Pulled pork is on the menu tomorrow evening for dinner.  I was going to make and thought we had a shoulder roast in one of the freezers.  I dunno if I'm going batty or what, I could have sworn I bought one and put it in there.  Well, it wasn't.

So, even tho it's getting way late for me, I decided to go to the store/s to get a roast and whatever else I needed.  Super 1 - had everything but the roast. Up to Kroger's, they had a couple of them in there, nice sized, one of them said $24 and the other said $21, sale price $7 and change with card.  Of course I took the cheap one, I have had a Kroger's card since I was with Fry's food stores in AZ.  They sold out to Kroger's and the card just transferred over.  In fact, the phone number associated with the card is from when I was living in a mobile home in Tempe, AZ in the 90's.  Lol

I did the self checkout thing, I don't like doing it for a few reasons but I didn't feel like waiting in line.  Of course, it didn't ring up the sale price.  Why? I already knew why: it's no longer on sale.  That was over 2 days ago.  It's got the tag on it, that's not my problem, please ring it up at sale price. The lady did without asking any questions, it's their policy. If it's got a sales sticker on it for X price, it doesn't matter if the sale is still on or not. 

There is no way I would have paid over $20 for a pork roast, lol.  For that much money, just get the pre-made stuff.  I won't say tastier but definitely much easier, heat up the packets, get out the burns, serve. 

Not the putting a shoulder roast in the crock pot is hard, but there is a certain level of satisfaction one gets when you cook something and it turns out nice.  

Mid 80's coming Monday, time for them to fix the AC in the truck. It works sometimes, other times it doesn't. I know for a fact the evaporator is freezing over, that's what stops the air from flowing through the coils and cool it off.  The mechanic said differently many months ago, dumped freon in it and good to go. Yeah, it worked for a few days? No, it worked the same as it has been. Pumps out cold air, then it stops pumping out any air. He blamed that on a piece of paper. Yeah, well there aren't any papers there now and hasn't been in a long time. 

I wish people would just listen.  I'm not fixing this myself. Yes, it could be low freon level, which means there is a leak. Why would a person dump freon into a system, knowing it is low but not bother to try to find out why it was low in the first place? It could also be clogged air filter - but they replaced that. Dirty coils - old truck, definite possibility. I'm not being paid to diagnose problems, I fix lights and light mechanical stuff, I'm not fixing the AC system. I just as soon they take it to an AC shop, not our regular mechanics shop. I've been down this road with other trucking companies, they never are able to fix it right, AC systems are specialty systems that you have to have specific training for.  Just because you are a mechanic does not mean you have the knowledge to repair AC systems.  

Whatever the case, I am not setting the alarm. I have decided I will get out of bed when I want to.  There will be no one home, it's just the dog I'll have to get out of bed to let him out, then back to bed and hopefully back to sleep?  I'll try!

 Friday - late

Just another day in paradise.  Ennis - the tank they wanted filled, there are 4 of them that they can pick from that all take the same stuff - had a leak.  I hooked the hose up to it and noticed the cam arms were not very tight.  It took a few more minutes to see that because of that?  A fairly good stream coming out of it.  I tried to fix it, but you really can't do much about that, they need to replace that cam fitting with new arms or replace the entire fitting.  

However, that inlet is over a giant tub - about a 300 gallon version - and that's what it's made for. So, I just let it leak out, maybe a couple of gallons or so, it didn't take long to empty the tanker.  That was that.

During all of this, I had contacted the manager about my pay. I just can't do this, I'm not putting in that kind of time for that kind of pay.  I didn't threaten to quit, but I made no bones about my stance.  He called me back later and told me that he was looking at what I'm getting paid and yes, he is going to fix it.  I mean, I flatly told him that this kind of pay for these kinds of hours was untenable, just can't do it.  It's not a gamble - like gee, I'll say stuff I don't really mean and see if they bite.

I absolutely meant it.  I was ready to go to a cable manufacturer in town and see if they would hire me as a forklift driver, the pay couldn't possibly be less than what I am getting and it would be 5 days a week.  They are always advertising for forklift drivers, I have many years of forklift experience and I am quite good at it, if I do say so myself.  

Why bother with the trucking industry, I thought, if I can just make enough money around here?  Now, I'm not saying they would have paid me that much, I don't know. Their ads don't show the pay.  

Anyway, I was quite relieved when he informed me he would simply start paying me by the load.  "You will make a lot more money".  Those were his words. "Don't go around talking about it to other drivers, don't say anything to ****** about it (he's the guy that trained me on the Ennis and the Gurdon run)". He made it clear that I was to keep that info zipped and I can certainly do that. What it means, at least one could surmise, is that I am going to be making more money than some of these other people.  

Pay can cause a lot of issues between employees if one person is doing the same thing as another but one is getting less pay than the other. That would be the only reason to say that.  Yes, for more pay, I can keep my mouth shut. The trainer just really needs to open his mouth and say something.  He's too nice of a guy, a doormat type of person. I have tried to encourage him that he's a far better driver than he thinks he is.  

They have trouble keeping drivers, that's the deal. They have trouble even luring in new drivers and I doubt a lot of people would want to make it through their hellish training in Oregon.  I was ready to quit and leave on several occasions. Literally, call a taxi, take me to the airport and use my credit card points to fly home.  OH yes, I was and I even wrote about that at the time. It was that bad.  My gut told me right about this company, but I stupidly followed my need for money that, at the time, superseded my instincts and I stayed with it.  

Now, if this pay increase is substantial and pays what I need it to pay plus gets me saving money, I'm all over it.  Keep my on the dedicated Gurdon run, that's my role, we are only doing Ennis because of something going on at the Lufkin plant (what it is, I still don't know, I've been trying to find out just out of sheer curiosity and because I really don't like the Ennis run at all).  I do like that run as long as they give me the early slot.  When they sent me those 4 runs the other day, all of them were the early slot.  Why they keep giving me the late slot for Ennis, I have no clue.  

Anyway, I will wait with "bated breath" as the old saying goes.  It would be really nice if I could just stick with this job. I know, it's old equipment, but I have dealt with old equipment before.  It's not fun when it breaks down, especially if it breaks down repeatedly in a short period of time...and you are out for 16 hours plus staying in the truck over night....

That will be Monday when he calls me and we go over this stuff. He had me doing a Gurdon on Monday but said as of right now, it's changed and I (he) will just wait to see what happens.  There's loads going to both Gurdon and Ennis every single day, I just am getting time off, probably because I complained about Superbowl Sunday. 

So, 3 days off, 3-1/2 if you count today after work.  Tomorrow, I will be over at the park mowing grass. Probably for half the day.  It will take some time to mow all of that, not really looking forward to it, just needs to be done.  Hopefully the riding mower will start, haven't had that going in a while.  If there is enough time, I will see about installing the security system or at least get a start on it?

And lest we forget, there is still a power problem at the shed, it's not a huge issue now for it's not hot out and the "lack of power" is not heating everything up. But those days are coming, which means renting a ditch witch - money I don't have - tho I do have everything else including the direct burial wire.  I have to do that before the hot summer days are upon us. 

Did I mention grass? Oh yes, I did yesterday.

See? It's never ending.  But that wiring project is in the high priority range, months seem to just disappear when there is stuff you have to get done....

Interesting, the business checking account has almost enough to cover this property tax crap. Of course, I can't just spend all of that money on property taxes, there are other bills. Although, the power bill is paid and I don't have to deal with that again until the 10th of next month - well after I collect enough money and then some to cover it.  I'll wait until the next power bills show up, not in there yet, see what that is going to cost to see if I can cover this tax payment as well as everything else.

Kind of sucky to live life working and not really doing much of anything....existing is not my thing. I like to do stuff and yes, there is plenty of free stuff to do, there is still the niceties of life that cost money. I'd actually love to go spend a night in a nice hotel right now. Odd desire, I guess? But that's what I'd love to do. In fact, now that I think of it, I could pay for it with credit card points and everyone is going to be gone Saturday night, why stay here when I can go relax in a different environment? I might just do that. Then again, no one will be here, I could just stay here in peace and quiet lol.  

OTR trucking got me started on hotels. They put you up for a variety of reasons.  Breakdowns, of course.  34 hour reset where you demand that at least one night is not in the sleeper of a truck - admittedly a lot of companies won't pay for that.  Layovers where you're stuck somewhere for days.  I think vacation was the last hotel stay?  We're supposed to go to Las Vegas Memorial Day weekend for a wedding, but I don't know if that's going to happen now or not.  I can pay with cc points, they don't have such luxuries.  I kind of want to go whether they go or not, they being the folks here.  I'm just saying that because it will mean staying at a hotel somewhere, of course.  

Still, life may be taking a turn for the better if my trucking job actually delivers on the promise.  I won't hold my breath, but I also don't take it that my manager is some kind of liar or manipulator or even exaggerating. He's pretty down to earth, very low key and laid back.  He is given X amount of money to pay employees, he has to work with that pool of money to pay everyone.  I've done my best to not say stupid stuff out of angst for the company, it is kind of dumb to stick your foot in your mouth before you even give a person a chance to do anything about a situation. 

Well it's dumb to stick your foot in your mouth regardless, I can admit I've done that in my lifetime more than once, lol. Get older - learn.  Don't let the other players know what you're hand is before the deal is over.  Wait and see what happens, play it cool, keep your mouth shut as much as you need to.   That's what I've done here now that I've paid the price to even get in with this company.  They certainly have no problems making demands of you, now it's time for the tables to be turned? I'll remain optimistic.

As for now? Time to vegetate in front of the TV and watch some favorite shows.  

 Thursday - 8:00 am

Actually woke up at 6, an Amber alert went blaring off on the work tablet - the thing used for elogs and getting new loads etc, very loud.  Wasn't able to get back to sleep after that, but I did end up sleeping around 7 hours so not the end of the world.

Plus, it enabled me to get up and see the boys off. They told me last night they want me to get up this morning to say good morning to them and then I could go back to bed, lol.  I was like, uhh, no.  If I'm sleeping, I'm not intentionally waking myself up for stuff like that.  I know I won't be able to get back to sleep.  

Anyway, today is the second part of the run, taking it to the place near Dallas.  I despise this run for a variety of reasons, driving that far along I-20 being one of them.  Another heavily congested Interstate with people paying more attention to their phones than the road in front of them.  Driving aggressively, weaving in and out of traffic. Brake checking for no reason at all.  No good reason anyway.  Etc.  

I have to compare that to driving on I-30 to Gurdon and as bad as I think that is, I actually think the 20 is worse.  

Headline: "James Biden contradicted himself in interview".  Biden says he has never discussed his business dealings with his son.  I don't, of course, believe him, but what effect does it have? Biden will be President until his 4 years is up, even if he is impeached, the impeachment won't include removal from office, the Senate will guarantee that.  

And the gaslighting.  Biden is now saying the border is not secure. He's been saying ALL ALONG there is no issue at the border! Does he believe our memories are that fickle that we can't remember the s*** he said just a month ago?  These illegals are going to change the fabric of our society, you see them in the news all the time.  One dude who was in a high speed chase, the guys that assaulted the police, the murders and sexual assaults.  You have them filling up the "sanctuary cities", a thing I am amply glad I am not a part of, ie: living in any of them, and now many of these cities are saying no more.  No s*** Sherlock! You should have been saying that before it got to this point!

And THEN you have the results of defunding the police!  LOL! What did these people think would happen when you dismantle entire police agencies or crippling their ability to fight crime by stiffing them on available funds?  It didn't take a rocket scientist when they first started blurting out DEFUND THE POLICE! after the George Floyd incident and "nationwide" cries for getting rid of police that crime statistics would skyrocket. I'm so glad I live in "flyover country", you know, the area that is worthless to the left?  

I'm done with that for now.  Have to start thinking about the work day.  I need tomorrow off, really, need to get the grass mowed.  At the same time, I need the money.  

Ok. I just saw my paycheck. Unless I'm dreaming, I've been working a lot lately and  that paycheck is not representative of the amount of time I'm spending behind the wheel and doing their dirty work at the plants.  I don't get up every day for such a pathetically low amount of money, I could get a local job, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and make more than this.  Literally, I mean not even in the trucking industry and not have to put up with the bs.  

I can't pay the property tax with this paycheck.  Not and pay my other bills.  Now it's going to start adding up with fees, there's just nothing I can do besides putting it on credit cards and I'm really hesitant to start doing that.  Only if it's the difference between losing the property and keeping it, then I'll do whatever I have to.  I'm not anywhere near that yet.  I'm just throwing my hands up in the air.

I've already texted the manager and then he called me.  I told him flatly I'm not interested in working for $600 per week paychecks.  That's pauper's pay in the trucking industry and yes, I remember working 11 days in a row, then a day off, then another 2 days before getting 2 days off. And before that 11 days in a row, I think I worked 6 days before that. Again, I will not continue on with a job that expects me to perform for them like this and not get paid for it regardless of miles.  In a "local" job like this, mileage is not the only thing to take into consideration as it shouldn't be.  You have hours spent in plants either loading or unloading.  

Anyway, unless there is some glitch or I'm just living in a dream world where I think I worked but I really didn't, this isn't going to continue.  It was really almost shocking to see that paycheck.  I figured at least another $600 net pay.  The manager has no ability to increase my pay excepting for 1 penny per mile, which basically would be nothing.  

They already know, I am sure, the people worth keeping don't stick around because of low pay and old equipment.  They freely admitted they have a hard time getting people because of the equipment, they should have been honest and included pay in that statement.  

Well whatever. The day isn't growing any shorter, have to leave out of here in 20 minutes, need my coffee, water and sandwiches ready to go.

G'day