Wednesday, mid-morning. 

I'm trying to get caught back up on my sleep.  It's working at least today.  8 hours of precious, beautiful sleep and feeling a little better. 

I have an agenda today and I intend on trying to get it done. The 4 wheeler is ready to go and try to see if it's going to work.  I am admittedly dragging my @$$ today because of the lack of sleep for 6 previous nights, save one where I did sleep fairly well.  

Loading up the 4 wheeler with the new attachment, I am asked if I want to go to lunch? Lol, I feel like I just got out of bed. BTW, summertime is upon us.  The boys are out of school for 2 months.  There are things they will be doing this summer, including a 2 week vacation to Florida (I'm not going, this is Taylor going to see an old friend).  There are other things of which escape my mind atm, but they will probably be spending a lot of time with me out in the heat.  If they don't like the heat, they can go sit in the shed.  Either way, I have stuff to do and tho they can come with me, I'm not going to be constantly watching them.

Right now,  or in the next short period of time, I really need to decide what to do about grass. Besides cost, the other thing that crossed my mind is watering it.  If a lot has a trailer on it, they are using the water hookup.  Does this mean I need to install dual water outlets at every lot?  And if I do that, I will be installing a shut off valve at ground level on all of them. One thing always leads to another in this situation.

One blow after another. The older couple are also leaving on the 8th.  The recent fall the man had and having to have a pacemaker installed left the wife needing to move somewhere where they can have family help them.  This will be a blow in a couple of ways. First, of course, another long-term leaving. Second, these people helped me watch out for the park.  I do have the camera out there, of course.

I'm going to have too many lots open and I will likely have to resort to cut throat rates again to get anyone in there.  They were only paying $400 per month anyway, but still.  I don't know what else to do besides going ahead and posting it in the local gossip venues.  I have avoided them because of some of the caustic people in those groups that find fault with everything and make snarky replies all the time.  But, one of those is the main local venue and for that, I need to at least try it once.  

The only reason I'm saying that is that a church campground that specializes in having churches come in with lots of folks is also renting out rv lots on a limited basis and advertised in there.  The fact of the matter is, I will just have to eat it and say ok, I"ll have to go with lower rates and hope there is still decent profit after the electric bills.  The only thing that really got people in there was lower rates.  When faced with $1,100 electric bills, that doesn't really sound too appealing but having 6 lots empty after they leave? That isn't going to work either. At least there is  profit to be made at a lower rate.  I think I'll list it as $400 for single AC units and $425 for 2.  

If that doesn't get people in there, pretty much nothing will beyond expensive amenities that I don't have the money to pay for right now, which namely would be a swimming pool.  A clubhouse with activites, etc.  Just not enough money. A swimming pool would get half the town over there, not just rv'ers.  Of course my insurance wouldn't allow me to do that, just saying that pools are very popular around here.  No clue.  Get my medical card renewed and go back to work, list everything at such low rates that it would be ridiculous to overlook the place and move on.  Or, do what some other parks are doing in buying these small mobile-home looking things. Or, just buy the trailers like I have been wanting to.  People will rent them, I get enough calls about it.  

I'm waiting on these people to tell me when the pasture is going to dry enough to get in there.  I have a person lined up to move the thing if this happens. If not, I'll keep looking but I'd like to find one pretty soon. 

Whatever the case, I have a driveway to try and plow.

Editing: they contacted me just now about that trailer I want to buy.  I'm going to drive the 115 miles to look at it and probably buy the thing.  

G'day

 Tuesday - late morning, everyone gone (thankfully).  House is quiet.  I got home last night around 12:45 am, opened the door to my room and turned the light on --- it took Addler totally by surprise. He was sound asleep, woke up, raised his head, looked at me dazed and confused, eyes half open, lmao.  Once he recognized who I was he jumped up to greet me.  I turned the AC in my room down to "ice cold" setting after burning up for 5 days.  I love my mother dearly, but I doubt I will be doing any visits there unless it's winter time and the temps are much cooler.  That way, the AC doesn't have to be on in her house.  She would be completely offended if I decided to stay at a hotel, so I just have to figure out something else and that something else is just be there when the house is naturally cooled down.  

It's not a money issue, she just prefers to being warm all the time.  I don't get it, but I don't have to, just have to work around it.  

I was thinking of another visit later on this year.  If it's possible, anyway.  

I found a couple of trailers I am interested in. One I probably would have already bought but the person selling it is - who knows what this person is doing. She said her boyfriend was thrown in jail and she needs the money. It's $600 and I pounced on it.  Decent shape, you can't find something in that condition for $600.  It wasn't a "scammish" type of thing. She said she was trying to get gas money so she could show it to me.  

But, 30 minutes later, she removed the listing from Marketplace, saw my questions but didn't respond. So I don't know if that means she sold it, or thinks she has it sold to me, or if she still wants to keep it? No clue.  The other one is a 5th wheel at $1,500.  This one is in really good shape, the ad says the only thing wrong with it is the refrigerator doesn't work. Great, throw the thing out and get a new one. A new regular fridge, I should add, not an RV version.  RV versions are very expensive. These are small refrigerators and they don't cost a fortune. 

I take that back, the last time I priced them they didn't cost a fortune.  That has probably changed by now.  lt is possible the fridge in it could be fixed.  Whatever the case, it rained heavily last night and the dude said he wanted it to dry out first. Not the trailer, but where he has the trailer parked. From the pics, there are no roof leaks on it at all.  I could probably rent the thing for $600 per month, utilities/lot rent included.  I figure sooner or later, I'm going to snag something decent and get the thing making me some money.  

Well cancel the trailer that the person disappeared. She wrote back - "someone" took the ac off of it and left the roof open.  In other words, there is substantial water damage to the thing.  No thank you.   A trailer like that isn't worth anything at all. Not only that, but there are no tires on it, lol.  AND it has to be moved by "noon today".  Sketchy, at best. This other trailer, however, looks really good on the inside. $1,500 is at the threshold of what I want to pay but if I advertise it on the local gossip groups I should be able to rent it quickly.  

I've never quite understood people who just let leaks go in their trailers. They must know that any rain is going to cause damage.  Any time I had a leak, I would get up there and address the problem.  There's another trailer which looked ok from the outside, but the pics inside? Lmao.  It was totally gutted. The interior had been stripped out of it and there were wires hanging down from the ceiling with trash laying everywhere.  That is just garbage, why do people even try to sell such trash? 

Anyway, the other trailer which is definitely in decent condition is being held for me.  So they say. It's parked in a field and they are saying it's too wet, ie: get stuck trying to drive out to it.  I said I want it- it's not sight unseen, there are a LOT of pics inside and out of this thing. You can tell there are no leaks, you can see the interior furnishings are in decent shape. You just have to take the person's word for it that appliances work, excepting the fridge.  I dunno, but I'm going to ask the older couple at the park if they can get it for me.  It's a 5th wheel and I have no way of moving one. If they can't, there are people in the area that will do it, just for much more money.  This is just an initial plan, of course, they have to actually sell it to me first before I can get the thing lol.  

Ok enough talk about trailers. They at least confirmed that I can take the thing in writing, in reality who knows.  As for the park. I am so out of it today.  I just didn't sleep that much during the trip and then getting home so late last night.  I slept for 5 hours and then the sun came up and woke me up.  I need to go over there and check things out for sure.  James built that attachment for the 4 wheeler and made a new hitch plate to hook the thing up to it.  There is no way I am going to even try to do any of that today.  In fact, I just need to collect some money and then I'm probably going to go straight back home.

Oh, well the outside camera also needs to be recharged.  And there is something "orange" on the side of the driveway that appeared out of nowhere.  It's hard to tell what it is, but it is a curiosity that I want to go check out.  

Oh, well the attachment is a mini plow of sorts. I has rippers on it - tines with sharp edges - that tear down into the ground and till it up.  It has a box on the top so you can put weight into it for better plowing ability.  I'll see about getting to that tomorrow. Which means getting the trailer, loading the SUV and the attachment up, taking it over there, unloading it, etc.  I want to see if I can line up getting that trailer towed over here.  If I can get it cleaned up nicely, I'll just put it in a regular RV lot. It looks like it just needs a really good cleaning on the outside of it. 

There's always plenty to do.  

 Sitting at Sky Harbor airport.  I got here early after seeing that this would be one of the major travel days.  Although there are definitely some people here, it's nothing like what one would expect for a very crowded airport.  Not at all. I spent maybe 10 minutes going through security and could have easily spent another hour talking with mom before departing.  But, you know, I didn't want to get stuck at a security checkpoint nightmare.  You don't really know what to expect when you arrive at an airport.  

I did end up going to the bar and I visited with my old friend for about 5-1/2 hours and his friends that also showed up.  It was fun, I can say that, because it'a karoake bar and they have it almost every night of the week.  They wanted me to sing, I politely declined lol.  I can do my version of singing, I'm fairly certain it's nothing anyone wants to be subjected to.  It was getting late, at least by my standards and so after much discussion about various things, I said I was leaving.  Well, they  wanted me to cancel my flight and take off the next day.  Uhh, no.  I don't even think this setup would allow for that and even if it did, I'm more than ready to go home.

It was a good visit, I'm glad I came, I'm glad I am going home. Mom and I talked for many hours this morning tho.  The Lyft driver noted that she didn't look too happy when I was leaving.  No, she was sad, had tears in her eyes.  I might try to make it back later this year when it's much cooler and I can stand being in that hot house without feeling very uncomfortable. It's just he way she has always been, she likes being warm and 82 degrees is comfortable to her. 

I haven't slept too well excepting maybe one night because I was so exhausted. This is the major reason I want to go home. Yes, I have sleep issues, but I do, indeed, end up getting some sleep at home at least.  I won't even be home until around 1:00 am.  I did sign up for volunteering to take another flight online, but only at the $600 rate.  Leaves tomorrow morning and arrives early afternoon.  I don't know that anything is going to become of it, but I did hear the attendants at the desk talking to flight personnel who are deadheading.  That sometimes means people are going to be asked to volunteer to take another flight.  

There are a lot of standby people as well.  I am sitting close enough to the desk to hear conversations, Some of these people look desperate.  Whatever, I'd rather just fly home but the opportunity for free money is certainly right up there on my list as well.  Not to mention a hotel .  

And sitting here waiting, a man calls for a spot. Yes sir, we have 2 pull throughs and a back in spot available tonight.  He didn't actually commit, he just said "if we make it that far".  Yup, a lot of them do that, see if they can get a spot but not sure if they are going to be able to make it that far.  

That's it. My mind is a jumble of different thoughts at the moment.  Flight boards in 22 minutes.  

 Sunday - early afternoon. 

Doesn't feel like Sunday for some reason.  Mostly been hanging out with mom, saw my son and have plans to see an old friend tonight - at a bar. Not my choice, this is where he hangs out at and where he wants to meet. Whatever, at least it's not far.  That will be it for my visiting for tomorrow afternoon I am going back home. 

Good to see mom again, she's doing well, certainly for her age and I can rest easy for a while. I probably won't consider coming for a visit again unless it's in the winter time here.  She keeps the thermostat at 80-82 and that's her comfort zone. Mine, for sleeping at least, is 70. You may think that sounds like a ridiculous reason to put off another trip, but it's really not.  I was sitting there sweating at the dinner table when I first got here and finally she said something about the temp and I said, yes, need to cool it down, at least a few degrees.  

It was a great visit with my son, albeit only 2-1/2 hours. He was getting ready to go out with his circle of friends.  He turned 30 the other day and they were going to drag him off to bar and try to get him drunk.  Well, he said, I don't really drink, but they are driving so I'll go.  I don't know how that went, I think I"ll contact him and see what happened\, lol.  Since I will probably have a few beers tonight, I am not going to drive either. It's Memorial Day weekend and the cops are out looking for impaired drivers.  I will not be getting drunk but they can make stuff up. 

A Lyft ride at $20 each way is cheaper than a trip to jail and all that entails.  They do sobriety check points here, which I think is a huge infringement on citizens' rights regardless of the "good" reasons they are doing it. There is no probable cause, they just stop everyone. I saw something that said you don't "have" to go through the checkpoint, you can turn around and go the other way.  Yea, right, and you are telling me they aren't going to come chasing you down? 

I also found out this particular bar has cops that sit around waiting for people to leave. Anyway, it's just trouble I don't need, thank you very much. 

I'm not really into the bar scene, is what I'm saying.  I don't mind going to Chili's with a bar there, but that's a family style restaurant, not a bar-only thing where there is loud music, people getting drunk, people looking for fights, people have to yell to talk to anyone - not my thing at all.  I wish this interaction could be done elsewhere.  Whatever. I'm looking forward to going home tomorrow.  I have been having trouble sleeping - much worse than I already have at home.  I would have rather stayed at a hotel, tbh.  

The flight won't land in Longview until late, I figure I won't get to the house earlier than 1:00 am. I have no intentions of getting out of bed once I am there until late morning if that.  I'm just going to laze around the house Tuesday unless there is something pressing going on at the park.  There probably is, who knows, I got texts from people saying an "old trashy truck" showed up last night camping behind the shed.  Yes, that was me letting some folks stay the night so they could get a shower.  They paid $10 and spent an hour bathing in the bathroom. I know this because I looked at the notifications on my camera.  I didn't know what kind of people they are, didn't want to see things like tools walking out of there with them. 

I don't really trust people.  I got 2 forms of identification from them, pics texted to me.  The lady said they are from Oklahoma and they were visiting her father who is dying, but they don't get along with his wife who isn't her mother.  I get that, totally.  The identification showed they are from here but also another ID from a tribal government in Oklahoma. They are already gone so I don't have to worry about these people complaining about them. They originally asked about tent camping and that's what I was going on. They ended up just being in a pickup and needing access to a bathroom.  I'll bleach that shower and toilet nicely when I get back.  

I had a 6 nighter cancel. Another one gone. This one, the daughter of the man had something happen that he had to cancel and he offered to let me charge him for one night. Standard in the industry, tho I haven't even made up my mind about that.  Another RV coming tonight, or so they say anyway.  

I've got a 9 day stay coming tomorrow.  Hopefully they won't also be canceling?  Traveling season and I'm not really getting a good share or the travelers coming in. I have several lots available right now for overnighters.  Only one guy contacted me 2 days ago about a long term but he never committed and didn't show up.  

The boys were missing me to the point Taylor asked if I would facetime them.  Oh? I don't do facetime, but I made an exception.  They had gotten themselves into trouble - again. This time, they were both looking at Youtube in the bed in their bedroom when they were supposed to be sleeping.  IE: get up, go to the living room, get the device.  That got them blocked from games for the entire Memorial Day Weekend.  The younger boy cracks me up tho. He'll come home from school with a headache.  Why do you have a headache?  Too much talking.  Huh?  They talk too much at school. He is referring to the teachers lmao.  No, he doesn't like school, lol

Ok well enough.  There isn't much to discuss besides the ever evolving political and woke landscape that is basically destroying our nation - or at least turning it into something that probably most people don't want but won't do anything about it.  These politicians are something else. I had at least some hopes that McCarthy would stand firm until Democrats caved at least a little. Apparently this "deal" he has worked out isn't anything on the scope of what the bill the House passed earlier this year had in it.  In other words, as far as I can see it, he caved.  That's pretty much the mantra of the Republican party, cave.  

I'm going to take a nap, lol.  Didn't sleep well. 

 Admittedly in a bit of a grumpy mood this morning, I ended up going back to bed for a while. I was still exhausted.  An hour nap and I felt better.  Met with my son for near 3 hours at the Denny's near where he lives. It was a good visit, a lot of information passed back and forth.  His friends are taking him to some bar tonight to celebrate his 30th birthday. No, he's not a heavy drinker.  He drinks socially and not that often.  It was a fun and enjoyable visit. I doubt I'll see him again this trip.  

Back home, ate a huge dinner with mom and that's it. I have no other plans today and don't want any more plans.  2-1/2 more days and I'll be going home.  I think I will try and meet up with a friend that keeps saying he wants to, just hasn't happened yet.  He's having a cookout Monday and as much as I would love to come for that, the plane departs Monday sometime after 5 and I suspect I will need to leave here for the airport by 2 pm.  It's 45 minutes over there and Monday is likely going to be a huge travel day.  

At least the flight is shorter than the one that went from DFW to LAX.  I am pretty confident it will be a completely full airplane. They had people on standby for the DFW to LAX flight.  

Since lot 2 left, I opened up yet another lot for short term.  The pull throughs are popular and lot 2 is a pull through. In case someone needs a place to stop, they can do that online.  I had one person asking if I had a long term spot available today, yes.  Do you have 50 amp service? yes.  All questions were answered yes - and then he disappeared.  That's it, tho, I have no new prospects coming in for long term.  

Yes, obviously, I am keeping track of what is going on  at the park. An overnighter pulled in earlier - I got a notification and looked. They are prepaid, another coming tomorrow for same-said lot and then 2 more incoming tomorrow, another on Sunday and then a 5 day stay on Monday.  After that is another coming in on Thursday and then? That's it. For now, anyway, with no more short or long term booked.  As I said, this situation needs to change and in a hurry.  I need 3 more long term and I need them pretty quick.  

Funny thing, Facebook allowed one of my posts to run over and over - delete and relist option - and then today? They said it doesn't meet their standards and was deleted lmao.  The part that is ridiculous is they don't bother to tell you why, they just say it's in violation and dump it without giving the option to fix it.  In fact, I even paid for a boost on that ad a couple of times! FB and it's inconsistencies.  

Well whatever.  Not a lot going on atm.  Well, excepting the dude that fell and ended up in the hospital in Longview. He fell because of his heart, whatever happened exactly I don't know, but he now has a pacemaker in  and is home at the park recovering.  Initially misunderstood, I thought they said he fell and then had the heart problem. Then I find out he fell because of the heart problem.  Ok then, that sounds more feasible.  

The time change here is messing with me.  2 hours behind us, my bedtime is coming up soon yet it's only almost 7:00 pm here.  I'm really tired. I just never got caught up on my sleep from trip for the texting in the middle of the night last night with the power out.  I think I'm going to retire early tonight.  

 Half an hour waiting for this laptop to do an update that I didn't want.  I hate this computer.  

Anyway, we'll just go straight to that landing at PHX yesterday.  For I have never been through anything like that.  We turbulence about a half an hour before we even got to the airport.  I didn't think much of it until we started descending and the turbulence got worse.  The plane was jumping up and down, the wings up and down, kind of crazy. 

We got somewhere within 100 feet of touching down when it hit and it hit hard, the turbulence that is. The nose pitched up, the right wing went way up, then the whole plane dropped and then? Throttles.  Thank God.  The aborted the landing and did a go around.  Again, thank God because from my view, we were not lined up with the runway and the plane was not at the correct attitude to even land.  

I wasn't not the only one that became unnerved by that event. When the plane stopped, people that travel frequently were making comments.  It's one thing to hit severe turbulence at 35,000 feet, quite another when you're about to touch down.  

The second landing actually was the same thing, heavy turbulence but this time they managed to get it down.  I can tell you that I went straight to get my luggage and then I sat down for probably an hour.  My stomach was in knots and the food I had eaten a few hours earlier was not setting well.  I really didn't feel much better until I went to bed last night. I didn't eat dinner, I was exhausted as it was getting up at 2:30 am and I was toast. 

The day might may have been over, but the phone started blowing up at 3: 00 am.  What is going on?  The power went out at the park and nearly everyone was texting me telling me about it.  Another tree down, according to Swepco, but what am I supposed to do about it?  I took a screen shot of the fact they already knew about it and a tree was down and texted it back to everyone.  The weird thing is there was no weather going on. Trees don't normally go down unless there is a storm and heavy winds.  

I managed to somehow get back to sleep but I was up early.  

It seems like they have crammed seating even tighter on airplanes.  It wasn't fun that the man that sat down next to me on the flight from DFW to LAX was also large framed. I don't mean overweight, just a large framed man.  Our skeletal composure forced our arms to be "into" each other.  It was something I knew neither he nor I could change so we just both moved our arms so they wouldn't be touching at least.  A kid kicking my seat from the rear, I made the best of it.  

LAX - a cheeseburger -and we are talking a very plain cheeseburger, nothing fancy at all and a pile of fries? $17.  

Whatever. All of that is over and I am reminded once again why I don't travel to California nor do I like coming Arizona. Just watch the local news. Murders, shootings, death all over the place.  

This post negative? Well it's been a pretty negative trip so far, excepting mom and I sat down and talked for several hours last night before  I went to bed. That was good and we watched rabbits eating grass in her back yard.  

Oh, and the older couple? Saying that the people that pulled into lot 3 have 2 dogs that are crapping on her lawn and also that the husband fell and is in the hospital. The truck driver trainer is pulling out today, which was expected but leave several lots empty.  I have some overnighters coming in, one today and another Sunday.  But that's it, so far anyway.  

So, the idea of going back to work looms large.  I can't pay my bills on a half empty park and unless a slew of people come in in the next week or so, it's going to be my fate.  Might as well go get the medical thing over and done with, that will take care of that requirement. I'm sure someone will hire me even with a minor accident and ticket on the record, but the premium jobs I may not get. 

So what am I doing now? Sitting at a table at mom's house, typing out my blog entry as is my habit and trying to get over the aggravation of everything that has happened since I left town yesterday.  I love visiting mom and I"m sure I'll enjoy seeing my son, but it will be a while before I came back down here after this trip is over with.  Hopefully this will get better.  

Anyway, yes I'm set to see my son, sometime today we haven't worked that out, just that we were going to meet on Friday. After today, I have no idea what I'm doing.  

Editing this: I think another factor that is really getting to me is my mother likes living in much warmer conditions than I am used to. She has the thermostat set at 80 degrees, we have ours set at around 70 or even cooler.  I'm sitting here sweating, basically and yes, that's adding to the aggravation factor.  

 I did, of course, wake up in the middle of the night and as soon as I did, my brain went to full function mode, it must be time to get up, let's get moving.  That just kind of happened automatically.  I looked at thee clock, 2:20 am, lmao.  Yup, got up, took a shower and got it started.  I wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep that fast and if I did, I would have been awakened shortly after, there was no reason to drag it out, let's just get going.  So, my coffee time about 4 hours before I normally do. 

I'm in a pretty decent mood albeit a bit fatigued, hopefully I can stay in that mood even if/when s*** hits the fan.  Something always happens.  Minor, usually, but can be an irritant, and usually the actions of other people who are inconsiderate, rude and only think of themselves when it comes to their conduct in public. We've all seen the videos, it's pretty common to see this tho in real life, especially when traveling.  I'm just taking a virtual chill pill, hang back, let everyone do their thing, I'm in no huge rush, there isn't an emergency and I'll get there when I get there. 

I have an advantage that I don't have to fool with overhead compartment baggage.  I am, however, stuffing a shirt and socks into my computer bag in case I get separated from my luggage - or - get delayed somehow overnight somewhere and have something fresh to wear.  I'm just preparing for any problems in advance, we have all seen the news of airlines having major delays because of staffing problems, flight controller absences and computer glitches.  Weather isn't a problem today, there is no weather that I have seen in any of the routes.  The "experts" are saying this traveling weekend, which starts today btw at least according to them, will test the system and see if they've done their due diligence to bring things back up to snuff.

The hullaballoo with DeSantis entering the Presidential race, the Twitter Space they were using for him to announce it and the crash of that space is now the focus of attention.  The left were bashing Musk and Twitter for the crash.  Some people that actually know what's going on said that it was a Twitter Space, it was the first time so many people had tried to join one "room" like that - a million people or so - and yes, there were problems.  People that hate the right just want to focus on the problems that don't matter, they don't want to focus on the problems America is facing because they are creating those problems intentionally, by choice and by design. 

The Bud Light controversy isn't going away as the left and so-called experts thought it would.  It's definitely an anomaly considering the backfiring of other boycotts Republicans have engaged in in the past.  It's about time the right makes a stand and it actually works in this woke era of stupid people with big mouths getting all the airtime.  These people are stupid, pushing Communist policies that we already knew wouldn't work before they ever started trying to push them. The failures are clearly evident around the world in current and previous Communist regimes.  Okay, they may not be stupid, they have been deceived by a handful of people in high places with the juice to be able to push such agendas and force it on the masses in public universities, the school districts, local governments, state governments, federal government, the media, all the things the left control.  

Oh well. I'm leaving soon  Get there, check in - well I already did that and I already printed my boarding passes but I'm going to get the "real" boarding passes printed for me.  I have text messaging and email alerts to any glitches, changes, whatever - that American might dump on everyone.  There still doesn't look to be full aircraft on any leg of the journey, with the available seats showing on the graphs if you want to upgrade.  I also already paid for my baggage, why wait? Get it over with and the only thing I have to face is the ridiculous security system. I won't be shocked if they want to pat me down. I have no idea, but I go through that screening thing and it shows, of all places and almost every time, my private areas with some sort of blockage, like it's not clear and they can't see anything.

I hate it, because they literally grope you.  THAT will be the defining moment of this trip, at least for me and in the traveling portion of it - whether I have to go through that again. The the pro side to it is that once I get through that screening, I won't have to go through it again, at least not on the trip there.

I also had my return dates wrong in my head for some reason. I'm coming back Monday night, not Tuesday. I was very glad, actually, when I saw that.  I think 5 days there, 3 full days and 2 partial days, is plenty.  I can go again this year if I really want to - which I probably won't but who knows.  It's a Holiday weekend this time so I do wonder if my oldest brother will be inviting mother over and if so, I will be tagging along as well. Haven't seen him in years. He doesn't ever miss me and I don't particularly miss him, either, something that has been going on our entire lives, starting when we were growing up and he didn't want any part of family and has maintained that stance his entire life.

It was only in the last 15 or less years that he took an interest in helping mother.  He will remain nameless or even the pecking order of which brother it is.  He loathes social media. We are complete opposites in our views of life, he is a very, very private person.  I am to some degree, but nothing like him.  Anyway, I thought it was surprising he actually took an interest in mom.  I mean, it is natural of course, but he hasn't actually been a "natural" person by any stretch of the imagination when it comes to family and his shunning of it. Neither of my brothers went to my dad's funeral, just to show where their mentality is.  

The reservation system shows no new reservations.  It will be impossible for me to not at least check it online while I'm visiting family.   

Yup. The power bills showed up when I just checked. Unsurprisingly high. It's been hot and people have their AC running all day long plus I added the shed ac.  It's around $1,100 total.  This likely isn't even the worst of it.  This is where the rubber meets the road and why I have resisted backing down too much on my monthly lot rents.  Fortunately it is not due until the 13th of June and I will be collecting alot of lot rent before then.  It's easily the biggest expense, even beyond taxes.  It may to up to at least $100 per lot.  Or more. I don't really know. It's been summer hot in the 80's and 90's, it probably will go up more, but maybe not enough to kill my chances of taking a decent paycheck next month.  It's why I need at least 1 more lot taken for long term.  People are coming and going all the time, I really need to get to the place where I can just take people leaving without getting all nervous about it.

I haven't arrived at that place, yet.  But, it's why I would definitely considering long term tent campers in the mid rear of the property.  They won't even use electricity, at least not on my dime. They want to run a generator and I have no problem with that in the location where it will be. Well away from the park, no one will hear it there and not far enough back to disrupt my enjoyment of my forest.  It's basically next to the big, giant tanks where the gas operation is, but in the thick of the woods.  The property goes back another 800 feet? from where they will be staying, if they do, indeed, show up.

I had the 8 year old show me where it's at. His first try, he got close.  Then I showed him. Then we left, he wanted to play hid and seek in the woods so I just said oh well, we can do that.  He's going through his own little dramatics with me leaving and asking me not to, lol.  We came back to it later.  Where is the tent site, can you find it now?  He points the right direction.  Yes, but take me there.  We did that two more times until I was confident he knows exactly where it's at.  It's something he wanted to do, not being forced.  James can take him with him if these people show up and he can direct them to where it's at.  I do hope they come, it's $320 per month of pretty much pure profit besides personal income taxes.  

Well, it's time to leave. I'm sure I will be updating this from an airport somewhere later on.

G'day

 So the day is basically done.  Breakfast at Waffle House with Taylor, property to mow a couple lawns, hook up the trailer, load the ATV, take it home, back to the property, drop the trailer, over to the school, watch a graduation, over to Lowe's, Chili's, property.  Property, put the cap on the hot water line for the sink, played some hide and go seek with the boy - he insisted on playing so we did 4 rounds of it.  

Home, clothes, pack, check my itinerary and on hold.  I hope I didn't ruin my trip. My first and middle name are listed as one name and the middle name doesn't have anything.  I'm on the phone with American, on hold and have been on hold for a long time.  Apparently a lot of people are calling them, I haven't gotten past the computer yet.  I will stay on hold until I find out if/how it can be changed, for it isn't allowing me to edit it online.  I don't know the rules about this, but I do believe they are pretty stringent about the name matching the name on the license.  I'm not going through all of that tomorrow, if they can't or won't change it, then I guess I'm screwed.   

OK, 20 minutes on hold but I looked all of this up on several forums.  Apparently it's normal for them to combine your first and middle name together.  I printed out the tickets and it's formatted to have last name first and first and second name combined.  Literally everyone on these forums said it's nothing to worry about.  I hope so.  I'm just going to show up with my CDL and hope for the best outcome.  

The older boy started crying. Why are you crying? I don't want you to leave!  Lol.  

Oh, btw, I apparently couldn't have picked a worse time to travel lmao.  There are a LOT of people flying this holiday weekend.  I mean, so far the flights are showing on-time but that could easily change. I really would have picked another time to travel if I would have known it was going to be Memorial Day weekend. I would rather be home, there are going to be some get togethers I am going to miss. OTOH, I haven't seen fam in what, 4 years now?  I was going to go late 2019 and then COVID hit and that was the end of that, I wasn't even going to get shots and no way I was wearing a damn mask on an airplane for hours on end.  I rarely wore a mask that entire time and the professionals at the time and definitely now, the ones telling the truth anyway, said and say that masks were and are worthless to stop the spread of Covid.  

Emergency powers with presidents, governors and mayors should be extremely limited, they went way overboard with government authority crap, as we all know.  Even now, some state's governor is declaring a state of emergency because the republican legislature in that state are going to pass bills that allow school choice. This governor says this is an emergency because they are "shutting down public schools". No, they are giving parents who are fed up with the public school system indoctrinating them with trans, communist, social justice and just about everything but what they should be learning. Normal parents are sick of woke garbage.  

Whatever.  I'm spending the last few hours with fam and then going to bed early.  Yes, I know I can sleep on the plane, but planes are so uncomfortable.  The first leg will be great. The 2cd and 3rd? I dunno.  DFW to LAX has over 20 seats empty and LAX to PHX has almost 30 empty.  Weird.  They said this was going to be the busiest flying weekend in a long, long time, why are there empty seats on these planes? Well, maybe because who really wants to go to LA right now, or anywhere in California? Glad I'm just passing through.  It's over 2 hour delay, I'm not leaving the airport, rest assured.  

My son turned 30 today.  Amazing.  He's almost as old as my friends I live with, lol.  We're going to spend some portion of Friday together.  I really want to catch up with him, there is plenty to talk about.  He is still living with his mother, but it's more to support her. It's not the other way around, he has a full time job that pays pretty well, he could live on his own if he wanted to.  I don't know what the appeal is living with her, but to each his own.  I don't hold it against him, she still has me blocked on Facebook lol.  

Ok. Several hours later, kids in bed and I'm fixing to turn in myself. I decided I will get up at 3:00 am to ensure ample time to take a shower, have some coffee and get out of here, get over there and be there an hour and a half early.  That should be plenty of time to get through that small airport's security.  They will only be screening the small jet's worth of people, I've been through there several times in the past.  I've got one piece of luggage and I already prepaid that thing. It was $30.  Not too bad, actually and the only thing I need carry on the plane is my laptop in it's carrying case.  I don't go on vacations without my laptop.  I may buy a new one while in Phoenix.  Some huge electronics stores there I will be going to to see what their prices and selection are.  

Well, I haven't been there in 4 or so years, but I doubt that much has changed.  

I dunno what else. I've been looking for trailers after this dude reneged on his deal, had an offer for a higher price and blew me off.  He said "first come, first served". I replied I was the first one that replied and we agreed that I'd come pay for it tomorrow as you had asked.  Screw him, frankly.  I wasn't going to play a bidding war with someone else and I was pissed that he had just blown off a deal that he gave his word on.  But, people's word nowadays doesn't mean what it used to.  

So then I started thinking about glamping again.  A 16X10 bell yurt tent around $700, made out of thick canvas.  I was looking at pics where they had just built a basic platform on the ground, not elevated and just big enough for the tent to sit on. That would certainly reduce the price.  If I put one of those things up near the amenities shed, then they have access to toilet and shower.  Stick a king sized bed in it, some super duper little furniture pieces in it, some far out pics (hotel style stuff, in other words), some carpet, a microwave, coffee pot, bottled water, mini fridge and AC/Heat. Lights and whatever else they put in those things. I only have to run electric to it and I already have the underground wiring to do so.  

$700 yurt, around $800 for the platform, I have no idea about a bed, $600 I'll call it,  another grand for interior decorating.  I've seen those mini splits going for $500.  I don't know how hard they are to install, but that would be the way to go for cooling and heating it.  The end? Round it up to 4 grand and call it done.  The problem? Who knows if it would actually get any business.  I would advertise the Hercules out of it both locally on all the venues and on Google and other free sites where I can advertise glamping.  Charge $50 per night and hope and pray it gets at least 10 nights worth of stays per month.  

Oh, well who knows. Just kicking things around in my mind. However, it's 9:00 pm and tho not my normal bedtime? Yup, I'm going to sleep. 

 The grumpy people asked very politely if I would cut their grass tomorrow . That's all I really need, is a little mutual respect.  So I will do that early.  I got the water hooked up for the sink - but not without a lot of hassle. 3 trips to Lowe's, in fact. The "master plumber" sent me home with the wrong parts the first time.  Bypassing a bunch of junk, the third time was the charm. The wrong parts were in the bins and tho I thought I had the right stuff, I didn't examine it closely enough.  Neither part was the right one and I had to return them.

I got my money back - excepting it said I had bought 2 of each.  No, I did not buy 2 of each.  I bought one of each. Well, when I got back to the store I started looking through the bins.  There were wrong parts in almost every one of them. Like, people taking something, not wanting it and just throwing it back in the wrong place.  But, the caveat: they don't ever get put back in the correct place by employees, either.  

I went to the "Pro" desk asking for the store's general manager.  The dude looked at me and said, well I'll look for him but I'm the "division" manager, whatever that means.  No, he wasn't above the store manager.  I said fine, I will be waiting for him on aisle 43.  10 minutes passes, a man looks at me and says you must not know what you need, either?  No, I know what I need and I found the parts, but I want to show a manager the absolute chaos these bins are in.  I pulled out a handful of stuff from one bin - NONE of it belonged IN that bin.  

Well, he started asking me questions as if I'm sort of knowledgeable person about Pex pipe and fittings.  I said no, I am new to Pex stuff as well. But, he was simply asking if pipe that had been stored outside but inside of a shed would be alright? Well, it's HDPE and it should be fine, but I'd just check to see if it's brittle.  That was my advice and having had worked around HDPE for a dozen years I'd say it's fairly solid.  This dude that was looking for the general manager finally comes wandering back, looking for me.  So, I said find. Grabbed a handful of parts out of a bin and showed them to him. None of these parts belong in this bin and not a single part IN that bin is the correct part. Would you like me to show you more?

I wasn't being rude, I was making a point.  This is ridiculous.  Other people were nodding their heads.  They're the only game in town, I don't want to get run off out of there but I do want to show them what's caused me and other people endless irritation.  The man said he is new to the store but has worked for Lowe's for 22 years and was brought specifically TO this store to clean it up.  He gave me my money back for the parts that the front desk wouldn't refund.  I had no proof, but after asking if they have cameras on the self-checkout and him saying yes, I said fine, you can check the camera. I only bought one of each.  He said no, I believe you.  

So, installed the pex pipe? It's much easier than CPVC, I can see the appeal of it.  You can buy the barbed fittings and put the clamps on it - with the special tool - or you can buy the expensive fittings where you just plug the pipe into the fitting. Literally, you just push it in there and that's it. It's leak free.  I was actually quite amazed at how easy it was.  I would have done the whole place in that stuff if I had known.  I mean, yes, I've spent hours figuring it out.  

I think, now that I know it's not that difficult, that I will run a line of that pipe under the shed from the water heater and install hot water on the sink as well.  That will not be happening tomorrow, I have far too much to do, but I will put it on the list for when I get back.  I also will have to install a much larger AC unit. And the grass, gag. It's gotten so hot it's all half dead now.  It's hard to believe I have to start all over with grass again.  

I dunno, but I'm going to put the park out of my mind on vacation excepting to check cameras and deal with anything that comes up.  Ive got the older couple working with me and James will back me up as well.  The new people came in today, their 5th wheel is amazing.  It's brand new, 44 feet long and it's a beauty.  I've never seen on that looks like that before, they must have spent some serious money on that thing.  It has solid glass doors, dark tinted, that's a first for me.  

I've got my eyes on a 5th wheel.  It's older, of course, but it has no roof leaks and the interior pics make it look like the only thing it really needs is some new flooring. $1,200.  More expensive than that other one I was contemplating but no huge amount of work needing to be done to it - excepting - the slide out won't move back in.  So I'm going tomorrow after the 8 year old's graduation at 10 am.  I posted a question to experienced RV'ers in a  huge rv group to ask if they think you can pull a trailer for 30 miles without damaging it?  It won't need to go anywhere after that.

I also have a married couple wanting to move in to my tent camping spot.  Like, for a long time.  The end of summer, they said anyways.  I hadn't contemplated that but I don't see any reason why not, especially when they offered me $320 per month.  No one uses that site.  I have it listed in several directories but I only get people asking about it, only 2 people have ever camped there.  So why not?  I don't know the con's to having people living in tents, I will be looking that up.  

Uhh, there's more but I need to get some laundry going.  I want laundry done tonight and not have to deal with that tomorrow. 

 2 day count down. I went to Walmart yesterday and they had nothing in my correct size, so I bought a few pairs of jeans that are an inch longer. In other words, 35-34's instead of 35-33's.  But supposedly Burke's has nicer versions of clothing at discount prices, I dunno, but I'll find out later on today.  

Tomorrow will be busy getting ready to go and going to a "graduation".  Nowadays, kids graduate from every grade level.  Instead of it being a senior graduating from high school, you have kindergarteners graduating from kindergarten, 5th graders graduating from 5th grade - you get the picture.  It's kind of strange to me, almost like a participation trophy in a youth sporting league. You get a trophy just because you showed up.  In the old days, as all old people know anyway, that wasn't even on the horizon.  Your team got a trophy because you won the championship and were the league winners.  Parents - lefties - became offended at that because their little Johnny tried just as hard as anyone else and they somehow deserve something that they didn't earn. 

And that basically sums up politics and mindsets today.  People want stuff for free from the government that they didn't earn and have no intention of earning.  Wait til' AI starts taking some of their jobs.  One commentator mused that the people whose jobs are going to disappear aren't going to be the blue collar version, at least not initially, they're going to take away the white collar jobs.  And then what are these people going to do? Become mechanics?  Drive trucks? AC repairmen?  Laughable. 

I also find quite humorous one of these politicians whose name I cannot remember saying it's time for a revolt. About snorted my coffee out of my nose when I read that.  Democrats leading a revolt? With what, exactly? Sticks? Stones?  This is the anti-police, anti-2A crowd talking about a revolt! LMAO McCarthy has their number, he uses their talking points about this "default" fiasco before they do. He piles it right back on them with their language and it's infuriating the left.  I don't hate lefties, btw.  Lefties definitely hate the right, I see it everyday online and the verbiage senators and representatives use, it's beyond disagreement of how the nation should be run. Civility went far away with them when they perched themselves on moral high grounds establishing the "fact" that since they are right, they can use whatever methods they please - including highly immoral and unethical methods - to achieve their desired goal of getting rid of those evil Republicans.

If they could flip an off switch and make Republicans disappear like magic into the thin air, we would all be gone right now. 

The thing I would love to see. Just take Republicans out of the picture. See what happens to this nation when they all quit working and just sit back and do the same thing as the lefties/progs (communists) do.  

Well enough of that - I am following this debt ceiling "crisis" pretty closely and was amazed reading the WSJ of all outlets lambasting President Biden about using default as some sort of weapon. They surmised that there is enough money coming in to the treasury that the treasury could easily take care of the debt/interest payments. Other payments might have to be put off, but the country doesn't have to go into default AND Biden and his cohort would be guilty of violating the 14th amendment. It was a piece from the editorial board about what the 14th amendment actually intended. I'm just amazed because WSJ is definitely not  a righty type of outlet.  It's a very strange world we're living in right now, at least if you compare it to the 60's or 70's.  

Today?  Well hopefully no one is doing laundry so I can shut the water off and get the water line run to the sink.  That would be nice. It would also have been nice if I had remembered to buy shut off valves.  Gag.  Oh well. The shed has it's own shut off valve for the water right beside it in a trench I have yet to cover up.  Small trench, but a trench never-the-less. Now that I have extra sewer pipe, I can cut a piece to size and stick it over where the valve is so  a person can just reach down the pipe to turn the valve off or on instead of having to dig it up.  I'll get to that - soon, lol. 

I've received 3 new reservations since yesterday afternoon, which is a gold mine for me, lol.  It's all for the next coming week-  week and a half.  I don't know if that's happening because I fixed the software or if it's just because it's almost summer and people are traveling - here - for some reason.  Most of this is not overnight stays, it's people staying 5, 6 plus days.  ?? I know lots of lawyers come here because it's the county seat and there is a federal courthouse that has a nationwide reputation of passing trademark applications.  I know, that's a weird thing to be known by. But it's also a college town and the dude at Chili's informed me classes are letting out of ETBU, Wiley and the Texas institution of learning - meaning people are going home.  

So why are they coming here? I have no clue, except some tell me they have family living here. The biggest repeat customer, I found out through a google search, has a position in his company to motivate employees to do -whatever.  You know, tho, the family that just moved in until they get utilities on their land? They aren't from around here. They bought land here, but didn't grow up here.  I get it tho, it's a nice area if you like country living and the great outdoors, tall pine trees, thick woods.  At the same time, our town has 25% poverty rate.  It's amazing the disparity of the poor mingled in with much better off citizens.  The other people moving in today? They are building a house and needed someplace close by. They intoned my park was the closest place, but I doubted that. That little town - even smaller than ours, is about 20 minute drive away. There are no RV parks there? 

Likely they just want to be close to town and the offerings our town has.  For a small town, we have a lot of different type of business going on here.  If you like chicken, donuts, liquor or car washes, you'll love it here! Lmao

On tap for today is to hopefully finish the hookup to the sink and cut back branches that are partially obscuring the speed limit sign on the main driveway.  It's 15mph, it was a tradeoff with the gas company workers that have to drive clear to the back to inspect the gas equipment. They go back there on a daily basis.  It's a quarter mile back there.  Now? I have ordered a 10mph sign for the RV park driveway itself.  People are speeding through and instead of addressing several people, Ill just put a sing right at the entrance to where the RV's pull in.  If they still speed, then I will contact that person individually and ask them why they think it's okay to go roaring through the park?

I just am trying to take more diplomatic ways of getting through to people before having to confront them.  

I still haven't decided whether to try and mostly stay on my diet while vacationing or throw caution to the wind.  I know I said I was going to just eat whatever, but I really hate to come back and gain `10 pounds or whatever and spend months getting it back off.  I've been eating a lot salads in the last few months.  People say this diet is bad for your heart - but I think that's only for people that have turned into carnivores and are trying to treat the Keto diet as a protein/meat diet.  I don't have that view, I eat lots of veggies and I try to eat more chicken/turkey than beef/pork. I guess I'll decide when I'm sitting in Dallas wondering what I'm going to eat for breakfast....or wait until I get to Las Angeles and eat there.  

On the hoping side, I'm hoping the travelers find my site, call me or just reserve a space that's available.  I have 3 of them listed open right now, the people moving in today? I never unblocked the dates on it since I already had 3 lots going.

Time to get out of here.

G'day

 With everything I bought to install the drain,  I am short 1 screw collar for the final connection : ( 

I was just at Lowe's a few hours ago! I'm also wondering how they expect yo to screw on a fitting onto the water connection to the faucet in such a tight space? This is worse than auto mechanics!

On a better note, an older couple are moving into one of the pull through lots for a month or two while they have a house built on some land they bought nearby.  I'll take a month or 2 stay over nothing.  He showed up, we talked, he left saying he would discuss it with his wife and then 5 minutes later he came back: we'll take lot 3, thank you.  So I ecppect (hopefully) them to show up tomorrow.  I need one more long term to shore up my finances for this month.  

I just can't believe I have to go to Lowe's one more time just to finish this junk up.  It's a bit aggravating, I thought there would be enough collars in all the kits I bought to cover all of it.  One a nicer not, that isthe last fitting on the drain and it should be good to go. 

I am not hooking up the water supply until that drain is completely finished. I can just see someone coming in, using the sink and having water going all over the place.  

So what am I doing now? Waiting for solvent to dry on a couple of fittings to make sure I have a good connection that is nicely sealed.  Turns out the glue I have for my insulation? Will work find on the counter top to secure it to the cabinet.  I also put up a curtain over the window and then realized it does not block the view.  I'm going to cut the curtain in half, it's much longer than I need it to be and then double it.  Can't have peeping Toms having access to looking through a bathroom window to see people doing whatever they are doing in there.  

Not that there are any peeping Toms around here. I currently have a piece of insulation in it to block the view.  

The AC is barely keeping up with the heat. It's too small and I will have no choice but to replace it with a much bigger unit with twice the output.  I don't want the compressor running literally all day long for it to try and keep it cool in here.  Yes, I am at the shed, taking a break since I have to leave and go get that part.  If I can figure out how to use the pex clamper, it shouldn't take more than half an hour to install the water pipe.

I say should.  Who knows how long it will actually take..

I suppose while I"m at Lowe's I might as well mosey on over to Walmart and do the dreaded jeans shopping.  Oh. I have a 9 foot tall piece of pipe to install outside for the drain but I'm not putting that in until I have the drain and the water running.  I want to be sure it's leak free.  Then I can pile dirt under that pipe and where the T is where the pipe will go. It's a pretty good piece of pipe. Just don't want that putting that much weight on a line that has no support underneath it. I suspect a couple more hours after I get the part and I hopefully will have the vanity completed. 

What's next after that? Well I need the grass. It's all dying now that the heat came back. But there is no way I'm ordering that much grass to be delivered with only 2 days before I'm leaving for AZ. It will have to wait until I return.  I want as much time as I need to install it. If it sits on pallets for over a week, I suspect it will all just die and I will have wasted a lot of money.  I am also going to at least try to get someone out here to help me install it.  It's probably a futile waste of time - people mostly don't like to work-

+++++++++++++++++++

I watch the travel trailers for sale on Marketplace frequently. When I saw one for sale at $500 and the exterior in excellent condition, even tho it says it has water damage - I immediately replied that I'll take it today, I have cash.  She didn't respond tho she saw my message, so I guess I lost that one.  There is another one that is decent but much more money of course.  The lady with the $500 one said her father had passed and she's just trying to get rid of it.  

Hours later. I actually was the first reply to the ad.  The roof has a leak, I suspected the interior would need work, but the exterior is in excellent condition.  In fact, there is cabinet work that will have to be done and I am hoping this carpenter in the park will do some side work for me. He did offer.  He does great work as well.  I take it back on the exterior. The pics that are shown show it in excellent condition, there is an entire side that isn't in the pics.

However, she took a video of the inside and it doesn't appear that the inside of the side not showing in the pics is damaged.  It's the thing about RV's. Any RV. You have to maintain them, especially the roof.  If you don't fix leaks right away, it can cause a lot of damage.  The video shows a lot of stuff laying around, a portion of the floor that will need replaced and roof work over one area.  Now, if I go over there and it's totally trashed, more than what meets the eye on the video, I will just leave without it.  But if it can be fixed even if spending a few thousand dollars. that thing will be worth much more than I paid for it and I can test drive this theory of selling an RV with a down payment and making monthly payments on it. \

I don't know, but every trailer I've looked at excepting the more expensive ones need some kind of work done on it. I know I said I don't need another project, but at this price and if it's in good enough condition, that's hard to pass up. And if this guy was serious about side work, I can have a person with the gift of woodworking do the job for me.

Well enough.  The grumpy people are complaining that the newcomers next to them are speeding through the park. Well, if that's true, I will take the grumpy people's side on that one.  People don't need to be flying in and out of the park.

I will also have to bite the bullet and get a much larger ac unit for the shed. And when I come back, I'll have to get that sod.  This stuff isn't free, folks, it's really eating me up in expenses.  Grass sod is a one time deal. It thrives in the summer, dies in the winter, but comes back in the spring.  Winter grass does no such thing, but I only put that down to get some greenery going.  The shed AC would also be a one time thing and at least, the ac I put in there was free.  It was worth a try.  A bigger unit will keep it cool in there and it won't have to have the compressor on constantly trying to keep it cool. Plus, I can have remote access to it via wifi, which is important now that I see people fooling with the controls.  They turn it to a cooler setting? I'll wait til they leave and put it back to whatever, probably around 75 degrees.  

I dunno.  I just keep hoping the start-up expenses would go away.  That's not quite what's been happening....

 Monday - morning. Off and on sleep.  Trying to wake up so I can get over there and try to finish this vanity situation, or at least get it working.  If I want to put a mirror up, I will have to install the drywall there above the vanity so I can glue one to it.  I haven't decided that yet, not a huge priority.  I did discuss with a new arrival about doing the drywall - he's a carpenter that says he has done it in the past - but he isn't any better at it than me, or so he says.  Whatever, I'm not going to pay thousands of dollars to have drywall installed.  If I can find a handyman to do it for a fair price, I will go that route.  

Basically, I need to get that vanity done so I can get my stuff out of there and at least have the bathroom emptied of my tools. They are not in the way of anything but it's not a good look.  The other thing I want to install in there that I forgot about is a small sitting bench for people to be able to remove and put back on their clothing if they take a shower.  

Whatever the case, someone is doing laundry over there right now, I can finish the drain installation pretty quick, the water will have to wait until I can shut it off to the shed.  I don't know how much laundry they need to do and I am not going to interfere with it.  It's the older couple and we have expressed our mutual feelings for each other recently in text messaging.  They are really nice people.  They are getting a really good rate and they have one of the nicest spots in the park.  As long as they are there, I won't be changing that, they have their own yard. They have wind chimes out there, bird feeders, all the stuff you would do to make it your own space.  It looks nice. 

Anyway, I decided a couple new pair of jeans for the trip- they're going to have to be 35's for now.  I have a couple pair of 34's that fit okay, the rest don't fit at all.  But, I am likely going to be cheating on the diet the entire time I'm there.  I'll have to "pay" for that when I get back, I'm prepared to do some fasting and just cut calories to the extreme when I return. 

I still do not "feel" like traveling. I like home, I like being home.  I've done enough traveling in my lifetime for 100 people if putting it into the context of trucking. I've seen all of America besides Hawaii and Alaska. All of it.  From Washington (state) to Miami, to Maine to - everywhere.  We also did a lot of traveling when I was a child going to national state parks and tent camping all over the place.  I've probably been through every mountain range, all of the plains, etc etc etc.  I just don't have the traveling bug in me anymore and I don't know if it will ever return.

However. The state of Texas sent me a notice that my medical card needs renewed by the middle of July. I will be renewing it.  If you don't, they cancel your CDL and you have to take the tests all over again to get it back.  So, a $100 medical exam or a real PITA trying to get a CDL back - that seems to be a no brainer. I have far from written off trucking altogether, only out of the thought of potential necessity, not out of any feeling of desire to go back.  My hazmat endorsed license is good until my birthday in 2026.  I have the feeling I will be forced back into trucking.  

 I owe $689.86 on the SUV and it's done. I'm thinking to pay it off and get it over with.  Removes $350 per month payment which will be quite helpful right about now.  I am keeping close track of expenses at the moment.  The grass situation is really annoying me, actually, just because it's such a huge expense that I will either have to make - or not and have dirt lots.  Anyway, if I get the last payment taken out - which is soon, then I will owe the final payment and I won't want to wait anyway. 

Well let's see.  3 more days before I leave. Up at 3:30 am to be over to the GGG airport which is something like 40 miles away.  Just a few things needed to purchase for clothing and I'm good to go. My new piece of luggage showed up a few weeks ago, it looks pretty nice. I could have gotten away with a carry on  now looking at it, but I won't have to fool with getting stuff out of the overhead storage on the airplane.  If I"m there by 4:30 am, that is 1 and a half hours to get through security so it should be enough. It's a very small airport and we are talking a small Embraer jet - well small by commercial standards anyway - not that many people can fit onto the thing and  every time I've gone through there in the past the check in was easy.

It's big airports where I've had trouble. For some reason, they want to search me every single time,, even after going through their scanning machine. They want to feel your crotch and butt, which annoys me because they really feel you there. Like going over it several times?!!  What, did you think I was going to grow a pistol in between gropes?  I've made my distaste to them known on a few occasions, which is where they try to exert their pathetic authority - which is where I let them know in no uncertain terms the uselessness of their operation and how many times the government has done tests to see if weapons can get through the screening - which they do. 

I don't know how those people can do those jobs feeling people like that all day long.  But then again, I don't know how surgeons can stand to take a scalpel and start cutting into human flesh without it making them feel very uneasy.  Or several other jobs/vocations I can think of where I would be repulsed, disgusted or otherwise made to feel very uncomfortable in performing the required tasks.  

My ads are running, if anyone needs a long term spot, it's showing on Google and Facebook.  I can only hope/pray that some new people will need a space to stay for an extended period.  Or, short terms keep coming in. The repeat customer that was here for 4 days?  Just did 2 more reservations for the next 7 days.  It helps. It isn't enough, but it helps.  My current long term rate is $450 and I don't know that I want to lower it any. What I need to do is go through all the surrounding park's sites again, those that have online access anyway, and see what they are currently charging.  It's pretty competitive around here, I need to keep apprised of others' rates and I haven't done that in a while. 

Well, time to get out of here. I have to go to lowe's to get whatever it is you use to hold a counter top in place and go to the property and get all of that done.

G'day. 

 The only thing I know - or hope anyway - is that I'm going to church today. Whether these kids go or not is entirely up to them. I'm not going to sweat it either way.  I know you can't force God down people's throats with any kind of great results beyond negativity, resentment and loathing.  I was single digit age and was carried out to the car several times because I didn't want to go to church. I hated it.  I thought Jesus was a cartoon character that kids used crayons to color on paper - I really didn't know He was a real Person.  

I knew there was a God and I was terrified of Him, but I had no concept of the connection between God the Father and God the Son.  This is why I'm not even pushing this on these kids at all. It's entirely up to them - well their parents have to ok it of course but that hasn't been an issue - whether they go or not.  

As for me, I am now in the habit of going to church and I mostly like it tho I don't agree with some of the preaching, well, some of the omission of the preaching that goes on that doesn't include any reference to repentance when coming to the Lord Jesus Christ.  There are many references to repentance throughout the Bible, it's not a made up conception.  

++++++++++

Well that changed. We went to church, the boys loved it, we got out, no fussing, found out Taylor wasn't having the 8 year old go along with her today anyway. Applebee's, home, relax.  

And looking at trailers.  One of them is a beast.  It's huge and has 3 axles on it. It's 2001 model, it appears from pics it's been parked under a canopy and one of the slideouts had everything torn out of it. All of that would have to be replaced.  Carpet and a couch.  Or a table, or whatever was in there.  But it's 3 grand and tho it looks great except a few things, I don't think I can afford to dole out 3 grand right now plus replacing carpeting and furniture.  Well, take that back, I could, but it would take all that was given to me to do it.  

And then, tho I've had numerous calls and I know there's a shortage of housing, will someone rent it?  Well, buy it, really, with the method I was looking at online.  Good down payment and get another 8 out of it plus lot rent.  

My overnighters left and I'm back to 4 open lots.  2 of them need filled pretty filled, soon. I have one person very interested, that's it. There was a person driving a late model Corvette through the park a few days ago, dunno about them. Maybe another person wanting to buy RV parks.  If you can afford a car like that, I don't know why you'd want to be living in an RV.  I need some people by the end of the month, that's all I know.  

 Someone has an interesting idea, I only found it because I have been looking for RV's.  This park has several RV's - for sale.  So, they make you put X amount of money down, looks like 2 grand is their standard and then they charge you varying rates per month apparently according to the overall price of the unit. The last one I looked at was $475 per month for payment on the unit plus $375 per month lot rent.  That's pretty pricey for overall monthly payments. And they have a stipulation that they cannot leave the park with the unit until the entire thing is paid off.  

__________

Delicious food and good company at the graduation party.  Went to the Park afterwards to collect money. The man was as delighted as many before him with the peace and quiet my park offers away from Interstate noise.  That over with, people are showing up for a card night.  I actually think it's going to be a pool night since we got the pool going and it's very clean and nice looking. No one has been in it yet since we got it going, but this is the first weekend since we cleaned it out and dumped chemicals into it.  

________

Ok, lol. Pool and card night over.  Pool water is freezing cold, I didn't even think about getting in, it was very cool out tonight and very nice.  I only get into water like that when it's warm or hot.  The kids were freezing, the adults that got in were freezing, I was fine sitting in a comfy, rocking patio chair. Done with that, inside to play cards. Hilarious, even if half the people were worn out from the graduation stuff all day long.  

The grumpy dude.   He's in the shed doing laundry and says something I couldn't understand. Listened to it 5 times and then played it for everyone. He's going OW! OW! every time he leans down to grab the clothes out of the dryer.  No idea, I assume he must have back problems. But that wasn't the thing: as he's walking out the door, he says something like: Makes you want to take a soaper scrubber and throw it over the fence, bye!

Bad knees on her, bad back on him and bad marriage? Maybe I'm misinterpreting this situation.  Well, no, not really. It became obvious they had a bad marriage early on. Or if they think it's good, more power to them but that kind of heated yelling and arguing at each other?  Just the idea that they are taking it out on everyone else. They are, actually, to some extent.  Maybe they need to get out of the RV life, get a house and do something different. 

On another note, the State of Texas DOT sent me a notification: Your medical card is going to expire July 12. It's nice they send a notice, you know what you need to do and ample time to get it done.  Yes, I am definitely renewing it. Not renewing? Your CDL is revoked and you are put back to a regular driver license.  And from what I've heard, to get your CDL back, you are mandated to go through training again.

I intend on keeping my CDL whether I am using it or not as long as my health will pass the tests to get the medical card.  It's every 2 years.  My CDL doesn't need renewed until I'm 62 years old.  The only hard part about renewing my CDL is the hazmat test. There is no other test to take. They just renew it otherwise.  

I'm tired of the whining. I laid it down on the line again today to the 8 year old: make up your mind. Go to church or go play D&D.  You can't have both.  He wants both. The timeline doesn't necessarily accommodate for it. They come with me to church.  I go, we leave, I go the property. It's a mile and a half away from the church.  I then go out to eat -not always but sometimes. And on some Sundays, there are other things that keep me out until late afternoon. I don't go home, I go do the things I need/want to do. Need to do first.  

I don't feel the need to listen to an 8 year old pouting and whining and complaining. D&D came after we started going to church. In fact, he just started going last Sunday. We've been going to church for quite a while now.  In my view, it's God or some demonic game that isn't anything in the Christian realm. I don't put it to him like that exactly, tho I did say you can choose between God or a game.  It's truly his choice, but the pouting!  But I still want to go to church! Yes, church comes second.  You can go with mom to D&D tomorrow, I'm fine with that.

You can't force people to God, learned that long ago. Doesn't matter what age. They will accept or reject and there's nothing you can do about that.  His next demand? Let's go to church at the 9:30 service. No.  I go to the late service for a reason.  I want him to have to make a choice between the 2 and whatever his decision is, I won't deride him for it, that's between him and God.  I just want him to make his own decision. But I truly do not want to go to church at 9:30 am.  I spend Sunday mornings perusing and thinking about things and taking my time to get up, get awake and get real for church.  

He never had a problem with it - until D&D.  Games always come first.  Whatever.  Shrugs shoulders, moves on. If he does go to D&D tomorrow, I'll take the younger one to the movie theater after church tomorrow. Seems only fitting, right? 

It's late. Time to go to bed. 

 Quite the day and only 1:00 pm.  Started with the idea that the house - both inside and out - are being cleaned.  Well cleaned.  I did all the dishes and scrubbed down the counters, took out the trash, cleaned out the trash can and then started on the fish tank. It's in the kitchen area being the dining room and the kitchen on a bar type counter.  I took half the water out, caught the two now-large Koi and relocated them to the 300 gallon pond outside.  I have no idea of their status, for I needed to go back inside and get the tank finished.

Cleaning out the tank and refilling it with water and putting in some medicine that helps take out chlorine and make tap water safe, I then scrubbed the filter.  New filter media and that is done.  Over to the fridge, cleaned out food that we aren't going to eat. I tend to keep leftovers for quite a while, but over a week, that's long enough.  I got many meals out of the ensuing leftovers from dinner meals.  I like to get my money's worth out  of it, especially meat dishes, it's not like meat is cheap right now. 

Into my room, cleaning up and doing laundry and then - finally making some lunch and sitting down to relax for a while. We have a graduation party at a church to go to this evening and then a card game at the house.  

I don't necessarily need to go over to the park today. The 4 day stay came in yesterday and I charged them the amount they still owed and sent them a detailed email that is automatically generated if I choose to send them one. Which I always do, whether anyone asks for it or not.  There is another overnight coming in today, they originally had reserved 8 days but called and cut it back to just one night.  Their plans had changed, quite unfortunately, that would have been a decent chunk of money.  

In other words, there is too much to do today and unless someone needs something over there, the park is functioning quite nicely even if I currently have 3 spots empty.  Tonight it will be down to 2, but these are just temporaries. Beyond lowering my monthly rates to the "introductory rate" again, I really don't know what else I can do to get people in there besides getting an RV or cabin or tiny house to accommodate them.  I am fairly certain I could rent one out quickly.  There is a huge lack of housing in my area.

I'm still seriously considering a motor coach that is selling for 2 grand. It's been on the market for a while. It needs a serious cleaning but unless the ample amount of pictures aren't showing something I need to see, it's very doable. And probably could get the price lowered, Idon't think it actually runs, but I don't need it to.  Have it towed to a spot behind the shed, get it hooked up, hire someone to deep clean it and rent it out.  I have someone in mind that I could have to come over and clean it and she would do an excellent job.  Give her the cleaners and materials necessary and give her a couple hundred bucks to get it done.  

Anyway, if I could get the thing, get it over there and get it done for $2,500 or less, I would be happy.  It's just filthy. Dirt can be cleaned. It's water damage coming through the roof or a non-functioning roof ac that would concern me.  Of course, if it did have those problems and they came down enough on the price, I would do it.  As long as it isn't a huge project - I have had enough of projects and I still have more to go in the shed.  I expect Monday to finish hooking up both the drain and the cold water supply.  That will get that going.  I think I will run a line to the vanity so I can install a light right there. It will just be a setup where when I turn on the main bathroom light switch, both lights will go on.  

Oh, and I think I could get around $650 per month for renting out a trailer or coach or whatever.  An actual cabin or such would go for much more.  More like $850 or even higher.  I can't get a cabin atm, even the shells are very expensive and I don't need a project shell, I need something completed and ready to go, turn key so to speak. 

I'm going to wait until I get the next power bill to determine if I can lower the lot rent to opening day specials. I am thinking not possible, but we'll see. It's been very warm and even hot, AC's are running constantly, it will give me a good idea of how much I can lower the rent, if any, to get more people in.  The lower rent is what got a lot of the people in there in the first place. I may have no choice but to lower rates and get whatever I can in there.  Lower rates, lower profits but still, there will be profit to be had.  Next power bill should be available after the 23rd. 

_______________

A call in plus another registered arrival today plus the people that came in for 4 days 2 days ago, means I have 13 out of 14 spaces rented at least for tonight.  Yup, I'd take that other space rented and after that? I'd offer up the grassy area rental.  The registered arrival? I got a notification and saw they are in a motor coach pulling a car.  They registered for lot 12, a back in site.  You really can't back in a car on the rear of a coach like that. They were lucky that I had lot 3 available after that long term took off the other day.  

"Oh, we didn't know it was assigned a space".  Uhh, if you had read the software you were using to reserve a spot, you would have seen it says specifically lot 12 and more specifically that it is a back in lot.  But whatever, I don't get on people's case like that, I just wonder why they don't read what they are paying for. Not to mention the confirmation email I send them automatically fills in information saying the date, how much they paid, the lot they are going to be in and the designation of that lot - back in in this case.  

This isn't rocket science and I have gone through the registration a few times. "Designated Access" BI - and a legend that says BI stands for back in. I'm going to have to change the standard site to back in site so that that is what they see right off the bat.  

Anyway, we are headed to a church for a graduation party and then back home for a game of cards. I will have to run over there when lot 4 arrives. They didn't register online - there are people out there that just don't seem to be able to do it regardless of how easy it is.  I tolerate them to get the money.  A run over there isn't that far or take more than maybe 25 minutes total, round trip, if that. I can make it shorter - if people don't come looking for me wanting to chat about whatever.

Enough, time to get ready to go.  

 So do I put up with the aggravation of aholes or do I just address them directly? If I address them, it's likely they will leave after next month's rent is due.  But should money be the final, determining factor in whether I address foul behavior or not? I think not.

The dude throws his cigarette butts on the ground all the time by the shed.  He parks his truck over there.  They let one of their dogs out to run the park freely and s*** everywhere.  Last night, he went into the shed for 2 minutes to use the bathroom and turned the ac all the way up to maximum setting.  They demand I mow their lawn every 4 to 5 days.  I'm thinking time to address them. If they leave, they leave.  I can't just tolerate this anymore.  It's too aggravating and they are blatantly defying the park rules.  

I'll let myself cool down a bit before I decide what to do or what words to speak.  

Anyway, it's a very hot day today, but I got that in-the-dirt drainage stuff completed.  I realized that I don't have a fitting to hook up to the faucet.  I figured the fittings would come with the box, I figured wrong.  So now, yet another trip to Lowe's. There is a plumber that works there, I will ask him what fitting/s I need to go from that brass, threaded rod coming out from below the faucet to transition to this shark bite junk.  

That shark bit clamper? The cheapest thing they had was $66.  Harbor Freight didn't even carry one.  A worker there was asking me what I was looking for, the only one they had on the shelf was $109.  He looked it up, it says there are 3 here. So, he started looking at the stock boxes on the upper shelves and sure enough, there was one up there.

He then suggested I just use the thing and return it.  Huh?  He went on to talk about how people just walk out with stuff and they aren't even allowed to say anything about it.  Like, petty theft - well shoplifting, whatever you want to call it, pretty brazen to just take stuff and walk out the store with it.  He then said a lot of stuff that is returned, even tho in good condition, they are required to just throw in the trash can. 

What?  Insanity. But, in my mind, he was attempting to instruct me to do something that is unethical and borderline immoral.  Take something, use it and then return it as if it were defective or something. "People do it all the time".  

Well I don't.  This is what drove Montgomery Wards out of business.  They would allow returns no matter how long a person would have something. Snowbirds would come to town, outfit their trailers with all kinds of merchandise for the winter, when winter was over and they were going home?  Return all the merchandise. A road map to bankruptcy, I don't know how Lowe's can do that and stay in business. 

I do get employees not being allowed to stop the thieves. Lots of companies instruct their employees to stay out of their way to also stay out of harm's way.  You've seen the videos of them walking calmly, not even running, out of a Macy's or similar store with shopping carts full of merchandise they didn't pay for.  Thank the defund the police movement for that and a general attitude of not prosecuting these people even if they catch them.

And to think Democrats are now saying that Republicans are the anti-police party.  I was about floored when I first started hearing that. The cities that vote to defund the police? They are not republican run cities.  They gaslight and engage in revisionist history, they apparently think we are all stupid and don't have memories.  

This mostly all started with the George Floyd event and escalated from there.  Taking over entire portions of cities as "autonomous zones" and defying police officers, destroying entire buildings and even burning them down, engaging in civil disobedience to the point of violence, yet these people have the gall to accuse Republicans of wanting to defund the police because we have seen the Durham report and it totally justifies Trump's stance that it was a witch hunt and that there was no russian collusion and that Wray and the FBI were engaging in a political ruse to attempt to help Trump be defeated?  

I have no idea where this all ends.  Because we have more new movements that come out after another one is implemented, such as the trans movement.  I wonder if these people would feel the same if their daughter was accosted by some trans "person" coming into the little girl's room, such as has occurred on numerous occasions as reported in the news?  What's next?  Well I'll tell you what I believe will happen, whether the next one or not: they are going to attempt to stack the court.  They want to expand the Supreme Court to 13 or more justices to be able to have them legislate from the bench.  They talk about impeaching Clarence Thomas and even Amy Barrett.  They are now calling the Supreme Court illegitimate.  They can't stand to lose and they attempt to justify their behavior from a moral standing saying that since they are right and everything that is being done is wrong, they can do whatever they please to "fix it".  

I would have never guessed 5 years ago that the country would take this radical of a turn and a switch to worldly, evil and immoral movements that defy reason and sanity.  Or that they are now openly wanting Communism/ Socialism.  That used to be taboo, now it's one of their main talking points and they tell us that Republicans don't care about people because we won't vote for more social justice crap that lines one person with money and takes it out of another person's pocket involuntarily.  

Well, that rant started with what this person was telling me at Lowe's. I'm not going to return it simply because they won't say anything. I would have liked to have rented the tool but they don't have it for rent.  

I was at a stopping point since I don't have the parts to transition from the faucet and came home.  My jeans were filthy from crawling in the mud and I just wanted to take them off and get into clean clothes again. I won't need to crawl around in the dirt again today or hopefully, anytime soon.  

So, I'm also not going to make excuses not to keep on working, I'm headed to Lowe's to get the parts and then back to the property.  

 Sitting here wondering how many potential reservations I have missed because of the glitch with the software.  Also wondering why I didn't catch this earlier. I'll be testing the reservation site at least weekly from now on. It's just that people looking for a spot, especially if they're already traveling, won't waste time on any given park's website. If it says no sites available, they just move on to the next park they find online.  This is my website, not the others I have had problems with which I believe the problems are resolved.  

Today - Friday - going back to Lowe's, yet again, to get the right sized reducer, get over there, get the dirt portion of this project completed and be done with it.  Install the vanity - which will mean cutting yet another hole. I had to come up through the floor.  It doesn't really matter how I get the drain pipe up in there, it just needs to get there. To that end I have enough fitting for that under sink pipe - whatever it's called - to run it to the drain.  

That is the hardest part - I think. I've never dealt with shark bite fittings so that may turn out to be a pain as well, who knows.  I just remembered I don't have the tool to clamp those fittings together.  Lol. So, while I"m at Lowe's, spend $35 on a tool that I will only use once?  I don't have any choices beyond running the CPVC I have in the wall over there.  That would be extremely difficult, to put it mildly.  Won't even go into the details, excepting to say I would have to figure out how to get it to get behind the shower stall - meaning going around a corner I have no access to. 

I suppose I could run a hot water line under the shed and up through the same hole the drain pipe is going through.  But it's just for people to wash their hands and perhaps shave, brush teeth, etc. Cold water will work for now. Just not going to that trouble and expense atm to install hot water line.  I can imagine the grumpy dude going in there to take care of more than just toilet functions.  He was in the shed last night - I got a notification I looked - it was him, glaring at the camera again and staring at the setting on the AC unit.  He reached over to it so I assume he turned it to a colder setting. I will turn it to a warmer setting when I get over there this morning. 

I see no particularly good reason to keep it cold in there during the day with little or no use.  It's mostly evening and night time when people are using it, save Sundays when people do laundry pretty much all day long.  He was also inspecting my work again.  When the dude has the balls to say something to my face, then I'll address it appropriately.  For now? He can live in his own, grumpy misery. I assume it's a bad marriage that's causing his unhappiness, judging from the frequent arguments, calling each other vile and lewd names and basically treating each other like shit.  That is their business, tho they sometimes make it everyone's considering the volume level.  Taking it out on other people, however, is taking it too far.  

Well enough. It's still early, I want to get over to Lowe's, get the part and the tool and get this stuff over with.

G'day