I decided to take the Vermont run.  My manager called me early this morning - my ringer was shut off so I didn't wake for it - he wanted me to go on an emergency run. Which I would have gladly taken, but i guess by the time I returned his phone call, he had already covered it with someone else.  So he said he was going to find out if the truck was fixed or not - I can't imagine that an EGR valve wouldn't be able to be easily fixed the same day the mechanics started on it so I assume he forgot that I was out of queue because of equipment breakdown.  

Whatever the case, Vermont would be okay at this point, I guess. Freeze my butt off but make guaranteed wage of $2,100 per week working or not working, full day or half day, whatever.  

Ahhh, he finally responded.  "I can put you on equipment moves, will take the better part of a month".  Ok. Where and when.  Let's get this rolling because I'm going to go broke if I don't start getting some work here.  He ignored the Vermont thing so that's fine, I don't mind doing equipment moves, those are also lucrative runs that simply have you dead-heading to point A and moving it to point B. That's usually only one trip tho, taking a month would mean it's much more than just one trailer.  Why do they do this? At this time of the year it would be trailers being moved over to the Eastern seaboard to cover LNG loads for the extra capacity needed to keep up with demand during cold winters.  They stated they were bringing in 100 drivers over there just to cover that. 

Thankfully, I'm not one of them, I really don't like driving over there what with snow, ice, narrow highways and roadways.  If you were reading this when I was in Vermont, it was and hour and a half trip to make 60 miles and that was in good weather.  But I don't mind sneaking in any out with empty trailers lol.

I checked the 4th property. That might have not been such a good move. It's a small property, it's cleaned up but there are giant trees on it and some of them need to come down.  I mean, there is one that is clearly dead. The good thing? It can be felled in the eastern direction and not have to worry about taking down houses, power lines or anything else, the property next door is a vacant lot. I'm going to wait and see if the city sends me any notices about it before proceeding to buy a chainsaw.  They want far too much money to cut them down and I have cut lots of large trees down.  Notch the the side of the direction you want it to fall about 20% into the tree.  Cut a straight line behind the notch.  Pound in wedges on both sides to keep it from falling the wrong direction, then cut the back of it.  Timber!  Okay, I've done it in forests where it didn't matter what direction the tree fell. So I'd start with a smaller tree to make sure I have the technique down.  

The other 2 properties have trees on them, but they aren't "nuisance trees" and do not appear to be in any danger of coming down. One lot needs cleaned up tho.  I'll probably have to do that as well, but that's something I can do without worry about destroying anything lol.  

Okay, we're in a back and forth, me and the manager.  Whatever he's going to come up with, take a deep breath and go deal with whatever the assignment is.  Likely be on the road for several weeks with either scenario.  But whatever, I've been home long enough - I love being home don't get me wrong - reality sinks in that small paychecks don't get me ahead. They may pay the bills but that's it.

In another note of encouragement, however, my 401k's are up to 105k now.  I'm trying to determine what action to take before Biden takes office.  For if he starts decreeing shutdowns and attempting to twist governor's arms or even mayor's arms (as his "plan" allegedly is from what I have read), I have no expectation but that the stock market is going to fall considerably or even crash.  The last crash cost 25k, but I left my stock alone as they advise you to do and it came all the way back up and then some - significantly more actually - in a rather short period of time.  If you're engaging in lockdowns, you are destroying the economy. There is no other way to assess that.  You may be taking the strain off of hospitals, but that is all you are doing, nothing else is accomplished by this besides the destruction of more people's lives through the elimination of life savings, jobs, small business and livelihoods. 

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Still waiting on final word of what I'm doing next, but it needs to occur tomorrow. You know, paychecks and things like that? I could stay home forever and love it - but I wouldn't last very long on the amount of money saved up. Guess I could survive 3 years living a very modest life and just paying bills and debt and nothing else. Lol.  I'm 5 plus years away from Social Security, and that's age 62 stuff, where you take a reduction in the amount you get.  I think I have to stay on it until 65 to get full benefits.  No, I don't want to work for someone else until I'm 65, I'm working on it.  

None of the properties I got will support an RV park, so I am relegated to saving as much money as I possibly can before the next auction and hope I can score something with at least 5 acres.  More would be nice, but I can do with 4 or 5.  And preferably not too terribly far from an exit off the Interstate or the major state highway that runs through here.  The land I have now is well off into the future before I can do anything with it, so that's a nonstarter as it stands.  Ie: sell it or put something on it and gain income from it.  RV parks aren't the only way to acquire income, but building houses isn't cheap and if I have to build a house, those properties will be sold, even if it has to be with owner financing.  I saw a mini house on a lot while I was engaged in all of this, apparently the city allows it.  Who would rent a mini house? At the right price, lots of people.  $500 a month, they cover utilities and yard maintenance, I could easily get someone or a small family to rent one out.  

Or just get the minimum dimensions for a site built home and find some way to build it cheaper than what you would normally get away with.  Think handy-man that has knowledge of how to do the entire project getting paid by the hour type of stuff. Still not cheap, but nothing near as expensive as a house built by a contractor.  So I have 3 properties that - can either sit as they are indefinitely besides keeping the lots cleared - or do something with them.  I have no desire to go to the city today and find out what my options are, especially considering it's at least 6 months before I can do anything with any of them.  

I like that lot by the RR tracks tho. That is really a prime location. Walking distance to Lowe's, Kroger's, Chili's and a myriad of small business that cover the spectrum.  It's just that it is literally right next to railroad tracks that makes it a sour grape for a potential renter.   I dunno how often trains come through there, we don't live near that area.  Other than that, it's a quiet street yet is' right near highway 59, but far enough off of it to keep traffic noise limited.  That lot would be my first pick for putting something up, especially since there is already a mobile home on that street.  Yet, zoning ordinances could have changed since that house was placed there.  

Well, I am just in limbo. My manager said he was "checking on it" - whatever's next - and that was an hour ago.

But enough of this particular entry.

G'day.