opted for renting.  Well I remember this now from a while back. She could buy a house if she wanted to but for unknown and undefined reasons wanted to rent.  Whyyyyy?  I'd FAR rather own a house than rent one. But, the stipulation in the will is that the house can be charged rent back to her.  So, even tho the trust bought the house, if the brothers so decide, they can charge her rent.  It makes more sense now, sort of.  The father wanted her to stay on all forms of government assistance that is possible and likely if you own a house, you aren't going to be getting that assistance. But after that thought, I wondered - the house probably won't be in her name, so that shouldn't matter.  Kim isn't telling us the whole story of her relationship with her father.

But, he did leave her the money, over a million dollars I am hearing, just with huge stipulations. So, I said yesterday, but a house, a huge house on lots of land.  Have the option of extra bedrooms and you can rent them out if you need to pay the rent if they charge you for it, plus left over to pay for the utilities which I don't think the will left any provision for.  She doesn't think well, she drinks too much, is drunk too often and I was goading her to be honest. DO something about your situation, ,call your brothers, humble yourself, don't get into a fight with them, you are really at their mercy with this situation.  That's the lines I was taking with her the entire conversation. They can help her immensely - or they can opt not to help her at all.  The will was far too wishy washy and left gaping grey areas.  

There are usually only temporary lapses in drama in life, I have found over and over.  I was highly irritated at the thought of moving them again after just having moved them into that house. BUT, if it's in a permanent residence, I can see that.  Taylor says that Kim doesn't want to live in this area is her hesitance of buying a house here. Fine, move to wherever she wants to move to and get it done!  It's all pretty clear cut for me, not so much for her.  She isn't getting any younger, she could have a nice property with a beautiful home if she wants it.  I'd love an opportunity to talk with the brothers.  But I'm a 3rd party, no involvement except my input to Kim.  

On another note, a friend of James and Taylor came today.  Why? Because marital issues.  She lives in Dallas. Sweet lady.  She came into the house without knocking, but she has her own keys apparently.  Why I do not know.  Anyway, she knocked on my bedroom door alerting me that she's here. So, we spent some time chatting on the front porch.  

And now? I'm doing laundry and preparing for what else - the first load, get up at 4:00 am. I can only dream of getting a good night's sleep. It almost never happens on first load and I am perplexed why I have such issues sleeping on the night before it.  Going to bed early doesn't help.  So I'll probably go to bed at a time to get 7 hours of sleep.  

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A few hours later and almost time for bed.  James set a fire in the pit, I enhanced the fire with the amount of junk we need to get rid of.  It's burning nicely : )   Well actually it's past time for bed for  8 hours sleep. I gave up on that long ago on early loads.  I burned up the cardboard - a lot of it.

I'm ready for my next trip. The lead mechanic texted me a pic of the dash - no more notices of the wingman being inoperative. I've driven 3,000 miles without cruise control - that's not fun, I can tell ya. My leg is hurting after holding the accelerator down almost 11 hours  I get out of the truck and walking like a man with a broken leg until a walk it off.  I can stretch my legs out when it's on cruise control, on an open highway with no or very little traffic to deal with.

Oh, I purchased the refrigerator for my son Caleb.  A bit pricey, but I got a long term warranty on it and it's a 25.5 cubic foot unit - much nicer for size than what they were originally looking at. It will be delivered there in time for them to move in.  It should be anyway, It's my housewarming gift - he's my son, not just a friend and I am glad to give them something quality that they were going to skimp on. It should serve them well for years to come.  

And with that, I'm off to bed. Goodnight.  Y'all take care, have a good evening and be blessed.