Thursday - morning

Just didn't sleep well again. I mean, I got some sleep just not quality sleep.  

Got up a little later than normal for the early load, they don't want me there before 10 am because they need time to drain out one of the giant tanks enough to be able to accept a truckload into it.  In reality, they wouldn't have taken this load at all if they had been able to call it in in time to cancel it before they loaded me in Lufkin.  

So, the TYM dealer sent me a credit application (I asked for one). No sense in driving down there to find out potentially that I don't even qualify for a loan with whatever lender they are using.  No, I haven't filled it out yet, I just got home and I am certainly not filling it out on my iPhone.  

____

Filled out the initial prequal app and it came back saying I am prequalified. What it didn't say was for how much.  That doesn't help me and I don't want to fill out the full app without knowing first.  They do a hard credit check which shows up on your credit profile.  It's usually only 1 or 2 points, I just don't want it on there. The thing that too many credit checks in a short period of time will do is lead lenders to believe that you are desperate and really won't be able to pay back your contractual obligations.  They say credit inquiries are nominal impact, but over the years I have read enough info to assert that in reality? It can seriously ruin your chances of getting a loan for much of anything if there are too many of them on there in X amount period of time.

So I'll wait for the rep to contact me back and presumably have access to that application and tell me how much the qualification is good for.  If I drive down there and find out I can't get what I need, what is the use of it? Waste an hour driving there and back and the fuel.  Why do I want to go down there? Because I have been slowly selling myself on the idea of monthly payments in order to satisfy the need for this particular piece of machinery.  It was a want at first, now it is an absolute need.   

_________

I am approved for a zero interest loan, but only for 60 months, I am told.  And for 25 hp tractor instead of the 40 plus he was proposing.  Just depends. Does the price of the tractor come down accordingly for this 25 hp and therefore, the payments are still good regardless?  I have to fill out the full credit app to find out, apparently.  I'll think about it today while driving all over the place.

First, up to Gurdon to offload, then to ElDo to switch trailers and then back home. Because of needing to dump this trailer in ElDo, it will put me getting home at 5-6 pm instead of the 2-2:30 I normally do.  Unfortunately, the trailer must be fixed. I will not just keep pulling that thing around with the defect on it and I don't feel like waiting at a repair facility for who knows how long before they figure out all the parts they need and then actually locate those parts. Remember, these are old trailers and finding parts for them has proven difficult, as I have found out first hand. 

It can sit in their yard until it's done and anyway, I'm hoping whatever I end up with today? Will actually have air ride on it, not this spring suspension garbage.  You just get bounced around all over the place with that junk. 

I can tell ya I've fairly well sold myself on getting a tractor, btw.  As I said, it's not a want, it's an absolute need and renting one every time, having to get it, use it and turn it back in all in 24 hours gets old.  If I could just get on the thing, do what I need to do and then park it, wouldn't that be better?   I can start clearing the land that has trees growing on it again, undesireable types of trees and even if I wanted them, they are growing all over the place.  Most of them would have to be removed again regardless if I do (will, hopefully) indeed expand the operation.

An online FB group for RV park owners/managers netted me a conversation with the main competitor.  Back and forth, he is not full and apparently no where near it. Many people in that thread complained there are too many RV parks opening up - new ones - and they take away market share and are more desireable for older parks weren't built for these mammoth sized trailers they make nowadays. Way back when, trailers were what, 20-25 feet long? Now they're 42-44 feet, especially fancy 5th wheels?  Those things are literally homes on wheels. They have everything in them.  

Well, fortunately for me, I have a newer park and designed it for those rigs, so my place stays full or if partially empty, it doesn't stay that way for long. The welder vacated 2 days ago, I need that lot filled and another lot vacated yesterday. So, I have 2 lots to get refilled.  

Next lot I install may be even 5 feet longer than what I have now.  Same width tho, I can't afford to lose too much width on each space, I need X amount of lots and that doesn't happen if I give them too much space. And the further you space them apart, the more pipe and underline wire you need, making the cost that much greater.  

Anyway, it got to the discussion about these crazy farmers.  They had stayed at his place last year and he eventually booted them. I am headed the same direction with them, one more instance of them harassing anyone and they can leave.  People in the thread thought they have mental illness.  I dunno, I don't make such judgments online based on limited information and I am not a doctor or psychologist. It's amazing some of the judgments people make on line that have no expertise, skill or education of things they are making judgments about.  But, it's easy to do, I guess, sitting behind a computer or phone screen with no repercussion for your words.  Say whatever, whenever, who cares, right?

Well, it's close to departure time. I intend on arriving right at or just before 10.  I have the extra time to spend today to go to Eldo so I don't want to get there too late.  

G'day

 Wednesday - 10:00 am

Yes folks, I am just now climbing out of bed and drinking my morning coffee.  Why? Because I can, agenda for the day be - well anyway, I don't care about today's agenda I made last night.  I woke up early this morning thinking, gee, I don't have to go to work today and have worked 9 days straight.  So I went back to sleep and thought nothing of time, for once.  It helps that the kids are off at school and the house is completely quiet, the only noise was one of the cats meowing at me.  She likes me, lol, not my cat but she is currently sitting on my leg.

Will I get anything done? Likely, I just have to get moving here.  I just figured I wouldn't have another day like this where there isn't anyone home, peace and quiet and might as well take advantage of it.  They changed my schedule, tomorrow is offload day but I'm loading Friday and delivering on Saturday, so my weekend is cut in half. I still have Sunday off, I insisted on that since I worked last Sunday, but sleeping in on Sunday is not the same as sleeping in during a weekday.  

I am tempted to drive down to the tractor place, tho.  I just wonder if that's really a good idea or not.  Of course, I could always go to John Deere, which is in town....it's not like they have a bad product, it's just limited in their proprietary ownership to the point apparently aftermarket products to attach to it aren't allowed.  So, you can't buy stuff cheaper.  The backhoe attachment is 12k for a john deere, it's around 6-7k for most other brands.  The TYM tractor they want me to consider is a much higher horsepower machine than what John Deere is offering and that's one of the biggest reasons I would rather do the TYM. They also seem to have good ratings/reviews.  

I'm just going to take the trailer up to the plant, unload it and switch it out tomorrow.   That thing has been in that condition for unknown amount of time, but looking at it, obviously quite a while.  

Now then, CVSA roadside check coming next week I think.  Yes, Tuesday through Thursday.  This is where they target certain systems on trucks and do highly extensive inspections.  However, after reading their website, it almost sounds scary.  They are going to be checking everything. I mean, for the list they have on there, just how long is one of these inspections going to take?  And people with controlled substances or alcohol in their trucks best beware: they will be searching the interior of trucks for such said contraband. That is "lose your CDL" type of thing where your license is suspended for at least a year and costs a truckload of money to "repair".  

I dunno, I've checked the truck, Love's did an intensive check of the truck yesterday as well and found nothing wrong with it.  There's only so much you can do before you just have to call it good.  The brakes are good, no audible air leaks, nothing leaking underneath, tight steering, the AC doesn't work that great but that's not anything they care about.  It has 2 horns and they both work.  I mean, I could go on and on with the endless list....and it's not automatic that I'll get pulled in anywhere, it's just something to think about and prepare for. I have everything, that's all I can say about it.

Well, I think I will go to Lowe's for some supplies, get a lunch and then go to the park.  I have tent people wanting to give me money, yes, please, you owe me.  I also need to deposit a sizeable amount of money into the business checking account, it's slowly growing, the amount of money in there I mean.  It's nice that the electric bill is already paid and it's out of there.  It's just that summer electric bills are coming.....There's still money to be made, just not as much as now when there is a mostly full park and the power bills are "low" comparatively speaking.  

Well, enough.  I just realized I need to go to Kroger's and since I have the time, might as well go get my hair cut.  

G'day

Sooo.....

After fixing the brakes on the trailer myself, I headed down to Nacogdoches. After getting the trailer washed out, I was talking with the guy that does the work. He said the earlier truck had come in late, after 10:30 am. He's supposed to be at the plant in Lufkin getting loaded at 10, not showing up at the washout at 10:30. 

Upon arrival at the plant, he was still there, claiming they had made him wait and they hadn't even started loading his trailer. I was suspicious of that statement and found out the truth after he left, they loaded my trailer and I was in the control room getting paperwork. He was so late to load, the loader had started loading some of their trucks instead.  Makes perfect sense, they only have so many hours in a day.  Basically, the other driver lied about it and he apparently doesn't think I find out things. 

I am a very inquisitive person. Not to find out junk on people, I just like to ask questions.  Always have since I was a kid.  If people don't want to answer, I just back off.  

Anyway, pulling out of the loading by I saw it.  A tire bulged out well beyond the other tires.  I have a flat, I thought, without even getting out to look at it.  I don't have to, a loaded truck will give a flat tire away even in the mirror clear at the front.  I did get out to get the paperwork and took a look.  Completely separated from the rim, I had no choice but to go to Love's and get it fixed.

I was dreading that, Love's typically has a very long wait list, you can sit there for many many hours waiting for them to even get to your truck.  I lucked out today, tho, the didn't have any waiting at all and a bunch of people standing around, very bored.  The tired was repaired, good luck for the company not having to pay to replace the entire thing. 

However....the man called me over.  He pointed at a U-bolt.  The giant nuts holding it secure? Were completely loose and the mount was cracked. I wondered how long this had been like this and how many times mechanics at our shops had not seen this?  I can attest, tho, when I was underneath the thing, I looked right at it and it didn't register.  

That's because it's been like that so long, it appears normal, like it's supposed to be that way.  I didn't see the cracked mount tho, shame on me. However, I wasn't doing an inspection underneath there, I was on a mission to get the brakes adjusted and get out from underneath the thing.  I asked them if they could fix it - noooo.  I asked him for his opinion on driveability, tho I had already come to my own conclusion. He agreed with me without knowing it: It's obviously been like that a looooong time, it'll make it.  While I was underneath the trailer, I was tunnel-visioned: get these brakes done and over with.  

So, I thought nothing of it.  I want to be rid of that trailer, I hate that thing. It unloads ever so slowly and it has spring ride, not air ride. An ancient thing, it is quite bumpy because of the lack of air ride. It's old and dated.  I drove it back to my place without a second thought. It's not like it's going to break off and cause a major collision, if I thought it was going to cause danger to the public, I would have had to find - or the company would - some place there to fix it.  As I said, it's obviously been like that for a very long time. I"m dumping that trailer on Thursday. 

You say, but today is only Tuesday.  Yup, they cancelled all loads for a few days,  I don't know why. They have no choice but to deliver mine for it is loaded, but, it's not going tomorrow.  Because of that, my schedule obviously changed and they asked me if I wanted to do a Friday load/Saturday offload run? Not particularly, I thought, but I'll take it since I need the money.  

I'm done with credit cards, I don't use them now.  Okay, once in the last several months I've used one, otherwise they are off limits.   When I say "I need the money", this is one of the reasons why. I'm not getting into any more debt and have been trying to find a decent loan to pay this CC debt off for some time. With interest rates so high, that's been difficult.  

Well I take that back. I will get into more debt if I get a tractor, my statement is towards credit cards.  No tractor yet, lol. 

The tent people contacted me today, they have more money for me and also asking about the motor coach.  The motor coach is unavailable for I want to gut the thing.  I thought anyway.  I replied back that there is no way to plug it in anywhere, tho I am running a line soon that I probably could put a 3rd trailer on it back there.  You cannot stay in a coach or a trailer like that without AC running out here in the summer. It got very warm here today.  I don't know what she's doing for money, she's working somewhere or maybe giving plasma or who knows what, but she leaves most every day.  

It isn't the worst idea to let more people in it in the condition it's in - them knowing full well about it for I have told them several times and I let them go in and look.  If they can pay the lot rent every month, why not.  It would take that burden off of me.  No running water or sewer, they would have to continue to use the amenities shed.  I am considering it.  

Tomorrow would be a great day to rent that mini ex and git-er done! Excepting I have the parts to fix the riding mower and I want that thing back on line. I also want to take the 4 wheeler to a third shop that is highly acclaimed and see if they can get it running properly. It won't even start now.  It hasn't started in a while.  I need the use of that thing, I am missing it greatly. It helps me around the property with all kinds of chores.  Even these old ones are now going for thousands of dollars and I have dumped some money into it.  

The newest dude paid today.  The family of 3 hasn't paid and are now saying the house they are getting has some sort of paperwork issue. Yea, they need to pay, thanks.  They have had nothing but problems getting their own place since they moved into the park the middle of last year.  The one monther who stayed an extra week is leaving tomorrow and one of the welders left today.  I have 2 lots available right now, one for overnighters which I always keep open and one for long term.  I'll have another long term available tomorrow.  Not what I want, but it seems that people come in when you need them to.  

So, I need 2 more trailers to come in.  I think it will happen and not take too terribly long.  I get random calls out of the blue.  And usually it's people either almost there or already there.  So you just showed up? I always wonder but don't say out loud, lol. My ads do say to come by and take a look! And, I am hearing the other parks are booked as well.  I mean, totally filled up. Well, my main competitors anyway. I have thought about driving over there to take a look, but it's nothing important and is only a curiosity thing.  My competitors have such small spaces to the point they decided to combine 2 into one to give bigger lots, they were getting a lot of complaints about it including very negative Google reviews.

Did I say that the farmers with the conspiracy theories started their nonsense again today? Banged on one person's door and accused them of shooting lasers at them all night long and banged on another door and accused them of draining the oil out of his pickup to try and burn up the engine.  Yeah. They had tempered down for quite a while but I can't have these people chasing everyone out of my park. Better an empty spot than one full and the rest empty.  

Yup, the driveway is in terrible shape. It makes me want to pull the trigger on a tractor.  I might take a drive to Carthage tomorrow to look at the TYM tractors.  Of course, if I drive clear down there, it would be highly probably that I would come back after having had signed a contract.....if I look at my intended agenda tomorrow, I would be busy the entire day. I was more looking for a partial day of work and the rest taking it off and taking it easy.  

It's getting late. 

 Still Tuesday morning

I went over, fired up the truck, got the air system pressured up and then pulled off the service glad hand.  Pushing in the valve, plenty of air coming out of that.  Hooked it back up, went back to the rear of the trailer, observed where the slack adjusters were sitting, pushed both valves in, back to the rear of the trailer and saw that they had moved considerably.  

So, that means the brake system is working. What does that leave? Well, that leaves brakes that are so far out of adjustment that they aren't doing anything to stop the trailer.  Found some tools, got a piece of sheet metal to lay on, turned the bolt head to bottom out the brakes on one set.  Shocking, actually. Three full turns to bottom it out! You say, what does that mean?

It shouldn't have taken a turn, turn and a half at most - and that's for brakes out of adjustment - to get the shoes to bottom out on the brake drum.  All of them were that way.  It means that the brakes haven't been adjusted on that trailer in a very long time.  It's also out-of-service material, you get caught with them like that, they will put that trailer out of service and you will have to call a service person out there to adjust them. They won't let you do it yourself, you have to have it signed off by a certified mechanic.  

It also means these "mechanics" at the yard aren't checking anything. That trailer was sitting in that yard and was given the all green to take, that they had checked it out and everything was good to go when I picked it up.  THIS is why I checked them to begin with, I wondered if the shoddy atmosphere in this company also translates over to the equipment? Brakes are the number one thing they should be checking.  I mean, that part isn't shocking and it lends to why this company racks up so many CSA points when drivers are pulled over for random inspections.  

So whatever. I adjusted all 4 sets to half a turn and saved myself hours and hours waiting at a Love's to have them do something I can easily do myself and save myself the torture of sitting there, waiting forever.  Yes, I checked them after I was done.  I got the truck moving and pulled the trailer brake lever, the trailer brakes instantly locked up, just as they should.

I won't get paid for doing that, but I should. It's not my job as a driver to be fixing trucks, for goodness' sake.  Well it sort of is.  They certify you as a brake adjustment "pro" at the orientation.  You have to get under a truck in the pit in their shop and adjust them, then they sign off on you and you are now good to adjust them yourself. I wonder if that would translate over to Troopers giving the clear if I got caught with them that way?  I just don't believe drivers should have to be doing anything besides minor stuff to trucks, such as replacing windshield wipers or fixing broken running lights or brake lights and such.  

I never agreed to adjust the brakes.  Not in writing or verbally, I just did the training - a thing I already knew how to do anyway from my years as a truck mechanic - to make them happy. They obviously think that drivers should be getting on their backs in mud, dirt, asphalt, whatever and adjusting brakes. Not like I have a "portable pit" to take with me.  I don't own a creeper, either. I don't do work like that anymore, I have rid myself of that mentality altogether.  And yes, I am dirty, hence I came home to change plus let an hour and a half pass.  There is no reason to end up arriving at the loading plant too early, they will just make you sit there and wait, even if there are no other "outside" trucks. They'll load one of their trucks for a pre-load and screw you, basically.  So, I intend on leaving here at 10, get to the washout at 11:30 and then get to the plant around 12:30 or later.  I mean, I'd love to get there early and get loaded right away, experience shows that doesn't happen and unless a person likes to sit in a truck getting bored, might as well wait at home.

Meanwhile, one of the welders was hooked up and leaving when I arrived. He said he'd let me know, he did not. So I don't know if that means the other guy is leaving or if he's the one that was picked to stay or not.  What I do know is that both of those lots are paid up until the first and it's only the 7th.  I have plenty of time to get them rented out.  It also enables me to let a repeat customer come back for 4 days, he wanted to come in but said the system wouldn't allow him to.  Yes, after checking, because someone else had the overnight lot rented.  

However, with this dude leaving and another short term leaving tomorrow, I'll have 2 more lots to fill up and if that other welder leaves, that makes it 3.  This is why I try not to turn anyone down if I can help it.  I'll let someone come stay at the overnight lot if it facilitates getting a long term guest in there and if the lot is available long enough to have another one available when the next overnight guest is slated to show up.  Besides the overnight lot - which has people coming and going on random days - I had the entire place filled up yet again until this morning. 

The nature of the RV Park business.  

Oh, and yet another RV park has opened.  It's not terribly close to me, but it lends to the idea that the market is becoming greatly over-saturated with RV parks. They must have spent many millions on that place, looking at the pics. It's a "resort" RV park with several pools, one of which has a bar that people in the pool can come up to and order drinks.  It has a huge lake with rubber, apparently floating, play gyms on for the kids.  It has all kinds of stuff. Those parks are multi-million dollar operations and very risky in this current economic environment.  They'll have to be bringing in a truckload of money every month just to make the mortgage payment.  And I know from experience, you don't fill a place like that up overnight.

And yet another park is being built about 30 miles up highway 59 from here.  It's a pretty bad design tho.  They are cramming in the spaces and they aren't even angling them.  Unless they are going to be charging on the cheap-cheap, I don't see them as a major threat.  It's next to a safari of sorts, where you walk and drive through and see all kinds of "exotic" animals, perhaps that's what they are doing that for, try to get more business in.  

What all of this leads me up to? I need a pool.  It doesn't have to be a resort style pool, I just need something that people will say, wow! they have a pool! let's go there! even if I raise my prices to cover the costs.  So what I really need is a pool and more spaces.  We're talking a medium sized pool and it will have be approved by the county.  I have no idea what it will cost, but 70k is probably a good number to start with.  So I need around a 170k loan to add more spots and build a pool.  

That isn't a lot of money for a business loan for an already existent business that is making at least decent income in correlation to the number of spots I have.  I'm just waiting for interest rates to come down and so far, the Fed has said no, they aren't lowering the rate.  If I could get enough, also build a jacuzzi. The other option was what I mentioned a while back: an above ground pool but built partially into the ground.  I dunno how that would work for the "tackiness" gauge tho. YES, they have a pool! And get there and frown, but it's an above ground pool! Gag!  I really don't know how people feel about them, but I do know they make huge versions of them.  IT would still need a deck built around it and I'd have to have a shower (required by state) and a fence surrounding the entire setup with a keypad entry door.  So that will still cost a chunk of change.  

All I know is, if I want to stay competitive, I'm going to have to up my game.  

I'm slowly firing myself back up internally to get the motivational gears churning to try and get this thing moving along.  I need money, that's the bottom line.  I'm thinking to switch my business checking account over to a local bank and get some history going with them.  Austin bank, to be precise. There is a man there that bends over backwards to try and help people get business loans.  If I get an account there and start showing some income, that is certainly going to help.  I don't have too many auto-payments going out of it so it wouldn't be the pain it would be trying to move my personal account to another bank. 

Yes, that's a great idea and I think I will plan on doing that soon.  Very soon.

In case you haven't noticed, I haven't had a lot of motivation lately. It's 'get the minimum stuff done' and that's that.  There's a lot of "minimum stuff" to do. I just got tired of constantly going, going, going.  I am still going, just not as much as it was while building out the park and afterwards, getting stuff done. Always stuff to get done.

I need that last hurrah! to get beyond the stalling point of 16 lots and nothing more, get myself at least 30 in there, a pool and move on.  30 lots would provide around 7 to 8k per month income after taxes and expenses.  That's enough to live off of, even with paying $800 per month for health insurance coverage.  It's why I am wanting more spots, quite a bit wanting more lots.  

And with that, it's time to be out of here.  I am very happy I could fix the problem myself, regardless of grease and dirt, the time saved was the time earned.  

G'day

 Tuesday - semi early

I am getting up earlier than I need to for one purpose: get down to Lufkin and get the trailer checked out early rather than late.  I would have gotten up at my normal early load time, but then I would be arriving at the washout at the same time whoever else should be there and then....

Well, I'm not trying to cut anyone for washing out or loading.  I don't play those games.  So, I'm putting an hour and a half lag time in between to make sure that whoever is first gets their stuff done first. 

The farmer dude called 3 times this morning, missed all of those calls and finally called him back. Are you coming here in the next hour or so?  Yes, I plan on leaving at 8 so I need to leave out of here fairly soon.  Ok, well I have some news for you.  ??  Okay? was my reply.  Well I promise it won't take more than a couple of minutes.

This could be entertaining considering their past at the park lol.  We were shot with lasers full of kryptonite!  Or something surreal and completely fabricated along those lines.  Not that I don't think that they believe all of this.  I'm sure they do.  

So you tell me: Is the gag order on Trump a violation of his First amendment rights or does the court have a legitimate axe to grind with him going off as he always does?  From my perch? His 1A rights are being violated and I say this in light of the fact that they, the opposition that hates him and are involved in this nonsense, can say whatever the hell they please without any consequence.  Do I believe this judge is corrupted? I have no idea.  He is threatening jail time after once again finding him in violation of the gag order and ordering him to pay another 1k fine.  A thousand dollars is a lot of money to me, I guess to a person like Trump it is pocket change.  

I would love to see this judge throw in jail. Not because I believe Trump should be imprisoned, but to see the aftermath.  It isn't just Republicans that are seeing this trial is a politically motivated, banana republic style circus act, there have been several polls now that show even some Democrats think this trial is a bad idea.  Regardless, I think it would propel him into the White House this coming election and also would motivate the base in ways that we may not have seen any time in recent history. 

I suspect today to be a very long day.  The paycheck deposited into my checking account overnight wasn't near as bad as I thought it was going to be. In fact, it wasn't bad at all.  I looked at it a few minutes ago and wondered what a paycheck would look like with working most of the 15 days such as I am slated to do now?  It was actually refreshing to see that in there. Gave me hope that perhaps all the nonsense I have to tolerate with this job may actually be worth it.  The hours are the best thing, I am not normally working all day long, today will be one of those exceptions.

You know, a company with very old trucks and trailers that are constantly breaking down and needing attention, grumpy drivers - some of them anyway not all of them - that like to start trouble, management that doesn't communicate very well, hardly at all actually.  I often wonder why they don't just buy newer model trucks instead of having to deal with constant breakdowns. Is the money saved with this old junk really more than just having newer equipment that needs far less repairs and down time?  It's why the major trucking companies have set limits on mileage on trucks before they get rid of them and get new ones.  

This, obviously, isn't a major trucking company. I think they have something like 100 active trucks/drivers.  Definitely not huge, but not a new operation with no stake in the game, it's been around for a long time.  In their heyday they had over 300 drivers and lots of trucks.  That still isn't a huge company, not when compared to the likes of Swift, Werner, Prime, TMC, etc.  It does make me wonder if they aren't winding down the operation.  Apparently they have rejected a few attempts at a takeover, ie: large companies making offers to buy out the operation.  I can imagine KAG has tried, that's all they do, go around looking to buy small operations.  KAG is my former company and a company I wouldn't work for again for a plethora of various reasons.

KAG isn't doing so well, I have discovered from reading a Facebook page with KAG drivers end office personnel.  They are cash-starved and apparently trying to find a buyer for the entire operation.  If you wanted me to give you the biggest reason I wouldn't go back to work for them? Inward facing cameras with microphones.  After that is the constant threats from the safety department that go out to everyone.  The constant fighting over trying to get detention pay, that was an almost weekly event.  Call the manager who calls payroll to get into a battle over it.  They would almost always deny it, they would have to be sent proof - the proof is right in front of them, the apparently can't do simple math or read notations on the trip sheets.

This job I have now is my version of winding down a rather long trucking career that has seen a lot of "stuff".  There is too much to list right now, the things I don't like about the trucking industry.  Safe to say that a lot of other drivers in my age range are also quitting because of the distaste the industry is giving us.  I think a lot of it is on purpose, these giant companies are chomping at the bit to get those driverless trucks out there.  

Ummm, well, I have money to deposit into the business checking account, give me a day when I am not so terribly busy and I will get up there lol.  Tomorrow, I will have yet another space vacated and trying to fill.  And who knows when the welders are leaving, they are paid through the 1st.  3 more leaving that I know of, is what I am saying, the challenge is to fill those spots.  So, in reality, if that man that called yesterday was to show up on the 1st, I definitely should have a spot for him if/when those welders leave and those spots are paid for.  No loss there.  

I guess I best be about getting out of here.  i figure to show up at the Love's around ....10:45 am.  Long before second load but in time to hopefully wait their waiting period - usually a few hours before they can even get to you - and maybe figure out what's going on. I hope it isn't something that I have overlooked. I would feel stupid if it was something as simple as reversed air lines,, which I know it isn't, but still.  I forgot to simply pull off the lines and push in the valves to check that air is even getting to the trailer. I will do that when I get over there this morning. 

G'day

 Monday - evening

Just got back from kids baseball game.  The boy hit a single to get on first base, but that was it, the next batter up struck out. Their team did horribly against the other team and it showed on some of their faces.  Frankly, the coaching on the boy's team isn't that great.  They need to teach them the basics of baseball and there are drills and sets to perform that will do accomplish that and give them a fighting chance to win some games.  I did that stuff for 10 years and I spent a lot of time researching it.  I mean, kudos to the coaches for volunteering, but please take the time to educate yourselves on how to teach the game to young boys.  It isn't rocket science but there are methods that will get it into their brains.  

I finally contacted the head mechanic about the trailer, I don't want to keep driving it like that.  Are the brakes adjusted? ...after telling him that there is literally nothing happening when I hit the trailer brake lever.  Even if they were out of adjustment, something would happen, it would slow down at least a little bit, not just keep freely rolling.  I asked him about the main valve, that is the only thing I can see that could be doing this, it's located underneath the belly of the trailer, the air lines go in and out of a plastic setup and apparently there is some sort of valve in there. He said no, not likely. I mean, he then said, it is possible but not likely.  

Well, you tell me.  There are no air leaks when the brakes are hit or not.  To think I picked this trailer up from the shop in this condition.  If they even try to blame this on me somehow, I'm going to point out that it has apparently been this way since I got the thing. I didn't realize it because at the same time I was picking up the trailer, I was also getting into another truck. I just thought, boy, the brakes suck on this thing!  But when that trailer is loaded, I'm having to push hard and way down on the brake pedal to get the thing to stop.  

I checked everything there is to check.  He had no suggestions excepting to "bring it to the shop" or "take it somewhere".  These people don't care about your personal life, they don't care how much time it digs into your personal time to deal with this old garbage, it's rather annoying.  I just said I would take it to Love's tomorrow after loading. 

But, after thinking about it, why do that? I have the second load, I can take it to Love's before I load.  I'm just afraid Love's is going to say "it is a 3 hour wait".  And then, that they may not be able to figure out what's wrong with it. But, I am going to try at least.  I am also going to take my laptop with me this time, might as well have something to do while waiting. 

So, the dog lady moved out and now a man moved into her spot.  That's good, because I'm fixing to lose even more people.  The one month stay decided to stay an extra week, but that's up Wednesday and he said he's going to be out of there.  And then the 2, used to be 3, welders.  At least one of them has to leave, maybe both.  So, that will be as many as 3 open spots.  I did get a call today from a man saying he wants to move in - but not until the beginning of next month. Well, that's a long time from now.  I can live without the money?  I'll rent all of my lots as people call, I'm not holding the lot for him for 3 weeks and lose that income?  No thank you.  Unless no one comes in.....

I just juggle the stuff the best I can.  It's a lot of on the spot decision making.  This person wants this for x amount of time, another person wants to come in right now, do you have a spot? And I have to sit there and think about it for a minute to understand who is coming in when.  I have a lot of overnight reservations booked in the next month.  

Anyway, not looking forward to tomorrow in trying to get that trailer fixed, preparing myself for a long day.  

Yes, the tractor is still on my mind.  Every time I drive down that driveway, it is so terrible right now with potholes and washboard grooves.  I think the rain has finally stopped, but I don't have a day off for quite a while now and anyway, I need to get over to AZ. Now that I've talked to mother, this situation doesn't sound near as dire as it sounded at first.  It's not good, tho, that's for sure.  I am still going soon, just have to figure out the best time when.  

Oh, well the tractor.  I'm thinking, why can't it wait? If the monthly payment is the same as renting it for 8 hours, might as well rent one for 8 hours - well it's 8 hours of use allotted, you can have it up to 24 hours - and put that off for a while?  I'm just stuck on 7 years worth of payments.  Ouch.  At the same time, if I had a tractor, I wouldn't have to wait until I have days off to do it. Just get on the machine after work, run up and down the driveway for awhile, smooth everything out, good to go. 

And grass.  Why won't grass just start growing on the pads like it is everywhere else on the front portion of the property?  

I'm fixing to have around 6k, maybe more, in the next several days in the business account. Haven't seen that in there in a while.  This after paying all but one bill for this month, the shed which is $221.  

I feel like I am getting overwhelmed by this stuff and I just have to stop.  Stop thinking about it, stop stressing over it and just hand it over to the Lord.  That's what I would like to say anyway.  And I do. I just put it out of my mind and focus on other things until I can get back to these matters and try to get some fresh thinking about it. 

I still wonder if the IRS is going to target me for an audit. I am certainly not one of the rich people that they have flat out admitted they are going to target for increased auditing. But, who wants to get targeted by the IRS? No one, regardless of income.  I dunno, I think I have that tax return right, whether it is or isn't? Who knows. It won't be shocking to me to see them start using AI to scan every single return.  They won't need all of those people, they can program AI to scan everything in a fleeting moment.  

Should you worry about an agency that literally funds the US government?  IE: collects the money to make it run?  I dunno, what do you think?  They can put you in a world of hurt.  Hence, I have done my best to keep everything on the up and up.  I have hundreds and hundreds of paper receipts and all of it has been uploaded to quickbooks as well and categorized.  The high expenditures for supplies is what Quickbooks said might be a red flag.  Shrugs shoulders. I had a lot of expenses and I'm not going to shy away from listing them simply because the IRS might do something. I don't want that kind of encounter with them, at all, but I am not going to lose out on reducing my taxes legally, either.  

Well whatever. I don't want to get going on that either.  Not a pleasant subject, really.  I'm just gearing up for tomorrow.  And maybe longer than that, to get that trailer fixed.  

G'nite.  

 Sunday - afternoon

No church for me, but Taylor went again with one of the family friends.  I don't know what is causing her to want to go to church, but it certainly doesn't bother me.  The oldest child has been impacted by the teachings he has been subjected to - voluntarily, they don't have to go to church - and his speech is beginning to reflect it. The younger gives no sh*** about anything (this is how the parents put it and I fully agree) and then only reason he goes there is to play and get the treat at the end of the time in the kids ministry.

So, someone or more than one someone is stealing rolls of toilet paper out of the bathroom.  There are a few options here.  First off, I will start buying the cheap stuff. I was buying the stuff at Lowe's and it definitely isn't cheap.  2cd, I will just leave one or 2 rolls in there at a time and have the rest locked up in one of the outside smaller sheds.  3rd, probably a sign.  I don't want to make everyone that uses it pay for one or a few people's bs, but I am not footing the bill for external toilet paper use.  I mean, it must be more than one person? What does one person need with a dozen rolls of TP?  The sign would read something like ..if this continues, the Park will no longer supply toilet paper.  You are on your own, this is nothing the Park is required to do.

And frankly, the bathroom was built for me, not everyone else.  

The newest tent lady was in there - for several hours - but in the middle of the night. Like 2 am stuff. So, as long as the noise doesn't bother anyone else, I don't really care. 

Someone showed up at the park today wanting a spot. They were talking to the people I will start referring to as the workampers.  That is a term RV parks use for people that exchange work for free lot rent.  The lady seems to have her wits about here, the dude...well he seems to be a nice guy anyway. The lady called, telling a man was here wanting to rent a lot. Sure!  Long story short - very long story short - he is allegedly showing up tomorrow with his trailer. I have zero information on him, so, that remains to be seen.

Getting up early on a Sunday was not much fun, driving in heavy rain even less so.  All the way to the trailer washout facility.  Amazingly, as soon as the guy showed up to do the washout, the rain subsided.  And stayed away until he was done.  Over to the plant, I sat there for a while, showed up 30 minutes before my appointment time. Eventually, a man came up to the truck: someone was supposed to show up at 10 to load trucks, he isn't here. I'm a bit rusty and haven't done it in a while, but I'm going to load your truck.  Thank you!  He was off by a thousand pounds, underweight.  They didn't say they wanted to load more into the trailer so I took it and went to the fueling station. 

It was odd, however. I come up to a stop sign and had to push the brake pedal wayyyyy down to get the truck to stop.  Heavy foot on the brake pedal, what is going on here?  This happens again and I finally pulled on the Johnson bar.  I don't know what they call it now and most newer trucks aren't even equipped with them anymore, it's a lever you pull to apply the trailer brakes only.  I don't know why they got rid of them, I have found over the decades it to be a useful tool in certain situations.  In this case, I pulled the thing alllll the way down.  When you do that, the trailer brakes should be locking up the wheels.  

Instead? Absolutely nothing happened.  I tried again.  I checked the air lines.  Did someone play a trick and stick a quarter in one of the glad hands?  It would stop the air pressure from going into the line on the trailer to apply the brakes.  Careful examination of both of them revealed no blockages.  I followed the lines to the rear, looking for a potential valve somewhere that might be turned off? I have seen them on other trailers, this one doesn't have one, or if it does, it must be invisible.  

This is a head scratcher.  I got under and looked at the break shoes, they were definitely close enough to the drums that some kind of braking action would be had when the brakes are hit.  I'm completely stumped by this one, I have never had this happen before.  

Ok, doing some checking, there is a round container where the airlines all go into, apparently there is a valve in there.  I don't know what else would be causing the entire brake system on the trailer to stop working, that might be the problem. I'm not going to fix it, however, I just wanted to get an idea of what's wrong with it.  Those valves are common on trailers and should  be a simple fix for a repair facility.  

The CVSA Internation Road Check is coming up soon, I want everything working as it should.  But even if it weren't, I wouldn't want to drive this trailer around any longer without a shop fixing it.  I am not fooling with it today, it is Sunday, it is the 6th day in a row working, I am tired and I would probably get rather annoyed by having to deal with Love's personnel or whoever trying to get the thing repaired.  And, they may not have the part and if they have to get one, they probably wouldn't be able to until tomorrow.  I made it home just fine, it just takes a lot more braking action on the tractor to get it to slow down or stop. 

I think I've got 3 more days in the system for working. Tomorrow is offload - it will have to happen so it is likely to be a long day trying to get the trailer fixed and offloading - then Tuesday and Wednesday are late load/unload.  

No, folks, I haven't decided on a tractor, however...my driveway is once again totally trashed. It rained again last night, it's been raining.  If I had my own tractor, I could fix it and just fix it again if it rains some more.  There is no way I'm going to rent a tractor at over $400 to fix the thing and then have it - get screwed up by even more rain that is slated to come.  There is a definitive need for a tractor over there, that's what I can say.  I am getting closer to pulling the trigger on one.  

I wanted the payments to be around $300, looks like I'll have to bite the bullet and be more around $400 if I go through with it.  But there are other things that this could affect. Namely, getting a business loan, if I do, indeed, want to go that route.  I'm not going to discuss all of that right now, I'm too tired to think about all of that.  

I'm thinking maybe sell the SUV once I get the truck, it's worth around 6k private sale value.  Why would I want to do that? Well, to finance building more lots, of course.  

Anyway, there is nothing else today for I am not doing anything else today.  I don't feel like it, it's wet outside even if the rain has stopped and I was up in the middle of the night last night.  I mean, another early day tomorrow, it's Sunday, no good reason to do much of anything unless something comes up.

G'day

 Friday - evening

Guess it's been a couple days since updating.

Uhh, I think 2 trailers pulled out today.  I'm not sure if it's the camera or if they're gone.  

I'll take a look tomorrow.  The family was supposed to leave today, but it sort of looks like the college trailer is gone too. I don't have the camera adjusted to see that well over there, they were there earlier. Just taking a look to see if the family had left. 

I dunno, but if the place empties out, it empties out. I'll fill it back up sooner or later.

I am also losing either one or both of the remaining welders. Had a long conversation with the older guy yesterday. These are the people that have been there since shortly after the park opened last year.  Anyway, he said the work is slowing down around here and they only need one welder to stay, everyone else is going to be sent to New Mexico.  

This guy wants to stay, he likes my park and he likes the area. He said he'd tell me this weekend whatever the company decides to do.  If I lose both of them, I'll have 6 open spots all of a sudden.  It's the nature of the beast, I just will have to run ads until I get at least some of them filled back up.  

But I'm not doing that today.  I want to take some fresh pics over there after I get the big lot freshly mowed and let people see what they are potentially getting.  

Talked with mom a good while today.  I don't know that what's going on with her is an imminent death, apparently it's a "could happen anytime" type of thing but may not happen for years.  She did pop the news that she is giving her property to my oldest brother after she passes.  He bought a property near there about 7 miles away many years ago and built a cabin. I dunno what he's going to do with her property, but whatever, it makes sense that he gets it.  

She says she has everything set up so that it is fair, at least in her view and her view of it is the only view that matters when it comes to her possessions.  I wonder about my middle brother, she says he's really trying to change.  Like, a lifetime of being a total jerkoff kind of takes a while to get rid of.  But, at least he's trying. This is the one that came near death with the covid jab - read that correctly: not Covid itself, but the shot that allegedly helps stop you from getting it.  

Anyway, the tent people are starting to behave.  I had to tell them they can either abide by my rules of leave a couple of times before it got through their thick skulls that I am not playing.  You want to stay here, you are going to follow my rules.  

And I was informed that the guy that's been mowing everything made inappropriate remarks to the newest lady in the park.  Of course he did! Why would anything go smoothly? Lol.  I'll discuss that with him next time I see him, but the husband apparently had some words with him.  The husband is a young guy, beefy, doesn't appear to be the kind of person that takes a lot of ...stuff...from people.  I may not have to do anything except follow up with a conversation. I hope not.  

Work is humming along.  I'm on my third run this week, going up to Gurdon early in the morning to offload.  The load Sunday, unload Monday and I have late load on Tuesday.  The weather has been nice enough in terms of temperature that the truck with the AC problem hasn't been horrible. Not yet anyway.  

I don't know that I'm going to be able to get another septic system with this money my mother gave me.  I will have to pay some money for taxes when I go to register the truck here.  They make you pay a buyer's fee that is based on market value of the truck.  Kelley has it listed around median price of 20k in these parts.  It's a 2008 Tundra, fully loaded, the top of the line truck that was available in that model year.  It only has 55,000 miles on it.  It's in excellent condition, I think she hit the side of the garage at some point, but it's a small dent and is the only thing wrong with the exterior. The interior needs a good detail.  A lot of new/replaced stuff on it including tires.  

But, if it were just to go get the truck, that could wait.  Just want to see mom, visit friends, see my son and then go home.  I'll have to transfer the title to my name so I can get a "90 day drive out" permit, which allows you to drive it out of state to wherever you live. I dunno, hopefully I can apply for the title and get the permit right there as well?  Because I won't have a title to show them since they are going to have to process it?  I'll have to call them about that, perhaps it just requires that the title is signed over to me.  Different states, different rules.

I've made no decision on a tractor. No rush to make the wrong decision.  If I get into a contract, it is what it is.  No getting out of it, I am stuck with it for 7 years.  Hence it taking me a while to think it over, sit on it for a while, make no rush decisions.  If I don't get one after all of this rain is done and over with, I'll just go rent one to fix the driveway yet again.  

The doggie.  I've been working on getting some fat put on his skinny bones.  That dog's flesh was pulled into his ribs when I got him.  He's now starting to look healthy and normal rib cage appearance.  Still skinny, but not so bad that it looks like he's being starved.  He has so much energy, it's ridiculous. He runs around that back yard alllllll day long. Could you just transfer over a little of that energy to me? Please and thank you.

Well, it's getting late.  5:30 wake up calls via alarm going off can be ugly. I was sound asleep this morning when that thing went off and I wasn't feeling it. As in, not wanting to get up and go anywhere, much less to work.  

Oh, the farmers. They must like my place, they don't stay at any one place for long because of their fear of being shot by lasers and especially lasers with radiation.  Lol.  I ain't kicking them out for that, the only odd thing was when he confronted the regular that comes and goes with some frequency, but that guy thought it humorous.  Facing all of these people leaving? I'll definitely get another month out of them and be done with it.  I haven't heard anything from anyone about these people confronting them about lasers since that episode. 

Well, that's it for now.

 Wednesday - night

Washout was crazy, 4 trucks there. I have only seen 1 other truck there when showing up before, this time, there was 1 ahead of me and 2 showed up after.  One of them a Dana truck, I would have been there a long time if I had had to wait behind that one.  Whatever they haul in those tankers, it takes a long time to clean it out of there. 

To the plant, I was in and out of there in less than an hour.  

I noticed a low tire on the trailer so after fueling at Love's, I started looking for air hoses. Inquiring at the fuel desk, they said they only have air at the shop now, people keep running over the setup at the fuel aisle, which they had completely torn out of there. I can believe that. 

I drive over there, there is a lane created next to the shop with giant concrete blocks painted yellow. You are supposed to drive in there to air up your tires. The problem? there was one of their service trucks blocking it.  I went inside, asking about air? There is a service truck in the way. Instead of offering to move it, they commented I should park beside the yellow blocks and the air line "should be able to reach that far".  I was a bit miffed why their lazy asses couldn't move the service truck.  

Well, I did what they said and found out after trying to put air in that the air chuck was broken.  Back in the shop.  The air chuck is broken, before going into the bathroom to wash all the grease off of my hands. Back out, the person behind the counter ignored me. No, they weren't on the phone, no they weren't talking to a customer. They knew what I wanted....

So, I asked for a manager "since you apparently don't want to deal with this". She started shaking her head and asked "what am I supposed to do?".  Uhh, offer to fix the air chuck? "I have only been working here 2 days.." as if that was some sort of excuse to not do anything. Appalling service and attitude for a Love's, I asked to see the manager. "He's not here right now, he went out on a call". 

At this point, I called Love's coporate. No way will Love's tolerate that kind of nonsense.    A long story shorter, I was put on the line with a fill-in manager, the store's general manager was also out. Weird.  I explained to her what had happened, she profusely apologized, I accepted the apology and then she said she would have the GM call when that person returned to work. Thanks!  Oh, forgot to say the corporate person gave me 500 Loves points.  It's only $5 worth of merchandise, but something is better than nothing.  I was more looking for some attention to employee attitudes and told the lady that if I were to treat my customers at my RV park like that, I would not only lose customers, I would get seriously negative Google reviews. She completely agreed.

I never did fill that tire.  It's not flat, it's low.  I can fill it on the way up to Gurdon tomorrow, there  is a Cefco truck stop with air at every fuel lane and they even have gauges on them.  I just didn't feel like waiting for hours at a loves today to get the tired fixed.  

And more foolery with these tent people, the kids specifically, spending 4 straight hours in the laundry room, I contacted the mother and told her that I was done with this. Either get them out of there or y'all can leave by the end of today, I'm not going to continue to ask you to respect my wishes. This was clearly laid out to you before you came in here....after she said "I thought you said we could charge our phones?"  Yes, but it doesn't take 4 hours to charge phones.  I mean, seriously, other people want to use the facilities, my main objection to it.  

Anyway, I am going to work the rest of these loads and then I'm going to ask for probably a week off.  5 days anyway.  1 day over there, a couple days visiting, 2 days back. I could drive all the way back in one drive, but why?  Maybe drive 800 miles the first day and finish the 500 left over the next.  Yup, I'll take 6 days off.  It's just something that has to be done, versus having 5 unwanted days off that I left behind last week.  

Yikes, getting late.  

 Tuesday - night

It's been a very long day, mostly occupied with truck driving stuff.  5:30 am up, out the door at 6:15, off to Gurdon, incredibly long offload time - there is a huge air leak on the line.  I contacted the manager, the truck is done can I come get it? Absolutely.

Not that I wanted to add 3 hours to the day, but the piece of junk I have been driving - that thing needs to be retired to a junk yard or scrap metal.  It's got too many things wrong with it.  So, I got the leak taken care of (I think) on the trailer and the truck was ready, switched my stuff back to the truck and left. 

30 minutes later? Same problem with the AC. Mind you, they had that truck for a week this time.  I texted my manager, I got a call from the head mechanic.  "I replaced everything!".  But after questioning him, he did not replace everything, in fact, he didn't do what he should have done and said he was going to do, which was to tear out everything in the truck to get to the evaporator and take the thing out and inspect it.  

Instead? "I cleaned it out!".  He didn't take the thing out of there, he didn't even get at it, I don't know how he cleaned it out if he didn't get to the thing to begin with. Lame.  Lame. Lame.

That is the third time it's been in there for AC. How many times do I have to take it to the same mechanic before they say, well, we're stumped, take it somewhere else?  Now? He's going to order a new evaporator and install it "next time" I take it there.  So, I will have to through this ordeal yet again. 

I got home at 5:35.  Volunteered to take the older kid to the soccer practice, the younger was being take to his baseball game, they are at different fields at different locations.  Wolfed down some spaghetti and headed out to that.  Done, we went to the baseball game and then done with that? Home at 9:00 pm.  

Oh, the AC. Well, it works for a while, then the evaporator freezes over, then of course it stops working cause the air isn't able to blow through the evaporator, which is where your cool air is generated. I flatly told him on the phone that I wasn't fixing to go through the summer in a hot truck.  I didn't say I would quit, I won't make threats like that anymore, well, I will kind of allude to it but not say it specifically. Today I didn't say anything like that at all. But yes, I will quit a trucking job over that.  I will give them one more chance to get this fixed at their shop, after that? It's going to go to an actual AC repair shop or they can keep their truck.  They can find someone else to drive a boiling hot rig.  Good luck with that. 

If you think I'm joking or not serious or won't quit, you don't know me very well. It takes a while to move me to the Exit sign of any given company, but when I get there, I'm leaving.  It's a PITA to find and get a new job.  It's just a lot of work and I'm not really wanting to have to keep going through that.  Every trucking company has it's version of orientation, it is almost always out of state somewhere, tho usually it's not near as hellish as the orientation this company made me go through is.  

I'm too tried to do this tonight, but tomorrow I will get into my rewards and check out what flights I can get for when. Then, contact management, tell them I am going to Arizona (it will be a request but it's non-negotiable, I'm going regardless) and I will be gone probably 5 days.  Visit mom for 2 or 3 days and then drive home.  If I'm hearing this correctly, this may be the last time I will see her alive.  So yes, there is a sense of urgency about making this trip, even if at last minute.  

Today was the last day to buy a John Deere at the zero interest - well the salesman said "it may go away" to that might have been a pile of lies, who know - and the sale they were having.  The TYM isn't on sale, it's just what they charge, I would end up with about the same payment as the Deere but a lot more tractor in terms of size and horsepower.  

Who is really behind all of this rioting at these universities? That's what I want to know.  I'm watching live footage of a entire busload of people being taken to jail at Columbia University.  Why did they even wait this long?  Ridiculous nonsense. Not the first time I've watched college kids engaging in this kind of thing, it IS the first time I've seen these idiots doing it in the name of a damn terrorist group.  I watched an interview of some young lady at one of these protests with a whiny voice, "Well I don't know why I'm here protesting, but I support them". Them who?  

Yup, all over the place.  It's time to go to bed.  

 I'm going to see my mom within the next 30 days and hopefully not too late.  I dunno if she has a day, week, month, year whatever to live.  She is pushing me to come get the truck, but I think she just wants to see me, as I also want to see her.  Might be the last time I see her in this earthly realm.  She offered the truck a couple of years ago as part of my inheritance after she passes, apparently she wants to take care of that now.  I dunno, it'll be nice to have a pickup, yes, but the means of getting it means another person's demise. 

In this case, her eyesight is going out.  I had no idea, the last time we talked she said she had 20-20 vision from all the stuff the eye doctors did.  I have no idea what happened between then and now, I will just wait to ask her in person.  I just have to figure when.  I'd like to just go on Memorial Day weekend, it would be a one way ticket since I'm driving back, perhaps the ticket won't be quite as expensive?  I dunno, I think I have enough credit card points to cover airfare.  

This isn't really a good time for me in case I'm coming off any other way.  Felt like a gut punch once she started talking the way she was today. It wasn't that she was down or anything, it's just that it's obviously getting close to the end.  She didn't say that the docs gave any timeline, they just told her she needed brain surgery, the bubble would end up doing - something I guess at some point and that would be the end of it.  

My son called her today after I informed him the news of what's going on and he had a good conversation with her as well.  This isn't, however, one of those times where I can put off a visit until the next-of-never, it must happen soon, at least in my thinking.  

These trips aren't particularly expensive if I incline myself to keep it that way.  Airfare covered, I don't have hotel expenses and I don't have travel expenses in town beyond an Uber to her house from the airport and an Uber back.  

Anyway, it's getting late and I am getting up at 5:30 am so I am getting offa here. Just got back a little bit ago from soccer practice, both boys went. The younger just likes to go and find other kids to play with, the older has the practice and the coach is really trying hard to teach them the science of how to win games versus what happened last game on Saturday. They just haven't quite gotten it through their heads that you don't all just bunch up in a group where the ball is traveling, you keep yourselves spread out and once one of your team mates gets the ball, he/she can kick it across field or up ahead to someone waiting.

They just kept getting bunched up last time and the other team took advantage of it.  Now, the other team is in a youth traveling league and it's highly competitive, the kids on our team are all new to the game or maybe have a year of soccer from the last season under their belts.

Well, I just don't feel like writing right now.  

 Well.

When your mother tells you that her health is in a slide, you listen.  She is not one to complain about her ailments and health issues.  She wouldn't even say something about it unless it was something serious.

When she told me today that she is giving me the truck now and that, indeed, her health is in decline, I have no choice but to come to the conclusion that she may be in her final days among the living on this planet.  She's well up there in years.  

So, I'm planning a trip very soon back to AZ.  There is nothing else as important to me in this world than my mother.  I want to see her before she passes on.  She isn't laying on a death bed, she is home and dealing with it, but the writing is on the wall.  I will fly out there, spend a few days visiting and then drive back.  

___________

The new people decided that they were going to take half a dozen trash bags out of the shed today and have nearly used up an entire roll of paper towels. Note that a roll of paper towels in there usually last weeks if not a month, they don't get used that much.  They were also hanging out in there and that's when I said enough and contacted her about it.  They brought back the bags and left the shed post haste.  Sorry, but I gave specific instructions when they first came in and were already pushing it well beyond the line.  

I mean, I'm basically doing them a favor giving them a place to stay, quite cheap, while they figure out what they are going to do, but I have determined I am not going to let them stick around indefinitely.  

I've got one lot available atm and another coming available at the end of the week as the family of 3 have found a house to rent out and yes, they needed to get their space back. It's a pretty small trailer that they've been staying in for quite a long time now.  I don't blame them. Just makes it a challenge to get all of these spots re-rented in such a short period of time.  

I was stuck at the plant today 3-1/2 hours. They again decided to preload a truck at my appointment time.  As in, they started loading it a half hour after I arrived. There was no way to back into the bay where I load for that bay they were using blocks it.  After they finally got it loaded, they were having a problem with a valve so it was another hour plus to get that fixed and then they started loading the trailer.

I just don't appreciate this company I am working for and I've never seen a plant put their trucks ahead of outside trucks that have a set appointment time - all to preload their truck first. Like, that truck isn't even going out anywhere after they load it....

I need to make up my mind about a tractor. Do it or dump it out of my mind, it's been occupying too much space in my mind for some time now, I need to get that dealt with.  

And I don't really have anything else to say right now.  

 Monday semi-early

I do, indeed, have a run today. Well, at least until they tell me something different.  

Pro Hamas protesters around the country on our college campuses, spewing anti-Semitic filth and acting out like idiots.  Colombia university protesters want the university to "divest" from doing any business with Israel at all.  :You look at the information that is coming out now with eyewitnesses that were there when Hamas killed 1,200 innocent Israeli citizens...and raped and tortured even more.  You also find out that some of these protesters have no connection at all with the universities they are protesting at. 

Why are we negotiating with these people?  

Anyway, I don't have a lot of time here, I was writing an entry yesterday and completely spaced it.  The new tent people...the jury is still out.  I took them to the store yesterday, they were hungry, had nothing left to eat and no transportation. That is a big red flag to me.  People without transportation usually start trying to get others in the park to take them places.  My thoughts also tend to gravitate towards the possibility of theft.  I don't think the mother is a thief, the kids? Who knows.

I've been off work for 5 days and that's hopefully over for a while? Yea, who knows with this company.  If I don't get a good 8 days in a row of work going here I'm going to have to start talking again.   I was waiting this thing out to see what would happen after the pay raise.  However, the plant is up and running and loads are being picked up and delivered to it.  

I don't have to go to the washout today, hence I'm still sitting here and got up later than normal on purpose.  

I guess I best be getting out of here, tho, it's a quarter after 7 and I want to be in Lufkin at around 9:30 am. 

G'day

 Saturday - Noon

Got up late, was going to go with the folks to the soccer game but, they left far too early for me to even get going.  To the point that I got up, shaved/showered, drank coffee, went and got fuel after they left and still got there on time, lol.

I have a bit of a juggling act to accommodate for everyone, however, the next 3 day stay are tent campers with a tent "van" thing.  I am just going to put them out back - but - I am also going to warn them that it's going to be raining, if the forecast is correct, the entire time they are there.  I've camped out in the rain, it's not particularly pleasant.  Not much to do if you don't want to get soaking wet and you are likely to get wet anyway.  I'll leave that up to them.

The TYM place emailed back.  For all of that equipment it's over $500 per month.  Not even close to my intended budget.  I wrote back and told them a lessor HP tractor would work and eliminate the hoe attachment and that should bring it well down into my budget, maybe.  We'll see.  With John Deere being the only player in town, this TYM dealer is the next closest, or competing with the Kubota dealer in terms of distance which is probably a few miles further away in a different town. 

I gladly give up the convenience of having everything near you in big cities to the wonder of living out in the country, owning your own property and breathing clean, fresh air.  

It just seems to me that everyone is pretty much near everyone else - tho I will wait and see if a lower HP unit with TYM will bring down the price significantly.  The other places are quoting for much less HP and I can probably get away with it.  I just don't think it's prudent to get into such high payments at this time.  Especially with a 7 year long payment plan.  

Anyway, sitting on the sideline today with the folks, I commented on how well the goalie was doing keeping the opposing team from scoring, he was stopping everything.  I hear a voice behind me say something like "I would appreciate it if you would keep your comments to yourself, my son just started playing soccer this year and ...blah blah blah".  I had to think about that for a minute.  I didn't negatively comment on anyone, so I was at a loss.  I sat there and asked: "are you talking to me?". Yes sir.  

So, this lady's son was goalie before this latino kid took his place, the coach was moving them around a lot.  She apparently thought that I was somehow disrespecting her child that was the last goalie that was in the position.  I decided to bite my tongue rather than engage a Karen.  I made a compliment about a kid's performance and this person is addressing me about her child that had nothing to do with the conversation we were having?

And why was she sticking her nose into other people's conversations? Why was she standing directly behind me? I didn't even know she was there until she said something.  It took something for me not to say anything.  Just rude and really none of her business.  I finally said "I wasn't disparaging anyone".  She said nothing back.  I never turned to look at her, I figured that would just escalate the situation that shouldn't have started in the first place. 

The game over, I stood up and looked, she was glaring at me.  Again, better to just keep my mouth shut but I had to ask everyone else I was with if they thought I said anything disrespectful to or about any players? No, not at all.  They heard the whole thing and agreed she was out of line.  Yea, I did youth sports in the role of board member, umpire and coach, among other titles, I never once thought about talking about a kid's "bad" performance. They're out their learning, you compliment them when they do something well and try to build them up, not tear them down. That's not even in my nature, to start tearing down kids.  

I'm keeping my video recorder ready to turn on at future practices or games.  It is highly likely that someone that feels the need to interject herself like that? Will do it again, even if I"m saying nothing at all.  This is classic Karenism, regardless of skin color.  I've learned that it's better to simply call the police and let them deal with it.  Things like that can escalate quickly, I want no part of it.  Maybe if I see her again I will just offer a friendly hello and tell her how great her kid is doing and see if that helps at all. Or, just ignore her and mind my own business, as I was doing in the first place.

Whatever the case, I went over to the Park afterwards and collected rent from the new people.  Had a long conversation with them, I try to feel people out and potentially see how they are going to interact with others. They said they already had and everyone seemed like nice people. Good, that's what I like to hear.  

Noted the 4 day stay and decided to charge their card when i got home. However, the card wasn't stored in the file in such a way that I could just charge it and end of story. I had to go into the history, find where they paid and pull up the "save customer profile".  I can't do that, however, without the card holder's permission, so I emailed them and hopefully hear back soon. That, or go back and collect the money in person.

I just spaced it when I was there, I really don't feel like going back.  The entire park is currently full, but as I've been saying, there are people fixing to leave soon.  I have no idea whether the crazy farmers are staying, the dog lady moved her stuff out but her trailer is still there. Upon asking, she said she'd either have it out before rent is due or she will pay me.  Fine.  Then there is the 1 month stay, they are good until the 1st, when I expect them to be leaving, at least from what they told me when they first came in. 

Next month, I would assume the college kids are leaving.  This is why I took these people in, I know more people are on their way out and I can cover the reservations I have.  Lot 1 is now the "new" overnight space, probably the best spot in the park.  I am trying to hold it for the long time guy that wanted it but whose slide out on his new trailer isn't working.  

____________

Had to go over to the park to welcome in a lady that wanted to tent camp.

The problem?  She didn't tell me about the teenagers.  She made it sound like she just wanted to enjoy the outdoors and tent camp overnight.  She didn't have to tell me, it became obvious they are not welcome wherever they were staying - family in Louisiana - and the grandpa had brought them over and dropped them off.  I dunno.  Seem like decent people, I just didn't know we were talking a family without a father.  The kids seemed ok, but you just never know.  Could be huge troublemakers for all I know, it's hard to tell.  You can't just look at a person and say: they are trailer trash! Or, they are cool! Or whatever.  

I'll be keeping an eye on them.  The price is right at $10 per night, it's more of an offering to the community for anyone that wants to tent camp and doesn't want to travel hundreds of miles to do so than it is to really help people out.  I don't mind helping people out, as long as they are respectful of my property and everything I have there, including the RV guests.  It'll motivate me to take daily walks with the dog to check the area in the back.  I have cameras on the amenities shed, they will obviously be using that.  

One thing that won't happen is any of these people moving into my motor coach.  I have definitely determined to gut it and start over on most of it, but, I'm trying to get James to help me out. Not for free, of course, I will pay him. He has been doing his side work at the same property for months now, no idea if they are ever going to end that or if they are just going to keep using his services.  The motor coach can wait until he can get to it.  

I actually think I would end up paying more in labor to fix that thing up than the parts and supplies themselves. The AC is replaced, that's the most expensive thing on probably any RV.  

 Friday late-morning

Typical morning when there is no work.  It was, I should say, until the new guy called.  "There's nothing wrong with your park or anything." Obviously having trouble getting to the point of his call, he eventually asks if I have a jack?  Flat tire, his jack is missing out of his truck, couldn't find anyone in the park, can you help?  This guy is just starting a new job, didn't really want to have him starting out on the wrong foot so I ran over there, we got the tire off, took it to a shop, got a plug in it and he's good to go.

Then the 4 day stay called. "We're coming in today but I have a couple of questions for you". Sure. "Forecast rain the next several days, how is your drainage there?".  Obviously never been to my park before. The pads are elevated probably 6 inches off the ground.  Storm drainage is good and I only have an issue when the entrance to the pipes get clogged up. It takes 10 seconds to fix.  

In other words, no, I do not have drainage issues, well the driveway but that won't affect them or anyone else for that matter, it just makes the driveway a mess and needs attention.  Whatever.  I do what I can do, I won't fix the driveway until after all this rain is over and done with. It will stop eventually.  

After that, the next door neighbor after I got home.  Discussing a falling, dead vine. These are 2 inch thick vines and occasionally fall from the trees. After that, she was asking if I know anyone that could install electrical outlets? Sure, James can. Actually, I can, but I'm not crawling through people's roof crawl spaces running wiring, no thank you.

Now?  I dunno.  The rain stopped me from even thinking about doing the trenching for the underground line, at the same time, it's not raining!  

As for work canceling, I dunno about that either.  My plans are being delayed or even stopped by this constant work nonsense.   They give me the work, I'll do it whether I want to or not.  I don't complain about it tho I have said something about giving me late loads and now finding out they're giving those loads to the new guy. That doesn't work in my world.  The point is there are so many cancellations and I'm finding out others are not having their loads canceled. 

In other words, I'm the dude with an RV park with secondary income, my work is expendable. That's what I'm getting out of it and I'm going to have to start forcing the issue.  A pay raise is worthless if you don't have the work to turn in to be paid for.  I can't even imagine what my next check will be, abysmal I'm sure.  Like no better than what it was before the pay raise or even worse.  How does this help me? 

Constant conundrums, it seems.  Still waiting for pricing on tractors from TYM.  I dunno what to expect, I was just informed they have better pricing, more bang for your buck.  I mean, if it's the same price as everyone else but comes with more attachments, that's something to consider, attachments are expensive and I need a variety of them. 

That's it for now. I'm going to get something to eat and get some stuff done around here.

 A rep from the local TYM dealer got back to me via email, so we communicated back and forth. They are going to work up quotes for various packages and get back to me, presumably tomorrow since it's almost 8 pm already.  

5 days off work and not having worked that much the week leading up to it isn't going to play out too well on my next paycheck.  I will be forced to take an owner's draw from the business account, unfortunately. I don't want to eat into the money my mom gave me.  I haven't taken much from that account this year, however and hope to keep it down quite a bit.  

I was speaking with the new people, the man is doing all kinds of work at the park.  He was contacted by a former employer asking him when he's coming back to work? He was working a golf course in Oklahoma somewhere, they lay him and others off during the winter season.  Not much of a job if you have to go find a new one every winter, but that's just my view of it. 

They are stuck here.  They have their trailer and receive a bit of money every month from a rental house they have somewhere, or so they say.  Real nice people, the man is far from lazy, I will give them free lot rent as long as they stay if the work keeps up.  I also gave them permission to take the refrigerator out of the motorcoach if they want it.  I warned them of rats and cockroaches in the unit, but I am pretty sure it still works and yes, the inside of the thing is disgusting, sorry.  I mean, this guy is the kind of person I have been looking for and I didn't even know they were interested in working around the park until after they moved in. 

I need the help, frankly.  

___________

Interlude.  Text message informing me the washing machine won't accept quarters. That thing filled up quick!  I ran over there and emptied the bins on both machines, quite the haul.  And, finally remembered to measure the blades on the riding mower, however, I took a pic of the model number of the machine so I would get the correct parts the first time.  

Those have been ordered and here between the 28th and May 2.  It was the fastest shipping I could find for the kit, everything else was going to take even longer.  Shrugs shoulders.  It will be repaired next week providing it arrives and it's all the correct stuff.  One of the things that hooks up to the pulley on the top to make the blade turn on the bottom was broken and wasn't working at all.  The blades were completely trashed. 

I knew the blades were trashed, I didn't know why the mower wasn't cutting. Taking off that deck wasn't the easiest thing in the world but it wasn't terribly difficult either.  It's that part about laying on your side, removing the pins to drop the thing off of there.  Once you get that accomplished, it just slides right out and you can put it up on it's side to inspect the bottom.  I thought about ordering a new deck - until I saw the price tag at almost $350 and said no thanks.  We'll just hope this will do it, if there are more parts needed, then so beit.  

And another 4 night stay just booked on the second lot I am using for overnighters, coming in tomorrow.  This would be great if I could get enough business on the 2 lots to keep them overnight/short stay lots.  My daily rate is the lowest in the area.  Not by too much, but enough to attract those that are staying here for local attractions or usually, something to do with one of the 3 colleges in town. Oh. Well the second overnight lot is temporary - but if it could fill up with enough reservations I would make it permanent or at least keep it open for a few months.  

I don't like charging less, but it's the only thing that has worked to get the business in there.  My reputation is slowly growing.  I still only have 10 google reviews that, that kind of sucks.  After all of these people coming and going and a number of them saying how much they like it, it would be great if they could express that to the world and let people know it's a good overnight stop or long term location. 

I'm trying to craft a path forward here.  In regards to expanding the park. It must be done and I don't want to wait forever.  I'm 60 years old, my energy is slowly dissipating and my stamina as well.  I can still work and get stuff done on the physical labor side, but it's not the same as it was 10 years ago even.  It would have been nice to have started this endeavor 10 years ago, I would be sitting pretty right now.  

I just know that I don't have until the second of never to move along with this.  30 spots total is the next goal, maybe 45 after that.  What do I need? Money of course.  But, specifically, I need septic system.  I get another one of those in the ground and I'm going to be pushing ahead to get the rest of it done.  

I can pay cash for the septic system - if I get a tractor.  If I don't get a tractor, then it's going to be difficult but  not impossible to go ahead and get this situation rolling without getting a loan. 

I have been giving this whole thing considerable thought.  Waiting for a few years to expand is not the greatest idea.  At the rate I'm going, however, that's how long it would take to save up enough money for a sizeable down payment for the loan I would need to get this all done by a contractor versus doing it myself.  

Doing it myself means I can just do 3, 4 or 5 lots at first and then just add as I can afford it.  

It's getting late and my brain is fried right now. Far too much thinking today, lots of things came at me and it was a lot to take in.  Plus the daily grind of people wanting this and that, the new people needing a refrigerator, my mother, tractor inquiries, etc.  

 Thursday mid-morning

No point leaving here until around 10:00 am.  The load time is 1 and I can show up maybe an hour early without them getting cranky about it.  I don't need to wash out the trailer, that's already been done.  Saves me quite a bit of time, actually.  I'm hoping tomorrow they will have my truck done and I can pick it up on the way back from Gurdon.  

So, out of all the replies to my inquiry about tractors and what does anyone use for their RV park, one of them stood out after I did a little research.  I've never heard of TYM tractors and I don't really know the quality of the brand, but the pricing is definitely good.  You get far more tractor for the same price as everything else that is much smaller and limited usability comparatively speaking.  So, I put in an inquiry to the nearest dealer, which is in Carthage, some 25-30 miles away.  

The only dealer in town is John Deere and frankly, I am not hearing the greatest news about them, especially when it comes to implements and the idea you can't use aftermarket stuff on them. The guy quoted 12k for a hoe attachment which is double everything else I'm seeing online.  Double. The only upside is that they are local and any issues would be much easier to deal with in taking the thing to a local store instead of driving out of town. 

One down side to a larger tractor is that I won't be able to pull it on a trailer with my SUV. Too much weight.  I can pull the smaller ones, I know that because I have done it already with renting a tractor, a bobcat and a mini-ex at the local rental store.  It's not that I want to take the tractor anywhere, but if it needs repairs, unless TYM has mobile repair truck, I'm going to face having someone to pay someone to haul it. 

Yes, I'm still about this tractor business, it's hard to get around it.  If I had one, I could just fix the driveway right now and then come back and fix it again if the next round of rain messes it up again.  I could start dirt work on the south side of the rv park getting it leveled and cleared out.  Just before a bunch of trees grow back...

And more people are lauding the virtues of the TYM brand.  I've got my request in, they are going to call some time today.  

The lady that moved out of lot 1 and just dumped all that trash around the dumpster wants to come back for her mail.  She never sent the money she said she would for the cleanup costs. My thoughts were to send her mail back to the sender, but, I dunno. I haven't replied to her yet.  I saw her buying tacos and drinks the other day at the festival - after her claims that she's completely broke.  If you're broke, you're not going to festivals spending the money it costs on food at festivals, it's not exactly low cost eating.  It's like ballpark style pricing and it sort of set me off.  

Anyway, work called a few minutes ago and informed me my load has cancelled as well as several other loads.  I figured this would happen, I didn't figure my manager would know nothing about it.  The plant had shut down, the cleanup they were doing was extensive, the tanks were almost full when I was offloading, so yes, it's not shocking they can't take product right now.  It's just that it sort of throws my entire day off.  I would be leaving here in about 15 minutes. Now? I may just do laundry all day long, there is plenty of stuff I'd like to get washed such as bedding and dog bed and stuff like that.

Meanwhile, I called my mother after finding out my load cancelled, she had some things she wanted to tell me.  Basically, her health is starting to decline.  She's almost 90 years old.  I won't go into specific details, she wouldn't want me saying such things on the internet so I won't go there.  She's got some issues, some of them sound rather serious to me, quite serious.  She is taking it with a grain of salt. 
She's at that age, she's ready to go whenever it's time.  I understand where she's coming from but it certainly isn't easy to hear such information about your own mother. 

What's next?  I dunno.  I'm sort of sitting here taking all of this in.  I'm also listening to arguments from Trump's lawyer to the Supreme Court.  They are broadcasting it on the news, interestingly enough. This is the situation with Presidential immunity and whether it applies to Trump. Actually, the SCOTUS will have to wade into unknown waters with this hearing.  It will be interesting to see how they rule on this.  But, I don't think I've ever listened to arguments being brought before the SCOTUS.  

Trump is in New York court, where the judge there said he couldn't attend the SCOTUS hearing under threat of arrest.  Would they actually arrest a former President?  I think these leftist/activist judges would, indeed, do that.  To the point I was reading in the news yesterday that Secret Service is preparing for a potential scenario where he actually is thrown in jail and how they would handle it.  I love these leftist politicians wanting to add a bill saying that any president found guilty of a felony - or whatever the wording of it is - will lose Secret Service protection.  In other words, they want this President killed. I find no other way to interpret it, they hate Trump and if you listen to some of these people, they'd rather he be dead.  It's a pathetic view of a political opponent you don't like, kill them!  Unbelievable.  

Anyway, not to get into politics too much, but what we are witnessing now is unprecedented.  

_______

I'm off work until next week. If it wasn't slated to rain 4 out of the next 5 days, I'd be getting the tractor rental and doing the driveway.  TYM tractor called back, some person that barely speaks English wanting information and then a recorded announcement: THIS CALL IS BEING RECORDED.  No thank you. I don't know if this person is actually with TYM and why do you need to record me?  They then texted me after I told them I'm not interested in being recorded (nor was I interested in "talking" with a person whose first language is clearly not English and sounds like they are IN that other country).  I'm pretty much solidified on my views of scams being so rampant, you really have to question anyone that calls or texts you when it comes to a business soliciting you for sales/work and whether they actually represent that business or if it's something a bit on the darker side of things. 

I will call the local TYM dealer and find out about financing directly.  

I decided to start laundry, at least for now. My manager just called back, the load I was going to take tomorrow is also cancelled, I wont be working until next week.