Saturday - night

I originally "thought" I had Sunday/tomorrow off.  They decided to throw a load on me overnight without bothering to contact me.  It just shows up in the tablet as "accepted load" - they accept it for me, I don't accept anything.  So, if I don't check that field, I won't see what they put in there.  Not real happy about it, not when I had my mind set on going to church and then going to a Superbowl party tomorrow afternoon. 

I can still go to the party, I can't go to church.  But even that isn't the point. I don't want to work on Sundays, I never have and I never will.  

I had last Sunday off, yes, but I worked the entire week before that and I have worked every day since and now another 2 days? They've got me doing this next run, then 2 days off, then they are finally dumping an Ennis run on me, a run I have only done as a passenger in a trainer's truck, not on my own.  Not that it will be particularly difficult, but who knows?  

What I know? Those will be 2 very long days.  It's just the way it is when you do something new in this line of work.  Number 1, it's over 3 hours from my house to the plant in Arkansas where we load in Crossett.  193 miles and more than half of it on 55 mph highways plus going through small towns at 35 mph.  So there's 6 hours plus hours of driving the first day of the run, plus stop at a washout up there to switch trailers, then hope the trailer I get is in decent shape - I haven't had to switch out trailers in a couple of months now.  

Then go and load and then drive back.  It will be minimum 9 hour day, probably more like 10 or more.  

Then Ennis, the drive there won't be near as bad since it's I-20 for at least half the distance and then I thin it was decent highways after getting off of it. It's been quite a while since I did that run and again, I wasn't driving. 

Anyway, they could at least let me know via text message that they are dumping a Sunday run on me, please and thank you.

I can guarantee you I will not be working next Sunday.  There is nothing but maybe double pay that will get me to do that.  

It's rained much of the day.  Enough that I dared not drive back to the back of the driveway to turn around nor did I drive through the area where I got stuck previously.  Instead, I drove through the park, all the way back around to the main driveway, pulled up to straighten out and then backed into my normal spot.  I think I will do it that way from now on.

Since I have Tuesday and Wednesday off, I am going to have to consider renting that tractor with the box attachment. More rain and the driveway is getting so bad that it's really not good for cars to drive over it.  Pickups and SUV sure, but a car, not really.  I can't just leave it that way and this rental tractor with the box attachment is the only thing available.  I'll work that driveway all day long if I have to, but it has to be fixed. 

I dunno what else to do.  If I leave it that way, I am going to get bad reviews for the overnights and I'm going to potentially lose long term.  I don't need either.  

That's been weighing heavily on my mind, but so has the property tax issue. I guess all of this working will help pay for it.  Hopefully next paycheck later on this month will be big enough coupled with taking some money for pay out of the business checking account that I can pay it and get it over with.  

It's not over after that. I'll have taxes to pay in April as well.  After that, we'll hit summer time and summer time electric bills.  So what do I do?  I mean, in reality? I'm either going to have to charge separate for electricity or raise lot rents or both.  I can't charge for electric without meters.  I don't know what will happen if I raise the rent say, $25 per month.   Probably lose people.  Everyone, probably not, but at least some of them.  

I just confirmed that the washer/dryer set is paid off.  It's a $219 a month that can go elsewhere.  I've only paid half of the shed off, there's still a year plus to go on those payments. Actually, I think it was more like 2 years.  Or whatever, I dunno, have to check it the next bill they send.  As far as actual payments on the property itself, right now it's just a mortgage payment and the shed payment. Monthly recurring fees on electric and water.  

Doesn't sound like much until you consider the debt I got into on personal cards to finish everything out.  As far as that is concerned, I have stopped using cards entirely.  The damage is done, however. There is no way I'm taking out a personal loan to pay that stuff off with the current interest rates. Those will have to come way down. Can you imagine taking out a 40k loan and paying over 25k in interest on it?  Lol, no thanks.  

That's about it, for my time is out.  It's time to go to bed. The cat situation is taken care of, the cats are dumped into the pantry and they can make all the noise they want, all night long: I don't hear any of it.  

Oh, well I got up super early this morning, well ahead of what I normally do in order to get back in time for what else? A baby shower! lmao  I don't do baby showers, but I did this one.  It was being held at a local hamburger joint and the people are nice, they are having a girl soon and I did my part in giving them a large package of diapers.  I got home from the run just in time, Taylor was leaving.  

Tomorrow is the Superbowl and since that doesn't typically start until evening time, I am good for working even if I don't want to work.  In other words, unless some breakdown occurs, it doesn't matter if it takes longer. It likely will, it's raining heavy right now, it's supposed to stay that way through tomorrow.  Plus, getting the guy out there to wash out the trailer on Sundays - it takes half an hour after you call them to get them to show up to do it.  The plant? They get right on it and get it over with, thankfully. 

G'nite.