My plans to get home at a reasonable hour tomorrow have been dashed.  We were going back and forth in texting about the schedule and then I said I'd be coming up before offloading to switch out trucks.  The dispatcher made some convoluted comment that made no sense so I had to ask for clarification. After several back and forths, I was finally able to come to the understanding that the trailer has to be empty as well for they want to do an inspection on it.  

I don't mind this at all, actually, even if it adds hours to the day. The reason is because the trailer I have now unloads painfully slow. Even on the best of days it takes it much longer than other trailers I've had to get all the glue out of it.  

This is probably the worst part of this job: anytime I have to go to the yard, it adds at least 2 hours and usually 3 to the day.  

Whatever. I knew tomorrow would be a long day.  

Then we get to Thursday load. They had sent me it last week, and it was early load. I noticed in my tablet today there was another load in there, so I clicked on it. Another load for the same day? And late loading? This is what I get when they don't communicate with me, it turns out the first load had canceled so they gave me second load.  They just aren't going through product up there as fast as we are bringing it.  They need to keep us, the dedicated drivers, busy with it and keep the OTR people out of it when it gets like that.  

Collected rent from the new guy and then got an odd call this evening from the college kid.  He had to take his truck into the shop, he claimed, so he only had $300 but could come up with the other $100 on the 6th.  He then started going off into a tangent about how he might be able to come up with the other money before then, but I cut him off: the 6th is fine, I have no problem with it. They've been at my park the entire school year, why get upset over $100 one time? He then asked if there was any work he could do? No, I have a new guy to do that, but please don't worry about the $100, pay it when you get it, it's no big deal.

Apparently this was stressing him wayyyyyy more than me, for 2 minutes later, I got the $100 payment. Lol, ok?  He texted: I didn't want to hold you up on rent and a friend loaned me the $100.  ?? Ok.  I'm not going to complain about getting my money, but I really did not have a problem with waiting and tried to convey that to him.  

Whatever the case, I collected $800 today and more to come.  

The new people - the dude was doing a lot more mowing today.  I'm fine with that, I'm fine with giving them up to $300 off on their rent. They aren't occupying a regular lot and tho the electricity will cost me this summer, it's still a good trade off in my mind.  The riding mower isn't working, something wrong with the deck, I need to take it off of there and find out what's wrong and fix it.  He's just using the new push mower on everything and doing a lot of it. 

I'm trying not to let this dude get chummy with me. Mark did that and tho I didn't want it, in fact I told him to his face I really didn't want his help with anything, he still decided to force his way into my business and then, well you know the story/ies if you were reading this blog during that time. Mark is a truly forgettable person and I don't want to dwell on him.  I don't mind being friends with people - as long as they aren't trying to take advantage of the situation.  It's trying to figure out their intent, that takes time.  Unless they blab something out that reveals their motive.  

I actually had no idea they were wanting to work for rent.  I wouldn't have agreed to it, people are lazy and just want to take advantage of you. I've been down that road enough times. However, once I saw that he is actually getting some stuff done, I'm good with it - as long as he keeps it up. 

Anyway, it's been a long day, for I had the late load and I didn't get back til late afternoon and then eat dinner and then off to the youngest' baseball game.  They were brutalized by that other team who blew them away. But, it turns out, that other team is a tournament league team that sticks together. I really have a problem with a youth baseball association allowing that to come into what is otherwise mostly a bunch of players that know nothing about the game and are just getting started.  They'll easily win the league and it's not even real competition for them.  So what's the point? Kids getting lessons in humility and losing?  I mean, yes, they should get a dose of that, but a team that way outclasses every other team doesn't really even belong in that league - or - they should split ;them up between the teams to give everyone a fighting chance.  

That's just me and take on the younger kids in baseball. Once they start getting older, sure, they can go for the throat and it becomes highly competitive. Or at this age, these kids and their parents all into it that they are basically playing ball year round.  I did youth sports - baseball - for 10 years in a Little League and I was on the board, coaching, umpiring, crowd control, you name it.  I'm pretty well versed in this stuff.  Not like it just went out of memory banks.  

The one month stay people should be leaving in 2 days.  I have one lot available right now, but I'm going to have that other one available as well and probably a couple more in a short period of time.  My Facebook ad is still running, I got this new guy in here and unless he gets unhappy with the park, he's there for a while. He took a job at TXTC (state university in town here) and I am the closest park to his job.  Much closer, in fact.  But it's not enough. I really try to keep the park full and a few bucks spent on ads is worth it to me.  

I also kind of think I'm spinning my wheels trying to fill up 15 more spots? Without the amenities to get them in there?  I dunno about that.  Namely, a swimming pool. Yes, I know I have discussed this subject at length and I'm not going to go into great depth here, but I really think if I want to get higher rates and more spots filled especially with overnighters, a pool is the way to go.  If I really want to find a loan for something, maybe a pool loan is what I really should be looking for.  I can raise my rates and pay for the pool payments, maintenance and then some.  

I just throw things around in my head, all the time, folks.  I was looking today at how I would want to create more lots. Seems like moving the doggy park is going to have to happen, that or have to create another huge entrance, wasting a lot of space where I could put more pads.  But then I thought, I sometimes struggle getting enough people in here. Not all the time, but there are instances where numerous people are all leaving at around the same time. Not because they are unhappy with my park, a lot of these people are temp workers who get moved around all over the place.  

And frankly, if I could attract more overnighters, I would make a lot more money.  That's just the nuts and bolts of it. Expenses would go down as well, namely: electricity.  You free a space up at noon and the next people don't come in until 5, 6 or later?  That's all those hot afternoon hours during the summer when no one is there and not using electricity.  It was my goal from the get-go to do mostly overnighters. My fantasies were dashed with reality, when I realized that your name has to "get out there" for awhile and you have to build a good reputation that slowly and over time gets spread out across the country.  I have people stopping in from all over the country. Not just Texas or neighboring states.  

BTW. I have 74 likes on my latest boosted ad. Amazing that has only translated into one person showing up.  I don't know who all of those people are, lol.  

Well enough of this.  My business account is going to start looking pretty nice with far more money coming in than going out - the next electric bill hasn't posted yet but I doubt it's going to be much more than the previous month. Maybe a few hundred dollars difference.  And I"ll be collecting another 4 grand before then.  It's all nice fine and dandy until you realize high electric bills are coming and then the end of the year will come once again and taxes and insurance due - once again.  

 Monday - 8:00 am

I mean, it's a 1:00 pm load and they don't like people showing up too early at the plant, so I'm just sitting here biding my time until I figure I can leave, get the trailer washed out and show up there at the plant maybe an hour early.  Or less, actually, maybe leave here at 9:30 am and then I'll only be maybe a half hour early.  They pulled that stunt a while back on the second load where they made me wait an hour and half after my appointment time, I just don't need a repeat of that.  Might as well just sit at home and drink coffee.

Tomorrow is the much longer day with not only a late load, but having to stop at the yard and switch trucks.  Since I have the late load, I will just leave here early, go to the yard first, switch out and then go to Gurdon.  It's 2-1/2 hours to El Dorado, actually more like 2 hours 45 minutes even tho it's a shorter distance than going to Gurdon.  Half hour at least at the yard switching out and then almost 2 more hours up to Gurdon? I'm just leaving here at my normal time for the early load and that should have me in Gurdon after noon.  

Meanwhile, I'm watching these anti-Israel protestors.  Their premise is absurd, their reasoning is based on propaganda.  Hamas is the target, a terrorist group that has done nothing but murder innocent people since it's inception. They have no loyalty to the Palestinians.  Israel is not targeting Palestinians but these people are calling it genocide.  They completely ignore the atrocity Hamas committed against Israel in killing innocent civilians inside Israel territory, they don't care that Hamas used and uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, they are right!  

But, we've seen such protests at universities through the decades of my existence, I just think this takes it to the next level, but on a religious perspective.  Israel is the apple of God's eye and coming against it may be setting yourself on dangerous territory. At the same time, the Bible tells us that the "beast" will rise up in Jerusalem at the holy temple itself and tells the Jews to run to the hills when they see the signs of this occurring.  It would not surprise me in the least if we were at the verge of the end times.  

And we have this sham of a trial against Trump going on today in federal court. Sorry, but I don't believe this and the rest of the charges being brought against him are anything but a political hit job.  The left fears Trump being elected into his second term as President and they are and have been willing to do anything to stop him.  There is a long list of things they have already tried, this is just the next cog in the wheel of a two-tiered justice system.  

Whatever. I just shake my head in disgust at the way politics and politicians are acting out right now, along with the DOJ and other prosecutors who have a mission to stop him from becoming President. Let the people decide at the ballot box.  I believe these trials are turning Trump into a political martyr and will have the opposite effect that these people believe it will have.  Even the polls are showing that people that are undecided on who to vote for are saying that these charges are politically motivated.

I guess I'm a bit more interested in the Middle East tho, because of the potential for what the Israel-Palestine-Hamas-Iran situation could turn into.  

My latest paycheck wasn't as good as the previous one. I expected that, however, for I was off too many days. In fact, they still haven't updated the tablet, I have no idea what days I will be working this coming week, which is a bit unusual for this company that normally loads the thing up with work going on 10 days in advance.  

I keep watching CreditKarma for they are the best source of loans that I have found - anywhere.  So far, the best offer is 17.9% on a 5 year loan for 20k.  That is actually much better than any of the other offers available.  I've got offers in there for 32k loans that have you end up paying 28k in interest.  So, yeah, no.  The feds have indicated they aren't convinced about inflation and that they aren't yet ready to start lowering interest rates again.  What a jacked up system.  Make us pay!  I wonder why the federal government should have that much control over  the monetary system to begin with.  

This nonsense all started with COVID, people getting ridiculous amounts of "free money" and spending trillions of dollars in "covid relief" stimulus.  The government spends ridiculous, unbelievable amounts of money we don't have on a crisis that didn't need that much money thrown at it, tells people to stay home while they're at it and then...we have the mess going on now.  Oh, it's the best economy in 40 years! ...they tell us, while completely ignoring the fact that interest rates have skyrocketed, the cost of groceries are forcing people to use credit cards, the cost of energy has also skyrocketed....etc....ad-infinitum.  

I'll get off of that soapbox, I am watching the news and most of it is forgettable but there are snippets of the Israel protesters are universities, cops being killed and the Trump trial going on. OH! and let's not forget giving Ukraine 6i1 BILLION dollars!  Zelensky is NO friend of the US, btw.  

Anyway, what's up now?  Meh.  Collect money from the new guy, check my book to see who owes what and see if I can find the other new guy/wife and discuss what's next for them.  The amount that is deducted from their rent relies solely on the amount of work he will do.  

I haven't seen any signs, whatsoever, that the grass seed I put down is coming up. At all and anywhere.  I will be inspected the entire area again, but it appears that $83 is down the drain.  Ahh, so yeah. 

So, I may take the John Deere tractor offer. Maybe.  I need to see when that shed is going to be paid off.  That payment being redirected towards a tractor payment would cover about 2/3rd's of the monthly payment and coming up with the rest would be relatively easy.  I'm waiting for the next statement to come in from the loan company for the shed, I throw those things in the trash as soon as I get them and didn't check what the payoff date is the last one that showed up.  I think it's getting close, like 5 or 6 months.  

The fact of the matter is: I need some kind of earth moving equipment out there.  Endless renting may work, I guess, I'm still weighing the advantages and disadvantages.  If I could get a tractor with a backhoe attachment, this would help greatly.  Trenching becomes readily available without renting a machine every time.  

Honestly, to, I'd rather get a new vehicle.  Not new new, but something a little closer to the year we are currently in. That thing is 13 years old, a gas guzzler and tho it's been pretty reliable, the the seats and the carpet is getting bad and if I'm going to keep it, I'm going to have to have it reupholstered.  The exterior is still in great condition, a few small dings from people opening their car doors against it.....

A tractor payment would come out of the business account, but a car payment would be personal finances.  It's not really in the cards right now, I'm just dreaming I guess.  

I really just need another 15 lots out there.  And a swimming pool to draw people in there.  

And with that, it's getting close to departure time.

G'day