...............was standing outside, in front of his house again this morning. I didn't even notice him until I felt the eyes on me. It's one of those involuntary things where you don't even know what's happening, you just start looking around. There he was, standing in front of his house, arms folded, glaring at me. I did not have time for his games nor did I want to partake, I got in my car and left for work. When I am out the door and getting into my car to leave for work, it's a time factor, I have to leave and I have to leave now, not 10 minutes after some sort of verbal altercation that I don't want to get into, anyway.
Later, I was speaking with Lynnette on the phone. Mark had come out of my house after taking a shower through the back door, looked up and saw him standing there. He was in my other neighbor's back yard at the part where the ground is elevated so high that you can stand on it and look over the 6 foot fence. He was peeking into my back yard. That just FUMED me, this guy is a piece of work.
So, when I came home from work today, I find an extension cord running across the street from his house to his lot. I called the city Developmental services this time, a clear code violation - it wasn't even covered up to help protect it - that will be going by the wayside, though I doubt they are going to send someone out today, who knows. In reality, it is definitely a hazard with all the kids running up and down the street here.
Onto other things. I have had 2 offers on a trailer on payments now. One I spoke about yesterday, the other is not a trailer. It is a Class A RV, 1987 vintage, 38 foot Chevy Mallard. The man claims it is in excellent condition and that everything works. Certainly, the pics make it look good - though it is a very long thing. I am not sure my mom wants something that big on her property, I would have to ask about that first.
Mom told me a bit ago - yes, another interlude in writing one of my blog entries, happens frequently - that she doesn't care how big the thing is. Her only condition is that I get along with her neighbors. I don't know her neighbors, though the last time I was up there, the guy was on a Bobcat, plowing down brush and making a lot of noise. She claims it doesn't happen that much, even when they are up there. I dunno. I simly replied I would either get along with him or I would completely ignore him. If neighbors are idiots, I just don't want to talk to them at all. Especially if they are obnoxious, arrogant, crass and mouth people such as the 350 pound man is. I don't get that those people are like that, though, after watching them, just that they make a lot of noise when that thing is operating.
I also brought up the subject of whether my middle brother would get "jealous" and if he wanted to put something up there? This is the way he operates. It's a big contest to him, if one brother does something, he must one-up them. I could care less, to be quite honest about it - he can one-up me all he wants. I just don't want problems. She clearly had not given that any thought, it had not entered her mind. She got a bit uppity about it - I just said I was bringing it up so she could have an opportunity to THINK about it in case it occurs.
The second newest tenant just brought what appears to be his girlfriend through here. Whatever. Some people tell their tenants they can't have anyone in the house, especially girl/boyfriends. I care, I don't necessarily agree with such arrangements, but I don't say anything as long as it doesn't disrupt anything else in the house. People's peace, for one thing. The girl was terrified of the dogs. Lol.
G'nite.
ben
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday 10/10/2011
Well that was interesting.
I get a lot of "I haven't even seen the guy yet" on the newest 2 tenants. One comes and goes - the other finally spent a night here last night. In fact, none of the newest round is here much. When they are, you hardly see them. Were that all tenants that I found were this way!
A Airstream Argosy, 1979 vintage. People are still in love with those old Airstreams, I have always liked them as well. I had posted yet another ad to buy a trailer on payments to see if there might be any interest. Most people are not going to get into that kind of situation with a complete stranger and understandably so.
The guy contacts me and says it's in great shape - except - the AC is broken and the bathtub is broken, both need to be replaced. Well at the right price, a person could replace that stuff and come out pretty well. I didn't figure the price was right, though. He claims it's a "steal" at $1,700.00 - I thought differently. A new AC unit runs $800 to $1,000, which doesn't include tax thank you. I don't know what a new bath tub runs, but whatever it is, highly doubtful you are going to find an exact replacement for the one in there, so not only are you going to have to buy a new one, you are going to have to modify the entire set up in there. My guess, anyway.
I was attempting to look up pricing on these old things, one person had a price at $1,500 for one of the things if it was in good condition. I guess that means everything working.
I decided no thanks unless he was willing to come down to $1,000.
Haven't heard back from him, doubt I will. If he wants to get his money out of the thing, he is going to have to fix those thing first.
There are 2 RV trailers, fifth wheels in there that I WISH I had the money for. One at $4,000, the thing is in excellent condition. The other at $3,500, it is in great condition.
Oh well. There is one thing, though, that helps my savings account out tremendously: when all 3 rooms are rented and at this time of year when electric use is going WAY down? I can save a bit more.
Umm, well time is running out. "They" are predicting highs of as high as 104 this week! I hope "they" are wrong again. The forecast changes daily, it's ridiculous.
Anyway, g'day.
ben
I get a lot of "I haven't even seen the guy yet" on the newest 2 tenants. One comes and goes - the other finally spent a night here last night. In fact, none of the newest round is here much. When they are, you hardly see them. Were that all tenants that I found were this way!
A Airstream Argosy, 1979 vintage. People are still in love with those old Airstreams, I have always liked them as well. I had posted yet another ad to buy a trailer on payments to see if there might be any interest. Most people are not going to get into that kind of situation with a complete stranger and understandably so.
The guy contacts me and says it's in great shape - except - the AC is broken and the bathtub is broken, both need to be replaced. Well at the right price, a person could replace that stuff and come out pretty well. I didn't figure the price was right, though. He claims it's a "steal" at $1,700.00 - I thought differently. A new AC unit runs $800 to $1,000, which doesn't include tax thank you. I don't know what a new bath tub runs, but whatever it is, highly doubtful you are going to find an exact replacement for the one in there, so not only are you going to have to buy a new one, you are going to have to modify the entire set up in there. My guess, anyway.
I was attempting to look up pricing on these old things, one person had a price at $1,500 for one of the things if it was in good condition. I guess that means everything working.
I decided no thanks unless he was willing to come down to $1,000.
Haven't heard back from him, doubt I will. If he wants to get his money out of the thing, he is going to have to fix those thing first.
There are 2 RV trailers, fifth wheels in there that I WISH I had the money for. One at $4,000, the thing is in excellent condition. The other at $3,500, it is in great condition.
Oh well. There is one thing, though, that helps my savings account out tremendously: when all 3 rooms are rented and at this time of year when electric use is going WAY down? I can save a bit more.
Umm, well time is running out. "They" are predicting highs of as high as 104 this week! I hope "they" are wrong again. The forecast changes daily, it's ridiculous.
Anyway, g'day.
ben
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Church
Church today was a bit more than I expected.
The Lord has been speaking to my inner man for 2 weeks about a certain thing and the sermon? Was the exact same thing that has been running through my head.
I suppose I shouldn't be shocked that the Lord would confirm His message to me through an entire sermon that was geared that way - I haven't been to church since 3 Sundays ago.
I went up front after the message was delivered because the offer to come up front was worded - the way that I had pretty-much heard it worded when the Lord was speaking earlier this week - or before I even went to church today, for that matter. . After we prayed, talked for a second, hugged (yes, Christians still hug each other regardless of genders or whether it's the same gender hugging, there is absolutely nothing sexual or sensual about it, thank you), I was walked back to my seat, actually I was ready to leave. The pastor called me back up and asked if we could go to lunch together here and there and try to establish a bit closer relationship.
In the world of Christiandom and the church, I am no-one and nothing, yet I have always somehow forged relationships - usually very close relationships after time has passed - with the pastors of the churches I have attended. Whatever the case, I certainly don't regret going today.
Got home and - went outside to do a bit more cleanup out front. An hour's worth and I am done with that for the day. Or not - who knows, maybe sunset will loom and I will go out and do a bit more.
Well that's it. I don't really feel like doing into anything else.
The Lord has been speaking to my inner man for 2 weeks about a certain thing and the sermon? Was the exact same thing that has been running through my head.
I suppose I shouldn't be shocked that the Lord would confirm His message to me through an entire sermon that was geared that way - I haven't been to church since 3 Sundays ago.
I went up front after the message was delivered because the offer to come up front was worded - the way that I had pretty-much heard it worded when the Lord was speaking earlier this week - or before I even went to church today, for that matter. . After we prayed, talked for a second, hugged (yes, Christians still hug each other regardless of genders or whether it's the same gender hugging, there is absolutely nothing sexual or sensual about it, thank you), I was walked back to my seat, actually I was ready to leave. The pastor called me back up and asked if we could go to lunch together here and there and try to establish a bit closer relationship.
In the world of Christiandom and the church, I am no-one and nothing, yet I have always somehow forged relationships - usually very close relationships after time has passed - with the pastors of the churches I have attended. Whatever the case, I certainly don't regret going today.
Got home and - went outside to do a bit more cleanup out front. An hour's worth and I am done with that for the day. Or not - who knows, maybe sunset will loom and I will go out and do a bit more.
Well that's it. I don't really feel like doing into anything else.
Sunday 10/9/2011
Well, I am planning on going to church this morning. Guess I better get busy about that pretty soon, cause' it's 10 after 9 and church starts in 50 minutes. Fortunately, church is less than 10 minute drive away. I don't really feel like going, but that's true at least half of the time I am headed there anyway, so nothing new.
So, church this morning and then this afternoon probably at least a little time spent outside fooling with landscaping issues.
I continue to torture myself by looking at all the nice Travel Trailers for sale. Lol.
I wonder, though, if by the time 2012 gets here and I potentially have the money saved up to by one, if I won't just let that savings sit there. I am curious about these ever-increasing predictions that we are going to fall into another recession coming 2012.
It might be prudent to go into such with some kind of savings versus having spent it all on a trailer that - I want but definitely do not NEED.
Gotta start getting ready for church.
G'day.
ben
So, church this morning and then this afternoon probably at least a little time spent outside fooling with landscaping issues.
I continue to torture myself by looking at all the nice Travel Trailers for sale. Lol.
I wonder, though, if by the time 2012 gets here and I potentially have the money saved up to by one, if I won't just let that savings sit there. I am curious about these ever-increasing predictions that we are going to fall into another recession coming 2012.
It might be prudent to go into such with some kind of savings versus having spent it all on a trailer that - I want but definitely do not NEED.
Gotta start getting ready for church.
G'day.
ben
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Saturday 10/8/2011
Well, I couldn't resist. I went out there this morning and started in on all of it. 2 of the grass plants that were overgrown - I cut well back and down. I need to "groom" them to make them look a little better, but it isn't the mess that it was. I also started in on the area where the cats have basically killed off 2/3rd's of my ground covering plants. Pretty much a pain, to be honest. The dead plants and the live portions are all on the same - system I guess you call it - separating them wasn't any easy task.
I got about 2/3rd's of that done and then called it quits. Ran out of energy is mainly the reason why. The 350 pound man wasn't out there but the meth head was. I kept to myself, minding my own business and enjoying the cool weather. If he were to start in on me again, I figured, I would call the police. This time, daddy would be home when they would go down there pounding on his door and daddy wouldn't be too happy about that, at all.
I should have taken my camera out there as backup, but I totally forgot about it. I am going back out in a while to trim back a large, 8 foot tall bush that has overgrown onto the pathway that leads to the other gate. I don't really want to cut it back that much, but, it's in the way and I have no choice. I also cut off a large branch off of one of the naturally growing desert trees. It became obvious that as that tree continues to grow - along with that errant branch - that branch would get heavier and heavier. A good wind storm would eventually rip it off of there and probably take out the entire tree with it. I like that tree and would rather not see it come collapsing down.
I have a LOT to do out there, is what this morning's activities reinforced. No biggies, though, just do an hour here, a couple there and eventually it will all be done.
I caught a black cat last night. No idea whose it is, but in this neighborhood, 80% chance it's a feral cat. I decided not to do anything with it. Just leave it in there for the day and then release it. City ordinances say I can hold it for 24 hours in a cage. I figure maybe if I keep it in there for a while, it will come to dislike my property greatly. It has already been let out. I figured it was in there a good 12 hours, long enough.
So, interlude. I went back out front to cut back the shrubs. 350 pound man shows up in his car, parks in front of "his" property across the street, but doesn't get out of the car. He has limo tint windows, I can't see through them so I can't tell what he is doing. There isn't any reason for him to be parked there since his house is 2 houses down on the other side of the street. I was curious if his mother might be in there. I looked at the car and then - I completely ignored it and went about my business.
__________________________________________
Long interval. Trailer tenants must have gotten their food stamps. They made a huge meal including T-Bone steak; potato salad; Texas Toast; and beans. Yes, they brought me in a huge dish loaded with the stuff, very good.
I was out front again. I sat down in my chair and took the front yard in - after doing some more trim work. After I get the clean job done, I am going to change the appearance of the front yard. First, I think I am going to get rid of the grass plants that Mary put in. I didn't like them when she put them in, I don't really like them now. I also decided to create a completely different effect and will do so by using some of the 5 tons of landscaping rock I had delivered 2 or 3 weeks ago and have done nothing with yet. I have cut the ground covering plants back drastically. Mostly because they were dead, but I also cut them back far enough to reveal a small, rock border that Mary had created. Mary did good work out there regardless of her drug habit. So, I will not only finish uncovering that rock border, I am going to extend it. I also need to bring out some more dirt and finish shoring up the small pond. After seeing the fish thrive this summer in that thing - that water got pretty warm - I decided it can become a permanent part of the visual out there.
When I am done - which will take some time to say the least - it will have a much cleaner, sharper look to it out there. Some plants needs to go, others just need to be trimmed down quite a lot. It isn't just something to do, it is something that needs to be done.
The side of the house doesn't need as much change, it just needs the plastic put down and the rock hauled over there and dumped on top of it. The plants are mostly doing well and once that is done, again, a sharp, nice look to it.
I've missed 2 Sundays in a row now. I don't go to church sick. Perhaps I should and get prayed over, but I dislike the idea of giving everyone else my sickness so I don't do it. Last Sunday I felt so miserably bad that there was no way I was going to to church or much of anywhere else for that matter. Well, they sent me a post card.
My dad just wrote. He has moved back to Sierra Vista. In my view of it, they should have never left. His wife owns the house, outright. It sits on a golf course. It has beautiful views. They can hire people to come in an do whatever they need done around the house for FAR cheaper than paying to live at an assisted living center. I have been filling his head up with that idea for quite a while now. They already have a great lawn maintenance family - it is literally an entire family from little kids to the parents - that comes and does everything that needs to be done outside. If they needed help inside, there are PLENTY of licensed, bonded and insured companies that do whatever housecleaning that need be done. They pretty much eat out a lot anyway, so cooking isn't really a big issue.
He is obviously upset, however, that he couldn't find a place to fit me in. I had offered to come down for a visit to his Tucson place numerous times - it's I-10 all the way there and most of it is 75mph speed limit. Now he's asking if Caleb and I can come for Thanksgiving. I seriously doubt Caleb will be able to do that. His work schedule is now up to almost 40 hours per week and it's pretty much the schedule that no-one on earth wants. I am sure that newbie cashiers are going to get the junk schedule until they get some seniority going. It wouldn't surprise me if they have him working on Thanksgiving Day. It wouldn't surprise me, either, if they have him working Christmas Day, if Albertson's is open Christmas Day (which I hope it is not, I would be happy if all of these stores would just shut down like they used to in the "old days" for the day and be happy that their employees get to go home and spend some time with family and friends). Whatever the case, he doesn't complain at all and pretty soon he is going to start getting substantially larger paychecks than he is used to getting.
Which should be interesting as well.
But I will hold my comment concerning that - for now.
G'day.
ben
I got about 2/3rd's of that done and then called it quits. Ran out of energy is mainly the reason why. The 350 pound man wasn't out there but the meth head was. I kept to myself, minding my own business and enjoying the cool weather. If he were to start in on me again, I figured, I would call the police. This time, daddy would be home when they would go down there pounding on his door and daddy wouldn't be too happy about that, at all.
I should have taken my camera out there as backup, but I totally forgot about it. I am going back out in a while to trim back a large, 8 foot tall bush that has overgrown onto the pathway that leads to the other gate. I don't really want to cut it back that much, but, it's in the way and I have no choice. I also cut off a large branch off of one of the naturally growing desert trees. It became obvious that as that tree continues to grow - along with that errant branch - that branch would get heavier and heavier. A good wind storm would eventually rip it off of there and probably take out the entire tree with it. I like that tree and would rather not see it come collapsing down.
I have a LOT to do out there, is what this morning's activities reinforced. No biggies, though, just do an hour here, a couple there and eventually it will all be done.
I caught a black cat last night. No idea whose it is, but in this neighborhood, 80% chance it's a feral cat. I decided not to do anything with it. Just leave it in there for the day and then release it. City ordinances say I can hold it for 24 hours in a cage. I figure maybe if I keep it in there for a while, it will come to dislike my property greatly. It has already been let out. I figured it was in there a good 12 hours, long enough.
So, interlude. I went back out front to cut back the shrubs. 350 pound man shows up in his car, parks in front of "his" property across the street, but doesn't get out of the car. He has limo tint windows, I can't see through them so I can't tell what he is doing. There isn't any reason for him to be parked there since his house is 2 houses down on the other side of the street. I was curious if his mother might be in there. I looked at the car and then - I completely ignored it and went about my business.
__________________________________________
Long interval. Trailer tenants must have gotten their food stamps. They made a huge meal including T-Bone steak; potato salad; Texas Toast; and beans. Yes, they brought me in a huge dish loaded with the stuff, very good.
I was out front again. I sat down in my chair and took the front yard in - after doing some more trim work. After I get the clean job done, I am going to change the appearance of the front yard. First, I think I am going to get rid of the grass plants that Mary put in. I didn't like them when she put them in, I don't really like them now. I also decided to create a completely different effect and will do so by using some of the 5 tons of landscaping rock I had delivered 2 or 3 weeks ago and have done nothing with yet. I have cut the ground covering plants back drastically. Mostly because they were dead, but I also cut them back far enough to reveal a small, rock border that Mary had created. Mary did good work out there regardless of her drug habit. So, I will not only finish uncovering that rock border, I am going to extend it. I also need to bring out some more dirt and finish shoring up the small pond. After seeing the fish thrive this summer in that thing - that water got pretty warm - I decided it can become a permanent part of the visual out there.
When I am done - which will take some time to say the least - it will have a much cleaner, sharper look to it out there. Some plants needs to go, others just need to be trimmed down quite a lot. It isn't just something to do, it is something that needs to be done.
The side of the house doesn't need as much change, it just needs the plastic put down and the rock hauled over there and dumped on top of it. The plants are mostly doing well and once that is done, again, a sharp, nice look to it.
I've missed 2 Sundays in a row now. I don't go to church sick. Perhaps I should and get prayed over, but I dislike the idea of giving everyone else my sickness so I don't do it. Last Sunday I felt so miserably bad that there was no way I was going to to church or much of anywhere else for that matter. Well, they sent me a post card.
My dad just wrote. He has moved back to Sierra Vista. In my view of it, they should have never left. His wife owns the house, outright. It sits on a golf course. It has beautiful views. They can hire people to come in an do whatever they need done around the house for FAR cheaper than paying to live at an assisted living center. I have been filling his head up with that idea for quite a while now. They already have a great lawn maintenance family - it is literally an entire family from little kids to the parents - that comes and does everything that needs to be done outside. If they needed help inside, there are PLENTY of licensed, bonded and insured companies that do whatever housecleaning that need be done. They pretty much eat out a lot anyway, so cooking isn't really a big issue.
He is obviously upset, however, that he couldn't find a place to fit me in. I had offered to come down for a visit to his Tucson place numerous times - it's I-10 all the way there and most of it is 75mph speed limit. Now he's asking if Caleb and I can come for Thanksgiving. I seriously doubt Caleb will be able to do that. His work schedule is now up to almost 40 hours per week and it's pretty much the schedule that no-one on earth wants. I am sure that newbie cashiers are going to get the junk schedule until they get some seniority going. It wouldn't surprise me if they have him working on Thanksgiving Day. It wouldn't surprise me, either, if they have him working Christmas Day, if Albertson's is open Christmas Day (which I hope it is not, I would be happy if all of these stores would just shut down like they used to in the "old days" for the day and be happy that their employees get to go home and spend some time with family and friends). Whatever the case, he doesn't complain at all and pretty soon he is going to start getting substantially larger paychecks than he is used to getting.
Which should be interesting as well.
But I will hold my comment concerning that - for now.
G'day.
ben
Friday, October 7, 2011
Friday 10/7/2011
I walked out the back door yesterday morning, along side the property bidding my adioses to my dogs as I was walking towards the gate. They kinda follow me the whole way. Went through the gate, was opening my car when who shows up. The neighbor with the "lost" cat. It was 5:30am, I was in NO mood to listen to him mouthing off.
"What'd you do with my cat?" I didn't answer him, instead told him to bug off. "Where's my cat?" Again, told him to piss off. He has been on my bad side ever since he threatened to have me killed and I will not speak to him in any sense of the word "conversation". I will tell him exactly how I feel about him; I will tell him to leave me alone. I will tell him if he doesn't leave me alone, I am going to call the police, but I am NOT getting into any kind of discussion with him.
I got into my car and he flipped me the birdie. It was surprising to see him out there that early, even more so that he appeared out of the dark. He had been sitting on a chair in the middle of my next door neighbor's lot, either waiting for his kitty to show up or waiting for me to come out - or both.
Twice during the work day, I get a phone call from home declaring this guy is getting into everyone's face that lives here asking about the cat. When I got home, well, he wasn't anywhere to be seen. I was ready to simply call the police, yet again. I'm going to have to carry my camera around with me, apparently, while doing anything outside to catch this nonsense on camera, if at all possible.
I am finally starting to feel better, though I have a lingering problem that I don't care to discuss online - or with anyone for that matter - aftermath of illness or side effects of the drugs, I am not sure which. Regardless, if I feel this good tomorrow, I might do some light duty work outside just to get a start on it. Or not. Perhaps the best idea is to just rest and get all better. Guess I'll make that decision when tomorrow comes.
Feeling rather crappy this week and still ended up with almost 5 hours OT. Didn't really want to do that, but I'm at work, I have to do whatever comes along including staying over if necessary.
Got home from work today, nothing. Neither one of the two neighborhood trolls were out there. The 47 year old homeless methhead was out there working away. I won't say the guy won't work, just that he apparently can't get off the drugs long enough to keep a job.
Whatever the case, the other room is rented and the man has already moved in. I had numerous female respondents to my latest room rental ad, but I figured I better just stick with the guys considering the abysmal history I have with ladies in this house. A few good ones, the rest prostitutes or meth heads. What, is this neighborhood a magnet for meth users? This guy is a professional businessman - which made me wonder why he would want to rent a third bedroom in a house full of renters - excepting his work is 1-1/2 miles away.
Did I mention I went to bed at 7:00 pm last night? I actually got 8 hours of sleep - I was in bed 10 hours.
Did I also mention that I weighed myself today and it was at 189 pounds? I haven't even been trying to diet in the last week and a half or so - when I get sick I just eat whatever's available. Now that I think about it, that's been a lot of soup. Soup diet, there ya go. I haven't been below 190 in a long time now.
I have some things to get done, done with this one.
Later.
ben
"What'd you do with my cat?" I didn't answer him, instead told him to bug off. "Where's my cat?" Again, told him to piss off. He has been on my bad side ever since he threatened to have me killed and I will not speak to him in any sense of the word "conversation". I will tell him exactly how I feel about him; I will tell him to leave me alone. I will tell him if he doesn't leave me alone, I am going to call the police, but I am NOT getting into any kind of discussion with him.
I got into my car and he flipped me the birdie. It was surprising to see him out there that early, even more so that he appeared out of the dark. He had been sitting on a chair in the middle of my next door neighbor's lot, either waiting for his kitty to show up or waiting for me to come out - or both.
Twice during the work day, I get a phone call from home declaring this guy is getting into everyone's face that lives here asking about the cat. When I got home, well, he wasn't anywhere to be seen. I was ready to simply call the police, yet again. I'm going to have to carry my camera around with me, apparently, while doing anything outside to catch this nonsense on camera, if at all possible.
I am finally starting to feel better, though I have a lingering problem that I don't care to discuss online - or with anyone for that matter - aftermath of illness or side effects of the drugs, I am not sure which. Regardless, if I feel this good tomorrow, I might do some light duty work outside just to get a start on it. Or not. Perhaps the best idea is to just rest and get all better. Guess I'll make that decision when tomorrow comes.
Feeling rather crappy this week and still ended up with almost 5 hours OT. Didn't really want to do that, but I'm at work, I have to do whatever comes along including staying over if necessary.
Got home from work today, nothing. Neither one of the two neighborhood trolls were out there. The 47 year old homeless methhead was out there working away. I won't say the guy won't work, just that he apparently can't get off the drugs long enough to keep a job.
Whatever the case, the other room is rented and the man has already moved in. I had numerous female respondents to my latest room rental ad, but I figured I better just stick with the guys considering the abysmal history I have with ladies in this house. A few good ones, the rest prostitutes or meth heads. What, is this neighborhood a magnet for meth users? This guy is a professional businessman - which made me wonder why he would want to rent a third bedroom in a house full of renters - excepting his work is 1-1/2 miles away.
Did I mention I went to bed at 7:00 pm last night? I actually got 8 hours of sleep - I was in bed 10 hours.
Did I also mention that I weighed myself today and it was at 189 pounds? I haven't even been trying to diet in the last week and a half or so - when I get sick I just eat whatever's available. Now that I think about it, that's been a lot of soup. Soup diet, there ya go. I haven't been below 190 in a long time now.
I have some things to get done, done with this one.
Later.
ben
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Thursday 10/6/2011
It dawned on me this morning that 350lb man is going to try and have a 2 story house built directly across the street from me. If he were inclined to do that, it would mean completely blocking out my view of Camelback mountain, amongst other things. Not to mention the idea of him sitting up there, snooping on everyone. That's what got me going this morning, the thought of this guy being able to look down into other people's yards, including mine. This also includes the idea that my neighbor says he has listening and viewing devices he is already using to snoop on people.
I really do NOT want this "person" living directly across the street from me. Anyway, if a "zoning variance" sign shows up at the end of the street,I will be at that meeting, with pictures. I have lived here 8 years, it is zoned a single level community, there is no good reason to allow a giant box to be built that will stand out. We already HAVE one of those and it is butt-ugly.
Regardless, I didn't know that the first feline that I would catch would happen to be, apparently, his. It wouldn't shock me that if I try to catch a second one, it will also be his. That one - the second one I want - is the most destructive friggin' thing ever.
Besides this man threatening to have me killed, I will never forget his and my other neighbor's reaction when I confronted them on their cats coming onto my yard. They just shrugged their shoulders, they couldn't have cared less. They made no bones about the fact that their cats are running around at night, doing whatever they are doing and that I should just "shoo" them off my property. Yeah. I just have all night long to sit around and shoo cats away. THAT was a brilliant idea whose demise was immediate. I stood there, incredulous at their brazen attitudes about it. It was MY problem, apparently, I would have to figure out how to deal with it.
Yes, and indeed I have. I asked them at the time how they would feel if I brought my Great Danes over to s*** on their driveway. Of course they wouldn't like that, but it didn't phase them one bit.
Antibiotics and I don't really get along that well. They do their job, yes, but they also mess with my guts. Get a nice stoppage going for 3 or 4 days and see how that feels, lol. Thursday - 2 more work days and I can take another weekend off from doing anything. Which sucks because the weather has finally cooled and it's time to get out there and get the stuff done around the house with the landscaping that needs to be done. Oh well. I'll take getting better over that any day, though I actually enjoy that kind of work - as long as it isn't 225 degrees outside and my flesh isn't peeling off for the heat.
Heavy workload at work today. I already know, the system was full of stuff to do yesterday when I was leaving work. Not really into it today, but there is nothing I can do about it. My coughing, at least, has slowed down quite a lot and I am definitely come out of this - but certainly far from 100%.
G'day.
ben
I really do NOT want this "person" living directly across the street from me. Anyway, if a "zoning variance" sign shows up at the end of the street,I will be at that meeting, with pictures. I have lived here 8 years, it is zoned a single level community, there is no good reason to allow a giant box to be built that will stand out. We already HAVE one of those and it is butt-ugly.
Regardless, I didn't know that the first feline that I would catch would happen to be, apparently, his. It wouldn't shock me that if I try to catch a second one, it will also be his. That one - the second one I want - is the most destructive friggin' thing ever.
Besides this man threatening to have me killed, I will never forget his and my other neighbor's reaction when I confronted them on their cats coming onto my yard. They just shrugged their shoulders, they couldn't have cared less. They made no bones about the fact that their cats are running around at night, doing whatever they are doing and that I should just "shoo" them off my property. Yeah. I just have all night long to sit around and shoo cats away. THAT was a brilliant idea whose demise was immediate. I stood there, incredulous at their brazen attitudes about it. It was MY problem, apparently, I would have to figure out how to deal with it.
Yes, and indeed I have. I asked them at the time how they would feel if I brought my Great Danes over to s*** on their driveway. Of course they wouldn't like that, but it didn't phase them one bit.
Antibiotics and I don't really get along that well. They do their job, yes, but they also mess with my guts. Get a nice stoppage going for 3 or 4 days and see how that feels, lol. Thursday - 2 more work days and I can take another weekend off from doing anything. Which sucks because the weather has finally cooled and it's time to get out there and get the stuff done around the house with the landscaping that needs to be done. Oh well. I'll take getting better over that any day, though I actually enjoy that kind of work - as long as it isn't 225 degrees outside and my flesh isn't peeling off for the heat.
Heavy workload at work today. I already know, the system was full of stuff to do yesterday when I was leaving work. Not really into it today, but there is nothing I can do about it. My coughing, at least, has slowed down quite a lot and I am definitely come out of this - but certainly far from 100%.
G'day.
ben
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Wednesday 10/5/2011
I almost forgot an old credit card payment. The card was shut off a few years ago - allegedly at my request (it was not, but I no longer wanted the thing anyway, the real situation is the company apparently went bankrupt). This card has the worst fees of any card I have seen out there. I have been attempting to pay it down to zero for some time. Miss a payment by ten second? $40 fee. $7 fee per month to have the card, though that is cancelled since I can't use it any longer. I've got it down to the $300 range and fighting to get it down to zero. I say I almost forgot about it - if you want to pay that card online, better get to it 2 days before the payment is due, cause' if you try to pay it the day before or the day it is due online? It won't post until the day after, stinging you with yet another $40 fee. I don't know what the interest rate is, but it must be astronomical considering the amount charged every month.
Well anyway. I was going to put the cat trap out last night. It started raining - really hard - last night but then it stopped. So, I was heading out to the car to get the trap and lo and behold, it started raining again. I didn't figure cats are too receptive to being out in the rain, I didn't want to waste a can of tuna fish, so, put it off til' tonight.
But I am gung-ho into this now. Just like when I moved on to this property some 8 years ago and there were approximately 25 cats living underneath my old house. I got rid of all of them - ben's relocation campaign. Didn't kill or harm a single one of them, they were are let loose at different locations - far from my house - they were gone, permanently. The county wants over $100 to turn in a feral cat. That's right, if you have a cat - or cats - living on your property that aren't yours and you don't want, they want to charge you around $100 to turn it in.
Fortunately, the Phoenix police department said I could catch all of them and "relocate" them as long as they don't have ID on them.
So that's that.
I am only beginning to start feeling slightly better. I wake up all night long - have been for about a week now - which makes me really tired at work. I get the work done, but around 1:00 pm - I am ready to go home even though it's an hour before quitting time.
I have been looking at travel trailers on Craigslist - NOW is the time to buy! Too bad I don't have the money now! There are some great deals out there. Nice units even IF older going pretty cheap. The only ones that don't interest me are the ads that say they replaced "everything but the refrigerator, which needs replaced". If you have any idea how much a travel trailer type of refrigerator costs that works on propane, electric and DC? You get the idea.
Anyway, time to be off to work.
ben
Well anyway. I was going to put the cat trap out last night. It started raining - really hard - last night but then it stopped. So, I was heading out to the car to get the trap and lo and behold, it started raining again. I didn't figure cats are too receptive to being out in the rain, I didn't want to waste a can of tuna fish, so, put it off til' tonight.
But I am gung-ho into this now. Just like when I moved on to this property some 8 years ago and there were approximately 25 cats living underneath my old house. I got rid of all of them - ben's relocation campaign. Didn't kill or harm a single one of them, they were are let loose at different locations - far from my house - they were gone, permanently. The county wants over $100 to turn in a feral cat. That's right, if you have a cat - or cats - living on your property that aren't yours and you don't want, they want to charge you around $100 to turn it in.
Fortunately, the Phoenix police department said I could catch all of them and "relocate" them as long as they don't have ID on them.
So that's that.
I am only beginning to start feeling slightly better. I wake up all night long - have been for about a week now - which makes me really tired at work. I get the work done, but around 1:00 pm - I am ready to go home even though it's an hour before quitting time.
I have been looking at travel trailers on Craigslist - NOW is the time to buy! Too bad I don't have the money now! There are some great deals out there. Nice units even IF older going pretty cheap. The only ones that don't interest me are the ads that say they replaced "everything but the refrigerator, which needs replaced". If you have any idea how much a travel trailer type of refrigerator costs that works on propane, electric and DC? You get the idea.
Anyway, time to be off to work.
ben
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
If.....
..........one were to ponder the issues of life long enough, one would start getting one's self depressed. Or so I imagine. Instead, I tend to linger on the goals I have set for myself.......and the Lord.
So my current goal, which is probably going to take a while to realize, is to get another travel trailer. I know, I have already discussed this a bit on this blog. Oh well. It's on my mind is all I can say.
The only thing that would really set this off is another recession. The talk about another recession in 2012 is growing and and growing amongst the so-called experts. Are they really experts? I dunno, but they are out there, they are in the news and they are talking. A recession would mean that any savings I have would be clung to like glue on paper.
If you listen to the experts that are really on the extreme end of things, you'd better prepare yourself to fend for yourself. Food will be extremely expensive and not that much of it around. People will be getting desperate and will be contemplating doing things - think: crime - that they otherwise never would have thought of before. Get yourself armed, get yourself a big garden growing and get your food reserves stocked up.
Hmmm, well I did get the guns, but not because of these statements. I don't have a lot of food stocked up right now, I have let that supply dwindle down. I mean, I have a month and a half or so worth, not as much as I had before and I sorta stopped collecting it. Lots of things I COULD do, but are they prudent and necessary? I have no clue. My company seems to believe they are girded up for any looming recession. It released several videos as of this morning about last year's performance, the numbers, 2012 and yes, answering questions about a potential, looming recession.
It's nice to know that the leadership in the company you work for has confidence that they are sitting tight and pretty and ready for whatever may come. In the product my company sells, there are certain entities that will not stop buying the stuff, namely municipalities (cities). If they stop buying, then we are in serious trouble. A city that isn't repairing or replacing broken fire hydrants is probably a city that is - bankrupt, actually. Other markets, though, could definitely dry up.
I dunno.
I'm just going to keep saving for this other travel trailer and if it happens, it happens, if it doesn't, not the end of the world. Still a nice goal to have and hopefully see happen by Spring.
I would love to say where this property is, you could see it from a treetop view of it, but there is no way I am posting where my 76 year old mother lives, alone with her doggie, up in the mountains, on the world wide web. Well, the people that have the property next to her are actually there quite a bit now, appearing out of nowhere after many years of not seeing anyone there. In fact, the property next to THAT the guy also showed up, built a house and walaah. But that would not mitigate the stupidity of my posting, basically, her address on here. Just that it's such a beautiful area. So I won't : )
Whatever. The house demolition started - legally I am assuming - across the street today. It's a 1-man operation. I know this guy that is doing it from when I first moved into this neighborhood. He described himself as a "1-man tool of destruction" in reference to his ability to tear things down. I will give him credit, he is good at that. He is NOT good at any kind of construction, but demolition? He's got that one nailed. The guy that threatened to kill me that bought the property - is over there watching his every move. Oh, btw, the guy that is tearing down the house? Also a meth user. I know this for a fact, not from hearsay.
That guy was looking at me when I was approaching my house from work today - the man with the threats - I will call him fat man from this point forth since he's somewhere around the 350 pound range - no diss on obese people, but this guy deserves the title - I looked right back at him. Again, they apparently think they can stare me down and I will slither away like a snake and never be seen again. I got out of my car and completely ignored him, however, turning my back to the entire scene over there.
At the point of destruction the house is at - a person could actually stop and do a nice rebuild on it. Fat man won't do that, of course, but if it were mine and considering my financial situation - fat man's mother pays for everything as fat man has nothing in and of himself - I would halt the demo operation and start a construction operation. Leave the frame of the house intact and put up "new" walls inside and out. Replace the 4X8 flooring, redo the entire house, on a budget. Quite possible to do a good job of it and keep the costs down when considering people that are remodeling their homes are always wanting to sell off, cheap, that which they are getting rid of.
Neither here nor there, I suppose, but it's a thought I had already had before this guy got that place.
It dawned on me today that I could be listening to the Bible while driving the semi - if I had the Bible on ............ cassette tape. What has cassette tape players anymore? 2006 International 8600 semi tractors, for one. That truck isn't being turned in for 2 years. Anything new nowadays is going to have a CD player in it. I'm interested, at this point, in filling my head with the Word, not a bunch of other junk if at all possible.
It poured rain here about 1/2 an hour ago. For about 30 seconds. That was it. I mean, it was a downpour - for 30, whole seconds. Feels like a cruel joke, really.
I have nothing else, at least that I feel like going into.
ben
So my current goal, which is probably going to take a while to realize, is to get another travel trailer. I know, I have already discussed this a bit on this blog. Oh well. It's on my mind is all I can say.
The only thing that would really set this off is another recession. The talk about another recession in 2012 is growing and and growing amongst the so-called experts. Are they really experts? I dunno, but they are out there, they are in the news and they are talking. A recession would mean that any savings I have would be clung to like glue on paper.
If you listen to the experts that are really on the extreme end of things, you'd better prepare yourself to fend for yourself. Food will be extremely expensive and not that much of it around. People will be getting desperate and will be contemplating doing things - think: crime - that they otherwise never would have thought of before. Get yourself armed, get yourself a big garden growing and get your food reserves stocked up.
Hmmm, well I did get the guns, but not because of these statements. I don't have a lot of food stocked up right now, I have let that supply dwindle down. I mean, I have a month and a half or so worth, not as much as I had before and I sorta stopped collecting it. Lots of things I COULD do, but are they prudent and necessary? I have no clue. My company seems to believe they are girded up for any looming recession. It released several videos as of this morning about last year's performance, the numbers, 2012 and yes, answering questions about a potential, looming recession.
It's nice to know that the leadership in the company you work for has confidence that they are sitting tight and pretty and ready for whatever may come. In the product my company sells, there are certain entities that will not stop buying the stuff, namely municipalities (cities). If they stop buying, then we are in serious trouble. A city that isn't repairing or replacing broken fire hydrants is probably a city that is - bankrupt, actually. Other markets, though, could definitely dry up.
I dunno.
I'm just going to keep saving for this other travel trailer and if it happens, it happens, if it doesn't, not the end of the world. Still a nice goal to have and hopefully see happen by Spring.
I would love to say where this property is, you could see it from a treetop view of it, but there is no way I am posting where my 76 year old mother lives, alone with her doggie, up in the mountains, on the world wide web. Well, the people that have the property next to her are actually there quite a bit now, appearing out of nowhere after many years of not seeing anyone there. In fact, the property next to THAT the guy also showed up, built a house and walaah. But that would not mitigate the stupidity of my posting, basically, her address on here. Just that it's such a beautiful area. So I won't : )
Whatever. The house demolition started - legally I am assuming - across the street today. It's a 1-man operation. I know this guy that is doing it from when I first moved into this neighborhood. He described himself as a "1-man tool of destruction" in reference to his ability to tear things down. I will give him credit, he is good at that. He is NOT good at any kind of construction, but demolition? He's got that one nailed. The guy that threatened to kill me that bought the property - is over there watching his every move. Oh, btw, the guy that is tearing down the house? Also a meth user. I know this for a fact, not from hearsay.
That guy was looking at me when I was approaching my house from work today - the man with the threats - I will call him fat man from this point forth since he's somewhere around the 350 pound range - no diss on obese people, but this guy deserves the title - I looked right back at him. Again, they apparently think they can stare me down and I will slither away like a snake and never be seen again. I got out of my car and completely ignored him, however, turning my back to the entire scene over there.
At the point of destruction the house is at - a person could actually stop and do a nice rebuild on it. Fat man won't do that, of course, but if it were mine and considering my financial situation - fat man's mother pays for everything as fat man has nothing in and of himself - I would halt the demo operation and start a construction operation. Leave the frame of the house intact and put up "new" walls inside and out. Replace the 4X8 flooring, redo the entire house, on a budget. Quite possible to do a good job of it and keep the costs down when considering people that are remodeling their homes are always wanting to sell off, cheap, that which they are getting rid of.
Neither here nor there, I suppose, but it's a thought I had already had before this guy got that place.
It dawned on me today that I could be listening to the Bible while driving the semi - if I had the Bible on ............ cassette tape. What has cassette tape players anymore? 2006 International 8600 semi tractors, for one. That truck isn't being turned in for 2 years. Anything new nowadays is going to have a CD player in it. I'm interested, at this point, in filling my head with the Word, not a bunch of other junk if at all possible.
It poured rain here about 1/2 an hour ago. For about 30 seconds. That was it. I mean, it was a downpour - for 30, whole seconds. Feels like a cruel joke, really.
I have nothing else, at least that I feel like going into.
ben
Tuesday 10/4/2011
Gag, it's only Tuesday. I need another weekend to get here to rest and recover.
Pipe dream at this point, especially considering today's workload is going to be incredibly intense.
Last night, I set the trap and knew I would catch something. Sure enough, there is one sitting in it right now, waiting to be taken to a new home.
Wherever that is.
Meanwhile, the house they started tearing down across the street?
That work has been stopped since I called the police on Sunday.
I am guessing the REAL owner has to go down and apply for the permit, which would be the guy's mother. That guy goes around saying how he buys this, that and the other thing, when everyone knows he buys nothing, his mother is paying for his life.
At this point, they can finish the job, though I am guessing the city got involved yesterday since I also filed with them on Sunday and is demanding they get the proper permit, read: pay the fee, to be able to do the demo work on the property.
I woke up several times last night, coughing. Though the steroids are definitely doing a nice job of keeping me feeling better than I would without them, the cough medicine still has to be used. I have no idea how I feel today, it's too early and I am still half asleep. The only thing I do know is that I am extremely tired.
And with that statement, I am offa here.
G'day.
ben
Pipe dream at this point, especially considering today's workload is going to be incredibly intense.
Last night, I set the trap and knew I would catch something. Sure enough, there is one sitting in it right now, waiting to be taken to a new home.
Wherever that is.
Meanwhile, the house they started tearing down across the street?
That work has been stopped since I called the police on Sunday.
I am guessing the REAL owner has to go down and apply for the permit, which would be the guy's mother. That guy goes around saying how he buys this, that and the other thing, when everyone knows he buys nothing, his mother is paying for his life.
At this point, they can finish the job, though I am guessing the city got involved yesterday since I also filed with them on Sunday and is demanding they get the proper permit, read: pay the fee, to be able to do the demo work on the property.
I woke up several times last night, coughing. Though the steroids are definitely doing a nice job of keeping me feeling better than I would without them, the cough medicine still has to be used. I have no idea how I feel today, it's too early and I am still half asleep. The only thing I do know is that I am extremely tired.
And with that statement, I am offa here.
G'day.
ben
Monday, October 3, 2011
Property
There isn't any time like the present to start thinking about getting some mountain property.
It's been running through my mind for quite some time now. The area where my mother and brother's property would be a nice place to find a vacant stretch of land that might be for sale on payments. Well, a nice cabin would be great - but that's out of the question for now. There are properties near my mom's place up there that are vacant, though not necessarily for sale. I dunno if they are or not, there are no signs up, that's for sure. \
I don't just want to find "any" property. The area where my mother and my brother are at are very nice areas. They are 8 miles apart from each other. If I wanted to buy a property in the mountains, which I do, it is going to be in a forested section with tall pine trees, not in some foothills below the REAL mountains. Those lots are being sold cheap and have been forever. It's high desert, really, it's nothing you would want to retire at. Well it's not a property I envision retiring at, anyway.
Well that was interesting. A conversation with my mother and it progressed to the point we were talking about the area she lives in and properties for sale. Lot 4 in her subdivision, if you want to call it that, wanting $150,000 for a 2.4 acre parcel of land. No structure, doesn't even have the electric running on it yet. My mother is all over that area: yes, she knows the property, yes, everyone there says it's WAY over-priced. Okay, but a person wanting to ask that much for a property is never going to come down enough to what I want to pay for it.
The conversation progressed. Well, she continues, if anyone wants my property, I am going to have to put it into my trust. I haven't asked for her property - when she dies - had had thoughts about it, but would never bring the subject up. My mother brings up her eventual demise frequently - what's going to happen with everything, etc etc etc. She goes well into it and, well, I can't just say no, I wouldn't want the property, even if it has to be somehow "split" between 2 other brothers. My oldest brother already owns property and a cabin up there, he doesn't need it. My middle brother?
He would want it or try to sell it or do something with it just to make sure no-one else gets any enjoyment out of it. This is the main reason I have never brought it up to my mother. She won't just put it in anyone's specific name, either. It would be open in her trust. Yes, it goes to ALL 3 of us, how we decide to deal with it? Up to us. The way she is leaving it, when that day arrives, it's probably not going to be a pleasant affair attempting to create a fair 3-way for everyone. She may be doing this on purpose, in fact, I don't wonder if that's definitely the case. What she couldn't accomplish in life, she may think she might be able to accomplish in her grave: her 3 boys actually coming together and actually coming up with some kind of agreement on something and perhaps, establishing relationships with each other.
Novel idea. I'm going to give it at least a 65% chance that that's the reason she is leaving it the way she is.
I will start my search for a property up there, anyway. Just because I don't want to be held hostage, in the end, by a brother whose idea of fairness is - all about him. I could think of a variety of ways to make the property mine a fair exchange or even, if possible, make half of it mine and half of it his and pay the oldest brother off.
Meanwhile, I am fully committed to the idea of having a travel trailer up there, on her property, and preferably in time for the summer season next year. The account is up to $840. After the bonus, it will be up to $1,490. Lots to consider in this undertaking. Direct TV being one of them. I will not be without TV up there. I actually don't watch that much TV, but when I want it, I want it! This is a simple matter of getting another Direct TV box and paying another $5 per month for an extra receiver. I can buy both another box and satellite dish online, on Craigslist, cheap. You can have receivers wherever you want - you don't have to have 2 accounts paying double monthly bill.
The next consideration is water. She does not have running water up there, instead she has a water tank on a trailer. I guess she doesn't feel comfortable pulling the thing, though she definitely has a pickup that can pull it. So I don't know how we will work that out. I don't need much water, but I know how she is about such things. I would refill the thing at my cost - not that expensive - I just haven't even got there yet. Electricity obvious: just pay whatever she says it's over her normal amount.
Oh, computer. How do you get computer up in the mountains? The only way I know of is through Direct TV's whatever - Hughes network I think it's called. Satellite. Dunno about that. Do I need internet access up there? Take it back: My Cricket internet worked up there last time I was up there. An air card might work. Perhaps I should not be thinking about whether I can get on a computer and start thinking about getting myself back to nature, as it was in my youth. I just know how I am now - wondering how to separate myself from it all.
I dunno. I just know that after this summer - I really want to do something different. I would like to try and reconnect with my oldest brother if that's at all possible. This would be one way to try to do it: he is up there pretty much every weekend. I mean, year round. Doesn't matter what the weather is or if there is snow on the ground. I am not that interested in my middle brother, but my oldest brother is a different - set of problems. Mostly that he has his own life and has never wanted to have anything to do with family, even since he was a kid. He was ALWAYS hanging around his friends - always. Family meant nothing to him then, it means little to him now.
Well whatever, that isn't the real reason I want a place to go in the mountains. I just want to be able to get out of this valley when I want to and be able to have a place to go when I want to do that. Vacations are nice, but expensive. The property is about 130 miles from my house. Cost in fuel, but not that much of anything else. Well, time spent getting up there and back. I can envision driving up on a Friday after work and coming back early afternoon Sunday, with semi-frequent taking a day off either on Monday or Friday.
There's only one problem with this plan: church.
Yikes.
Talking about throwing a wrench into the plans!
G'nite.
ben
It's been running through my mind for quite some time now. The area where my mother and brother's property would be a nice place to find a vacant stretch of land that might be for sale on payments. Well, a nice cabin would be great - but that's out of the question for now. There are properties near my mom's place up there that are vacant, though not necessarily for sale. I dunno if they are or not, there are no signs up, that's for sure. \
I don't just want to find "any" property. The area where my mother and my brother are at are very nice areas. They are 8 miles apart from each other. If I wanted to buy a property in the mountains, which I do, it is going to be in a forested section with tall pine trees, not in some foothills below the REAL mountains. Those lots are being sold cheap and have been forever. It's high desert, really, it's nothing you would want to retire at. Well it's not a property I envision retiring at, anyway.
Well that was interesting. A conversation with my mother and it progressed to the point we were talking about the area she lives in and properties for sale. Lot 4 in her subdivision, if you want to call it that, wanting $150,000 for a 2.4 acre parcel of land. No structure, doesn't even have the electric running on it yet. My mother is all over that area: yes, she knows the property, yes, everyone there says it's WAY over-priced. Okay, but a person wanting to ask that much for a property is never going to come down enough to what I want to pay for it.
The conversation progressed. Well, she continues, if anyone wants my property, I am going to have to put it into my trust. I haven't asked for her property - when she dies - had had thoughts about it, but would never bring the subject up. My mother brings up her eventual demise frequently - what's going to happen with everything, etc etc etc. She goes well into it and, well, I can't just say no, I wouldn't want the property, even if it has to be somehow "split" between 2 other brothers. My oldest brother already owns property and a cabin up there, he doesn't need it. My middle brother?
He would want it or try to sell it or do something with it just to make sure no-one else gets any enjoyment out of it. This is the main reason I have never brought it up to my mother. She won't just put it in anyone's specific name, either. It would be open in her trust. Yes, it goes to ALL 3 of us, how we decide to deal with it? Up to us. The way she is leaving it, when that day arrives, it's probably not going to be a pleasant affair attempting to create a fair 3-way for everyone. She may be doing this on purpose, in fact, I don't wonder if that's definitely the case. What she couldn't accomplish in life, she may think she might be able to accomplish in her grave: her 3 boys actually coming together and actually coming up with some kind of agreement on something and perhaps, establishing relationships with each other.
Novel idea. I'm going to give it at least a 65% chance that that's the reason she is leaving it the way she is.
I will start my search for a property up there, anyway. Just because I don't want to be held hostage, in the end, by a brother whose idea of fairness is - all about him. I could think of a variety of ways to make the property mine a fair exchange or even, if possible, make half of it mine and half of it his and pay the oldest brother off.
Meanwhile, I am fully committed to the idea of having a travel trailer up there, on her property, and preferably in time for the summer season next year. The account is up to $840. After the bonus, it will be up to $1,490. Lots to consider in this undertaking. Direct TV being one of them. I will not be without TV up there. I actually don't watch that much TV, but when I want it, I want it! This is a simple matter of getting another Direct TV box and paying another $5 per month for an extra receiver. I can buy both another box and satellite dish online, on Craigslist, cheap. You can have receivers wherever you want - you don't have to have 2 accounts paying double monthly bill.
The next consideration is water. She does not have running water up there, instead she has a water tank on a trailer. I guess she doesn't feel comfortable pulling the thing, though she definitely has a pickup that can pull it. So I don't know how we will work that out. I don't need much water, but I know how she is about such things. I would refill the thing at my cost - not that expensive - I just haven't even got there yet. Electricity obvious: just pay whatever she says it's over her normal amount.
Oh, computer. How do you get computer up in the mountains? The only way I know of is through Direct TV's whatever - Hughes network I think it's called. Satellite. Dunno about that. Do I need internet access up there? Take it back: My Cricket internet worked up there last time I was up there. An air card might work. Perhaps I should not be thinking about whether I can get on a computer and start thinking about getting myself back to nature, as it was in my youth. I just know how I am now - wondering how to separate myself from it all.
I dunno. I just know that after this summer - I really want to do something different. I would like to try and reconnect with my oldest brother if that's at all possible. This would be one way to try to do it: he is up there pretty much every weekend. I mean, year round. Doesn't matter what the weather is or if there is snow on the ground. I am not that interested in my middle brother, but my oldest brother is a different - set of problems. Mostly that he has his own life and has never wanted to have anything to do with family, even since he was a kid. He was ALWAYS hanging around his friends - always. Family meant nothing to him then, it means little to him now.
Well whatever, that isn't the real reason I want a place to go in the mountains. I just want to be able to get out of this valley when I want to and be able to have a place to go when I want to do that. Vacations are nice, but expensive. The property is about 130 miles from my house. Cost in fuel, but not that much of anything else. Well, time spent getting up there and back. I can envision driving up on a Friday after work and coming back early afternoon Sunday, with semi-frequent taking a day off either on Monday or Friday.
There's only one problem with this plan: church.
Yikes.
Talking about throwing a wrench into the plans!
G'nite.
ben
The Police
I wasn't feeling good - I really should have called in sick to work today - after I got back from getting everything done and asked to leave a little early. If you were to see me right now, you could look at me and easily tell I am not only not faking, but don't look very well, either.
My manager said yes, but please stop at the bank on the way home and make a deposit. No problem. So, I pull into my driveway - completely minding my own business, my only thought of getting into the house, sitting down in my extremely comfortable computer chair, kick back and get on the internet, then go take a nap. I hear something being yelled at me from down the street. I ignore it, I know who it is and I don't feel like getting into it with this guy.
He continues - a lot of cuss words, we'll put it that way. I let one roll out back at him, but decided that it was stupid to lower myself to his level, so I just went through the gate, meanwhile he continues on. I stopped. I looked down the street at him and promised him that if he didn't stop, I would be calling the police. He kept the f bombs and other adjectives flowing. I called the police.
The police showed up about an hour later - not a high priority call, not like I dialed 911, I have the police department phone number memorized at this point - I told them what was going on. Again, as they have in the past, they suggested that the best way to deal with this situation is to get an injunction against harassment against him. Take that back, they actually said an order of protection. The "guy" - the meth user, 37 years old, has never left his parent's home, no job, doesn't go to school, etc etc etc - had disappeared. His buddy from across the street comes out of his house. This is the guy that threatened to have me killed for catching the cats.
They start talking, loudly, with the meth user pointing at me, calling me a moron, etc etc etc. I said nothing. I had my camera phone out in case he was going to come down the street to me. I'm just waiting for the police. Well, I got tired and went inside the house, but the police show up. They go down there after instructing me to get that order of protection. That guy, who said "yeah, call the police!" had disappeared. They were down there ringing the doorbell. He was inside, so was his mother. Cops stood there, banging on windows, ringing the doorbell, knocking on the door for several minutes, no answer.
Of course. The ex-con comes out again (the dude that wants to have me killed) and stops the police on their way back to their cars in front of my house. I immediately went back outside, whenever that guy speaks, not too much truth actually exits his mouth. They have already lied to the police in the past to make it look like I started the trouble with them. The police come back, they obviously gave no credence to whatever he was telling them and just said again: look, the best thing to do is get that order of protection.
I would have gone down to the courthouse today if I wasn't feeling so bad. It is something I have been wanting to do, I just haven't wanted to go through all that trouble. Well, this situation isn't going away, obviously, even though I have made it a point to ignore, turn my back on or otherwise make sure that if anything starts, it is not because I provoked it. I don't really have a choice at this point: I am going to have to go get that order. Then, I am guessing, he will ask for a hearing, or worse, he will get an order against me. As soon as it is served, I can no longer be in possession of firearms.
It's a gamble, but I have no options.
So, after the police left, I went up to the corner market/ Circle K. Who is in there? Denise. Denise is Anthony and Michael's mother. Long time readers know who I am talking about, no need to go into all of that here. I actually looked up to see her looking at me. I instantly thought she might start something in the store, but she said nothing and I said nothing as well, got my goods, paid for them and left. However, the relatives that she was there with - a large man in particular that I know from the past - was staring at me, apparently attempting to intimidate me with the glare/snarl he had on his face. I looked right back at him, if he had something to say, say it. I didn't say anything to him, just waiting for him to do whatever. He changed his expression and then went back to what he was doing. I let it go. Not worth it, none of it is.
I spent time in the Word this morning and really, these kinds of potentially hostile situations I would rather avoid. But, I am not going to back down to bullies. I did that when I was 5 years old - a situation my mother made me face in having to take on fully 5 kids at once - and I never looked back. There is no point in allowing people to make your life miserable simply because they want to lord themselves over you, thinking if they can tower over you, you will slink back and crawl away on the ground like some injured animal.
I dunno. It really isn't that much fun to have to deal with all of this.
My manager said yes, but please stop at the bank on the way home and make a deposit. No problem. So, I pull into my driveway - completely minding my own business, my only thought of getting into the house, sitting down in my extremely comfortable computer chair, kick back and get on the internet, then go take a nap. I hear something being yelled at me from down the street. I ignore it, I know who it is and I don't feel like getting into it with this guy.
He continues - a lot of cuss words, we'll put it that way. I let one roll out back at him, but decided that it was stupid to lower myself to his level, so I just went through the gate, meanwhile he continues on. I stopped. I looked down the street at him and promised him that if he didn't stop, I would be calling the police. He kept the f bombs and other adjectives flowing. I called the police.
The police showed up about an hour later - not a high priority call, not like I dialed 911, I have the police department phone number memorized at this point - I told them what was going on. Again, as they have in the past, they suggested that the best way to deal with this situation is to get an injunction against harassment against him. Take that back, they actually said an order of protection. The "guy" - the meth user, 37 years old, has never left his parent's home, no job, doesn't go to school, etc etc etc - had disappeared. His buddy from across the street comes out of his house. This is the guy that threatened to have me killed for catching the cats.
They start talking, loudly, with the meth user pointing at me, calling me a moron, etc etc etc. I said nothing. I had my camera phone out in case he was going to come down the street to me. I'm just waiting for the police. Well, I got tired and went inside the house, but the police show up. They go down there after instructing me to get that order of protection. That guy, who said "yeah, call the police!" had disappeared. They were down there ringing the doorbell. He was inside, so was his mother. Cops stood there, banging on windows, ringing the doorbell, knocking on the door for several minutes, no answer.
Of course. The ex-con comes out again (the dude that wants to have me killed) and stops the police on their way back to their cars in front of my house. I immediately went back outside, whenever that guy speaks, not too much truth actually exits his mouth. They have already lied to the police in the past to make it look like I started the trouble with them. The police come back, they obviously gave no credence to whatever he was telling them and just said again: look, the best thing to do is get that order of protection.
I would have gone down to the courthouse today if I wasn't feeling so bad. It is something I have been wanting to do, I just haven't wanted to go through all that trouble. Well, this situation isn't going away, obviously, even though I have made it a point to ignore, turn my back on or otherwise make sure that if anything starts, it is not because I provoked it. I don't really have a choice at this point: I am going to have to go get that order. Then, I am guessing, he will ask for a hearing, or worse, he will get an order against me. As soon as it is served, I can no longer be in possession of firearms.
It's a gamble, but I have no options.
So, after the police left, I went up to the corner market/ Circle K. Who is in there? Denise. Denise is Anthony and Michael's mother. Long time readers know who I am talking about, no need to go into all of that here. I actually looked up to see her looking at me. I instantly thought she might start something in the store, but she said nothing and I said nothing as well, got my goods, paid for them and left. However, the relatives that she was there with - a large man in particular that I know from the past - was staring at me, apparently attempting to intimidate me with the glare/snarl he had on his face. I looked right back at him, if he had something to say, say it. I didn't say anything to him, just waiting for him to do whatever. He changed his expression and then went back to what he was doing. I let it go. Not worth it, none of it is.
I spent time in the Word this morning and really, these kinds of potentially hostile situations I would rather avoid. But, I am not going to back down to bullies. I did that when I was 5 years old - a situation my mother made me face in having to take on fully 5 kids at once - and I never looked back. There is no point in allowing people to make your life miserable simply because they want to lord themselves over you, thinking if they can tower over you, you will slink back and crawl away on the ground like some injured animal.
I dunno. It really isn't that much fun to have to deal with all of this.
Monday 10/3/2011
Somehow, I knew I should have called in sick yesterday evening when I was debating internally whether to do so or not.
I am actually feeling better, those steroids have opened everything up and I am breathing easier. No extreme head pain last night, either.
But it would have been good to get another day of rest.
Oh well. I actually hope there is something to do, because if not, sitting around sick all day long isn't going to be too much fun.
On another note, I have a word to the world around Israel: Don't mess with Israel.
Just thought I'd throw that in there. It isn't because they're big and bad, it's because of the relationship with God - the real God that is - that exists. Mess with man all you want, but messing with the Almighty is another situation entirely. Who knows what may happen in that region.
Peace. That's all one can say about it. The woman is gone. The dude that came over, I was informed after he left, apparently wanted to kick my @$$. Lol. He didn't speak a word to me when he came in the house but he certainly had a look on his face. No-one is coming into my home - especially a person that doesn't live here - and starting trouble with me. That will get them physically thrown out the door if they have ill intent - such as wanting to inflict harm. Anyway, when they started moving, I left and went to my bedroom. I wanted nothing to do with it, didn't want to hear her ramblings. She talks to herself. So, now, I guess she still wants to be "friends" with Lynnette, who doesn't want anything to do with her. In fact, not a single person here wants anything to do with her and a big sigh of relief was gasped when she was finally gone.
I have a few prospects for the room, but nothing solid yet. I have 2 rooms rented for now, hopefully that situation won't change any time soon.
Well enough for this one. I have to leave soon and try to get my mind into work phase. It's more into go-back-to-bed-and-sleep phase right now, which simply won't do.
ben
I am actually feeling better, those steroids have opened everything up and I am breathing easier. No extreme head pain last night, either.
But it would have been good to get another day of rest.
Oh well. I actually hope there is something to do, because if not, sitting around sick all day long isn't going to be too much fun.
On another note, I have a word to the world around Israel: Don't mess with Israel.
Just thought I'd throw that in there. It isn't because they're big and bad, it's because of the relationship with God - the real God that is - that exists. Mess with man all you want, but messing with the Almighty is another situation entirely. Who knows what may happen in that region.
Peace. That's all one can say about it. The woman is gone. The dude that came over, I was informed after he left, apparently wanted to kick my @$$. Lol. He didn't speak a word to me when he came in the house but he certainly had a look on his face. No-one is coming into my home - especially a person that doesn't live here - and starting trouble with me. That will get them physically thrown out the door if they have ill intent - such as wanting to inflict harm. Anyway, when they started moving, I left and went to my bedroom. I wanted nothing to do with it, didn't want to hear her ramblings. She talks to herself. So, now, I guess she still wants to be "friends" with Lynnette, who doesn't want anything to do with her. In fact, not a single person here wants anything to do with her and a big sigh of relief was gasped when she was finally gone.
I have a few prospects for the room, but nothing solid yet. I have 2 rooms rented for now, hopefully that situation won't change any time soon.
Well enough for this one. I have to leave soon and try to get my mind into work phase. It's more into go-back-to-bed-and-sleep phase right now, which simply won't do.
ben
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Sunday 10/2/2011
I woke up last night around 11:30pm. My head was pounding, it was such an intense pressure that half of my head was in some serious pain. I had no idea what was going on. I couldn't sleep and eventually got up, wondering if I should be heading to an emergency room. I took 2 of the cold medicine pills I bought yesterday and eventually the pain subsided, though didn't go away entirely. I deduced that it was probably sinuses, though I have never in my life felt anything like THAT coming from sinuses. I came out here - my kitchen - and of course JD was out here on my old computer. Said hi to him - coughing and hacking away and then proceeded to get on my computer and check open hours for Urgent Care.
Not until 8:00 am. Gag. I decided after a while that I would try to go back to bed and just wait it out. I slept - on and off - and finally just decided to get out of bed at 6:00 am. At around 7:00 am, the yodels across the street started making a LOT of noise. They want to tear down that house, fine, I don't care, but NOT on a Sunday morning. I seriously doubted they had gone down to the City offices and got a demo permit, I further doubted that they had the special permission you have to get to do it on a weekend.
Well, city is closed on weekends, the only alternative was to call the police, which I did. They came out in short order and stopped all of that nonsense. IF they would have waited until later in the day - like this afternoon or even lat morning - I wouldn't have cared. But 7:00 am, Sunday? Forget it. When I had my house torn down, I went through all the permit junk to make sure no-one would be stopping us in the middle of it with a complaint - that's the way this neighborhood is. I wouldn't have done it on a Sunday, though, anyway. It's the kind of people who don't give a damn about anyone else but themselves that irritate me when it comes to neighbors.
After the police showed up, I saw that guy out there, throwing his hands and fists towards my house, obviously intoning to the officer that he knew who had called. Couldn't have cared less. The city has regulations and especially when it comes to construction, they are dead serious about it. They send out inspectors during any building process, sometimes they also send them out during the razing process. They want their fees paid, that's what it all boils down to. But, of course, when building a new house, they want city code to be followed to the T and they will stop construction and make you do things all over again if it's not to their liking.
In reality, I could make a lot more trouble for that guy - that's the guy who told Mark that he was going to have me killed if any of his cats disappeared. That's what set me off and I will never let go of it. The guy wouldn't say that s*** to my face, he instead said: "if something happens to my cats, something is going to happen to you". That is also when I called the police for the threats. The police could not, of course, do anything but go over there and give him the riot act. The point - after he said those things, he set off within me something that he should not have. I am not going to have my life threatened by an ex-con/idiot.
I continue to forget to put bait in the cat trap. One of these nights I will remember and when I do, almost guaranteed that guy's orange Calico is going to be in it. That cat comes onto my property EVERY single night. Trampling my plants, sh****** and pissing everywhere. I already caught it once, but it got out when the trap opened while I was putting it into my car. I will not be killing the cat, not into that, just relocating it to a place far enough away.
Anyway, I left while the cop was still there. It was almost 8 and I wanted to be at the Urgent Care doorstep when it opened. I felt REALLY bad and sitting there in that doc's office was earthly hell. The doc said my blood pressure was a bit high on the bottom one at 120 over 90, I dunno, when I get sick, my blood pressure always goes up. Long story short on the doc's visit: cough syrup with codeine; antibiotics and some sort of steroids. I'm not sure I will be taking any of the cough syrup just because it has codeine in it and I don't want to get nailed with a drug test at work that shows positive with that codeine in my system. I have no idea how long it takes for that stuff to clear out before it won't show anything, but boy I sure would feel a bit better if I COULD take it!
Frankly, if I don't start feeling better by late afternoon, I will be calling in sick for work tomorrow. I am not going to torture myself attempting to go to work feeling like this.
Umm, nothing else really. Just trying to get that room re-rented. Have some prospects but nothing concrete yet. I am too weak to do anything today. I walk around and start thinking about getting something done and bammm, that's it, time to go sit down.
Yuck.
ben
Not until 8:00 am. Gag. I decided after a while that I would try to go back to bed and just wait it out. I slept - on and off - and finally just decided to get out of bed at 6:00 am. At around 7:00 am, the yodels across the street started making a LOT of noise. They want to tear down that house, fine, I don't care, but NOT on a Sunday morning. I seriously doubted they had gone down to the City offices and got a demo permit, I further doubted that they had the special permission you have to get to do it on a weekend.
Well, city is closed on weekends, the only alternative was to call the police, which I did. They came out in short order and stopped all of that nonsense. IF they would have waited until later in the day - like this afternoon or even lat morning - I wouldn't have cared. But 7:00 am, Sunday? Forget it. When I had my house torn down, I went through all the permit junk to make sure no-one would be stopping us in the middle of it with a complaint - that's the way this neighborhood is. I wouldn't have done it on a Sunday, though, anyway. It's the kind of people who don't give a damn about anyone else but themselves that irritate me when it comes to neighbors.
After the police showed up, I saw that guy out there, throwing his hands and fists towards my house, obviously intoning to the officer that he knew who had called. Couldn't have cared less. The city has regulations and especially when it comes to construction, they are dead serious about it. They send out inspectors during any building process, sometimes they also send them out during the razing process. They want their fees paid, that's what it all boils down to. But, of course, when building a new house, they want city code to be followed to the T and they will stop construction and make you do things all over again if it's not to their liking.
In reality, I could make a lot more trouble for that guy - that's the guy who told Mark that he was going to have me killed if any of his cats disappeared. That's what set me off and I will never let go of it. The guy wouldn't say that s*** to my face, he instead said: "if something happens to my cats, something is going to happen to you". That is also when I called the police for the threats. The police could not, of course, do anything but go over there and give him the riot act. The point - after he said those things, he set off within me something that he should not have. I am not going to have my life threatened by an ex-con/idiot.
I continue to forget to put bait in the cat trap. One of these nights I will remember and when I do, almost guaranteed that guy's orange Calico is going to be in it. That cat comes onto my property EVERY single night. Trampling my plants, sh****** and pissing everywhere. I already caught it once, but it got out when the trap opened while I was putting it into my car. I will not be killing the cat, not into that, just relocating it to a place far enough away.
Anyway, I left while the cop was still there. It was almost 8 and I wanted to be at the Urgent Care doorstep when it opened. I felt REALLY bad and sitting there in that doc's office was earthly hell. The doc said my blood pressure was a bit high on the bottom one at 120 over 90, I dunno, when I get sick, my blood pressure always goes up. Long story short on the doc's visit: cough syrup with codeine; antibiotics and some sort of steroids. I'm not sure I will be taking any of the cough syrup just because it has codeine in it and I don't want to get nailed with a drug test at work that shows positive with that codeine in my system. I have no idea how long it takes for that stuff to clear out before it won't show anything, but boy I sure would feel a bit better if I COULD take it!
Frankly, if I don't start feeling better by late afternoon, I will be calling in sick for work tomorrow. I am not going to torture myself attempting to go to work feeling like this.
Umm, nothing else really. Just trying to get that room re-rented. Have some prospects but nothing concrete yet. I am too weak to do anything today. I walk around and start thinking about getting something done and bammm, that's it, time to go sit down.
Yuck.
ben
Saturday, October 1, 2011
House Razing
So, the bully 2 houses down and the meth user 2 houses down across the street are tearing down this old, single-wide mobile home across the street. I do wonder if they have a permit - I had to get one when mine was being torn down - and I will be contacting the city about that. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't care, but these 2 individuals have started too much trouble with me over the past couple of years, long story not worth going into.
So, I'm standing out on the side of my house, behind my gates, looking at this stuff going on. The meth head leaves 'his' house to go to the mobile with some equipment. He starts staring at me, slowly turning his head as he is walking towards the house. He does this all the way down until he gets in front of the house. I guess he was attempting to intimidate me, which doesn't happen easily. A 37 year old juvenile, that's all I can equate him to.
Regardless, I now find out my son was accosted by that woman again last night, J.D. as well. Good thing she is gone. I would have let her know how I feel about her talking BS to my son and JD after I informed her to NOT talk to my son - EVER again, earlier this week. She is the type of person that cannot keep her mouth shut and spouts off all kinds of bile. She told the trailer tenants that at one point in her life she had done - everything apparently. She also told them that she "knows" that I really didn't want her to leave. Gag. I have no after effects now excepting it made me mad that she had started this s*** up again with my son and then, I found out, she was putting some kind of drops in my dog's eyes!
Ummmm, whatever. I am not feeling well - haven't all day but now night time is closing in and I really am feeling it - time to go to bed. I guess I should ante up the $50 and go to an Urgent Care place tomorrow and see if they can offer any kind of help..........
ben
So, I'm standing out on the side of my house, behind my gates, looking at this stuff going on. The meth head leaves 'his' house to go to the mobile with some equipment. He starts staring at me, slowly turning his head as he is walking towards the house. He does this all the way down until he gets in front of the house. I guess he was attempting to intimidate me, which doesn't happen easily. A 37 year old juvenile, that's all I can equate him to.
Regardless, I now find out my son was accosted by that woman again last night, J.D. as well. Good thing she is gone. I would have let her know how I feel about her talking BS to my son and JD after I informed her to NOT talk to my son - EVER again, earlier this week. She is the type of person that cannot keep her mouth shut and spouts off all kinds of bile. She told the trailer tenants that at one point in her life she had done - everything apparently. She also told them that she "knows" that I really didn't want her to leave. Gag. I have no after effects now excepting it made me mad that she had started this s*** up again with my son and then, I found out, she was putting some kind of drops in my dog's eyes!
Ummmm, whatever. I am not feeling well - haven't all day but now night time is closing in and I really am feeling it - time to go to bed. I guess I should ante up the $50 and go to an Urgent Care place tomorrow and see if they can offer any kind of help..........
ben
Woman Tenant Is Gone
I will be happy to say that I did not have to take this woman to court, did not have to incur the court costs - around $210 total to get a person physically removed though that probably has gone up by now - and she has left on her own volition. I did not have to give her the rest of her rent money back, but to get her out of here? Yes, indeed, I handed it to her 5 minutes ago and this is over. Unless, of course, she is going to follow through with this phony "sexual harassment" claim of hers, one good reason to have a lot of other people around in this kind of living situation. Lots of witnesses.
I posted the room for rent a few hours ago, first person has responded. I would rather get it rented out quickly, if possible, versus waiting until the 15th for a person that I don't know will show up. He - the proposed tenant - was going to drop of money yesterday, instead, I heard nothing from him. That almost 100% always means that the person has changed their mind and not worth waiting around for.
I made my trek to Walgreens as soon as they opened. 2 for 1 cold medicine and 2 for 1 Tylenol on sale, got both. I'm not a big fan of Tylenol because of the problems it can cause on your body, more specifically your liver, but, apparently that isn't necessarily the case if you just don't take too much of it. The cold medicine already has acetaminophen in it and "vigorously" warns to not take acetaminophen capsules while taking this medication - I guess meaning a double dose. Yes, well I had no plans to. In fact, I am only taking this cold junk this morning, if I really need to take it this afternoon I will, but I am not really into all kinds of pills and medications and junk.
I couldn't help but look: there are a large number of travel trailers advertised right now at some pretty good prices! $2500 for one that looks almost identical to the one I got for the trailer tenants. In great shape, too. It's axles have also been turned upside down - they do that to give it more clearance for dragging them off-road and not bottoming out on rocks or whatever - just like the other one is.
I wonder if this is the best time of year to buy these things since it is the end of the season? Well, I don't know, but I only have $740 saved up for a trailer so far. Gonna take a bit more than that to get a decent unit, I was figuring between $2500 and $3000, probably not far off on that guesstimate. Looking at late 80's/early 90's units that are pretty much going in that price range. Well, just gets me to wanting to save even more. I just hope that early next year, providing I have that kind of money saved up by then, there are some decent units available. Savings mostly depends on whether I have rooms filled with tenants. No tenants, definitely no savings.
It isn't such a big deal to have to deal with a tenant here and there leaving and having to find a new one, it is a really big ordeal to have to find 3 of them in a very short time period and in this case, find 3 of them, get rid of 1 of them and then have to find another to take that person's place.
Well I am done with this. The pills have helped the headache discomfort come down considerably plus stopped the running nose junk and helped with the coughing, so, money well-spent as far as I'm concerned.
G'day.
ben
I posted the room for rent a few hours ago, first person has responded. I would rather get it rented out quickly, if possible, versus waiting until the 15th for a person that I don't know will show up. He - the proposed tenant - was going to drop of money yesterday, instead, I heard nothing from him. That almost 100% always means that the person has changed their mind and not worth waiting around for.
I made my trek to Walgreens as soon as they opened. 2 for 1 cold medicine and 2 for 1 Tylenol on sale, got both. I'm not a big fan of Tylenol because of the problems it can cause on your body, more specifically your liver, but, apparently that isn't necessarily the case if you just don't take too much of it. The cold medicine already has acetaminophen in it and "vigorously" warns to not take acetaminophen capsules while taking this medication - I guess meaning a double dose. Yes, well I had no plans to. In fact, I am only taking this cold junk this morning, if I really need to take it this afternoon I will, but I am not really into all kinds of pills and medications and junk.
I couldn't help but look: there are a large number of travel trailers advertised right now at some pretty good prices! $2500 for one that looks almost identical to the one I got for the trailer tenants. In great shape, too. It's axles have also been turned upside down - they do that to give it more clearance for dragging them off-road and not bottoming out on rocks or whatever - just like the other one is.
I wonder if this is the best time of year to buy these things since it is the end of the season? Well, I don't know, but I only have $740 saved up for a trailer so far. Gonna take a bit more than that to get a decent unit, I was figuring between $2500 and $3000, probably not far off on that guesstimate. Looking at late 80's/early 90's units that are pretty much going in that price range. Well, just gets me to wanting to save even more. I just hope that early next year, providing I have that kind of money saved up by then, there are some decent units available. Savings mostly depends on whether I have rooms filled with tenants. No tenants, definitely no savings.
It isn't such a big deal to have to deal with a tenant here and there leaving and having to find a new one, it is a really big ordeal to have to find 3 of them in a very short time period and in this case, find 3 of them, get rid of 1 of them and then have to find another to take that person's place.
Well I am done with this. The pills have helped the headache discomfort come down considerably plus stopped the running nose junk and helped with the coughing, so, money well-spent as far as I'm concerned.
G'day.
ben
Saturday 10/1/2011
I would like to know what, exactly, is going through a person's head when they are clanking around, making all kinds of noise on a Saturday morning? OH, the woman. She is getting ready to leave. Bye-bye, please don't let the gate hit you in the @$$ on your way out.
Actually, it was Mark, one of the trailer tenants, that got me going this morning. He came in here at 6 something AM, went to the bathroom door and pounded on it LOUDLY. He came back out, explaining that he was trying to wake her up and get her moving. Oh, and what about everyone ELSE in the house? What kind of thinking goes on in a person's mind to do something like that? If they are awake, so should everyone else? But, Mark definitely does NOT like that woman, either. She comes banging on their door relentlessly. They won't, apparently, be as blunt as I have been with her and ask her to please leave them alone. Oh well. She will be out of here soon enough. I haven't heard back from the guy that wanted that room on the 15th, so I have already posted a fresh ad today. It's the first, people will be looking for rooms, if I get lucky, maybe I can re-rent it quickly.
I have determined that Roommates.com is a complete waste of money and I will not be using it again. I paid for a month subscription to it. I get all of these "you have a new match" emails, but the people don't contact me and when I contact them, I don't hear anything back. Craigslist is free, albeit a lot of flakes, I am sure there are a lot flakes on ANY venue you are trying to rent your rooms through, so whatever. I've got 2, decent guys in here right now that don't seem to want anything to do with anyone else in the house - which is fine by me if that's the way they want it.
Whatever. I am still sick and as grumpy as I was yesterday. It's cause my head is still pounding and I'm not liking it, at all. I don't have any Tylenol in the house, just ibuprofen which isn't really doing much for the headache. I will be heading to Walgreens in a few to get some. I will spend the weekend resting as I don't have much energy to do anything else, anyway and I don't want to go into next work week feeling like THIS if I can at all help it.
I wanted to start on some serious yard work this weekend, but illness has put that little idea aside.
And with that, well, it's almost 8:00 AM. Walgreens opens at 8 and allegedly, the woman is moving out around that time. I have no desire to be in here, the kitchen area, AT ALL while she is moving out. I will go to my room with the dogs, watch TV, sleep and be done with this nonsense.
Actually, it was Mark, one of the trailer tenants, that got me going this morning. He came in here at 6 something AM, went to the bathroom door and pounded on it LOUDLY. He came back out, explaining that he was trying to wake her up and get her moving. Oh, and what about everyone ELSE in the house? What kind of thinking goes on in a person's mind to do something like that? If they are awake, so should everyone else? But, Mark definitely does NOT like that woman, either. She comes banging on their door relentlessly. They won't, apparently, be as blunt as I have been with her and ask her to please leave them alone. Oh well. She will be out of here soon enough. I haven't heard back from the guy that wanted that room on the 15th, so I have already posted a fresh ad today. It's the first, people will be looking for rooms, if I get lucky, maybe I can re-rent it quickly.
I have determined that Roommates.com is a complete waste of money and I will not be using it again. I paid for a month subscription to it. I get all of these "you have a new match" emails, but the people don't contact me and when I contact them, I don't hear anything back. Craigslist is free, albeit a lot of flakes, I am sure there are a lot flakes on ANY venue you are trying to rent your rooms through, so whatever. I've got 2, decent guys in here right now that don't seem to want anything to do with anyone else in the house - which is fine by me if that's the way they want it.
Whatever. I am still sick and as grumpy as I was yesterday. It's cause my head is still pounding and I'm not liking it, at all. I don't have any Tylenol in the house, just ibuprofen which isn't really doing much for the headache. I will be heading to Walgreens in a few to get some. I will spend the weekend resting as I don't have much energy to do anything else, anyway and I don't want to go into next work week feeling like THIS if I can at all help it.
I wanted to start on some serious yard work this weekend, but illness has put that little idea aside.
And with that, well, it's almost 8:00 AM. Walgreens opens at 8 and allegedly, the woman is moving out around that time. I have no desire to be in here, the kitchen area, AT ALL while she is moving out. I will go to my room with the dogs, watch TV, sleep and be done with this nonsense.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Items Of Interest
Of course, nothing about how I am feeling has changed from this morning. In fact, by the time I got off of work, I was REALLY ready to get home, sit down and take a breather. Our store did over 400k in sales this month, we are sitting pretty and no-one is going to legitimately say that a 2-man crew running a store and making the deliveries were sitting around on their @$$es, doing nothing to get that kind of numbers between - all 2 of us.
I freely admit that when I get sick, I get grumpy. I tell people in the house that before any bugs hit me - cause' I want them to know that information in advance. I pretty much disappear into my bedroom or, if I'm out "here" - my computer setup is next to the kitchen area - and I don't seem very talkative, there is a reason for it. The woman tells me the phone isn't working. I don't want her speaking to me for any reason, at all, at this point. I simply told her to leave me alone, thank you. She beelines it for the trailer tenants and then Lynnette comes in - not making demands of course - but I wasn't real happy that this woman was using other tenants to try and somehow force me into doing what she wants.
However, turning the phone on was the only thing to do. Not that I turned it off - who knows what happened to it. It's a VOIP phone - run by broadband - and it subject to things happening from time to time. In reality, if that woman being on the phone means getting her out of here, please use it until the battery dies, thank you.
Meanwhile, the newest tenant comes in and hands me money. That's always a good sign. I was giving him the last days of this month free. It worked out well for him since he's going on vacation this weekend but needed to have a new place by - the end of today, of course, this is the last day of the month.
Across the street. That home has been vacated for a couple of months now. Unfortunately, the owner is dying of cancer and left to go live with her daughter - a couple of months ago. That house has been up for sale, though there has been no for sale sign in front of it.
So who buys it? Let me apply the term "neighborhood bully" here. That's right, the ex-con, felon who was dealing drugs out of his house and spent 9 years in prison. Actually, his mother is buying it, even though he is braggadociously going around to everyone (excpet me, I want nothing to do with this freak of nature) that he bought it for 13K. His mother is rich. This is NOT the person I wanted to be buying this property. However, he has a brand new house, so what he is going to do with this property is a mystery. If any part of the plan is to harass me, the police will be involved. He has NOTHING else to do but mess with other people. He doesn't work, couldn't get a job if he DID want to work and hangs out with the 37 year old meth user who is still living with his parents that has NEVER left home - who lives across the street from him - both 2 houses down from me.
The absolute bad part about this whole deal is that his mother believes he is a lily white angel, even IF he spent 9 years in prison. If it weren't for her, he would be living on the streets or in shelters. Whatever the case, I had had thoughts of trying to get the place - for around that amount actually - but I didn't have that much money on hand. Mother lives in a rich area of town, I know this because I have looked all of this up on the tax assessor's website - completely free and lo and behold, gives out all KINDS of information. This dude says he owns the property. NIX. His MOTHER owns the property, it is in her name.
So, if he starts his junk with me again, I am going to bring up the fact that he pays for nothing, it is common knowledge that his mother pays his way in life. I'm not sorry. I keep to myself around this neighborhood excepting those few, normal people that do live here. People call this a mobile home park. There are old, trashy mobile homes - 30 years and older - dilapidated and falling apart. It doesn't LOOK like a mobile home park, however, we all have much larger lots than any park will ever give out. My plot of land is 8,000 square feet, I have never seen any mobile home park giving out that much square footage per lot. Regardless, there are "stick-built" (regular) houses here as well, they started building them when the city of Phoenix decided to give tax reductions to those that would build such here.
The people that bought the 2 story house across the street? Are out there making their Harley's howl. I have been listening to this for about 45 minutes now. These people moved in maybe 2 years ago now, wanted nothing to do with anyone on the street and have their one - rather large group - of people from a small town named "Guadalupe" who come over on a regular - nightly basis. I wouldn't care but those motorcycles make a lot of noise. Right through double-paned windows and 6 inch exterior framing. I get sick of it and am considering calling the police. There is no HOA here, if you have a problem, you have 2 alternatives: go to the people and politely ask them to quiet down or call the police. I have found that asking people politely in this neighborhood equates to talking to a brick wall.
They have people coming at night as well. These people have those deep-woofer/obnoxiously loud stereo systems blasting at 2am. 3am. Whenever-they-feel-like-it-AM. I am also quite sick of that. My room is approximately 85 feet away from the street, yet that noise wakes me up frequently. I don't want to start another neighbor war, but I am not willing to let this go on forever. If I start calling the police about noise, they WILL show up and they WILL tell them to lower the volumes.
Cats. Tonight. I am putting out tuna fish in the trap tonight. Another intolerable situation, I am going to rid my front yard of cats. They will be taken to the river bottom or some other suitable place where they can hunt for their own food or they can find new residence. I won't kill them, but they aren't going to continue to s*** and piss on my property anymore.
Other than that, it's been a great day!
ben
I freely admit that when I get sick, I get grumpy. I tell people in the house that before any bugs hit me - cause' I want them to know that information in advance. I pretty much disappear into my bedroom or, if I'm out "here" - my computer setup is next to the kitchen area - and I don't seem very talkative, there is a reason for it. The woman tells me the phone isn't working. I don't want her speaking to me for any reason, at all, at this point. I simply told her to leave me alone, thank you. She beelines it for the trailer tenants and then Lynnette comes in - not making demands of course - but I wasn't real happy that this woman was using other tenants to try and somehow force me into doing what she wants.
However, turning the phone on was the only thing to do. Not that I turned it off - who knows what happened to it. It's a VOIP phone - run by broadband - and it subject to things happening from time to time. In reality, if that woman being on the phone means getting her out of here, please use it until the battery dies, thank you.
Meanwhile, the newest tenant comes in and hands me money. That's always a good sign. I was giving him the last days of this month free. It worked out well for him since he's going on vacation this weekend but needed to have a new place by - the end of today, of course, this is the last day of the month.
Across the street. That home has been vacated for a couple of months now. Unfortunately, the owner is dying of cancer and left to go live with her daughter - a couple of months ago. That house has been up for sale, though there has been no for sale sign in front of it.
So who buys it? Let me apply the term "neighborhood bully" here. That's right, the ex-con, felon who was dealing drugs out of his house and spent 9 years in prison. Actually, his mother is buying it, even though he is braggadociously going around to everyone (excpet me, I want nothing to do with this freak of nature) that he bought it for 13K. His mother is rich. This is NOT the person I wanted to be buying this property. However, he has a brand new house, so what he is going to do with this property is a mystery. If any part of the plan is to harass me, the police will be involved. He has NOTHING else to do but mess with other people. He doesn't work, couldn't get a job if he DID want to work and hangs out with the 37 year old meth user who is still living with his parents that has NEVER left home - who lives across the street from him - both 2 houses down from me.
The absolute bad part about this whole deal is that his mother believes he is a lily white angel, even IF he spent 9 years in prison. If it weren't for her, he would be living on the streets or in shelters. Whatever the case, I had had thoughts of trying to get the place - for around that amount actually - but I didn't have that much money on hand. Mother lives in a rich area of town, I know this because I have looked all of this up on the tax assessor's website - completely free and lo and behold, gives out all KINDS of information. This dude says he owns the property. NIX. His MOTHER owns the property, it is in her name.
So, if he starts his junk with me again, I am going to bring up the fact that he pays for nothing, it is common knowledge that his mother pays his way in life. I'm not sorry. I keep to myself around this neighborhood excepting those few, normal people that do live here. People call this a mobile home park. There are old, trashy mobile homes - 30 years and older - dilapidated and falling apart. It doesn't LOOK like a mobile home park, however, we all have much larger lots than any park will ever give out. My plot of land is 8,000 square feet, I have never seen any mobile home park giving out that much square footage per lot. Regardless, there are "stick-built" (regular) houses here as well, they started building them when the city of Phoenix decided to give tax reductions to those that would build such here.
The people that bought the 2 story house across the street? Are out there making their Harley's howl. I have been listening to this for about 45 minutes now. These people moved in maybe 2 years ago now, wanted nothing to do with anyone on the street and have their one - rather large group - of people from a small town named "Guadalupe" who come over on a regular - nightly basis. I wouldn't care but those motorcycles make a lot of noise. Right through double-paned windows and 6 inch exterior framing. I get sick of it and am considering calling the police. There is no HOA here, if you have a problem, you have 2 alternatives: go to the people and politely ask them to quiet down or call the police. I have found that asking people politely in this neighborhood equates to talking to a brick wall.
They have people coming at night as well. These people have those deep-woofer/obnoxiously loud stereo systems blasting at 2am. 3am. Whenever-they-feel-like-it-AM. I am also quite sick of that. My room is approximately 85 feet away from the street, yet that noise wakes me up frequently. I don't want to start another neighbor war, but I am not willing to let this go on forever. If I start calling the police about noise, they WILL show up and they WILL tell them to lower the volumes.
Cats. Tonight. I am putting out tuna fish in the trap tonight. Another intolerable situation, I am going to rid my front yard of cats. They will be taken to the river bottom or some other suitable place where they can hunt for their own food or they can find new residence. I won't kill them, but they aren't going to continue to s*** and piss on my property anymore.
Other than that, it's been a great day!
ben
Friday 2/30/2011
"Tell me when September's gone".
It's gone - almost. Today and we officially head into cooler temp October. At least in theory. Or perhaps more accurately: historically.
I woke up early this morning, like an hour early. Congested lungs; mucous coming out of my nose - hope you weren't eating, lol - felt like crap. Nice way to start a work day, aye? Got in the shower, turned it on hot and breathed the steam in for a while. I actually don't feel one iota better after taking that shower, oh well. One thing that does seem to help, though, is drinking a LOT of fluids, all day long.
So, I see in the online headlines that this al-awlaki character has been killed. Good riddance, that's all I can say about a "man" that is born in America, then turns on his own homeland and tries to have some of it's citizens killed. Treason is one of the few things that I will give a nod to - just kill them. This is worse than treason, imo, because of the nature of what this man did. This guy was an arrogant, cocky, SOB, sitting in front of cameras acting as if he were invincible.
Weekend is almost here, I am spending it doing much of nothing, I guess, to help try and get past this bug. New tenant moved in last night, don't remember if I posted that last night or not, the woman is allegedly moving out Saturday morning (and I'll be sure to steer well clear of her during that time/good riddance).
G'day.
ben
It's gone - almost. Today and we officially head into cooler temp October. At least in theory. Or perhaps more accurately: historically.
I woke up early this morning, like an hour early. Congested lungs; mucous coming out of my nose - hope you weren't eating, lol - felt like crap. Nice way to start a work day, aye? Got in the shower, turned it on hot and breathed the steam in for a while. I actually don't feel one iota better after taking that shower, oh well. One thing that does seem to help, though, is drinking a LOT of fluids, all day long.
So, I see in the online headlines that this al-awlaki character has been killed. Good riddance, that's all I can say about a "man" that is born in America, then turns on his own homeland and tries to have some of it's citizens killed. Treason is one of the few things that I will give a nod to - just kill them. This is worse than treason, imo, because of the nature of what this man did. This guy was an arrogant, cocky, SOB, sitting in front of cameras acting as if he were invincible.
Weekend is almost here, I am spending it doing much of nothing, I guess, to help try and get past this bug. New tenant moved in last night, don't remember if I posted that last night or not, the woman is allegedly moving out Saturday morning (and I'll be sure to steer well clear of her during that time/good riddance).
G'day.
ben
Thursday, September 29, 2011
More
I felt VERY bad today at work. When I have congestion in my lungs like I do now, it's hard to make it through a day's work. I did a bit over 6 hours, got everything done that had to be done and went home.
But not before being greeted by a surprising sight when I returned back to the branch from my second and final run. In the parking lot were the General Manager's car; the Operations Manager's SUV and the Credit manager's vehicle. As well as some salesmen's vehicles. No clue, whatsoever. I haven't said anything more about the situation that was going on with the missing pallet and then the work ethic accusation since the last email I sent to the Ops manager, which was - early last week.
Lots of thoughts ran through my head, but I was feeling so s*****, I didn't really get too deep into it. In fact, when I feel THAT bad, it really doesn't matter if I am about to get shoved in the face with bad news. I neither expected that kind of news nor did I "unexpect" it. When push comes to shove, I will speak my peace and whatever the consequences are, I will live with it.
I walked in - people were in conversations which I didn't want or even feel like getting involved with. I do my thing and wait for the opportunity to say hello arises. Well, the General Manager was sitting in my manager's office, which is directly behind where I use the counter computer. I was doing my thing when they decided to head outside, the GM said hello and asked how I was doing - then heard me say hello back in a very gruff, scratchy, dried out throat type of sound - which is what I sound like when I get this way - and he immediately replied he was probably doing better than me considering my voice, lol.
Ummm, so anyway. They went outside. I finished up my paperwork and computer work and then - well as I said, I wasn't feeling well at all - decided to go out and ask if I could go home early. Just standing there was enough for me, sitting down I am fine but doing any physical work? Git'er done, and git'er done quick because I will run out of energy quickly.
I go out there, they are in a conversation about various business things of which I was listening to and soon got involved with - but finally, after 10 minutes of it, I just said "I don't want to interrupt, but I am not feeling well at all, will it be cool to go home a bit early?"
Well the GM went right into the reason he had come out: to talk to both of us about our bonuses. Bonuses? Coming out to deliver the news personally? It's not like the man doesn't have anything to do. Every time I go to the main branch - which is quite frequently - he is in his office talking to all kinds of people, on the phone or doing whatever on the computer. He works long hours and so, one would have to consider it a privilege to have that kind of attention from such an individual.
He goes into an explanation of how the bonus system works in our company, the pool that it comes from and the fact that this year, the bonuses were derived completely and totally on the sales generated by our area versus the help that corporate had to give last year. I'm not going to sit here and complain about the bonus, it was the same as last year, which is the highest I can get at my tier, so happy I was and am. Profusely thankful, I conversed with him as much as I could - I was getting weaker and weaker standing there and I was ready to sit down somewhere. Mostly, the only place I am sitting at work is in the truck, other than that I am working. Not that driving isn't working, it's a different kind of work.
So there it is. That money is going directly into the savings account when it arrives, piggy-backed on a paycheck next month.
I headed home. Remembered that it is the end of the month, tomorrow is the 30th. My car's registration will expire after tomorrow night. I figured I wouldn't feel any better tomorrow than I do today - this junk usually lasts a while - and that if I didn't do this today - the emissions testing that is - I would have to wait in an incredibly long line tomorrow with all the other procrastinators. But, just sitting down in my car's leather seats, I was feeling much better. So I went over there. It only took 15 minutes and I was out of there. My favorite place to get the oil changed is right around the corner - so yes, I did that too and regretted it. It took too long, I was feeling crappy all over again and wanted to just go home.
They took their friggin' lunch break in the middle of doing it. If I would have been told that when I first got in there, I would have left. Come back another day. I mean, really. The manager then goes into his spiel - you need this, that and the other thing. Yup, I'm sure, please just finish this up, I don't mean to be rude, but I am not feeling well and just want to go home. It needs an air filter. When do they NOT say your car needs an air filter? I will look at it on Saturday or Sunday and if it needs replaced, I'll go to AutoZone and get one at half the price I would pay them and be done with it.
He then noticed the car is a thousand miles short of 60,000 miles. Do you want to think about doing the maintenance schedule for it? Replace all the fluids. They do need to be replaced, yes, I won't deny it, it is something you need to do, especially transmission fluid and also engine coolant at the intervals specified. He quote $320 to replace the transmission fluid; coolant fluid; engine oil; brake fluid; power steering fluid and what was the last one? I can't think of it right now. Those services would cost a LOT more than that if you have them done individually, I can guarantee that right now. More than double that cost and even triple that cost at some places. So I left "thinking" about it.
It is going to wait. My house will hopefully be full of paying tenants soon, that will help with that situation. The woman tenant has declared that she is moving out on Saturday morning. She has apparently found a free place to live, the only thing she needs is a bed. I wasn't told this by her, this came through the trailer tenants. I don't WANT to speak to her, so beit. I'll be glad that she is out of here and that will take care of that problem. I was NOT willing to just tolerate and live with her junk forever. I have done that with other people and I came to the conclusion that it is not worth it. People that can't mesh with everyone else in the house - need to leave and leave immediately.
Back to the bonus. That money will hopefully be able to be kept for a travel trailer for up north. But - if something comes up/emergency, so beit. If I can keep out of warning trouble with the DOT (Department of Transporation/Highway Patrol Commercial Vehicle Enforcement) until January, I will get the safe driver award which is a week's pay. I will also get a tax refund whenever that happens. All of it will hopefully add up to buying a decent trailer to place on my mom's property up north. The electric use is about to drop significantly. Temps are going to drop next week to something that is much more like fall should be.
That will mean - when I can finally turn off the AC for the winter - my electric use will drop by 2/3rd's and I will have even more money available, plus less water usage to water plants meaning lower water bills. Less money to bills equals more money to savings.
Update: the new tenant just moved in. Probably not everything, but he wanted to get started on it because he is taking off with some buddies this weekend to San Diego - the Phoenicians vacation land/summer getaway place - to do whatever. He wanted to get his living arrangement taken care of before the 1st. I was glad to get the room rented and to what seems to be, at least, a responsible young man. His sister helped him and she also seems to have a good head on her shoulders. First impressions, that's all.
And this would be the end of this entry. I have plenty more, actually, but my head is banging around and that's enough to send me to bed early.
G'nite.
ben
But not before being greeted by a surprising sight when I returned back to the branch from my second and final run. In the parking lot were the General Manager's car; the Operations Manager's SUV and the Credit manager's vehicle. As well as some salesmen's vehicles. No clue, whatsoever. I haven't said anything more about the situation that was going on with the missing pallet and then the work ethic accusation since the last email I sent to the Ops manager, which was - early last week.
Lots of thoughts ran through my head, but I was feeling so s*****, I didn't really get too deep into it. In fact, when I feel THAT bad, it really doesn't matter if I am about to get shoved in the face with bad news. I neither expected that kind of news nor did I "unexpect" it. When push comes to shove, I will speak my peace and whatever the consequences are, I will live with it.
I walked in - people were in conversations which I didn't want or even feel like getting involved with. I do my thing and wait for the opportunity to say hello arises. Well, the General Manager was sitting in my manager's office, which is directly behind where I use the counter computer. I was doing my thing when they decided to head outside, the GM said hello and asked how I was doing - then heard me say hello back in a very gruff, scratchy, dried out throat type of sound - which is what I sound like when I get this way - and he immediately replied he was probably doing better than me considering my voice, lol.
Ummm, so anyway. They went outside. I finished up my paperwork and computer work and then - well as I said, I wasn't feeling well at all - decided to go out and ask if I could go home early. Just standing there was enough for me, sitting down I am fine but doing any physical work? Git'er done, and git'er done quick because I will run out of energy quickly.
I go out there, they are in a conversation about various business things of which I was listening to and soon got involved with - but finally, after 10 minutes of it, I just said "I don't want to interrupt, but I am not feeling well at all, will it be cool to go home a bit early?"
Well the GM went right into the reason he had come out: to talk to both of us about our bonuses. Bonuses? Coming out to deliver the news personally? It's not like the man doesn't have anything to do. Every time I go to the main branch - which is quite frequently - he is in his office talking to all kinds of people, on the phone or doing whatever on the computer. He works long hours and so, one would have to consider it a privilege to have that kind of attention from such an individual.
He goes into an explanation of how the bonus system works in our company, the pool that it comes from and the fact that this year, the bonuses were derived completely and totally on the sales generated by our area versus the help that corporate had to give last year. I'm not going to sit here and complain about the bonus, it was the same as last year, which is the highest I can get at my tier, so happy I was and am. Profusely thankful, I conversed with him as much as I could - I was getting weaker and weaker standing there and I was ready to sit down somewhere. Mostly, the only place I am sitting at work is in the truck, other than that I am working. Not that driving isn't working, it's a different kind of work.
So there it is. That money is going directly into the savings account when it arrives, piggy-backed on a paycheck next month.
I headed home. Remembered that it is the end of the month, tomorrow is the 30th. My car's registration will expire after tomorrow night. I figured I wouldn't feel any better tomorrow than I do today - this junk usually lasts a while - and that if I didn't do this today - the emissions testing that is - I would have to wait in an incredibly long line tomorrow with all the other procrastinators. But, just sitting down in my car's leather seats, I was feeling much better. So I went over there. It only took 15 minutes and I was out of there. My favorite place to get the oil changed is right around the corner - so yes, I did that too and regretted it. It took too long, I was feeling crappy all over again and wanted to just go home.
They took their friggin' lunch break in the middle of doing it. If I would have been told that when I first got in there, I would have left. Come back another day. I mean, really. The manager then goes into his spiel - you need this, that and the other thing. Yup, I'm sure, please just finish this up, I don't mean to be rude, but I am not feeling well and just want to go home. It needs an air filter. When do they NOT say your car needs an air filter? I will look at it on Saturday or Sunday and if it needs replaced, I'll go to AutoZone and get one at half the price I would pay them and be done with it.
He then noticed the car is a thousand miles short of 60,000 miles. Do you want to think about doing the maintenance schedule for it? Replace all the fluids. They do need to be replaced, yes, I won't deny it, it is something you need to do, especially transmission fluid and also engine coolant at the intervals specified. He quote $320 to replace the transmission fluid; coolant fluid; engine oil; brake fluid; power steering fluid and what was the last one? I can't think of it right now. Those services would cost a LOT more than that if you have them done individually, I can guarantee that right now. More than double that cost and even triple that cost at some places. So I left "thinking" about it.
It is going to wait. My house will hopefully be full of paying tenants soon, that will help with that situation. The woman tenant has declared that she is moving out on Saturday morning. She has apparently found a free place to live, the only thing she needs is a bed. I wasn't told this by her, this came through the trailer tenants. I don't WANT to speak to her, so beit. I'll be glad that she is out of here and that will take care of that problem. I was NOT willing to just tolerate and live with her junk forever. I have done that with other people and I came to the conclusion that it is not worth it. People that can't mesh with everyone else in the house - need to leave and leave immediately.
Back to the bonus. That money will hopefully be able to be kept for a travel trailer for up north. But - if something comes up/emergency, so beit. If I can keep out of warning trouble with the DOT (Department of Transporation/Highway Patrol Commercial Vehicle Enforcement) until January, I will get the safe driver award which is a week's pay. I will also get a tax refund whenever that happens. All of it will hopefully add up to buying a decent trailer to place on my mom's property up north. The electric use is about to drop significantly. Temps are going to drop next week to something that is much more like fall should be.
That will mean - when I can finally turn off the AC for the winter - my electric use will drop by 2/3rd's and I will have even more money available, plus less water usage to water plants meaning lower water bills. Less money to bills equals more money to savings.
Update: the new tenant just moved in. Probably not everything, but he wanted to get started on it because he is taking off with some buddies this weekend to San Diego - the Phoenicians vacation land/summer getaway place - to do whatever. He wanted to get his living arrangement taken care of before the 1st. I was glad to get the room rented and to what seems to be, at least, a responsible young man. His sister helped him and she also seems to have a good head on her shoulders. First impressions, that's all.
And this would be the end of this entry. I have plenty more, actually, but my head is banging around and that's enough to send me to bed early.
G'nite.
ben
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