Friday - morning

I cold day in northeast texas, it's 8:30 am and it's still only 32 degrees outside.

Now, I'm not complaining.  It's sunny, the temp will come up over the next few hours and goodbye to that drastic, hot summer. It's funny how we complain how hot it is and then we complain how freezing cold it is!  Yup, I've done it too, just not today. I guess the only complaint today was the temperature of my room when I got out of bed this morning. If it was 50 degrees in here I wouldn't believe it.  More like in the 40's.

This bedroom is an add-on - used to be a carport.  Whoever added it on did a poor job of getting the central AC and heat in here. There is hardly any flow coming out of the vent and if I want it warm in here, I have to turn on my large space heater and even then, it takes a couple of hours to bring it to warm feeling in here. 

Well, as I learned growing up, you can always add layers of clothing.  I just don't like to waste electricity all night long on heat that I don't need when considering the fact that I am covered up with blankets in bed. 

Anyway, we are shooting for Monday to do the rest of the work out there and - well I don't know if he's including the gravel in that equation.  I certainly hope so - they get out there early, they can have that work done in a couple of hours at most and then have the trucks bring in the gravel.  But, that's the way I think, this dude? Who knows.  

I'm going out there early Monday, that's what I can say.  See if they are out there and make sure they are doing everything I wanted to get done.  

In other news, there are numerous other RV parks in this area.  One of them always comes to the top of the list when Googling Rv parks and I checked on them yesterday. I busted out laughing. They had stolen my web designer's ideas and implemented them on THEIR page!  All of a sudden, they have a motorcoach and a travel trailer on the front page and a group of 4 people - 2 couples - that are sitting out there having a BBQ.  They also put in the exact same google search map showing where their park is as my web designer put on mine.  

I'd like to send them a bill for half the costs of the ideas, lmao.  My site jumped up to page 3 of search results overnight.  Remember, it started out on page 7, I think it was.  It's also jumped up on the first page where it shows all the RV parks listed.  This competitor stealing ideas also posted their pricing on the front page, an apparent attempt to show they are going to be cheaper than mine.  Yes, well I am not going to be operating a junky park with dirt roads and overgrown grass with cement slabs that look like they needed cleaned years ago.

Or have them so crammed together you can hear your neighbors eating dinner inside their rig with their doors closed.  

I do wonder about opening in what will be getting close to the dead of winter, but I'm not going to just wait  until Spring.  It costs me nothing more to open and I have already paid the insurance up for a year, which starts on December 1st.  I figure there might be the adventurous crowd that will want to go camping as well. 

I've gone snow camping and extreme cold camping. The part about camping like that that isn't so precious is when it's time to get up in the morning, it's 20 degrees outside and you know you aren't going to be able to warm up until you get a solid campfire going.  

Maria came over yesterday with her new roommate.  He apparently has money as he's retired and staying with her until he finds a property to buy that he can build a house on.  He has a dog, Maria has 2 dogs and Addler was out there as well. Addler and her dogs used to live together, to it wasn't surprising after all that time that they hit it right up and no real fussing.  The new dog wasn't particularly hostile either.  

We walked the entire circumference of the trail.  She had never been and just wanted to take a look.  She was impressed and complimented the entire layout.  Thank you! I think it's pretty nice and I am hoping the trails well help sell the place as a quasi-destination spot.  I'd love to be able to buy some of the land behind my property at the rear.  It's undeveloped land, forest I should say.  An extra 10 acres would be very nice back there.  No, the land isn't for sale and even if it were, I don't have the money for it.  

Some day, tho, I would love to be able to expand in one direction or another.  Another 10 acres back there would open up huge possibilities for a lake and cabins.  

Anyway, sticking to the here and now- today? I always go over there whether I intend on doing anything or not.  I will be checking the grass seed I planted, I have no intention of planting the seed I just bought until I can see there are several days or even a week worth of rain coming. I'm just hoping what I have done - takes - because it's basically the entire RV park section that I dumped seed on.  

Today, I am hoping to get a demo of the campground software - but really - I just want to upgrade to the real thing and get this ball rolling.

With that?

G'day.  

Thursday, morning. 

I got up early to see Taylor and the kids off. Taylor got a new espresso machine and wasn't sure last night if she would have time to make a cup since she deals with the boys in the morning.  But, she had it going and had her own cuppa before she left.  

Yesterday.  Getting frustrated with this rye grass seed situation and not being able to find any.  I went to Tractor Supply to see for myself if they had any that came in with their weekly shipment. No, the emphatic answer.  Lowe's - nothing but way over-priced 25 pound bags.  I wasn't going to pay that much for grass seed, sorry, but no thanks. 

I had already checked around.  Buchanan's - call them, the thought came into my head. It says it's a "Seed and Feed" store, but what you see going in and out of there are ranchers and farmers.  Stuff related mostly to horses and cows.  There are a lot of horses and cows in this area, lol.

The dude on the other end of the phone said yes, we have 50 pound bags for $37.  What? Did I just hear you wrong? $37 per 50 pound bag?  Yes, but we only have 5 or 6 bags left right now, we're waiting on another shipment.  Yup.  Got the trailer, went over there and bought 6 bags. By the time I got there -several hours later - they had already received their shipment and a lot more of it.

The amazing part? This is the exact same brand and seed that Tractor Supply is selling for $54.95.  The man was shocked.  I agreed, it's just grass seed!  Just another example of corporate greed. When another company can sell it $17 less and still make a profit, there is greed going on there. Lowe's even worse at $65, tho a different brand. 

Well, I've got that going this morning, just taking it  over to the property, putting it in the shed and dropping the trailer.  I've got to go to the other's kid's school this morning.  He also wants McDonald's Happy Meal (versus the tragedy they call a Thanksgiving dinner served at the school), so I will oblige him since I did the same for his older brother on Tuesday.  

Their lunch time is 10:00 am. I asked him this morning, is this your normal lunch time? Yes!  That's early!  That's more like late breakfast or brunch!  

I dunno, but I'm going to check the soil again over there this morning.  It rained a long time on Monday and it really saturated the soil.  I'm afraid that nothing is going to get done until next week - and there is a chance of rain every day next week.  This is going to seriously jeopardize any notion of opening on December 1st.  

No worries, I guess, it will start up when it starts up.  I was originally hoping to get going the middle of this month, but that obviously isn't happening.  I mean, it may actually be that it will not happen until well into December and tho it isn't what I want, it will just have to do.  

I think I am going to make this blog "public", ie: create an actual website for it and drive a few more visitors.  I wouldn't mind getting some minds commenting on some of this stuff, perhaps people that are in business could give some advice.  

G'day. 

It's 9:00 am and it's 40 degrees outside. Winter is officially here? 

I dunno but I just spent an hour doing "card compliance" - because I am going to be able to accept credit card payments on-site (either for a spot or for firewood or whatever) - I had to go through a very extensive list of questions specifically pointed at security and what I will do with any information once it's used. Get rid of it, frankly. I don't want to keep people's credit card information and it will only be input through the system - if Cardpointe stores it, that's on them.  

What a pain.  I get that they want users to do specific things when manually taking a card but my goodness.  Well, anyway, that is over with.  I don't know what the next step is.  The campground software person didn't really specify that- yet.  I'll be sending an email today asking when/how we are going to upload the actual software to the website.  I think that rep has to work with my web designer to get that done.  I know I will have nothing to do with it - because I know nothing about how that works and frankly, I don't want to learn.  It's a one-time deal.

I have the contractor nailed down to call or text me when he's (allegedly) heading over there today.  Specific things I would like them to do that I just don't want to continue to fool with. I did my best job, saved a ton of money and will pay for the rest.  I could probably fix the things that need fixing, but I feel like at $400 per day to rent the machine, I'm better off having an expert do it and it won't cost much more than that. Maybe a grand I'm thinking to do what I need done, which really isn't that much for an expert using a machine.  A couple of hours and they would be finished.  This way, the job is done right, we don't put down 28k worth of rock and then find out we have to move some of it to facilitate a repair that should have been done in the first place.

I have an electrician coming next week to see about hooking the shed up with power.  I'm not going to fool with high voltage under ground lines.  I'm good with circuit breaker panels and running line in the shed itself, but I have no experience with these much larger lines and how to attach to them, I'll leave that to an expert.  Of course, the expert isn't going to be cheap considering he'll have to dig down to the line and dig a trench to the shed. 

BUT, from where the line ends to the shed is maybe 40 feet.  It'll still cost a couple thousand dollars I'm guessing.  Once I get a quote I can decide what to do.  A couple of washers and dryers would really help getting people in there.  People don't want to go sit at a laundromat.  They'd rather take it to your place, load the machines, come back in an hour, repeat process.  I just should have had this included in the cost of running the line - but - I didn't know when I was going to get a shed or where I was going to place it.  

Future reference? Yes, figure out where it's going to go and just have a line run to that vicinity with a box sticking up out of the ground, same for sewer and water.  

Right now? Well, after this, I'm heading over there.  See how it is drying up and cut down that big tree and whatever else I can get done over there.  Oh and see if any of that seed I put down last week is sprouting.  The seed I just put down 2 days ago obviously isn't going to be sprouting quite yet. OH! And go to Tractor supply this afternoon to see if they did, indeed, get in a pallet of grass seed.

Off to the races. 

 3 draft blog entries just sitting there lol.

It rained all afternoon yesterday. I went over there twice, identified more problems - mostly it's just leveling the ground so the water can flow downhill without pooling up.  I was thinking of renting the roller they have at the local rental place.  It would flatten/smooth out the ground and eliminate most of those problems.  

The contractor says I need to fix a storm drain issue before they dump gravel. Great, but that's a quick fix and it won't hold them up.  It will be a couple of days drying before they are going to come out. In fact, I would suspect if they are coming this week, it will be Friday.  That gives 3 full days to dry including today.  Very low percentage chance of rain, I'm hoping this time it's a go. 

Wednesday/tomorrow afternoon Tractor Supply allegedly getting a truckload in and on that truck a pallet of grass seed. Yup, I'll be over there getting at least 4, 50-pound bags.  Maybe 5 since seed is in short supply in this entire region - and I don't just mean at Tractor Supply. Yes, I looked up all the Tractor Supplies in a - 70 mile? - radius, only one said they had it but after calling them? "We don't have any grass seed here".  A 40 mile drive for nothing would have been a bit frustrating.  

I got the stands to hold up my new signs - but I don't think I'll put those in until after the gravel install. Won't take half an hour to do it and there is no sense in risking having new signs run over by a Bobcat. 

I have also determined to have the driveway done.  I don't know when yet.  Before the 1st, obviously, but I want everything to dry out first.  Actually, since it's an existing driveway and there is already a thin layer of gravel down - dirt tho in some spots - it shouldn't have to completely dry out.  I could have it dumped and hope that it will spread nicely - and if not, just go ahead and rent a small tractor with a box grader attachment on the rear.  

It isn't a Bobcat but it is $150 per day cheaper and I don't have to have a bobcat to effectively spread the gravel.  

I'm going to send a bill to the oil and gas company.  They will probably laugh, but whatever.  There will be record of me doing something about "their" driveway that they refuse to maintain beyond having a giant bush hog coming through attempting to do work that only chainsaws or perhaps a trackhoe could do. 

The 25 year old I had out for a couple of weeks ran the trailer into my brand new shed.  There is no other explanation.  One of the fenders on the trailer has been ripped out and the damage on the shed is that same height - and the fact there is no reason for any "intruder" to have been driving on that portion of the property. 

It was no wonder when he came the final time to our house to get his pay that he gave me a look and literally ran off.  It will probably cost a thousand dollars to fix that damage.  I can leave it for now - it's not open to the elements and it's not visible from the driveway, I just don't want to leave it like that.  

I'm not sure what I'm going to get done today.  I could get busy with the chain saw, there isn't anything I can do in the wet mud of the driveway.  The 7 year old's school is having Thanksgiving dinner today and I'm going to that per the kid' request.  He reminded me last night. "Are you still going to come tomorrow?"  Well of course I am, I wouldn't intentionally let him down like that.  After that, I may very well go over there and cut down a large tree on the driveway that's been needing to come down and maybe do some raking.  

I wouldn't mind going and getting some hard rubber boots to be able to walk in mud and water without getting my feet wet.  Not sure who in town might sell those, but Walmart and Tractor Supply would be good starts.

And - the web designer went to town on my website over the weekend.  He added as much stuff as we can right now without having the campground software in place.  I did the phone interview for card processing yesterday, they said up to 5 business days.   So I have to wait on that approval before movin on to having the software released and having the web designer install it on the site.  

To date, a Google search on a desktop shows my park on the 5th page now instead of the 6th.  The effect of what the web designer should move it well up in the next coming days.  

So wifi.  Gag.  Well, there are 2 relatively cheap options, at least for regular customers, I don't know about business. I'll be going to both places to see if there is anyone there that is knowledgeable about setting up wifi for 14 spots.  I don't need it, I have Verizon and it works ine over there.  I don't want to spend a lot of money on it because really, most people should have their own wifi they take with them.  Still, too many people complain about a park not having wifi - but they complain even more bitterly about a park that has wifi but poor reception or not enough bandwidth. 

It's kind of a no win situation as far as I can see it, but I will provide a cheaper alternative.  Waiting til a week before opening day, I see no reason to start up a service I won't be using for 3 weeks.  Well, 2 weeks? lol I don't know if that's going to happen or not, but that's what I'm working towards.  It's between T-Mobile and Boost.  Boost is 2 towns over to go talk to anyone, tho, T-Mobile is in town.

I'm doing the work that needs to be done in a time frame that I'm hoping will get this thing going soon. 

That's about it.  

It's not really all that shocking that the Senate may be controlled by Dems once again.  Dems have also made gains in the House race, it's anyone's guess really who is going to take control of the House - despite what the media may have to say about it. 

Citizens will get what they voted for.  From what I have been seeing for the last couple of years? What the want is what they have been spoon fed by legacy media outlets and all the rest of the liberal/progressive propaganda that is endlessly being disseminated.  Arguing with them is pointless. This new brand of socialism will work, they all proclaim in unison. 

When asked why, they have no rational answers.  They resort to emotional outbursts and lambast the person asking the question (otherwise known as an ad-hominem attack) instead of going down a list, point by point, how this version of it will work versus the seemingly countless versions that have been tried throughout history, all of which have failed - not a single example can anyone point out without accompany human suffering.  

They'll have to get rid of the Constitution to realize their ultimate goal.  Or, pack the SCOTUS with enough liberal, activist judges who are more interested in moving progressive goals than truthful interpretation of the document. 

I can actually see the day where living in some foreign nation will be more appealing than staying here in the U.S.A. 

Just musing about this election.  The Senate race is at 49-49 with only 2 seats left.  The House is 211 Rep - 201 Dem with 23 open seats left to be determined.  Now, the Senate even as it currently stands would have to still deal with Republicans with any bill that needs 60 votes, but when you have the likes of McConnell, who sells out more frequently than not, leading the republican minority side, well, yes, I do believe it's time to get rid of him.  

Anyway, it's Saturday.  It rained for a considerable amount of time yesterday. The first round only lasted maybe 20 minutes but the second round went on for many hours. It wasn't a downpour, heavy/driving rain so the seed I scattered the other day may still have a chance of taking.  I intend on getting out there today or tomorrow - or both - and dumping the rest of the seed out there, in time for a 100% chance of rain Monday.  

I can only hope it will all take and have a nice layer of it growing by the time we get to the intended start date.  19 days until intended opening day, it should be growing by then and a second application on everything as well.  Yup, it's going to be at least a 2-fold application, maybe 3.  It needs to be a nice, thick layer of grass, which usually means seeding it several times, actually.  

It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that I will have to do sod in the spring.  It just wont be possible to seed the ground if there are people trampling it and using the facilities.  There are areas away from the park that can be seeded, but not the RV lots themselves.  Worry about that later, of course, but it's something I have to think about for it will be at least a truckload if not a couple of truckloads of sod that will be needed to do all of that.  In other words, set aside the money for it. 

Sod isn't cheap, is the point and I will have to make sure I have the money available for it when that time comes.  

And thinking long and hard about the placement of that shed before I start putting utilities in it. The future would hopefully be adding at least 50 more spaces in the next coming years and I am thinking it might not be in such a good position.  Needs to be closer to the old driveway do rigs can pull in and turn left. Right now, that would be a very tight squeeze. 

I'll have to get a large forklift out there to move it without damaging it, but yes, I can rent one.  It's build on long, wooden beams at the bottom.  Simply thrust the forks under it, lift it up and move it where ever.  I'll be assessing that today or tomorrow.  I should have had more foresight about that one, but oh well. 

Well enough of this. We have a card game tonight and I have work to do before then. The folks left, sans one child that is with me today.  They take one out at a time occasionally to have alone time with mommy and daddy. The other can go with me to the property, if he doesn't like it, so sad, too bad! lmao

G'day

 The rain started 15 minutes ago.  Looking at the radar and the forecast, it isn't going to last very long and it isn't a heavy rain.  Later on this afternoon, more rain, but that also appears that it will be short lived.  It's a shame that any rain came at all.  The gravel could be getting dumped and spread right now.  

I feel like I'm left with no choice.  Just spread the grass seed everywhere and hope they don't destroy most of it with machinery.  It appears they may only have to use a Bobcat to spread it, which would mean a much smaller machine and more likely to stay on the pads and driveway instead of going down into the future grassy areas.  

Whatever the case, I'm going to spread the rest of the 3 bags that are left - 50 pounds a piece - of seed this weekend and hope for the best.  It is a foregone conclusion I will have to buy more of it, I want a nice thick layer of grass on the ground to look good and help prevent any more weeds.

Even the contractor was commenting on the need for grass.  Yup, but you are the one that told me to hold off on it so I did.  Well, he didn't say any such thing yesterday - either way actually - but I can't wait.  Especially knowing that after today, I have a couple of days of dry weather and then Monday, more rain.  Give it Saturday to dry out a bit and then go Sunday and get busy.  

At least I have a spreader machine that covers a lot of ground pretty quickly.  I wish the hopper were big enough for all 50 pounds, then I wouldn't have to keep stopping to refill it.  But, I am not going to go spend money on another one, I'll live with this one for now. I originally bought it for the house, not for a commercial project.  

Now I need to figure out how to get some dirt to the old driveway where there is that pooling going on.  I guess hand shovel it onto the trailer and then hand shovel it off?  I don't want to rent a $350 per day machine just for that.  Maybe get that boy out there to help with that.  

Then, have a truck load brought in and partially dumped there and then dump the rest where I want to have boondocking.  Then 4 more truckloads to cover the driveway nicely and eliminate dirt areas that turn into mud during the rain.  

So.....the mechanic shop couldn't find what was wrong with it either.  They had it on the rack twice and drove it trying to figure out what is making that noise. He said we can't see anything broken, dragging, dislodged, loose, whatever.  He thinks it might be a body mount somewhere, tho he said he checked them and couldn't find any of them damaged.  

Well, something is wrong with it and more importantly, that noise is irritating. Hit a bump and clunk.  Oh well, he isn't charging for it even tho I offered.  He's actually a good shop.  I just said I would drive it until something actually breaks and becomes visible. I hope that happens soon, because I want it fixed.  

There's YouTube for everything, including my vehicle and that sound.  A mechanic couldn't find the problem on an exact same type of vehicle, so he started spraying different bushings with a silicone spray, let it sit over night and then would drive it. Clunking noise still there, he would try other bushings and kept going until the noise was gone one morning, anti-sway bar that goes from one side of the front end to the other.  

I will start there. Because this shop couldn't find what was wrong, the mechanic on the video showed the bushing that was the culprit and from a visual inspection, it was fine.  This would be my guess, one of the bushings now that I saw that video. Hitting a hole like that could have certainly damaged one.  I will be getting under there and re-inspecting the bushings as well as try the method this man used.  

Whatever the case, there is nothing wrong with the steering system or the suspension, at least not visibly, nothing that would make the vehicle dangerous to drive so I'm just going to have to deal with it.  I have things to do -every day really - there are no "extra" vehicles here, I need my ride back, noise or no noise. 

Short-lived rain. Like 20 minutes and it's done.  The gravel could have been spread today even if it is going to rain this afternoon. It doesn't take long for an expert operator to spread it and get it where they want it.  Yes, there is one area where they said I need to "fix" the storm drainage but that's a 15 minute fix.  They could have spread the gravel over it and I would have just had to dig up a small area, put in an elbow, stick a short piece of pipe on it and walaah.  

Whatever.  This is the way weather goes around here, it did rain so the forecasters were right but not enough to stop a gravel spread operation.  Frustrating.  

Well, like I said, I'll just move on with my grass seed operation and then I won't worry about rain. It will dry up sooner or later and then they can come and get it done.  

____________

Clunking vehicle acquired, went to the bank only to realize it's Veterans Day and of course the banks are closed.  A short trip over to the property - I check it pretty much every day - no one had driven over the freshly fixed driveway and pads.  Off to Lowe's to get a 90 elbow and a short piece of 4" PVC to deal with that on Sunday - hopefully anyway.  Grass is growing nicely where I've spread seed, I will try to get all 150 pounds of seed left waiting to be spread put down on Sunday.  Sounds like a lot but it's probably an hour's worth of work.  1-1/2 hours max.  

 So I'm sitting here at my desk, about to wind down when it hit me: I left all of that stuff out in the open yesterday.  Stuff being a $1,500 generator and various power and hand tools, 3 chainsaws, etc. I had pulled it to the front of the rear of the property to situate it for working on the actual front of the property.  I was going to go back today and do some work and then tarp it.

The point being there is a 98% chance of rain tomorrow and it starts around 9:00 am.  But, that could change - sometimes it hits earlier and sometimes it hits later than what the forecasters are saying, I didn't want to take a chance to wait until tomorrow morning.  

Yeah, that's what hit me.  It's sitting on that trailer with no tarp over it, all that money worth of stuff. I had to ask to borrow a vehicle, but James jumped up and said let's go!  Okay!  

It's really dark out there at night!  We pull up in the woods, get out and suddenly we hear a 4 wheeler riding somewhere very close.  Like what?  It sounded like it was on the other side of my property on the trail over there.  Yup, I ran over there and James jumped into his truck. Got over there? 

Nothing burger.  It was a property that butts the pipeline easement and my property is right there, up next to it.  They were on a side-by-side and they were making an awful lot of noise. I mean, not only was the machine making all kinds of racket, they had a  very loud stereo system in that thing and it was carrying a long way off.

I can't say I was pleased at that. How often does this go on out here at night? I thought. But, it was only 8:30, so I could only hope that they don't do it that often and not after 10:00 pm.  

Well, we went back to where we started and walked to the rear of the trails where the bridge is, grabbed the tarp and went back with it, covered up the entire trailer, put heavy objects to hold down the tarp and that was that. 

As I said, walking through those woods was trippy.  I knew it would be, so much so I had a pistol in my pocket "just in case", but being out there!  You couldn't see anything without a flashlight, it was pitch black. I could imagine tent camping back in there.  

Anyway, the shop never even called me saying what was wrong.  I'll be calling them tomorrow morning - I really need my vehicle. Yes, whatever is wrong with it needs fixed, but I can't just wait forever.  I am mostly just driving around town but it's all on trips that serve some useful purpose. Either getting food to cook for dinner, buying stuff for the property/business, going to service providers or going to the property itself.  

That's it. An interesting adventure tonight.  

 A ray of hope hit when I got to the property this morning and saw - 2 men out there. One was the contractor and the other is the dirt work expert - dude who operates machinery like magic.  Seriously, the man is as good as they get.  

However, that hope quickly faded. They were there to re-do the dirt work.  I instantly saw dollar signs going off, he didn't say anything about this and I am not interested in spending ANY more money on dirt work.

After discussing it with him, however, it turns out this is part of the deal with the dirt work I have already paid for and there is no extra charge for it.  Look, dealing with this guy has been pretty frustrating, but he has crews of people that know their business and I can't get away from that aspect of it.

We went into this long discussion about a park he and his co-investors recently built. I had NO idea that was his doings.  It's out in the middle of nowhere and I was wondering about this property and actually went out there and looked at it not long ago.  I put up an ad for it in a facebook group that has ready investors, these people have money and they buy parks from all over the country.  

Yes, I'd like to take a 50k chunk of the money and say thank you very much. He is willing to part ways with it for the amount they have dumped into it, which almost a third of what the realtors have it listed for.  I might as well try, I could certainly use the money right about now.  

Back to the dirt work. He was going to dump gravel tomorrow, but if you read this blog at all, you know that tomorrow there is an almost 90% chance of rain.  So, they are still doing the dirt work - right now actually - and he said with it leveled back out it will dry faster after it rains.  

Ok.  I told him I need this thing done, soon.  That's all I can do, try to light a fire under his feet, but he has no control over the weather.  That's in the God department, the rest of us mere mortals just have to deal with it.  I'm going to start incurring costs with no incoming revenue to pay for it.  I just feel kind of ridiculous that I put off the gravel, I should have done it when they were going to do it, I just wanted the electricity done first.

Hindsight is always perfect vision.  

I need to get out there after they do that dirt work and block that damn driveway.  Yet ANOTHER large truck had driven through there. What is with these people driving vehicles through my property?  I have no trespassing signs up and I had the entrance to the new driveway lined with signs that either the wind blew down or they just drove over the top of it. It's starting to piss me off, actually.  I'm going to get a bunch of the branches I cut down 2 days ago and just block the driveway with them.  

I need to get that hunting camera out there, I keep forgetting to do that, I have way too much on my mind right now.  I catch people driving on there and I can get their license plate number? I'll call the county sheriff.  Take that to the bank.  

Anyway, he pointed out one of the drainage pipes I had installed and said that is really where the gravel is going to go.  I've got to go buy a 90 - 90 degree angle PVC fitting and run the pipe over to the side.  

That shouldn't be too difficult and I won't have to do anything but probably have to buy another stick of pipe.  

I can't do anything right now, tho. I took my vehicle into the shop and the guy was too busy to get to it right away.  He drove me home in my vehicle, heard the noise and said "that's solid". Yes, hence the need to find out what's wrong and get it fixed before it turns into something - more.  So I'm home - probably all day if this guy's record is any indicator.  He does good work but he's very popular and hence busy.  

I think I have all the ingredients for a nice, crock pot stew and fixing to go get that stuff together and get it into the crockpot.  It's still early yet and the recipe says 6-7 hours on high. That puts it an hour before dinner time.  

It's not like I don't have anything to do today.  I've got quick books to figure out and it wants me to take photos of all my receipts so it can input it into the system. Great! I have like 50 receipts and invoices, gag.   

Oh well. I knew the business end of this deal would be a challenge for me, putting it mildly.  

Oh, and the contractor backed up my assessment.  I can just have a 10 wheel truck out with a good driver - he said make sure he has a good driver for this - that can chain open the rear gate and dump the gravel while driving down the driveway.  He also agreed I only need a couple of inches of material and said he can get 100 to 120 feet out of one truckload doing it that way.

At least I got some useful info out of him, that puts it in between 4 and 5 truckloads, a couple grand worth.  

He also said that unless I can supply a pond with well water, the water table won't be enough to fill up a pond out front.  Yes, I replied, there is a well by the gas company stuff. It's capped off but it's still got the casing in it and just needs to be checked by a well company and have a pump/water line installed.

I already knew it would require well water - you can't use city water, the monthly water bills would be ridiculously high.  That's not really a priority but it is something I'd like done.

He said he was discussing it with his folks at work and they thought a covered party area would be a better fit out there. Yes, I said, I intend on having one - but in the back of the park, not up front.  Keep it away from neighbors and away from the RV section.  In fact, I am going to put up a basic fire pit with outdoor seating after I get everything else done.

We have the same ideas - he just has more money lol.  I'm glad my ideas are fitting with others who are already in the business of building these parks.  That is something that won't cost a lot of money and gives extra-added value for the late-nighters/partying bunch that won't negatively affect people in their RV's wanting to enjoy peace and quiet at night time.  I need to go out there and measure how far away from the rv park area it is.  

Ok I'm missing my vehicle.  

 So here.....we.....gooooo.....

Will they be out there installing gravel? Or will this project be put off for potentially weeks? Because there is a good possibility of rain every day next week.  

Fixin' to go find out. Got up early to get the vehicle in to the shop. 

But, I'm detouring to the property first and see if there is an miracles going on over there.

G'day

 Tomorrow is the last day of this week that the gravel can be installed.  I'm not sure everything is dry enough yet.  88% chances of rain on Friday, that will blow off any hope of doing it beyond tomorrow.  The contractor hasn't contacted me one way or the other - typical for him. 

What's the big rush? I'm shooting for a December 1 opening. day.  Insurance will kick in that day, gravel will hopefully be in but - I need that grass.  If I can't get grass planted soon, it's going to lengthen the delays.  I did plant grass in a very large area next to one of the end lots today.  It is unlikely they will be driving equipment through there.  But I'm not taking a chance with the rest of the lots, the only other area I can put down seed is behind the west side lots.  I very well may,  I don't want weeds taking over back there again.  

I was looking at my main competitors today.  Most of them are trashy.  Dirt driveways, outdoor storage, junky, just not appealing at all.  They are all older style, they don't have the room to put in bigger lots but why they don't put fresh gravel down is unknown.  One in particular comes up at the top of the list on google searches.  I just can't believe that these people don't invest the money to upgrade that park.  

Oh well, I was looking, see what I'm up against. I've looked before but it's been a while, wanted to refresh my memory and create some talking points for my web page.  

There is still a lot to do both at the park and in the background.  The insurance is done - yes I know I posted earlier that they hadn't called, but now that is another check mark on the list of things to do that is done.  Half the price of the first place and much more flexibility, if I need to add something - more lots, a building, whatever, I can do it with this company, the other company wanted to put me under contract for a year which stipulated no changes at all.  

I guess my business bank account will be put off til next week, I have to pick up the boys tomorrow - I shouldn't say "have to", like it's some chore.  But, it's fine. I can get the bank account, credit card processing and campground software done next week.  Still plenty of time before the end of the month for that, I just want it done and over with.  Quickbooks is a work in progress. 

Tomorrow - get the vehicle looked at and then head over to the property - see if they're doing gravel and also get some work done.  I'm not going to order fire rings until I can see if there's really enough grass area in between pads to have them. The pads are wide and eat up a lot of grass area. Not the worst thing, less grass to cut but you can't have fire too close to the RV's, obviously  

There are lots where there will definitely be fire rings, they are clearly big enough. If there are lots too small, I will make up for it by having a community fire ring area.  The tent campsite is definitely going to have both a fire ring and a picnic table.  I just don't see the point in ordering that stuff before I know how many of them I can actually use?  

There's a list of things to do, I'm working on all of it.  The grass is the biggest concern right now.  I think when summer comes, I'm going to put in sod and skip trying to grow grass.  But, winter grass grows so easily it's a no brainer to save the money on a truckload or more of sod.  

Well that's it.  I'm going to price running power line to the shed and the breakers and such I would need.  I need to get a better idea of how much everything is going to cost to get power in that thing and get a laundry facility going, plus a soda machine and a vending machines with snacks.  

 The closer I get to an opening day, the more information I learn that I definitely didn't know before.

For example. I just got off the phone with Campworks, which is another campground online management software system.  The man gave it to me straight: the fee all of these software application companies charge is only for the use of their system, it does not include the cost of the card processing company - which is a separate company from the campground software company - per use! So, I can look forward to a buck and change more per customer on top of the fee the software company is charging.

This stuff really is getting to me.  Waaah! lol.  I'm working through it, that's all I can say.  

So, anyway, I got that done, sold a chainsaw I bought for $50 at Walmart for $110, off to haircut, sign company has my new signs completed, over there, then over to the bank.

Lots of things slip my mind, there's a lot to starting up a venture like this. But one thing I absolutely need is a bank account in the name of the business.  So I want to discuss with a bank official what it will take to open up an account, monthly fees, etc etc etc.  

That is going to eat up a lot of my day after everything I've already done, but still hoping to get at least a few hours of work in at the property.  

The sky is overcast, not favorable conditions for drying out the dirt.  I really have this need to get that gravel in, get those funds out of the bank account and move on with this.  

The only thing I can predict at 99% sure right now is that I won't be going back to work until the beginning of the New Year.  It is pointless to start a job this close to the holidays, I will get no time off for anything being a new driver and I will "suffer" the holidays on the road somewhere.

NO THANK YOU.  

I'm also trying to determine when to go back for a visit to AZ.  I think it will be put off to December instead of the November date I was looking at. This because of this business proposition and all that needs to be done.  I need to be here for all of this.  

___________________

Insurance company still hasn't called back, but they assure me they will once they get a quote.

Bank account - Had to make an appointment even tho the place was deserted. Literally, there were no cars in the parking lot nor were there any customers. Oh well, trying to get that set up tomorrow afternoon. 

After that, I can get the credit card processing application completed, they have to have a banking account to dump money into and I don't want it in my personal account, the business needs to be separate for accounting and tax purposes.  

My signs were plain-Jane but they will serve as intended for now.  Not doing that today, I haven't even been out to the property yet, been running around getting things done including an appointment tomorrow morning to find out what that awful sounding clunking is. I've gotten under that vehicle numerous times now and can't see anything that is broken under there.  Whatever it is, it needs to be fixed. 

With that?  I am done with "business" stuff for the day. It gets overwhelming and I have to take a break from that stuff, which means going over to the property and get some physical side of the equation stuff done. 

The skies cleared up and the drying process can begin, plus it's fairly warm!  Maybe we'll get gravel this week after all!

G'day

 Well, I can say I worked for 4 hours today, the first time I've done anything since I got this coughing cold.  It felt good to get stuff done, regardless of the type of task it was. First was getting the generator up onto the trailer - that was a real chore.  Then getting the 4 wheeler and trailer out of the woods - dumb me forgot to put the landing gear up and hence it was digging into a hill every time I tried to get up the thing.

It seriously took me a minute to remember to even look to see if that thing was down! 

Then I went and started repairing the chainsaws.  The boy has been shown multiple times how to tighten the chain.  He obviously didn't get it.  He just about destroyed one of the chain tensioners - but I got it to work - and the other one had also jumped off, he just doesn't get it.  I haven't had them out in a while and if I do have him back, it's only to be to do some serious raking that needs to be done along the driveway.  He will not be operating a chainsaw and right now, I am not having anyone out there to do anything that I have to pay for, I just don't have 8 hours of work in me yet.  

I then went and started cutting down trees and shrubs along the driveway.  I did get quite a bit of it done, but there's plenty left to go. I also detached the gate from it's post, there is no longer any use for it and it can go in the back to the gas company's operation. While doing that, one of the gas company employees came in in a pickup.  I waved at him to see what kind of response I would get - he actually waved back.  20 minutes later, while cutting down trees, a 10 wheeler came driving by loaded with containers full of chemicals. 

That took me by surprise, tho that time, the driver waved fanatically instead of my having to initiate the "friendliness". Of course I waved back - he was filling up the tanks that have the foam liquid that they pump down into the cracks through which the natural gas escapes.  It helps keep the cracks open and apparently even helps expand them further.  

But I was done.  Starting to get a headache it was time to quit.  Yup, I'll be back out there again tomorrow, hopefully, I'm really wanting to get my street sign up but I think I'm going to need help.  I'm going to ask James if he can come help me this coming weekend.  I can't hold that 4X8 sign up while drilling holes to mount it.  I probably can get the 4X4 mounted to the top before then, I may try to do that tomorrow. 

The insurance guy contacted me back after I contacted him asking him if there had been a quote yet. He replied later on that they were supposed to be giving him a quote sometime today and that he would call me. 

The web designer found yet another software management company and wants me to consider it as well. Well okay, I'm thinking, but we can't be doing this forever. I want to get a final decision made and get it installed.  It's a setup fee and then after that it's a per use fee. So, it's not a monthly fee so it really doesn't matter that I get it set up in advance, let's get this done.  I respect that he wants to explore all of the options tho. 

It looks like it rained out there yet again last night, gag.  

Some man in LA won 2 billion dollars last night. I can't even fathom that. 

The election - I voted today. We have new voting  machines now.  It's still a paper ballot, but you make your selections on a screen, the machine records it, when you're done, it prints it all out.  You review it and take it to another machine to insert the ballot in.  Yup, I like it.  Still a paper result but much easier to do.

I take nothing for granted and I seriously do NOT want a Beto Texas governorship.  That would be, IMO, like AOC being the President of the United States.  That was the most important thing on that ballot. There was also a decision between a democrat or republican US senate seat, big time important as well. The rest were local judges, no referendums this time. I thought that was odd, but that's fine, we don't need more laws, we have plenty!

I just remembered that the Post Office never got back to me.  I want mail delivery to the property. Anything in the business name needs to get delivered there.  Loan money hasn't shown up - but I don't really need it yet.  I just took the offer before the fed increase raises rates even more.  I'm tempted to pay off my vehicle, about 3 grand worth, which would almost completely offset the monthly loan payment.  But, it wouldn't much help my credit score and I need that score to go back up to be able to even think about getting another loan in the near future for park expansion.  It's only 15k, it's really, to me, something to hang on to as long as possible.  

____________

8:00 pm.  Watching the House and Senate races as well as Georgia's hotly contested race and of course waiting to see who will win Texas as governor.  Right now, Abbot is well ahead of Beto.  I expected that, but nothing is granted.  I know people who didn't vote and refused to do so.  That is a thing I cannot understand.  But, that's their choice.  

I hope I can get to sleep a bit early instead of staying up late watching the election results for I need to get out there and get a lot more work done tomorrow.  In fact, I'd like to light up the 3 burn piles and get that stuff burned down to the ground.  But only if I get out there early enough.  Whatever the case, I need to get further along with finishing up that driveway. I have identified even more area that needs to be cut out.  

One large tree needs to come down as well and another large tree is - up in the air atm.  If I can get up high enough to cut off some branches then it can stay. Otherwise, it's also coming down.  But there is another area of brush up near the park entrance that I think needs to be cleaned out.  I'm going to wait on taking out the gate posts, when they show up to spread the gravel I'm going to ask them to push those posts out of the ground instead of cutting them with a chainsaw. 

Anyway, I never heard back from the insurance agent. Whatever he has, I want to hear it, even if it's bad news.  At least give me a comparison point for the first quote.  

The website designer called and we had a rather lengthy conversation.  He wants me to get a demo for yet another company for the software. Gag. He's dragging this out, I'm ready to get this over with.  I get that he's doing due diligence to try and identify the creme de le creme, but let's get this done within the next few days, please and thank you.

The money was deposited in my bank account. I won't need to worry about money for a while.  If I can get the park going in the next 2-3 weeks, I hopefully won't have to worry about money at all.  

Admittedly, it may be a very bad time of year to attempt to open an RV park with Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner.  However, if I could at least get enough guests coming/going to pay the bills, that would be great.  I mean, whatever time of year it is, I'm starting this business up regardless.  It will be what it will be.  I'd like to not have to go back to work until after the New Year, to be frank about it. Work as in trucking.  

There isn't anything else to add here and I want to get back to the election results.  

 The meters are in, the power is on.

The loan came through, at least in promise, the funds will be there shortly. 

The signs are ordered and will be done in a few days. 

The gravel - no clue. I texted the contractor numerous times today without a reply or a "read receipt".  Not unusual for this guy, but still, I'm past this.  

Tractor Supply fire rings were not the deal I thought they were, I have found fire rings elsewhere. Not ordered yet, but I know 2 places to get them and delivered to my house for free.  It wasn't $79 for 3 or even $36 for one, it's $79 for ONE of them.  Yeah, the associate is the one that told me  the 3-for price and the accompanying sign showing $36 was right there. 

Whatever. The fire rings I found at both Walmart and Home Depot were much nicer looking and $41 per ring cheaper than Tractor supply. Yup, you can bet I'm going with either of the 2, but probably Home Depot.  

I did try to get stuff done over there today. But as soon as I started heavy lifting, I started coughing uncontrollably and got a headache quick. It was very surprising, considering I thought I was feeling better. Tonight? I've been hacking my lungs out.  It's really disconcerting.  I have a lot of stuff I need to get done and get done quickly now.  

Well, I went home to get some ramps to try to pull the generator up on, but I never went back. I'm not going to say it's terrible I didn't get back there, not after the way I felt.  These last 2 sicknesses have dealt a serious blow to my health and I don't have any answers.  I can only hope and pray to the Almighty, Living God that He would find it within His mercy and Grace to heal me.  

I look semi-hoboish  Participating in the no-shave November challenge, I have this half beard - thing - growing on my face.  I've been told it looks good, but I think they were just being nice. I'd rather they be honest, for what I see in the mirror? I don't think it looks particularly great.  

So much to do and so little energy to do it. I did get Quick Books up and running today, I have a lot of input left to do but I got a good start on it. 

I will go back to the property tomorrow and attempt more heavy lifting. If I can't, I will go home and work on Quick Books.  Either way, it's stuff that has to be done before opening up the park.  

 So. My world of woes lmao.  I call this number to join the virtual meeting and...waited for 20 minutes. I couldn't believe this guy was just going to forget, so I wondered if it was a "time" issue or something with Daylight Savings time. No, it turns out, it was the fact that he is in mountain time and I am in central time. A thing he probably could have pointed out, lol. Oh well, another half hour until meeting time for that. 

Meanwhile, waiting on an email message from the second insurance company for a quote. He said it would come today.

Also just biding my time on the loan.  As late as Friday to find out whether they are actually going to send the money or not.

And of course, Swepco the power company. Will they come out today?

It didn't rain here last night, but I just got a text that it's raining 2 cities away.  I could do without the rain for the sake of dumping the gravel. 

I will be going over there after the meeting to see if it rained over there and if there are any remaining drainage issues. I knew drainage would be a problem, it's just something I have to work through.  Most of the issues are gone, at least.  

I have determined that if the loan doesn't go through, I am going to partially pay the gravel bill with credit card debt.  This will free up as much money as I decide to put on the card, but probably around 5k.  It's not the greatest move and there is the option of the company that will pay off the credit card debt - but I get no cash.  That would free up the monthly payments, tho. 

Been waiting to order much of anything until I see what happens. But gee, those signs.  Exit only, entrance, walking trail with arrow, another walking trail with arrow, trail head.  The rest is up to them, lol.  It's not impossible to get lost back there, I guess, but there are so many ways back out.  4 exits out of that maze, just head north, you'll find your way out!  

Google Earth. If it would just update the photo.  I could use that instead of paying someone with a drone to take aerial footage.  I need a map of the RV park and of the walking trails, Google Earth would supply that nicely. It's just showing the property covered with trees at the front.  I should take a screen shot for memory's sake while it's available.  

$250 to make a park map! Dangitall, I think I'll just see if my web developer can do that, otherwise, Campsite Premier sounds like the one I'll be going with. That doesn't include the cost of getting aerial footage.  But, he (representative of Premier) gave detailed replies and I suspect he would be better off working with my website pro than me.  I just wanted to hear specifics to the questions my designer had for certain aspects of the software that he believes are a necessary component to making it seamless and user friendly  He's the expert, not me!

I was going to do early voting today and get it over with - but early voting ended on the 4th.  Oh well, I'll be at one of the many voting locations tomorrow.  It's going to be an unabashed Republican voting ticket for me, they usually give the option to vote party line in one box, eliminating the need to check everything else besides local referendums.  Much easier and faster!  

Okay, that is done, there is allegedly no more rain, I have work to do! 

G'day

 So. 

If the loan goes through - I decided to go ahead with it considering what my finances will look like after the gravel is installed - I need to nothing.

If it fails, then I will try another loan I was allegedly "already-approved" for and it will pay off credit cards.  If that fails, then I will simply use credit cards to finish this thing out if I absolutely have to use them and that will be that.  

However it has to happen, it's going to happen.  I didn't get this far to quit.  

It was a pretty heavy rainfall two nights ago, but there is very little pooling of water at the lots and that at only one lot.  I just need a bit of channeling to allow the water to move to the drain pipe.  

I'm hopeful the first option goes through - I will pay down debt with half and leave the rest to finish everything out.  

The list of things left?

WiFi

Fire Rings

Picnic tables (put on hold for now tho)

Gravel on the main driveway - not the new driveway.  At least a couple truck loads. 

Build the interior for the shed for laundry and vending machines (also on hold - not sure how long, just need funding)

A couple cords of wood 

Signs (still haven't ordered them, was trying to figure out how I should pay for them, but now that I have made a decision I will be ordering them )

Quick books - not that expensive for the lowest tier monthly rate

Pay the web designer to get everything going

 Pay for the campground reservation software.  

Pay down payment for insurance. 

Probably more I am not thinking of atm.  Well yes, there is the hand rail for the steps in the rear of the property.  That will be cheap, just some 4X4 beams in the ground and 2X4's for the railing.  It's a temporary fix, but I don't want to spend the kind of money it's going to cost for steel tubing right now. Just not a good business decision.

Yes, I will do Quick Books probably today, that's very cheap. But I'm going to wait until I get the official word from Prosper about a loan. I already have a Prosper loan, it's low payments but they said I was approved.  Yet, they still had to do some - whatever they think they need to do to approve it.  They said up to 7 business days, I don't know that I have that much time. 

I am not sure they can do the gravel this coming week, either.  Bad decision on my part, I was waiting until the electricity was turned on to make sure everything is good before putting down the gravel.  But, I should have just gone ahead and had the gravel installed while the weather was good. Hindsight. 20-20. All that good stuff.

There's probably 5 grand up there on that list for the to-do list that isn't on hold.  It will cost thousands of dollars to fix up the interior of the shed.  Electricity, water and sewer. AND, my septic system is already at capacity for the number of RV's I can have on it, I would actually have to have another septic system installed.  A small system is around $3,500.  Yes, it would open up the possibility of adding extra lots.  Probably 4 or 5 plus the shed.  That would actually be a substantial increase of revenues, so it will be on the priority list of things to get done, just not high on it - yet.  

 So tomorrow we get more rain, lol.  

We had a bunch of tornadoes hit this region a few nights ago - thankfully, we did not get any such treatment.  Lots of lightning and then heavy rain, but no tornadoes.  With the very large and tall trees around our house, a tornado isn't exactly a welcomed guest.  

I hate to think what happened to that grass seed I put down the other day in the doggy park, if it rained too heavily, it would have washed the seed down to the bottom.  

Oh well. I will put some more out today, it appears the rainfall tomorrow is going to be light.  

Oh, it's Sunday.  We went to a gun show yesterday and I got some target rounds for the AR. Yes, the good ole' AR that has never been fired.  I want to take it to the property. There is a berm that is about 10 feet tall in the back, an ideal location to fire off some high velocity rounds without endangering any lives.  

I was asking James if he wanted to go to day, I didn't really get a reply He bought a new gun after trading in the old one.  Switched from a .40 to a 9mm. I have both.  I didn't need any guns tho a hunting rifle I was looking at was quite tempting.  Yeah, I'm building an RV, I have plenty of guns, I dumped that thought out of my mind quickly.  Needless expenditures have gone by the wayside.  

I did opt to go to a restaurant in that town, tho, so maybe I didn't quite get rid of all of the needless expenditures, but we have been doing quite well staying away from restaurants and blowing money.  The restaurant was fun, the food was delicious, I'm not going to sweat it. 

So today? Well yes, I do intend on dumping some seed over there, it won't take maybe 10 minutes.  The kids want to go for a walk over there and the doggy is always a willing participant.  So, we will do that.  And then? I intend on delving into Quick Books. I've been putting it off all week long, it's time to dive into it.  There is nothing going on today to distract me and the tree cutting stuff can wait until tomorrow.  Yes, I am feeling better, not 100% but enough to get at least 4 or 5 hours of work done - tomorrow.

The business end of the project needs to be dealt with and soon, hence I need to get working on this stuff.  

I also want to get those fire rings while they are still available.  The picnic tables can wait, the price went up to $165 each and I just don't see it. They are in boxes that are sitting outside, piled up on top of each other, getting rained on continuously and since they aren't put together, I predict some bowing going on with them getting water logged.  You really need to screw those things together versus letting them sit outside forever.  I may ask the store manager for a discount, it's worth a try, but right now, I don't want to get involved with that. 

But, fire is an important part of the camping adventure, even if in an RV. Maybe not everyone will use them, but they are going to be there.  I won't get them today, I have today planned.  But this week I want to clean them out of what they have. There were like 10 of them out there. 

And yes, I will have a sloped tent campground in the rear.  It's in a nice, wooded area with natural grass growing there.  I will have a picnic table there, I suppose and a fire ring.  But the RV lots won't be starting out with picnic tables.  Unless I can find them cheaper somewhere else.  They were $135 months ago......

I wouldn't mind putting in an outhouse for the tent camping site - but - that means renting that trackhoe again at almost $400 per day.  No, I am not going to dig a hole that deep by hand, thank you. Perhaps I'm better served putting a port-a-jon out there temporarily to see if it's even worth digging out an outhouse. That would necessarily mean that I need to get 2 campsites up and going.  Whether they would be used? I have no idea.  Minimal investment to find out.  A small plot of land, a fire ring, a picnic table. 

It's already advertised on the Facebook page and on the google my-business page.  I don't know where to put the second site, tho, without having to drive back in the woods.  Maybe just make it one of the sites back in the woods and add a disclaimer: The nearest parking site is 700 feet away from the tent camping site.  There.  They know what they're up for before they arrive.  Make a wagon or something on 4 wheels available to haul their equipment.  

 It dawned on me today - not that I haven't been using some credit card debt for this stuff - that I could pay a portion of the gravel with a credit card and reserve the cash instead of spending everything and having little left.  I already have a loan procured that goes directly towards paying down credit card debt.  I haven't signed on the dotted line yet, but I think if I just went ahead and paid for the gravel with 5 to 10 k worth of credit cards and then immediately pay it right back down, that is better than other options.  

That leaves me 5 to 10k worth of cash in my banking account, which keeps me off the road longer and affords me the ability to "be there", present, at the park, when I finally open the place.  

The meters are going to be installed today, or so I am told.  Unlike having power poles installed, they don't have a huge waiting list for meters and thus, they can come out next-day to do it.

There was a bit of hassle involved with it, tho.  There isn't much of anything I have done out there that hasn't involved a little - or a great deal - of hassle that was unforeseen and unknown.  They came out already, turns out, and didn't know "which one I wanted turned on".  This is because there is a power pole they installed a year ago with it's own box and then they just installed this setup with 2 meters (another thing I didn't know they were doing, if I had, I would have told them one meter, one much larger circuit breaker to handle it, thank you).  

So, it was a bit difficult to make them understand that there is a pedestal right next to the power pole with a meter pedestal that needs 2 meters installed. I think I got it across, but then they wanted each meter labeled with something the differentiates it for billing.  Meaning I'm going to get 2 separate bills. Which would be all well and fine - but - I think they are also going to charge me 2 separate "service fees" that charge you simply for the fact of having the meter, not the amount of power you have used. 

If that is the case, this setup is going to be changed.  I'm not paying double for the same thing.  It doesn't make any sense and unless the electrician can articulate how it's somehow better, I will be finding someone to switch it out.  Eliminate one meter and double the size of the circuit breaker in the other.  This is standard in the industry, I have been reading about this for probably 2 years now.  One large circuit breaker takes care of everything.  There may be some reason I don't understand that they did this, I won't bother asking if it's one service fee.  

Well anyway, I labeled the meters and I also had to put a temporary sign up out front with the park address on it.  The street number, that is. They wouldn't do the install without being sure of the address. I get it.  While I was there, I also put down a lot more seed on the doggy park and the area next to it.  It's supposed to rain tonight - actually there are potential tornadoes being warned out.  I dunno. I just did that area since I don't know if a massive downpour is coming - thusly washing all the seed downhill or if major winds are coming and blowing the seed everywhere but where I want it.  

I had 2 street signs made a while back when I had the "RV PARK" with an arrow made up.  So, I decided to install one at the highway intersection.  It was interesting to watch a late model SUV pull up, then drive off, then stop down the road, put on their reverse lights, then go forward and then pull into what presumably is their driveway.

Their window tint was so dark I couldn't see anyone inside of the vehicle, whether they were waving or frowning, I have no idea.  If they want to discuss this with me, feel free!  The sign is in and that is that. If the sign disappears, I know at least the first lead to track down the perpetrator to. 

I have a meeting with Premier Campground on Monday morning and after that, I will decide which one to use. It's either Premier or Campspot.  More money to start an account.  Yup, getting eaten alive with all of this stuff I didn't have any knowledge of when I started this project and inflation, which the left is still denying even exists or attempting to say that Republicans are inflating it to divert attention off of the "real issues" - which are wokeness, social justice, diversity, equity and whatever the other one is.

Americans are concerned about the rising cost of everything and the economy.  When it comes to where the rubber meets the road, wokeness will go by the wayside. I won't predict a red wave, I will just say I am hopeful that the majorities in Congress will switch tables.  Democrats including the President are sinking themselves quite nicely without any conservative intervention.  They think that elevating wokeness is going to win the battle. I think they are quite wrong. We will find out in 3 days. Well, probably 4 after the votes are tallied.  

My hope is that Congress - and especially the House - is controlled by Republicans and the White House by Democrats.  Nothing will get done.  Pass budget bills, don't pass anything else.  How many more laws do we need?  There are plenty already on the books that aren't being enforced as it is.  Defund the police and liberal DA's have proven to be very unpopular, even in liberal-run states.  

That is enough for one entry.  I am contemplating doing the no-shave-November challenge.  I haven't shaved since the 31st.  I have never grown a beard, I tried once but it came in spotty and all different colors so I shaved it off long before it was fully grown.  Decades later, hair is growing in abundance, much more than my early days, so I'm just looking to see if it's going to be a full beard or spotty again  I can't tell yet, I just look like I don't do hygiene atm, lol. 

G'day.  

 There is so much negativity going on with the people that I have to deal with concerning the RV park that I consider what just now happened to be almost on the miraculous side of things.

The power lady called me back a few minutes ago, returning my call from yesterday. "So are you ready to start it up?" Yes, I replied, just needing to know what the security deposit is going to be?

"We don't need a deposit from you, we were just waiting until you were ready to start service with us".

This is absolutely amazing. Not only did they not charge for the power pole installation, they also aren't going to require some huge deposit!

I can tell ya, I was pretty much in fear of having to shell out thousands of dollars of security money that I will basically never see again, such as the city required me to do for turning on the water. 

That is a positive note that I needed to hear and experience, considering everything else going on.  Such last night...gag. I woke up after midnight and literally ran to the bathroom, jumping over the dog and hoping I would make it to the toilet in time.

I had no idea I was experiencing the runs, but my system gave me that information without hesitation in an instant.  And so it was, for the next almost 5 hours. Even after taking Pepto Bismol, I must have made over a dozen trips to the bathroom.

The culprit? Well, the food we ate last night was good and no one else got sick from it. I think it was the Mucinex.  I was feeling really "funny" after I took it - medications have that effect on me - and then I was feeling "other things" and the next thing I knew, I was beelining it to the bathroom.

It was no fun getting up at 9:30 this morning for the virtual meeting, it was even more no fun that the man that was supposed to give the demonstration was a no show.  Too much of a story for what happened after that with this dude, I'll just say that their pricing was ridiculously high and I wrote them off the list. I am down to 2 campground software sites, one of which I have another virtual meeting with in about an hour from now.  

I didn't get much sleep last night and I'm really feeling it today. The coughing is staring to subside - I think anyways, I'm not constantly hacking, that's a good sign. I have no energy right now but I don't know if that's from being sick with this cold or if it's just because I was up all night - or a combination of both.

I was over there at the property this morning, a bit dejected looking at all the work I still need to do and not being able to do any of it. I need my energy back.  I have done much of nothing physically for a while now, trying to get better. I just spend a lot of time looking at all of the business end of the deal that I need to get familiar with.  It's necessary stuff I need to do, but the start date is looming. 

Well, at least a start date I'd like to get going, which is no later than December 1st.  I'm asking the contractor if it looks good to dump gravel next week. Monday, there is a 48% chance of rain but after that there isn't any "high" chance of rain until the next Monday.  That means he could probably come on Friday and it should be dried enough to do the work.  

I really need to get my energy back by the beginning of next week.  Get out there and get everything else done, get this thing ready to rock and roll.  

I am SO relieved that the power company didn't want a huge deposit!  It's really a huge weight off my shoulders.  

Wifi.  I need wifi. T Mobile seems the most likely and cheapest source.  They have a business plan.  I have determined I can just put a router out next to the power pedestal to start with, they have outdoor containers for routers.  This way, I don't have to spend a lot of money getting power to the shed, at least not for now. The power meter pedestal is right there behind the western row of sites and T Mobile is not asking for any money, actually, for start up. Their monthly bill is low, tho I wonder if it's going to be more when considering attempting to supply wifi to 14 lots plus Nest cameras - yes folks, there is going to be security cameras on the main entrance driveway. 

The cameras don't cost much and the monthly service fee is negligible.  But, you have to have wifi to run them.  You have access to them via your smart phone, as I do here with the cameras we have at the house.  

Monday I'm hoping to get the quote from the other insurance guy and hoping for another miracle. Like, a lot less money per month.  It was worth trying at least to get comparison shopping going.  

Things are moving along, but I have admittedly not even started on Quickbooks. Yes, I know, I need to get things set up for that.  It's just stuff I have no experience with and I have been absolutely dreading it.  I keep saying I'm going to start it and then I find excuses to do something else, lol.  

This weekend - possibly tomorrow - I will purchase the plan at $15 per month and see what it's going to take to set it up.  

What else? Signs.  Just need to get them all ordered.  I've got the 2 out front that need to be installed, one at the highway that needs to be installed and now I just have to order the trailway signs and exit only and enter here signs.  If rv'ers come in the wrong way, they will have a big problem if they are towing a car behind them.  I need to make it as plainly obvious as possible where you are supposed to enter and where you are NOT supposed to enter.  NO ENTRY or EXIT ONLY, one of the 2.

Goodie. The contractor just replied, "yes sir".  That's the limits of his communications. It means that he will come next week and install the gravel!  

Well, off to the races, I have lots of stuff I can do at home without expending any more energy than sitting here on my comfy desk chair and looking stuff up.

G'day : )

 Grass seed planted in doggy park is coming up nicely.  I was spartan on the spreading because I wanted to see if it would stick or just flow off down the hill and end up in a bunch at the bottom.  For the most part, it stuck. So, I will be spreading much heavier application - just as soon as I have my energy back.

No, the electrician didn't come and now it's been 13 days since the power company installed the poles - and - I texted him about finishing the project.  I just contacted the main contractor and let him know - since all of this was through him - that if his electrician doesn't show by friday I will be attempting to find another electrician that will come out and do the job.  

The main contractor and the electrician have their own businesses, they should understand the need for getting things done in a timely manner.  Apparently they don't care or are just aloof.  It's gotten to the point of ridiculousness.  The main contractor - amazingly - contacted me back 2 minutes later and said "I will let him know".  I imagine this electrician will brush it off and basically tell me to go **** myself, that's the attitude I've gotten from him since after he installed the utilities for the individual site hookups.  

IF I do business with this main contractor again, it will not be with the usage of this electrician.  There are other, just-as-competent electricians in town with high marks and reputations that can also do the job.  

It's just a bit disappointing I can't get this guy to come out and finish the job.  

Well that was fast.  The main contractor must have said "something" to this dude because all of a sudden, I have a text message from him saying that he is "fixin' to go run the power lines".  I have to stick a cattle prod up their @$$ apparently to get them to do anything.  On high voltage setting.  Excuse the French in this post, but this stuff went beyond the "I'm starting to get pissed off" stage weeks ago.  

No power = no operation running.  No thanks.  Whatever it costs, it costs, get the damn s*** done, please and thank you.  

That will leave the gravel install and then I can really turn up the heat and get this thing going.  I have an intended start date for December 1st.  Later than I wanted, but that is what I am shooting for.  It's going to be awfully difficult to go back to work in December, my finances will be getting low - unless I really get a good amount of revenue stream coming in - I'm not sure I'm going to go back to work this year or wait until after the New Year.  

I've tightened up the money purse even more, just buying needed things - that's mostly for the house and eating and the dog and stuff.  Fuel for the vehicle.  If I need a tool out there, then yes I'll buy it if I absolutely need it. Otherwise, it's just the regular, recurring monthly bills and I'm getting rid of more of that as well.  Small stuff, but it adds up.  

My credit score is low now and I can't get a loan without high interest rate.  I knew that was coming.  After I get a job, I will apply for enough of a loan to get my credit usage down to below 10%. That will shoot my credit score back up so that later on next year, I can apply for a large business loan.  For now? I'm just going to let it stay low and probably use even more credit to get things started. Such as the down payment for the insurance and the initial start up fee for the campground software.  

I wish I could put the gravel for the main driveway on hold, but it's an absolute necessity.  It's just something I have to do without even thinking twice about it, especially after looking at it again today. However, I don't need as much gravel as I thought. There are stretches where apparently the gas company came in and dumped some random gravel.  But, it's going to be 2 grand worth regardless.  

Maybe a little more if I really want to do some parking for boondocking. I'm wishy-washy on that.  That's probably a couple of truckloads.  Just spread it out, mark the lots and that's it. No hookups of any kind, just a parking space.  I don't know the demand for such things in this area.  That would probably only apply to travelers coming through and moving on the next day or possibly people that just don't want to pay full lot prices and can deal with having to find a place to dump their holding tanks.  If I do it, I want 4 spaces and see what happens.  It will be included on the reservation site, everything is going through the website and I intend on having as near as automated park as I can have.  

I'd still charge them $20 per night to park there.  

Laundry facility - even just one of each machine - greatly concerns me.  Many people want that particular amenity or they won't come to your place.  Thousands of dollars I really don't have atm.  I have to figure this out and somehow get this done - sooner than later.  

I dunno, I'm just riding along with the tide on this one. The first customers just texted me asking if I was still on track for the middle of November.  Uhhh, I might be!  Lol I can't say for sure until that gravel is installed. 

If I lose them, I lose them. I wasn't looking anyway, they just happened along.  

Well, more research today after I got some things done. 

 Feeling rather hellish this morning, I had to force myself out of bed and at least take a shower to try and get to feeling well enough to take a 30 minute phone call concerning park insurance. I am definitely doing price comparison shopping with this one.  The first one is 3k per year, I'm hoping that can come down - a little or a lot, but something. 

The phone call is in 20 minutes.  Then tomorrow another phone call with a campground reservation software company - basically it's software that allows customers to pick dates, pay for them etc etc etc.  It isn't accounting, either, but the one I'm speaking with tomorrow can upload to quickbooks without any manual inputting which is a huge plus. 

I doubt the gravel will be done this week and iffy for next week as well.  Just when I want to get it done, boom!  It starts raining.  It rained 2 nights ago with the weather report saying there was only a 4% chance.  Not at my house, either, over at the property, which is only 4 miles away. Weather patterns can be quite strange.  

So, about the time the dirt is drying out, we will get to Friday with a 74% chance of rain. And then, with the weekend to dry out, we get more rain on Monday.  

Onto other things.  A simple 15X15 platform made out of 2X6 lumber will cost around $600.  So, it would take 24 nightly rentals to pay that back.  ROI or Return On Investment.  It is worth it?  Not now.  I have a place set aside for tent camping and yes, I did a poll on an RV site. Most people don't care if it's on a slope, as long as it's on/near the top of the hill, not the bottom. 

Of course.  2 other spots are going to have to have platforms, it's that or get a dozer and level it out and then have to build a block wall.  Yup, a platform will be cheaper - much cheaper and easier - than all of that with a dozer.  But I'm figuring around $600 per platform so I have an idea of what I will be getting myself into.  

I think a group campground, after thinking about it, is out of the question.  That large area would be better served with a fancy glamping setup.  Too much logistics in trying to figure out how to get a bunch of people down there and get their equipment down there for a large campground setting.  Build a 30X30 platform instead, put a large (huge) canvas tent on the platform, put appropriate furnishings and amenities in it, walaah.  Yup, almost impossible right now. Glamping necessarily means electricity and that would mean running a line for about.....1,500 feet.  It would cost literally thousands of dollars just to run the electrical line back in there at the cost underground power line is running right now. 

Likely I will build a large platform back there, use it for tent camping and then upgrade it further down the line.  

Unfortunately, I have a problem with the main driveway - that the gas company is supposed to maintain - that I will have no choice but to shell out the bucks and fix myself.  There is a 10 foot long area where water builds up on the wrong side of the driveway - meaning it just pools there and erodes the driveway instead of flowing downhill.  If I had only thought about this when I had the machine...

I could have brought a bunch of dirt over, build it up and then when they bring the gravel, divert some of it to that area.  The entire length of it needs a 2 inch layer of fresh gravel dumped as well.  

It's about 2k to have it shipped and dumped, not including spreading it, which I would do myself with a $280 per 24 hour period machine I can rent.  Why not do the rest of the park too? Because I have no experience with this stuff and it will be far easier to spread over an existing driveway than starting from scratch. 

Just off the phone.  The insurance provider asked a plethora of questions.  I have very few amenities so it made the application process easy and simple. He didn't even ask about dogs or walking trails - so I brought them up. He said yes, that's included under your liability protection already.  Great! The other company asked a lot of questions about both, but particularly the dog situation.  It's a granted that many if not most parks allow dogs. That's because lots of campers ... bring their dogs with them! I used to when I was camping.  Full-timers especially have pets with them.  

Ok, the price? No idea. He said he'd have a quote for me next week.  

I doubt I will do any more insurance quotes.  2 is enough, to be able to compare prices. I'm almost set to pick a campground software package as well.  Just need to get on the phone with these people and get some specifics.  

That leaves Quickbooks. Yes, I know I was going to start on it the other day, but I didn't.  I'm trying to work through all of this desk stuff - stuff I greatly dislike but will grow to "love" and embrace.  

That leaves buying stuff.  Minimal...stuff.  Finances are getting down there and it's really time to get this thing up and running.  

All I can say is...I'm trying.  Doing my best, applying myself to learning a lot of new things and attempting to get this thing going - soon, please.  

Meanwhile, I figure I'll need 105,000 pounds of gravel for the existing driveway.  Sounds like a lot but that's only 7 truckloads give or take.  It's money I don't want to spend but do I have any choice? People driving in 100, 200 and more K rigs are not going to want to be driving them over half-assed driveway conditions. Not that every rig that comes in is going to be that pricey, but those are the ones that bring in more money.  

The biggest thing that needs to happen right now is the gravel, because after that - immediately after that - I have to spread the grass seed and start watering it. Yea, pain in the @$$. I'll be spending a lot of time just trying to get that done.  And I still need a riding mower to cut all of that grass.  The grass, gag.  I need that gravel in!

Oh well.

Off to the property. Whether I plan on doing work over there or not, I'm over there pretty  much every day just making sure everything is intact and that no-one has been fooling with anything.  

G'day

 I was up in the middle of the night last night - not unusual for me but this is really eating at me - thinking about this situation.  When is it going to be appropriate to go back to work?  

They are supposedly coming out this week to install the gravel and then? My finances are going to take a nose dive. Frugality only takes you so far and you can't skimp on certain things.  

If I want to advertise the walking trails as a prominent feature of the park, I have to install signage to show people where to even find the trail head.  I mean, if you just started wandering around back there you'd find  a hill on all sides and if you wandered down the hill, then yes, you'd stumble upon them.

That doesn't sound fitting for a feature that is advertised as one of the compelling reasons to come to my park.  

So today, I'm ordering all the signs I will need. Internet, yes internet. Locally, they do a great job but it's not cheap and I can get a much better deal with an online sign company. I like to try to keep things local, but there is a limit to that desire.  If local means paying a third or more again for the same thing you can get elsewhere, I'm not going to do it locally. 

My main street sign being the notable exception.  I'm very pleased with the outcome of that and I think it was money well spent.  I'm still waiting for everything to dry up before mounting it.  It rained for over 24 hours and the quick crete still appears to be wet.  I did order an entrance sign at the local sign shop, made out of aluminum he said it would last a long time - but he also charged me $250 for it.  

I'm battling in my mind with which campground reservation software to go with.  Pricing is top of the list, but features are also important.  

And I'm going to shop for insurance.  A man from a large rv insurance company is getting back with me hopefully today, I want at least a second quote to see where I stand with the first quote.  It will be $800 down just to get the first company started up.  It's 3k per year, so the sizeable down payment was a bit strange.  I don't get to make the terms. 

But yes,  When do I go back to work is the big question.  Soon, I can say, but how soon?  Well obviously if I'm about to go completely broke that would force the issue.  It's just amazing that even after getting that second 401k cashed out, I'm still going to be facing this question soon enough.  

Gravel is the biggest expenditure left to go.  After that it's small stuff comparatively speaking, but it all adds up.  And even just driving around town eats up the fuel.  Eating out has gone by the wayside, occasionally but nothing like what I was doing.  If I go try to do more work on the driveway today - which I think I will, not sure yet because I am still coughing and still not feeling the greatest yet - I will come home to eat, not go to applebee's for salmon or whatever lunch.  

Some of the habits I got into making the kind of money I was making baffles me now.  I could have saved a lot of money instead of just wasting it.  But, I guess it comes with the territory. Your whole mindset changes.  Oh, and yes, I can go out and make the same money now. In fact, even more.  I would be on the road all the time. 

If there was such a thing as a part-time trucking job, I would definitely take it.  But there isn't - none that I know of anyway or can find.  Work 3 days a week, home the rest.  Take care of my monthly bills and have time to continue work on the park.  The local jobs around here are fast food and low paying junk that I won't be fooling with. If I'm going to work, I'm going to make the money regardless of how long it keeps me out.  And if it does come down to that, I at least have the reassurance that it won't be forever.  Just long enough to get the park running, keep it running for a while and then apply for that big loan.  

I intend on having the property appraised after I get the gravel in, the grass started and the fire rings on each lot (or every lot where it looks like I can put one without hazard of setting RV's on fire anyway).  With what I'm reading and with the current pricing of RV parks for sale (it is a hot market, surprisingly and a lot of people with little or no experience want to get into it, they just don't want to start from scratch like I am, they want a turn-key business venture), it should appraise from 300 to 400k.  

Yes, even small parks are going for a mint.  And if it's in a good location - such as a beach, national park nearby, river, etc - even higher. I don't have any of that tho there is plenty nearby.  I'm pretty confident in my assessment.  Put that up as collateral for a half million dollar loan and they won't need a cash down payment.  Now that I've got my feet wet and have been through the process, I have an idea of how to write up a business plan of how the park would be built out. 

_______________________________

Very long phone call (I don't do long phone calls anymore and that mindset is just going to have to change if I want to get anything done, I'm working on it lol).

It was the web designer.  He is a true expert, there is no questioning that and I am blessed and lucky to have found him.  He has a heart to serve and help people, it's not just about the money.  I know this because he's already done a lot of stuff for free, even tho I did offer to pay him.  He said his policy is to "not charge if it takes 15 minutes or less".  He went on about the analytics and the way Google works and how they penalize you for some things and reward you for others (moving up on the search results). 

Some of it got into technical stuff that I admittedly don't even understand.  

And we went into campground management software.  Again, this man has amazing knowledge of everything web related, whether he knows about a specific subset (RV parks) or not, the methodology is the same.  He went into the hidden costs of the software I was wanting to use and said he had found something better.  

Just really a lot of information that I need not go into detail here, just to say it was a very interesting phone call.  He backed up my thought that I need to have this campground software installed on my website soon.  I'm thinking within the next 7 days.  He said he would go through several different software options from different companies and then give me the top 5 that he thinks would be best and keeping costs down.  Yes, let's keep the costs down. 

He also said he would design one of those small signs you see on the side of the road everywhere and order it for me.  The point is to have something that says "coming soon" and have it in place along the highway up the road from me.  For $3.99, I think it a worthwhile investment.  

With his knowledge of setting up websites, I wondered if it would be possible for him to duplicate a blogging journal I used to be a part of that was maliciously destroyed by a disgruntled ex-employee. It was named Journalspace and tho it wasn't an internet sensation, no one wanted it to be.  It was a large community and it was set up in such a way that people could and would interact with each other within the community. 

A lot of friendships were made because of the design.  I was wondering if it could be duplicated, but I need pics of the old setup to give him an idea of what it was like.  It might be worth attempting to resurrect.  

Anyway, today is Halloween and I'm pulling my trailer - at a very slow speed thank you - for people to sit on while the group is trick or treating.  We are meeting at 6:30 pm, I hope it doesn't go on more than a few hours, I'm still not feeling the greatest but I think I can manage sitting in my vehicle pulling a trailer at 3mph.  

With that, I am off to do more research on various things that need to be addressed before any park opening can take place.  I'm working my way up to buying Quickbooks and getting start on that..wish me luck lol. 

....and my poll.  So far, 18 votes and a vast majority say a slope (for tent camping) is ok.