Tuesday - midday

I had an agenda for today and I wanted to get it done and over with earlier versus later.  With that in mind, I went to the park around 9 am, took notes of everything I needed, headed to Lowe's and they did, indeed, still have quite a large stock of all the items I wanted in order to protect the pipe and also fittings in order to fix any burst pipe.

It is going to get down to 7 degrees on Monday. They keep changing it, lower and lower.  That is definitely hard freeze territory and I'm not taking a chance with it.  I have already started contacting people - please think about putting the faucets on a slow drip to keep your pipes from freezing. 

I had second thoughts about turning off the water supply for that reason.  If you shut off the water supply but people don't winterize their trailers, there is significant chance of damage to the trailers themselves.  I am not going to be held liable for internal problems caused because people didn't have the foresight to deal with it.  

Back to the park and I got busy.  Got the shed done, then did all 16 outlets for the RV's and also the outlet they installed to deal with the septic system whenever they want to clean it out.  It took 3 plus hours to do all of that and I'm done.  I feel good about that, no more worrying about getting a project done that has a sense of immediate urgency attached to it.  I don't know about working, I don't necessarily want to be driving in 7 degree weather. I noted that in Arkansas, it will be down to 2 degrees.

That creates icing conditions on highways and I do not like driving on ice.  If they schedule me for working that day, I am going to be calling them and letting them know about the extreme cold, the potential for black ice and the fact that I am not going to take responsibility in advance for any adverse incidents that may damage their equipment if they do, indeed, insist on driving in such frigid conditions.  

Further, unless the plant has "hot" product flowing into the tanker while loading it, there is a good chance that the product won't even offload in such cold conditions anyway.  It already takes forever to offload when the internal temp is lower than 50 degrees, I can't imagine what it would be like to try that in 2 degree weather.  Yesterday, the other driver showed up, his internal temp was over 60 while mine was sitting at 40.  The colder the product, the longer it takes to push it out via air pressure.

I am not looking forward to Sunday, Monday or Tuesday if any of those days are going to be working days. Well I'm not working Sunday regardless. I worked last Sunday, I will be getting this Sunday off whether they want to give it to me or not.  That was the conditions the manager set out and I will hold them to it.  Those are good days to stay home and let the bad weather pass.  I'd also like to be around in case any of my piping bursts.  I hope it won't, what with all I just did to insulate them, but that's some pretty cold temperatures coming up.  I checked to make sure I have extra 1 inch pipe - I have 20 feet of that and some 3/4 inch as well.  

That's it for today at the park.  It's chilly outside, the wind is blowing heavily, it's currently 44 degrees with the real feel of 38. It feels colder than that, but after a while of working outside I started to warm up, thankfully.  

Processed another credit card payment and need to go dump some cash into the business account at the bank, the only other pressing matters I had and have to attend to today.  

I'm not saying there isn't more to do over there, I just am not going to get involved with it. Specifically, trying to burn the weeds with a propane torch - a large one.  Everything is still quite wet from yesterday's rain, waste of time and energy to try and burn it without letting some time pass for everything to dry out.  There are some lots that need grass mowed - same thing, I normally do not mow wet grass. It just doesn't work right and I see no need to do that today.

Other things as well that I just don't want to work outside in the cold, only if it's something that is pressing.  

Oh, forgot to say they originally had Monday as snow showers. Then they switched it to rain and now they are listing it as a "wintry mix".  I don't know what it takes to be a forecaster, but apparently it is not an exacting science for not only does the forecast constantly change, they are often times very far off with their predictions.  

It is highly likely that Monday, they will cancel school. It's pretty much standard modus operandi in any winter conditions like that that they cancel school here.  It may be that work cancels out for many or most people as well. The road conditions will likely be horrid and not a good idea for people to even drive to the store, much less driving a truck to Arkansas.  I think I may haul my generator over here as well. I am not going to sit in a frigid cold house when we can simply fire up the generators and plug in the space heaters.  I have 2 of them in my room and I have an extra one at the park.  The power goes out around here so frequently, it's definitely a good idea to be prepared in advance.  

 Wednesday - night

 I wrote a full post yesterday and posted it and now find? It didn't post? I think our internet is screwing up and has been screwing up for quite some time now.  

Just a quick reference to the weather forecast. For several days, it showed a 47% - or sticking around that area - chance of snow on Monday.  Today, it disappeared and said nah, fam, we ain't snowing on y'all.  Then, this evening, it reverted back to snowing on Monday, a 31% chance.  I find it humorous the the forecast for the same day constantly changes.  We want it to snow, btw.

Now then, today.  I get to the washout place and there is one of our trucks with the same dude that is constantly cheating, sneaking himself in front of everyone and holding others back that are at -wherever - on time. He didn't care that he was there 6 hours early, I texted the manager who called him and asked him why he's there?  Oh, I didn't see the appointment time, blah blah blah.

Conversation with the manager. No, he does this ALL the time.  He is constantly cutting people and I for one am sick of it.  The manager didn't promise to do anything about it at all.  He is a nice guy but he doesn't have - well anyway, he seems to avoid confrontation.  I think, if I were to take a guess, he doesn't want to lose anyone, so he tries to offend no one.  

This dude set me back 45 minutes, plus, he decided to put oil in his engine, right there, at the rack where they wash out the trailer, after the wash was done and just holding me up for no reason.

I get to the plant. Of course, he didn't wait for me to load first, he was in the bay and stayed in the bay for 2 hours.  Yes, 2 solid hours of waiting on him.  Then it took yet another 2 hours for me to get loaded, meaning sitting at that damned plant for 4 hours.  No thanks.  I won't do this forever.  

I'm having a conversation via text messaging with the dude that trained me, he is just as disgusted with this guy for this guy has also done the same thing to him.  

Now?  I truly hope he shows up uber early.  Why? Because the trainer talked to the head honcho at the plant in Gurdon who doesn't like this other guy anyway because he shows up early and said that's fine, we won't allow him to unload until after the other guy shows up and is done. The other guy being me.  As I said, I truly hope this dude tries this stunt again now that we have an actual plan to stop him in his tracks. 

I stopped him a few weeks ago when he showed up early, bypassed the scales so he could beat me to the rack. What he didn't know is that I don't go through the plant to to the delivery rack, I go back to the highway and drive 50 mph to the other end which is where the rack is at.  He thought he had me beat, I didn't even know it was him when I saw the back end of the trailer and was scratching my head about it.

So we'll see. If this continues to occur at either plant or the washout, I'm going to lay down an ultimatum. I was looking at several jobs yesterday online.  I probably should try to stay with this company at least 6 months to make it look better than get hired and quit.  I was also looking at the reviews for this company again and just thought, these people were right, run, don't walk, from this company.  It truly isn't worth it, there are far better jobs out there in terms of both pay and how any given organization is run.

I'm in no great hurry to find another job...I am definitely looking.  

As for anything after tomorrow? I have a Monday load scheduled, the washout people said nope, if the forecast doesn't change, we won't be opened, we aren't cleaning out trailers in sub freezing weather.  Great, because I don't want to drive in it either, not if it's going to be a "wintry mix".  

It warmed up quite a bit today, into the 60's range and tomorrow it will warm up into the high 60's. I will likely try to get some stuff done at the Park tomorrow after I get back from the run - depending on how long the run takes.  I'd like to mow some grass and perhaps try getting the security system either installed or at least get a good start on it. And maybe go home, get the dog and take him for a walk in the woods.  

Friday marks a high wind day and significant change in the weather.  Sunday is the beginning of the teen's weather going on through Wednesday morning. Unless the Gurdon plant shuts down, they are likely going to want the product shipped up there at some point regardless.  This is the way it works in the trucking industry. Everyone must have their product. I can understand why: they have to shut down an entire, large production plant that has a lot of people working at it if they run out of glue.  I have no idea how they operate or if they just say nope, this isn't worth it, we are shutting down. 

Gurdon's forecast is more ominous in terms of travel. A mix of rain and snow on Sunday, it will never get above freezing on Monday, meaning icy roads.  No thank you. This would make it hazardous for their employees to get to work, not just truck drivers bringing in glue and logs. 

Oh yes, lest I forget.  Tomorrow or maybe I'll wait until Friday, hook up the trailer and drag the generator home.  With any kind of weather in cold temps, we can expect power outages in the region. Whether they hit us or not is unknown, I am going to be prepared for it this time.  It's highly likely there will be a host of water leaks in the underground transmission lines, that simply means we should be stocked up on bottled water.  

What else? My mom has been urging me to get a - living trust I think it's called - for quite some time.  I said yes, I'd love to, but it's quite expensive.  She said she'd pay for it, hence the reason she brought it up.  Ok! And I have yet to do it.  But, she is urging me yet again, I want to get it done, so it's going on the priority list.  It's free to me, I might as well. It's like the best thing you can do to protect your assets both in the here and now and when you die, that it doesn't go to anything but what you said it's going to.

So what's the good news? I dunno, what is going on?  Politics is full of bs.  People are being quite hateful to one another on the political realm.  Trump and his MAGA supporters are a threat to national security! Biden, the "healer" says emphatically once again.  You remember, the dude that said he was going to heal this nation.  He has been one of the most divisive figures in politics, beyond anyone else.

But, life is good.  The now 9 year old got a brand new Fender guitar for his birthday from his grandpa.  I had to pick the thing up and see if I could remember any chords. Only a few- I haven't played guitar in decades.  I looked at a chart and started trying to get my fingers wrapped around it correctly to engage the strings.  Made me want to get a classical guitar and start re-learning it.  I took guitar lessons for a couple of years in my teens.  It was after I gave up on 8 years of clarinet training and become pretty good at it. I've forgotten most music now. 

I would be hopeful I could pick it back up quickly, I guess. I was good at chords and at picking, doing solos and intermediate level of difficulty.  Never really mastered it, I was interested but at the time, I wasn't spending a lot of time practicing. It was lessons and a little practice and that was it.  I kind of think if someone else in the house was learning it, it would motivate me to want to get back in to it.  Maybe.

Well, I guess it's time to pay the electric bill, gag.  Oh, it's not due until the 12th, I'll wait the extra 2 days.  I do that out of probably bad habits formed long ago when I was broke and poor and wouldn't pay bills until the last minute in case something happened and money had to be diverted elsewhere. Or just juggling money around, really, trying to make ends meet. I'm not exactly rich right now, I am making it but it's just making it, nothing much more atm.  Too many bills keep coming up, such as the property taxes due at latest the end of next month and too much debt.  I have one more payment on the washer/dryer, that will free up a few hundred dollars per month. 

It just makes the idea of expanding the park seem out of reach.  Like, almost permanently out of reach. the only real way I can see right now is seriously going back on the road, make the 6 figures for a couple of years and make it happen. Yup, no thanks.  Not going to do it unless I am somehow forced to.

I qualify for a 31k loan, lol.  The interest and fees on the loan will add up to 22k. To borrow 31k, you end up paying 54k? That's flat outrageous and I'm just not going there.  If you take the cc payments and pay it off, you end up with more money per month with the loan payment than with all the cc payments, but the loan goes on so long, it becomes oppressive.  84 months or 60 months.  

Ok enough of this.  I"ve been trying to put expansion stuff out of my mind for atm, it is just fairy dust.  I can't get anything started on it and I don't have the money to do any of it, it's a non-starter, for now at least. Not giving up hope, just facing the reality that I can't do anything about it and no sense in stressing and hyping myself up over things I can't change. 

G'nite.