Thursday - evening

The vibration got worse, enough so that I got permission to replace the tire that I think is causing the problem. So, after loading, I went to Love's and they got right on it. Well, I had been sitting there an hour and the dude hadn't even jacked the trailer up?  They don't necessarily have experienced tire workers there, in many cases it appears they are brand new to it and just out of "training".

Well, it didn't get any better. The guy came in after a while asking if there was an adjustable wrench somewhere. He was informed by the manager where one was but then asked why he needs one?     A lugnut had busted in half taking it off and they couldn't get it off of there.

The manager eventually said, well, we'd take responsibility for this but look, all other lugnuts came off of there without a hitch.  Yes, I thought, the kid probably had the impact wrench set to turn the wrong direction and it snapped it. Please don't try to pull one over on me.  I said nothing, however, and just let it go.  He also said "we can't go any further with it", meaning they weren't even going to replace the tire.  Look, I've seen plenty of tire hands take tires off of rims that are still bolted to the trailer, many many times I've seen this.  Most of them prefer to do that versus taking all of those lugnuts off of there.

So, they put the mess back together, minus one lugnut and the manager said "it's perfectly legal to run with one broken lugnut". I was afraid they were going to try and tell me that they couldn't put it back together, much the same situation that happened last month in Arkansas where the lugnuts were stripped and they wouldn't put it back together without replacing them.  

I got out of there and then got pulled into a Texas CMV inspection station (Commercial Motor Vehicle). However, 2 of the troopers were standing out there chatting by one of their cruisers, looked at me, the truck and waved me on.  They couldn't see the busted lugnut, I'm pretty sure that even if it is legal, they're going to pull me in for that and probably write it up.  

The vibration was even worse after leaving there, to the point I slowed down to 65mph to keep it from getting too much, I was afraid a tire would bust apart and I can't do that right now. I needed to get home and I need to get to Gurdon, offload and get back home again.  It can be dealt with next week, drop the trailer at the yard and they can fix the damn thing.  

This whole thing irritates me because the previous driver knew there was a problem and just dumped it off onto someone else.   

The whole scenario has changed for the kids.  They will go to grandma's at some point, but it turns out they have Covid.  So, they aren't going to be around anyone for a while.  James and Taylor are leaving tomorrow after a meeting she has at work and going to Medieval Times, the venue I went to with the oldest kid last month for a school outing.  She said the tickets are non-refundable. I had mentioned after finding out grandma isn't coming, via text message I should add, that we could just bring the kids. I will hang out with them on the kiddie rides.  

Back and forth and yes, we are going to do that.  Tomorrow, they will leave for Dallas for their fun and I will go to work, get that load off the trailer, come back, go get the kids from the daycare, come home, get their stuff and also leave for Dallas. The 6 flags adventure isn't until Saturday, but I decided to get a nice hotel - Marriot Residence Inn - and stay the night in a place I really like to stay in from time to time.  That's already reserved.  They are buying the tickets tonight online, apparently they are having sale but you have to buy the tickets in advance. Anything to save a few bucks, but I am splurging on the hotel room.  

Meanwhile, the tent people.  They crossed my last line today and I told them to leave.  You are spending far too much time in the amenities shed, I have repeatedly asked you to keep your time in their limited, you have repeatedly ignored my wishes, I want you gone.  She took umbrage with that, the lady that is, and said they - the kids - were "only in there 45 minutes" today.  No, ma'am, they were in there for many hours, I have it on video.   What annoyed me was that yet again, I went in there to go use the toilet after driving and they were in there, again and had been in there for a long time. I'm talking the bathroom now.  I spoke loudly: Y'all are in that bathroom every time I come in here!

After that, she blew up my phone with basically pleading to let them stay.  The 19 year old blew up my phone with insults, I contacted the lady and told her if he doesn't stop, I'll call the sheriff out there.  If you don't think I'd do that, think again.  I will not be abused by guests mouthing off to me about things they know they are doing wrong.  I made it crystal clear to them I didn't want them hanging out in that shed when they first showed up. And then I had to ask again and again.

Just got to my limit.  It is decided to give them one last try.  They can take 15 minute showers and they can recharge their phones - OUTSIDE.  But, I required the boy to apologize, if he wasn't going to do that, no go. So, he texted and apologized. He had been telling me I had been "treating them like trash" and on and on, just wasn't interested in reading all of it, it was 5 paragraphs of bs.                      

Do I expect a different result? That depends on how bad they want to stay there.  They obviously have nowhere else to go.  I am sympathetic to a degree, but I am also running a business and I told her that: this is mostly an RV park business, not a tent campground. Also, the tent sites are primitve, meaning now water and no electricity.  How many times have I gone tent camping in my lifetime with no running water, no electricity and no toilet? Probably in the hundreds.  

So, that's the plan anyway. Oh, and I asked the other driver if it would be possible to switch delivery times.  I told him what was going on but also said "feel free to say no", not pressuring him but I really want to be home at an early hour, not at 4 or 5 in the afternoon.  He agreed to it and I told him I would gladly give up an early load next week if he wants it.  I will be leaving here even earlier than normal for he wants to be able to arrive around 11 and get done and out of there and back to the truck stop where he parks.  If he gets there too late on a friday, all the spots will be taken.  

One of the tractor dealers texted today - are you still looking or did you find something? Still looking. Told him what I need and said I really want a hoe attachment.  Yes, he replied, that will jack the price up, but I can get you that and all the other attachments you need and still keep it under 30k.  It all sounded good until he told me a 20 horsepower tractor.  That's not enough. It doesn't have the power I will need to move dirt around like I will need to.  The TMS dealer was quoting me 28 hp, which is much better. Actually, his first one was 42 HP, which sounded wonderful but the terms were too high. 

BTW, I could actually dig out a small pond in the stream out back with a machine like that.  Nothing huge, maybe 5,000 gallons.  Put some fish in it and see if they can thrive.  There is running water going through it mostly all year long with a few stints in the summer where it either is drying up or it's just going underground.  

Well enough.  I am getting up at 5:30 am tomorrow, but I'm just going straight out of here instead of sitting for a little bit to drink some coffee.  Get up there maybe half an hour earlier to accommodate for the other driver who so graciously let me step ahead of him.  

I haven't watched the news at all today, just glanced at some headlines but decided I didn't want any part of that.  News mostly sucks nowadays, negativity times negativity.  I know what the left world thinks about Trump, I know Biden has an issue telling the truth or that AOC mouths off a bunch of stuff that she doesn't even understand is false, etc.  Put something new in there that will catch my attention? There is a whole, big wide world out there, Trump, Biden and politicians in general are not the only newsworthy things going on?