This inflation stuff is eating me alive. It is unbelievable the prices or literally everything now compared to even just a year ago!  Water hoses and sprinklers not off that list!  It's just absolutely astounding. The one thing I did find for "cheap" is more of that grass seed, at the same place I bought it last time for $37 per bag, now it's $35!  Yayyy! I bought 3 more, 50 pound bags.  

It's taken me all day to get materials, go to the bank, unload the trailer, drop it off at a daycare center (they want to use it for a Christmas parade on Saturday and I think I won't need it before then, but if I do, I'll just hook up the smaller one) and everything else.

I'm debating whether to go back out to the property today or just get an early start tomorrow.  

The grass seed planted last week is coming up over there.  That's 2 seedings now that are growing. The latest seeding - no of course not, that was just done 2 days ago.  I need to get it watered and get it to start germinating.  To that end, yes, I probably will head back over there but...

I met a friend at Kroger's when I was done with everything else who said she has a friend living with her (she rents out rooms) that is bored, has nothing to do, has no friends in this area and has offered to help me out there.  He is retired and independently wealthy, this isn't about money, or so I'm told anyway.  So I sent him a text message a while ago and if he doesn't respond to that, I'll actually call him.

Some of the older community don't like text messaging, they want an actual phone call. I get that, it took me quite a while to warm up to the idea of texting over talking to people on the phone, but it really is much easier to text when you are busy. Send a text, when they reply, you reply, but you don't have to sit on the phone for 5, 10, 15 - longer minutes talking to someone. I've got the materials - I think anyway - to finish the doggy park, build the fire pit and water the grass seed.  The fire pit rings are showing up within the next week - allegedly anyway.  

Get all of that done, get the grass growing thick and get the weeds cut done and I will open the park.  Ok, it makes no sense to waste daylight, I'm back off to the property. Think I'll take Addler with me this time....: )

 Tomorrow was intended opening day.  I do  have a lot of what I need done, done, in order to do so. But that pesky grass?

Well, the weather didn't help yesterday. Instead of hours and hours worth of rain, we barely got a light sprinkle. I'm not even sure it was enough to wet the seed.  I have no choice but to go up to Lowe's and buy 2, 100 foot long garden hoses and the fan sprinklers - if they even have that stuff this time of year.  I'll be spending days out there just watering grass seed until all of  that stuff starts growing. 

I don't want to know how much that stuff is going to cost, I just have to eat it, grow the grass and move on.  

I got all of the fence posts in yesterday.  I need to buy the gates while at Lowe's, might as well get all of that stuff while I'm there.  Which means I have to go to the property first and get the trailer.  I guess while I'm there I should buy the block to build the large fire pit.  There isn't any good reason to go Lowe's and not get everything I need from there, save me trips, gasoline and time.  

I have no idea when the fire pit rings are coming. I just know that I ordered them. I also know that you don't have to do anything special to "install" them. You can do stuff with blocks, sand and other materials but it isn't required. I literally don't have the time or even the desire at the moment to build a fancy setup for each ring. It's going to be put on the ground where I want them and that will be that.  

My sleep hasn't been the greatest lately and I find myself waking up much later than I should be.  It's now 9:00 am and I should have been out there by now. Instead, I just got out of the shower, writing this post and drinking a hot cup of coffee.  It's going to be cool out today, but I will be working so that isn't going to bother me.  I think I'm going to start going to bed at a set time and get up at a set time regardless of how good or bad the sleep was.  

I'm just going to keep plugging away at this park until it's ready to go.  When it's ready, it's ready. I'm not going to stress over it. I'll hope in 2 weeks enough grass has grown that it looks presentable and I can move forward.  And then, it's going to be close to Christmas - really close to Christmas - so I'm not even sure I'll get any guests to start with.

The web designer/expert finally got over this ridiculous nonsense about the campground software and moved on.  I mean, seriously.  I'm the customer, I am paying him, I don't need this kind of attitude from him.  As much as I didn't want to do it, I was definitely ready to fire him and find someone else!  

Now, there is the next situation.  This involves the oil and gas company.  This guy told me that "no one is allowed on the production area".  Lmao.  I'm just going to shy away from these people and do my thing. They have already reneged on their offer to pay for half the gravel - note I didn't ask for the concession, they offered it.  Shrugs shoulders, moves on.  Pour 2 inches of gravel along the part of the driveway I need it for - about 850 feet and forget about tent camping and boondocking for now.  It would be 15 loads of gravel to do the entire driveway, I can probably get away with 7 to do the portion I need.  

Getting to the walking trails doesn't need gravel, I'm not concerned about that. But there is a good portion of the driveway beyond my park area that just turns into mud when it rains and a much thicker base will be needed there. I just don't have the money for that right now and I will just put all of that other stuff on hold.  I will put up my signs pointing hikers to the trailhead but that will be the extent of it.

But this guy telling me that I can't drive over the production area? That didn't even stick with me.  I don't care what he thinks at this point, not after he engaged in the unprofessional behavior that he did the other day.  I don't care if they don't want me on the production area.  I don't know what the contract says, I only have a copy of a contract that is 60 years old.  He sent  that last year and stated that was the contract they are operating from.

I am no lawyer, but that thing says it's good for 5 years.  There must be a new contract along the way there, dude.  At some point I would think there is a 100 year  contract since that is apparently the norm in the industry. Even if the now-60-year-old contract is a 100 year contract, it won't end in my lifetime so I'm stuck with it.  When the contract ends and if there is still gas flowing, then I could get royalties. Now, how long will that well pump out gas? I have no idea - maybe there's enough down there to last 100 years, maybe there's enough for another 10, I have no way of knowing. If it dries up, they'll close it down and abandon it. 

Then I wouldn't have to deal with them.  For now? I am going to enforce a 10 MPH speed limit.  I followed one out not long ago to clock him, he was going 21 mph.  

I am going to have to find out what the contract says about the production area.  There was a conversation I had with the gas guy on the phone last year where he was commenting on a land owner that was driving right through the production area on his land.  The gas guy was not happy about it but apparently his hands were tied.  

I doubt they can stop me from driving on MY property, whatever portion of it that I'm on.  They are only leasing the land. Obviously I can't interfere with their operation or mess around with their equipment. That's a granted.  But that production area would cut me off from the rear 15 acres of my land and that is not a happening event.  I can see them trying to install a locked gate to keep me from going through there. That's  how arrogant and crass that company is.

I would just cut the lock. I already have a padlock cutter from the last time we went through this. THAT gate has been taken down, thank you very much. The gas workers weren't even closing it, much more locking it shut.  That went on for over 6 months before I had all of that taken out of there.  

I don't need or want contention with those people.  It doesn't serve any good purpose. But, they are the party that acts out, makes outrageous demands and attempts to dictate the conversation. HOWEVER. They have FAR more money than I do and going to court isn't really a great idea.  Lawyers cost a lot of money and I don't have tens of thousands of dollars to waste on that 

What I do know, is that they cannot touch my RV park. It is not in any easement area, excepting using the main driveway.  I have written permission from them to do that. At first they said no, but then they relented and said okkkkkkk. Lol. It is in writing, that's all I need.  

Well, enough of that. It's time to get out of here, get the supplies and get to the property.  Hook up the hoses, get that going and then start working on the fencing part of the doggy park.

G'day