Tuesday

An interesting occurence today at work.
THere is a particular contractor that we are "forced" to deliver to - the guy that runs the show at the site is not a pleasant man. Not at all. I have been delivering to this company, that site and this man for almost the 3 years I have worked at my current company. The man has yelled at me, insulted me, hurled all kinds of nastiness my way - for no good reason and has done the same with other drivers.

He also gets into frequent arguments over the phone with the salesman whose account it belongs to.

Anyway. I'm making a rush delivery - whatever it is they're doing out there, they want this stuff today. The salesman brings the material from downtown to our branch that we don't have, the truck is already loaded, I take off.

This is at an Intel plant where they make microprocessors, so you have to go through the gated entry, turn the truck off, open the hood, give them your driver's license number, on and on. It takes 5 minutes just to get through THAT process alone. A pain, yes, but part of the job, I just smile and give the same information every single time.

I get through there and drive by their yard where they store their material. No-one there. I go by one of the jobsites they are working on out there, no-one there. I go to the third and final place that I have delivered to at that plant in the past - no-one there, either. I don't just wait around and hope something happens. I start making phone calls. The phone number for this foreman isn't on the paperwork, so I call the inside salesman. He puts me on hold and comes back on and tells me HE doesn't have this guy's phone number, either. Wonderful. He says to me: "I don't know what the (bleep) to do in a situation like this". Well, I do.

Standard operating procedure - call the company's main office to get a phone number for the foreman. I tell the salesman that's what I'm doing, he says fine and that's that. I call the company, a rather sweet-sounding lady gets on the phone, I tell her I need the foreman's phone number cause' I can't find him out there. She replies that she can get me his number, but that if I need directions, there is a man sitting right next to her that can tell you.

Great. This man gets on the phone, I introduce myself and tell him where I'm at. He says no, that's not where I'm supposed to be. Okay, where do I need to go? We finally get it straight that I am AT the place I'm supposed to be at. "Well, there's no one out here, not even any equipment. I didn't know who this man was, but he got pissed in a fast hurry, said he didn't know where the f*** those guys were at but that he would find them and send them over in a hurry.

Umm, okay, thanks. That didn't sound good, but - I do what needs to be done to get someone notified that a truck is sitting there, waiting.

Now, not 2 minutes later, this man drives up with a look on his face. He's glaring at me. I get out of the truck and say my cordialities - regardless of how sour this guy is going to be, I'm always professional in demeanor with him. He asks me if I was the one who just called the main office. Yes sir, I didn't see you guys out here and I didn't know where to take this material to. "Well, what's the problem, you don't have my number?". No sir, it's not on the ticket, and I called the inside salesman who didn't have your number, either.

I KNEW something was going on. He takes the ticket from me, tells me he'll meet me at the yard, and then immediately gets on the phone.

I have had run-ins with this guy before, the best thing to do is simply be totally respectful and keep myself out of trouble as best as possible. The problem is, this guy IS a trouble-maker, owns his own universe, and we're just a part of it for his entertainment.

Delivery made, I get back to the yard, get in the semi which is already loaded, drive downtown and deliver that pipe, back to my yard, and then I hear from my co-worker that he had heard the boss talking to the outside salesman about what had happened.

NOTHING happened, really. But sure enough, that foreman had called the outside salesman, harped on him. The outside salesman called my boss and asked him why I'm calling the main office? Fortunately for me, the boss stood up for me. The salesman said I should be reprimanded for it.

Lol. This particular salesman also owns HIS own universe and EVERYONE should do things HIS way. My boss is asking him what I was supposed to do in a situation like that? He basically told this salesman that if we can't get a hold of either salesman on the account, and the salesman didn't put a phone number on the ticket, then we ARE going to call the main office.

Now, let me tell you, the man I talked to at the main office? I was totally respectful, congenial, nice, cordial, all that stuff with him on the phone as well. Didn't have a clue what title the man held, but it was obvious from the way he was talking he was definitely higher up the ladder than this guy at the job site. And so it was - turned out the guy is the vice-president of the entire company!!

So, basically, surmising that the foreman got into trouble for not having his crew over there working. They were NOT working, but who knows what - maybe they were on lunch break. Apparently, whatever they were doing, they should not have been doing it, though, cause that vice-president got hotter than the sun's surface in a fraction of a second when he realized I was where I was supposed to be and NONE of them were over there doing anything.

Well, at least I didn't get into trouble - and rightly so, common sense. I make claims that I still have some of it, regardless of whether half the rest of this world doesn't.

I've just gone through 20 more emails from 20 more people/families who want to chip in to do this next party that I really haven't even committed to doing yet! Lol. Could have enough food to feed half of Phoenix! Okay, not really, but you get the picture. I want to do it, I'm just trying to decide what weekend, and which day on the weekend to do it. I want to pick a weekend where there is nothing going on in Phoenix in terms of big events, and definitely not on any holiday weekend. I figure Saturday is better - or is it? Yeah, probably - gives me a "recovery day" - and if this thing is going to be as big as it appears it is, I have to say that it's going to be HUGE.

I have nothing else. Oh, yes I do. The lady that wants to move in temporarily wrote me back today. She said she DID send out the check and that she definitely wants to move into my house. I'm holding the room a few more days - but not forever. I NEED the money - I want to get caught up on the mortgage - but there are so many other things around here that need to be done as well.

OH, and my mother called me today. She said she saw somewhere where Fannie Mae is going to offer refinancing to mortgage holders who have bad credit but good, stable jobs at 4.75% in April. Are you kidding? I'm ALL over that, if it's true! A few months off, but I'm going to find out more about this now. I want to be the first on that particular train - cause' a train like that will fill up quickly. The savings would be over $200 per month. THAT kind of money, for me, isn't something to snoot at. That's almost my car payment!

Anyway, the corporate people should be at our branch right now. I'm just going to wait and see what becomes of this - everyone I have spoken with have the same thoughts: something is up, this isn't just a "gee, let's have a nice little tour of the facilities and that's all it really is" type of visit. It's decision time. It could be tomorrow, next week, next month before any decisions might be announced officially, but - something is going to happen. Probably. Maybe. Who knows?!!

Take a day at a time and be happy that I am employed, cause let me tell you, the ongoing barrage of email I am receiving from people about this party is some stuff that hits your heart and soul. There are literal, financial tragedies going on ALL around us, just have to open your eyes and look for it - if you really want to see it, that is.

C'yall later.
ben

The Dynamics Have Changed

Email continues to pour in.
I just don't know what to say about all of this.
This was hardly anything started to get public attention.
REALLY, it wasn't.
The reporter I talked to wants to follow the formation and process of the next party and then finalize it by visiting with the cameras at the actual event.

NOW we're talking: THIS IS CRAZY!!!

It would be one of their "positive" stories aside from the landfill of negativity that floods in every single friggin' day.

The best part of this second event: with all the help, I wouldn't have to pay hardly anything for it! In fact, if only half the money came in that people have committed to giving, it would go FAR beyond anything I ever thought of.

This isn't something I've given a lot of thought to - there ARE certain things in my life that I have done that weren't given 6 months of analytical processes. Parties are fun - the planning is simply how much food and drinks and how is it all going to be cooked and handed out. If it's a very large group of people expected to show up, then you start soliciting help. You cannot do it by yourself. You have to have several grills going and you have to have more people preparing food. Even more to greet people, pick up trash, just getting stuff done.

I've done it a hundred times - I've just not done it since I got divorced. I'm in my element at parties - I can move from one group to another - whatever they're talking about, I can join right in. If it's slow, I always have something to throw in the mix that will get things moving. I would FAR rather just get a lot of people to help and I just walk around enjoying myself! Lol.

Well, the whole thing is certainly getting a bit surreal. I have to go through a hundred emails and reply to those that want to help with the next party and see if they're serious - serious enough to give me their phone number and bypass the email game. Email is good - but for commitment, a voice contact is much better and far preferred.

I have a bit to think about. Not in terms of analytical - gee do I really want to do this - but in term of how best to go about this. If the media is going to be involved, I want it to show only good. We have ENOUGH bad right now. I want a spark of hope to ignite in people's hearts. I want to see a giant community coming together. I'm definitely a dreamer in such things - I can see the potential outcome of something like this - people starting their own parties, strangers coming together and gutting out this mess we're all going through together.

I would love to see this isolationist era go away. Me, myself and I. I can do it alone, I don't need anyone's help. I've been there myself - but it never used to be that way. And it never used to be that the Government was our source. WE provide the government, not the other way around. Certainly there are people that need help - I'm referring to the handout, mooching era we're in now. It's sickening. Beyond that, now, are all the people that are NOT moochers - they're hard-working people from all different walks of life in all kinds of professions - WHO CAN'T FIND WORK ANYWHERE.

As I said, I have a little thinking to do.
ben

Wow!

I'm a little shell-shocked.
I was just going through a bunch more email - one guy is committing to giving $600.00 for the next party. Another will come and do all the cooking. A BUNCH will bring food and drinks.
You have to have more info on this than I've given, I guess.

I wrote a Craigslist Ad that was entitled "Free Sunday Dinner - Foreclosure Party".
In the ad, I wrote that I wasn't personally going into foreclosure, but that there are so many people out there hurting. I went on about how Phoenix used to be a very friendly town - and it was. People used to one another, open and hold doors, go out of their way to help strangers. Now? You get a finger and F U.

I don't get what everyone's so uptight and upset about? I see it in traffic all day long, hostility. I see it at stores and businesses. I hear about it on the news. So that's basically what I wrote.

Now, one of the local news media has picked up on this - from who I have no clue - and wants to actually do an interview!!! LOL!!!!
ben

Monday

So, it was official as of today, the other driver was shipped to the main branch in Phoenix and I am now the only driver - again - for the Chandler branch. Which meant, today, that the driving was not split between 2 people and I was busy most of the day, a WELCOME change and I hope it stays that way. Tomorrow there is only one delivery in the system, but that could change overnight. Even so, the big boys are coming tomorrow and whatever free time I have will be spent giving a good sweeping to the warehouses.

The party was a blast! For such an impromptu thing, there were some GREAT people that showed up and spent most of the afternoon here. One older gent had been in more wars or seen action than I can count on both hands worth of fingers. Amazing to hear those war stories. He wouldn't come and say what his rank was, only that he was "higher up" in the ranks and mostly gave out orders but had spent some time visiting troops on the field.

There was a couple of Chinese women that showed up, one of them a much older lady who could only speak a few words of English. It was really cool, too - she had the "older ways" and would bow her head and was totally in love with all of my doggies. Which I found quite amazing.

Now, for the money spent: 89 cent loaves of bread; 69 cent bags of hotdog buns and 93% lean ground beef which was on sale for $1.89 per pound. Plus a couple of things of cheap chicken and several thing of hot dogs, cheap soda and water. Regardless of what anyone thinks, I don't feel bad one iota in having a good time at least once in a while. The mortgage is what it is - it won't go any further late than it is now - meaning each month I get caught up by 3 days.

Unless, of course, I continue to have tenant problems - crossing my fingers and praying that I won't. I'm hearing this stimulus package has something in it about mortgages - waiting to see what, if anything, that includes. I'm still waiting to hear back from my current mortgage company on any loan modification that might be offered as I applied for that almost 2 weeks ago now.

I'm giving the person that said they want to move in here for a couple of months until tomorrow for that check to arrive. It will be 5 full business days since she claims to have mailed it - I don't know of any letter that takes, normally, more than 3 days to get to most anywhere in the continental U.S. Considering it's coming from Oregon - which isn't that far away in terms of the postal service, I should have received it by now. I'm going to write up a totally different ad for a 3rd tenant - short term ONLY. I don't WANT a long-term person in there. Just a couple of months worth of rent to get caught up.

There are plenty of scenarios - legitimate - that a person would need a temporary place to live. One such is a person moving in out-of-state and needing a place until they find their new home or apartment. More-so if it's a person with a dog/s and can't find any place to take them. I would, however, charge more per month for dogs. I have enough and cleaning up after even more of them would be something I wouldn't want to entertain without getting paid for it.

Now, as far as a future party? I've had 2 dozen people write me in the last 2 days telling me that it was too short a time for them - if I'm going to do another one, they'll chip in and help with food and whatever else they can. Yes, I fully intend on doing another one, this time allowing others to pay for most of it, I'll just do the hard part in putting the whole thing together. I'm telling you, it was actually rejuvenating to have some decent, adult company around to spend an afternoon with. I would definitely invite the retired folk in this area with flyers.

It was also fun using that grill for the 1st time. That thing cranks out the heat and can cook a LOT of food at one time!

Mary's friend - the guy that does odd jobs - says he can fix those windows for $30 a piece. ???? I figured out right away without asking what the compromise would be for getting it done so cheap: no gas between the panes. I have no idea how pumping gas into double paned windows does anything for reducing heat loss in the summer, but since they say it occurs, I'll take their word for it. Meanwhile, I could probably swing that next paycheck and get that eyesore taken care of. The gas doesn't last forever, anyway, so I've been told. Max 5 years and it's done. I have other ideas at this point - get some foam insulation, go buy some fabric, attach the fabric to the foam - walaah. A decent looking sun block on each window on the west side of the house, including the giant sliding glass doors.

Another thing they did today was to run a cable from her new room all the way to the box where the cables come out of the box at the back of the house. This means I don't have to run a cable to the 3rd room I want to rent out - and yes, I did acquire another satellite box for that room. My solution to the mortgage backlog is to simply get another short-term tenant to get caught up and get back on track.

Anyways, I have some things I need to do online and - this one's gone on long enough.
ben

It Is Done

I've worn myself out.
But first: Mary did pay - I shouldn't say I'm shocked, but it is a bit amazing after all we have gone through. So - tomorrow or the next day we'll be signing a new lease agreement.

Umm, so, I did something that I now - don't regret but didn't remember how much work it is.
Throwing a party, that is.
Haven't done it in a long, long time. I guess you could call that shindig at Christmas a party - but it was family only.

No, long ago - like 5 or 6 years ago anyway - I used to frequently throw parties. Masses of people would show up and it would always be a great time.
So, seeing that lean ground beef is on big-time sale, I decided to do a totally crazy thing: Have a Craigslist Foreclosure Party.

I am not being foreclosed on. My payments are late, but not foreclosure late. Every month the payment will get reigned in until it's current. I haven't really talked about it because I have it under control at this point. I'm hoping to get in on this government bailout refinance bandwagon or whatever they're going to end up doing so I can bring my payment down by at least a couple hundred per month.

Anyway, the amount of email I received from that ad was incredible. One story after another after another after another from people who have lost their jobs, are losing their homes. People writing to tell me they're college graduates, have decades worth of experience in whatever field - and can't find a job. Some of them have been unemployed for almost a year - others 6 months.

You can tell they're afraid. Unemployment benefits don't last forever - even if they did, you're only getting $1,000.00 per month. That's not enough money to even pay the mortgage, much less buy food, pay for electricity, etc etc etc. It's better than nothing, sure, but - I was pretty overwhelmed by all of it. There's at least 20 people coming tomorrow - plus more people who wrote and were shocked that anyone is doing anything like this, and can they help? Darn straight - bring food, drinks whatever. One lady is bring all kinds of condiments, beans and other stuff. Another guy is supposedly bringing some chicken, another guy a case of coke, one lady actually offered $20.

Even more people wrote and thought what a cool idea - they were thinking of doing something like it themselves. I've always loved large social gatherings and I've always been good at organizing and throwing large parties - even up to a couple thousand people. Just a matter of mobilizing enough people to help get everything done.

You think I'm crazy. Maybe I am - just the lifestyle I've lived most of my adult life. Nothing fancy, either, didn't want to spend too much on it, but - hamburgers are good and it IS lean ground beef : ), homemade coleslaw, numerous bags of $1.00 chips, some dips, lots of onions, tomatoes and jalapenos for topping. I also found a HUGE picnic roast on sale at Fry's - the were dumping it at $5.00 because it's sell by date is today. I already cooked it - 8 hours worth. All the fat just fell off of it, the meat just pulled apart with forks - hence known as fork-pulled pork, dumped a bottle and a half of my favorite BBQ sauce on it - done! Oh, and HUGE bag of frozen french fries at $3.00 something. I'm counting on others to bring the rest. If they don't, it's sufficient in itself what I already have.

I think it'll be a blast. Nice way to say goodbye to a 4-day off stint. Definitely be working all 5 days this coming week. Hopefully, anyway!

Anyway, I've been cleaning, cooking, cutting, dicing, etc etc etc for hours and hours now, I'm ready to go to bed. Party to start at noon tomorrow. See what happens.

As for now - I'm going to bed. Just about everything's done that can be done in advance. A little more cleaning. I've done this before, gotta have things ready the night before and leave as little as possible for the day of the event so you don't get inundated!

G'nite, folks.
ben

Saturday

I must have reinstalled the drivers for sound in the wrong sequence - the software is there but it ain't working.
So, I will probably have to reformat the hard drive yet again and start over.
Ceptin' this time I copied and pasted the sequence into an email to myself and I can just get back online after going through - all of that - and try again. I HATE having to reinstall windows. I have it down to as fast an install time as it's going to get - but there are so many things you have to install after it's done.
Internet Explorer 7
Java
Adobe
Video Surveillance
Kodak Easyshare
Printer
Sound
Avast
On and on. It basically takes a couple of days cause I don't usually feel like sitting here doing it all at once.
Now, if I knew how to find that downloaded junk, get rid of it and try reinstalling, great!
But I don't.
The desire to have sound on the computer is enough to make me want to go through all of this yet again.
Computer geek - I am definitely NOT.
But, at least - given enough time - I find a way to make things work - usually.

Today? Another gorgeous day outside. I do not trust that the cement has set well enough yet, so I'm waiting maybe til' tomorrow to hook, stretch and secure the chain link to the posts. Just hate to go to all the work and find out the hard way that the cement has not set enough yet to be able to put that kind of stress on it : )

Ummm, what else. Mary should be getting her paycheck in the mail today. Therefore, today will be the determining factor. She's certainly anxious for the mail to come, is all I can say about that.

I don't have anything else, really. Oh, yes I do: the tree has actually put out leaves! It's the only "real" tree I have - it's in the front yard. It started "dying" not too long after I put it in. But - it was the beginning of winter and I assumed/hoped that since it's a deciduous tree, it was merely dropping it's leaves because of such.

Considering the amount of work it was to put that thing into the ground, I am very happy that it's showing definitive signs of life again. I do believe it might be starting a little too early, though - it's still getting our version of cold in the morning.

Anyway, hope you all have a great day!
ben

Friday the Thirteenth/13th

You know it's that day for the superstitious among us. I have my superstitions, but Friday the 13th ain't one of them. I don't expect bad things to happen to me today because of the number of the day and the fact that it's combined with being Friday.

I know many people are, though. Superstitions are weird things. I follow them to the tee when it comes to my casino visits for playing blackjack - an event that isn't happening too much right now cause' - I believe - if you can't afford to lose the money you're gambling, then you can't afford to play. So - right now - I can't afford to play.

I got the gate up, dug another hole and poured the cement for another post for the latch side of the gate - and quit. Lord knows I don't feel like digging more holes in that awful, rocky soil. It's a good workout, no doubt, but I would rather climb those mountains for the workout than fight with ridiculous soil full of rocks.

Ken finally showed up. I was sighing some relief. Just that I don't want dead bodies in my house, even if that dead body paid for the room it died in. Gag. My guess was correct: he spent it over at his married girlfriend's house. The husband spends the week in Yuma, apparently.

I was aghast when he told me he was sleeping with her - in THEIR home. What if that guy shows up? I don't care how bad that marriage is, there'll be HELL to pay. How would YOU feel coming to your own home and finding another man sleeping with your wife, even if the marriage ain't too good? Oh yeahhhhhh. Whatever, as long as that s*** doesn't go on around here, I wash my hands of it. I'm telling ya, human emotion over-rides common sense in so many of us so frequently.

I'm getting my motivation up to go out there and dig the last hole for the final post. It'll be even harder than the other holes, cause I have to dig it right up against the block wall that holds the dirt back underneath my house. Fun fun. My son will be at his mother's house in a little while, gonna have to go get him, too. I don't feel like doing anything, honestly. I just wanna hang out and do nothing, but I've got this project going now, I'm gonna finish it.

They've apparently cancelled the rain forecast for this weekend, so I don't HAVE to finish this project today. I'm just feeling lazy.

I'm also wondering how many people are going to be gone. Everytime they've laid off people, it's been several, not just one. The talk was one driver was going to get the axe, but - I suspect they will do more than that. The numbers do not support the size of staff that we have. I don't WANT to see people getting cut, I just think it's going to happen. I believe I've made it through this round - but who knows about any future rounds. Yup, I think about this frequently. I can't help it.

Anyway, guess I'll go out in the sunshine and do a little more digging. It's absolutely gorgeous out today - low 70's, abundant sunshine, just beautful.

Friday

Another plane crash? DANGGGGG!!
This one was bad, too.
Strange to come out to my computer, get on the net and find this big pic of a house that's engulfed in flames because an aircraft nose-dived into it.

Well, anyway, I'm going to be going outside in a little while and hopefully hooking up that gate to the post. Then figure out where I want the next post, dig that hole, pour that cement and then dig the final hole for the post up against the side of the house. I've determined that I can just grow vines along the entire surface of the fencing and eventually it will be covered up. I have one vine in the perfect spot for one end of the fence, I'm thinking of transplanting another vine away from that shadowed area and put it at the other end.

I went for a LONG hike yesterday. I just about made myself sick climbing up and down those steep mountains. Good workout - yes - and is motivating me to continue on with it. I'm also doing a light workout with the freeweights - I'll get it going on a regular, full-blown routine after I get my body reaccustomed to that kind of workout. Basically a 3-day per week routine that works different muscle groups on each workout. I'm looking for muscle mass right now, not toning - want to get it back on there and get the metabolism going again to get rid of my "fat reserves". I ain't that fat, but - I really don't want any on my body. I want to get my weight back down into the 180's - right now sitting at 200.

If you want to know one of my worst fears - it's that of getting fat as I get older. I know TOO many guys that put on the pounds and do nothing about it until it's so bad, it'll take a year or more for them to lose all of that, and then only if they're REALLY committed to doing it. Obesity is the American Pandemic - and it's killing us, ridding our bodies with all kinds of different diseases, slowing us down and basically making life miserable for a lot of people. The best thing that could happen to America is that McDonalds; Wendy's; Burger-King; Jack-In-The-Box and all the rest of the fat and calorie laden giants of fast-food just GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

I'm telling you - there is a market for people who want fast food that is GOOD for you. I would gladly visit such an establishment if they could make it fast, still be tasty food and reasonably priced. The calorie glutton fast food joints and their pathetic attempts at making "good" food is ridiculous. That junk is STILL laden with calories - and usually fat calories which are the hardest to get off - takes more energy to burn a fat calorie than it does a protein or carbohydrate calorie.

Plus, fat is stubborn, it doesn't LIKE to go away once it's on your body. Heck, I would love to be able to venture into a fast food market with the concept of fast-food without all the fat calories. I just don't know WHAT one could make that would be fast food. Burgers made with lean ground beef and dump the sauces? That would cost - lean ground beef isn't exactly cheap. Well, for me it is - right now Fry's has it on sale for $1.88 per pound - I intend on getting 8 pounds of it today. Yes, there's a limit of 4 - but again, the management of that store told me to go ahead and just buy the first however many of an on-sale product, pay for it, and then start a new sale and pay for the other 4. I've done it many times - though I've gotten some stares from the clerk running the self-service lanes.

No-one has actually tried to stop me - yet. When they do, I'm going to be pointing at a particular member of management and telling whoever that THEY told me I could do it, and the HE does it himself!

Tomorrow - or Monday depending on when she gets her check and gets it cashed - will define whether Mary stays or not. It's all about the money, honey. I have written up a VERY inclusive rental agreement. It's my standard agreement, and then a LOT of very detailed, very, very clear addendums, additions and stipulations are added. I know, I should be getting rid of her - but as I say, if she comes up with the court judgement, the security deposit, this month's rent - and possibly at least a portion of last month's rent - I'm good with it.

IF this crap ever happens again, she will be paying for her own eviction. I've bluntly told her that right to her face. We ARE getting along very well - right now. History - with Mary - shows that the problems begin with rent issues. More specifically, the work-for-reduced-rent scenario.
The new rental agreement includes verbage that ends any past claims of monies owed to her in terms of rent reductions, that no further legal action can or will be taken (against me), that no liens will be placed upon my house/property for any such, and that any friends/acquaintences she has used is her responsibility, and hers alone, to repay, if there is any such repayment necessary.

When we don't have the rent issues, we don't have issues, basically - excepting the fight with Justine, the deal with waking up Caleb that one morning and a few other oddiities. The new rental agreement has a provision for the video surveillance, and that by signing the agreement, she acknowledges that video surveillance is being used and that she is giving her consent to it awareness of it's use, 24 hours a day. No rental agreement will be given until cash is handed over to me.

My latest CL ad had quite a number of - women - responding. One guy - who doesn't live here, doesn't have a job and - no thanks. In other words, he's moving in from out-of-state and his mother allegedly is going to pay his rent until he gets a job. In this economy, I wouldn't take it for granted that you will be able to find ANY kind of job out there, save minimum wage junk. I certainly am not going to agree to someone coming in here that has none - I don't take his mother's word as gold, as I don't know the woman or her financial situation and can't deal with her in person, since she lives 5 states away.

I can live with Mary - as long as the "stuff" doesn't resurface. There's always the element of give and take in this kind of situation. Speaking of that, Ken, the other roommate - has literally disappeared. I have no idea where he's at, what he's doing. I haven't seen him in 4 days, I think. Mary said that he told her that he lost some hours at work. He is current on rent and will be until Friday of next week. Meanwhile - quite odd that he isn't here. He has, however, started "dating" a woman he has know for a long time.

The problem is that that woman is MARRIED. I want NOTHING to do with any of that. I don't want that woman's husband to find out where I live. "Gunfight At The BenB Corral" - starts at 12:00. I mean, really, what kind of chances is a person taking in dating a married woman? If I were that husband and found out about it, I would NOT be happy, at all. You know what happens, sometimes, with guys that go into a rage, get a weapon and - easy to figure out the rest. The woman has been here a couple of times, but only short visits. WHERE, exactly, Ken is? I have no clue. He can't be staying with her - the hubby's at home. I'm a little concerned - but - not really my problem. If he disappears permanently - maybe we'll see something about on the local news :(

Ahhh, whatever. I have work to do and I'm going to get to doing it. I'm also going to repost my dog sitting ad - I want to get a couple more regulars, if possible, bringing their doggies over here.

C'ya later and have a great day!
ben

News

So, I dug out a hole back there, poured the cement and installed one of the posts. I then got a phone call - I want to buy a DVR for the living room and then use the regular receiver in there for the third room rental. It was being sold for $60 less than the cost of a new one.

Fortune had it that the person lives 2 blocks from my work. I don't officially get paid until tomorrow, but the boss hands me the check on Thursdays when UPS brings it. I got the DVR and then headed to work. Bossman already knew what I was there for, apparently, as he had the check in hand and directing it my way as I entered his office.

Then came the news. I have been expecting this news for quite a while now. I have - been hoping that a certain portion of this news would be the way I wanted it. The news - is that a driver is being moved back from our store to the Phoenix branch. What I wanted? To NOT be the driver that is being transferred. I FAR prefer working the Chandler store for a myriad of reasons. The other driver - who has seniority on me, is being moved. He does not have seniority on me at the Chandler branch, but my boss doesn't make these decisions, anyway, it's the General Manager and the Ops Manager who come up with these decisions. I pretty much knew from the way my boss was talking that he had intoned to the Ops and Gen that he wanted me there over the other driver.

Not just because I have been there longer, that really doesn't do anything for anyone. It is, I am assuming, because I have learned a lot more of how to operate the Trilogy system than the other driver and I can effectively run the store by myself when the need arises. And the need does arise. Especially when talking in terms of only 3 employees running a store: the boss; my co-worker who basically does all the shipping and receiving paperwork and inventory stuff; and I. It does, however, place a heavier burden on me: If I get sick, calling in is a bit difficult when you're the only driver. I hardly call in sick, anyway. I have to be bedridden, can't move and basically puking or whatever to call in sick. If it's just flu symptoms that I can still walk and be reasonably mobile, I will go to work. Just stay away from people.

The advantage: I will be much busier. Right now, we switch trucks from week to week. The smaller truck gets more deliveries. The semi doesn't get as much because there aren't always semi loads worth of stuff to deliver. I will be responsible for all commercial driving out of our branch. The boss or the other guy can do runs in the pickup truck when necessary - or I can do them if there isn't anything else going on and I'm not tied up in one of the "real" trucks, lol. Longer term readers may remember that the branch I am working at was like this before. I was the only driver for quite a long time before they transferred over the other guy.

The bad news? Probably someone downtown is going to get the axe. According to my boss, anyway. If that's the case, I'm pretty sure of who is going bye-bye. I hate to see anyone losing their job right now - the market is bad, really bad, even for truck drivers. I guess I'll say selfishly that I am very happy it isn't ME getting the pink slip. It may come yet - who knows, but it ain't right now. BenB sighing big sigh of relief.

But - there's this visit from the Western Regional manager. I'm still pretty expectant of some kinds of decisions being made there, as well. WHAT decisions remain to be seen. Common sense dictates that in tough times - and getting tougher - the company is going to go into preservation mode. They've already done that, but I suspect more on the way.

So, anyway, a move has been made. I got my paycheck - it does have the driver award bonus on there. Thank GOD almighty! Right now, that little infusion is a big help. For me, the switch of a driver is good news - I won't have to try to invent things to do. I am quite sure the other driver didn't want to go back to Phoenix - but - at least he didn't lose his job. I kind of feel like I dodged a bullet here....
going outside to check the post I cemented - see if the cement is setting. Probably won't do anything furhter with it until tomorrow. I can hook up the chain link on the portion of fence, and then install a gate on that post. I do this stuff in sections. After installing the gate, I can then identify exactly where the post needs to be for the gate to have a latch that can go onto the other post. Only bummer? Rain expected this weekend. Well, no big deal - I still have the temp fencing up, and the sometimes trouble-maker dog just left. Roscoe, the dog I watch frequently - for money of course - was just picked up by his owner. It was an almost $70 gig. I'll take that money and deal with the dog's little incongruities.

C'ya later.
ben

Fencing

So - I'm having second thoughts on the type of fencing I want to divide my yard. Something about chain link - isn't very appealing to the eye. I have ideas of what I would like back there - something in wood - but, guess I'll have to go ahead and put in the chain link, cause right now, spending money on fencing is hardly on any priority list. Since I already have everything except the 5 posts and some bags of cement, I don't expect to do anything but install that fencing already back there.

A glimpse of why Michael is late every day for school was seen this morning. His mother doesn't come pick him up for school until almost 8:00 o'clock, school starts at 7:45am. Last report card I saw he had 28 absences in his fir period class. They consider it an absence if you're late, even if you show up 2 minutes after the bell.

I think that a good thing - it SHOULD do something for teaching kids and their parents some discipline in life. I mean, you can't just show up to work whenever you want - well most people can't, anyway. I think Michael is going to fail several classes this year because of the lates and the no-shows and also the fact that he is offered make-up work and he doesn't do it. Michael "moved-out" a while back, but has been staying here most nights during the week and all weekends. He's getting his X-Box 360 fixed, I imagine when he gets that thing back, he will be over at his family's house more than he is now. Now? He is "forced" to stick with my Playstation 3.

Anyway, I'm undecided yet what to do with this day off. I had thoughts of installing that fencing, I'm still thinking along those lines, but - feeling rather unmotivated. Digging holes in that ground is very difficult work, I basically hate it. Could spend hours digging out 5 holes for the posts, literally. Where it might take a couple of minutes in good soil - well, the constant hitting of rocks makes it a very drawn out process. Amazing anything can grow in this kind of soil, but so far, all of my plants have shown that they don't really care that much about the soil cause' they're mostly all doing well.

Think I'm going to get outside and start looking at the fence project - what it's going to entail and whether I REALLY want to get involved with that today or not.

Have a great day!
ben

Wednesday

So - another rather long day at work.
But - it wasn't anything like yesterday.
Speculation continues to abound.
I've determined that the speculating has gone on long enough.
What happens - happens. I have thought the scenarios through to the end of every conceivable potential development that might come along - I have thought through my options in every single scenario.
Always remember that roses have thorns.
I'm 99% sure that decisions will be made and will be in the offing.
But what those decisions are, exactly, no clue. Can't lose sleep over something I have no control over.

As the boss said today - keep the place clean and stay busy - with anything. I could sit around for a little while, but I would go stir-crazy. I like staying busy, even if it's mundane work. Home is the place to relax, not work.

So, onto other things.
Because work is so slow, I am not only getting Friday off, the boss offered tomorrow as well. He offered it to the other driver first - but I told him if he declined I would happily take it. I have plenty of hours available for off time. Friday is my paid birthday day, I think I'll use a floating holiday tomorrow.

Happy happy. So - unexpectedly - I have a 4 day weekend starting NOW. Woo-hoooo!

I'm thinking of calling some tax places and find the best price. The first place I went to - well, I hope that ain't the best price, cause if it is, more than I expected.

Took the dogs for a long walk shortly after getting home. I said I was going to start getting the excess nerves out by doing some intense workouts - the walk is hardly just a walk. It's a climb in the mountains and yes, stress is quickly flung off. Not only that, but when I got to the top of one of the mountains, I was very surprised to see the clean air over Phoenix. It's an unusual sight. It was very windy yesterday and that must have blow all that junk out of the valley. More than that - there were several much higher mountains in the distance that were covered with snow including 4-Peaks. Pretty cool.

Leaving the mountain range? A coyote was sitting on the next mountain over and started it's howling/yelping crap. The coyotes around here are little scraggly things, I am not afraid of them. They aren't going to bother giant dogs, either. Even if the dogs aren't vicious, their sheer size will keep coyotes from bothering them. I'm more concerned about javelina than those little puny coyotes. Nasty creatures, javelinas will attack. They don't CARE what the potential prognosis is, especially if they have young. They will defend them at all costs.

My bonus comes Friday on my paycheck. If I can save some of it, I am going to. My bills - not a pretty picture but I'm not so far behind that I'm in serious trouble with anything. I'd like to get some money into the ING account and have that available for summer.

Tomorrow - since I'm home - gonna cook that turkey that's sitting in the fridge, now fully defrosted and ready to cook - just before it starts going bad.

So, I was going to lift weights today, but I did the mountain climb instead. Tomorrow I intend on doing both. I'm also going to call the boss and see if the other driver is going to make a transfer run. If he is, maybe the boss will let him stop by here with the bags of concrete I need - I can't haul 800 pounds of concrete in my car.

As happens frequently, I'm writing an entry and I get interrupted by something. This time - hunger. I've cut back on my eating. Twice a day. Pretty much have done that for a long, long time anyway, just times when I'll go to eating 3 or even 4 times a day. That cycle is over and I'm back to eating twice a day - late morning and early evening. It has nothing to do with dieting - I just don't get hungry until late morning and then I come home from work and several hours later, my stomach's literally growling at me. I'm NOT saying I'm skinny, either. I have a 33 inch waist at 200 pounds right now.

Anyway, I dsecided to try something different. I took 93% lean ground beef, made 3 patties out of half a pound of it. The leaner meat goes much further in cooking and not shrinking until it seems to disappear. I then pushed the meat in the center of each patty to create a bowl effect. I took a large spoonful of bottled, crushed garlic and put that on each patty. I then cut up fresh cilantro into very shredded like appearance. I then took some Worcestershire sauce, dumped healthy amount of that onto each patty and put the cilantro on top of it. I worked all of that into each patty until mixed up.

I then cut up onions and jalapenos, put them in a frying pan with a little oil and cooked those until they were nicely cooked. Took the patties and put them in the same pan. Bunched the onions/jalapenos up into a small part of the pan.

I have never tried it before, but I will definitely be doing it again, and again. It was delicious! Oh, a little ketchup, toasted bread, ranch dressing on top of it all plus I melted cheese on each patty.

I only ate one patty which made me full. A 1/3rd of a half a pound of meat with stuff on top of it made me full after not having had eating since this morning.
Hey, I just read about that stuff that goes on inside your body - you reduce your eating, your stomach shrinks, takes less to make you feel full. Pretty obvious that us Americans could stand to eat FAR less food than we are.

Anyway, I'm offa here, at least this entry.
Have a great evening/day (whenever you read)!
ben

Rancher

There is a bit of news online that I was reading today that captured my interest - greatly.
It seems there is a rancher that owns 22,000 acres of land that is right next to the border. Illegal aliens have been using this rancher's property for years and years as a way to try and enter the U.S. illegally.

A little blurp from the story:
"""""""Mr. Barnett told The Washington Times in a 2002 interview that he began rounding up illegal immigrants after they started to vandalize his property, northeast of Douglas along Arizona Highway 80. He said the immigrants tore up water pumps, killed calves, destroyed fences and gates, stole trucks and broke into his home.

Some of his cattle died from ingesting the plastic bottles left behind by the immigrants, he said, adding that he installed a faucet on an 8,000-gallon water tank so the immigrants would stop damaging the tank to get water.

Mr. Barnett said some of the ranch´s established immigrant trails were littered with trash 10 inches deep, including human waste, used toilet paper, soiled diapers, cigarette packs, clothes, backpacks, empty 1-gallon water bottles, chewing-gum wrappers and aluminum foil - which supposedly is used to pack the drugs the immigrant smugglers give their "clients" to keep them running.

He said he carried a pistol during his searches for the immigrants and had a rifle in his truck "for protection" against immigrant and drug smugglers, who often are armed.


ASSOCIATED PRESS DEFENDANT: Roger Barnett said he had turned over 12,000 illegal immigrants to the Border Patrol since 1998.""""""""""

Now, the fascinating part of this is that 16 ILLEGAL ALIENS are suing this rancher, in the news story's words: who accuse him of conspiring to violate their civil rights when he stopped them at gunpoint on his ranch on the U.S.-Mexico border.

These people are NOT legal citizens of the United States. What did they expect from people on our side of the border, a Welcome Wagon? The unbelievable part of this to me is that a federal judge is actually entertaining this 32 million dollar lawsuit.

I was just flabbergasted to read that a U.S. court is actually hearing this case. What unbelievably BAD kind of precedent will this lawsuit serve if those illegals actually WIN their case? This is the kind of thing where I would like to see the Supreme Court step in and put this nonsense to an end.

I'm just in awe here. I mean - this man actually helped the U.S. Border Patrol by turning in thousands of these illegals. If I owned a property like his and had illegals wandering through, you can be rest assured that I, too, would be going around my property HEAVILY ARMED.

Well, whatever.

I worked pretty hard today, wore myself out. That's a good thing. I put up yet another CL ad and had 2 replies within minutes. First was a crock of s*** from a "french" lady that is asking for personal information who doesn't even live here. The second was a phone call - I put my broadband phone number on there. I didn't answer the phone because my Magic Jack didn't show a phone number from whoever was calling. It is a lady - judging from her voice definitely older - who is moving here from Oregon and needs a temp place to stay until she finds her own place. The catch? Well, as I've been warned numerous times before, I should probably stick with guy renters. The second is that she has 2 Pomeranians. I actually like Pomeranians - my mother's now-passed "husband" had 2 of them. Little yip dogs, but very lovable and very loyal. I just don't know if I need 2 MORE dogs around here.

So I don't know about that and haven't returned the phone call. It's after 5:00, so whoever was supposed to come - isn't coming apparently. Which leaves - another guy who I didn't hear back from after I replied to his email. He did, however, leave a phone number, so I may just call.

It was cool here today - I was wearing a jacket most of the day. I'm getting more and more winter wimpy every year. I find I don't really like the cold that much anymore. I mean, not even in the 40's - where I used to love it. I don't like extreme heat, either. I can tolerate it, but I definitely don't LIKE it.

Perfect.? I just got off the phone with a potential renter moving in from out-of-state. I've had 2 of those so far and both of them were excellent renters. This conversation went well over an hour. They're moving back here from Oregon and will be looking for a new home and expect to need a place to rent for 2 months.

I'm not looking for a long-term renter on the 3rd bedroom - just enough to get paid up on some things and maybe even get ahead. Or - take all of that renter's money and put it on the electric card reader and have 2 of the 3 hottest months of summer paid for before it ever gets here. Perhaps THAT is the best idea. No, in that case, put that money in my ING account and have it in savings to use for electric. I have never "lost" any money on those card readers, but to have that much money on one would be a little - scary - for me. Plus - I would have the money for any emergency, something I don't have right now.

Ummm, I have numerous things to do before going to bed, and it ain't gettin' any earlier.

Lord knows I HOPE that there is some kind of orders to pull and deliveries to make tomorrow - please???????
G'nite folks.
ben

Tuesday

I get to work this morning and there's an email that has been distributed to everyone. About the regional manager coming for a visit - like - the manager of the entire western half of the country, I think.
The general manager is asking everyone to greet him and - clean up everything before he gets here.

With me, that's a given. Big boys/girls come along, you spiff up the place as much as you can.
Aren't coming until Tuesday - but there was a LOT of NOTHING to do today - I didn't drive any trucks, I spent the entire day at the yard, sweeping, cleaning, vacuuming, picking up stuff, moving things around. An eternity of a day I can tell ya.

Of course, the speculation continued on even more. Why is this guy coming now? He's going to every single of our stores - which is only 5 total anyway - but they're spread out. Tucson, Downtown Phoenix, the East Valley, the West Valley and then Albuquerque. Take that back, there are 6 stores, but he's not visiting the one in El Paso, Texas. I imagine this is a tour to make decisions. That's me guessing - but my guesses are usually pretty close in these situations. Keep all the stores open - or not? Reduce the labor pool? Get rid of equipment? Who knows. Keeps up thinking, guessing and wondering, that's for sure.

I slept okay last night, but I'm very tired. Probably because of the sleep I have lost on other nights. I'm thinking another long nap coming in-queue very quickly here. At least lay down for a while - I was on my feet all day long.

My work-week is half over. If I really do get Friday off, then this is half-week right now. I think I could really use another 3-day weekend right now.

Allegedly a potential renter coming over today. I think it was a 5:00 o'clock apppointment. I dunno. I want to take a nap, do a little cleaning up around here and if they show, great, if not, another person waiting on-hold if they haven't found a place yet. If neither of those work out - have to place another ad. May just do that anyway to get mine back up near the top. It must be buried by at least 500 ads by now. It's apparent that renting out rooms is something more and more people are willing to do in order to try and save their homes. I've given the hints to people that are struggling - it's easy money - or is it? Depends on the person you get in there, that's a fact.

I'm still thinking it's tougher to get a tenant when you already have 2. I disclose the fact that there are already 2 tenants in here. A potential renter should know whatever pertinent facts there are concerning a place they want to live at. At the same time, I read ads on Craigslist frequently that are home filled with 4 and even more tenants - all individuals that are not related to each other - so I know it's possible to get more people in here, just have to keep the ads running until it happens. Mary is not a done deal yet. I'm going to wait until her payday to find out whether she's still a renter in my house or history.

I have other things running through my head, but I need that nap.
C'ya later.
ben

Monday

More rain.
It was overcast all day long, and then finally started raining again not half an hour ago.
It wasn't very surprising to hear the rumors of reduced hours, shut down stores and employee layoffs to start surfacing again at work today.
Though - it is pure speculation based on a little bit of fact. The fact was that management was definitely considering cutting everyone's hours back to 35 per week.
Speculation is that it will now happen. Further speculation that one of the outposts - a store that isn't doing very well - will be shut down and the 2 employees running it will be shipped back to the main branch.

More fact that salary-plus employees have had a new work shcedule introduced,they are no longer salary plus and I really haven't got an idea of WHAT they are on now.

Even further, the general manager of our division in AZ outwardly shows hope that we are going to ride out the storm, rumor that he is definitely wondering what's going to happen next. Corporate will make whatever decisions they decide to make - if any - and then we'll see what happens.

Reality? If the economy continues to go the way it does, I'm guessing a nationwide percentage layoff at our company. I'm also guessing they may just do away with both stores in the valley, the one I already spoke of an our store and go back to servicing all accounts out of the main branch. The cost savings would be substantial. We have the drivers and the trucks to be able to do so. Further speculation of local layoffs, meaning our division.

So, I sit here wondering what's coming next. I mean, the company isn't going to just continue on with their plans of expansion, instead, it's going to do whatever it has to to survive. This is only natural and for me - well - I will just go to work everyday and hope that I will have continued employment there.

I talked to 3 different drivers of 3 different trucking companies that come into our yard today. One driver rattled off a dozen companies that are laying off drivers, another said his company is doing well, the third the same as the first.

Of course this is cause for concern. I sit here and wonder what I am going to do if I get the axe. My brother - every time I talk to him - asks me what my backup plan is. WHAT backup plan? How do you make a backup plan in this kind of economy? I have none. Hit the streets and start pounding the doors for a job, that's all I can say. I hope it doesn't come to that. I know there are millions of other people that are wondering the same thing: will there be a job to go to tomorrow. Millions more have already lost their jobs. I also ponder what the American landscape is going to be after this collapse is over and done with.

The signs of inevitable restructuring/layoffs/whatever are the dismal numbers that are being posted. Or the days that there are no deliveries to make. 2 years ago this time we were going full-steam and the company was making plans for further expansion. I was working full days, non-stop go, go, go. Today? I did a return of some storm drainage pipe and did transfers. Tomorrow - not a single delivery for our branch unless something changed since I left work today - which it often does.

So, that's what my mind has been filled up with lately. It transcends everything else, even the situation with Mary. Without a job, I sink, period. I join the huge list of people losing their homes.

I have a backup plan, yes I do. It's a gruesome plan at best. It would suck, undoubtedly. But it exists. It might save my house. You might already guess what it would entail. I'd pitch a tent in my back yard and rent out every single room in the house if I had to - if it were possible - to keep from getting thrown on the street. My son would just have to stay with his mother. Oh yes, I have thought about worst-case scenarios. Food stamps, unemployment, a house full of tenants - a house FULL of tenants.

Whatever. I'm a survivalist. I always have been. I dream up answers where there are none. I wouldn't care about losing the car, but if I lost the house - it would be a LONG time before I would EVER qualify to get into another house again, and at the age of 45, that is a VERY unpalatable thought. I'm VERY glad I did not sell the old car. It's sitting there, and it runs. It needs a new battery now - but I got it running last weekend and had it running for quite a while to ensure lubrication of internal engine parts - and a new harmonic balancer. Oh, and it has a leaking wheel cylinder. Relatively cheap fixes.

On a lighter note - I have Friday off. Providing nothing big comes up - if work comes up that precludes me taking the day off, so beit - I get my birthday day off. So, a 3-day weekend. I came home this afternoon and slept for an hour and a half. I didn't sleep well last night - woke up at 1:30 am and didn't get back to sleep until 4:00 am, meaning I had about 5 hours of sleep last night. I'm thinking of taking a couple Ambien tonight.

I'm loving the 24 TV series and it comes on in half an hour. Watch that and go to sleep after it's over. Get whatever sleep I can and go to work tomorrow. When the rain lets up, I'm going to start working out hard. Not for the benefits of weight loss or whatever, but for the benefits of sleeping at night, releasing anxiety. I have my son's weight set here and I have the mountains behind me. That's all I need and neither costs anything. I intend on working out until I am so drained that I can't and don't care about thinking about such things as the economony. I've done it many times before - I have been working out since I was 10 years old - it's nothing new to me. It's an unbelievable high in itself without drugs or alcohol.

I've also thought about going on the 10-day Master Cleanse. Not sure if I can handle that or not - basically fasting, no solid food. I am also thinking of just pure fasting. Water only. But not for 10 days - probably like 5 to 7 days. I've done that before, the rejuvenating effects are crazy. Your body purges itself. You become mentally "crisp". You don't die in 5 or 7 days of fasting, trust me, you don't. You feel weak the first 3 days - that's a hurdle - after that, you start getting this "high". Whatever it is, it keeps you on it. You sleep well - quite well - after several days of eating nothing. I've done it many times, I speak from experience, at least for my own body.

So, then there's Mary, the other room I intend on renting out, and all kinds of OTHER things beyond what I have already written.

My dogs are currently living on $16.00 per 50 pound bag of cheap dog food compared to $26.00 per 44 pound bag of better dog food. I throw in cheap meats here and there. The stuff I bought at Fry's a while back - 10 pounds of chicken for $3.37 or whatever it was - feeding them that. Put a little chicken and some juice in it. They'll survive this with me, I hope anyway.

I'm going through this stuff because our world is being turned upside down. If it doesn't affect you - you must be in a good place. I'm not going to say I envy you, but I certainly don't hold it against you.

As for this entry, enough.
ben

Sunday

I stayed up WAY late last night - quite unusual for me - therefore didn't get up until late this morning.
As I have seen on many other blogs, it's been raining here as well. Started yesterday evening and was going continuously until late this morning. Now it's coming and going.
Plants are getting well-watered for free, thanks to Mother Nature (otherwise known as God)!
I have accomplished almost nothing today.
I haven't had the desire to do much of anything but a little light housecleaning and haven't even started laundry yet.
I was hoping to take my birthday day off tomorrow - but the boss never got back to me about whether I could or not and he left early on Friday to go to an appointment with a tax preparer.

Basically, he wants to avoid having me take that particular day off if there's a workload that requires both drivers. Understandable - but I want to get it in before I lose the priviledge, as corporate only allows it during the month of your birthday. So, I'll ask for this coming Friday off since the other driver left early on Friday - otherwise I would have taken that off instead.

Frankly, if it's going to keep raining, there isn't going to be much work to do. Any job sites will shut down when they get too wet and muddy - the general contractors don't want the site messed up by the mud and they don't want all that stuff tracking out onto the street.

Anyway, I don't really have much to say - kind of in this thinking mode right now about numerous things going on.

C'yall later.
ben

Saturday

Arizona's a funny place to live in terms of weather. You can have a cloudless sky in the morning and by afternoon have a full sky of clouds and rain. Allegedly, that's what's going to happen today. I'm looking out my windows and seeing only a few small cloud wisps floating up there, yet the forecasters insist that it's going to rain later on today.
I actually believe them, having had lived here most of my life.

I have been trying to keep up with backing up my blog entries by posting the same entry on 3 sites. I kinda didn't want to do it this week cause' I posted a V-Log on here, Blogspot, and I don't remember trying to do that on either LiveJournal or Wordpress. Wordpress took a minute for me to figure out - but I got it and LiveJournal was easy. So, now that I know how to do that on all 3 formats, not such an arduous thought of trying to back everything up.

So Ken - my roomate or one of them anyway - paid me yesterday. This guy doesn't play games with the rent. He's $25 off from having his security deposit paid - the money is in my ING savings account. Whenever he decides to move out, I only have to transfer the money out of that account and into my checking account and then I can withdraw it. This will be my standard modus-operandi for any new tenants coming in here from now on. What surprised me is that he also gave me an extra $10 for the food he has been eating out of my cupboards. I have said absolutely nothing to him about it. He also borrowed $20 earlier this week from me and paid that back as well.

Anyone that does all of those things is a good tenant from my viewpoint. Mary is busily attempting to win us both back over. In fact, Ken offered without asking yesterday that his reservations about Mary have disappeared and that he actually LIKES Mary at this point. He did, however, also offer that that should not affect my decision of what to do with her.

Umm, anyway, I was hoping to get a response to a Craigslist ad I placed for galvanized posts for the fence I want to install. No responses. I'm definitely serious about wanting to get that fence permanently installed AND have a nice gate - which I have already acquired - so that I can access both "sides" of my yard without hinder. Meanwhile, I'm looking at pricing on energy efficient doggy doors. Some of there are EXTREMELY expensive. I decided that since I am putting it in the utility room, and the utility room doesn't have an AC outlet, and it gets fairly warm in there in the summer, I don't need an extra-heavy duty door in there. A good one, yes, but a $300 version, not.

Yes, I'm busily formulating whatever I have to to come up with ways to save energy in here, and that is one HUGE way to do so. I know I'm losing cool air out of that doggy door I have in here now, I just didn't have any choice but to install one. I couldn't have them - the dogs - outside all day long baking in 110 degree heat (well, I won't do that to them, anyway, I COULD set up an evaporative cooler out there under a ramada and that would do just as well) but no way was I having them just stay in here all day long without access to the outside. Pooping and peeing on my floors is a BIG no-no in my book.

So, I'll fork out around $100 for an in-the-wall doggy door, I hope anyway, with this bonus I'm getting next week. The money spent will be the money saved. I'll take this sliding glass door one out and resell it on Craigslist for what I paid for it (try, anyway) and that will be that. I have a little trepidation about cutting a hole in the side of my house - but I've installed these before and it's really not rocket science.

It has cooled down considerably overnight - it's in the low 60's I think right now and isn't supposed to get much warmer than this - up to the mid 60's today. I figure I have it very good considering what others are going through in snow and ice right now : )

Enough for now, have a great Saturday!
ben

Friday

Dumb me - I usually sit here with the keyboard in my lap and rather kicked back. Tonight, I dropped the thing, causing the wires to rip right out of it.
Yup, a trip to Fry's electronics and $14.99 less rich and I'm back in action. I was tempted by the myriad of wireless keyboards - but finances prevailed and I just bought the plain old Microsoft thing. I have had at least 5 keyboards for this computer since I got it.

Ummm - so today. Lessee - it was an absolutely gorgeous day. Temps in the low 80's, sun shining. Found myself working my rear off this morning for several hours, the energy output felt good. Was loading large pipe - 18 inches in diameter - onto the semi to return it to the manufacturer. Something we're seeing a lot of are contractors bringing back materials we have sold and delivered to them because whoever owns the project is backing out of it. In this particular case, we had delivered thousands of feet of this particular pipe and tens of thousands of feet more of other kinds of pipe. Fortunately, they got the other pipe in the ground along with all the material that goes with it before the project was shut down.

Literally dozens of projects have been shut down while in full-force. They get the underground stuff put in and then shut it down. A full fledged hospital is being built and will be done in 2 or 3 months - and then it's going to sit until at least mid 2010.

Umm, lots of stuff in the news - I just sit back and shake my head. When will all of this end?

This weekend - I had planned in installing the fence permanently, but apparently the weather is going to sour that plan. Supposedly it's going to rain all weekend. I love the rain, yes, but not when I have things to do outside! I could work in the rain, but some of what I am going to do involves pouring cement, which probably doesn't bode well with continuous watering coming from the sky.

Oh, my makeshift fix to keep the dogs out of their latest assault worked. I watched video surveillance today after getting home. All 4 of them were trying to get past it - just couldn't do it.

It's getting late - for me anyway. I started writing this entry hours ago and then the keyboard was trashed. The computer logged me off and I couldn't get back on to at least save what I had already written - sooooo - I'm done for tonight.

Have a great evening, c'ya tomorrow!
ben

More

So, I find out today when I get home that the dog I am dog-sitting has found a way underneath the chain link fence I put up. That must have hurt to force his body under that, cause there are sharp, jagged things sticking DOWN on that portion of the fence. Prince followed behind him - and yes, they trampled another plant. I - got quite angry admittedly. I threw both their asses out and they are going to stay out there for a long, long time. They do NOT do that stuff when I'm home, only when I'm gone.

I went out there and addressed the problem - as best I can. I put so much stuff and wired it to the fence itself and then put stakes behind it that I'm at least hopeful that they won't get through. I turned one of my video surveillance cameras from the west side of the house to the southeast side of the house - where they are doing the dirty work. I will be able to see when they are doing this stuff and how they are going about it. It's rather infuriating, to be honest, to find these dogs doing this stuff. The price I pay, I guess, for watching this particular dog. I CAN make a permanent fence with a concrete underlay that has hooked pins sticking out of the concrete to anchor the bottom of the fence to that will invariable keep them from doing that.

The problem is, of course, money. Money is always an issue with me in doing home improvement or doing things to save my plants in this case. I don't just need redi-mix concrete, I also need the right poles to put into the ground and be able to install one of the gates. I have top railing that will stop them from just pushing the top over as well. I don't KNOW that they are going to try to push the top over, but Roscoe - the dog I have watched over here numerous times - is very determined to get over there to mess with that dog on my neighbor's side of the fence.

Well - I dunno. I have a prospective tenant moving in, Ken is going to pay me Friday, I received $100 from my dad and I will have that bonus on my paycheck next week. I already received $60 for watching the dog - but I am spending all of that on dog food. Watching dogs to pay for the dogs, that's what I call it. The poles I need will cost almost $50, plus concrete mix. I have everything else. Call it around $80 to get the project done - not a lot of money and maybe money well spent from my bonus.

However, I have my eyes set on a new doggy door. It's ultra-energy efficient with 3 flaps to keep cool air in, hot air out in the summer. I want that done, soon. It's $200 - but it's money well-spent. I believe it will pay for itself quickly as I rid myself of this sliding glass door doggie door that undoubtedly is letting out cold air and hot air in in the summer in huge amounts. The sliding glass door doggy door has worked well and served it's purpose - but it was only temporary. I needed it when I got it - like right away.

So, anyway, I just want to enjoy the last few waking hours of my birthday. Truly, every person should enjoy and celebrate the day of their birth when that day comes around each year. Your birth/my birth - it's a good thing. There's a reason for it, there's purpose to it. Today, all kinds of co-workers wished me a happy birthday - there's a lady in our company that sends out a mass email to everyone announcing everyone's birthday when it comes around. My mom called - we talked a long, long time. My son called, too. A little surprised my dad didn't call - he usually does. Then again, he just got out of that heart surgery and I don't wonder if he isn't still feeling a bit under the weather.

That's it for today - I'm done with writing and I'm going to watch a movie before I have to go to bed and bid my special day goodbye.
ben

Thursday

Taking my break at work.
I was greeted by Mary this morning who had, somehow, found out about my birthday today and wished me a happy one. She was busily cleaning away in the kitchen. I said thank you, fed the dogs and left. Kinda got in the habit of feeding the dogs in the morning instead of the evening as I was all the way up until a few weeks ago.

This morning, I got to a jobsite with a bunch of meter boxes - they're the boxes that go in the ground in front of your house that the water meter is contained in. There was only one man that showed up and he said in very broken English that there was no equipment to unload that truck.

So, I was busy lifting these rather heavy boxes off of the pallets on the truck and down to him. I was thinking about getting old - one of those things I guess you start to do when you are getting in your mid 40's - and what that would mean for me. I read other blogs of mid 40 somethings that are out for vengeance in ensuring that as they grow older, they don't stop moving. I have the same thoughts, which is why I'm glad, actually, that I have a job that forces me to exert myself physically. Frequently, that exertion is extreme because of the sheer weight of many of things our company sells.

But, I decided that I am going to frequent more my visits to my son's Christmas weight bench and curl bar, and also an attachment for squats and pulldowns. That setup right there is enough in itself to boost my muscles back up after taking - quite a long break - from working out with freeweights.

My dog walks give me a pretty good heart/lung workout otherwise known as cardiovascular - and though I could stand to step it up a little more, I'm really just giving time for the dogs to get in a little better cardiovascular shape themselves. Duke loves the walks, but he peters out pretty quickly. Large dogs have been known to have heart attacks and die when put under excessive physical exertion. I don't want Duke to lay down and die in the South Mountain preserve.

This isn't exactly a mid-life crisis. Actually, I don't think I've really gone through any of that. Too much stuff has happened to me in my 40's to have time to be getting depressed about getting old. It's not a crisis at all, really, I am just getting a view of what condition I want to be in when/if I reach my 50's and the method of how to get there. Freeweights are, in my opinion, one of the best workouts available. I am not a big fan of the machines with the cables. When you are lifting freeweights, you not only have to lift the weight, you also have to control the weight - in other words, you can't just wildly push against the bar however you please as you can with cables, you have to control the bar going up or - the bar is going to fall on you. I have always found it a much better workout.

I am, however, a fan of those stair step machines that basically are the equivalent of climbing up and down mountains. For your heart and air intake, it's an awesome workout. However, I just happen to have a set of mountains not 3 blocks from my house, the real thing is probably no better than the artificial thing, but the views are FAR more entertaining than just sitting there on the machine, unless, of course, there happens to be a member of the opposite - well let's not go there, lol.

That's it, really. I turned 45 today. I feel pretty good. Still walking and still breathing, that's a good thing. Thank you, Lord, for life and health.

ben

House Fire Of 2007

I had - well I wrote the day the house burned down from the hotel I was staying in. I had all of that stuff on my JS journal - it's all gone - whoosh, buh-bye.

It was a Sunday morning. At the time, Anthony was living with me as well as Michael and of course my son from Friday to Monday. Things - concerning Anthony - were much better than. He hadn't copped the huge attitude and wasn't doing drugs, though I figure he was probably smoking the dope.

Anyway, I had rented a Rug Doctor the day before and was trying to get the carpets finished in my old house before the time frame for having that machine elapsed and I had to take it back to Fry's. I was busy getting the living room done, when Anthony came strolling out. Now, I may not remember everything to exact detail as I had written it that day.

Reason being because that day is basically a blur in my memory. I remember the things that happened - but it was such a mind-blowing event and the hugeness of what was going on - never thought I would ever have to go through something like that.

Anthony said to me: "Ben, there's smoke in your bedroom". I couldn't possibly fathom why there would be smoke in there. I walked back there and opened the door. The smoke was so thick, you could barely see anything in the room. I did not see any fire at that point, but it was obvious something bad was going on and I wanted everyone out of the house immediately. Told Anthony to get out, and then started banging on the bathroom door loudly and impatiently, yelling at Michael - who was in the shower, to get out, and get out NOW!! He didn't understand what was going on, I just kept banging and yelling to get out of the shower immediately - the house is on fire, get out.

The word fire got Michael moving to the point he only put on a pair of pants, burst open the bathroom door and I was basically pushing him down the hallway. This was an old mobile home, and if know the structure and composite of those things, they burn FAST when they catch on fire. You don't have time to do anything, just get out of it and save your life. Once I knew all the humans were out, I started looking for dogs. I couldn't find Comet and I couldn't find the Rottweiler I had just acquired, but I did find Coco, grabbed all 3 leashes, put her on one and then ran out of the house. Don't remember who I handed Coco to, but - I ran back in the house to see what was going on in the bedroom. Oh, I forgot, as soon as I walked in the bedroom and saw smoke, I immediately called 911 and demanded the fire department to get here NOW!!

When I got back to the bedroom, I had plans of saving a few things - things handed down from my ancestors that could not be replaced. No such thing ever happened. As soon as I started walking into the bedroom, one of the walls literally burst open with flames. The instant heat from that intense fire that had been building inside of the walls pushed me back down the hallway. If only I had had a little more time, I could have got a garden hose in there and probably have snuffed the fire before it got to that point. Everything I have written that occured up to this point happened VERY quickly.

I wasn't going to die for an old house that needed to be razed, anyway, or even the thought of losing the things that were so valuable to me, I was fortunate that even in that state of mind, reason took over and told me that trying to save things - and getting burned or killed while doing it - simply wasn't worth it.

It was the middle of July, it was over 110 degrees that day. I did another sweep for the dogs, couldn't find either of the other 2, gave up on it cause the house was filling with smoke, and went outside.

I want to note something before going on with this story. On a normal Sunday, my son and Michael were sharing a bed and would have been sleeping in that bed at that time of day. That bed was RIGHT where the fire burst out of the walls. IF my son and Michael had been sleeping, as they ALWAYS were on Sundays at that time of day, and IF they hadn't woken up in the smoke or the heat in the walls - they would have either died or had been seriously burned. It just so happened that my son left early to go with his mother to church and Michael apparently had wakened when my son left and decided to take a shower. I personally don't believe it chance, I'm a Believer and I know that God had intervened in this situation.

I went outside - had forgotten my shoes and had only a pair of pants on myself - and watched my house burn down. The fire department showed up, it took them a while (probably not very long, in my mind an eternity) to get all their gear on, get the hoses hooked up to the hydrant get in there and start putting out that fire. JUST before they went in, the Rottweiler appeared out of nowhere and started trying to bust down the big window in the living room in an attempt to get out. He was heaving his entire 130 pounds against that window - but we got in there and let him out before he could hurt himself. The smoke inside of there was deadly at that point, not to mention the intense heat, even though it was the front of the house and the fire was raging at the rear of the house.

I was standing out there, in the direct sunlight, as well as Michael and Anthony, for hours. The dogs were burning up - the water from the hoses fighting the fire was enough for them to drink.

Things started happening quickly. Phoenix Fire has their own volunteer resource of people who come out in such situations, assess the situation and figure out what needs to be done to help you out. In this case, the gave me the number for the Red Cross and told me they would help. I had no place for the dogs - the Humane Society came and took all of them away. I gave up one of the dogs - the Rottie - as I found out that he is a one-dog only type of animal. He doesn't like other dogs and will attempt to kill them. My other 2 dogs - Coco and Comet - were put up for 7 days I think it is. That is the limit they will take them. But, it's free, it takes that burden off of you and you don't have to lose your dogs if you can find a place that to live in that will take them.

The Red Cross showed up with a force of people and assessed the situation themselves. Yup, a total loss. Everything, including every piece of clothing for me, Michael and Anthony. Caleb had a few things there, but not that much. Do you need a hotel? YES. They set up a hotel for a couple of nights if I recall correctly, and then they gave me a debit card with $500 on it to buy food and buy new clothing.

They took the immediate pressure off of me - I was broke and I didn't have any money for hotels and food. I don't remember everything, to be honest. Maybe a few readers that were reading when I went through it will. I know that my dad basically saved me - he sent me 10 grand which I used for a myriad of purposes, including have the house removed from the property. My company has a fund for people going through an emergency and I received 5k from them as well. I think I stayed at hotels for at least a couple of weeks or something like that before finding an apartment and moving into it - with both dogs. No, it wasn't that long, less than 2 weeks. I found a place that would accept my dogs and lived there for 6 plus months while I was having a new house put on the property.

My co-workers - like all of them - gave me everything from gift cards - very generous gift cards at that - furniture - all kinds of stuff. I received a huge outpouring from the church I had been going to. Basically I was given a new lease on life - I was working a full time job and maybe would have been able to find a place, yes, but to replace everything without all the help I received? No.

It was both one of the worst and best times of my life. Bad - lost things that can never be replaced. Good - the huge outpouring of help from people - many people I didn't even know - restored my faith in the giving nature of the human race.

The after-effect? I can smell smoke when no-one else around can. What's that smell? I smell smoke. Everyone around me looks at me strange. Still to this day.
The month or so after the fire I had horrid nightmares. I would wake up in the middle of the night, sweating, even screaming. I remember going to the bathroom one night, opening the door and seeing flames. There were no flames there, but my eyes saw flames. I kept seeing fire everywhere. Counsellors told me this was normal and would probably last a month or so, and then would dissipate. It lasted longer than a month, but it did eventually dissipate and the horrific nightmares went away. The visions of flames everywhere also subsided and life slowly got back to normal.

Wednesday/Cut To The Chaste

Indeed.
I fully expected it.
No, really I did.
Mary left a letter on my computer desk right here.
She apologizes - profusely - admitted things got out of hand because I had "hurt my feelings" as she puts it (for what, I have no clue but I'll assess it to suing her for eviction).
Now, what kinda got to me was the little thing she put on there about her mother dying this morning.
I was unsure whether she was telling the truth - master manipulators will do anything to try and get you on their side - but she came in with tears in her eyes just a few moments ago, started talking to me about it, then she got 2 phone calls and they definitely sounded like the response a person would be giving in such a situation.
She goes further in the letter to say that she understands if I don't want to rent to her anymore - but she would like to stay - and if I wanted to rent out both rooms to her, she would give me $600 per month. When she came in, she stated she had been giving $200 per month towards her mother's assisted living.

So, that's that.
What do I do with such a letter and personal interaction? Umm, well, I tend to think of the past and what has occured all the way up to this point and put it into context. The past with her in here has both been good and horrific. It's been a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. I would say that the goods and the horrifics have been equally distributed in terms of time spent in either condition. What I'm not really liking is the way she addressed me in those emails and a few other things such as her dealings with Caleb - though she also profusely apologized to him and hasn't done anything since.

Anyway.

Tomorrow is my 45th birthday. I was going to take the day off for my birthday day, but there is too much work to do, and things are NOT looking good at our company. At least in the AZ division. I am NOT going to be the one who gets canned because I was adament about taking the exact day of my birthday off. Corporate gives the birthday holiday - but conditions it with scheduling it with your manager to do it when time permits. So, I asked for Friday off - but the other driver already asked to leave early. I then asked for Monday off - he said good - but we'll check Friday what's in the system. Cool. Maybe if that doesn't work I'll ask for next Friday - as I would rather do it in a 3 consecutive day off thing than anything else.

I was talking with the boss today and he showed me the numbers so far this month for each of the 5 stores we operate in AZ. It was quite alarming. One store hasn't sold ANYTHING. The store in Tucson - which "usually" would have had at least 100k in sales by now, has NOTHING as well. It's a large store with it's own salesman. Our store has done 45k - which isn't too bad considering the economy, the size of our store and the number of employees, and the main branch has only done 245k - which is QUITE low for that store. The first thing I'm thinking is more layoffs. Who will survive? The store in the west valley - I'm predicting it will be closed by year's end, probably a lot sooner. Look, I'm just hanging onto whatever hope I have here that I will survive any rounds of layoffs and will be able to continue to have a job with this company, because it's VERY slim pickins in the job pool market right now for any industry, even trucking. I'm very concerned, I'll put it that way. But - I also expected this. The gurus have been saying all along - at least some of them - that 2009 will be worse than 2008 and don't expect any turnarounds until sometime in 2010. I see 7,000 more layoffs announced on top of all the layoffs already announced this month nationwide - it's getty scary.

When a company like Caterpillar announces over 21,000 positions will be cut - what kind of panic does that send through it's force of employees? People will start assessing their position in the company and whether it's completely expendable - and then start losing sleep. I'll bet the sleeping pill companies are loving this stuff - I can just imagine that their sales are skyrocketing as I can only imagine doctors handing out thousands - hundreds of thousands - millions of presctiptions for the stuff.

How did I get started on that subject again? It's pressing on me, that's all I can say about it. It's "warm" today - in the mid 80's. Crazy. It's almost warm enough in here to turn on the AC for a couple of hours - but I will probably just go outside and water plants instead. It's getting close to 4:00pm, so it will start cooling back down in a couple of hours or less. I have plenty of watering to do out there on the east side of the house - the stuff in the plastic pots have to be watered daily in any kind of warmer temps - they just dry out and the plants - suffer.

My dad sent me a little birthday gift - nothing much and I have come to realize that the money he gave me last year and the year before - is pretty much gone. He had sold his house and gave me a chunk of change, but also donated a bunch of it to - I don't remember what he said, but either a church or a charitable organization. I'm happy to have received anything. I have that bonus coming on next paycheck and Ken is paying me $200 at the end of this week. For now, I am staying afloat.

Anyway, I have a lot on my mind and I'm going to go visit my little plant paradise and spend some quality time out there.

C'ya later.
ben

Tuesday/Court

UN - believable.
The cacophony of lies spewing from Mary's mouth in the courtroom - just incredible. Too many to list. The thing that made my jaw drop is that she had taken pics of the work she had done - and included ALL the work I had done on the east side of the house - a thing which she had nothing to do with - as part of HER work!

Because Mary and I bantered back and forth for quite a while through email, there was a lot for the judge to take in. As Fin so aptly noted a while back, I don't envy that judge. I started from the beginning when she moved in and went all the way through until today. Mary started her lies - threw in some truth here and there - but was obviously getting emotional - erratic and confused. SHE confused the judge several times. The way she speaks and tries to explain things is VERY confusing. The judge sat back at one point, looked at Mary and said "I'm confused. I was with you all the up until" the point that she started going on a safari excursion of lies and make-belief. We travelled through Africa and probably parts of China in this incredible, made-up story of hers.

At the end of it - and darn it went on a long time - the judge found for me. My court costs and partial rent. She had was trying to convince the judge that she owed me NOTHING for the month of January, I was adament that she owes me the full amount for that month. The problem is, back in - October I think - I wrote her an email that - was ill-advised. The email was intended to show Mary how far off she was on her figures, and then I said something like, let's say that this is all true - and that I DID give you $200 for 2 months in rent concessions. The judge took that literally and gave her the extra couple of hundred in concessions.

Live and learn, is what I can say about this situation. I actually wouldn't be opposed to having someone living here doing some amount of work for a specified amount of rent off. But - it would all have to be very detailed and spelled out to the extreme on the rental agreement. Again, the reason I didn't include it on the rental agreement with Mary is because she said on the day she came over here, after I told her I had deleted that Craigslist ad with the offering, that she didn't want it anyway. Otherwise, I would have clearly spelled out on that agreement the terms of the "work for reduced rent" and there would have been no questioning it.

She denied in court - in a very animated fashion I might add - that I had said that I would only go $100 off. I told her that even though she said she didn't want it.

Now? $200 judgment and the writ of restitution can be issued in 5 days. Another $103 bucks to do that. I figure I will be forced to do so, unfortunately. The judge offered to her to pay me in court, right then and there, and that would satisify the judgement - but she said she didn't have any money.

Now, she's eventually going to come back here, undoubtedly, and then what? I have NO clue. What kind of stuff might she start? Or will she ask to stay? Or does she even understand that she has to leave? I am starting to understand now that it's the way she sees things that convalutes her thinking. I don't know what to think about her. I'm afraid things might get ugly - but that's just me. She's been acting very nice in the last few weeks. I have video surveillance on 24 hours a day, recording. If she comes in here - I will be standing right in front of it. Must find my mini-cassette recorder in case - just in case - she starts something.

Ahhh, found it. It's a small electronic gadget that gives me much comfort - the audible recording of anyone saying whatever.

I could say that I am switching gears and moving on to something else for today, but I can't. Court was intense. I had to find a lot of documents in a short period of time. I was ready, but still. Mary started speaking very fast - she was extremely agitated. The experience wasn't bad just because of the judge. He had a difficult task in attempting to sort out all of this mess and I can say that I was happy with the result. It ain't as much as I wanted, but just to get any judgement - $200.00 - was enough, especially with the check in the box near the bottom of the document we both received at the end stating that a Writ of Restitution will be issued after 5 days. That state does that to allow the person time to get their stuff and get out. I do NOT want to have to deal with Mary's stuff.

Okay, I'll try to do some gear shifting. I was over at Benita's blog yesterday and she was asking about the house fire. I understand that there are numerous new readers here and I would like to document that day and all that happened as much as memory serves. The day was more like a streak of light - it all happened fast and things came into play very quickly to help us out. The city of Phoenix definitely has a good plan for this kind of emergency.

Anyway, I bid you all well and maybe c'ya later.
ben