Monday - evening

Just got back from kids baseball game.  The boy hit a single to get on first base, but that was it, the next batter up struck out. Their team did horribly against the other team and it showed on some of their faces.  Frankly, the coaching on the boy's team isn't that great.  They need to teach them the basics of baseball and there are drills and sets to perform that will do accomplish that and give them a fighting chance to win some games.  I did that stuff for 10 years and I spent a lot of time researching it.  I mean, kudos to the coaches for volunteering, but please take the time to educate yourselves on how to teach the game to young boys.  It isn't rocket science but there are methods that will get it into their brains.  

I finally contacted the head mechanic about the trailer, I don't want to keep driving it like that.  Are the brakes adjusted? ...after telling him that there is literally nothing happening when I hit the trailer brake lever.  Even if they were out of adjustment, something would happen, it would slow down at least a little bit, not just keep freely rolling.  I asked him about the main valve, that is the only thing I can see that could be doing this, it's located underneath the belly of the trailer, the air lines go in and out of a plastic setup and apparently there is some sort of valve in there. He said no, not likely. I mean, he then said, it is possible but not likely.  

Well, you tell me.  There are no air leaks when the brakes are hit or not.  To think I picked this trailer up from the shop in this condition.  If they even try to blame this on me somehow, I'm going to point out that it has apparently been this way since I got the thing. I didn't realize it because at the same time I was picking up the trailer, I was also getting into another truck. I just thought, boy, the brakes suck on this thing!  But when that trailer is loaded, I'm having to push hard and way down on the brake pedal to get the thing to stop.  

I checked everything there is to check.  He had no suggestions excepting to "bring it to the shop" or "take it somewhere".  These people don't care about your personal life, they don't care how much time it digs into your personal time to deal with this old garbage, it's rather annoying.  I just said I would take it to Love's tomorrow after loading. 

But, after thinking about it, why do that? I have the second load, I can take it to Love's before I load.  I'm just afraid Love's is going to say "it is a 3 hour wait".  And then, that they may not be able to figure out what's wrong with it. But, I am going to try at least.  I am also going to take my laptop with me this time, might as well have something to do while waiting. 

So, the dog lady moved out and now a man moved into her spot.  That's good, because I'm fixing to lose even more people.  The one month stay decided to stay an extra week, but that's up Wednesday and he said he's going to be out of there.  And then the 2, used to be 3, welders.  At least one of them has to leave, maybe both.  So, that will be as many as 3 open spots.  I did get a call today from a man saying he wants to move in - but not until the beginning of next month. Well, that's a long time from now.  I can live without the money?  I'll rent all of my lots as people call, I'm not holding the lot for him for 3 weeks and lose that income?  No thank you.  Unless no one comes in.....

I just juggle the stuff the best I can.  It's a lot of on the spot decision making.  This person wants this for x amount of time, another person wants to come in right now, do you have a spot? And I have to sit there and think about it for a minute to understand who is coming in when.  I have a lot of overnight reservations booked in the next month.  

Anyway, not looking forward to tomorrow in trying to get that trailer fixed, preparing myself for a long day.  

Yes, the tractor is still on my mind.  Every time I drive down that driveway, it is so terrible right now with potholes and washboard grooves.  I think the rain has finally stopped, but I don't have a day off for quite a while now and anyway, I need to get over to AZ. Now that I've talked to mother, this situation doesn't sound near as dire as it sounded at first.  It's not good, tho, that's for sure.  I am still going soon, just have to figure out the best time when.  

Oh, well the tractor.  I'm thinking, why can't it wait? If the monthly payment is the same as renting it for 8 hours, might as well rent one for 8 hours - well it's 8 hours of use allotted, you can have it up to 24 hours - and put that off for a while?  I'm just stuck on 7 years worth of payments.  Ouch.  At the same time, if I had a tractor, I wouldn't have to wait until I have days off to do it. Just get on the machine after work, run up and down the driveway for awhile, smooth everything out, good to go. 

And grass.  Why won't grass just start growing on the pads like it is everywhere else on the front portion of the property?  

I'm fixing to have around 6k, maybe more, in the next several days in the business account. Haven't seen that in there in a while.  This after paying all but one bill for this month, the shed which is $221.  

I feel like I am getting overwhelmed by this stuff and I just have to stop.  Stop thinking about it, stop stressing over it and just hand it over to the Lord.  That's what I would like to say anyway.  And I do. I just put it out of my mind and focus on other things until I can get back to these matters and try to get some fresh thinking about it. 

I still wonder if the IRS is going to target me for an audit. I am certainly not one of the rich people that they have flat out admitted they are going to target for increased auditing. But, who wants to get targeted by the IRS? No one, regardless of income.  I dunno, I think I have that tax return right, whether it is or isn't? Who knows. It won't be shocking to me to see them start using AI to scan every single return.  They won't need all of those people, they can program AI to scan everything in a fleeting moment.  

Should you worry about an agency that literally funds the US government?  IE: collects the money to make it run?  I dunno, what do you think?  They can put you in a world of hurt.  Hence, I have done my best to keep everything on the up and up.  I have hundreds and hundreds of paper receipts and all of it has been uploaded to quickbooks as well and categorized.  The high expenditures for supplies is what Quickbooks said might be a red flag.  Shrugs shoulders. I had a lot of expenses and I'm not going to shy away from listing them simply because the IRS might do something. I don't want that kind of encounter with them, at all, but I am not going to lose out on reducing my taxes legally, either.  

Well whatever. I don't want to get going on that either.  Not a pleasant subject, really.  I'm just gearing up for tomorrow.  And maybe longer than that, to get that trailer fixed.  

G'nite.