So, I'm driving home from up North. I see off in the distance a pickup truck with a trailer on it. It has this giant - machine - you could call it a dune buggy Frankenstein style, the thing is huge. I pass the vehicle by while in Payson, but I pull into a fuel stop to get a cup of coffee for the trip back.
I get out of there, get the dogs positioned - if I don't do that, Duke will take up the entire rear bench and force Prince to have to sit at a very uncomfortable position the entire way back (Sophie takes the passenger front seat and stands up the ENTIRE trip back, panting and looking at me funny) - and off we go. I don't much care for driving anymore, so I tend to try to get trips done - quickly. That pretty much means I am passing everything and not getting passed by anyone. Or, if someone does happen to pass me, I let them get ahead about an 1/8th mile and then speed up to match their speed. The reason for doing that should be obvious.
Well, no-one caught up to me today - I would rather follow someone else to be honest but I am not going to take my sweet old time getting home regardless. So, a bit later, here's that pickup and that trailer with that thing on it. I'm saying to myself, that looks like the thing my brother has when he goes off-road doing not just 4-wheeling, but rock-climbing with it. And when I say rocks, I don't mean little things, I mean giant boulders that people have these machines they build that can crawl over them. Well, we're going up a 7% grade and I am going WAY faster than that truck. About the time I am maybe 100 feet behind it, I see a hand stick out the windows and fingers moving like they are walking. I gave it no thought at first. But it continued with a waving motion thrown in. It suddenly dawned on me that that IS my brother's machine and it IS my brother.
I look up just in time to see him sticking his head out the window with a HUGE smile on his face as I go blasting by him, I waved heartily and that was that. I hardly EVER see him on a planned visit, what happenstance to actually find him out on the highway somewhere, not having any foreknowledge that he was out there. I made the 115 mile (I think that's what it is) trip back in 1 hour and 45 minutes. That may not sound like much, but remember there is 7 miles of that on a dirt road going 25 to 30 miles per hour plus going through Payson with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour.
Well I have quite the list of things I want to get done before going back up again. I doubt I will be going next weekend, on the 11th I am driving Caleb up to Heber to the Salvation Army camp. I probably will not stop by the trailer on the way up or back. Or if I do, only to spend a few hours and try to fix a few things. I am still attempting to decide when to take maybe 3 days off. I was going to do it when Caleb goes up to Heber - drop him off up there and just come back to the trailer - but I would have to have the dogs with me . Further, I would have to waste an entire weekend with time that I could be up at the trailer - he won't want to go spending several days up there. So, I am not planning an extended stay up there when I have to take him to Heber. That's just going to be a day trip and without any dogs with us.
On a bit of a sour note, was the incident up there yesterday. Mother is a black and white person. You say you're going to do something, then damnit, you better do it exactly as you say you are. Oh, she lives her life that way, this isn't a hypocritical thing on her part. So, I got her a Dish Network receiver off of Craigslist.
Little did I know the hell that would ensue. She spent a week on the phone trying to understand why, exactly, they would not activate that thing and get it going. She got completely differing stories from people working at the same company, but it ended with them saying they would send someone - yes, I mean sending them up in the middle of the forest out in the middle of nowhere near the Mogollon Rim. They would get it working and that was that.
Dude shows up yesterday - late. Sun was going down type of late. He was sent from the Phoenix area. He got in there and understood what was going on and then declared he could not activate it. Mother blew a fuse. Literally. He started to explain to her why he couldn't do it - the unit belonged to someone else and they would have to call in and deactivate it - she didn't want to hear ANY of it. She was VERY rude, unfortunately, to this guy and gave him a brush off the likes I haven't seen in years. He walked off the property, cussing and I was standing there temporarily speechless.
Umm, I haven't seen my mother acting that bad - ever. I have seen her get into it when I was a kid, but it wasn't anything to this degree. The dude came back, on the phone and I was intent on playing deference. That guy cannot do anything that isn't authorized, that's all there is to it. She was taking up the fight with the entirely wrong person. But, in her eyes (and I totally understand this), that guy IS Dish Network and he was now feeding her the same line of BS that had been fed to her at the beginning of this ordeal and that was too much for her to deal with.
She told him off and went outside of her trailer and sat down on a lounge chair, threw up her hands and told her she didn't want to hear another word from him, either fix it or leave. Wow!!!
I escorted the guy out of that area and away to a place where we could talk without her hearing. I apologized, frankly, for her behavior but also stated I could understand her position, just that it wasn't really appropriate for her to be taking off after service personnel. We talked for a while and shook hands and he left.
But here's where Dish Network totally sucks. I didn't know this until yesterday. If you buy a receiver from someone - like off of Craigslist such as I did - and they have an active account and do not deactivate that unit, Dish Network won't reactivate in someone else's name. But that isn't the worst part: if the prior owner of that is in arrears with Dish Network, Dish Network will NOT activate that receiver until YOU, the person that is NOT responsible for that bill, pays the bill in full!!
Now excuse my French, but that is a load of BULL****. I have NEVER had that problem with Direct TV!!! They don't CARE where you got the receiver. It's the CARD they care about. The card makes the thing work or not. No card, no access to the satellite. Well, I don't like Dish Network anyway, just one more reason to really not like it. The receiver I bought? The customer is in good standing but HE has to call in and authorize the unit to be put in someone else's name.
Gag. My mother had Direct TV and I still don't understand why she switched.
Whatever. Here's another weird thing. I had no idea that she had had a full septic system installed for a cabin or whatever she was going to have built or placed on the property - deal went south and I am not going to go into all of THAT. So, I am in her yard - it's a fenced-in area. There are sticks of sewer pipe sticking out of the ground with adapters and plugs on the top of it. We SELL this stuff, I know what this is: sewer clean-outs.
WHAT is THIS for? I ask her. The full explanation about the cabin. Oh, well why don't you have it connected to the trailer?!!! She isn't even USING the thing. She has to go to an outhouse to use the toilet.
Well, she says, I may get into getting that done this summer.
Okay. Enough. You don't pay thousands of dollars to have a septic system installed and then, after a deal goes south, you don't use it with the application you already have. That doesn't make any sense at all. It would take a 20 foot stick of sewer pipe and some fittings and adapters and that would be the end of her using an outhouse. I do hope mother isn't going senile on me, but from her actions yesterday and seeing that unused system in the ground, ummm, I dunno. And let's just say here that the deal that went south - I'm not so sure about her story at this point. I wonder what actually happened.
But, I love my mom and I think maybe she needs help with these things. She may not WANT the help, but I think I may insist and see what happens.
Well I'm home anyway. The dogs? Crashed out. Totally crashed out. I mean, laying on the floor snoring crashed out. These trips take it out of them. I was informed that I can give them Benedryl for motion sickness- ie: the car trip. But, I haven't researched that yet and I ain't giving them nothing to them, especially Duke, until I am sure that it's safe to do so. I think Sophie would totally benefit from that as well. She just stands there, in the front seat, the entire trip, she won't - or can't - lay down. Crazy dogs.
This entry? Waxes long.
ben
Monday, May 28, 2012
5/28/2012 Monday - Memorial Day
I wonder if the newer generations coming up even know the meaning of Memorial Day or the great sacrifices that so many of our nation's military made in wars past in order to for us to keep the abounding freedoms that we still enjoy to this very day?
How easily do we give up those freedoms in the name of "security" and "what do you have to hide"?
Rhetorical questions. The All-Knowing Government has their answers to those questions.
I am still up in the mountains, been here since Saturday morning. So, quite a nice time away from polluted air and people in my face seemingly 24 hours a day. I slept better last night than I can remember sleeping in the past year. I didn't even want to get out of bed this morning, I could have slept another couple of hours. Dogs, however, have their own schedule and to not meet that schedule within some reasonable time frame means...............a certain liquid or a certain mass left on your living room floor.
Fortunately, my mom has a large fenced in area around her trailer so I just take the dogs over there and they can roam around for a while while I clean up house, make bed and all that sort of stuff without them in my face. I do need one of those fences around here, but, money constraints right now will have that put off for some time to come. Only if I can sell the other trailer, then I will spend the couple hundred it's going to cost to get a good fence up around this thing so I can just let the dogs out at will.
My Direct TV I could not get going yet again. So, I am taking the whole mess back down to the valley and I am going to get it working down there. If I bring it up here again and I still can't get it to work, foregone conclusion that I will have to have Direct TV come up here and install it for me. But I think my satellite dish was damaged and I think that's why I couldn't get it to work. I have 3 more dishes to play with, lol.
There is no doubt that sitting up here and watching a good movie at night before bed is something I want to be able to do.
It is so ever-loving-nice to have a place to come to in such a beautiful setting and get away from people. I don't hate my tenants, but I have very little privacy at my house. That's just the way it is, I have gotten used to it over the last years of renting out rooms but..............and better, I haven't received a single phone call from any of them saying that "something" is afoul at the house.
It's almost 7:00am, I am going to be leaving within the hour. It's been wonderful being up here, but I have plenty to do at the house and I pretty much take care of the plants. I could ask Mark to help me out with it, but I would rather do it myself and make sure that all is well in plantdom. I did ask him to feed my fish, but even if that were neglected a few days, the fish would easily survive that.
I may write more later, right now I am getting ready to leave.
ben
How easily do we give up those freedoms in the name of "security" and "what do you have to hide"?
Rhetorical questions. The All-Knowing Government has their answers to those questions.
I am still up in the mountains, been here since Saturday morning. So, quite a nice time away from polluted air and people in my face seemingly 24 hours a day. I slept better last night than I can remember sleeping in the past year. I didn't even want to get out of bed this morning, I could have slept another couple of hours. Dogs, however, have their own schedule and to not meet that schedule within some reasonable time frame means...............a certain liquid or a certain mass left on your living room floor.
Fortunately, my mom has a large fenced in area around her trailer so I just take the dogs over there and they can roam around for a while while I clean up house, make bed and all that sort of stuff without them in my face. I do need one of those fences around here, but, money constraints right now will have that put off for some time to come. Only if I can sell the other trailer, then I will spend the couple hundred it's going to cost to get a good fence up around this thing so I can just let the dogs out at will.
My Direct TV I could not get going yet again. So, I am taking the whole mess back down to the valley and I am going to get it working down there. If I bring it up here again and I still can't get it to work, foregone conclusion that I will have to have Direct TV come up here and install it for me. But I think my satellite dish was damaged and I think that's why I couldn't get it to work. I have 3 more dishes to play with, lol.
There is no doubt that sitting up here and watching a good movie at night before bed is something I want to be able to do.
It is so ever-loving-nice to have a place to come to in such a beautiful setting and get away from people. I don't hate my tenants, but I have very little privacy at my house. That's just the way it is, I have gotten used to it over the last years of renting out rooms but..............and better, I haven't received a single phone call from any of them saying that "something" is afoul at the house.
It's almost 7:00am, I am going to be leaving within the hour. It's been wonderful being up here, but I have plenty to do at the house and I pretty much take care of the plants. I could ask Mark to help me out with it, but I would rather do it myself and make sure that all is well in plantdom. I did ask him to feed my fish, but even if that were neglected a few days, the fish would easily survive that.
I may write more later, right now I am getting ready to leave.
ben
Friday, May 25, 2012
I alllllmost left this evening for the mountains.
But, I am too tired to drive that far today. I woke up in the middle of the night and it took hours to get back to sleep. Then, the alarm clock went off this morning and I was sleeping heavily. I never really woke up, apparently, because I was yawning at work all day long. My manager was as well.
I had to force myself to stop at Fry's and get the food needed for the next 2 days up there. Not that much really. I made spaghetti last night and there are plenty of leftovers. A couple of steaks to share with mother and a couple of the diet style frozen dinners plus some lunch meat. I have enough dog food up there in that trailer in a plastic container to last them for several trips up there, at least.
Anyway, came home and crashed out for an hour and a half. Not really helpful to take a nap that long, but I couldn't wake myself up to get back out of bed. Finally did, obviously or I wouldn't be sitting in my kitchen writing this entry, lol. I'm ready to go, anyway. Just have to pack the cooler in the morning, load up the dogs and away we go. Oh, I had to spend a good hour out there watering plants as well. Should be good for the 2 day lapse they will get in getting watered.
Strong wind blowing today and the temps have finally come down as the forecasters promised. For once, they got it right. Tomorrow's high is only going to be 87 degrees, and that's in Phoenix. Well, the low tomorrow night where my mom's property is is slated to be in the low 40's!! wow!! I guess I better take a jacket and another blanket up there!
But, I am too tired to drive that far today. I woke up in the middle of the night and it took hours to get back to sleep. Then, the alarm clock went off this morning and I was sleeping heavily. I never really woke up, apparently, because I was yawning at work all day long. My manager was as well.
I had to force myself to stop at Fry's and get the food needed for the next 2 days up there. Not that much really. I made spaghetti last night and there are plenty of leftovers. A couple of steaks to share with mother and a couple of the diet style frozen dinners plus some lunch meat. I have enough dog food up there in that trailer in a plastic container to last them for several trips up there, at least.
Anyway, came home and crashed out for an hour and a half. Not really helpful to take a nap that long, but I couldn't wake myself up to get back out of bed. Finally did, obviously or I wouldn't be sitting in my kitchen writing this entry, lol. I'm ready to go, anyway. Just have to pack the cooler in the morning, load up the dogs and away we go. Oh, I had to spend a good hour out there watering plants as well. Should be good for the 2 day lapse they will get in getting watered.
Strong wind blowing today and the temps have finally come down as the forecasters promised. For once, they got it right. Tomorrow's high is only going to be 87 degrees, and that's in Phoenix. Well, the low tomorrow night where my mom's property is is slated to be in the low 40's!! wow!! I guess I better take a jacket and another blanket up there!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
So yeah. I'm being consumed by bills. The culprit of the problem is the electric bill, which went way up much earlier in the year than I had expected.
I just sent out the last payment on the other trailer and will be expecting the lien release so I can put it up for sale and try to get my money back out of it.
I think I am going to need that money this summer, to be quite honest about it.
But, at the same time, the expenses I have incurred with the other trailer in fixing it and getting it up to the property are over. There are more things I want and need to do in it, but none of it is pricey stuff. Well, some things might be pricey but they aren't on the priority list. Replacing those gear handles that open and close those old-style windows is one thing.
But, I won't be doing that anytime soon.
So perhaps that will allow this situation to improve since the monthly payment for the trailer is now history after that check clears the bank.
Wow, time to leave for work already!
ben
I just sent out the last payment on the other trailer and will be expecting the lien release so I can put it up for sale and try to get my money back out of it.
I think I am going to need that money this summer, to be quite honest about it.
But, at the same time, the expenses I have incurred with the other trailer in fixing it and getting it up to the property are over. There are more things I want and need to do in it, but none of it is pricey stuff. Well, some things might be pricey but they aren't on the priority list. Replacing those gear handles that open and close those old-style windows is one thing.
But, I won't be doing that anytime soon.
So perhaps that will allow this situation to improve since the monthly payment for the trailer is now history after that check clears the bank.
Wow, time to leave for work already!
ben
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Well it certainly wasn't any fun out there yesterday. I believe it got to 109 degrees. The truck AC is not working correctly and does not keep it cool in there. It only keeps it from getting boiling hot. Well, whatever. I didn't feel too well after getting home after being out in that all day long yesterday so I didn't really get much of anything done around here.
It takes awhile for me to adjust to the extreme heat, which, by chance, is going to go away starting tomorrow, allegedly and the temps are coming WAY back down. I'll take it for what it's worth and run with it.
I am going to buy a new smoke detector for that trailer - it has an old one in there but I'm sure it's ready to be trashed and replaced. Though, it is unplugged when I am not there so I guess not a lot to worry about. I am glad I wrote myself some emails from up there about the things I need to fix/acquire for it, I would have forgotten the half of it.
Just chattering. Looking forward to another trip up North and spend a couple of nights there away from all this big city chaos.
Time for work.
G'day.
ben
It takes awhile for me to adjust to the extreme heat, which, by chance, is going to go away starting tomorrow, allegedly and the temps are coming WAY back down. I'll take it for what it's worth and run with it.
I am going to buy a new smoke detector for that trailer - it has an old one in there but I'm sure it's ready to be trashed and replaced. Though, it is unplugged when I am not there so I guess not a lot to worry about. I am glad I wrote myself some emails from up there about the things I need to fix/acquire for it, I would have forgotten the half of it.
Just chattering. Looking forward to another trip up North and spend a couple of nights there away from all this big city chaos.
Time for work.
G'day.
ben
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Absolutely beautiful morning.
The new pump is still going - meaning it's not all clogged up - but going at a bit slower pace. I'll take it out when I get home from work and clean it. It has some catching up to do and it may be days or even a week before it gets all the gunk out of the pond and be nice and clean again.
My Elephant Ear/Taro plants are making a comeback as well. Huge windstorm threw everything into disarray. I tried to rearrange the plants back into some mode of what they once were, but only nature can totally fix it.
Well, just threw that out there. Nice morning, but it's going to get into the 105 range later on today, lol.
G'day.
ben
The new pump is still going - meaning it's not all clogged up - but going at a bit slower pace. I'll take it out when I get home from work and clean it. It has some catching up to do and it may be days or even a week before it gets all the gunk out of the pond and be nice and clean again.
My Elephant Ear/Taro plants are making a comeback as well. Huge windstorm threw everything into disarray. I tried to rearrange the plants back into some mode of what they once were, but only nature can totally fix it.
Well, just threw that out there. Nice morning, but it's going to get into the 105 range later on today, lol.
G'day.
ben
Monday, May 21, 2012
Exchanged Direct TV receivers with the guy in a parking lot - some 15 miles from here. Not the end of the world excepting he had just gotten off work and wanted to meet "now". He backed off a bit when I told him I was 20 minutes away and couldn't get there any quicker. At least the guy was congenial when we finally met up. I have no idea if this one is going to work or not and frankly, I am not going to try right now. IN fact, I am not going to mess around with it until I get it up to mom's property as the card for it is up there, not down here.
I also received my new pond pump today. That was some FAST shipping and this pump is far better than the one I had in the pond it is going into. That one bit the dust. Lasted 2 years running 24 hours a day so I am not going to complain about it, but the intake housing design is flawed at best. It gets clogged up too easily because of a very narrow housing. The one I got today has a very long and wide housing, takes much longer to clog this one up.
Now if I just had the energy to go out there and do all of that. I can't just dump it into the pond and plug it in, the waterfall filter has to be cleaned now and that takes some effort, to say the least.
Lol, okay, I got the energy and got it done. I have some very nice Koi in there and I don't want them getting sick from fouled up water : )
G'nite.
ben
I also received my new pond pump today. That was some FAST shipping and this pump is far better than the one I had in the pond it is going into. That one bit the dust. Lasted 2 years running 24 hours a day so I am not going to complain about it, but the intake housing design is flawed at best. It gets clogged up too easily because of a very narrow housing. The one I got today has a very long and wide housing, takes much longer to clog this one up.
Now if I just had the energy to go out there and do all of that. I can't just dump it into the pond and plug it in, the waterfall filter has to be cleaned now and that takes some effort, to say the least.
Lol, okay, I got the energy and got it done. I have some very nice Koi in there and I don't want them getting sick from fouled up water : )
G'nite.
ben
Standing Down...........
I wrote earlier how my dad was being kicked out of his wife's house.
I emailed him via reply all to all that he had sent that email to and told him I would be happy to come down and help him move if he needed the help.
He has now replied to me saying that I must have missed his email saying that they are back together and that he is tending to his wife's every need.
No, I did not miss any emails, I never got that one.
But no big deal, reverting back to my original plans of spending next weekend, which is Memorial Day weekend, up at the property. Nothing is ever set in stone in life, is it?
I emailed him via reply all to all that he had sent that email to and told him I would be happy to come down and help him move if he needed the help.
He has now replied to me saying that I must have missed his email saying that they are back together and that he is tending to his wife's every need.
No, I did not miss any emails, I never got that one.
But no big deal, reverting back to my original plans of spending next weekend, which is Memorial Day weekend, up at the property. Nothing is ever set in stone in life, is it?
My Dad........
..........has been thrown out of their house by his wife!
I opened one of my email accounts a few minutes ago to find a reply to his original letter from one of my uncles. I went searching for my dad's email and there it was. His wife is sick and he says that she feels he isn't taking care of her. She's a nice lady and things, but there is one thing that has remained true with all of the women that he has been with since mom and him divorced: they don't really like us, his sons.
I can understand that with my brothers shunning him, but I don't get it with me. I communicate with my dad regularly as well as my mom.
Anyway, this lady has told him to leave and apparently he is going to have to take all of his stuff out of there. My dad is - 83 I think - and not in that great of a condition. I read the email about how he has been "thrown out several times before", though I had never heard this from him about this situation, it isn't shocking. The lady he is married to is still in love with her now-deceased husband and whenever I have been around her that's most of what I hear coming out of her mouth, not about how much she loves my dad. I thought it odd to continue to hear that long after that man has passed. She has also spoken very foul of my brothers - though really, they deserve it - still, I always got the feeling that same sentiment was coming towards me. When I went down there for Thanksgiving a few years back and he grown, adult children were there, the sentiment coming from THEM was very strong as well. It was a very uncomfortable situation and I really wanted to tell one particular individual who was deeply in love with the sound of his own voice what I thought about his sentiments towards my family, but I decided to keep my mouth shut since it was Thanksgiving and didn't want to ruin the holiday.
Whatever the case, I just wrote him an email and offered to go down there and assist him with moving if he wants the help. Not that I want to spend Memorial Day Weekend moving dad, but, I will do it if he says he wants the help with it.
Welcome to Monday. It's about 175 miles down to his place in Sierra Vista. In reality, if he really wanted the help, I would just ask my manager for "emergency" time off. In my mind, a situation like this with a man that is that old in the health that he is in is going to need the help right now, not this weekend.
Ummm, wow. Okay, take one step at a time here. Just going to wait to see what kind of response I get from him, if I don't get a response then I will call him this afternoon.
Whatever the case, life goes on and I must be off to work.
G'day.
ben
I opened one of my email accounts a few minutes ago to find a reply to his original letter from one of my uncles. I went searching for my dad's email and there it was. His wife is sick and he says that she feels he isn't taking care of her. She's a nice lady and things, but there is one thing that has remained true with all of the women that he has been with since mom and him divorced: they don't really like us, his sons.
I can understand that with my brothers shunning him, but I don't get it with me. I communicate with my dad regularly as well as my mom.
Anyway, this lady has told him to leave and apparently he is going to have to take all of his stuff out of there. My dad is - 83 I think - and not in that great of a condition. I read the email about how he has been "thrown out several times before", though I had never heard this from him about this situation, it isn't shocking. The lady he is married to is still in love with her now-deceased husband and whenever I have been around her that's most of what I hear coming out of her mouth, not about how much she loves my dad. I thought it odd to continue to hear that long after that man has passed. She has also spoken very foul of my brothers - though really, they deserve it - still, I always got the feeling that same sentiment was coming towards me. When I went down there for Thanksgiving a few years back and he grown, adult children were there, the sentiment coming from THEM was very strong as well. It was a very uncomfortable situation and I really wanted to tell one particular individual who was deeply in love with the sound of his own voice what I thought about his sentiments towards my family, but I decided to keep my mouth shut since it was Thanksgiving and didn't want to ruin the holiday.
Whatever the case, I just wrote him an email and offered to go down there and assist him with moving if he wants the help. Not that I want to spend Memorial Day Weekend moving dad, but, I will do it if he says he wants the help with it.
Welcome to Monday. It's about 175 miles down to his place in Sierra Vista. In reality, if he really wanted the help, I would just ask my manager for "emergency" time off. In my mind, a situation like this with a man that is that old in the health that he is in is going to need the help right now, not this weekend.
Ummm, wow. Okay, take one step at a time here. Just going to wait to see what kind of response I get from him, if I don't get a response then I will call him this afternoon.
Whatever the case, life goes on and I must be off to work.
G'day.
ben
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Pics
If you click on a pic, then it enlarges and all the other pics end up in thumbnails below it so you can just scroll through full-screen pics.
That's one view from my trailer door.
The trip would have been 117 miles one way, coming back, but I did 2 loops looking for that missing hubcap. I did find it. Some scratches on it but not dented or otherwise ruined. I figured to find another cap like that? Probably next to impossible so, worth the extended search for it. Trip was 2 hours, but I could have made it in about and hour and forty or forty-five minutes without the hubcap search.
Dogs are plain worn out. I took them on a good, long hike this morning and they are absolutely crashed out on the living room floor. Yesterday, on the first hike, Prince got tired and decided to............sit down under a tree. Yup, he just sat there, staring at me. He was telling me he had had enough. Sorry, buddy, but we gotta hoof it back to camp. He begrudgingly got up and made the rest of the trip back, lol.
I let Sophie off the leash this morning. It was a gamble to say the least, but, it was at the property, not while on a walk. She started to take off in a big, big hurry. She didn't listen to me the first 2 times, the third time I quietly walked up near where she had stopped and called her name again. This time, she came trotting up. Goooood doggy! I told her and then immediately put her back on the leash, lol. We'll take this slow and eventually I won't have to worry about her running off.
My brother and his wife showed up yesterday to help out. Though we were already done, he did have a few tidbits to offer. He then informed me that mother undoubtedly had a large list of things she is going to want me to do. Oh??? Listening to him talk, I gathered why he doesn't go up and visit her too often. Apparently, she was asking him to do something every time he visited. It also became evident why he eventually moved his trailer and then his motor home off the property and built a cabin down the road about 7 miles. I think mother has learned from the experience, she isn't being as pushy as she used to be, but I also think it must be too late in the case of my brother.
I am not sure I could live up there year round. I am used to being around people. I love the quiet and the fresh air and beautiful scenery, yes, but, dunno about actually living there.
Anyway, good trip, glad the worst of this is over, still plenty to do to the trailer but it's all good.
ben
The World of Craigslist
I bought a Direct TV receiver from a guy a few weeks ago and when I tried to hook it up, well, it didn't work.
So I contacted the guy and told him about it and asked if he still had the other receiver he had for sale. Yes, he does. We went back and forth and he finally said to go ahead and throw the receiver I have in the trash and he will just give me the other one.
Fast forward. Time constraints. I have not had time to meet up with this person and get the other receiver because I have been too busy working on the trailer. So, I contacted him again this morning and he writes back and tells me: I have had 4 other offers on it but I have been saving it for you. If you do not show up on Monday to get it, then I am going to sell it".
In other words, screw the fact that he sold a defective receiver, he's going to make his money regardless. Which pretty much tells me when he gets this receiver back, if he indeed does honor his word, he is going to sell it.
I'm not sorry to say: whatta jackass.
Whatever.
Took the dogs for a long walk/run this morning in the woods. I was able to let the Danes run free, but I cannot yet let Sophie run wild. I did let her go, on the property, this morning to see what she would do. She took off. I followed after her, giving her firm voice commands to come back. She did, indeed, finally listen. So, just giving it more time and some day I will also be able to let her run without have the fear of her just running off and never seeing her again.
It felt good to get a good heart rate going and enjoy the cool, fresh air and hear the breeze whispering through the pines. Lord willing, I will be coming up here next weekend and probably staying Saturday through Monday morning. There are quite a number of things I need to do and fix next time I am up here, or at least get started on. I forgot coffee cups. I would like a wall clock. This, that and the other thing. Some air fresheners will definitely help.
Well that's it. Time to pack it up and head on out.
ben
So I contacted the guy and told him about it and asked if he still had the other receiver he had for sale. Yes, he does. We went back and forth and he finally said to go ahead and throw the receiver I have in the trash and he will just give me the other one.
Fast forward. Time constraints. I have not had time to meet up with this person and get the other receiver because I have been too busy working on the trailer. So, I contacted him again this morning and he writes back and tells me: I have had 4 other offers on it but I have been saving it for you. If you do not show up on Monday to get it, then I am going to sell it".
In other words, screw the fact that he sold a defective receiver, he's going to make his money regardless. Which pretty much tells me when he gets this receiver back, if he indeed does honor his word, he is going to sell it.
I'm not sorry to say: whatta jackass.
Whatever.
Took the dogs for a long walk/run this morning in the woods. I was able to let the Danes run free, but I cannot yet let Sophie run wild. I did let her go, on the property, this morning to see what she would do. She took off. I followed after her, giving her firm voice commands to come back. She did, indeed, finally listen. So, just giving it more time and some day I will also be able to let her run without have the fear of her just running off and never seeing her again.
It felt good to get a good heart rate going and enjoy the cool, fresh air and hear the breeze whispering through the pines. Lord willing, I will be coming up here next weekend and probably staying Saturday through Monday morning. There are quite a number of things I need to do and fix next time I am up here, or at least get started on. I forgot coffee cups. I would like a wall clock. This, that and the other thing. Some air fresheners will definitely help.
Well that's it. Time to pack it up and head on out.
ben
Saturday, May 19, 2012
So, I am just below the Mogollon Rim right now, on my mother's property, attempting to get situated.
I had totally forgotten about internet and such in the business of getting things set up, but here it is.
3G network, yes, I expected that. Does it work? Well, I just go on Blogger and pulled up this page to write an entry, so, so far, so good.
It's a good 3G connection, too, not a weak one. 3G works well enough for me, if it continues to work, I will be happy.
We had 2 mishaps coming up. 1st, one of the nice, chrome moon rims came off the trailer. I know where it landed and it is possible I might be able to retrieve it on the way back.
But 2, one of the bedroom windows mounting latches on the bottom broke, sending the window flying straight up! It was still attached to the trailer, but it was only a matter of time . Well, we got it taped down and it worked fine the rest of the way up. The only other thing was to get this trailer into a rather tight hole. That took some doing, but we got it in here. It's absolutely beautiful up here. I knew I wouldn't regret this.
Anyway, break time over, I have a lot to get done before dark.
ben
I had totally forgotten about internet and such in the business of getting things set up, but here it is.
3G network, yes, I expected that. Does it work? Well, I just go on Blogger and pulled up this page to write an entry, so, so far, so good.
It's a good 3G connection, too, not a weak one. 3G works well enough for me, if it continues to work, I will be happy.
We had 2 mishaps coming up. 1st, one of the nice, chrome moon rims came off the trailer. I know where it landed and it is possible I might be able to retrieve it on the way back.
But 2, one of the bedroom windows mounting latches on the bottom broke, sending the window flying straight up! It was still attached to the trailer, but it was only a matter of time . Well, we got it taped down and it worked fine the rest of the way up. The only other thing was to get this trailer into a rather tight hole. That took some doing, but we got it in here. It's absolutely beautiful up here. I knew I wouldn't regret this.
Anyway, break time over, I have a lot to get done before dark.
ben
Friday, May 18, 2012
Just spent several hours on the "final countdown" to tomorrow morning.
I have a couple of hours worth of stuff left to go. I was REALLY freaking out when I was
told I would have to make a trip to the Intel plant at 2:00 this afternoon. NOOOOO.
I pretty much talked my way out of it by calling the salesman on the account and asking him to please take this delivery, that I was calling in a favor - I have stayed WAY late on several occasions because of his customer.
He started out with how I am the delivery driver, this that and the other thing. But, I remained calm and just slowly talked him into it. I might just be getting off of work right now if I had had to make that run. I told him I normally don't care if I have to stay late, not normally an issue, but just this once can you please cover this for me? So, yes, I got out of it and got out of there. Headed to several different stores. First up was Petco, I wanted to get a tag for Sophie, the new doggy. Put my cell phone number on it. In case she gets away from me up there, at least have something on her that gives more than just the option to call the pound. Yes, I am also putting on her license today. Plus she has yet another ID tag that has the number of the rescue that I got her from.
No, I don't want her to run away, yes, I am facing a very real possibility that she will somehow manage to do just that. I have 2 different collars on her and ID's on both collars at this point. She's a sneaky doggy. She will run herself out and then try to find her way back.
PetSmart, however, wanted $9.50 for one of those things!! Unbelievable. I just left. I went to Walmart after that and found a machine in there that does it for $5. More reasonable, more like it. Then off to other parts of Walmart to get the rest of what I need. Of course, I forgot something: ice.
Oh well, get it at the local convenience store later, right now, I need to go out and water everything, including filling up the fish ponds. One of the pumps failed yesterday, bad timing on that. Just what I don't need, a $50 expense. No choice, ordered one online, going to be several days before it gets here, like sometime next week. The water? Going to get a bit foul, I think, by then.
I've still got the wiring party to do as well, going to get to that pretty quick here as well, while there is still daylight.
Lots to do, really, best get to it.
Later.
I have a couple of hours worth of stuff left to go. I was REALLY freaking out when I was
told I would have to make a trip to the Intel plant at 2:00 this afternoon. NOOOOO.
I pretty much talked my way out of it by calling the salesman on the account and asking him to please take this delivery, that I was calling in a favor - I have stayed WAY late on several occasions because of his customer.
He started out with how I am the delivery driver, this that and the other thing. But, I remained calm and just slowly talked him into it. I might just be getting off of work right now if I had had to make that run. I told him I normally don't care if I have to stay late, not normally an issue, but just this once can you please cover this for me? So, yes, I got out of it and got out of there. Headed to several different stores. First up was Petco, I wanted to get a tag for Sophie, the new doggy. Put my cell phone number on it. In case she gets away from me up there, at least have something on her that gives more than just the option to call the pound. Yes, I am also putting on her license today. Plus she has yet another ID tag that has the number of the rescue that I got her from.
No, I don't want her to run away, yes, I am facing a very real possibility that she will somehow manage to do just that. I have 2 different collars on her and ID's on both collars at this point. She's a sneaky doggy. She will run herself out and then try to find her way back.
PetSmart, however, wanted $9.50 for one of those things!! Unbelievable. I just left. I went to Walmart after that and found a machine in there that does it for $5. More reasonable, more like it. Then off to other parts of Walmart to get the rest of what I need. Of course, I forgot something: ice.
Oh well, get it at the local convenience store later, right now, I need to go out and water everything, including filling up the fish ponds. One of the pumps failed yesterday, bad timing on that. Just what I don't need, a $50 expense. No choice, ordered one online, going to be several days before it gets here, like sometime next week. The water? Going to get a bit foul, I think, by then.
I've still got the wiring party to do as well, going to get to that pretty quick here as well, while there is still daylight.
Lots to do, really, best get to it.
Later.
Final Day
Ugh. I should have taken today off, now that I think about it.
I have a LOT to get done today and I am afraid I might get to all of it.
It really has a lot to do with how early - or - late - I get off of work.
If I get off at normal time, I can probably get to all of it and have it done by evening.
If I get off late, then I am going to have to pick and choose what is going to get done,
and what is not.
2 priorities, though: Get another electrical adapter and switch the wiring on the pigtail.
After that, it's anyone's guess. The electrical adapter is at Camping World and the pigtail
will probably take anywhere from half an hour to an hour to get done. The guy wants brake
lights on the trailer and I don't really blame him. I will be following him, yes, but I understand
a bit of apprehension when brake lights don't work and also the potential for getting pulled
over and getting a ticket.
Ooops, one other huge priority: water the plants well. Top off the ponds. Ask Mark to keep an eye on that stuff. Okay, I have to realllllly hope that that Intel situation and the contractor there isn't going to call us at 2:00 pm demanding materials to be sent out there. If they do, that is going to be something that will take away hours that otherwise I could be using to get stuff done.
Well that's it. There are other things on my mind, but, this situation is sort of taking the stage in my life and will be that way until sometime late tomorrow morning (Lord willing and hopefully) that it's up there, parked, leveled and ready to use. It will be interesting to see how well this guy can maneuver that trailer up on mom's property considering the space to maneuver it - is pretty tight. There is only one place it can really go and that is in a stand of trees with just enough space to put that trailer in there. I am very glad I did not opt to buy a much longer trailer, I was looking at a 35 footer and there was also a 40 footer that I had been looking at when I was looking to buy this thing. I don't think either of them would make it in there, honestly.
Okay, it's time to leave for work. Off to the races!
ben
I have a LOT to get done today and I am afraid I might get to all of it.
It really has a lot to do with how early - or - late - I get off of work.
If I get off at normal time, I can probably get to all of it and have it done by evening.
If I get off late, then I am going to have to pick and choose what is going to get done,
and what is not.
2 priorities, though: Get another electrical adapter and switch the wiring on the pigtail.
After that, it's anyone's guess. The electrical adapter is at Camping World and the pigtail
will probably take anywhere from half an hour to an hour to get done. The guy wants brake
lights on the trailer and I don't really blame him. I will be following him, yes, but I understand
a bit of apprehension when brake lights don't work and also the potential for getting pulled
over and getting a ticket.
Ooops, one other huge priority: water the plants well. Top off the ponds. Ask Mark to keep an eye on that stuff. Okay, I have to realllllly hope that that Intel situation and the contractor there isn't going to call us at 2:00 pm demanding materials to be sent out there. If they do, that is going to be something that will take away hours that otherwise I could be using to get stuff done.
Well that's it. There are other things on my mind, but, this situation is sort of taking the stage in my life and will be that way until sometime late tomorrow morning (Lord willing and hopefully) that it's up there, parked, leveled and ready to use. It will be interesting to see how well this guy can maneuver that trailer up on mom's property considering the space to maneuver it - is pretty tight. There is only one place it can really go and that is in a stand of trees with just enough space to put that trailer in there. I am very glad I did not opt to buy a much longer trailer, I was looking at a 35 footer and there was also a 40 footer that I had been looking at when I was looking to buy this thing. I don't think either of them would make it in there, honestly.
Okay, it's time to leave for work. Off to the races!
ben
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Moving Trailers
It took a while to move those 2 trailers around.
It was hot.
Crank one up on the truck, move it out, crank it back down, crank the other one up - repeat repeat.
But it is done. Filled up the fuel tank on his truck - a crew cab Ford pickup with 8 foot bed, big long thing with a diesel engine and we parted ways. The wiring on the pigtail on my trailer is hooked up wrong, hence the reason brake lights weren't working.
Will have to do that tomorrow after work, along with several other things. He is coming over at 5:30 am Saturday to hook up to the thing and haul it out of here, meaning I have to have everything complete by tomorrow night. Which shouldn't be a problem - shouldn't, lol.
Time for bed. Need some good sleep tonight for what's to come tomorrow.
G'nite.
ben
It was hot.
Crank one up on the truck, move it out, crank it back down, crank the other one up - repeat repeat.
But it is done. Filled up the fuel tank on his truck - a crew cab Ford pickup with 8 foot bed, big long thing with a diesel engine and we parted ways. The wiring on the pigtail on my trailer is hooked up wrong, hence the reason brake lights weren't working.
Will have to do that tomorrow after work, along with several other things. He is coming over at 5:30 am Saturday to hook up to the thing and haul it out of here, meaning I have to have everything complete by tomorrow night. Which shouldn't be a problem - shouldn't, lol.
Time for bed. Need some good sleep tonight for what's to come tomorrow.
G'nite.
ben
2 days and counting.
Lots to do. Completely spaced out getting insurance on the trailer.
It's a 1986 model and I only paid $2,500 for it, so hopefully fire insurance on the thing won't cost too much. I'm not really sure what kind of insurance I can get on it, but I will try to find out today through my auto insurance broker.
They should be able to tack a policy onto my existing policy without too much added expense. But who knows. Fire and theft insurance, now that I think about it.
Anyway, Mark will be working on the thing today. He was complaining how hot it is in there. I showed him to close the bathroom door and yes, the front half of the trailer will cool down very nicely. Like in the mid 70's. It's just getting hot here now, plain and simple. It will not get up into the 100's up where the thing is going. If it ever does, then look out down here, cause' the temp difference is at least 20 degrees.
So, still a bit left to go here. I was making a list and though what is left to buy isn't expensive, per-se, there is still much that I had forgotten. Thing that I don't want to do without, frankly. But, if I forget something or even several things, no biggies.
Salesman coming over at 4:00 or so to move around the trailers today.
Which is cool, that gives me tomorrow to do whatever finishing touches before the trip Saturday morning.
Time for work : )
G'day.
ben
Lots to do. Completely spaced out getting insurance on the trailer.
It's a 1986 model and I only paid $2,500 for it, so hopefully fire insurance on the thing won't cost too much. I'm not really sure what kind of insurance I can get on it, but I will try to find out today through my auto insurance broker.
They should be able to tack a policy onto my existing policy without too much added expense. But who knows. Fire and theft insurance, now that I think about it.
Anyway, Mark will be working on the thing today. He was complaining how hot it is in there. I showed him to close the bathroom door and yes, the front half of the trailer will cool down very nicely. Like in the mid 70's. It's just getting hot here now, plain and simple. It will not get up into the 100's up where the thing is going. If it ever does, then look out down here, cause' the temp difference is at least 20 degrees.
So, still a bit left to go here. I was making a list and though what is left to buy isn't expensive, per-se, there is still much that I had forgotten. Thing that I don't want to do without, frankly. But, if I forget something or even several things, no biggies.
Salesman coming over at 4:00 or so to move around the trailers today.
Which is cool, that gives me tomorrow to do whatever finishing touches before the trip Saturday morning.
Time for work : )
G'day.
ben
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Just a few more things here. My replacement Verizon Hot Spot mobile broadband router. Jury is out. Was working at a jobsite yesterday and then just quit. It was working at another place today where it had NEVER worked before and I had tried at least a dozen times at that location. I'm still not convinced, but Saturday will be the tell all for me.
Zimmerman. I had wondered, when this shooting occurred a while back, how everyone in the news media and hence, everyone with an opinion, could possibly jump to the conclusion that Zimmerman committed murder, not an act of self defense. Do we know all the facts? I remember a local talk show trio - not just one host but a threesome of them - declaring him guilty. Really? Now, some very interesting, new facts have come out. That Zimmerman had 2 black eyes. A broken nose. A laceration to his head. That Trayvon had bloodied knuckles.
I'm not going to sit here and say this situation should have ended the way it did. If the 911 operator really told him to stay away from the kid, maybe that's what should have happened and Zimmerman should have just waited for the police to come. But, when you look at the newly released evidence, it certainly should at the very least, sway people's opinion back to a neutral position. Oh, he might really have acted in self defense.
I was not going to take the dogs up with me to move the trailer up there this weekend, but I have since changed my mind. The new doggy can be roped to a tree and the Danes can run free. They won't run off or if they start to, they will come back when I call them. The new doggy, not yet. She IS settling down, but I think she would still just take off and not even blink an eye if I called her to come back. She's a sweet girl, though, very nice doggy, glad I got her.
Zimmerman. I had wondered, when this shooting occurred a while back, how everyone in the news media and hence, everyone with an opinion, could possibly jump to the conclusion that Zimmerman committed murder, not an act of self defense. Do we know all the facts? I remember a local talk show trio - not just one host but a threesome of them - declaring him guilty. Really? Now, some very interesting, new facts have come out. That Zimmerman had 2 black eyes. A broken nose. A laceration to his head. That Trayvon had bloodied knuckles.
I'm not going to sit here and say this situation should have ended the way it did. If the 911 operator really told him to stay away from the kid, maybe that's what should have happened and Zimmerman should have just waited for the police to come. But, when you look at the newly released evidence, it certainly should at the very least, sway people's opinion back to a neutral position. Oh, he might really have acted in self defense.
I was not going to take the dogs up with me to move the trailer up there this weekend, but I have since changed my mind. The new doggy can be roped to a tree and the Danes can run free. They won't run off or if they start to, they will come back when I call them. The new doggy, not yet. She IS settling down, but I think she would still just take off and not even blink an eye if I called her to come back. She's a sweet girl, though, very nice doggy, glad I got her.
I'm Not Going To Say That............
...............I regret not doing the bedroom with carpet, but it certainly would have been nicer. I thought the carpet cleaner would get it looking pretty good, it really did nothing for the appearance of it. That carpet was filthy. At least I got it clean if nothing else. I CAN say that I would have been REALLY unhappy if I had not replaced the rest of the carpet in the thing.
I went to Walmart today and bought a bunch of stuff for it. Toiletries - all of them I will need. Kitchen stuff: plastic wrap; aluminum foil; a new cutting knife; paper towels; stuff like that.
I bought a plastic container that I figured would hold enough dog food that if I filled it up, it would last at least several weekends worth. I was not wrong. That small thing actually can handle a 40 pound bag of food, though I put about 2/3rd's of a bag in it. I also scored a nice, 100 foot extension cord today. I've asked Mark to do one of his infamous clean jobs. That guy can really clean. If, for example, he cleans a vacuum cleaner, that doesn't mean just emptying out the container that receives the dirt. In his mind, that means taking the entire thing apart and doing a clean, clean job on it. That's how he cleans EVERYTHING.
Anyway, the salesman changed the parameters on me and he is coming tomorrow to jockey the trailers around instead of on Friday. Which isn't that big of a deal, especially now that I have a long enough cord to reach the outlet. Point being on Friday, since we aren't moving it on that day, I am going to want to be in it, looking around, feeling it out, what else does it need? What else can I AFFORD right now, lol.
I still have left a trip to the dollar store and maybe Anna's linens if I can't find cheap throw rugs at the dollar store. I forgot to buy a fan for it today as well. Good thing I still have 2 full days left to go. I have 4X8's to level it with. It will be parked on a hill, one side of the trailer is going to have to have it's wheels on top of boards to level it. I bought coffee and creamer, I wouldn't mind stocking it with some canned and dry goods as well. I got the dog's food bowls - cheap ones - and I will be taking a 5 gallon, plastic bucket for their water, just like they have here. Just happen to have 4 of those. I will be taking 2 of them. One for water and the other to empty out the waste water holding tank.
My mother has her ways of doing things when it comes to that, I will have mine. I am not going to haul off to the outhouse in the middle of the night if I need to go. The toilet works just fine, thank you and I will not be using it enough to have to haul much waste very often. Just dump it into the outhouse hole and that's that.
That's enough of that situation for now. Tomorrow get the trailer in the front of the driveway and ready to be hooked up to and hauled up there. I will have to ask Mark to look after things when I am not here. More specifically and importantly: my plants and my fish. In the hot summer, you have to water the plants either every day or every other day, every day is best. The fish obviously want to be fed every day as well. Feeding the fish is no big deal. Watering the entire sides and back of the property also no big deal: turn on the valves and let it go for 15 or so minutes and that's it. I did not finish hooking back up the drip system out front, so that is going to have to be done by hand.
I am planning on going up to the property, when I do go, on Friday afternoons and be there at early evening. Then have a full Saturday to spend up there and either leave on Sunday morning or at the latest Sunday afternoon. I still have that to work out. I am definitely not going to be spending every weekend up there, but I do intend on spending enough of them up there to have made all this effort, time and money spent worth it. 3 day weekends are a foregone conclusion that I will be up there unless something is going on down here that I need to be here. Memorial day is coming up soon. That's a Monday, so I will probably leave early Saturday that weekend and miss church, yes, but go up there and stay until Monday late morning.
The heat is already here, the AC in the house is already costing me a lot of money. Much earlier than normal. The temps are 10 degrees above normal for this time of the year. It will be paramount at this point that tenants pay the rent on time and if they don't, they will not be getting a notice from me, I will be visiting with them personally. Just can't afford late pays or people that start going downhill with it. So far, it's all good. This trailer, however, has cost me some money, much more than just paying for it. Fortunately, I am at the end of that road or at least very near it. Definitely, the expensive stuff is over with. There are only a few issues with it that do not have to be fixed right now, save it for the future when I have more money to deal with it.
I do have one caveat: I am about to make the final payment on the other trailer. I will ask Mark to clean it up real nice and then I will try to sell it for what I paid for it. I haven't dumped any money into it, well very little anyway. It's in decent condition. It has some issues, but I bought it with those issues. Nothing huge but still. I might sell it on payments, but would be very cautious about it. I have had trouble with making the payments on some months and I wonder what would happen with a person in an even lessor financial condition than I am. The point: I need that money, really, for backup. If something goes foul, I need something to make up for it. Next month I am paying down the second 401k loan to zero balance since it's almost there. But I would REALLY rather NOT have to use retirement money to pay for anything. Yet, in the reality of life, if my back's against a wall, I will do whatever I have to do to make life work.
Excited? Yes, but not getting too carried away with it yet. I have been cranking away on it and on the property for days and days now. The wind storm REALLY messed some things up on the property and I have been working to clean it up and straighten it back out. Not much fun, really, but a necessity to keep the place looking nice.
I went to Walmart today and bought a bunch of stuff for it. Toiletries - all of them I will need. Kitchen stuff: plastic wrap; aluminum foil; a new cutting knife; paper towels; stuff like that.
I bought a plastic container that I figured would hold enough dog food that if I filled it up, it would last at least several weekends worth. I was not wrong. That small thing actually can handle a 40 pound bag of food, though I put about 2/3rd's of a bag in it. I also scored a nice, 100 foot extension cord today. I've asked Mark to do one of his infamous clean jobs. That guy can really clean. If, for example, he cleans a vacuum cleaner, that doesn't mean just emptying out the container that receives the dirt. In his mind, that means taking the entire thing apart and doing a clean, clean job on it. That's how he cleans EVERYTHING.
Anyway, the salesman changed the parameters on me and he is coming tomorrow to jockey the trailers around instead of on Friday. Which isn't that big of a deal, especially now that I have a long enough cord to reach the outlet. Point being on Friday, since we aren't moving it on that day, I am going to want to be in it, looking around, feeling it out, what else does it need? What else can I AFFORD right now, lol.
I still have left a trip to the dollar store and maybe Anna's linens if I can't find cheap throw rugs at the dollar store. I forgot to buy a fan for it today as well. Good thing I still have 2 full days left to go. I have 4X8's to level it with. It will be parked on a hill, one side of the trailer is going to have to have it's wheels on top of boards to level it. I bought coffee and creamer, I wouldn't mind stocking it with some canned and dry goods as well. I got the dog's food bowls - cheap ones - and I will be taking a 5 gallon, plastic bucket for their water, just like they have here. Just happen to have 4 of those. I will be taking 2 of them. One for water and the other to empty out the waste water holding tank.
My mother has her ways of doing things when it comes to that, I will have mine. I am not going to haul off to the outhouse in the middle of the night if I need to go. The toilet works just fine, thank you and I will not be using it enough to have to haul much waste very often. Just dump it into the outhouse hole and that's that.
That's enough of that situation for now. Tomorrow get the trailer in the front of the driveway and ready to be hooked up to and hauled up there. I will have to ask Mark to look after things when I am not here. More specifically and importantly: my plants and my fish. In the hot summer, you have to water the plants either every day or every other day, every day is best. The fish obviously want to be fed every day as well. Feeding the fish is no big deal. Watering the entire sides and back of the property also no big deal: turn on the valves and let it go for 15 or so minutes and that's it. I did not finish hooking back up the drip system out front, so that is going to have to be done by hand.
I am planning on going up to the property, when I do go, on Friday afternoons and be there at early evening. Then have a full Saturday to spend up there and either leave on Sunday morning or at the latest Sunday afternoon. I still have that to work out. I am definitely not going to be spending every weekend up there, but I do intend on spending enough of them up there to have made all this effort, time and money spent worth it. 3 day weekends are a foregone conclusion that I will be up there unless something is going on down here that I need to be here. Memorial day is coming up soon. That's a Monday, so I will probably leave early Saturday that weekend and miss church, yes, but go up there and stay until Monday late morning.
The heat is already here, the AC in the house is already costing me a lot of money. Much earlier than normal. The temps are 10 degrees above normal for this time of the year. It will be paramount at this point that tenants pay the rent on time and if they don't, they will not be getting a notice from me, I will be visiting with them personally. Just can't afford late pays or people that start going downhill with it. So far, it's all good. This trailer, however, has cost me some money, much more than just paying for it. Fortunately, I am at the end of that road or at least very near it. Definitely, the expensive stuff is over with. There are only a few issues with it that do not have to be fixed right now, save it for the future when I have more money to deal with it.
I do have one caveat: I am about to make the final payment on the other trailer. I will ask Mark to clean it up real nice and then I will try to sell it for what I paid for it. I haven't dumped any money into it, well very little anyway. It's in decent condition. It has some issues, but I bought it with those issues. Nothing huge but still. I might sell it on payments, but would be very cautious about it. I have had trouble with making the payments on some months and I wonder what would happen with a person in an even lessor financial condition than I am. The point: I need that money, really, for backup. If something goes foul, I need something to make up for it. Next month I am paying down the second 401k loan to zero balance since it's almost there. But I would REALLY rather NOT have to use retirement money to pay for anything. Yet, in the reality of life, if my back's against a wall, I will do whatever I have to do to make life work.
Excited? Yes, but not getting too carried away with it yet. I have been cranking away on it and on the property for days and days now. The wind storm REALLY messed some things up on the property and I have been working to clean it up and straighten it back out. Not much fun, really, but a necessity to keep the place looking nice.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
My Butterfly Koi - which has grown about 8 inches since I got him to a whopping 12 inches - came up to me a bit ago while I was cleaning out the pump and actually let me touch him! Talk about knowing the hand that feeds you!
I just got done reading a report on some research that said that 8.5 million adults had sleep-walked in the last year. I find it intriguing cause' as a kid, I did a whole lot of sleep walking. The report said that if a person was going to fall down some stairs or something dangerous, then yes, wake them up.
There were many times I would wake up in the basement. To get there from my bedroom, I had to walk across the house, down a flight of stairs, around a landing, down another flight of stairs, around another landing and another short set of stairs, back across the house, open the basement door, walk down yet another flight of stairs, across a 20 foot entry way and then another flight of stairs. I walked down stairs so many times without ever falling while sleep walking I guess I don't necessarily agree with that particular portion of the study.
It was strange, though. Waking up under the piano; the dinner table; the kitchen floor; in the attic; the bathroom; all over the house. Even stranger that my parents never knew I was doing it. I had to walk right past their bedroom to go anywhere from my bedroom. There are a couple of times I can remember doing the sleep walking. Your eyes are opened but honey, the lights ain't on. I remember it as if it were a dream, though, not while it was happening.
Well, whatever, speaking of sleep, I didn't do so well in that department last night and just got done with an hour nap. I am undecided on small church group tonight, if I don't wake up a bit more than what I am now by then, I probably won't go.
With that, I am out the door. I have some stuff to get done today on the trailer - namely the roof. Just need to get the old screws and stuff that are still up there, off of there from when I was replacing the roof vents. Make sure everything is hunkered down and ready to go up there. Then back inside the thing to sit there for a while and think of what I need and write it down. I have a list, but it's not finished yet and I am running out of time here!! lol
Later.
ben
I just got done reading a report on some research that said that 8.5 million adults had sleep-walked in the last year. I find it intriguing cause' as a kid, I did a whole lot of sleep walking. The report said that if a person was going to fall down some stairs or something dangerous, then yes, wake them up.
There were many times I would wake up in the basement. To get there from my bedroom, I had to walk across the house, down a flight of stairs, around a landing, down another flight of stairs, around another landing and another short set of stairs, back across the house, open the basement door, walk down yet another flight of stairs, across a 20 foot entry way and then another flight of stairs. I walked down stairs so many times without ever falling while sleep walking I guess I don't necessarily agree with that particular portion of the study.
It was strange, though. Waking up under the piano; the dinner table; the kitchen floor; in the attic; the bathroom; all over the house. Even stranger that my parents never knew I was doing it. I had to walk right past their bedroom to go anywhere from my bedroom. There are a couple of times I can remember doing the sleep walking. Your eyes are opened but honey, the lights ain't on. I remember it as if it were a dream, though, not while it was happening.
Well, whatever, speaking of sleep, I didn't do so well in that department last night and just got done with an hour nap. I am undecided on small church group tonight, if I don't wake up a bit more than what I am now by then, I probably won't go.
With that, I am out the door. I have some stuff to get done today on the trailer - namely the roof. Just need to get the old screws and stuff that are still up there, off of there from when I was replacing the roof vents. Make sure everything is hunkered down and ready to go up there. Then back inside the thing to sit there for a while and think of what I need and write it down. I have a list, but it's not finished yet and I am running out of time here!! lol
Later.
ben
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