Wednesday, April 7, 2021


Home again.

This trip to Oklahoma entailed a dispatcher wanting to know if I could make it back to the yard today by 2:30 pm.  That was before I even left the yard yesterday.  

Of course I hoofed it up there, not stopping but for 3 minutes to go the restroom, took my 30 minute break while doing the drop and hook operation (I normally pull over somewhere and take a nap instead), got back down the road and stopped at my usual spot - got there by 1 am.  

At exactly 10 hours, the clocks reset and I was out of there, back to the yard and done.  My manager informed me - in a nice way of course - that he had checked and that I had quit at 1 am and had started at the exact moment that the clock reset.

Thanks? I guess.  

Mother wanted me to call her - rather urgently it seemed - so I finally got a chance to today.  I don't normally talk on the phone while driving the truck. It's not illegal I just don't much care for it.  I guess I'd like it better if I bought one of those fancy bluetooth headsets - and I could get one free from Love's with my points - but how often would I use it?  Just one more thing to clutter up the truck, but I'll think about it.  Truckers have to have "special" headsets - there is only one ear piece on one side, we aren't allowed to have earphones in both ears.  

Anyway, she decided she wanted to hand out part of her estate.  Asking her why?  I just keep reinvesting it and I think it might help you with your project.  But what if you needed it at some point? Umm, if I thought I would need it, I wouldn't be giving it away.

My mother is very intelligent, but I had to ask anyway.  It's a sizable chunk of change that I won't go into here.  Well, I'll just say it's probably enough to put in a large septic system I may need for any given property.  
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HOURS later.  I just filled out my 2020 tax return since they want it to be able to process the loan.  I'm filling out a loan application and they want a lot of stuff.  I wasn't prepared to do my taxes, but it needed to be done I guess.  Checking account, 401k, pay stubs, etc etc etc.  I had forgotten how involved these types of applications are.  But, I'm motivated and I want to at least try to get this behind me.  I've been working on this so long, it's getting to the exasperation point.  

Another option, however, is to wait for the next tax lien sale in 2 months, saving all that money my m other is giving me and adding it to my savings, I could do some serious bidding with that much cash.  

But, then you wait 6 months before you can do anything with the land.  And, there is no guarantee that if I wait 2 months from now, that there will be any suitable land in the auction.  

On the other hand, I might not qualify for a loan and will have to go that route.  I already have a house payment and they may decide I have too many expenses? Probably not with my income, but who knows how these banks look at things.  I'll wait on their decision, if it's a no, I'll apply somewhere else.  I don't want to rack up too many credit inquiries on my credit score tho.  

So hurry up and wait. That property may sit or it may sell. If I get approved for it and it sells, I'll just ask them to finance another property.  Or not, if there is nothing suitable, it will just have to wait.  

Meanwhile, I have no work tomorrow. Seemed a bit odd with no trucks in the yard.  I don't mind a day off, yet I don't mind working to get caught back up.  I'll probably - probably - try to get that pond set up.  I just get distracted by other stuff that I need to get done - the pond isn't a need. It's a want, yes, need, no.  I have everything I need - I think - to get it set up, get the water filtering and start conditioning it before putting some fish in there.  This setup will have to be far more elaborate than any other ponds I have set up before in order to try to keep birds, snakes, raccoons and other fish eating creatures out of it.  

Whatever the case, I think I will enjoy a movie and vegetate a while.

Good to be home.


 Friday late-morning Typical morning when there is no work.  It was, I should say, until the new guy called.  "There's nothing wron...