Addler is ok, is the good news. The unpleasantries of shoving even more pills down dog throats hits home as Addler needs 2 antibiotics, twice a day and a pain pill every 12 hours until they are gone.  He wasn't a particularly hungry dog this evening and he has a cone on his head.  He isn't allowed to go running around all over the place outside, so his outside ventures are to be just enough to get a drink and potty.  We are in for a tough week and I won't be here for all of it.  We already are shoving 2 pills down the shepherd's throat once a day before meal time, every day for the rest of her life. 

I hate to have to leave that cone on his head all night long, but he licks his butt - all night long.  Just can't have that, it can open up the wound and then back to the vet and another big bill and no thanks.  He isn't enjoying life right now, I can't do anything to change that.  

The vet sent the mass she took out off to have it tested.  She said it was connected internally and she had to take out a lot more than she had expected, including the anal glands on one side.  She knows what she's doing, I can't imagine having to do surgery on any animal or human in that particular region of the body.  I do hope this is the end of it, whatever it is and that we don't have any further action needed to be taken.  

One can hope.  

I did not hear back from the contractor, he stated he would get me a quote by the end of the day, I figured he wouldn't end up being able to do that. In fact, he doesn't even do that particular quote, he says his lead foreman would have to come and work up a quote on that.  If it's less than 10 grand I'd be shocked.  I'm not saying I want a bill that high, but yea, I can see it going way up there.  Which is why I am considering changing the parameters of my pre-determined route of doing this setup to save money.  The pre-existing driveway is looking better and better all the time.  

A fresh, light coating of iron ore on the existing driveway, fix a problem spot and it's done.  Now all I have left is another driveway to be built and I'm going to have to give notice that that truck simply cannot park there anymore. I  am not going to fix all of that only to have him come and destroy it.  That would piss me off.  The next time the truck is parked there, I'm simply going to put a sign on the window.  "this property is being converted into a business and as such, this driveway is going to be used for such purposes.  We cannot have this truck parking here (this is private property) and continuing to tear up the front of the driveway and taking up space.  We are sorry for the inconvenience, but we can no long allow you to park here.  May I suggest the storage place at the corner of 80 and 390? It is only $50 per month and a truck could easily fit in there." Or - they can build their own driveway and spend the money, that's on them. They are renters, so I doubt they would want to do that. 

Some day - well down the road, I would want to approach the owner of the house and make him an offer to buy. Tear the house down, get rid of all of that junk and either replace it with cabins or just have nothing there.  It is something of an eyesore. There are natural ways to block the view of it - but growing plants takes many years to get big enough to do anything.  A 6 foot fence would also help to block the view - and that may be something in the works down the road a piece when I get a better financial foothold.  A 6 or even 8 foot tall fence might actually be a better route.  Cheaper and blocks out the view and sets the perimeter. This is my land, thank you, not trying to be an ass, but I am taking possession of it.  I really don't know what kind of potential trouble I am going to run into with these people, they are not friendly.  I've tried waving at them dozens of times, only once did a person wave back and she doesn't even live there.  

There is plenty of unused land on the east side, 3 different tracts.  It's all the same owner who also owns the house.  I could see someday making an offer for the portions that have towering pines.  

Anyway, I'm only musing about that because I am going to have to deal with it and after I get this entry done, I am going to write out and print a letter to the truck owner. I don't know how long they've lived there, but no one has ever done anything with my land besides the gas well so i guess they just figured they could do whatever they wanted.  The truck is a total eyesore besides tearing up the driveway.  Yes, I'm a trucker but yes, this truck is ugly.  Dollar General plastered all down the sides and the back of it and an old, ugly looking tractor pulling the thing.  

One thing I would like to do is avoid court battles and even sheriff's deputies having to get involved.  If I were parking on someone else's land, I would have asked the owner beforehand if I could park there.  I guess that's just me, but having a tow truck come out and tow a truck away? The owner is going to pay 1 to 2 grand for that service and they are probably not going to be too happy about it.  I will always go back on the fact that that house has plenty of land to build a driveway on the other side of it if they so desired.  They just put in a huge garden over there, like a mini farm type of thing.  

This is ugliness I just don't want to deal with, but I have no choice.  I was going to do this over a week ago and simply spaced it out what with the vacation that was coming up and getting a bit excited about the land being cleared and the timber being burned.  But yes, it's time to take the initial steps and attempt to at least work this out without any kind of confrontation. Just a polite, please find another place to park your truck, give a suggestion of a place that is about 3 miles away - and cheap monthly rate - and thank you very much. Here is my phone number, call with any questions.  It all came back into my mind once I saw where the truck had been parked and after this last rain, he had put a large number of deep ruts into the driveway starting at the street and coming back probably 100 feet worth.  It is obvious he was doing backing maneuvers to get the truck in there.  

Look, I don't take my truck home, I have no choice but to park it at the yard in Longview, 30 miles away.  

Ohhh and the lock on the gate.  I dunno who did it, but the lock was cut off and discarded on the side of the driveway.  There is nothing back there worth stealing so it was either the contractor or the county fire department - both of which have the gate code for I gave it to them.  But, a worker might have tried to get back there and didn't know the code and just decided to cut the thing off.  I dunno, but I suspect I will be hearing from the gas company about it.  Of course, the main gas company never replied to my email about their employee speeding down the driveway......

Anyway, enough of this.  I am going to bed early along with the rest of the house that apparently is already in bed.  Like, it's only 8:30, lol

g'nite