Well....

Thursday - mid morning

Yesterday was interesting.  This new guy - been there a month now - kept calling me asking me to come get money.  Ok..he's 5 days early but if he insists on paying, I'll take his money.  I was busy with cutting weeds, but whatever.

So I go over there, knock on the door. This dude opens the door and almost falls out of the trailer.  He was stone cold drunk.  I don't mean slightly buzzing, he was drunk as a buzzard, standing there, barely able to stand up.  His speech was slurred and his breath smelled of beer.  I'm not even a cop but anyone could easily make these determinations just from standing close enough to him having a casual conversation.

He hands me the money, chit chatting the entire time and then, maybe 2 minutes later, asks me if he had paid me the rent?  Yes, you just handed it to me.  After telling me how great the park is and going on about wanting to do some deer hunting in the rear of the property - and if he could, he would have the deer processed and give me some of the meat - he then stated he was leaving for west Texas for 5 days.  

Uhhh, have you been drinking? Yes I've probably drank a 12 pack.  Now, mind you, it's 11:00 am.  We're not even out of the morning hours and this guy has downed a 12 pack already?  He wasn't being belligerent, nasty, foul or obnoxious, he's a nice drunk. But the idea that he was about to go driving 700 miles or however far his friend was away?  Well I hope you aren't leaving any time soon.

After the conversation, he went back into his trailer and I went back to work. I was tidying up the 3 people's lots and was picking up trash and noticing piles of dog poop that need cleaned up.  I didn't get to that yesterday, I shouldn't have to get to that at all.  I wasn't paying attention to his trailer, but 20 minutes later I looked up and he was gone.  I don't kind kindly to drunk drivers. They are a clear threat to everyone on the road.  Not just themselves.  They kill people, maim people, send people to the hospital, destroy lives and destroy property.  

I haven't heard from the trucking company this week - yet - there is no reason to believe they won't continue on with wanting to hire me considering all the phone calls and time spent yapping away on the phone with them as well as an extensive background check that isn't free to them.  I think this is why, now that I think about it, a lot of companies want the full application filled out at the very least before they do anything. And then, they talk to you on the phone first.  They want a commitment that you are going to work for them, that is what this company did for me before they ever did the tasks of checking my information.

It costs them good money and why throw it away on people that aren't serious?  But, the trucking industry is brutal.  Companies treat you like a number on the screen and after you've been driving for any length of time, you tend to start treating them right back the same way, even if unconsciously doing so.  

I'm not even looking for jobs today, I have too much to do over there.  The RV has a propane leak and I am going to try my best to find the source of it and fix it.  I only need gas to the stove, everything else should have been bypassed.  I know the water heater line has a plug on the end of it.  I will try my best to find the leak, otherwise, I'm going to have to pay the dude to come see if he can find it. It's that or perhaps somehow run a new line to the stove.  

Whatever this itching has been, it's finally subsided to the point it's almost gone.  It's been a great relief not to have itching going on all over the place.  I have no definitive cause for it, but as I have stated, it's likely something over at the park that is causing an allergic reaction of some sort.  

And I was forced to take an owner's draw.  No choice in the matter, my hope is based on people staying and paying.  I'll be on the NJ lady's doorstep on the 27th.  Well, no, I'll just text her. She says her money comes in between the 27th and the 29th.  She claims to pay up to current. I've only got enough in the business account to cover that giant electric bill - but I've got plenty of time to collect numerous rents and perhaps, get some new people in. Lots of inquiries, no one has moved in yet. 

I'm not going to worry about it.  I've got probably $200 worth of quarters to wrap up and deposit plus $400 cash given to me yesterday, the NJ lady, another payment from the RV lady - well 2 payments by then, the 3 people if they stay and a couple of others.  It's close to 4 grand worth of payments before the due date for electricity.  IF that money all comes in, I'll make this work. Having more people move in would be an extra added bonus.  Overnighters are helping here and there.  Another $100 to be collected from 2, 3-day stays coming up.  But, the credit card company is going to take it's share which will probably be around $200.  I'm getting more cash payments and I was informed that people paying with debit cards, the credit card processing companies aren't allowed to charge near as much as with a regular credit card.

This coming from the campground software owner who contacted me after I sent an inquire to the card company about processing fees. Cash app is also a popular payment method which costs me nothing as long as I opt to take payment on the "free" column where you wait several days for them to give it to you. Presumably, they are a bank that uses the money sitting in their account as loan money to whoever/however the same as regular banks do.  I've told people that I have to start collecting another 3.1% on top of the rent payment to cover those fees - I'm not eating them. Every business has to pay those fees, some more some less. A lot of them bake the cost of it into the cost of their products.  

Well, I can't do that unless I raise rates and I would rather keep the rate lower and just tell them flat out they are going to have to pay the extra fee or pay me some other method.  One of them opted to start writing checks, which is fine by me.  

Alright, another miserably hot day slated for 104 degrees and who knows what the real-feel will be like, I best be thinking about getting over there and starting to look for this leak.  It's just a matter of using a spray bottle with a mixture of water and dish soap mixed in. It bubbles up if you spray it on a leak.  I wouldn't think copper lines would sprout leaks anywhere but where there are fittings.  So, that's going to be my focus, find the junctions where it splits off and spray them.  Start at the cylinder and move on back.   

I was just enjoying my second cuppa.  I gave up the fast last night, I was getting so miserable I couldn't deal with it anymore. I will try again next week, back on Keto for now.  I made it almost 2 full days, that's all I can say about that.  I can say that I felt much better after I ate something.  Namely, taco stuff.  I took all the leftover meat and froze it, but they decided they wanted tacos yet again last night.  Fine by me.   

I have the 2 briskets to cook.  Not today.  And I need to go to walmart with the flat tire.  I have no choice but to replace the thing.  So another $40-something down the drain.  I've cut back as far as I can buying stuff for the property, but some things you just have to do. 

And finally, the GOP debate last night hosted by Fox News.  The only ones that looked like they might have made gains last night was Vivek and DeSantis. Haley made a few good points, Christie made himself look like a total @$$, Scott was boring, Pence had a better showing then anything I have seen from him yet, but in the end, I think it's just going to be Trump, Vivek and DeSantis on the ballot for the nomination. At least some of those contenders are going to drop out.  Some governor I never heard of and another person I don't know.  I assume some of these people are hanging on to try and "guarantee" themselves a position on the cabinet or appointment to some high level of power in some agency.  I could see Vivek in some capacity on a Trump team, DeSantis has said he is only running for president, he wouldn't accept a VP invitation.  The rest of them aren't going anywhere.  They might gain a few points after that debate, but seriously doubtful any of them will rise anywhere close to Trump's polling numbers.

That's it. Time to run up to Walmart and then over to the park.  

G'day.