Friday - early

Leaving for the CT scan in 25 minutes. Gives me enough time to get there, get parked, get into the place, deal with whatever paperwork and still be before the appointment time. It's a 30 minute drive by Interstate, which is actually out of the way compared to Highway 80 - but that takes significantly longer.  I pretty much feel another visit to IHOP coming after I get done with that scan.  I've had one of those before, it doesn't take long and that's the only thing I need to do.  Get the scan, leave.  I've still got something going on "down there" and it's been over 3 weeks now.  So yes, despite the fact it's going to cost $800, I want to find out what it is for my own peace of mind if nothing else.  

Kamala has dropped a portion of her plan for "economic recovery" out.  It's a Communist Manifesto plan as far as I'm concerned. I've been calling her a communist for a while, this so-called plan is nothing short of far left progressive nonsense.  They blame corporations for price gouging by corporations so they want to put price controls on things like groceries.

Do you remember the gas lines in the early 70's? I faintly remember it, I was pretty young at the time.  Price controls resulted in fuel rationing.  Gas stations had X amount of fuel and when that was gone, many of them simply closed down for the day, leading people to become even more panicked over the availability of gasoline.  I can only imagine this kind of nonsense going on at a truckstop and having trucks lined up on the road outside of the stations.  

Can you imagine that happening with food?  I hope the left media outlets start expounding on this s*** and actually tell the truth of what a plan like that will actually create instead of the normal, glossed over, fact-eliminated "reporting" that they always do.  I'll tell you this: If Harris wins and this is the result? I'll be filling out the freezers with fresh meat regardless of cost.  We went through empty grocery store shelves during Covid, our house had plenty of frozen meat.  That didn't count for the toilet paper fiasc, where you had to drive around town to find even a few rolls of tp, that was the beginning of it and then pretty much everything disappeared off of grocery store shelves.

They looked like a Cuban version of a grocery store.  

BTW, 87% of Americans still think the border situation is a problem.  Guess who is the Border Czar that did absolutely nothing about the border and didn't even visit the border?  It's become a greater problem in the public view now since all of these murders and rapes have been reported that were done at the hands of illegals.  What I love is the left saying that she was never the "border czar" despite the fact checking that has occurred now that the left is attempting to gaslight everyone into believing their version of revisionist history.  

Well whatever. I was watching the news and saw them drop this intended price gouging legislation that Kamala wants.  If republicans keep control of the house, it will never happen.  In my view, there are no guarantees about Congress or the WH and who is going to end up in control.  

Meanwhile, the folks are leaving this morning, I believe, for their anniversary, the kids will be coming home to - not them being here, lol.  They won't mind for I am not going to put up with the whining about dinner and what is being served, I will simply go to McDonald's, get them the chicken nuggets they love and that will be the end of that.  They can play their games and basically do whatever makes them happy.  Although we went on vacation recently, it was all of us and a large crowd of people. That wasn't alone time for them.  They did spend an extra night down there after everyone left, but down time away from everyone is necessary, IMO, for a healthy relationship.  

I wouldn't know for sure, I am twice divorced so there is no level of expertise coming from me.  But I do remember the first marriage, getting away was always fun and relaxing.  I have no plans of ever getting married again, I am not even interested in any kind of relationship, at least not at the moment. That can change of course, but marriage?  Let's be in a relationship for several years and then we can talk about that.  I have no prospects and those that I have had I have simply brushed off. Not interested. Politely conveyed, but still spoken in a way that makes it clear I am not looking for relationships and I don't want freinds with benefits.  I am trying to follow after the Lord so that kind of eliminates sexual encounters outside of marriage.

If you are doing that, I am not judging you, this is solely my take of it on biblical structure. 

Anyway, I need to leave.

G'day.  

 CT scan is at 7:45 am, meaning getting up pretty early tomorrow. I figure I"ll just get up with everyone else at 5:40 am.  I can shower, drink coffee and just think about things and then leave for the doc office at 7:00 am.  I don't really think this scan is going to take long.  

Watching them do the riding mower today, I decided to see if they would do the stuff on the boat.  This would be for pay beyond lot rent since it's personal stuff. When they get to work on something, they go at it until it's done.  The trolling motor, the new batteries for it, the bikini cover, clean it all up, siphon out the gas.  They siphon the gas out and I'll start burning weeds on the burn piles.  Like, just dump 2 gallons of gas onto those piles, pour a strip well away from it, light the strip and watch the whole thing go Whooooosh!!  I am not dense.  I have seen videos of people pouring gallons of gas onto a pile of wood, enough to burn them severely standing too close.

You watch these videos, tho, you see them lighting a match and then they...end the video. Which makes me think they were dumping water onto the pile and just make the videos for clickbait.  There was the lady a while back that poured gasoline out of a can directly onto a fire. She ended up dying.  I also remember in AZ many years ago a father drenched her young daughter with gasoline and lit her on fire.  You get a mental picture of a young girl running around in circles, burning to death while her father is driving off.  Amazing the evil that lurks in our society.  

Anyway, I'm going to get that boat over there - maybe tomorrow.  I have to move another trailer and a pickup to get to the boat.  But, the sooner the better.  Get that thing out on a lake and go fishing or even just pull those giant water floaties that they make for pulling behind boats and get with the fun. They get that stuff done and I'll register it again. There is nothing that the government doesn't find a target to tax or fee to death.  Boats are no exception.  You have to have registration for the boat and trailer and you have to have titles for the boat, motor and trailer.

_______________

Tomorrow is Taylor and James 11th anniversary.  Very cool.  I donated some credit card points for a hotel at a place in Oklahoma.  Sounds far, but it really isn't.  Just across the Texas-OK line, a casino with a decent 5 story hotel and a huge pool. I just need enough points to cover one-way airfare, there should still be enough for that.  If not, you pay the difference between points and what's left owing.  

It's getting late.  

 Thursday 2:00 pm

It would help if I would get out of bed at an acceptable time of the day, but my sleep sucks so bad sometimes that when I do finally get back to sleep and I don't have to go to work? It could be near 9:00 am before I wake up. The plus side is that I feel ok compared to getting up at 5:30 am and  being tired.

But, I had to get over there for them to replace that tire.  They got that done and I got busy working on the tractor. I shifted to the back side tho, nothing on the front.  I went over that for quite a while before the machine started heating up, so I took it near Allen's place and parked it there.  

Then I got into a conversation with them about everything going on, they started working on the riding mower. Another pulley, this time on the transmission belt, had gone out.  Sure enough, that pulley was frozen up, half of it had melted with the belt still spinning around it. I wouldn't say it was a simple fix, it was not. Had to remove the entire cutting deck to even get at it.  But, they got it done and it's working again.  

Hopefully it will work for a while this time.   

It's hot outside.  The real feel is 108 and it felt like it.  4-1/2 hours out in that and I - along with everyone else out there - had had enough and I came home.  

What's next? Well, I could go back later this evening when it cools down a bit and do  more tractor work. I have that CT scan tomorrow morning so,....I probably won't do that.  I got a lot of those sweetgum trees down, that is the biggest objective. Some of them aren't coming down too easy. They are starting to get a good root system and it doesn't help the ground is dried out.  No rain and none in the foreseeable forecast. It's that time of year....

The coach people are still in the coach. They must have ran out of gas and money last night, the generator wasn't on and I was interested in how uncomfortable it must be inside that thing without AC going.  They have until Saturday, if they don't leave ... they will leave.  I have the statute reference now, it specifically states RV park on the trespassing statement, they will leave.  I get the feeling there is going to be a problem, I hope not, just a feeling. 

There isn't much else right now. The only other thing are these pills. I haven't taken one yet. I am a bit nervous about it TBH.  

So, I may write more later, I am attempting to get the nerve to take one of them. My manager gave me some interesting news on that that. He also has serious side effects with certain antibiotics but flatly told me he's been on this prostate stuff for 2 years without a problem. So you have to keep taking this stuff indefinitely? Gag. 

 Wednesday - mid-morning

This was from yesterday, Tuesday 8/13:

Annnnddddd....doctor number 2.  Which is a general family doctor which I needed to get back into.,. actually he's a nurse whatever they call it. I dunno, he seemed knowledgeable.  Said my arm could be a tendon problem rotator cuff - or who knows? Of course I was going to get referred to a special, orthopedic doctor who will make....whatever determinations. But, that was the main reason going there today, now I wait for the call from the specialist.

He also took blood.  I hate giving blood. It makes me feel funny. They took me into a very small room with just one of those chairs that has an arm that comes around in front of you.  I warned them...I sometimes get nauseous giving blood.  I normally have to lay down to do it...She thought that was funny, the nurse or whatever her title was in there.  I determined to make it through it without near passing out.  So, I relaxed, looked away and before I knew it, she was done.

The nurses out in the hallway stood back in theatrical style: let me get out of your way! They were joking of course, I said yup, I can get out into the parking lot and lay down then you won't have to deal with it, the ambulance next door will come pick me up.  A few more jokes from them about that and I was paying at the window to get out of there, the lady came and handed me a packet of fruit candy and a bubble gum. Instead of telling her I"m on keto, I just said thank you! and figured one of the kids could have it.  

So that's my day today, that's all I did was doctor visits. Tomorrow, Lord willing of course, I will go over and get on that tractor and spend at least 4 hours on it.  That should get a good chunk of the front done. I'm actually going to move to the rear before finishing the front because now that I think about it? The rear is more important.  To me, anyway.  Get that all cleared out, level it as best as possible without the use of a dozer, mark lots and get busy.  That will take a lot of time.  I mean, probably a few weeks of using it for a few hours here and a few hours there.  I hope that machine can stay long enough to get all of that done.  I just want to clear out all the brush right next to the driveway up front tomorrow before moving back there. 

Overnight reservations are starting to come in.  It's getting to be that time of year.  Probably moreso next month, but apparently they are moving around this month as well.  I had to go in and block out all of the lots but the one I have open for overnights.  PITA, for the changed how it works to block it out on the software and what they did to it makes it take 3 times the amount of time that it used to.  

I want them to clean everything up on lot 1 better than it is. Meaning, trim the grass back nicely, spray more weed/grass killer on the gravel area and get it looking good.   

___________________

Today.

The doc office just called and basically told me my insurance sucks.  All of that I have been to so far was covered by insurance with a co pay.  But a CT scan? "Your insurance plan has you paying 7 thousand dollars before you can have anything like this covered".  And how much is a CT scan? Well, it's a little of $800.

So what did I decide to do? I am not playing with my health, if there is something serious going on, I want them to find it and deal with it, if it can be dealt with.  You never know in this life.....my previous company insurance would have paid for a CT scan.  And the company before that.  I have the highest tier health insurance my company provides, btw.  

So basically, if something happens and it costs less than 7k, SOL.  That's probably something the company should let me know up front.  It's the company who determines what kind of health care coverage they are going to provide, not the insurer's.  It's better than nothing, a really serious event can cost into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  I get that, but a CT scan?  No coverage on that at all?  

So, anyway, I have decided to start taking that other medication today.  After I go to the park and spend at least 4 hours on that machine. I went over to the park last night after getting a call that there is drama going on over there, this pertaininig to a gas-powered air blower machine that Allen had purchased from the sister of the people that moved into that coach.  He had put $50 down on it and owed another $100 I think it was.  

Well, because I am booting the people in the coach - there are 3 people living in there I have found out - the lady is blaming Allen and is pissed at him.  I was a bit surprised at that coming from her, I clearly made the decision and any wrath can fall on me. Not that I'll just take it and not say anything back.  Probably why they don't mess with me, I am not a doormat to be walked all over.  I learned even as a Christian long ago that if you don't set some boundaries, people become like vultures and "attack" with demands for you to do things for them and if you tell them no, they proclaim that you aren't a Christian at all.

Yea, no thanks.  Drop everything I'm doing to get into my pickup at the time to go get brand new furniture that some people bought (this was quite a long time ago), no forewarning, notice, nothing. They just went to the store, bought the stuff and demanded I come pick it up for them. I don't remember what I was doing at the time, but I do remember something clicking in my head. People at the church had been taking advantage of me like that for a long time and I was sick of it.  Like I have no life, am a worthless, robotic human being that can be dictated to at a moment's notice.  That person crossed the line with that furniture and I never looked back.  I told that person, no, I can't come right now, have you ever heard of giving a person notice that you might need help in advance?  

And that's exactly what I heard if memory serves right.  You aren't much of a Christian, probably not at all.  We aren't talking life altering events here, we're talking furniture and having someone telling me that? I became a target of gossip in the church after that and it was the beginning of my demise as far as church goes.  There is a reason I am not involved at all in the church I am going to now. 

Still, it's completely unfair they are blaming Allen, but Allen is going to have to stand up for himself.  I am not going to pry in the middle of that, he did tell them it wasn't his decision but apparently they believe he had "undue influence" into the matter. He did have some input, but I was sitting in a chair near his place and hearing that generator from 150 feet away.  That's what got me going about it.  Those people need to leave and they best be out of there by or on Saturday.  

I just got out of bed 15 minutes ago and yes, it's 9:15 am.  I don't care, either. I woke up at 5:00 am and determined I needed more sleep. It took an hour, but I finally did get back to sleep and I now feel much better than how I was feeling at 5:00 am.  These days are coming to an end, of course, I am going to tell the manager I can go back to work after Friday.  I don't know when the plant is firing back up, I really don't want to do anything but the regular run as it's not near as long as the other ones and I just don't feel like it. The driver trainer hasn't been doing that much either, thankfully, meaning they've got this temporary situation covered.  

It's a bit too much time off, I am going to take a paycheck when my next check comes in and make it for the amount that the paycheck is short of, in terms of a regular paycheck. 

Oh, well the drama last night? I went over there.  Hung out for a couple of hours. Allen's daughter  is actually taking Allen's place and so far, she seems ok.  The boy was there as well.  I talked with him for quite a long time.  I don't know why he wanted to hang out for so long, but whatever.  He's a nice kid with an excellent work ethic.  Brought up on a farm and a typical farmer's view on life even at that young of an age.  

He was shocked, however, when I told them there is a teacher from his school staying at my place as well. He knew nothing about it.  Black dude, used to be oil worker? Yup, that's him. He's pretty cool tho I can tell he's not going to be a pushover in school.  He didn't know how to take that, lol, thought about it for while and declared, well, at least I have someone I can go to to help me with homework if I need it!  Yea, I'm not sure the man wants his students visiting him at his trailer.  I might should have kept my mouth shut about it.

The subject came up because the other kid moving in is also going to the same school.  The boy immediately decided that the new kid will be a silver-spoon type of child that has been lavished on his entire life and declared he doesn't like people like that.  I gave him a funny look. How do you know he's got that "privileged" attitude?  He might be in full rebellion and is happy to be getting away from his parents.  Or not in rebellion, but definitely not that attitude?  I was a preacher's kid and I went full tilt rebellion at the age of 13.  You really have no idea what kind of person this is going to be....

He thought about that a minute and decided he would give it a wait-and-see posture.  Good. You can't be judging people you know nothing about and haven't even met.  You know how kids are at that age, they know everything and they make instant conclusions based on - nothing much of the time.  This kid doesn't really come off as an out-and-out know-it-all, he just doesn't have any life experience.  He'll figjure it out. He bought his trailer on his own without any parent's help and has a late model pickup that he owes money on, but no help with that either.  

As for me and today? I'm just sitting here drinking my coffee. I'm going to fill the thermos up with ice cold water plus another cup with ice cold water and head over to the property soon.  The tractor is sitting there waiting for me.  We decided last night that I will pay $150 per week for it's use.  The weekly rate at the local place the wouldn't allow me to use their equipment for this purpose anyway is $680 plus tax.  So, over $700. That's a $550 per week savings.  Their monthly rate is $2,025.  So, $1,425 savings.  

I think he was going to let Allen use it for free until he found out I was the one that wanted to use it.  I'm not going to complain, $150 per week is cheap.  It will just motivate me to get done with the thing as fast as possible.  I figure a month, actually and that's money well spent.  I'm still going to need a dozer in there, I think, when I'm done with the clearing project to smooth everything out.  I dunno if that boy can get a hold of one of those, but if he can.....probably get that done in a day with a decent sized dozer.  

Once that's done, all of that is going to be maintained with regular cutting.  If I have to buy a new riding mower on payments, i will do it to save myself from having to clear it yet again at some point.  I have even more parts ordered for the current one I have, some pulleys broke on it.  They're only $25, if it can get it to work I'm all good with it.  If not, I have wasted some money on that machine.  But, the motor runs great and the transmission also functioning well, only word in forward gears but that's easily mitigated.  At some point I will need to buy a better riding mower, I'm just hoping I can get by with that one for now.  

Since getting serious again about the diet I have dumped 7 pounds.  It hasn't been that long so that's not bad.  It gets easier the longer I'm on it to say no to certain foods that pop up "out of nowhere". Potatoes, rice, beans, pasta, sugary stuff. I don't really have a problem with sugary stuff, but when I do, there are options.  I am trying to not even satisfy those desires, it's just more calories that need to be counted.  

Let's take a quick look at the news...

Harris is putting up deceptive ads on Google searches.  How surprising! You aren't even hearing about Biden's decline anymore besides a few articles wondering who is running the country?  The Trump assassination attempt has also all but disappeared. Well of course it has, leftists control most of the media, they can dictate the narrative.  Basically, the Harris campaign is a lying sack of rotten potatoes, pushing falsehoods, exaggerations and anti-Trump rhetoric through the gills.  The truth is nowhere to be found in them. They will take a truth and turn it into a lie. It's that simple.  There is very little that I can think of that would make me want to vote for any leftist, anywhere in the country.  

If Harris wins the presidency, which there is now a higher likelihood she can and will (there is still plenty of time tho), Republicans best hope they can keep control of the House. Because if they lose that and democrats keep control of the Senate, we are in for a hellish ride.  Then, the only thing that can stop their communist ideology is the courts and more specifically, the "Trump SCOTUS".  If 3 democrat/left leaning judges had been installed instead of conservatives, you wouldn't hear a peep from them.  Instead, the SCOTUS is corrupted, now they want term limits installed and some sort of code of conduct or ethics or whatever.  Because, of course, suddenly the biggest names on that bench have been "corrupted".  

So, that's it for news for me today. Nothing new, really, besides the newest revelations about Harris campaign lying bs.  

And for this entry? That's going to be it as well. It's getting late in the day and I have work I want to get done.

G'day

 Well that didn't last long.

I got in there, filled out a ream of paper's worth of forms, gave it to the attendant at the check in desk, 3 minutes later they were calling me back. The doc was in in less than 3 minutes as well.  I like that, no eternal waiting, get this over with. 

The doc asked a series of questions and then told me I need to take that other drug the urgent care gave me - which is Flomax (it doesn't say that on the label so I didn't really didn't know what it was beyond some long medical name) and he thinks I have kidney stones.  The thought never entered my mind about the kidney stones.  

The Flomax concerns me because of the list of potential side effects.  Kidney stones make sense and could easily be what the pain in the side is.  He said there isn't normally any retention pain (urine retention in the bladder) over there and then asked if urgent care did a ct scan? No, they just did an x-ray.  Ok, well I want to get a CT scan and we'll see if it's kidney stones problem.  I've had kieny stones before, some 30 years ago?  It wasn't pleasant and I actually went to ER on that episode for pain relief.  I have some pain, but nothing like that first time.  

If there is one in there, it isn't passing, I can say that for sure.  So, Friday is the CT scan, that was the earliest they could get me in. My understanding is if they need to take it out of there, it is non-invasive surgery that sends a tube up through there to get into the area to break the stone apart. That is old information, however and I haven't researched if there is anything newer available.  

I don't think I was in that building more than 35 minutes.  I like that.  I went to IHOP over there for a breakfast treat, keto style.  Just an omelet made with keto friendly ingredients and asked them not to add pancake batter to the egg mixture. Common knowledge, at least among the Keto group, they add that stuff which is high carbs.  I'm sticking with the diet for a while now, a few months anyway.  Weight comes off slowly and you really need to stick with it to get it down to where you start thinking, this is really working!  

Got on the Interstate and headed over to the property.  It only dawned me maybe half a mile from my park that I have another doc appointment today, I can't be getting all sweaty, I'll have to take another shower. I decided to just come home and relax.  I might go out there and start looking at how to install this trolling motor on the boat.  "Might" being the operative word.  It's very nice to have a house with no kids running around doing their thing.  They are at school and this place is nice and peaceful.

As it stands, I woke up at 7:30 this morning, freaked out a bit. I didn't set the alarm, I just figured I'd wake up before 7 so no worries.  Didn't give me much time to get showered, dressed, coffee, etc.  

I dunno, but the pain is there, it's low level so I can still manage I just need to have this diagnosed and figure out the treatment.  Kidney stones are horrible, but I can think of far more horrible things a person could get diagnosed with.....

I'm just sitting here attempting to brave the feat of putting one of those Flomax pills in mouth and wait and hope and pray there are no serious side effects....I'm not sold on even taking one today, tbh.  Or at all. I don't have to take them, it's just going to give me better bladder drainage. Well, I do have to take them, now that I think about it. The doc wants to know if it takes care of the problem. My deal is, I don't want to take pills the rest of my life if I don't have to, Flomax just treats the symptom it doesn't treat the problem.  

Then again, prostate surgery doesn't sound particularly appealing, either. I wonder how long it takes to recover from that? Probably quite a while.  

I am looking forward to this doc today. He may also send me to a specialist, who knows.  Whatever it takes, I want this arm problem fixed.  It's holding me back.  It hurts a lot.  I sleep on my side and when I end up on that arm, I wake up in the middle of the night in pain.  Like, turn my body quickly type of pain.  I try to do certain types of work and the arm forces me to adjust how I do things.  Getting used to pain isn't really all that great, you just don't want to deal with it.  Well, now is the time. 

I've got 4 hours and 20 minutes to waste.  I almost think I should have just gone and gotten on the tractor and get some stuff done on it.  

My goal is to clear both ends out and then form pads for rv sites.  It won't cost me anything but the time on the tractor.  One thing that crossed my mind is that I could actually build lots without the sewer to start with and just rent it to short term overnight and have a dump stations by the shed.  People want power over everything else and many don't mind if you don't have sewer at the site as long as they can dump somewhere on their way in, out or both.  It's just a thought.  I just know that now, I can start working towards that end. 

One thing is for certain: I will be spending a lot of time on that thing and I need to ask the boy how long he can keep it there.  A couple of weeks would be nice.  Even on work days I could get out of the truck and onto that thing for a couple of hours.  I'm guessing the parents gave some sort of time line.  I'm also guessing the thing probably isn't used much, if they have a real farm they are using newer and much larger equipment.  Still, it's in good shape for how old it is.

And that is that.  We have politicians attempting to gaslight us, namely: Kamala Harris. They are now playing her statements from the last election when she was running against things she's said currently on talk shows and such. 180 degree turns on many of them. She wants "government run" health care for everyone, get rid of the current system and some statement to the effect of "If you can't get in line with it, get out of it".  This, in turn, stoked the fears of seniors who are wondering if she means people will lose their health care coverage.

Republicans should jump all over that. Democrats always play the same old game with "Republicans want to get rid of medicare and social security".  Now you have some ambiguous statement that could easily be interpreted as "get rid of it".  She wants to gut the system, that's pretty much what you can take out of it. She gives no path forward to what or how she is going to implement it or even what it looks like.  She is full of promises but you know they will never materialize. She has plagiarized Trump's idea of no taxation on tips and a media outlet is now giving her credit for the idea. 

Newsweek to be specific. They claimed that it is Kamala's idea and that 68% of republicans support the idea. Of course they did, when Trump started saying it, which was long before Kamala came along and is attempting to steal the idea as her own conception.

It's ridiculous and it's why I only watch a little bit of the news and then I move on. It's the same thing every presidential election but admittedly this one seems to be far beyond the pale.  How often does an elected nominee get dumped by it's own party and then the party installs a new candidate without bothering to ask the voters of that party whether they want that person or not? And a host of other things not worth going into here.  

My trip to AZ should be relatively cheap on the wallet, actually it will hopefully be free but I have noticed that airfare one way is much cheaper than I expected it to be.  Of course I'll be spending hundreds of dollars coming back driving a gas guzzler.  The free part is my credit card points which will pay for the airfare.  

I'm outta here. 

 Tuesday - morning

Yesterday was a bit busy, had started on a blog entry but I only got a few sentences in.

I basically spent the day at the park, the tractor arrived and I got busy with it.  It was also a day to deliver "news" to people that needed to hear things. One guy always having his girlfriend over, parking the driveway.  I don't allow parking in the driveway.  This person knows parking in the driveway isn't allowed.  So I texted him about that.

I then texted the people in the coach: this isn't going to work out.  I'll give you to Saturday to find a new place to live.  They are running a generator over there 24 hours a day and it is noisy and I'm getting complaints. Sorry.  5 minutes later, she comes over and demands to know who was complaining? It doesn't matter and I'm not calling people out.  I can hear that generator right now, sitting 150 feet away, so yes, it's a problem.  Well, I found a job but now I'm going to have to move back to Jefferson. 

I said nothing.  I'm not going to be baited, which is what she was trying to do the entire time she was standing there, which wasn't very long fortunately for I wasn't falling for her tactics.  Not my first rodeo, I'm sorry she has to leave at the same time,  she apparently has a place to go. There are jobs in Jefferson.  I knew it wasn't going to be a long term solution and they are broke as well.  Her sister, who has been living in the park for a while now, has been buying the gasoline for that generator.

Trust me, that gets expensive very quickly, especially running one 24 hours a day. I was informed that its nice and cool in there. Yes, as it should be with a new AC unit.  They are conflicted about it as it stands. They being the couple that have already been living there. The guy doesn't want to do anything for them, he has his reasons, whether they are valid or not? Probably after that short encounter with the lady.  The lady who is the actual sister of the people in the coach wants to help them.  I get that, but I don't,  not to that extent to the point that others are getting irritated with constant noise going on.  My biggest selling point is the peace and quiet of my park, not the noise and generator-running-constantly.  

I really only let them in to help them out of an immediate bind. They have until Saturday to get out of there.  After that? Well let's hope they're gone, I really don't want to have to call law enforcement and they seem to be ok with having to move.  

Then there's this new guy that had the trashed trailer. He's sitting right there listening to all of this and more, the attention then was directed to him.  In person, in his face, we both started in on him. Not in a caustic, vitriolic way, but yes we were firm.  Everyone has been helping you and you don't want to do anything to help yourself.  I pointed at the windows: You said you were going to replace them and that you already have the windows?  Allen then said that Brian, another new guy, will never help you again.  He was doing everything (in moving the junky trailer) and you were just standing there doing nothing. 

I then went into how people have been feeding him, are you going to return the favor?  He said he gets "paid" on the 26th and yes, he would be.  Allen: well someone has been blowing up the toilet....I mean, we left no stone unturned.  If he's going to stay there, he's going to get with the program.  Being poor and needy doesn't mean you have to act that way outwardly.  I've been poor and needy but I didn't go around broadcasting it to everyone beyond writing about it in this blog. Well, I wasn't that poor but it was definitely paycheck to paycheck and often times picking which bills to pay and which to let slide.  I was needing a water heater for 6 months and couldn't afford that.  This guy has access to my bathroom, hot water, laundry, now has electricity and cooling in that trailer, etc. 

I think people get pissed when a person asks them to do everything for them and won't lift a finger to help. He's not invalid, he's not in a wheel chair, he is a large man, well over 300 pounds.   I dunno what's wrong with him for a disability.  He said his son is coming up Saturday to fix the windows and deal with the camper.  Ok.  

Then there was the guy who lets his dog s*** everywhere, who was also right there.  He got up and left in a huff and a puff.  Whatever dude, why you think people should have to clean up after your dog is unknown. 

Pleasant day? Not particularly.  Productive? yes. It was hot and humid yesterday, but it felt good to sweat and just be outdoors.  

I've leaving for the urologist in about 15 minutes.  That gets me there a bit early so I can fill out their forms and get the insurance info to them. The only thing I'm dreading is if the doctor wants to do a "prostate exam". If you are a guy and ever had that done, you know exactly what I'm talking about.  I had it done once in my 30's and I really never want to go through that again, but I doubt my desires are going to outweigh the need to find out what's going on. Then again, they do have x-rays now that they can get from the urgent care, maybe that's enough?  I would hope so?  

Then there's the general checkup today, but I think I'm going to use that time to focus on my bum arm.  It's still got that pain and the nerve problem and I need to start on the path towards having it fixed.  I'm just a bit more concerned about the bladder issue atm.  

Harris has gone 23 days now, according to the news, since she was elected as the nominee for democrats and has not had a press conference. She has answered a few questions, but no official press conference. That should tell you truckloads about her inability to face the tough questions and act like Biden-in-the-basement.  You wonder how such a person is going to stand up to the Xi's and Kim's of this world....

Anyway, I need to get off of here and get on the road. It's half an hour drive over there.

G'day 

 Sunday Late morning

Leaving for church in a few.

New people occupying my coach have moved in, apparently. I haven't seen them.  Replacement trailer also moved in for the pile of junk, but hasn't gotten rid of the old one.  I have informed him if he doesn't get rid of it, I will have it towed off the property and he'll have to make up for it with rent payment.  I don't care, I don't want it on my property. I have made that abundantly clear.  Which part of "that thing is a pile of trash" does anyone not understand. 

So, those annoyance factors are alive and abundant.  Actually, I don't know about the new people in the coach, but I assume I'm going to have to move that coach much further back to keep the generator noise from bothering people. It is already well back there, but generators are noisy and can disturb people's sleep. I informed them of this potential before they ever showed up at the property.  I also informed them that since the shed is their only bathroom, they will be responsible for keeping it clean.  

Whether that materializes or not? I have no idea, but I also have no problem telling them to leave.  I am in no way indebted to them for anything. Follow my rules or leave. It's pretty simple. May sound harsh but if you don't nip things in the bud quickly, it also escalates quickly.  It's amazing when you try to help people how much abuse they can dump back on you in terms of not giving a damn about your property and abusing the generosity of the person attempting to help them out. However.  They get a free ride for a week, after that? They can pay for the use of that camper or they can....leave.  They'll need to find new jobs is what I am saying and they'll need to do that quickly.  

We're going to have a bit of a cook out tonight and wish Allen well in his new job. I hate to see him leaving on this work endeavor, I understand where he's coming from, but he has been taking care of a lot of bs over there that leaves me only dealing with the worst of it, which I'm fine with.  Long term is not a piece of cake enterprise, I knew that but I have been given a big shot of learning curve here lately.  Short term isn't either, tho.  I have read countless stories of the RV parks that have all kinds of different kinds of issues with people only staying for a few days and have an entire park that is dedicated to that.

Oh that I could get enough traffic through my place to have those kinds of problems. The money would almost double.  More problems, maybe, but the income would neutralize that, at least in my view. 

I guess the boy is going to get the tractor today and bringing it back tomorrow morning.  I don't recall where he said he lives, but it's not near my park or even the town or county.  I think it was near Austin somewhere. That's like almost 7 hour drive from here. If that thing shows up tomorrow, I'll start using it tomorrow.   

End of summer is finally here. This is the last day of summer for the kids. 5:40 am tomorrow morning and they will be getting up and getting ready to go to school.  It will be quite the shocker for them, they haven't been getting up that early in 2 months time?  They have been going to bed at their normal school time tho, at least that much has been set back in place.

I'm thinking today will be the last day of subjecting myself to these antibiotics.  It's just too much.  I can't function.  It'll be 4-1/2 days of taking them, I have 7 days worth.  I dunno, I'll make that decision tomorrow, it's just really such intense side effects.  The pain in my side has subsided, not gone but subsided. The other area the pain is gone.  Maybe I should just tough it out a few more days and see if it all dissipates. That doesn't take care of the prostate issue or whatever is restricting urine flow, that will start to be dealt with or at least identified on Tuesday. 

There's other things but I am about to leave.  And my hands get tired typing on these antibiotics, amazingly enough.

G'day. 

 Saturday mid-morning

My manager called yesterday, I didn't answer the phone. I was in no mood at the time to talk to anyone. I have continuing side effects from this antibiotics and basically keeping to myself as much as possible. 

Of course, that didn't actually play out yesterday as there were 3 things I had to deal with.

1: The new guy and his completely trashed out trailer.  He completely lied about that thing and it pissed me off, frankly.  Allen tried to talk to him and basically left it to me to deal with.  He was telling me the trailer is bad but the guy wants to move it to the parking area to work on it.  Well, enough text messages from other people in the park and I decided to get into my SUV, drive over there and take a look at it myself.

A worthless pile of trash, yes the roof is falling in, the seams were bust out on the sides, it was actually missing wheels and tires on the front axle, with the front axle having broken springs - well you get the picture.  The epitome of the definition of a trailer trash park, I immediately told  him I did not want that thing in my park, he can have his money back.  I'm not going to get a reputation of trailer trash, sorry. Nice guy, I didn't get foul with him, but my politeness was firm: I can't have that trailer anywhere  on this property.  He said he'd have it out of there tomorrow, which is now today.  

I left it at that, I made my point, let's see if he follows through with it. Meanwhile, he has a friend who has a decent looking trailer that he is going to use instead.  I know it's a decent looking trailer because I demanded pictures of it.  

2.  I get a call from a retired couple in the park, they've been there maybe 6 months?  I dunno, I'd have to look it up.  She starts telling me this sob story about her sister who is living in a hotel, working for  a man that was arrested for - embezzlement I guess - and out of a job.  She has nowhere to go, on and on and on until we got to the part about my motorcoach.  That coach, I said, is in pretty bad condition on the interior and needs major work. I don't have anywhere to park it, either, there are no hookups available.  This went back and forth, I told her I would have a conversation with someone else about it.

And I did, I called Allen who has hung out with the retired couple to see if he knows anything about the sister?  It was really a mixed bag of information and it made it difficult to make a decision. After what I've already gone through with other people trying to help them out, why would I want to go through that again?  I decided to give them a very limited time there and they really need to find their own housing somewhere.  I'm not a heartless person, at the same time, I've been down this road and it usually doesn't have a pleasant ending.  Find another job, save up enough to get your own place, go there and live there.  

3.  The kids.  It was the day for the water fun at the church.  So I took them. 6:30 to 8:30 pm, I dropped them off, noting the giant waterslide they had set up out there.  Went over to the park - the church is a couple of miles from the park - hung out with Allen and Russ for a couple of hours, left, got the kids who were totally jazzed about the event they had just been at going on an on about it all the way home.  So at least one success yesterday. 

Today.  Head back over to the park around noon or maybe  a little later, find out about this guy moving the trailer and these other people. One thing about "these other people" is that that coach is well away from the park right now. I had moved it out of the lot it was in to clear the way for Robert's trailer.  I want that ugly trailer off of my property immediately, it's not something I'm going to give that guy time with.  I'll have the thing towed out of there if I have to but that thing is not sticking around.  It belongs in the local landfill - which I did say to him actually.  Amazingly, the man agreed, it's not fixable. You can't repair something that far gone.  It's just junk.  I'll check with the "other people" to see if they even moved in or what's going on with them. 

As of last night, they had shown up, asked about a generator and then left with the couple that lives there. I have no idea whether they came back or what. I wouldn't stay in that thing without at least a deep cleaning first.  Rats and cockroaches. 

I'm also looking out for the tractor arrival.  Regardless of how I feel, I will put that thing to use.  You try not to waste opportunities like that. 

Trolling motor. It was supposed to arrive next week. Then they said it's arriving early! The 9th, yesterday. Then it was updated to being delivered today. Now? It's sitting at the FedEx facility in Bossier City and getting delivered on Monday.  No idea why it wasn't delivered today, it was sitting there in Bossier yesterday.  Then again, it's Saturday so maybe they don't do normal deliveries on Saturdays. Don't care really, no in the position right now to start working on that boat.  Just weird they keep moving the date around like that.

Nothing else I don't think.  Time to take a shower and get over to the park.

G'day

 Thursday - 7:45 am

Taylor is going on the radio this morning, lol, this should be entertaining.  She is doing a section for her work to get people to sign up.  Probably about the best idea she's had yet. The program is free, it's for prescshool children to start getting the hang of school and learning.  I'm sure she'll do well, I'll be listening to it, already have the radio on online.

Somehow, I erroneously thought today was the 9th.  It is not, that would be tomorrow. Just looking for that trolling motor to get here.  Not that I will jump right on it, not even in the slightest.

There have been some - interesting - side effects to this antibiotic and it isn't exactly pleasant.  Just this weird feeling, I've had it before on other drugs, not really explainable, not a great feeling I can tell ya that.  I took another one a little while ago.  As much as I don't want to, I also want to get rid of this nonsense and get on with life.  

The new guy is moved in, paid up and then, I realized, I have this problem with electricity over there once again. Not that any signs are showing that there is a problem and it is already August, so that's good I guess.  Meaning, we've gone through 2 of the hottest months of the year without any issues.  

_________

Many, many hours later.  In fact, night time.  I am attempting to get the courage up to take one of these prostate pills, but reading the potential side effects, ooh la laaahh.  There is a list of 20 of them and some of them do not look pleasant at all.  Fainting?  Priapism? I had to look that word up, good Lord I don't need that.  Nausea, weakness, dizziness...and on and on.  Like, with what I'm already going through I don't need to add any of that to the list. 

I think I'll wait until these antibiotics are gone.  The story on this  prostate medication is that it softens the area around the prostate up so the tube with urine will have the pressure relieved off of it so urine passes through more easily.  The statement after that says that it does not reduce the size of the prostate and that it is only a temporary relief and that at some point, surgery may be necessary.  

I don't even know if it's a prostate issue (tho it probably is) and I have an appointment with a urologist on Tuesday, it may be that I just won't even take that medication and find out what the doc has to say about all of this after he does whatever he has to do to figure out what's going on.  I would very much not like to have to experience the "finger" exam.  Some have stated that I'll probably need a colonoscopy.  

These are bad words, like extremely vulgar language, I don't need any of that, lol. I have, at the end of the day, decided that I will go through whatever they want me to to find out what the deal is.  I still don't see how an enlarged prostate is going to cause pain on the side of your belly in the abdomen area.  Then again, I'm not a doctor, but I will be asking the doc that stuff when the appointment occurs. It's 35 miles away, there are no urologists in this town, apparently they all decided to move to Longview. 

I have not been to the RV park in 2 plus days now.  Allen is still there, he is still handling things, I am good.  However, this new dude that moved in?  Turns out his trailer is a pile of trash.  And has electrical problems. The roof is caving in, the interior is falling apart, etc etc etc. The stuff that happens when a roof leak occurs on a trailer and it isn't dealt with immediately. Over time? It destroys the interior of the trailer. That's not guess work, in this area, with all the rain we have, it WILL destroy the interior. The floor will fall apart and you have a worthless pile of junk.

So, this dude is wanting to bring in yet another trailer...not so fast buddy.  He wants to live in this other trailer he is borrowing from whoever while he fixes the trailer he already has.  No, no and no.  Allen called me earlier, told me I was on speakerphone and the dude can hear everything I'm saying.  All well and fine, I made it clear that I am not operating a trailer trash park.  There is no nice way to say that, so just let it out.  He replied that he didn't know the thing was in such bad condition - apparently they just bought that trailer sight unseen for cheap.  

I don't really believe him, but I told him I can't have that stuff in my park.  So, we left it with him needing to get and send us pics of this other trailer. All sides, please.  I usually have people send me pics anyway, I was distracted with this situation going on with my body and wasn't really thinking clearly about it.  On older rigs, I want pics.  It's really going to be a pain when Allen starts working and I am going to have to go back to dealing with everything.  It's just something I am glad to be taking a break from, but I know that isn't a forever break.  

My manager hasn't called me in 2 days and frankly. I don't really want him to call. He said last week that there is the option of taking time off.  I am taking time off without asking for it. This is the deal where the plant is shut down for 2 weeks for maintenance and repairs and the work is shifted to another plant.  He hasn't called, he probably has the situation covered.  I dunno, but I don't have a lot of energy right now, one of the side effects of this antibiotic.  I just shiver at the thought of taking even more drugs that will compound that effect.  

I literally did nothing today.  I never left the house.  I am going over to the park tomorrow to collect some money, I doubt I will be staying long.  I want to see this trailer tho.  Is it really that bad?  Lol, I'm sure it is, I have seen countless trailers with severe water damage, they all look the same. Falling apart, roofs caving in, interiors completely trashed.

With that? I am calling this quits.  Watch some tv and try to get some sleep.  I did watch some news today, however, just a little, I can't deal with that nonsense right now.  Kamala finally gave a "bit of a press conference" in answering questions after getting off of AF2, I am assuming was the plane she was on.  She is still saying that Trump is afraid to debate her. I just laugh at the preposterousness of such a stupid statement.  There is nothing further from the truth and I am sure she is well aware that what she is saying is completely false and therefore, she is lying through her teeth.

But, that's what politicians do a lot of: Lying.  

G'nite. 

 6 stops. 

That's what it took to get this day over with, for I went to CVS and got the prescriptions. Unfortunately, it's the anti-biotics that have the potential side effects, the stuff for prostate isn't near as bad.  I just took an antibiotic and won't be taking the prostate stuff until I see if/what these antibiotics do to me.  In all of the antibiotics I have taken in my life, only one - of which I don't remember the name of - had a really bad side effect to the point I stopped taking it after the first dose.  My nostrils felt like they were on fire and breathing was difficult.

I have weird reactions to common medicines that don't affect other people the same way.  So I take this stuff sort of fearing what might happen....No way am I taking two medications I have never taken before at the same time.  I do want to take the prostate thing to see if my urine flow gets better, but it can wait a minute - or many hours.  They probably would have given me penicillin if I weren't allergic to it. 

I also went to T Mobile where it took an hour and a half? I think to port my Iphone 13 and then I got a new phone because it was so cheap for the secondary phone.  $75 and I have a brand new phone comparable to the 13.  Now all I have to do is get on Verizon site and cancel my service altogether.  Although, I suspect I'll have to call them for that.  That removes $192 per month off of my bills. 

The final shed payment is going through today, I think. I only owe them $9!  The financial picture will look a bit better after these 2 things are gone and not sucking my finances dry along with credit card junk.  The internet in Phoenix? No clue, he was saying he needs the start up money. I will give it to him off the next month's rent if necessary, after that I will dump $220 range per month for internet.  Oh, I still have the credit card junk, sorry if I was making it look like I was dumping that, I can only wish.  No, I still have those payments and since they all jacked up their interest rates, the payments went up with it.  

There isn't any savings in getting a consolidation loan to lump it altogether, not at 29 and above % interest rates.  I was thinking of doing the Sofi loan until I saw the reviews - lots and lots of them saying the same thing about wanting endless paperwork and then at the end, many of them saying they were denied the loan anyway.  Why bother?  

________

45 minutes since I took that pill.  I dunno how long it takes to start working, I'd like to hope that it's already doing so. If that's the case, I do have some slight - strange - feelings right now but nothing serious.  This particular antibiotic fixes unrinary tract infections, prostate infections, cures various STD's and is basically just the type of antibiotic I wanted. I do not have STD's, that is 100% guaranteed.  But the feeling that I have some sort of infection? YES.  Like it's somewhere down there or in there, behind there, around there, but it's there. And it's very uncomfortable and could be the reason I have this pain on the side of my abdomen.  

I didn't know what, exactly, that doctor had prescribed so it's a bit comforting to find out one of the prescriptions was specifically for the indications of what I had described to her.  There was no inspection of the areas - not that I wanted one exactly, but isn't that their job? -  apparently just taking my word for it and that's fine as long as the treatment is directed and focused on fixing it.  

Ok, well I'm not doing anything for the rest of the day.  Im glad the park host is still over there, if anything comes up, he can and will deal with it.  I want to get that coach moved so she can come over there and start working on it - but - that's just going to have to wait until tomorrow. I don't want to be driving anything until I am confident there are no serious side effects to this stuff, cause' honey, there is a long list of them. Death, heart attacks, organ failure, strokes are, fortunately, not on that list, but still. Dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, etc.  

Ugh, of course someone wants to move in when I'm doing something that requires me to do - nothing but wait.  It's been an hour now tho and nothing serious yet.  A man just called me wanting to come over - right now! - of course, that's the way half of this stuff works.  Call, move in, done. So I called Allen to be on the lookout for this dude and he said he'd go over and spruce the lot up nicely.  Fine by me.  

I care how I feel, but I am also in business and as long as the park host is there, I'm going to keep him busy.  Not too busy, then I'd feel like I'm taking advantage of him, it's $450 free lot rent he's getting, he's probably already done 1/3rd of the work I'd minimum require him to do for any given month. I don't want him doing it too fast, the grass will need mowed again in a couple of weeks and he's been working on the riding mower, trying to get that going plus he has mowed all the lots in between the trailers.

So much for my previous theory that he just goes to work when I show up ... that was true but now he's working again and I'm good with it if it just sort of goes back and forth but I do, indeed, get my minimum requirement of work done every month.  Just spoke a little hastily, based on previous man who was definitely lazy, definitely not doing anything but mowing the doggy park once a week.  I just get tired of moochers. I didn't mooch to save the money to build that park, that is guaranteed.  I suppose just from a biblical stance I should expect to help some people out.  To whatever degree I feel like that help should be given. But so far, it's been take advantage of the situation to the point they are doing next to nothing and too bad, so sad.  Screw all of that.  The man that doesn't work, doesn't eat. I believe that's in the book of Proverbs.  I've worked, and worked, and worked. 

 Applying that standard to myself, I'd like to think my work ethic that has kept me active for 50 plus year working my butt off should be winding down. I dunno and I'm not planning on stopping working, but I would like to cut back a little?  

Okay, Verizon is canceled and will take effect on the 12th of this month. Why then, I have no clue.  I'm sure I'll get a final bill, it's whatever.  It's over $400 gone with the shed done as well. Good riddance to both.  Now to figure out the internet service at the house and dump even more money going down the drain.  I figure I might try the T-Mobile Gateway again now that I have phones with them to verify I am actually with their service.  A bit ridiculous you can't deal with their screwup because they can't send a "verification code" to a T-mobile phone. What about the email address on file? Lots of companies verify doing it that way.  

I'm back and forth here, was reading more about this antibiotic and several sites have this: Stay out of the sunlight, especially between the hours of 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.  I can drive a truck and stay out of direct sunlight.  I just want to know I'm not going to have some of these side effects and some on that list probably take a while to show up if at all. 

And that's it. Lot 16 - one of the alternative lots - is rented.  They are moving in today.  I asked lots of questions, I don't know what else I can do about it.  Oh yes, have Allen discuss the rules with them. I am not going over there today and I am not working tomorrow either, apparently. My manager didn't contact me and I don't care at this point, I'll take a paycheck from the business and be done with it if I have to.  There is plenty of money in there, just deposited 2 grand, plus have taken in several payments including today.  Even having to pay the electric bill, there will still be lots of cash in there, at least lots of cash from my perspective.  

There is only 1 lot left available right now, the giant lot 1 and I don't know if I'm going to rent that one out.  I have an overnighter coming in in 5 days and another a bit after that and that's all.  I know in another month or so, maybe 2?  I should see snow birds traveling through looking for a place to stay over night. My area is not a snow bird destination as much as I'd love it to be. 

_________

Many hours later. I started feeling funny for a couple of hours and then? Pretty normal now.  Thankfully.  

 Wednesday  semi-early

I mean, I went to bed at 9:30 last night, 6:30 am hits and it's just time to get up.  

Since the appointment for the nurse practitioner isn't until Tuesday of next week, I ended up going to urgent care.  They asked a bunch of questions, took my vitals, my blood pressure not bad. Not great, could be better but not in the "you are about to have a heart attack and go to the emergency room right now!" bad.  In fact, nowhere near that.  

They took 2 x-rays of my abdomen/groin area, took a urine sample and came back a little later and said that my bladder isn't draining out fully and I need to go see a urologist, replete with a name and a referral - that they never sent.  There is no family history of prostate problems, everyone I have encountered that has that issue also has a family history of it. I'm not saying that isn't the problem, they didn't really know and said I needed that specialist. Well let's get this train moving, I am not going to just sit around hoping that it just goes away, I want the entire situation checked out and determined what is going on and what, if anything, can be done about it. 

They also sent some prescriptions to a CVS and I haven't gone and gotten them. I didn't get the notice that they were ready until evening and I just said screw it, I'll get whatever it is tomorrow.  Although I have had good results from this urgent care in the past, I feel like they weren't listening to my symptoms.  Admittedly they aren't really the people to go to for serious issues, if this is indeed serious, but at least get me rolling in the right direction? I supposed they did that with a referral - that they never sent.  I'll go get whatever meds they have prescribed, check them out first and take whatever it is.  

I don't take medications without seeing what the potential side effects are.  You know because you have likely seen it on TV ads.  Where they are advertising some pill for a minor issue but the side effects can be heart attacks, strokes, death, kidney failure, etc?  And I also check any antibiotics, I've had docs attempting to give me penicillin in the past, even tho I directly told them I am allergic to it and checked the box on the sheet about any allergies? Yes, penicillin and any derivatives thereof.  

I'm getting on the urologists docket for starting whatever process as soon as possible.  

I am likely to go to the park today and pick up where I left off 2 days ago.  I was rather - deflated - that I didn't get any answers from the urgent care yesterday.  Who knows what's wrong and who knows how many doctor visits it will take to find out and who knows if it's something serious or not?  None of that was answered yesterday beyond the vague "your bladder isn't completely emptying out when you go pee".  How does that affect my abdomen? On the right side? The far right side? I don't know, maybe it does or maybe there are 2 issues going on.  Oh, so I didn't go over to the park but I did check in with Allen - who is leaving either this weekend or Monday to start his new job.

I'll give him credit that he just mowed the lawns between the trailers and since it's not currently raining and there is no rain in the forecast, I figure it won't grow back too quickly.

Oh, my canopy did arrive yesterday.  So, that's a job that needs done, I want to get the trolling motor hooked up somewhere on the bow first before I decide where to put those marine batteries. It will be in one of the front storage compartments for sure, just which one I haven't determined yet.  My goal in getting 24 volt was that there are 2 batteries to draw off of instead of 1 in case the 2 stroke, 150 hp engine decides it won't be starting for me.  This is going to be a project and will probably take some time, but fishing is good year round here so whenever it's done, we can go even if it's out of summer.  

I check interest rates frequently. I don't know why, the feds haven't reduced the base rate so you know the loan companies aren't lowering their rates, I just do it out of habit I guess. Maybe more out of desire: I'd love to increase the numbers of sites and I can't do that with a good chunk of change.  Or not?  If I could get the lots carved out and ready to install everything in the ground, just have to do the installation of the utilities and have some gravel brought out, I could get the next septic system on credit, get the lots carved out and completed quickly and get the revenue in to cover the payments (and then some, of course) on the septic system.  I'm a little leery of spending my cash right now in this kind of toxic economic/hyper-inflation environment and the possibility of another financial meltdown.  

Yes, I have fairly well decided that whatever I do, it makes no sense not to get at least another 15 sites in there.  Double the current income and then think about tiny homes or whatever for the front of the property.  There is a lot of room up there, it's just that leveling it out for each pad would mean putting up retention walls. That's more money - a lot more money so the front will remain untouched except to clear it out again until I get to that point, if ever.  I will probably shrink the distance between sites as well. 35 feet instead of 40.  But, probably make 4 or so sites larger both in length and width.  I dunno, it's just in the thinking department right now.

______

Turns out they sent the referral to the doc's office via fax yesterday and I can either wait for them to call me or I can call them to speed up the process. We'll be speeding up the process, thank you.  I see no benefit in waiting. 

 

Tuesday - 8:00 am

Their dog was injured yesterday, meaning it had a huge open gash behind the belly, so they took off to get the dog treated.  The only place open in these parts that late is 40 miles away.  I don't even know what time they got home.  Feel badly for James, he didn't get home from work until like 7:00 pm after leaving at 5:30 am and then having to do that with the rest of his free time before going to bed and getting up again for work this morning. 

I was asked to go to Ennis for today, I declined.  I am going to see a doctor, sorry.  Oh, that didn't sound good coming from the manager but regardless, my health is more important than this job.  He didn't argue per se, you could just tell with the sighing and sounds that the "easy fix" wasn't going to be so easy.  Whatever the case, I made an appointment for Tuesday, today, but then realized I didn't verify with them which Tuesday, for the lady on the phone made it sound like next week.  I'll still go next week if that's an issue, but I'll go to Urgent Care today. Next week can and will be an annual checkup as I stated that's what I wanted on the phone. I'm not waiting until next week to have this situation diagnosed.  

I did finally sleep last night tho. Like 8 full hours of sleep. For me? That's almost into miracle territory.  The throbbing pain on my right side has stopped, I don't know what caused it but for how long it went on, I still want it checked out.  Do your tests, do whatever, figure it out and get back to me. 

I don't much care for this doctor's office, however. I just spent 15 minutes on hold just to speak to the person at the front desk.  Maybe they're all like that, but the other issue I have is I am just now finding out this "doctor" is a nurse practitioner.  I have nothing against them, but I'd like a real doctor such as the last one.  I mean, I have this appointment and I also just found out it's for next week, so off to urgent care today I go.  This local urgent care is more like a mini hospital, I have always liked their service and expertise.  Oh, the the other thing about this nurse practitioner, the few reviews that are on there, one of them said he is rude.

However....people get mad about petty stuff and go instantly to the internet and start saying nasty things.  I need more than one bad review to make me think about going somewhere else. 

Anyway, Im going to sit here, drink my coffee, shave and shower and then off to Urgent Care.  I am almost tempted to say, nahhh, I don't need it now that the pain is gone, but what caused that pain? And is it gone permanently?  You want to think, it's not something serious and attempt to deceive yourself into thinking, no, it doesn't need checked out.  But I have insurance now, the co pay is only $70, and as much as I hate going to see doctors? I'm just not going to leave this to chance.

As it stands, everyone is gone this morning.  Taylor is going to do a setup for her work over at a splash pad 2 towns over, but since it's a splash pad, the kids went as well.  I would have gone but I didn't want to sit there for 4 or 5 hours and I also want to get this doctor visit done and over with.  I guess I could have driven myself over there.  

End of summer almost here.  The 12th is the first day of school for the boys and they really need to get back into something other than sitting around the house all day long. The 2 were going at it so badly yesterday that I demanded they get dressed, put on their hiking shoes and let's go! Into this horrid heat and humidity, yup.  The oldest didn't want to go, so I was just going to leave without him, but he started getting pouty.  He wanted a certain type of food for lunch and mama wasn't giving it to him. She made sandwiches, she didn't want one.  Both of those kids are so skinny because they fuss about food every single day.

It's ridiculous. We are making delicious meals and they can have as much as they want, but often times? A plate of food is set before them and they just sit there and stare at it. They used to get into trouble for it, but that wasn't working. Now? It's eat or don't eat, but if you don't eat, there isn't going to be anything else.  You'd be surprised at how many times I've watched them choose "starve" mode over eating. And they know none of the adults in the house are going to cave after the fact.  If we are serving steak or chicken nuggets, they will gladly eat the whole plate. 

Take that back, they'll eat the whole plate of steak or chicken, the rest of the stuff? Yeah, no.  And what set this all in motion? Being at grandma's for half the damn summer. She just caters to them, making double meals. One for what the kids want and the other for the adults to eat. NO, NO and NO.  That is stupidity.  You are just setting up for a miserable household being selfish like that and giving into young kids. She thinks it's perfectly normal.  It's great you are retired and can spend your time doing whatever you please, but please act normal and just feed them whatever you are eating.  It's not bad food by any stretch.

Sometimes, we do make new recipes that turn out questionable. I mean, we do new recipes all the time, some of them are definite keepers, others, well, it's not that the food tastes bad, it just isn't appealing.  But, we keep the regular meals as well. Tacos are always a hit.  But make those kids BBQ chicken like last night? I don't liiiiikkkkeeeee that.  Pouting, sour faces, moping: ridiculous.  Then, if they don't eat, they're asking for treats after the meal.  LMAO, good luck with that!  I don't cave to that at all. You didn't eat your dinner, why on earth do you think I'm going to give you a treat?  

I had to remove the battery out of the coach yesterday to charge it on a battery charger. Jump starting it did nothing.  It was dead and I'm afraid it may be ruined. Who knows, I left the thing in the shed, charging.  It will either be fully charged by now or it's toast.  It was showing 3 amps of juice in it when I put it on the charger.  At least there was a little bit of a charge in it, maybe it's not totally ruined? I don't know, but the next time poor people want to come in? I don't know if I'm going to allow it. 2 times in a row they have taken advantage of me, ignored park rules and made life miserable for certain people and otherwise just living like slobs, actually. I like helping people, I don't like helping people that are life long moochers and have no more motivation to do anything about their situation than to sit around all day, doing nothing and going to people's trailers asking for cigarettes and such.

I can tell ya, the next time people want to tent camp? I'm going to be asking a series of questions. For how long? Are you just coming to tent camp for the fun of it or are you looking for a place to stay, in your tent?  Tho that last lady lied to me about it, saying she was only staying a couple of days.

Anyway, the extent of my day today will be go to Urgent Care and then go to the park and see about that coach battery.  

The marine batteries arrived yesterday, the canopy allegedly today, the motor? A tracking label has been created.  It hasn't shipped yet.  I won't wait forever. There is no "delayed delivery" on it, so I'll give it a few more days and if nothing happens? Cancel that order and move on.  I dunno what it is about these trolling motors and getting them shipped after actually paying for them? Lol. I will be draining all the gas out of that tank and putting fresh back in - after everything else is completed.  It's been sitting too long, I don't want to try and treat the fuel, I wonder if that's half the problem I had before.  I wouldn't mind finding fuel without the ethanol crap in it, I think there's a couple of places in town that sell "pure" gasoline.  The trolling motor will be insurance that if the thing doesn't want to start, we can just use the electric motor. It is 24 volt so 2 batteries meaning on any given outing, you are going to get a lot of use out of it before the batteries are dead.  I should have ordered 3 batteries, tho, the battery for the regular motor is likely trashed by this time as well. 

No one said boating is cheap. I feel like if I do this stuff, the rest of anything else that comes up will be minor.  I destroyed the canopy by accident, I didn't know you can't take off going 30 mph on the lake with it up. The wind destroyed it and that was the end of that.  But, I will also have to put it on my insurance, just remembered.  I don't want to get into a boating accident and have a huge bill facing me without insurance. It isn't expensive.  

Interest rates for loans are still ridiculously high. 29%?  That's worse than credit cards!  I'm stubbornly waiting for interest rates to come down and if it happens at all, it will be next year at the earliest before they are brought down enough to bring interest rates back into the reasonable zone again.  If nothing else, I have that tractor (hopefully) coming this weekend. I'ma put that baby to use.  Anyway, I need at least 100k to do what I want/need to do to expand the park and eventually get out of trucking altogether.  I'm afraid it's going to take much longer than I originally hoped for.

Well, that's sort of it. I am dreading going to the doctor. Not because I am afraid of the results. I don't want negative news that drastically altars the direction of my life, obviously, but it's more of the looking at things, prodding, sticking needles in, things like that.  The Urgent Care doctors pull no punches. I am happy about that, actually, the deliver whatever needs delivered in terms of whatever is going on with you.

Oh, and Kamala.  Well, apparently she was officially made the democrat nominee "in the middle of the night".  No one voted for her, people that voted? Voted for Biden.  The undemocratic process that was taken here is appalling and I have to wonder how that sits with democrats.  The VP is usually a useless additive to the President, almost no one votes for or because of the VP/running mate.  This is why I wonder how this affects the vote coming in November.  And once the super Pacs start dishing out the realities of a Harris Presidency, I can only hope that those undecided will not choose her and that enough swings states can be converted into a red X on the win box.  Harris is far left, meaning Communist.  To me, anyway.  This makes her unpalatable to any moderate voters.

Enough of that and this post.  I am still just watching a little political news here and there and then shutting it off.  Too much negativity, too much name calling, too much hatred.

G'day.

 Monday - mid morning

I have some sort of abdominal pain, more like discomfort, that is coming and going - but isn't going away.  It's been going on for days now and I feel like it's time to see a doc and find out what's going on.  I'm not one to rush to doctor's offices at the first sign of a sniffle, but this pain is in the area where the Appendix is located, if there is something going on with that, I want to know about it before something happens.  

So, I'm sitting here drinking my coffee but in a minute I'm going to call the doctor and see if he has any availability. If not, I'll head over to urgent care and see if they can at least figure out what's going on.  

The Dow Jones is around a 1,000 point nose dive and apparently is continuing on from last week.  I was reading about the Sahms Rule, which is by so-called expert analyst statements is in effect now, meaning we are on the verge of a recession.  People have been calling it for a while now.  Harris is, of course, blaming Donald Trump for what's going on right now, in this economy...

Imagine being in power for near 4 years and still blaming a former president for the current state of affairs in the economy.  

I was also reading a story where Americans with children are facing the choice between buying the necessary school supplies for their kids or paying bills and are opting to buy the school supplies.  Or, put it on credit cards.  The folks here go shopping every week in advance of the coming work week for groceries and supplies. Admittedly, we hadn't really stocked up since the vacation, but still, the total of $451 was a bit much.  I pay half of it, we all eat dinners together really we are a family.  

If there is a recession, I do wonder how it will affect the industry I am in in delivering glue to a large manufacturer who uses it to produce plywood.  No clue.  I think this company ships all over the world.  

The jobs report is being slated as as bad as it was in 2021.  Why is this important? Well, obviously it affects all of us to some degree, but it also is going to affect this Presidential race. It's going to be hard for a nominee to win a race where she is part and parcel of the leadership that is in governance while this market and economy are going south.  

Anyway, I don't wish for a recession, no one should and I wonder how it might affect my business. I have some retired but mostly working class people.  Everyone needs housing so that helps but I am not supplying the housing, just the place for the housing to exist.  I'm not going to worry about it, won't be the first time and you do what you have to to make it through it.  Basically, that means if my trucking job went south, it would be time to find another one, if one is available and do whatever kind of route necessary.  

The property does not have a lot of debt tied to it per se, it's me the debt is connected to.  Not sure that matters in a court if things go so bad I couldn't pay my credit card bills and such.  Probably doesn't matter at all, being 100% ownership of the property.  I'll just hope it never gets to the point.  If it does, a lawyer will be necessary to wade through the legaleze and attempt to find some way through it without losing everything.  I only say this because that recession that we went into in 2008 was pretty bad. 

It's not helpful the fed didn't lower the interest rate.

Anyway, my plans for today will be put on hold for the doctor is more important.  I don't even know if Urgent Care can do anything about such a condition, I'd prefer that over going to a hospital.  Much cheaper.  I envision having blood drawn and whatever else, getting prodded and basically a miserable time while they attempt to figure out what's going on.  This urgent care has it's own labs and x ray abilities.  There isn't much in this town beyond that and the hospital. The hospital shut down several years ago, then started back up as an emergency room only, the rest of it has been leased for doctor's offices. You really have to drive either to Shreveport or Longview (I'd go to Longview) for a "real hospital".  

Oh, well I'm assuming my regular doctor will have no availability.  He never does, they book him up the entire day and the only way to slip in is if there is a no show calls in and cancels.  

My marine batteries are showing up today.  The canopy is coming today or tomorrow, the trolling motor just shipped this morning, according to the report. I canceled the other motor since it was indefinitely "delayed" and ordered another one that was cheaper in price and has better reviews.  The price tag goes up substantially when you need a longer shaft for the blade to reach into the water.  The recommendation was 60 inches and higher thrust power.  So, I got the 60 inch model of a particular brand and 86 thrust power.  It's a heavy boat and some heavy people will be getting into it.  

The lake and fishing sound good right about now.  

Not shocking the people aren't even answering the phone at the doctor's office.  And if they are so busy they can't even get to the phone, it is highly likely I will be going to urgent care and that's that.  

And, it's the only thing on my mind right now because it is rather uncomfortable. 

G'day.

 Sunday -night

No work tomorrow, didn't do much today.  Church, clean the kitchen, help make dinner, mostly just hang out. Well, I did get quite a bit of laundry done today.  

The tractor is confirmed.  Allegedly coming next weekend, I will use the thing after work until I get everything I need done or they want the thing back. I don't really know what size they boy is bringing - I call him a boy, he's 18 years old and legally defined a man, however...well he does have a good work ethic and isn't a mooch.  So, I guess I can call him a man by that metric.  He will get partial or full month worth of rent for free.  No restrictions on not being able to use it in brush like the local rental company does and I don't have to transport it to the Park or back.  That's a pretty good deal, especially if I can get use of it for several days.  Or even a week? 

I asked Allen about that, he just paused and said, well, as long as we need it?  I'm kind of psyched about that, it's still one of those don't count your chickens before they hatch deals.  I'll believe it when I see it...but he must have asked his parents about using it?  

Lot 1 is open again, I dunno if I want to leave it open or rent it back out. I'd like to leave it open for overnight stuff, but right now, there isnt a lot of that coming in. One last night and I think it was a week ago before that.  

Tomorrow I'm getting some gas and putting it in the coach and then will attempt to fire it up.  I should have taken the battery out and put it on the charger now that I think of it.  Well, if I can't get it jump started, I'll just have to do that.  Since Allen's wife still says she wants to refurbish that thing, I'm all for getting it moved back into position. Meaning, being able to plug it in and have electrical service available.  She'll need it for power tools and also to be able to turn on the AC. 

I have nothing else. Went to church today and it was pretty good, actually.  The pastor has been on a sabbatical or something - he's disappeared I'll put it that way - for a while now.  The man preaching today said he's fine, he isn't retiring but they are going to start the process of finding someone to eventually take his place. At 75 years old, I can see why the pastor would want to slow down the work schedule and hand over some responsibilities. 

I'm not going to take the situation with the friend of the family to heart against the church. There are 2 sides to every story.  I don't even want to go there, for I don't see it as anything major, at least not from my perch.  I kind of like the church, I just think it's too big for my tastes but I've gotten used to it.  I like the level of interaction you get with other people in small churches.  It's hard to hide somewhere in a church of only, say 50 people.  Pastors typically find out about you as well and get involved to some degree in your life. It's more personal.  I will have to start going to adult group meetings to actually start forging new friendships and so far? I have resisted it. 

Just my experiences with other churches.  

Anyway, it's getting late and I'm going to go to sleep.  Nice to not have to get up at any particular time in the morning for work.

 Saturday - early

Well, I have no idea what's going on with work yet.  One thing that was clarified is that the Ennis run is not gone.  My manager had told me the wrong thing and said as much yesterday. He had actually been referring to some new run that had been installed temporarily going to Malvern, which is also in Arkansas.  He did say, however, that the Ennis run also has dedicated drivers and that if we take those runs, those drivers are out those runs. He then said, but it is what it is, if we have to we'll take some of those runs away from them.

Yes, they do that to us as well.  The "if we have to" part, giving our runs occasionally to other drivers that are not a part of the dedicated "team".  There are only 3 of us dedicated to it. Well sort of a 4th.  

Anyway, I have 33 hours of PTO time available, I have no idea what the pay is and he couldn't tell me. "It's run off of hour many hours you have worked and divided by the pay that you have received" etc.  It's kind of hard to figure out how much time you can take off if you don't know how much the hours you have are worth...

What I do know is that I have tomorrow (Sunday) and Monday off.  I mean, if I have to take a paycheck from the business account, so be it.  I have resisted thus far.  

I am highly amused, changing the subject, at the story I just read about the NABJ (black journalists association or something like that) who invited Trump and Harris to a sort of debate but with the journalists asking the questions. Trump showed up, Harris did not and now there is internal strife about why they even invited Trump, who "questioned their blackness" and other ridiculous statements.  I watched the entire thing on YouTube yesterday.  Trump was typical Trump and the first person to ask hij questions was clearly a Trump hater.  

But now, some person on the board of their organization has resigned because of it and some dude is saying that Republicans have not accepted their request to come for many years in a row, so why is he doing it now and "there must be some advantage to him coming". Well duhhh.  Trump has been going into clearly blue states as well, doing rallies and attempted to win voters over.  If you didn't want his @$$ on that panel answering questions, why did you invite him? 

It's just full meltdown mode when it comes to Trump and the left, I have been watching this for years now and it started before he even became President the first time around.  But now? Trump is an "existential threat to our democracy". They love  to use that word existential. As if he's Godzilla and is going to come breath fire onto our cities and kill everyone and tear entire cities down!  He's a convicted felon! Yes, out of a court with an activist judge who nixed many of the things the defense wanted to bring into play and allowed irrelevant testimony that had no bearing on the case other than to try and make Trump look bad and still had an active gag order on him long after the trial was over.

I fully expect that on appeal, that entire case is going to be dropped. Or, Merchan will be "forced" to drop it because of the Presidential immunity decision handed down by the "MAGA Court" - LMAO - whereas it is evident that many of the things they accused him of were done as his "official duties" and cannot be prosecuted.  You see, I greatly disliked Obama, hated his policies, but I never acted out like most all of the democrat side of the equation does when it comes to Trump and I don't know any conservatives/Republicans that had full tilt meltdowns when Biden won.  

Leftists take the "moral high ground" yet in my view, much of which they support is immoral to the core.  Especially abortion on demand.  I could go into a list, but I neither have the time nor the desire.  It's old news and if you don't know what leftists stand for, then you aren't paying attention to what is going on in the political world.

Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I guess, if you don't want to be exposed to constant negativity.  Both sides bash the other side constantly, unendingly, it gets old it's why I have limited the amount of exposure I place on myself to political news.  

Or there's this thing that just happened.  Several political prisoners were released in a prisoner exchange.  Which, on it's face, is  a wonderful thing.  Russia had accused them of spying and being pawns of the US military or CIA or whatever the deals were and then imprisoned them.  I don't know who or how many they exchanged, I just saw the story where Biden and Harris show up personally to greet them. Yeah, if you wonder if this wasn't a carefully executed plan to make them look wonderful - Biden and Harris - well believe what you wish. I won't pass judgment on you excepting to say the bias blinders are working well.  

The thing is, the amount of stuff that has happened just this year alone in the political realm concerning running for the President is quite amazing.  The most amazing thing, IMO, is an attempted assassination of a former president and going through a lot of video footage and hearing testimony, one has to at least consider that there is the possibility of an inside job going on there.  If you look at the latest footage that has been released, it shows the attempted assassin clearly moving on the roof. The person taking the footage is in line with Trump's head and the assassin.  You see the clear line of fire and wonder, how could have the Secret Service made the decision without willful neglect to not call that roof a portion of their defined perimeter? 

Questions that may never be answered.

One thing that is answered? It's time to go to work! Up to Gurdon, get it done and come home for a couple of days.

G'day.

 Thursday - evening

Some days, it's enough to make it through a work day and go home.  

The people at lot 1 have left according to Allen. They were there when I was there earlier, apparently they left for Lufkin. They are paid up through the 10th. This is the situation where it was alleged the man is beating on the woman.   That problem just transported itself off of the property and I didn't have to do anything but collect their money when they showed up.  It's ok, I like having Lot 1 open for overnighters. Not getting a lot of that, but there are some reservations in the system. 

Allen is starting his new job on the 10th.  Unless his wife shows up to take his place, I am going to ask him to take the "Park Hosts" sign down. It is pointless to have a lot dedicated to something that doesn't exist.  He's going to be gone 2 weeks at a time, my guess is that they will end up leaving and moving the trailer to wherever he's working.  People can't go to a trailer to inquire about lots or whatever if no one is there.  

I have some leads on other people to move in, I'm thinking get Robert's - the workamper - lot re-rented.  I don't see the coach being worked on any time soon, it can just sit where it's at and I will eventually find someone to work on it.  Things that never happened for $500, Alex.  The riding mower is running again if nothing else.  I'm going to have to go mow lots, that's what I can say.  Allen does some stuff, but he's starting to peter out.  I think these people think I don't pay attention, perhaps they think I'm stupid or that they can just get away with stuff. Allen has been "acting" like he's been busy all day, but I know next to nothing has been getting done.  

It's why I want a person to keep track of the hours they have worked and record what they did during those hours.  I'm going to start that with him if he wants to continue on.  I'll have to figure out what his time is worth per hour for the deduction on rent, but I am not going to go through what I did with Robert again.  What it really is, I'm too small of an operation to need that kind of help. I love it, but I am not there to supervise.  I can't keep track of it.

But, at the same time, when nothing is getting done and the grass is growing tall, that becomes it's own tattle-tale on the person that is supposed to be doing that stuff. The grass between the trailers is tall now and I will do it myself if he won't.  And then, we will have a discussion. You don't want to work, fine, start paying rent.  Take down the sign and you can just be regular guests living here. Or whatever you want to do.  Then again, he did start out well enough, it's worth something for sure.

I just know that I have figured this out.  He hears my truck coming in, it's noisy. I crawl at 4 mph through the park as to not disturb people, but I see him "working" as if he's been "working all day long". No, he hasn't.  I'm going to move the camera discretely so I can see what he's allegedly doing "all day long".  I had the feeling he was trying to pull one over on me.  He did do a little bit of mowing on the riding mower today, but that stuff can wait, I need the trailers mowed out regularly. That's more work. 

Anyway, Lot 1 is vacated, lot 11 is empty but paid for, lot 16 - an alternate spot - may be rented back out. That's where the workamper was. A dude just called about a spot, I told him I do have a 30 amp lot. We talked for a bit but I need to ask him more questions. He wants to move in this weekend, I want to know about how many people are going to live there, how many vehicles, dogs, tell him about the park rules.  Etc.