Never ending drama I guess.

I was informed after church today that some of my tenants caught a person attempting to dump a large amount of trash in the dumpster who, of course, doesn't live there.  I was asking for a license plate number, they didn't get it.  A black lady driving a white car.  The dumpster is almost full, I emptied out wood and a chair yesterday in order to make more room.  The dumpster is never full like this before Wednesday, if, the only people using it are park guests.  

There is simply no way it gets that filled up with that few people.  I am half tempted to get my chemical gloves out of the truck, go to the dumpster, pull out all of the trash and start sifting through it.  What am I looking for? Mail.  People dump mail without thinking.  Their name and their address.  

Then there is the router.  I installed the thing incorrectly and spent some time trying to fish it out of there.  Finally out, I may have damaged the sim card. Oh, I mean fishing out the sim card, you have to transfer it from the old unit to the new one.  

I guess I'm going to have to go back over there again later, the old one started working again, lol. I get calls all the time and then I get a new one and the old one starts working?

Robert - the workamper - is acting like a d***, I was informed today.  Of course he is.  He lost his opportunity, he could have a good thing going keeping my place up to snuff, but he got lazy.  He didn't want to do anything and now? That opportunity is long gone.  He has been replaced and he knows he's been replaced and there isn't a damned thing he can do about it now.

I take no pleasure in doing things like that, I actually abhor it.  I decided when I started this business that if/when - more like inevitably when - something like this happens? I would make decisions based on the best interest of my business.  Not people's emotions, but my business.  If I don't make any money, what is the point?  I'm not giving 2 people free rent every month, that's a fact.  

Oh, the dumpster. Lost my train of thought.  Well, I've been floating the idea of moving the thing another 200 feet up the driveway. I'm going to call Republic tomorrow and find out if they are okay with that, after describing why I'm doing it.  Going to find the camera that isn't working, get the memory card out of it and put it in my new camera.  I haven't done that because it is morbidly hot out, the humidity is killer here.  

I've been sending money to a Christian ministry in Pakistan for a few years now. Nothing great, $25 here and there, $50 recently.  It's kind of a thing where you wonder if what you are doing is backed by any facts, like: am I sending my money to a scammer?  I couldn't imagine anyone going to the depths of trouble this man has gone to go scam anyone. Scammers are in it for the least amount of effort.  

I sent him a pic of me last year I think and they printed the pic and had the kids holding these printed photos with the words on it: God Bless Brother B!  

He did this again yesterday, but these were much more up close pictures of the people holding the signs. Note that I didn't ask for this and greatly embarrassed, actually, that these children were doing it.  I'm not looking for accolades for my giving from anyone at all. Great is your reward in Heaven, the Bible says, but the Bible also talks about humility and the servant's heard.  I know for a fact that Pakistan is a mostly Muslim country and run by Muslims who hate Christianity. 

I know this from close friends that spent 25 years over in India, having to leave India every 6 months to renew their visa and they would head to Pakistan.  

Well whatever, lol. I'm feeling fine having this wonderful day off.  I still have 6 solid hours before it ends, I sigh and say well, it was nice and then who knows how many days in a row worth of work. 

______________

Went over and installed the new router.  Working fine after a few minutes of setup, I texted everyone the new password. Stood there quite a while with the new park host.  He's very helpful and was helping a lady with a broken sewer line.  They apparently break easily in this heat and covering them is the best option.  She was blaming the workamper, maybe.  Didn't look like any damage from a weedeater tho.  

Over to the dude sitting in this watering trough with his new girlfriend.  Nice lady, they were in this rather small thing all entwined with each other, lol.  I don't insert myself into such things.  Keep them happy to stay there, that's my motto, as long as they aren't doing anything to bother anyone else or degrade the appearance or feel of the park, I don't care.  

It's so humid out there, just standing there I was sweating my @$$ off.  It was crazy hot.  I was informed there "is no other chainsaw in the shed" besides the one already found, but yes, it's still there.  

But it's all done and Im done. Another 3-1/2 hours I go to bed to start the rat race all over again.  Except, I don't get up early tomorrow and right now, I'm fine with that.  

Oh, the new guy also said he could help me build out the rest of the park.  I said I'd love to do that, but..

I started quoting costs and he looked at me in shock.  I have these numbers in my head, they may be inaccurate due to inflation.  I could probably get away with less gravel. I can't do anything about electricity, it's 35k regardless.  8.5k septic.  Another 3 to 4 thousand for water.  I said 60k off the top of my head, just for materials, that doesn't include renting equipment or having a contractor come out to hook up electrical from pole to post.  

I don't have 60k and I don't have the additional funds to add amenities that will bring people in over other parks in the area.  I've got to have something that stands out beyond what I already have.  I'd like to get a pool in there before I get more lots. What I want and what I get? Well who knows. God is good, perhaps money will float out of the sky to pay for all of this.  

Give and it shall be given unto you. I'm not a prosperity preacher, I just know that God can make things happen where everything else has failed or the options available aren't good options (high interest loans).  Did you know that if I installed an above ground pool, partially in the ground, that the decking would cost more than the pool itself? Yeah, I figured it would be like that, I discussed it with a person that built a small park but put in this huge above ground pool and spent the money to put up a huge deck around it.  

I just noticed my manager has me working Monday through Saturday again.  I assume Sunday off. I'll do that 2 weeks in a row but then? Well, I have vacation coming up.  So I might do that again, if he continues to schedule it that way, until vacation.  

Enough. A couple hours left and this day is over. 

 Sunday - morning

It's the time of year where people are where they want to be for the most part.  I'm talking about the RV crowd.  They're in Florida, southern Texas, Arizona, wherever, they aren't coming through here.  I kind of expected it tho.  It's why I switched the game plan to long term.  Unfortunately, long term also means a community and community always means people who complain about everything, people who don't get along with each other and people taking advantage of the amenities.  

I have people come into that shed and they start looking around for - something - and then they look at the camera - then look around again, wander around in circles and then eventually leave.  No, I don't sit there and watch the camera all day long, these are found through notifications which I usually scroll through to see who is doing what in there.  When you see someone acting strangely like that, you wonder what their intent is.  I go straight to: taking something that doesn't belong to them.  If I didn't have that camera inside of that shed, who knows what have gone on in there what with all kinds of people with all kinds of views of life.

I was going to replace the wifi router yesterday, but I was put on hold for need of a tiny screwdriver that opens the access to the sim card.  I have to switch from the old to the new.  Someone took the router out of the water proof box I have it in and set it on the ground, which pissed me off.  I am replacing the box with a larger one and have to put a small ac unit in it. I think that's what killed the broken one.  

The workamper's wife texted me and asked for clarification.  Are "they" doing the mowing now? I thought I had already made that clear?  Allen also clarified this to you?  Okay thanks was the answer.  However, to leave nothing in muddy waters, I clarified that Allen is taking over as park host and will be taking over all park related duties. No offense, but you were doing very little and you weren't doing anything that I asked of you to, or if you did, only after asking you countless times.  You can stay and pay lot rent on the next day that it is due or you are free to leave, either way, this working relationship is over.

See, I didn't bring them into the park as workampers, I never promised them anything and free lot rent was based on the work they - he, she doesn't do anything but sit in that camper all day long - do.  It was of great annoyance that he would also walk around without a shirt on.  An older dude walking with a giant beer gut representing the park.....

Well now? Suddenly a fire has been lit under his feet and he "wants" to do everything. Only because Allen is busy working, cleaning things up, mowing, etc., doing far more work than this workamper ever dreamed of doing.  The workamper had resolved himself to mowing the dog park once a week and that was the end of it. Is that worth an entire month's worth of lot rent? Of course not.  So he's getting in Allen's face, wanting the lawn mower to the point Allen contacted me about the situation and that is when I contacted them to clarify - for the howeverth many time - they no longer work for the park.  

If it continues I am going to go to their door, get in their faces and tell them directly to leave Allen alone and stop trying to suddenly do something to save your position.  If you had wanted to do that, you would have done enough work to at least get by.  You wouldn't wait until someone else comes along that has a much broader vision for the park, btw, including expansion, see them start doing all kinds of  stuff including decorating the shed and putting up hand made signs (they are really nice btw), mowing, trimming, picking up stuff, etc.  

Go sit in your trailer and drink, or do whatever you want to do, but when rent time comes around? I want that money.  They now know this in no uncertain terms, it has been concisely stated to the 9th degree, it is in writing via text, there is no possibility in realistic terms that they can say that they weren't told.  

I'm cleaning up the messes in the park that were brought on by undesirable people coming in and doing things I don't want them to do.  You can't just look into a person's soul, heart or brain and see what's going on in there. Only God can do that.  I take chances, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't, there is a big mess to clean up - via getting rid of people. It's unpleasant work for it's always confrontational. I don't care how professional or nice or kind you try, they are going to get mad because they aren't getting their way.  Like 5 year olds throwing a tantrum on grocery store floors, thye kick and scream, sometimes literally, while they are being taken out to the dumpster. 

Not that I think they're trash, but when they act like that, I don't want them around.  The workamper already drove away one of my favorite repeat customers, I don't need him doing that to anyone else.  

Live and learn. Next time - well I already have the replacement in Allen and yes, I did grill him quite a lot.  Much like when I used to screen people coming into my house to rent rooms.  If there is something amiss, just let them talk long enough and it will come out.  This all came flooding back into my mind after this ordeal. Remember, I haven't done any of that in quite a while.  I've had quite a few long conversations with Allen and so far, it's all normal and a drive to actually help me succeed. They want free lot rent, of course, I'm willing to exchange that for people that are actually on my side and not just about the money.  He's unemployed and apparently not looking for work right now.  

Anyway, it's been an aggravating week, frustrating and very draining.  That stuff takes it out of me and wears me out.  I have to go relax and even take a nap after I have been involved in those ordeals both with the workamper and the couple with the dogs. Add to that Allen losing his wallet and apparently someone taking it - or more likely- someone stole it and his phone to begin with.  He had to go cancel his credit cards, bank cards, etc.  Lost I don't know how much money, but at least a month's worth of lot rent.  

Relishing a day off, I realized I have no clean clothes for work. I have pretty much ruined all my jeans with the trucking job - get some of that glue on your clothes and it ain't coming off - I have one pair that is usable for church.  I was waiting to buy anything more, whether I was going to have to switch to the next size up or stay in the same size. I have been diligent about this diet. I'm not losing a lot of weight but I'm definitely not putting any on, either.  So today after church, I'm going to go buy at least a couple of pair of new jeans and keep them set aside for non-work stuff.  

I'm still going to go over to the park after church and switch out that router. It sat in the heat last year, it's going to have to sit in the heat again until I get a new setup. I need a much larger, waterproof cabinet and a small ac unit to keep it cool.  Actual AC, not that humidifier stuff.  I don't think a fan is good enough. It will blow air around to keep it cooler than if you just have a box collecting heat, but it's still going to be pretty hot in there.  I had bought a box that the thing barely fits into, there is no room for a fan or small ac unit.  Yes, it's going to cost me but unless I want to have to go through this continually, I have no choice.  

What else....well I'll tell ya, I think I've dealt with enough this week.  It's still Sunday.....

19 days away from the trip to Galveston. The beach.  19 people going, they rented a large house, I paid appropriate percentage for my stay, far cheaper than getting a hotel.  I mean, hotels over there at this time of year are in the hundreds of dollars per night range.  Even old, junky hotels.  We are also cooking our own food, planning only one outing where everyone goes off on their own to eat wherever. We have already decided that as well.  

As with most vacations, I will ditch the diet. It's too hard to diet on such occasions, especially when you are eating whatever someone else is making.  I suppose I could take my own food with me, just think it easier to eat/drink whatever for a few days and then right back on Keto.  It was a bit difficult to get back on the no sugar, pasta, potatoes, etc diet again.  After a week, it was like nothing, really.  We are leaving Friday and returning Sunday, it's not a long vacation.  I took Monday off as well, there is nothing as bad, actually, as coming back from a vacation where you've actually worn yourself out with all the activities and then have to face work the very next morning.  A day of recovery, thank you. 

Meanwhile, we have the city of Phoenix with it's ridiculous water bills.  It includes sewer and trash, yes, but I remember the days of $40 per month payments which are now over $200.  They claim water conservation efforts - they are in a drought and have been for many years - but that isn't the whole story.  It's the unions working as city employees that keep demanding higher pay and benefits, far beyond anything you would find for the same type of work in the private sector.  Phoenix is run by leftist tax and spend individuals who just give these unions whatever they want. It will eventually break the city - it might take many years or decades, but when it all catches up to them?  I've seen this scenario taking place in other big cities.  It's absurd to have to pay that much every month.  We're talking some plants to water here, not grass, it's all landscaping rock.  Half of my plants are gone what with the  person taking care of them not really knowing what he's doing.  

I have it set up with a drip system, I don't even know if he's still using it.  He just let stuff go, saying he didn't know what to do and not contacting me about it. I know what to do with the various plants. In the end, I'm not there and he is.  There are still some desert plants that don't take a lot of water so that is that.  We've gotten a lot of rain over there this past season, I'm wondering if that equates to lake filling up and underground reservoirs doing the same? 

Anyway,  my mom is going to be up in the mountains again for the 4th. I'm trying to figure out when to go.  Just going to wait until she's back, at the same time, we have this mini vacation.  Kind of a conundrum.  The only thing that I will not like about the trip is staying at her place. She keeps the thermostat at 80 degrees, a full 10 degrees higher than what I can sleep at. We keep this house cold at night, I'm not the only one that likes it cool for sleeping.