Wednesday - Morning

I meant to post yesterday or even Monday after the day was done but something got in my way, sort of demanded my attention constantly. That something is the new Great Dane dog.  His name is currently Obito.  It's a Japanese name with a cool meaning, but I have never liked dog names that are long than 2 syllables.  I feel like dog names should be short and sweet so that when you need to call them, it's a voice command that comes out quickly. It's also just a strange name, at least to me.  I haven't decided yet.

Anyway, I drove the 170 miles straight through to Hubbard, Texas where we met up at a Cefco gas station.  I arrived 20 minutes before she did - she actually saved me 89 miles of driving each way, I was thankful for that. She being the lady that had to part with her beloved doggy.  Getting divorced, the man took off to Kansas leaving the dogs, kids, home and her in the dust.  That's pretty lame from my point of view, but I don't have the whole story, so I'll just have to leave my judgments alone on that one.

It took all of maybe 2 minutes to figure out that that long drive was absolutely worth it.  The dog took to me instantly.  She told his story: Housebroken (yes, so far we haven't had any accidents at all), kennel trained (haven't tried that yet but she did give me his kennel, unless there are issues I doubt I will use it), trained in basic obedience commands - very well in fact: sit, down, come, stay.  I was impressed with the stay command, as much as you can tell he wants to come running to you, if you tell him to stay, he's not moving.

He's a European Dane, they have a different facial appearance than their American counter parts.  If you are interested, just do an image search of both kinds of Danes and you will see what I am talking about. He's skinny, which is typical of a 2 year old Dane whose body has outgrown it's ability to keep up with the pace, they grow fast.  He will start filling out in the next year.  Filling out as in lots of muscle and just looking like a mature Great Dane.  The lady obviously took great care of the dog and gave me all of his comfort cuddle toys and other things that make him feel secure.  It was obviously not her first desire to get rid of the dog and I truly felt for her.  

I filled up at the Cefco, this trip also had another purpose such as the trip I made a while back to get a travel trailer that was 122 miles away: see how I do driving. In the mindset of a trucker, I just drove straight through without stopping coming back as I had done going done.  345 miles round trip with probably a 40 minute stop. 

The dog was understandably distressed.  I just took him from his mama.  I separated him from his pack.  He was up and down and up and down, but he kept coming to my side after we came home.  He was up and down all night long, waking me up numerous times, but again, I understood why so I was patient with him.  Day 2, I took him to the property.  I was going to walk him around the woods on the leash.  I didn't want to let him run free, even tho she said they let him off the leash whenever they were in a place where they could do so.  I let him out of the back of the SUV - he jumps in and out easily with no hesitation - and he took off running with the leash on him.  I just thought, ok, I  guess we get to test it.  

So I let him get far enough away before I called him back and he came running right back.  I took the leash off and kept doing it for a while before I was comfortable with the idea that this dog isn't going anywhere.  Which is impressive considering I had been his new owner for less than 24 hours.  Not impressive on my part, I had nothing to do with his training, impressive on his part that he had been trained on so many things, I give the lady credit for going to the trouble of teaching the dog the basic things all dogs should know.  

I haven't really tried to walk him on a leash yet since it was the property I took him to.   The lady said he loves getting into water.  I'll have to find a lake where I am allowed to let him off the leash and see what happens.  Nothing like a Dane swimming through the water lol.  

So it's still early, he was getting up and down, I figured he needed to go out and do his duty.  We started working on leaving him in my room and outside yesterday.  He starts to whine and make a lot of noise and I need that corrected before I leave for Oregon.  That's only 12 days away but at the rate we're going, it shouldn't be a huge issue.  They feed him a brand of dog food I had never heard of before, Rachel Ray's.  It is actually a bit cheaper than the Iams I was feeding Addler.  I don't have any of that food, of course, but I still have Iams left so he is happily chomping that down.  

The dog is adapting quickly, that's about it for that for now. I forgot to say that the dog was free, including everything she gave me for him.  I did offer money, just because the dog is Champion blood lines and all the stuff she was giving me.  She refused.  She said that she had had quite a lot of people contacting her about it after running ads but none of them had Dane experience.  It's probably a breed thing for lots of dogs, but Dane owners typically want another Dane owner in the case of transferring ownership of a dog.  It's mostly their size.  One person had contacted her and she said they asked if there is anything they need to know about having a Great Dane?  She just said no thank you, lol.  This is my 6th Dane. I am easing the dog into my way of doing things.  

This giant electric bill is due on the 11th.  I've collected quite a lot of money but some of it isn't showing yet.  That's a good thing because otherwise, I'm a bit screwed.  I have a couple of payments due before then as well.  It's just that I've got less than what I added up the other day for receipts.  But, there is a payment coming through cashapp that didn't post yet and some payments coming through the credit card processing that also haven't shown up, thankfully.  

I need to get a couple more lots rented out.  I may do a Facebook ad boost which targets potential renters.  

I woke up with a seriously itching foot.  I looked at it, covered with insect bite bumps.  Like 30 of them.  I must have stepped into something on the walk yesterday.  I keep forgetting to put on OFF to keep bugs from getting onto my flesh and biting me all over.  It is pretty unpleasant when they get all over your body. At least it was contained to one sock on one foot.  You could tell, the bumps end where the sock ended up my leg, lol. 

For some reason, the trash company tried to collect $100 more than owed last week.  I was going to call them but just didn't get to it. The auto-pay declined it for being over what the agreed amount was.  Well, the auto pay came through again, this time the agreed upon amount.  It's something I'd like to switch to another company, this company is high priced. Other companies in the region don't service our area saying there isn't enough business. A group of us came together on the local gossip page to get enough people to get them to start service but so far, they won't do it.  

We have Biden pushing for mask mandates again - no thank you. Aren't Americans tired of the government pushing us all around yet? Shutting down business, making kids stay at home, trashing our economy, surely we learned from the last round of this that masks and stay-at-home mandates not only don't work, but do significant damage to our society?  Real experts saying that Covid is here to stay and that masks will not stop the spread of it. Of course they won't, did they the last time? 

There. Ordered 40 pounds of his food, which is $10 per bag cheaper than Iams.  I'll take the savings and keep the dog on his regular diet.  If the food gives him problems down the road, I'll switch him over to Iams, I just balk at the idea of Iams raising the price of their dog food so much  in such a short period of time. Sorry folks, it's dog food, not rib eye steak.  

And for today? Well, I dunno yet.  I need to do some mowing, keep people happy.  I'm not doing that trenching until it rains enough to soften up the soil quite a lot. Even if the machine can trench in hard soil, it will take so much longer than necessary.  I've got until the end of next week to get it done before I fly off to Oregon.  Time is not on my side, but the trenching part of it with the machine won't take but a  couple of hours? I'm not sure, really.  I did the last trench with a mini-ex and that was pretty easy. But that machine costs a lot more to rent per day.  

So I guess I'll just mow some grass and then see about getting new belts for the riding mower. One of them popped off, it was old and falling apart.  There are 2 belts under there that I can see and the other one needs replaced as well.  

 So here I am, Monday morning and also Labor Day trying to make up my mind about this dog.  I should have left an hour ago.  It's still early, just that if I was going to go, I wanted to leave earlier than later to get it over with before the entire day is completely gone.  

I'm giving myself half an hour to make up my mind, after that, it's going to be a no if I haven't.  I want the dog but I don't want the dog. That probably doesn't make any sense to anyone but me.  

I'm trying to objectively think this through.  I am leaving in 2 weeks for Oregon, will be gone a minimum of 2 weeks according to them, maybe long depending on how long it takes to learn the truck and then back to drive at least 5 days a week.  It's the 2 week gap that concerns me. A dog new to the house and I'm already going to be gone for 2 weeks, I just don't see how we would navigate through that if the dog has any issues that need to be weaned out of it.  

The worst part right now is, I'm still not better yet, I'm getting there but this illness has kicked my butt.  I'm sitting here feeling like I need to go back to bed.  I'm fairly well talking myself out of this.  I think the only way I might do this today is if the lady would meet me half way.  I might contact her and tell her that. "Still not feeling well, can't drive 440 miles today, I can only do this if you can meet half way.  Otherwise, I'm very sorry and I hope the dog will get into a new home after you put it into the dane shelter".  

Meanwhile, I've collected quite a bit of money in the last several days.  None of it is showing in my bank accounts because of the weekend and today is a national holiday, meaning it will show up Wednesday morning.  It's a good thing, because if I had to live off of what I have in there right now, I would be totally screwed lol.  

There is also supposed to be a 4th new person show up for long term today.  I've collected all 3 of the new term people, plus the 3 people that were leaving didn't leave so that check is sitting on my desk, plus another that made a cashapp payment.  Add all of that up plus a house rent payment that is also sitting in there waiting to show up and 3 more payments before the electric bill is due and I should be in good shape.  

__________

Alright, I just texted her asking if she can meet halfway.  She offered to do that last week but then backed off of it.  

And I also got a call from one of the drivers from my old job. They lost the Brownsville account at the beginning of this year.  Ouch. That was the bread and butter of that division.  There were at least 2 trucks going down and 2 trucks coming back up every day and often times more.  This kept us busy.  I'm even more glad I got out of it now.  The guy I was talking to is getting shifted around from one division to another trying to keep busy.  I've done those other types of chemicals, they'll keep you on the road way too much.

It turns out that the plant that used the ethylene in Mexico to make the HDPE pipe finally got a plant that used to run it to them via pipeline rebuilt.  It blew up many years ago.  Now, there are no trucks running for ethylene at all.  It's a major blow to that division.  It just made it all so much more clear the decision to simply stay out of trucking for as long as I did and still, getting back into it, thinking maybe 2 years at best or until 62 and collect whatever I can get out of SS. Coupled with rv park income, I'll be doing just fine without waiting until I'm 67 to start collecting full benefits out of SS. 

So yes, I turn 62 3 Februarys from now.  Which is 2 years, 5 months.  Oops, okay, more like 2-1/2 years.  I don't even want to work that long, whenever I can get myself into a position to get a loan I can double the size of the park and live comfortably off of the income.  

Anyway, brought up old memories talking to that driver.  Most of the memories driving down to and being in Brownsville, Texas.  That and going to the Oklahoma plant.  He said the Oklahoma plant also shuts down a lot and when that happens, they have nothing to do unless they agree to switch to LNG or some other cryogenic chemical.  

Well, the 8 year old is begging me to go get the dog.  The lady agreed to Hubbard Texas, which shaves off like 65 miles each way, so 130 miles of driving.  

I'll let y'all know later what I decide. lol.  

 Sunday - evening

Loud, crazy sounding screaming this morning. One of the kids yelling his lungs out. We all rushed to the bedroom to find....the youngest having a meltdown because the oldest hit him in the nose with a piece of cardboard.  You would have thought the boy was in his death throes with that screaming, it was that bad.

Turns out the youngest had hit the oldest (he admitted to it) first with something and the oldest said no thanks, I'm hitting you back.  Even exchange, no real pain, the boy was just trying to get the oldest into trouble.  

I was tempted to leave them home and go to church alone.  I don't think behavior like that should be rewarded. But, the middle child was crying profusely when I said I will probably go to church without them - he had nothing to do with the situation and wasn't even in the room when this nonsense occurred.

So, I ended up taking all 3 of them.  After church, a run over to the park to get payment from the new tenant.  He wasn't home, so I texted him that I needed to meet up with him when he was free.  He texted back a picture of a badly damaged train that had derailed in a little town called Gibsland in Louisiana.  You can look it up, it's in the local news there.  

Turns out he is one of the rail workers that were going to come in. You know, the ones that never confirmed? Glad I didn't bother to save available lots for them. This guy is a straggler.  Sounds like a nice guy and everything, not the rail boss that had originally called.  If he wants some friends in there, I will have more lots available soon enough.  The 2 QT workers should be leaving soon, or by the end of the month. Actually, the first one that came in is either due to make another payment or leave on the 8th. The other came in on the 15th.  

I have another person coming in tomorrow. The park is currently full, but the ends tomorrow after the 2 overnighters leave.  I wonder if this other person is also a rail worker. Whatever the case, this one says he's going to be home at 7:20 so I'm going over to collect in an hour.  

Left there, since the oldest is visiting, I took them to Applebee's.  While there, the folks here (at the house) decided to run over to Shreveport and visit a casino.  We got home and then decided to go see that Megalodon movie. Kids loved it, it wasn't bad in terms of action, adventure and suspense.  I like Jason Stathom and didn't know he was in that movie, so that made it a bit better for me.

Now home.  Tomorrow is up in the air. I'm really undecided on getting another dog, tomorrow is the last day to get that one I showed a pic of on Facebook. After tomorrow, he's going into a Dane shelter which will find a foster home for him until they find a forever home for him.  

__________________

Off to a Mexican food restaurant. Not my deal, I was along for the ride.  Grandma is here and was buying.  Wasn't really that hungry but what the heck, might as well. 

After that, over to the park.  The man is brand new to RV's and didn't understand how the sewer line hooks up to the sewer hose.  You need an adapter.  I took him to his next door neighbor's and showed him what it looks like. You need one of those right there. It screws into the sewer line.  

Well, how do you dump it, is it these valves right here?  Yes.  Which one? Both. Open the black water first - that's your toilet junk, drain that out, close the valve and then open the grey water valve to clean out your sewer hose.  Make sure you close both valves after you are done or you are likely going to get sewer flies into your brand new trailer and you are not going to like that experience.  

So, he said twice what I told him to make sure he had it right.  Of course, for the 4th time this week, my laptop was doing yet another update.  It's so irritating. How many updates does the blooming thing need?  It takes it forever to complete an update, up to an hour before I can use the computer again. I gave up on it and told him I would take his card info over the phone when I got home and use my desktop computer.

I really need a new laptop, I just am not spending money on things right now if I don't absolutely have to. The problem is, I use that laptop frequently to process credit cards.  It's a must have. Many people don't want to give that kind of information over the phone.  I don't blame them, I just said I would do it with this guy in the hopes he wouldn't object.  Anyway, I'm hoping I can keep the laptop going long enough to get the new job, get some paychecks rolling in and find another one not to expensive.  I only use it for my business and for surfing the internet if I"m away from the house and writing in my blog. It doesn't have to be anything fancy.  

Oh, this new pedestal I installed. It's a different brand and the cover that flips up and down over the outlets is also different - and far better.  It closes all the way and has a big opening at the bottom.  My regular ones have a big flap but it just stays at a preset "closed" setting that is still semi-open.  It's at an angle.  I haven't had any problems with rain getting into the things but I can see the design of this other one is much better. 

The big question I still haven't answered: Do I go get the dog tomorrow? Am I ready for another dog?  What if it needs a lot of training?  Etc.  Just about guaranteed a new dog coming from another home is going to have some kinds of issues that will need to be trained out of them.  They usually do not have any leash training much less being under voice command.  That takes a lot of time and patience, but I do it with all new dogs.  Is it out of the chew everything up stage.  Is it a barker.  Does it jump fences.  Is it house trained (this one supposedly is).  

Is it going to be a joy or a headache. Or both. Is it worth driving 440 miles round trip for.  I've checked all the Danes closer by, none of them had that appeal to me that I am looking for.  You know when a dog clicks, it just says, yup, we are a good match. This one does that for me. He looks nothing like Addler, I really am not sure I want another dog that looks like Addler, tho I do love Harlequin markings on their coats. Pretty unique and beautiful.  

Well, it's my bedtime, offa here.  

 Once again, my park is full. Temporarily of course.  The 3rd person in 3 days came in and took lot 7 just now.  I know because he called me, I can't for the life of my get that camera to start taking short videos of moving events and sending me the notifications. The other one does it, that one refuses to.  I was going to reset it today and totally forgot about it.

The stuff with replacing that pedestal and picking up cigarette butts and dog poop all over the place sort of moved that out of mind.  It's back in my mind now and when I go over there to collect rent I am going to see if I can execute a reset through some sort of method it says to stand in front of it and - whatever.  I can't find a 'reset to default' option anywhere.  

People were complaining about a portion of the dog park where those people that left dogs' were pooping and she wasn't cleaning it up. It was rather disgusting, there was a lot of poop over there.  I used a flat shovel with a bucket with a trash can liner in it and walked around the entire park looking for piles of dog dung and any cigarette butts. 

I don't get people throwing their cigarettes on the ground when they're done, either.  Why, just why?  That drunkard that was fired had 50 of them on the ground, I picked every last one of them up.  But they were everywhere, not just his lot.  Whatever, I guess the joys of owning an RV park, people who don't give a s*** and you just have to deal with it. Except, when I see someone doing it. Then it's, excuse me? They give you that sheepish look when they realize they just did that in front of the owner of the park.  Do I need to provide cigarette butt disposal canisters all over the place?  

No, that won't change their shi*** behavior and it will just be a waste of money. I don't have a trash can in the dog park, I'll fix that in case it helps anyone decide to pick up their dog's waste.  A cigarette disposal won't be of any use in there, I never find cigarette butts in there, thankfully.  The dog dung is cleaned up - every last pile that I could find.  100 plus cigarette butts, picked up. Any trash I could find, gone.  

I just eat my pride, I'd rather have a clean park than a big ego.  Like, I ain't picking up people's dogs' s***.  Well, do that and you have a sh**** park, literally.  Bad image. Same with cigarette butts. I find an inordinate amount of them around the shed, so maybe I'll put a cigarette receptacle over there and at least give it a try.

I have no idea what those things cost. About a 3 foot high thing that has a tube going almost the entire verticle length of it with a basin at the bottom.  People put their cigs in there, it consumes them, all gone.  

Some sort of trash can with a foot pedal to open it - trying to make this as painless as possible for people - at least give it a try and see what happens. It does make sense that I should have a dog dung trash can in the park. It's just that I have a large trash can at the shed right next to the park so I just figured people could through the stuff in there. And some do.  Well, I found an outdoor cigarette receptacle cheap.  Found an outdoor trash can with foot pedal and removable bucket inside of it for cheap as well.  

Now then, when my 2, 3-day stays leave Monday morning, I'll have 2 lots available... but....there is allegedly yet another long term coming in Monday as well.  That'll leave one lot open for overnighters - for now.  I'll rent that sucker out to long term if someone comes along as well and forget about overnighters.  And anyway, I have 2 more people leaving sometime this month, they were only here for a month and then leaving.  Doing all the wiring for the new Quick Trip that's being built a few miles away.  I pretty much figure after their month is up, they're moving on, that's how they were discussing it, that's what they do. Go from one new Quick Trip to another installing all the camera wiring and cash register wiring, technical stuff. 

My whole focus is long term. I don't get enough short term to make it worth even leaving one lot open.  Well, a few months there have been a couple of lots breaking even with long term paying lots.  The only advantage right now is putting less of a draw on the power system.  The lots stay empty long enough to have a couple of less units constantly working the circuits.  Now, these circuits have proven so far that they can handle the constant load of 16 units.  The shed has been the only compromised issue where if everything is all running at once, it overheats the 125 amp breaker and it eventually shuts off. 

That would be the next big project, running another line over there.  

These people that just arrived called and said they need to go home and get more of their stuff, do we wait around for you? No.  I'll catch up with you later or tomorrow.  I'm not feeling so great right now, it can wait. People aren't parking their rigs to do what? Take off?  Run over a pedestal I guess. But, they came in the correct way and it's daylight so I'm pretty confident that won't happen - during daylight hours anyway.  

Yes, I'm still waking up coughing and snot running out my nose. This has been going on for a while now.  Like, how much longer am I going to have to deal with this? Probably doesn't help going out there and working.  Yet, when I'm outside, in the sun, working and sweating? I feel much better.  It's afterward and I'm toast.  

Anyway, no dog today.  Everything just took too much time. I don't know if that dog is going to slip out of my hands or not, I'll have to text the lady and find out.

 Okayyyyy.......

I get there and this old curmudgeon - that's about a fitting as it gets for his demeanor - is standing there waiting on me.  He's the kind that likes to me crude jokes and lots of cussing.  He's joking, but it kinda gets old.  Still, he helped me hold the pedestal up and such while I was installing it. 

Laying belly down in the dirt? Not so much fun but at least it wasn't boiling hot out there.  I went around to whoever was home and and let them know the power is going to be out for 30 minutes to an hour and got busy. Took the panels off the new pedestal, unscrewed the lugs, went and turned the power off. 

Checked the power to make sure it was off with a multimeter. There isn't any way in the town of Hades that I am going to touch electrical wires that thick without being absolutely certain the power is off.  It wasn't hard work, per se, just a PITA.  Especially laying belly down in the dirt digging out more of the dirt. This pedestal is a different brand and the thing goes lower into the ground.  

Once the power was off, unscrewed all the lugs, pulled out the lines, pulled out the damaged pedestal, put in the new one, hooked it all up, walaah.  The test wasn't nerve-wracking, ie: turning the power back on.  I knew I had those lines in there correctly and tho it was a different brand, the setup was exactly the same.  

Power on, ac units back on, no one complaining about power issues, done.

Done, at least, until just now.  Some over nighters are saying their plug has issues.  Yup, they're on the other side of the park, the side I wasn't messing with.  They're screwed.  It's just a plug, the one that plugs into the pedestal. They go bad.  If you're drawing a lot of juice through them constantly, they get hot and eventually they start coming apart.  The prongs start loosening up and the next thing you know?  No power.  They asked if there was an rv mechanic and I said yes, but he doesn't work weekends and since this is a holiday weekend, I'm positive he isn't working.

I then offered that it isn't that hard to put a new plug on there. It really isn't, lol.  Cut the old one off, splice the cable cover back a few inches, strip the ends, feed it through the insert, hook it up to the new one. tighten down the collar, you're done.  I didn't offer to do the work, exactly, I just said it's not that difficult.  But they alluded to the idea of me doing it for them.  So I told them to find a new plug, Lowe's has them.

No plug at Lowe's, out of stock.  Ok, try longview Lowes, Home Depot and there's a RV dealer with a parts room at it.  So, they are heading over there now and I just said, well, if you need help, contact me when you get back. 

__________

Well that problem took care of itself.  I mean, I did tell them it's an easy fix. And when you get a new plug, it's pretty self-explanatory.  The only thing you have to make sure of is that you get the right wire on the right connecter.  If you can do that, you have it mastered.  So when they got back with it, they figured it out all by themselves.  I don't have to go over and fool with it, but if I had had to, I would have charged them $20 for my time.  That's a far cry cheaper than the RV mobile mechanic they wanted to come out.  And now they have their AC working again - it's pretty warm out there right now.  

I think if you're going to live in an RV, you should learn basic maintenance and repairs.  Even if you have lots of money, there isn't always a tech available.  If you need a new AC, yup, get a pro.  If you need a new plug, sewer line, adapter, whatever - it's a simple fix, the hardest part is just going to get the part.  

Anyway, I have a new tenant coming soon here, I'm probably going to head back over there and make sure they get settled in. And pay, lol.  And hit another family up for their pay.  I went over and knocked this morning, it's hard to tell if they're home or not since they have 2 vehicles. One of them was there, their main ride was gone.  

I'm looking at the weather app. We are still well above average high temps. We've got 2, 100 degree days coming up but before and after mid 90's.  We should be in the high 80's this time of year going by the average temps they have listed.  And we are in a drought.  It is amazing how much rain we get much of the year but come 2 / 3 months of summer and it the rain just disappears.  

Well, I'm going to rest a bit - still coughing at night and losing sleep - and then go over there and see if they're around. Also, the 3 people that I have been commenting on whether they are staying or going. Well they're obviously staying but their company hasn't sent the monthly check yet.  Check the mail box and see if it's in there, ask one of the 3 night stays permission to run the credit card for the amount owing, clean the toilet and the shower stall and call it a day.  

 Saturday - early

I had no choice but to wait until this morning to do the pedestal install.  Just the convenience factor for guests, who will undoubtedly be inconvenienced anyway, but at least not in the heat of the day.  I will be heading over there soon to get with it.  Knock on doors, give a second warning, go shut the power off and install that thing.

As of right now, except for lot 7, the park is full plus 2 behind the shed equaling 15 lots occupied. Lot 7 is slated for a long term coming in today.  My checkin time isn't until 2 pm, thankfully, if they show up earlier than that, they'll just have to wait if I don't have it done already.  

Which I better.  This job, as I have stated in previous posts, should be relatively easy.  I'm sure getting the bent up pedestal out of there will be a pain because it will have to slide up the lines. You can't bend those lines to get them out of there, they are far to thick.  They have a little leeway, but definitely not that much.  

Anyway, I don't have a lot of time here, I want to get out there before it starts getting hot.  It was baking hot yesterday being out in the direct sunlight in the afternoon and I don't want to repeat that today.  

I'm safe until it hits around 11:00 am and then it starts heating up.  

So, with that, and getting my second cuppa, I'm out of here.  

 Sitting at the park waiting on the delievery. Supposedly it's on its way over here.  

The people that moved in 2 months ago were hooking up their truck when I arrived.  ?Ya'll leaving? Yes, I got reassigned.  I get that that happens, but they weren't going to say anything at all.  Just leave, lol.  It's ok, their dogs go around defecating everywhere but they act like it isn't their dogs doing it.  In other words, they sit there and watch them poop but refuse to clean it up.  To that end, I'm very happy they are leaving.  

It opens up a lot.  So I called the people with the student that wants to move in and said I have a lot available today.  No, I didn't say that to them, I texted them that. Their mailbox was full, they didn't answer the phone.  I have had no reply.  I do whatever I can to keep people on the hook.  If they show up early, I'm still on the hook with this pedestal.  If they don't, there is no immediate rush on it.  But, get it done is the motto for today, whatever happens, that lot is unusable in it's current condition.  

I want it ready for whatever.  I've got a person moving in tomorrow and that student moving in Monday if they don't come sooner.  But since these people left today, that still leaves 2 empty lots.  I also have a 2-3 nighters coming in tonight.  Anyway, I pretty much try not to turn anyone down, if there's the possibility a lot is going to be open, I"m telling people it's available.  The calls just aren't frequent enough to think, well, I"ll turn this person down because these people may or may not leave.  I'll work it out somehow.

As it stands, I have the one monthers that are probably leaving this month as well, which is why I'm hot on the trailer to get whoever I can in here whenever they are calling for a spot.  

So, anyway, I'm going to go to Lot 7 in a minute and take the panels off. That's a 5 minute job, nothing that's going to hold me up for replacing the thing if it arrived, say, right now. Just get busy and get it done.  

But, I do want it ready, so off to the races!

 Friday - morning

If I am going by the website, the pedestal hasn't even shipped yet.  I only know it's being shipped UPS.  No tracking number, the email they sent with the updated information only had UPS ground on it, the delivery date left blank and no idea when it's going to show up. To hear the dude on the phone, it's either coming today or Monday at the latest. Monday? Doesn't help me.

What I need to do is go over there and see if the 4 day stay showed up last night. For some reason, the outdoor camera is not sending me notifications or taking clips of vehicles driving by.  So, if UPS showed up, I wouldn't know it.  These Arlow cameras suck, basically.  I'm stuck with them for now, I don't have money to be buying expensive Ring or Nest cameras. 

The long term did, indeed, show up yesterday.  I had to set everything up for her, she knows nothing about trailers and just owns one, lol.  It took her about 15 tries to get the trailer back to where I wanted it. I say where I wanted it because she had no clue.  Well, I do have a clue.  I had her back up onto a couple of boards on the driver's side and then looked at a bubble.  It was near level.  After she put her slide out, it was perfectly level.  In other words, a big slideout pulls down the side it's on and fortunately for me, it was on the side that needed to come down a bit.  

The only thing that sucked? Her sewer valve isn't working. It's just open.  I took the cap of the line and yes, "stuff" starting pouring out.  I got the sewer line on it as fast as possible but a lot of that stuff ended up on the ground.  I ended up hosing it down - quite a bit and getting it to thin out. Then I went to the shed and got a gallon of bleach and poured almost the entire gallon along where the sludge was.  Well, no visible sludge after hosing everything down, but you know the bugs will know where it's at and the smell will come back.  I think most people would rather smell bleach than poop and the bugs won't have anything to do with it.

I still need to collect from her, but it's pretty safe to say that driving a new chevy pickup and a newer 32 foot bumper pull trailer, paying lot rent shouldn't be an issue. She has an absolutely beautiful German Shepherd puppy, 7 months old.  The dog was going crazy, but it had been pent up in that truck for quite a while.  

I guess I'll go over there and see if I can get that damn camera to work correctly, reset the thing and hope it starts working again.  It would be wonderful if the pedestal was sitting there on lot 7.  That's what I have on the address.  My street address and "Lot 7".  If the thing shows up today, it's going in today.  I care about tenants not having power temporarily, there is no way around it.  Go knock on doors, let them know what's about to happen, offer apologies and get with it.  I could say half an hour and then it turns into hours.  So I don't really know what to tell them, it could be a few minutes it could be quite a while.  

I can't have an entire lot just sitting there doing nothing because of a jacked up pedestal, that's what I know. It's money down the drain, I have that lot slated for a long term coming in tomorrow, just need to get it done.  

It's really kind of taking over everything in my mind right now, it's just lost money and a lost, semi-permanent camper.  I simply can't afford to lose those, those are my lifeblood, it's what the revised business model revolves around.  I have another showing up on Monday, but on Monday, 2 more lots are opened up.  RV'ers want their lot when they say they want it and if they go somewhere else? You aren't going to see them again, especially long term. They get somewhere, they set up, they don't want to go through all of that again.  

I'm going to start asking for google reviews from people again.  It's one of the major hangups I have, it's only 6 of them on there, I need dozens more.  I gave up on it for a while, but it's just too important. People look for them and they want to see a lot of them. Half a dozen simply doesn't cut it. Once people leaving, I'm sending them a link to review the park. Unsolicited, yes, just send it, ask them if they could take a minute to review it, if they do, great, if they don't, keep sending them out. Google generates a link to send, it's painless.  Even if they just want to give stars only and no written review.  

And I have no idea how this dude at a park south of the Interstate is getting what he's getting there.  I was discussing it with the 2 bigger park owner.  He is charging $425 PLUS electricity.  How is he getting that?  His park is a sardine can style setup with people basically on top of each other.  Even the major competitors don't have meters at their lots? She was saying she is considering doing so, tho.  

I can add meters to my pedestals, I've had that confirmed by an industry expert.  But I have enough trouble getting people in there as it stands.  The only thing I think that is getting people in there right now is the fact that I am charging less than everyone. I didn't know what else to do and so that's what I did..  It hurts the bottom line, but if you have no bottom line that is even worse.  Last month average $156 per lot for electricity.  Which means some of those trailers are sucking up huge amounts of power right now, well beyond that.  I can assess that because not every lot is filled up.  

Anyway, I'm getting the nerves hitting.  I need to get over there and just see if that pedestal by some miracle showed up and try to fix that camera. 

G'day

 Thursday morning

Because staying up half the night snotting and coughing are my idea of fun. Not.

I've got a permanent coming in today.  Well, one can hope they are going follow through with their word and actually come through.  If they don't show up, the pressure to get lot 7 fixed is gone, at least for now.  I'd prefer they show up and keep the pressure on.  I have no idea where that pedestal is, they haven't updated their site nor have they sent the email they said they were with shipping information.  

I says and has said: "Not yet shipped".  Rather frustrating. If the thing shows up by tomorrow, I will have that pedestal installed in time for the other long term coming in. This isn't really something I'm going to tell them about unless it comes to the point that I have no choice.  I spoke with the larger park(s) yesterday, they have available spaces if I can't make this happen.  I've got a back up plan for that person if it absolutely has to go that route.  

I got some sleep, but certainly not enough.  At 4:30 am I just said screw it and was awake.  

In my rather exhausted state of existence, I went ahead and pulled the 14 pound brisket out of the refrigerator, cut it in half, spent 20 minutes trimming the fat off of it - that's a lot of work! - made a homemade rub, got it all covered up with the rub and rubbed in, foil-wrapped, in the oven at 275 degees and check it about 4 hours from now and see where it's at.  At around 175 internal temp, pull the brisket out, open up the foil and put it back in until internal temp is between 195 to 205 degrees, however long it takes to be able to stick a toothpick into with the same resistance you would have with a cake.

Oven cooking brisket is, in reality, brisket sacrilege, but I have no energy to be standing out side with the smoker all day long, checking the temp, putting in wood and chips and keeping it at a correct temp.  The problem with oven cooking it is you don't get that nice bark on it and you don't have the smoked flavor. Still, it should turn out tasty, just not smoked-flavor tasty.  

If/when I get back to working, I want to get a pellet smoker.  Much easier and same, smoked flavor with far less PITA.  You just fill a hopper full of the pellets, set the thing at whatever temp you want and walaah.  It's smoking without constantly tending to it. 

Now, for today. A lady is allegedly moving in today.  She said she had someone to haul it to my park and that she would be following behind in her car and expect an arrival sometime this afternoon. I've got her covered for a lot and I've also got the 2 overnighters covered.  I do not have the other guy coming in for long term covered until I get that pedestal replaced. Crossing fingers and hoping to the good God in Heaven, our Creator - Praise his Holy Name! - that it arrives no later than tomorrow and I don't run into any problems installing it.

I have enough motivation to get over there when she arrives and ensure that she is moving into one of the lots I want her RV to be moved into.  After that?  Nothing.  Nothing before that either.  It's just one of those days - weeks - I write off to being sick and getting whatever I must get done, done and the rest of it? Can wait.  Things like renting a trencher and installing another 125 amp panel. Priced that out yesterday, it's $70 for the panel and the circuit breakers I'll need. Add I think it was $280 for the machine I've got $350 plus tax into that project.  

I just wonder if there is ever going to be an end to this? I think I have everything covered and then bam!!! something that would be considered - abnormal - pops up. You don't expect people to run over your pedestals.  You think you might get away with the electrical panel the way it is set up - but you know there is the possibility you might have to go a step further with it.  

Then there's grass.  Foregone conclusion that it's just going to be more rye/winter grass coming in the fall. I'm not spending money I don't have on summer grass, summer is going to be over soon enough and just wasting money.  I'll spend around $300 on grass seed for winter grass and when it all comes in, I'll be good until March or April, which is when I will pull the trigger and get the Bermuda.

That is the time to do it, not June.  After the last predicted frost.  You wait long enough to ensure your grass won't be killed off by frost but you don't wait so long as to have high temperatures that get so high, you aren't going to be able to keep the seed or even the sod alive.  And, you hope you can get it done during a week or more of predicted rainfall.  

I don't know why, but I had just short of a panic attack last night about going back to work.  I'm not so opposed to the idea that it's akin to going to a funeral, I just guess I've been off of working for a large trucking company/corporation for so long, I've gotten used to the idea of not being pushed around and manipulated all the time.  I was informed they expect 5 days a week, but if you want to work more, you can.  

No thank you.  5 days is enough for me. I need more info  about a typical work day, but it sounded like it's 8 to 10 hours.  That's in line with a local job just working 8 hour shifts.  I don't want to work more than that and more importantly, I don't need to work more than that. If I can get away with just having the net income from the park sit in the checking account and grow over time, I will. Come up with a down payment for a loan - a 20% down payment - and that should make a lender happier than, apparently, having a piece of property that is currently worth in the neighborhood of 250k plus a park that ups that ante to a total of at least 400k - and only wanting about 150k loan.  

But, let's not count our chickens before the eggs are hatched. I have no idea, in reality, how much I will see as a paycheck after taxes and health insurance. The point is to cover monthly bills and pay down debt. 

I am still having these dam*** sinus headaches.  Not fun.

Anyway, enough of this, just going to go back to bed and lay down again for a while. 

 Wednesday - semi-early morning

11 hours of sleep.  I woke up once and was awake for an hour, but it's 12 hours since I went to bed.  Just the result of being sick and finally getting some sleep instead of being awake off and on coughing half the night.  That doesn't mean I feel good from getting all of that sleep. Quite to the contrary, my mind is muddled and groggy feeling which it normally is after getting far too much sleep.

Whatever. Undecided whether I should try to get anything done today.  I guess I'll figure that out in an hour or so when I start waking up a bit better.  

____________

Mid afternoon

I went over to the property and dug that thing out of there. The pedestal that is. It was not sitting well with me.  If I have a deadline on the thing, at least get it ready to go.  I got down to where the power lines go into the thing and that was enough. Take the panels off when ready to replace. Take off the panels, remove the circuit breakers and at least have an actual position of a starting point where I'm not starting from scratch.

After that and still feeling like crud, I decided to go for a walk on Addler's old stomping grounds.  That dog used to gallop through there, stopping here and there to sniff or pee on things.  It made me feel better going for that walk.  It's actual science now that getting out doors is beneficial to people that are sick versus laying in a bed constantly . 

I went to the bridge - he hated that bridge lol - and just stared off into the woods for a while.  Snakes long gone, their den opening was covered with cobwebs.  The stream just barely enough water to keep it wet.  A few pools of water, which I thought crazy.  The last few years during summer, the water dried up completely.  It hasn't rained here in quite a while.  It wasn't a brisk walk, just slow and mind full of different things.  

Sort of looking forward to orientation in Oregon. I only say it that way because of how I am feeling currently. It's still 3 weeks off to the departure date, I hope to be fine by then and deal with 2 to 3 weeks of orientation and training with relative ease.  

As of now, the dog is tentative for Saturday.  It will be an all day affair driving clear over there and back, hopefully with a "new" Great Dane dog.  I dunno what's going to happen, but that's on the calendar as of now.  

I am fortunate that today, the temps are well down and there isn't as much strain on the shed power panel.  I was in the shed and the ac had cycled off and didn't come back on while I was in there. Note that I'm not trying to keep it cold in there, just cool at most, tolerable is more like it.  

I didn't accomplish anything else today and considering how I'm feeling, I'll take it without self-condemnation.

 Tuesday mid-morning

Funny how the coughing will stop once I go to sleep.  I will eventually wake up to it starting up again, but at least I'm getting sleep through all of this nonsense.  I'm so glad I am not anywhere near departure date for Oregon.  I would have to ask them if they wanted a sick person around them to do orientation and they would probably say, let's reschedule. 

I can't reschedule.  I need to start working and soon.  Sooner than the 18th would be better. I'm still looking at the numbers.  IF everything comes in as it currently will on paper and get at least some overnighters in, I will make it.  I just had a guy call me a few minutes ago looking for a place for "a few months".  Yes, I have a spot for you.  I can hope that he will show up on Saturday.

But, I see why most parks want reservations made on their systems and money paid in advance. I'm learning. Well, I knew why they do it, I just haven't implemented it on these phone calls.  But I think after today, I am going to require anyone wanting to reserve a spot for extended stay to put some kind of deposit down.  Otherwise, they can just play you, meaning they can use you as a back-up plan if their main plan falls through. They won't tell you you are the back up plan, they will tell you that they are coming to your park. When they don't show, you sit and shrug your shoulders.  Why did they do that?

Well, simple. Because they can.  And when I say deposit, the parks mark it as non-refundable.  You put that money down, you aren't getting it back.  At least a day's worth of stay.  But many parks go further with it than that. They'll make you pay the entire stay up front, non-refundable. So if you were staying 3 weeks, you pay it up in advance and if you don't show, oh well, you just lost all of that money.

As I said, I knew why they do it, I just was trying to get anyone in there and couldn't afford to engage in such rules and hope that the people would show up.  But here we have these railroad people, for example, asking for several lots.  I said I had 1 available and 2 more coming available after the 3rd.  He didn't commit to anything. When I found out I have 2 more lots available, I called him and still didn't get a commitment.  

Well, that's on them.  If they show up with trailers and I don't have spots for them, I'm not going to feel bad at all.  Direct them to other RV parks in the area.  No apologies, either. If you want a spot, you know you have to reserve them.  I'm taking whatever's coming in. This dude says "several months" and that works for me.  I need a couple more of those soon.  I can't rent out lot 7 with the damaged pedestal, hoping to have that rectified as quickly as possible.

As of right now, the status is still "not yet shipped".  If that doesn't change by the end of the day, I'm going to be calling them. Please expedite this.  I need it now, not 2 months from now, thank you.  It's already paid for.  The shipping isn't paid for and I assume they call you with shipping info and cost. Even if it's $100 it's still cheaper than anything else, plus it's coming straight from the manufacturer.  

Another guy that had a 3 day stay booked canceled yesterday.  So, I gave him all of his money back - which is just the first day's stay - excepting the campground software fee.  I'm not eating any of the expenses and told him up front that that fee was being deducted from the refund.  Half a day later - yesterday just later on in the day - he calls back. Well, I wasn't going to come, but now I've changed my mind, I am going to visit with Immanuel Baptist Church - whatever he was doing I didn't hear, maybe a visiting preacher? - can I rebook?  Sure!  That church is a mile and a half away from my park. Staying at any other park would mean a much longer travel time.

The other lady that wanted a long term spot hasn't called back.  She called me twice last week and we had long conversations.  I'm trying to give people the idea that I'm not some sort of weirdo and that the park isn't full of them, either.  But it sure does seem a waste of time if you spend all that time on the phone and it results in nothing.  

Anyway, I've blocked out some time on the lot I'm giving to this guy that is coming on Saturday and just hope he shows up.  

This whole business is rather tricky. You have no idea how long people are staying when they say "long term". "Probably several months".  "About a month".  "Well, I know I said I was leaving next month but can I stay for 3 more?".  The only definitive stays are the overnighters/weekly and even some of them end up extending their stay. "Can I stay 5 more days?".  

Meanwhile, I get a phone call yesterday. "The power is out".  That was the tent lady, who knows nothing about electricity and how it works (I don't expect people to, but it is interesting when they don't even know about circuit breakers). Did you check the circuit breaker on the shed?  No, where is that? Lol, it's literally right there in view of her front door when she walks out and to the right.

Turns out the other people's had gone off too.  Meaning, the main breaker tripped. She was on the phone with me while they were figuring it out. "Well, the shed is on but both of our trailers are off".  The guy flipped the main breaker, I later found out because I went over there.  The shed would have had to have been off as well, you throw the main you've got everything off over there.

It's pretty simple: the main breaker isn't big enough for the amount of load on the panel and I'm going to have to upgrade the breaker to probably 200 amps.  It will have no effect on the panel or the breakers on the panel, it will just supply enough juice to cover the demand when you have a water heater, an electric dryer, a window AC unit all running at the same time in the shed plus 2 more AC units running on trailers.  I actually had wished I had bought the 200 amp version when I got done installing everything and then thought, gee, if I decide to have campers back here, it's going to draw a lot more power off of this thing.

I haven't had any phone calls since then so hopefully it will last until I feel well enough to go to Lowe's, get a bigger breaker and get over there and install it. 

It will mean shutting off the power to the west side of the park.  This is really what I was talking about before, tho, in wanting to dig a trench from lot 1 on the east side and have the 2 trailers running off of a different circuit.  Yet, the direct burial line I installed for the shed is sufficient gauge, it really shouldn't be a problem just installing a higher amp breaker.  Maybe I'll see if they have anything between 125 and 200 amp.  

I suspect odd-ball sizes will cost a lot more.  Hmm, will have to do some more research.  Most electricians believe the buss will handle the extra load even if it "says" 125 amps, but have to check the manufacturer's ratings which should be stamped somewhere on the panel.  

Well, anyway, the NJ people texted and said they "have some money for you". I don't want "some" money, I want an entire month's worth of rent paid up in cash, in my hand, today.  The dude moved back in with her as evidenced by the car showing back up and the tent lady confirming that yes, he's back. That's odd, to me anyway, but whatever.  Money is what I'm after.  They're using my electricity and facilities, they get money, they can pay for it.  I'll take my sick @$$ over there to look at the panel and see if I can find a rating on it and to collect money.  

Then I'll come back home and sit or lay down. I don't get over stuff like this without a lot of doing nothing is involved. This feels like bronchitis again.  I don't have antibiotics - they like to prescribe those tho they seem to have no affect and I don't have a steroid shot or the pills.  Those do tend to help, but only for a short period of time.  

__________

The pedestal is being shipped today. I couldn't just wait around wondering when they are going to ship it.  The man said it would "probably" be there by Friday.  Here's the dilemma.  I have 2 short stays coming in this week, a guy saying he's coming in for a few months and this lady just called that I was discussing earlier in this thread, she said she's coming Thursday.  

That means, to cover all of this, I need lot 7 up and running by Saturday.  I'm in no condition to be digging out a pedestal right now, but I'd do it if the new one was sitting here.  I'm going to just sit on this and think about it for a while. The electrician who helped build the park said he could probably help me with one.  I just decided to go the manufacturer route because it's almost half the price of anyone else.  It's only Tuesday and I can have that destroyed pedestal dug out of there in less than an hour.  Take the components out of it, install them in the new one and then we have the part about shutting the power off to everyone while I spent probably an hour, maybe 2, installing this new one.  

I mean, I can't remove the old one without removing the wiring first. I can dig it up and prop it up, I did that with the shed project, have it ready to do the work, but in the end, that power has to be shut off to remove the wiring, get the damaged pedestal out of the way and put the new one in there.  If all went well, I could actually have the wiring changed out in no more than 30 minutes.  I don't have to have the pedestal buried back into the ground to get that done, I didn't do that for the shed project. So, power downtime will be minimal.  

The temperatures have dropped around 10 degrees for the daytime highs.  That'll be going on through Saturday. After that, the temps go back up but not as high as they have been for quite a while. This is good news. Less load on AC units to supply enough cooling to the rigs.  

I've got 2 more lots coming available next month, hence I want to get these 2 long termers in there regardless of how much effort I will have to exert in the condition I am in. It will just set me back on how long it will take to recover.  Life is rough, it always has been, nothing new to see here.  I want lot 7 ready to go as fast as it is possible to get that pedestal in and if that means I need to buy one at an inflated rate from the electrical contractor, then so beit. I'll have an extra one laying around for if/when this happens again.  

But I'm not going to ask him today.  I can't do anything today beyond just getting that money and checking that panel and mayyybe, going to Lowe's for a circuit breaker, if I find that the panel can handle a higher amp load. It's the bus bar that determines whether it can handle a higher load.  It is highly likely the same gauge bar as the 200 amp model, just showing rated at 125 amps.  If it isn't the same and the 125 bus bar is actually thinner, installing a higher amp main breaker could end up melting the bus bar and causing a fire.

We don't want that.  If that is the case, plan B is the only thing left to do.  That's rent a trencher, dig the 178 foot long trench, install the wiring I already have and putting in a separate panel for the trailers.  Then we have the 2 trailers off of the shed and the issue resolved.  The ditch witch machine isn't cheap to rent and another panel is around $110.  It comes with circuit breakers at least.  Install the new panel next to the existing one so I don't have to buy more wiring, move the wires from one to the other and call it good.  

At least I have a plan B and I already spent the money on that wiring long ago.  It's heavy gauge, direct burial, aluminum wiring that will easily handle 2 trailers.  It's a lot of work, tho.  Just energy I don't currently have.  The ground is hard from no rain and I would have to consider watering the intended trenching area to make it easier for the machine to dig out the trench.  

Right now, however, the more immediate problem is the pedestal.  This is a problem I shouldn't even be facing, frankly and a problem caused by people who refuse to admit to it.  The circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. They were the only ones coming in that day AND using THAT particular space.  It's on the reservation grid on the software.  The rest of the lots were either already filled or empty.  No one else came in that day.  These people did it.  And they are causing me a lot of headache over there stupidity.  That's the frank and blunt way to put it, you don't try to make impossible turns. You throw up your hands, say to yourself this can't be done, I need to find a place to turn around.

If you don't know what to do. CALL THE OWNER/MANAGEMENT OF THE PARK. I'm definitely going to install bollards - in the future. I don't have the time or the money for that right now.  But, they will be cemented into the ground and they will be steel pipe filled with concrete.  They will sit right next to the pedestals and the water and sewer outlets - they're all close together.  

Anyway, I'm feeling a little better now that i forced myself out of bed and am going to take advantage of that and get over there and collect money.

G'day

Monday morning - early

I dunno what woke me up, probably the kids making noise, but since the sun was just showing, might as well get up.

Not that I feel very good.  Constant - stuff coming out my nose, to be a little less gross about it.  Coughing, hacking like the last time I had bronchitis.  Covid is going around in waves in this region, I wouldn't be surprised if I had it again.  Not going to waste my time or money getting checked for it, if I have it, there is little a person can do about it but ride it out.  Unless things go south and you end up in a hospital.  

The electrical contractor said to text him tomorrow, yesterday, about whether he has an extra pedestal laying around he could sell me.  But I found the same pedestal from the manufacturer's web page and it's $200 cheaper than anyone else is offering it for.  I just don't know how long a wait it would be to get it shipped here.  I will be calling them a little later this morning and making that inquiry.  I'll wait a few extra days if it means saving hundreds of dollars. I have other lots available right now.  2 of them are taken for 3 days concurrently at the beginning of the month. 

Having a lot unusable doesn't set well with me, I will take whatever route that can get that lot back to being functional while not costing a fortune.  

Even with prescription cough medicine, still coughing like crazy.  I don't know where this junk came from.  I am guessing a person that was at the wedding who ended up having Covid.  He didn't know it and likely spreading it around all over the place, especially the job he has which is personal contact with people.  So, I suspect I have Covid and at this point, I don't care about it.  Apparently Covid is here to stay with us, thanks in part to the US federal government and specifically, Anthony Fauci for funding "gain of function research" that has been unequivocally been verified as a true report.  

Why are we trying to find out ways to infect humans with animal diseases in the first place?  There can be only one realistic answer to that question.  I can't just go into hiding.  Actually, trucking kept me away from this nonsense more than anything. Being home equals being exposed to kids who go to public schools. Kids that age spread their germs between each other quite freely. 

I don't really have the wherewithal in me to be digging out a pedestal right now.  

Well, they are saying they have good stock going now.  I called the manufacturer.  That is a marked change from what was going on a year ago when the supply chain was messed up and ordering pedestals was up to a 3 month stay on a waiting list and they were exacting much higher prices.  He said a week or less.  I wish it was more like " a few days" which it apparently could be.  

__________

Pedestal ordered.  No idea yet, it says on the website they call with delivery information before shipping. Well, let's get this call and get this thing shipped - today if possible. The sooner it's in a truck, the sooner it will get here.  Amazing that it's "only" $270 compared to all of these middle-man places charging hundreds more. Even more amazing they don't require you to be a sales outlet in order to qualify to buy from them.  

I'm not feeling particularly well atm and getting off of here.  

 Saturday - night

I've just been resting and trying to get past whatever this is. Lots of sneezing, nasal pressure, sore throat.  Wouldn't have thought I'd get sick so soon after just getting over something else. This isn't the same as what I had previously. 

Was invited to go to Longview and eat over at a new seafood place. Sure, why not? Been stuffed up in the house for a few days and there is no physical exertion to sit in the back seat and cruise along.  

Well, we're sitting there eating dinner when the phone rings.  It's one of the new people of whom I've had long conversations with advising me that the "first lot when you come in on the right, the pedestal has been flattened to the ground and water gushing everywhere". 

Panic.  At first anyway. Water gushing? I wonder why no one else told me about this?  Can't see that lot on the video surveillance, I would have to install a camera down at that end to see any of that.  Well, gonna finish the meal regardless. Not going to make everyone rush through dinner, if the power was out on that side of the park guaranteed people would be calling me.  

When we got home and I was finally able to get over there, yup, that thing was flattened almost all the way to the ground.  Destroyed.  But, it didn't do any damage to the wires or the circuit breakers for that matter.  Amazing.  I could see where a tire had hit some 2 plus feet off the ground.  It was obvious what had happened. Overnighters.  Came in the wrong way and tried to turn into the lot going the completely wrong angle. There is no way a person could maneuver a trailer that long - 43 feet - around a turn that sharp without running over that pedestal.

Just impossible.  Even driving into the grass area and getting as close as possible to the trailer on the next lot, it's just too long and probably a large dually pulling it.  There is a sign there for RV's in case they try to come in the wrong way: "EXIT ONLY".  It's highly visible and right there where the park driveway meets the main driveway. 

I think what's maddening is the fact that they didn't bother to tell me.  The didn't fess up to it. That trailer would have been up off the ground running over that thing and then falling back to the ground.  They would have known about it and more importantly, they must have left as soon as they did that.  I just sent them an email. It wasn't asking if they had done it, it was an itemized list of the costs to fix the thing and I set it at $800.  Those pedestals are expensive plus the extensive amount of labor to dig the thing out of there, turn off the power to that side of the park, unhook the huge gauge lines, get the smashed one out of the way and then install the new one.

It will likely take hours worth of work to do all of that.  That lot is shut down until it's fixed. Fortunately,  there aren't any reservations for it for I had only left a few nights open for it, I am expecting people to move in there.  Well, I was.  I have another lot that came open those people can take instead. I do have some reservations 6 days from now, but those are both for back in lots.  

There was no water line damage. The faucet was on a small trickle, nothing damaged about it.  Thankfully. I envisioned a lake full of water on that lot and a huge water bill.  That is not the case at all, but I'm still facing over $400 worth of replacement pedestal.  It's not that a person made a mistake, even with the signs and the obviousness that you can't make a turn like that.  It is what it is, some people just don't have any business pulling a 43 foot long trailer, there are lots of newbies out there that have no experience with them.

It's the fact they they are trying to get away with it, never reporting it, just..screw you, we're leaving, c'ya later sucka.  As I said, I sent them an email a few minutes ago detailing the amount they owe me and how would they like to go about paying for it?  I don't necessarily expect a reply and if they do, they are going to probably deny it.  If they have no morals to even tell the park that they destroyed the pedestal, there is nothing causing me to believe that they are going to fess up to it. But, it has to be them. There has been no one else in that lot since the last people that were in there and I was just out there cutting a felled tree up into small pieces. That pedestal was fine.  

So, I will probably end up eating it.  Which will in turn cause me to want to get cameras on that end.  8 months and this is the first time anyone has done anything like this, hopefully won't encounter it again.  Or at least, not any time soon. What else am I supposed to do? With a sign out there put up specifically for that purpose - you can't come in this way, if you do, you're either going to have to go to the end of the driveway where there is a huge turn around or go back to the street and get turned around.  It's just crazy these people thought they could make a turn like that.  

Well, there is a company that I have bought from before with a really good price. I'm going to call them Monday morning and see about getting it sent out expedited.  A lot without power is a useless lot.  I'm going at this with the thought that they aren't going to pay.  I've been informed by other park owners that they would charge their card on file and make them eat it.  I'm like, uhhh, that sounds like a recipe for a lawsuit or even police involvement if they don't agree to pay for it. And then someone else came along and said yes, they would charge their card for it but expect a lawsuit.  

Well that doesn't make any sense. The money you are out for attorney fees will be far more than just eating it, buying the pedestal and moving on, don't you think? And what if you don't win, then you're out even more money.   I mean, if I had verbiage in the rental that "any damage caused be you will be charged to your card with or without your approval" I suppose I could somewhat get away with it, but how do you think a potential customer would feel reading that disclaimer before they push the send button to make the payment? Yea, I'd steer clear of that place with the thought that this place could just make up a bogus charge and hammer you with it.  

Oh well. It's late, I got home over an hour ago but I've had to sit here and calm my nerves a bit. The idea that people that obviously have plenty of money would do that kind of damage and try to get away with it was unnerving.  How does your conscience work when doing something like that? I would have reported it to the management and expected to have to pay for it.  

Enough. 

 Friday - mid morning

Woke up in the middle of the night with a flaming sore throat. 

It's 6 plus hours later and that status hasn't changed.  It figures.  The 6 year old was coughing his lungs out last night, not covering his mouth but I was staying far away from him.  However, he just started coughing, so I wouldn't have gotten sick from him that fast.  Where this came from I have no clue, I haven't been around anyone else that is sick that I know of.  

I don't need to be sick again, I just got over being sick less than 2 weeks ago!

Sitting here complaining about it accomplishes nothing so I'll just shut up about it for now excepting to say that I won't be doing anything strenuous today.  It hurts to talk and so I will sit here in silence.  I was talking with James a little while ago and it was difficult speaking.  My head doesn't feel right, I just guess I'm going straight back into whatever and deal with it.

So, I will probably look at job openings today.  If I were employed right now, I would likely just drive and work through this.  I have also been looking at Danes.  Yes, I know I said it would be a while, that didn't really last long.  Loved Addler, truly did, my BFF.  

Adoption fees are through the roof tho.  Many of them are asking for somewhere in the $400 range.  They also want to call your vet and see the records for getting shots and such. They want an in home appointment.  I started looking at an application, they even want my driver's license. Like, what do they need that for? They aren't law enforcement, they can't access their data base?  Am I missing something here? It would be easier albeit more expensive to go through a breeder. 

Or, such as Addler and other dogs I've had, just find someone adopting one out without going through a rescue.  I think I may just bypass adoption agencies, they are making it a bit too difficult.  I get that they don't want their dogs to end up in bad homes.  I would like to think that my experience with Danes which dates back to the 70's would be enough.  Addler was a rare find and I doubt I'll find another dog like him.  He was free as well.  The owner was just looking for a good person to give him to that would take care of him and take care of him well. 

____________

Problem solved. The drunk got fired  - he says he quit, I am more of the thought he was fired.  Doesn't help my financial situation but it helps getting rid of people that throw beer cans all over the place and starting trouble with other tenants. I'm not referring to the one that was too drunk to drive in a previous entry, this is the other guy.  He didn't ask for his money back and I'm not offering it. I turned away the railroad workers in the context that too many lots were full. If he asks for it, I might give a partial refund.  

I just texted the railroad guy and said I now have 2 lots available and 2 more after the 3rd.  I'm going to chase after that potential renter until they say they are coming or found something different.  There are others as well.  Just have to make the commitment and move in.  

Just more headaches. Actually, they were paid up until the 21st of next month. So their departure isn't going to cost me anything for a while.  

And several people offering me their Danes. Amazing how that works.  Dunno if I'll take any.  I want the family to look at the pics and see if they like any of them as well.  

 Well....

Thursday - mid morning

Yesterday was interesting.  This new guy - been there a month now - kept calling me asking me to come get money.  Ok..he's 5 days early but if he insists on paying, I'll take his money.  I was busy with cutting weeds, but whatever.

So I go over there, knock on the door. This dude opens the door and almost falls out of the trailer.  He was stone cold drunk.  I don't mean slightly buzzing, he was drunk as a buzzard, standing there, barely able to stand up.  His speech was slurred and his breath smelled of beer.  I'm not even a cop but anyone could easily make these determinations just from standing close enough to him having a casual conversation.

He hands me the money, chit chatting the entire time and then, maybe 2 minutes later, asks me if he had paid me the rent?  Yes, you just handed it to me.  After telling me how great the park is and going on about wanting to do some deer hunting in the rear of the property - and if he could, he would have the deer processed and give me some of the meat - he then stated he was leaving for west Texas for 5 days.  

Uhhh, have you been drinking? Yes I've probably drank a 12 pack.  Now, mind you, it's 11:00 am.  We're not even out of the morning hours and this guy has downed a 12 pack already?  He wasn't being belligerent, nasty, foul or obnoxious, he's a nice drunk. But the idea that he was about to go driving 700 miles or however far his friend was away?  Well I hope you aren't leaving any time soon.

After the conversation, he went back into his trailer and I went back to work. I was tidying up the 3 people's lots and was picking up trash and noticing piles of dog poop that need cleaned up.  I didn't get to that yesterday, I shouldn't have to get to that at all.  I wasn't paying attention to his trailer, but 20 minutes later I looked up and he was gone.  I don't kind kindly to drunk drivers. They are a clear threat to everyone on the road.  Not just themselves.  They kill people, maim people, send people to the hospital, destroy lives and destroy property.  

I haven't heard from the trucking company this week - yet - there is no reason to believe they won't continue on with wanting to hire me considering all the phone calls and time spent yapping away on the phone with them as well as an extensive background check that isn't free to them.  I think this is why, now that I think about it, a lot of companies want the full application filled out at the very least before they do anything. And then, they talk to you on the phone first.  They want a commitment that you are going to work for them, that is what this company did for me before they ever did the tasks of checking my information.

It costs them good money and why throw it away on people that aren't serious?  But, the trucking industry is brutal.  Companies treat you like a number on the screen and after you've been driving for any length of time, you tend to start treating them right back the same way, even if unconsciously doing so.  

I'm not even looking for jobs today, I have too much to do over there.  The RV has a propane leak and I am going to try my best to find the source of it and fix it.  I only need gas to the stove, everything else should have been bypassed.  I know the water heater line has a plug on the end of it.  I will try my best to find the leak, otherwise, I'm going to have to pay the dude to come see if he can find it. It's that or perhaps somehow run a new line to the stove.  

Whatever this itching has been, it's finally subsided to the point it's almost gone.  It's been a great relief not to have itching going on all over the place.  I have no definitive cause for it, but as I have stated, it's likely something over at the park that is causing an allergic reaction of some sort.  

And I was forced to take an owner's draw.  No choice in the matter, my hope is based on people staying and paying.  I'll be on the NJ lady's doorstep on the 27th.  Well, no, I'll just text her. She says her money comes in between the 27th and the 29th.  She claims to pay up to current. I've only got enough in the business account to cover that giant electric bill - but I've got plenty of time to collect numerous rents and perhaps, get some new people in. Lots of inquiries, no one has moved in yet. 

I'm not going to worry about it.  I've got probably $200 worth of quarters to wrap up and deposit plus $400 cash given to me yesterday, the NJ lady, another payment from the RV lady - well 2 payments by then, the 3 people if they stay and a couple of others.  It's close to 4 grand worth of payments before the due date for electricity.  IF that money all comes in, I'll make this work. Having more people move in would be an extra added bonus.  Overnighters are helping here and there.  Another $100 to be collected from 2, 3-day stays coming up.  But, the credit card company is going to take it's share which will probably be around $200.  I'm getting more cash payments and I was informed that people paying with debit cards, the credit card processing companies aren't allowed to charge near as much as with a regular credit card.

This coming from the campground software owner who contacted me after I sent an inquire to the card company about processing fees. Cash app is also a popular payment method which costs me nothing as long as I opt to take payment on the "free" column where you wait several days for them to give it to you. Presumably, they are a bank that uses the money sitting in their account as loan money to whoever/however the same as regular banks do.  I've told people that I have to start collecting another 3.1% on top of the rent payment to cover those fees - I'm not eating them. Every business has to pay those fees, some more some less. A lot of them bake the cost of it into the cost of their products.  

Well, I can't do that unless I raise rates and I would rather keep the rate lower and just tell them flat out they are going to have to pay the extra fee or pay me some other method.  One of them opted to start writing checks, which is fine by me.  

Alright, another miserably hot day slated for 104 degrees and who knows what the real-feel will be like, I best be thinking about getting over there and starting to look for this leak.  It's just a matter of using a spray bottle with a mixture of water and dish soap mixed in. It bubbles up if you spray it on a leak.  I wouldn't think copper lines would sprout leaks anywhere but where there are fittings.  So, that's going to be my focus, find the junctions where it splits off and spray them.  Start at the cylinder and move on back.   

I was just enjoying my second cuppa.  I gave up the fast last night, I was getting so miserable I couldn't deal with it anymore. I will try again next week, back on Keto for now.  I made it almost 2 full days, that's all I can say about that.  I can say that I felt much better after I ate something.  Namely, taco stuff.  I took all the leftover meat and froze it, but they decided they wanted tacos yet again last night.  Fine by me.   

I have the 2 briskets to cook.  Not today.  And I need to go to walmart with the flat tire.  I have no choice but to replace the thing.  So another $40-something down the drain.  I've cut back as far as I can buying stuff for the property, but some things you just have to do. 

And finally, the GOP debate last night hosted by Fox News.  The only ones that looked like they might have made gains last night was Vivek and DeSantis. Haley made a few good points, Christie made himself look like a total @$$, Scott was boring, Pence had a better showing then anything I have seen from him yet, but in the end, I think it's just going to be Trump, Vivek and DeSantis on the ballot for the nomination. At least some of those contenders are going to drop out.  Some governor I never heard of and another person I don't know.  I assume some of these people are hanging on to try and "guarantee" themselves a position on the cabinet or appointment to some high level of power in some agency.  I could see Vivek in some capacity on a Trump team, DeSantis has said he is only running for president, he wouldn't accept a VP invitation.  The rest of them aren't going anywhere.  They might gain a few points after that debate, but seriously doubtful any of them will rise anywhere close to Trump's polling numbers.

That's it. Time to run up to Walmart and then over to the park.  

G'day. 

 There is a Christian mission in Pakistan that helps kids that have nothing.  This man somehow found me and at first I thought he was a scammer.  In fact, I held that belief for some time.  He continued to ask for financial help and I continued to tell him I have no idea whether you are legit or not.

Well, after a few months of this, he started sending truckloads of pictures of his mission, the adults helping running it and all the children.  He took his own pics of destruction caused by Muslims that was in the news yesterday when 2 Christians allegedly destroyed a Quran and they came and basically destroyed this Christian compound/city - whatever you want to call it.  

So, I started sending a few dollars here and there. Doesn't take many US dollars to equal a lot of Pakistan - whatever they call their money.  Today, they pretty much proved beyond any shadow of a doubt who they are and what they are doing.  They had all the kids line up for videos of them holding signs that said "thank you Brother Ben" and another one where they were praying for me and yet another where they had printed out my picture and were having the kids praying for me and my business.

It is not a country that I would pick to go visit on a vacation.  The government claims to support all religious affiliations and has laws against persecuting anyone, but they don't really enforce it. Another friend told me that Pakistan is number 7 on the list of Christianity most persecuted countries in the world.  I don't send often, not in a position to. But, I spent 5 years on the mission field and that never left me.  The things I saw and experienced are not things you forget.  

Anyway,  I guess because I fasted yesterday or because I am still getting fatigued from being sick or just getting old or a combination of all of it, I didn't wake up until 9:00 am.  Now, I did wake up in the middle of the night but I got back to sleep within an hour.  I don't think it's getting old, I was starting to feel good about getting up earlier in the day before I got sick and that just wiped me out.  I intend on continuing with this fast today and possibly tomorrow.  

I was supposed to go over and try to find a propane leak on the RV today, the lady said no, let's do it Thursday when I'm home instead.  If I can't find it, I'll have to pay that guy to come out and see if he can figure it out.  Following the line might be a bit difficult. I did check the connections I could find at first, didn't really think I would find any leaks and I'm wondering if they happen to have the oven dial in the on position and don't know it.  I'm just glad it wasn't slated for today.

It's been so long since we've had any measurable amount of rain here, we are now under a red flag warning for today.  It simply means the conditions are ripe for fires.  Lower humidity, high heat, 15 mph winds, they expect that if a fire does break out, it will spread quickly.  It just means to now throw cigarette butts out the window and being careless and reckless with any type of outdoor fire stuff such as grills.  No campfires, no wood burning, nothing. We have been under that for a week now anyway.  

Well will you look at that. Some people called me late a few days ago, said they had made a reservation but were coming in very late.  My site says to call if you are reserving for same day and after hours.  It's simply to ensure that there actually is a space available and give instructions.  They gave me 5 stars.  It's still only 6 Google reviews but it's better than nothing. Every review counts when you don't have many to start with.  I keep getting companies asking me to pay them for them to load my google up with reviews.  This stuff comes out of the blue into my business email account.  

It is unethical and against Google policy to pay for reviews and upon research, it's actually illegal.  FTC can and sometimes will hit businesses with fines, sometimes huge fines, for doing so.  It's why I don't have that many reviews. I can legally ask customers that have used my services for reviews, but many of them won't do it.  I stopped asking because it was a waste of time.  If someone feels inclined to leave a review, then great.  If they don't, nothing I can do about it.  It just takes time to get enough reviews to have a good collection of them.  Most people simply don't and won't leave reviews, end of story.  

I'm so out of it.  I don't recall fasting hitting me this bad in the past.  

I'm seriously dreading this next electric bill.  I don't have it yet, but it's going to be in the 2 grand range.  Those AC systems are running all day long without shutting off. Compressors only start cycling on and off at night.  I stand there and listen to some of them during the heat of the day and even with 2 ac units on many of the trailers, those compressors are not shutting off.  

This is one of those learning moments. Where you say to yourself, self?  You will start putting money aside during the cooler months when the electric bills are much lower to help offset the high bills for 3 or 4 months during the summer.  I knew I would have high bills, I sort of even expected last month's bill but these 2 bills that will show up sooner or later? Just no.  

....well wait no more.  The bills came in today.  Combined they are $2,400 and change.  If you spread that out to all of the units, that's about $150 per month.  My initial research long ago had it pegged around $130 per month.  So I wasn't that far off and it's been quite - excessively - hot.  It appears that it will be well into next month before any real, significant reduction in the heat so I expect at least one more month of high electric bills before they start to come back down.  Some weather would help us about now. Or even just cloud cover.  We've mostly had brilliant blue skies for quite a while now.  Any cloud cover is a welcome site for removing the direct sunlight beating down on those RV's reduces the load on the AC units significantly.  

It has gotten so bad here that people are starting prayer chains for rain.  Amazingly, my little creek still has a trickle of water going through it. I mean, a very small trickle of water.  I would have thought it would have dried up by now.  

Anyway and fortunately, I have 19 days to plan how to pay for this and everything else.  I will wait until I see whether the 3 guys are staying or leaving.  The company usually sends a check within 1 or 2 days before the end of the month. 

Well. No use fretting over electric bills. It is what it is and what happens will happen.

As for now, I'm going to go over there and get some stuff done before the worst of the heat hits us. 

G'day

Collected rents, was dragged into a very elongated discussion with 4 people and then left there.  Only to get a phone call shortly after I left that an altercation had occurred with another guest who had come in too fast - according to the dude I had just talked with - and that he had gone over and asked him why he was driving so fast.  That phone conversation went on for a while and then the other guy texted me.

Completely different story.  The man had come over, yelled at him in front of his 4 year old son and was rude and belligerent. 

So who do I believe? Well, the family with the kid are really nice folks.  The man that was allegedly yelling had been drinking and was drinking when I was talking with him.  He offered me a beer, which I turned down.  He wasn't overly drunk but you could tell he was definitely feeling it.  Still, drink enough alcohol and your tones can changes to much louder levels and much more aggressive than you may realize at the time.  

I don't care if they drink.  I do care if they start trouble with people.  I'm thinking to just change the speed limit to 10mph and that will end this problem.  I put 15 on the main driveway because the gas workers have to drive clear to the back of  the driveway which is around 1,500 feet and going that slow was asking too much, I thought anyway.  It would be nice if people would just do the 15 before and after the park area.  

Anyway, that situation has calmed down at least.  I did drive by the dumpster and saw the lights come on the camera.  Not very bright, you'd have to be looking at it to catch it.  Especially since it's away from the dumpster. Did that on purpose so it wouldn't be seen and someone being tipped off to the fact that they are being filmed or worse, steal the camera.  

I also went and got 2 of the large briskets on sale.  $2.00 per pound if you buy $25 worth of other stuff in the store.  $2.00 per pound in this economy for brisket is unheard of. I haven't bought any in a long time because of the price tag that comes along with it.  It's easy to spend $25 in a grocery store nowadays, it wasn't even that much stuff. A 5 pound chub of 73% lean ground beef,  a thing of fabric softener, some frozen creamed spinach and a thing of heavy whipping cream.  No, I'm not eating today, but I will be soon enough.  That creamed spinach looked good and low carb.  

I haven't done any meat smoking in quite a long time, I want to get the smoker fired up and spend half a day smoking a nice half brisket.  I say half cause there is no way we are going to eat a whole one of those.  These things are huge.  And since I'm going to be smoking, I want to get some other cut of meat in there, maybe pork, and smoke that at the same time.  That shoulder roast pork is on extreme sale, I like to call it, when the price of a slab of meat is absurdly low.  You don't see it often but the shoulder roast is also less than 2 bucks a pound.  Seeing that brisket on sale that low was almost shocking. 

It's after 9:00 pm, but James just left for the hospital 30 miles away to get Taylor. They are letting her loose, saying she will have to have some sort of tests done every other day, but doesn't need to be in the hospital for that.  They still haven't determined why her enzymes are high and Taylor said today that the "doctors are confused as to what's going on".  I don't reckon that hearing such a statement coming from doctors is reassuring.  But I'm sure she'll be glad to come home and get into her bed.  

Well that's it.  I'm kind of a bit - antzy? - about these 3 people that might be leaving. If they are, I could fill those lots up with railroad workers.  I hate to go ask them, hey!  Are you leaving?  I heard y'all had an issue with the park, could you tell me what it is so I can try to make things good for y'all?  But I'm not going to do it.  I'll just hope they stay and not have to deal with 3 empty lots.  

Anyway, fun day! Lol. G'nite.