Tuesday - not particularly early

They decided I couldn't offload until 2 this afternoon, which I'm going to bypass and be there at noon.  Why I should have to pay for their junk equipment in terms of wasting an entire day is unknown to me.  Just another trucking company.  They're all pretty much the same, some have better perks than others, you might find a few people in one organization that actually care about the drivers - whereas the rest of the personnel don't - but mostly, you are just a number on a computer screen operating their equipment.  They have schedules, so do I.  

I am not shy about telling them about it, either.  I made this stuff perfectly clear before I ever agreed to go to Oregon for training/orientation.

So, if they tried to dump a Sunday run on me this week? I will flat refuse, consequences be damned.  I let the manager know about it, he never replied to that text.  He knows full well that drivers are hard to come by, first off and second off, keep them happy.  They have a few things going far against them as well. Old, junky trucks, old, junky trailers, some of them trashed. Trashed as in being damaged to the point you'd think the thing was in a serious accident. They just keep running them and not fixing the exterior shells.  And finally, lower pay than average.  

My manager has no control over any of that, it's the dude sitting in his lone office in Harrisburg, Oregon that makes the decisions about spending. Buying newer equipment is definitely on his list of things to do, neither is upping the pay.  If I stay long enough and if they don't get rid of me - you never know with these companies - I will demand more mileage and stop pay.  I've already decided to look for greener pastures elsewhere, but - it will have to be substantially better than this current mess.   I don't need lateral moves, I need money.  

I keep getting invitations for debt consolidation loans. Yes, great idea, until you see the interest rates.  25%?  That's no better than credit card interest. Why bother? Does me absolutely no good whatsoever.  

So, I guess tomorrow, if their machine is available, I am going to rent the thing and try to fix the driveway.  I have few other options and those options are more expensive.  The contractor never got over there, never took a look, didn't send his bulldozer operator over there, I have given up on him.  It's just not going to happen, have to accept it and move on.  He was my best hope for getting a pro over there at a reasonable price, everyone else is ridiculous.  If that machine isn't available tomorrow, I will get some of the gravel at the gas well area that is off the beaten path and serves no useful purpose and at least fill in some of the holes.  

I can at least look forward to no more washer/dryer payments and I certainly am not getting another set.  I don't care what anyone over there thinks, I don't have the facilities for it, number one.  We're talking the electricity supply and the ability of the septic system to be able to handle it and I don't want to.  I don't need more debt, I need less. The more things I can pay off, the more I have in my pocket at the end of the day.  Actually, I think the shed is the next thing that will be paid off. When that is done, the only actual strings attached to that property are the mortgage payment and the property taxes.  

Still fretting about property taxes? You bet I am.  It's pay it this month or start seeing ridiculous fees added to it and I don't know when, but at some point, they allow others to pay it for you. Then, you owe them plus fees plus interest - plus plus plus.  I've got some more funds coming in this month what with renting out the alternate lot and people staying at lot 2 on and off and a few more lot rent payments coming up.  Couple that with what should be a decent paycheck and maybe I can swing it.  Maybe.  It's do or die time as far as that is concerned, get it done or start stepping into risky territory.  

As the old saying goes, you never truly own your property even if you have it fully paid for. Amazing Americans just allowed at some point, the government to take your property if you owe back taxes on it, sell it at pennies on the dollar on auction and then you lose everything.  Or, allow them "eminent domain", to come and take your land regardless because they "need" it for something.  Sure, they have to pay "fair market value", supposedly, but I've read the horror stories.  

Well, I am getting close to the time I need to get out of here and I want to be there at or very close to noon.  They can gripe about it all they way, I am the one getting the short end of the stick here.

G'day