Today's plans went out the window. I completely forgot about family picture day.  We are going out to a local establishment that apparently has a nice picture taking area and having a professional photographer take photos of the family.  Yup, I've been around here long enough to be treated as family - for the better and the worse lol.

Why does it throw everything out the window? Just going to take up the day, I suspect.  

BTW, I have pretty much learned most of what I need to know about the campground software stuff. I have inputted everything that needs to be done - that I know of anyway.  I've also paid for it. This coming week, the man is going to install it on the website and off we go.  Nope, it won't be accepting reservations right off the bat, that option will be turned off until I'm ready to start.  Since it is highly unlikely the grass will be grown enough in the next 4 days, opening day is being put off.

It's not really the greatest thing, it just is what it is.  

I mean, I could take guests in on the first - that's when the insurance begins, but to what end.  There will be nothing but parking spaces and dirt. Well, okay, the grass is growing, it just taking it's time.  Longer than I hoped for, I can tell ya that.  I'm looking at mid December.  And getting close to Christmas, who knows what kind of business I might get?  Maybe travelers passing through.  Locals wanting long- term - maybe.  

Which reminds me, I need to find out what site this insurance company wants me to use to do background checks. That's for long term only, not short term guests.  They require it and I don't mind doing it as long as I have a site that is already identified and payment option on the website. I am not paying for someone to have their background checked. If they don't want to pay for that, then they can go somewhere else.

Okay, that is done, request sent to insurance company. When I remember things I need to do and I can do it right now, I get it done. 

It turns out there are lots of places offering crushed concrete in this area. It was the SB2 that had limited supply chain here.  I will be contacting literally all of them for pricing per ton including delivery which includes a must-have of using 10-wheeler dump trucks that can chain the dump door open and dump the gravel while it's moving.  Non-negotiable on that part, I can rent a tractor with a box attachment to spread it if need be but I don't want to have to do too much work. If the driver is good, he/she can dump it nicely while moving along and minimal spreading need be done. 

If anything I am seeing is correct, crushed concrete is far cheaper than SB2 and it will cost more for delivery than the material itself. This would be good news if true.  SB2 was $37 per ton, Crushed concrete is being listed as "averaging" $14 per ton in this area.  We'll see.  I'll do the entire driveway if it's cheap enough.  Why wouldn't I have used crushed concrete on the new driveway and pads? Crushed concrete doesn't last as long and doesn't compact near as well. It's inferior product. 

But, on a fully established driveway that is already compacted, it will work well enough.  

I am still a bit shocked that the contractor didn't charge me anything for the dozer work or the trackhoe work for reinstalling 3 sections of storm drainage pipe and spreading the gravel.  

I thanked him profusely, I will say that.  

Anyway, it's time to get offa here. 

 Sunday - Morning

Much of what I have been writing about for quite a while is related to the business/property and all of the things that have to come together to make it happen.

Is that all I do with my time? Absolutely not.  It's on my mind a lot - probably too much - but it's certainly not all that I do.  The other day, we went up to the square to watch the official light ceremony that starts the season for the "Wonderland of Lights" in this town.  They dress the old courthouse up - pretty large building - with lights all over it and then we all do a countdown standing around it and walaah!  They flip the switch, the lights go on and Christmas season has officially begun!

We had card night 2 nights ago. That was at one of the other people's house.  It didn't go very late, half the people there had started at 3 am to go to Black Friday events.  Around 10:30 it was time to leave.  No problem for me, I tend to start getting sleepy around 10:00 pm on any given night and I'm ready to go to bed.  But we had fun.  It was a wonder that they had wanted to do card night tho, after being out literally all day long and having had started that early in the day!

I take the dog to the property frequently enough on non-business related hiking ventures.  Addler loves it and I enjoy it as well.  

I used to go out to eat probably more than I should. I have curtailed that greatly. It's expensive and it is not necessarily the healthiest food, shows up on the belly.  I've got a pretty good sized belly going right now, lol, I determined last night I would be going back on the diet.  About the time I start inching closer to the 230 pound range, I'm done, it's time to get back on the diet and at least get back down into the 2-teens range.  I haven't been below 200 in quite a while.

I also watch reruns of old shows at night.  Star Trek The Next Generation, Bonanza and The Big Valley to name a few.  There is a new show out called "Scary People" that goes into the lives and the minds  of people that have gone around killing innocents.  It's interesting because most of the names are names anyone that has been around for a while have heard of and probably lived through the reigns of terror. Such as John Wayne Gacey. It's also interesting because they often times have the people that worked those cases trying to solve them commenting on the different phases of the investigations throughout the show.

I also go to church here and there.  Last week was an interesting sermon that touched home. I usually only go if the kids want to go -which they do but on days such as today where they aren't even out of bed yet and it's 10:00 am? Probably not.  This is their last day of Thanksgiving break, they will be back in school tomorrow.  It's good, I suppose, that the oldest had the time off, he got very sick, feverish, head/chest cold, lots of coughing, etc.  He's still coughing and runny nose.  I've been taking zinc to try and ward off any sickness. So far, I actually feel no symptoms whatsoever!  Will it continue that way? I have no idea.  It was bad that the oldest got sick during his break as well. He didn't get to do very much but sit at home and rest.  Not exactly a fun vacation for a child.

I think about the Lord a lot.  I feel like I'm not really where I'm supposed to be to some extent.  But if I weren't here, where should I be?  Maybe that's not it. Perhaps it's more I'm not doing what I should be doing, especially in context of my missionary years.  I still help people - frequently - but I am not going around preaching and telling people about Jesus like I used to.  I dunno, there seems to be so much hate and anger among the citizenry of this great land of ours right now, I believe God is the only thing that is going to change anything.  Most of the people that are being broadcast over the airwaves and the big names in the media and in social media are atheists or agnostic. They do not speak for the majority of the citizens in this nation, IMO.  But people are led  to believe they are speaking for everyone.  

God is greater!

But, I always get back to the business of getting this business - going.  I feel like if I can get it done and going,  a lot of pressure will be taken off of me and I can focus on other things. Such as getting another trucking job and getting some income flowing back in.  Will the RV park succeed? Well I certainly hope so! I've got a lot of money riding on this one!  I think a worst-case scenario with it is that it becomes a park full of long term tenants and I will be making far less on it than I am hoping with having more short term guests coming and going.  

All long-term tenancy would equal gross receipts of $7,350 per month at the rate I am going to charge.  That includes electricity. So you take out electric, water, insurance... all the expenses plus taxes before you get to any profit. From the profit, I have to "pay myself" and pay federal income tax out of that.  Imagine that. I make money that is taxed only to be taxed again to actually get the profits.  This wouldn't bother me so much if the rate of the taxation wasn't so high. 

However.  I intend on charging rate taxes back to the guests.  Most places do not just absorb taxes, you will see on your receipt the cost of an item or service and then the cost of the taxes related to it.  So, now that I think of it, the $7,350 per month wouldn't include any taxes, those would be paid for on every reservation. 

Now, if I had ALL short term and I had the place filled 100% of the time, we are looking at almost 15 grand per month.  It isn't impossible to predict 80% occupancy, many parks are reporting 80% to 100% occupancy at all times. But, this is a new park, number one and it's also going into winter. Snow birds coming from northern states might be traveling through to south Texas or over to Florida, but is there that much of a market right now? I can only find out by opening up the park.

I've already paid up the insurance for an entire year.  I paid up everything related to construction costs, I owe nothing to the contractor/s.  The power is on, the water is on. The power company sent me the first bills. There are 2 bills because of 2 services, which is what I was afraid of.  However, since no power is being used yet? Each bill was only $3.50. I can tell ya I was holding my breath opening up that envelope!

The septic system isn't turned on - but it doesn't need to be yet.  It isn't being used, lol.

So what's left? Grass, install more signs, get some more gravel on the old driveway.  Install wifi system - even if a marginal, cheap system to start with.  I can't really afford a high dollar system right now and it's not a huge priority. Lots of RV'ers have their own internet they take with them everywhere. Starlink, Verizon, ATT, etc.  

I need a riding mower, finish the doggy park fencing and also cutting out roots sticking up.  I will be finishing up the doggy park this week.  I have all the fencing already, I just need to get a couple of gates.  I have to number the lots - easy-peasy and I just bought the numbers, they will be going on the electrical pedestals.  

I'll be talking with the gravel man this week. Going over to his place and seeing what they have. SB2 is nice - but it's expensive and I don't want to pay for it for a shared-use driveway. Shared with the Gas company that refuses to pay for any of it after initially offering it.  I finally got out of the guy a few days ago that he had been "overridden" by higher ups and that is why he canceled the deal.  I have gone over all of their heads since they don't want to discuss anything and have contacted their mother company.  I'm not saying the mother company will actually do anything, but it is the last resort.  

I'm having gravel installed regardless, I can't have a driveway that turns into mud every time it rains.  From the street to the entrance to my park is over 800 feet.  Hence the idea that its' going to be cheap gravel that will serve the purpose. That entire driveway actually needs to be done tho.  I can't have boondocking further back, that idea is off the table as well as tent camping.  Well, I can have those things, just not when it rains.

Yeah, that doesn't work.  I can't say on the website: "Tent camping and boondocking available during dry days only. Any rain in the forecast will implement a cancellation of your reservation, sorry for the inconvenience, have a nice day!".  How much will it cost to run the entire driveway? I have no idea, as I said, I will use cheaper material, but I don't yet know the cost per ton.  It's likely going to be crushed concrete.  That stuff is much cheaper than SB2.  I informed the gas company I would be dumping gravel and sending them a bill for half of it, lol.  

I also need to get the weeds cut down.  Whether I find a place that rents a brush hog setup or have to pay someone to do it, it has to be done.  

There's plenty left to do, is what I'm saying and I'm definitely going to get with it starting tomorrow. Today? I am going to see about building those benches.  Today and tomorrow are supposed to be sunny, so if it dries up enough, I will be dumping grass seed over top of where I have already dumped it.  More rain coming this week.  I will also put in 2 4x4's for the other sign and likely install the rest of the small signs, including the walking trail signs.  

Oh, the gas company. Had the gall to tell me that no one is allowed on the production site.  Lmao.  Sure, buddy, and tell me how I access the rest of the property?  These people have taken hostile tones with me, that's all.  I complained about some of their employee demeanor and they got defensive.  Yeah, whatever. I've been putting up with it for a while now, I'm done with it.  The part I am really not liking is the speeding down the driveway part.  

I really need to get some help with some of this stuff, but I dismissed the 2 boys after they ran the trailer into the new shed and didn't bother to say anything about it. Bye!  I don't know if they thought they were going to get away with it or what, but I'm stuck with the bill if I want to get it fixed.  It's not bad enough that it is causing any leaks and the wood framing on the inside wasn't damaged, so it's not going to be fixed right now.  

I also need to get the 4 wheeler fired up and take the trailer along the trails and clean up.  That shouldn't take but a few hours.  I need those walking trails ready to go!  Oh, and I want to take a video after cleaning up of the trails while walking them so potential visitors can see what they will be getting if they stay at my place and they do, indeed, like walking.  

Now, that all sounds like a lot, and indeed it is.  But, I'll get it done. Not like I have a choice in the matter. I've dumped the money into this venture, it's time to finish it up and get it rolling..

Happy Sunday.