Tuesday - evening

Manager just dumps 3 loads into the tablet without asking, well he did ask about one of them.  He told me yesterday he's thankful for all the work I've been doing, you're welcome. Then he said he can't fill the load slots up for Wednesday - tomorrow. "I don't even get a single day off?"  

He started going into his spiel and I just said ok, I'll just load, whatever.  He mentioned the weekend but would "figure  it out". He said nothing about me working on Sunday.  What did he do? Tried to give me Friday and Saturday off.  

Not a happening event. I'll have worked 8 days in a row, before that only a single day off and worked like 4 or 6 days straight before that.  I want to go to church.  I simply texted him a message after seeing that junk in my tablet: I do not want to work on Sunday.  He knows this.  His sick drivers are coming back, make their @$$es work  Sunday.  

He texted back: Copy, thank you.

I checked it again hours later, a few minutes ago actually and it significantly changed. Now I'm off Friday through Sunday. Yes, that's what I need. Time off to do other stuff.  These people are all chomping at the bit to get started on the piping project, I can have them over on Friday, I'll sit there and supervise them while I"m working on the tractor and mowing grass on the bad boy.

How do you supervise and do that at the same time? Just show them how to do it and then check up on them periodically. I don't think they would try to get away with slacking off, I just want to be sure they do it right.  Could probably knock that sewer stuff out in one day.  Maybe if there are no complications. Yeah, right! lmao I guess I could work Saturday on it as well, but why would I? Well, money of course.  Not the love of money, but the need for it.  Once I start buying the rest of this stuff it's gonna run up a bill.  It's geeeet'er done! time at that point. 

Oh, the condo I reserved for the vacation yesterday? Turns out that was a  total scam.  This is how it went down. I put the card info in their system and had them reserve the room and allegedly run the card.  I checked the card and it didn't show anything, I thought that odd. The next day, I get a text from  - whoever it was - saying hello to my first name and "we are excited to host you soon". I responded back in kind but then? 

It got funky.  "Can you please confirm if you were charged for the booking?"  I thought little of this at first, so I checked. No. I used a bank credit card, btw, that way I have protection in case of stuff - just like this actually.  He then claims the card system has been "fluctuating and down that's why your card wasn't charged". 

This is starting to get odd, I thought. I use a card system and it doesn't "fluctuate" at all. So he goes straight to paying him through Apple Pay, Zelle or Venmo. I'm playing along with this but I am starting to smell a scam.  I'm going to send a random phone number money without identifying who this person is? I couldn't figure out apple pay - I receive money through it I have no idea how to send money and I don't really care, I only use it for one guest that prefers to pay that way.  Whatever, it's fine.  

So I said well I have Zelle. He sends his email info to send it to: yazmonlove@gmail.com. Feel free to send him an email! LMAO.  And then says his name is Yazmon Horton.  I check the confirmation email, it's listed with a person named Mary something or other.  But I don't tell him that, I try to go through the process.  Zelle comes back and says it's not a registered user.  

"I can send it but it says you aren't registered with Zelle?"  "It's registered".  I no longer smell a scammer, this IS a scammer. "This is sus. It says the owner's name is someone else".  He never replies back. Of course not, I've caught him and he isn't get a red cent from me.  He screwed up on a couple of things. First, you aren't sending a person money for a business - well people do with me at mine but that's in person, not on a text with someone you have no idea who they are.  Once they say apple pay and the others, you know something's off. Second, the owner's name was completely different than this dude's.  Third, he didn't have the amount right, he told me $360 but the card "charged" me $340.  

I texted him again today but no reply. Of course not, this person probably doesn't even live in the US.  

I went to the bank today to drop off some quarters and the teller said nope, that's a scam.  But, if the card didn't go through, it probably never will and you needn't worry about it excepting to check it to make sure it doesn't happen.  I'm thinking I should get a new card.  Isn't that what you would do? I think I should have just said cancel that card and have a new one sent, please.  

I've been so busy I didn't really give that much thought - until now.  

___________

I finally am going to get some time off - and - this guy is going out of town with his family up to a cabin in  Arkansas somewhere. Great! I will still get out there and mow and if I get a really wild hair, I'll get down into that ditch and start piecing it together by myself.  I dunno, but it's a half an hour until bedtime and I think I will retire to bed early.  I'm 48 hours and 30 minutes into this fast. I have a slight headache but everything else is good - mostly because I'm not doing anything but sitting.  I have to work in the morning, hopefully I feel ok.  I mean, I could drive right now if I needed to, just would be a bit of a chore.  

Oh, and we found a hotel right on the beach. I mean, this place faces the ocean and it's not a scam at all. We are going to have to get 2 bedrooms and so a little pricey but oh well. My little laundromat quarters will pay for it.  I spent a lot of time today looking for a place and this was the one that hit with us.  Not just because it's on the beach, but also reasonable priced, excellent reviews and just overall looks good. Right near all the tourist junk as well and restaurants.  

I'm done.  

 Tuesday - afternoon

Experienced some pretty good fatigue today, I forgot to take my sea salt this morning. Makes a huge difference when you are water only fasting.

To explain a prolonged fast on water only (versus other types of fasts where you are still eating calories but limiting yourself to certain foods or not eating certain foods for religious purposes), will take a minute. I have done extensive research on this subject over the years and I find nothing harmful about water only fasting at all.  Neither do the scientists writing the journals, the health care sites writing about the benefits of fasting and other resources. 

There are side effects of course.  The most notable one is keto flu.  This occurs on the keto diet when you first start it if you haven't prepared yourself for it, but it can also happen when you are on a prolonged water fast for your body goes into ketosis regardless. The first time I tried keto, I was flat on my back for 10 days.  It was pretty bad and had many of the same symptoms of the flu.   You can experience weakness, fatigue, dizziness - well you get the picture.

The benefits, however, are amazing.  Joint inflammation will be greatly reduced.  Insulin resistance goes way down, this is a huge benefit for diabetics but anyone trying to lose weight.  Heart health and blood pressure are improved.  After around day 3,  you go into autophagy, which is recycling and cellular cleansing process, you can just look it up more than I want to go into here.  After I think 4 days stem cells are, well I'll copy and paste a little info here: 

Immune System Reboot: Prolonged fasting (typically 48–72 hours) breaks down older, damaged white blood cells. This depletion triggers hematopoietic stem cells to generate a new, healthy immune system. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Intestinal Regeneration: Research from MIT News indicates that while a 24-hour fast forces intestinal stem cells to burn fatty acids instead of carbohydrates, it is the refeeding phase after the fast that sparks a massive surge in regenerative capacity. [1, \Blood Stem Cell Rejuvenation: According to Columbia University Irving Medical Center, fasting-refeeding cycles can reset the metabolism of aging blood stem cells, making them function almost as efficiently as young stem cells. [1]

I can't get rid of the dots now lol.  Whatever, it gives you an idea of what can happen in your system when you are fasting and stem cells are affected. It has also been shown that if you are going to receive chemotherapy for a cancer condition, a prolonged fast before you get the chemo will aid cellular degradation and keep your immune system at healthier levels. 

You can also grow new brain cells, amazingly enough. Remember, this is prolonged fasting I am referring to here, not intermittent fasting.  There are more beneficial side effects but of course you are going to drop weight. You can't help it, your body runs out of glucose and it starts feeding on your fat for energy. Bypassing the stomach altogether and giving it a break from eating as well. 

Although I have no intention of doing this, I have read testimony from several people over the years who went on a month long fast and noted that at the 21st day, their vision clear up to 20-20.  It actually fixed their vision somehow.  

No, I am going to just try to make it to tomorrow night and then if I feel like I can do it, go another day and if that happens, another and then quite on night 5.  Fasting basically gives your body a chance to start fixing itself, plain and simple. Doctors don't want to tell you this stuff because they live off of you coming in there and getting endless prescriptions and checkups and pharmaceutical companies want you taking their drugs forever.  They want to treat the symptoms, they don't want to fix the problems which most of those pills can never do. 

This guy here is the ultimate in fasting knowledge, this is just one of many videos he has on youtube, if you are interested in learning more, this guy and Dr. Berg - you can look him up he has a ton of videos on it as well and they are both doctors - will give you the lowdown of fasting.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw8wMELZ5dI

 Monday - afternoon

Well, first off, the manufacturing plant, where I waited hours to get loaded and then when a person did come out, it was a manager.  This is indicative of the personnel problem they have and not being able to keep the help.  After finally getting me loaded? I had to wait 1 hour and 15 minutes for paperwork.......

Today, the year long stay person finally showed up, he was supposed to be there on Saturday. I had told the hotel reservation chain that if he doesn't show up today, I'm either charging you or the reservation will be canceled.  This guy has a brand new chevy pickup and a brand new trailer..  Don't ask me, I saw it when I pulled in, by the time I got back to where I wanted to chat with them, they had left.  No, they didn't leave with the trailer, lol, they just went wherever, who knows. 

The park is now completely full and the first time I can say that every space is occupied by long term people.  

I spent so much time at work today I had no energy to speak of to go get the stuff for them to start work out there. 

I also started a water fast today - well I had black coffee and some unsweetened tea, both things allowed on such a fast - so that's playing on me as well. As I said previously, I am going to get into ketosis and I am going to stay in ketosis. IF I somehow fall out of it, just fast a couple days again.  This will be coupled with intermittent fasting  -- you don't eat for 18 hours and then you get a 6 hour window to eat in - and I am going to be counting calories.  

The vacation is now completely booked. We are going to New Orleans first - I guess they want to see haunted houses and such.  I might end up at a Black Jack table lol, haven't been in a very, very long time.  That's just overnight. I found accommodations for 2 families, the rest are meeting us in Gulf Shores. I am very good at finding good prices on whatever we need, which is why I would have liked the opportunity to scout out accommodations in Gulf Shores as well.  I wouldn't say it's overly pricey considering all of us are chipping in to pay for it, but as I said, I'm good at finding bargains on good rentals. 

Many people will not go to the trouble I will go to in order to find a  nice place at an awesome deal.  Regardless, after Gulf Shores, it's off to Dentin, Florida which is a couple of hours away.  Why? Because we want to, lol. Actually, the rest of them were cutting the vacation a wee bit short.  We thought, why are we driving that far and only staying 3 nights? So, we're staying an extra 2 in Destin.  

It's a beach front apartment or condo or whatever you want to call it. It's within walking range of the beach, which is basically right there and it's absolutely beautiful. It's also a high rise building, would love to get one of the upper floors.  Florida beaches are, IMO, the best in the country.  Well I don't know about Alaska or Hawaii, never been to those and I'm sure some of that is awesome as well.

However, when comparing Florida beaches to the Gulf or California, I'm giving Florida a win.  Clean, clear water, beautiful.  I've actually spent a great deal of time in Florida in the 80's.  I was down there in the 90's as well but I haven't been back since then. This is the panhandle, not going down into the peninsula area.  Which I'm glad because then there might be talk of Disney World.  Have you seen the cost of getting into that place? When someone says you best be ready to spend 10k for a family to go for a multi-day visit, they aren't joking.  

Anyway, I'm glad to have all of that over with, I spent a lot of time finding this place in Destin. A lot of web sites to comb through before finally finding "the one".  Very reasonably priced and very, very nice accommodations.  

I have to deliver tomorrow and then...who knows what.  They haven't dumped anything into the tablet.  I will argue with them if I have to, I want a weekend off. They could have me working Thursday and Friday and then Saturday and Sunday off, thanks. Especially now that we have a new driver.  As stated previously, a driver quit. Another driver had a serious health issue come up, I think he's finally starting back up this week. That takes the pressure off of me to have to try to fill in for 2 people's worth of missing drivers.  Well 3, actually, counting myself as well. Or is it counting me as well?  Lol

Oh, so anyway, the vacation, next month. We have 2 days worth of pet sitting we still need to cover, just remembered that. Figure out what we are going to be cooking. All 3 places we are staying at have kitchens.  I want to save a bit by not eating out all the time. Restaurants are expensive and tho I don't mind having a few meals out, I'd rather we figure out what to cook in advance and bring it with us.  I don't know if there are entrance fees to the beaches, not worried about that. Probably entrance fees to haunted houses.  And there is a water park in Destin we are also thinking about going to.  It has a HUGE lazy river plus all kinds of tube slides etc. 

It isn't overly pricey.  My mind is slowly getting into vacation mode, it's been a while since I've been out on a real vacation.   But for right now? I"m fasting and that's draining my energy supplies, at least today. The first day can be a bit difficult, the second day usually gets easier, the third day is a tossup, you might feel fine or you will go through bouts of extreme hunger that eventually dissipate.

It doesn't really get any better on days 4 and 5 - I haven't decided to go that far with it, yet.   If I feel like I can do it, I will definitely go 5 days but if I only make 3, I'm good with it. It's just that work factor where you're busy half the day and getting drained.  

 Sunday - evening

Done with working the entire weekend, the dispatcher, bless her heart, has me also working Monday and Tuesday.  That's 6 days in a row working and only a day off before I started this 6 day run, I am do and need a couple days off.   She has no idea what she's doing. She just fills the slots and has no clue about driver's desires for particular days off or how they want to handle things and she doesn't care, it's not normally her job.

The manager is back and I will be having a discussion about this coming weekend. There isn't anything particularly important going on, I just want it off.  I worked this entire weekend, last weekend I worked Saturday and I don't even remember the weekend before that.  I lost track of all of it. I know I had 5 days off being sick and they accommodated for that, so I try to keep things like that in mind when they are working me to death. 

We do have a new driver, he just started yesterday. I saw him coming into Gurdon when I was leaving.  Someone gave him my phone number for a little while later I got a call from him.  He had no idea what to do.  Which outlet do I pump the fluid into? Probably the east but you need to go into the plant, find the on duty manager and have them sign off on your paperwork first and also have them determine which tank they want you to pump into.  It's all up to them. I go into the glue pit and look at the levels of both tanks so I can tell them where it's at when I find them, they are usually very busy and don't have time for it. 

In other words, you will wait.  He "got it" and I just told him if he has any other questions don't hesitate to call me. At least he didn't try to show up before me.  He was told to arrive at 11:00 am and it was 10:30 am when he actually arrived. I'm all good with that, I got there at 8:30 this morning. 

It's taking longer to get weekends done up there for a very disgruntled employee who was fired called in death threats (this was a month ago) and was going to "shoot up the place". Who knows when they will lift that, but until then? I have to have them come and unlock the main gate to let me in. But it doesn't matter, that's where the scales are so they would have to come anyway. On the weekends, the scales aren't open, the security people have to weigh you in and out.  

I'm hopeful this new driver both works out and isn't a total jackass. He sounded ok on the phone anyway. 

Strange things happen on the highways - every single day actually.  I was driving up to Gurdon on I-30 - east bound in other words - had caught up to a truck and put on my signal to come over. There was a group of motorcycles coming up on the left lane - they had been sitting out there forever - I wasn't going to cut them off but I was seeing if they would let me in.

They did not.   So I slowed down behind the truck, let them pass and then got over.  I passed 2 trucks actually, there was one right behind the other. I got back over pretty quickly, I try to be a courteous driver.  A pickup pulling a trailer came up beside me, I woman opened the window, leaned half her body out the window and had both middle fingers glaring at me, lmao.  I just laughed at them.  What on earth?  

They passed me and got over and then another pickup with a trailer came up and yes, another female got her head and upper body out the window and was also flipping me off! LOL! .

They got behind the other pickup who was following behind the motorcycles.  I didn't cut the motorcycles off, lol, I won't do that regardless. Did they think I was somehow provoking the motorcycles by putting my turn signal on?  They were not following closely behind the motorcycles I didn't even know they were with them.  

Whatever. I pulled out my phone and aimed it out the windshield, they were likely going to cut me off and possibly brake check me.   They didn't even get over.  I make it plainly visible that I have that phone aimed right at them and if they pull anything, it's going to be recorded. Honestly? I didn't even have the thing recording, lol, I just do that when I want to trick people who are acting erratically out there to see that they are not going to get away with anything, or at least think they aren't  and just move your ass on, get out of my line of sight and take  your idiotic wrath and rage elsewhere. 

I really want out of trucking. That desire gets stronger and stronger.  The park is - well it's supposed to be full. Some sort of company that finds accommodations for corporate people had called me several times reserving a lot for someone coming in - for an entire year.  I had said yes, they said he was arriving on the 6th.  That was yesterday and a no show.  I told them today I am losing money - I literally turned someone away assuming this person was showing up.  

The point is that it is possible that I could fill those 4 lots I have been wanting to get going.  Very possible.  I am going to go buy the stuff I need to give to the man tomorrow - it's glue and stuff to put the pipe together.   And someone stole my stepladder - $150 worth gone.  That was quite a while back, I never replaced it.  Other than that, I have most of the pipe I need to finish the sewer line portion of it. 

He has a buddy that has some sort of mini trackhoe he says he'll ask about trenching a line for the water line.  I gotta get this going, it's been idle long enough. I'll get my @$$ down in there if I have to, I'd just like some help with it.  It's pretty hard work.  Not impossible for a lone person to do it but  an extra set  of hands and eyes makes it  soooo much easier.  

Well, the day is gone. Almost anyway. 8:00 pm.  Oh, well this company told me to hold the spot. Yeah, I"m gonna start charging them the nightly fee, I have their credit card on file. I will be telling them tomorrow that I am going to start doing that and if they don't want me to, immediately drop their reservation and I'll just let it go. But I ain't holding it forever.  IF this person does show up, the start date will be Saturday - yesterday and I will charge accordingly.  I don't mind this kind of setup, I've done it before and it's quite convenient getting that money monthly without any hesitation.  

I'm starting a 3 day fast tomorrow.  I'm going to force myself to lose weight. It's getting ridiculous and I'm just ready to do something about it. I don't want to take pills - you've seen those pills and now you are hearing about some serious potential side effects.  I have adverse side effects to lots of common drugs that don't give other people any problems. Doctors think I'm making stuff up or something,  I don't tolerate that stuff. I will take your pills if I don't feel like I'm dying while I am taking them.  I get testy right back with them, is there some reason I would just make stuff up?   

Fasting? The only side effect is hunger, lol. I'd love to make it 5 days but I'm only shooting for 3, 5 is really hard, I've done it but barely made it through it. After that, I'm back on Keto but this time, no or very little diary products.  In other words, that high fat stuff.  Not good for the cholesterol count I found out the hard way.  

I think I'm going to take my leave of this, go watch tv for a while and then call it a day. 

 Friday - evening

The kids are gone. Finally.  Just yea, we needed a break from that.  I am not the parents so i can say that without anyone judging me, tho I deal with them all the time.  I love them to pieces, almost their entire lives, we have lived together but yea, I like my breaks from that stuff.  The grandparents have them, they want them and they are capable of dealing with them - or not - who knows but they do love them so there is that. 

I call them my nephews because the parents have always referred to me as their uncle. The kids understand I am not blood relative but they call me uncle anyway. There are other uncles and aunts involved who are also not blood related. Understand that this family has no other relatives living anywhere even remotely close to where we are. Clarification in case there was confusion.  It's easier for me to say "these are my nephews" than go into a long, winding explanation of what is going on.  

Anyway, I got up to the plant to deliver this morning and lo and behold, there is another one of our trucks unloading.  Note that this truck definitely shouldn't be there. I wasted zero seconds contacting the company.  I did not pull any punches, I am SICK of this SHIT.  That was a text to dispatch, the manager immediately called me. 

He spent several minutes apologizing, so I'll give him that.  I told him to be there at 7 am. Yea, the guard shack informed me he got here 20 minutes ago.  That means he arrived at 8:20, not 7 am.  Manager confirmed - they track everything, all trucking companies do.  The manager tried to take responsibility - he doesn't want me or anyone worth a s*** to leave - all well and fine, but...obviously this wasn't his fault. It's the driver who didn't give a sh** who arrived whenever the HELL he pleased who was instructed to sh ow up at 7:00 am.

I stopped short of ultimatums for the manager was really going out of his way to try and appease the situation.  I told him I got my @$$ out of bed at 5:30 am to deliver, NOT GET MY ASS OVER HERE TO WAIT FOR SOME AHOLE DRIVER TO SHOW UP OUT OF HIS TIME SLOT. Thank you. Venting? Yes, in fact I am.  I was going to inform him it will be a flat $150 fee every time from now on this happens. 

It will occur at some point. A person will show up whenever they want to, it will be in my time slot and I will demand $150 extra fee.  I don't care if he agrees to it or not, I really don't. I'm done with this, it's just his endless apologies got to me so I let it go.  I told him flatly: "this time".  I feel for him. He's working with a junk fleet, low pay for drivers - I was quitting so they gave me more -, not-so-great-benefits. Their health care insurance sucks. Badly. 

I'd write more but fatigue has kicked. It's 8 pm and I could easily go to sleep right now. I won't, instead I'll feed my dog and get some other stuff done and then go to bed.  

Wednesday - morning

The park is basically full again. One more lot - that has been reserved to fill and it's done.  That will motivate me to get moving on the project once again.  I mean, it's going to cost around 5k worth of gravel, 2k worth of wire, $1,600 of pedestals, more rentals, I have most of the pipe I think so that's about it and add a grand for good measure.  So near 10k for 4 lots, which is cheap actually. Oh, plus labor, I'm figuring that guy is going to suck a couple thousand out of me to do the work.  

Look, I only have one day off here. After working all the way up to the weekend and also Saturday, only having Sunday off, working another 2 days and now a day off? I don't feel like working. It's just what it is.  I'm going out there anyway and bush hog the whole front portion of the property, yes, but then I'm having that guy come out and we can discuss his abilities, number one  and then number 2, how much he's going to want to do the work.  

He has to have the knowledge how to do the stuff or it's a no go.  If I have to work with him then it's just an hourly wage - it will be a good one to keep him there - but we aren't going to start talking "contract" pricing for something he can't even do. If hourly, he's just a laborer with me telling him what to do.  It's weird in these parts. People who aren't contractors, don't own a business, have no insurance and really have no business asking contractor rates? Want contractor rates anyway.

I pretty just brush people like that off, they are usually rip offs and they usually don't know what the hell they are doing. Or, they sort of know what they are doing, their normal job is doing that stuff....but....they are under supervision and someone who really knows what's going on tells them what to do.  

I do find it amusing when teenagers want to "quote" a job.  Uhh, no. I'll pay you and hourly wage. They get mad or feeling like they are being abused somehow and won't do it.  I don't want anything to do with people like that. Hourly people are just as much of a pain tho, most of them have to have constant supervision or they'll pull out their phones or find something - anything to do excepting the work they are being paid to do. Been there and done that as well.  

My credit score finally went back into the 700 range and in the next coming months it will go much higher. I screwed up on the mortgage payment - forgot about it - and got seriously dinged for that. Like almost 100 points.  That will slowly come back up - it will take a while. But paying off the credit cards? Only 3 of them are showing paid off so far, in other words 3 have been reported, and it already had a huge effect on the score, jacking it will up by almost 100 points.  

It's the credit utilization.  The higher your usage, the lower your score. They say that creditors think that if you are using a lot of your available credit on your cards, you must be in dire financial straits and they are hesitant to offer you loans.  Or, more likely, they are going to offer you loans with extremely high interest rates.  They are still saying this to me.  29 percent interest on a 43k loan? That's just plain outrageous, immoral in my view of it. 

I'll give you a real example, it's in my creditkarma right now: a 43k loan at 26.93% interest? I will end up paying $32,082 in interest above and beyond the loan amount. So I'm paying 75k for a 43k loan? No thank you.  I'm in a high interest loan now, one I used to pay off credit card debt that was at an even higher interest rate than the loan amount.  I'm just waiting for the interest rate to drop, the payments to drop and get out of this one.  I'm not a deadbeat, I pay off my loans.  I don't like it, obviously, but it feels so good to have dumped all of that other credit card debt.  There is still a little but most of that is on the business cards.  I have a couple of those and those payments come out of the business account.  

Basically, I have a 20k card that paid for the initial stages of the upgrade and also that blunder I caused tearing up the lines.  

I have enough available credit on that card to pay for the rest of phase 1 I guess I'll call it of this upgrade.  The goal would be to get everything done and try to get those new lots filled up quickly to be able to pay for the monthly payments and pay the card back down.  That's how I want to pay for it, I am not going to dig into savings for that venture.  IF all goes right - which it probably will but not counting chickens before they hatch - 4 lots will go far beyond paying for just the monthly payments. It will pay start getting the business account levels going back up.  I need money in there for the property taxes and the insurance payment at the end of the year. 

Property valuation went up again, I just received the statement. They are claiming a 12X20 shed that cost me $4,100 is worth 27k. Lmao.  The flip side? I doubt they are valuing my rv park as high as they could. I don't know if it's worth trying to fight it to get it reduced.  It might backfire and end up getting jacked up even hire. I only have a month to think about it and act on it, after that, they cut it off and you owe the money regardless. What I need to do is find the valuations of other rv parks in the area and see what's what.  

Inserting a note here: My nephews watch the dumbest, most annoying stuff on tv.  I'm hearing this nonsense and wondering WHY oh WHY do those people in those videos - YouTube - ALWAYS HAVE TO BE YELLING ABOUT EVERYTHING.  My nephews know I hate that s*** and they always turn the  tv down when it starts up lol. 

________________

Many hours later.  We went over to the park - we being one of the nephews who wanted to earn some money mowing grass = I got him in the doggy park and I went to work on the front - oh I'd say it's about 4 acres, maybe less.  Yeah, more like 3 acres I think.  

___________

And many more hours after that.  Like, it's almost time to go to bed.  We went and saw a really creepy movie, it was just plain weird and trippy.  Backrooms, it's hard to even describe this movie and the ending was totally weird.  Left people wondering "what actually happened here?" or "what did I just see?".  Alice In Wonderland stuff.  I don't think I liked it all that much, had a few scary parts in it.  Wouldn't watch it again, that's for sure. 

As for now? Well, facing another day in paradise tomorrow driving the truck down south, getting the trailer washed out and the truck loaded.  My favorite thing to do! NOT.  

 Monday - evening

Yeah - today.  I headed over to Haughton early.  I remembered that I had forgotten to get fuel on Saturday on the way back from Gurdon. That's just not my habit. I get fuel in Lufkin and I don't have to fuel again until - Lufkin again.  Hence it never even crossed my mind about fuel while driving on I-30. 

But, the fuel gauge showed almost quarter tanks, there was at least 40 gallons in there if the gauge was correct.

Yeah, about that gauge.....Maybe 10 miles out from Haughton I looked at the gauge again and it showed just above empty. Like, it IS empty.  Well nothing I can do about it, there are no fuel stations out there until you get to Haughton, where there is a Pilot. That was my plan, get fuel at the Pilot in Haughton.

The plan almost worked! UNNNNtilllll.....I got into the fuel station, saw all lanes were occupied so I just ended up pulling up behind a truck.  Figured to wait until they left.  Then the engine started chugging. I know that sound. It's running out of fuel.  I immediately turned it off, hoping it would fire up again when a lane became open and then just idle it up there.  

That was the problem tho, the "up there" part. I was on a hill. There's a grade going up  to the fuel pumps and that's what threw it all off.  The fuel went to the rear of the tanks and obviously the feeder tube was therefore no longer able to pull up and of the little amount left in it. 

I was 30 feet from the fuel pump folks.  THIRTY FEET.  I got out, went into the store, bought a 5 gallon can and promptly filled it with diesel. Dumped it in the tanks and then got 5 more gallons.  Then I opened up the hood and started pumping the primer pump. Just a little thing.  When you run a truck out of fuel, good luck getting it started again with a service truck coming out. I spent probably 45 minutes on it when it finally kicked in! 

And then stopped.  I went and got  5 more gallons, dumped that in there and gave it the last hoorah.  No dice.  It wouldn't start again.  I called dispatch, they told me to call the service lady who said ok, she'll find someone to come out.  Meanwhile, a guy had approached me and I said well, if I could get the fuel filters off, I could fill them with diesel and that would probably do it. I am soooo close. 

He went and got one but it was the wrong kind. It just started eating into the filter instead of turning it off.  Thanks for trying!

It was taking a while for the service lady to call back - must be having problems finding a service truck. That Pilot didn't have a shop.  So, I went out and started pumping that thing again.  And again.  And on the third time pumping it - it's 100 or more pumps per try - it fired up.  And it kept running. I immediately put the hood up and got up to the pumps - it's  much more level there tho at that point I had dumped enough diesel in those tanks to not have to worry about it.  

I did not turn the truck off while fueling, no way Jose.  Near $900 worth of fuel later and I left there after getting the receipts for the 3 5 gallon treks.  Over to the washout - it's a half mile down the street - dropped my trailer and then picked up the one I was supposed to get. 

But, there was no washout ticket anywhere on it.  It didn't appear as tho it had been washed out. I went into the office, has this trailer been washed out yet? No, he replied after looking through his system, the paperwork hasn't been turned on. Figures. I call dispatch and it's then that they inform me that I need to go to the regular washout in Nacogdoches to get it cleaned up. 

Yeah, they could have told me that in the first place....

2 hours to the washout, they did that pretty quick and then over to the plant where they also got it filled up pretty quick and then just drive back. But, it was 3:30 when I arrived for all the hassle with the truck and also going out of my way to Haughton in the first place to get the trailer.  

It took it all out of me, I was not getting on the tractor today to bush hog the front.  Just no thanks. 

And for the second time, process servers calling me looking for a person that allegedly lives in the park.  I said well you already called here a few days ago. Oh, well that wasn't me, musta been someone else.  Well whatever, that person no longer lives there. I had to think about it and remembered a guy with that last name - like 2 plus years ago.  

___________

Alright, a few minutes to rest, relax and contemplate.  I feel like I get nothing done on long trucking days, or, trucking days where I might get done in 7 hours but I didn't sleep well the night before.  I had both today. 6 pm I felt like taking a nap but thought, nahhh.  Too late in the day for that. .Just stay up until around 9 pm and then crash for as long as I can, but hopefully 7 hours anyway?  Who knows.  

f

 Saturday - evening

Yesterday.  I got permission to show up early to get loaded at the plant.  I ended up arriving there at 7:35 am, 25 minutes early.  I figured I would show up around then, I don't like showing up on time, I always like to be early.

It's a good thing, too.  The loader person didn't show up, called in sick.  A manager of whom I had gotten into it with not long ago - that was explained in this blog so I'm not going into that again - came out and said no one was there to load the truck, got a big smile on his face and said "I'm going to load it". Thank you! I'm easily able to brush off past bs if the other party is going to take a different path.  

Trucks started coming in.  I got loaded pretty quickly, he knew what he was doing loading the truck, he had no idea how to do the paperwork.  When I got into the control room, he was locked out of his computer and it took a while for him to get into it.  Then he was asking for help.  These managers knew how to do the old software when they were loaders, they have no idea how to do the new software.

In that, I keep hearing about all of these people coming in and how they're going to have to wait.  I was really glad I got in there early for mom couldn't be at the church to get the kids from the church camp.  Someone needed to be there at 12:30 and even tho it took them 45 minutes to do the paperwork. I go to the Pilot in town, it's that or Flying J, we're not allowed to get fuel anywhere else.  Which is stupid but whatever.  I get they want to cut fuel costs but it can cause a lot of problems if something happens, such as...

....the Pilot diesel fuel lanes being completely shut down.  I can tell you something that just hit me right now: I completely forgot about fuel today.

Anyway, on the way back, no fuel just kept going, the truck has large fuel tanks, I get a text: they switched their arrival time to 11:30 am!  Oops. I looked at the clock, and figured I would still be there in plenty of time.  And I was, 40 minutes early.   Those kids were completely worn out. The oldest is STILL laying in bed, only getting out of it a few times today to play with his brother.  His voice is deep as well, you can tell they wore their asses right out, keeping them busy into the night hours. 

I wonder how those adults have that much energy?  Lol.  I guess I did earlier in life, but still, that's a very demanding schedule especially with elementary school aged kids.  

Well, we heard their stories which went on for quite a while - well I heard them first since I picked them up but they didn't hold back with mom either lol.  

Fast forward to today. Up at 5:30 am - well I had to get up at 4 yesterday - up to Gurdon.  Took longer to unload, probably the product was chilled too much, they do that a lot and it ends up taking much longer to offload it.  Back to the yard, it was hot.  The truck was not cool, the air blowing out of the vents was coolish, but certainly not ice cold like you're used to in car ac.  It was uncomfortable and I doubt I"m going to be able to handle it until after the 22cd of July .... It's going to get quite hot and already is.  I need  a cool environment in a truck, otherwise besides being extremely uncomfortable, it also makes me sleepy driving while hot. 

Yup, I'm likely to say something about it this coming week.

Then I get a call.  You are going to be taking the trailer to the washout in Haughton and picking up X trailer that is sitting there. Just a note, the driver said one of the tires "might be bad".  What a load of crap.  So this driver gets away with dumping HIS problem on to ME? WHY DIDN'T HE HAVE THE DAMN TIRE FIXED? It takes hours, usually, to get one single tire replaced.  Stupidity and I said something to the dispatcher - so you are telling me I'm getting dumped with this other driver's problems? I HAVE TO HAVE THE TIRE FIXED, HE GETS AWAY WITH IT? 

Sorry - not sorry.  It's ridiculous.  No one wants to spend that much time in a tire shop, but if you damage one or it is otherwise just worn out, YOU DEAL WITH IT, YOU DON'T DUMP IT ONTO ANOTHER DRIVER. I haven't seen it yet, I'll refrain from saying anything to the manager about it until I see if there is an actual problem. Highly likely there will be, if the driver says "there might be a bad tire on it", that's just his way of saying "I don't want to deal with it".  

As it stands, I completely forgot about fuel today.  It's because I have a habit. I get the truck loaded, drive 3 miles to the Pilot, fill it up and then I don't refill again until I load again.  So today, it never even entered my mind.  The problem? Well, I know from experience I can do a full run and then most of another full run before running out of fuel. I know this because I have done this before lol.  I ran out of fuel going to the fuel station after loading - but - I was lucky. The engine started to die, but I knew if I could get off of that hill I was on, I would level the truck out and the fuel would flow enough to get to the station.

And sure enough, I was right.  In this case, I have to go to Haughton, which is 61 miles.  There is a Pilot there.  I filled the tanks all the way up last fill up - thankfully - so I should have enough fuel to make it there. If not, there is a Flying J near Shreveport, I just don't want to make 2 exit runs off the Interstate, that's time consuming.  As it stands, I'll have to get up at 4 am on Monday morning to get that all done and get to the washout and then to the loading plant on time.  It eats up 2-1/2 hours to have to go get another trailer in Haughton, it's not a quick thing.  

I'm just happy to have tomorrow off. The kids have been asked to get up on the stage in the main auditorium for both services to show off their camp shirts and sing the camp theme song they were singing over there.  So, it means being at church at 9:15 am instead of the 10:45 am I am usually there and also staying 2 services.  However.....I can stay at the first service and then the second service they can do their singing and then we can go home and skip the second service. It's the same message both services, I don't need to hear it twice tho I might stay for the worship on the second service because that's what I really love about church, the worship portion. 

I was going to discuss with this worker we've had over here and now over at my park about doing some work on the expansion today, but looking at it when I was driving in today? I all needs bush hogged. Meaning, cutting the rather tall grass down.  I also need to get on the Bad Boy mower and do  the lots again.

I had a guy move in yesterday and he's going to be long term. I am down to 2 lots and I have someone coming in next weekend to stay a month or two and yet another person saying they will come at some point for long term.  I don't have my overnight software up and running right now, I don't want to deal with it. I have long term and they are living like long term. A lot of them have swings, plants, even a few porches. Overnighters don't like to deal with that stuff, they call it trashy and whatever else. 

I just make sure the people doing that keep their lots clean and tidy, I'm pretty pushy about that.  I'll get right up into people's business if they start getting a trashy lot - clean it up or get out.  

Yes I want the income but I don't want it that much.  I am not operating a trailer trash park, thanks.  

As for now? It's almost 8 pm.  I'm going to play a few games and go to bed around 10. 

 Thursday - late afternoon

Work was relatively short today. Traffic is much lighter than normal now that school is out. I am not really running into any traffic jams and I find it amazing how much traffic is out there when school is in session. I thought all of that was work related traffic, not school stuff.  Anyways, it means it takes about 15-20 minutes less to get up there.

And then, this time, their system was just short of half full, a far better cry than the almost completely empty it's been the last 2 times I was up there.  Offloading also went much faster than the last several times where it's been taking an hour and 20 minutes versus the 47 minutes it took today. So, I got home early, much earlier than normal. 

Fine by me. 

I just got a call a few minutes ago from the septic company - they are coming out next week. Umm, you do know that that system isn't working at all right now?  Well I'll let Randy know, he probably knows. I replied yes, he probably knows.  I guess it hasn't been working for a while now, what's a few more days?  They aren't going to charge much more than it would cost me to go out and rent a ditch witch and buy the wiring so I would rather have them do it. They are also going to pump out the tanks, the whole thing is going to cost $950. It is what it is. There is no do-it-yourself pump-out-the-tanks setup that I'm aware of lol.

The kids are coming home from church camp tomorrow.  A relatively short camp - they left Tuesday afternoon and coming home Friday afternoon. So that's only 3 days.  I only lament a little because it cost $175 per child.  I was thinking it was going to be for a whole week.  The kids are assigned to a camp counsellor, different one for each cabin and they take pics and send them out daily. We have like 40 pics now of them, they appear to be having a good time.

This is the first time they have been sent out on something like this so it will be interesting to not only hear their tales of glorious conquest but also asking the camp counselors how they did and more pointedly, how the youngest behaved? They haven't called us, but as I have stated before, they know all about him and had a plan in place if he started going haywire.  He probably has more latitude there than what he gets at home, but that's natural anyway. Home there are rules, camps - yes there are rules but there isn't as much rigidity. 

To that end, I ended up asking the manager for super early load, if he could ask the plant if I can come in early. The reason being is that mom has to be at work 2 towns over all day long - it's the end of the school year and that coincides with what she does for a living and there is a lot of paperwork she has to complete.  I just need to be home before noon thirty, that's the expected arrival time.  I don't necessarily believe that, but ok.  If they say 12:30, it's probably more like 1 or 1:30.  Kids "I have to go to the bathroom". Oh? pull over to the side of the road, see that tree? Lmao. 

Ooh, I could run an extension cord temporary for the septic system. Yes! That would be easy, it's just 110 volt running a pump.  It pumps air into the vaults and also pumps the water out at the final vault into sprinklers.  It's not what I wanted, really, I would have rather had underground leach fields but the clay in the ground makes that impossible.  The water simply won't be absorbed into the ground and you would have a backed up system constantly.  

No, an extension cord won't do unless I want to cut the connectors at the ends off. That would waste a very expensive cord, tho I could just buy replacements and screw them back on.  I might have some wire around somewhere.....I'll have to look.  Do you know how much long, heavy duty extension cords cost now? It's unbelievable.  

They have also raised the price of having the tanks pumped out to $500 per truckload.  That's ridiculous.  It started at $350 I think then to $400, then to $450 and now to $500 in just a few year's times?  I have no control over that and even if inflation comes down, I doubt they will ever bring prices back down. That's the way it works. Someone makes an excuse to raise prices and then everyone down the line raises their prices as well.  But once that system gets filled up with toilet paper and such, there is nothing you can do, you have to have it pumped out. Oh how I wish there was city sewer here along with the city water we have. But, city water is a blessing at least, there is that.

Highs are expected to be in the mid 90's starting tomorrow. That's hot.  Blazing saddles. Hades on earth. No, not really, but with humidity and other factors not found in desert regions, it feels the same.  

 Wednesday - evening

I had a guy come over and do some weed eating last week. I asked him to clean up the area around the septic system, it was overgrown and they need access to keep tabs on it.  They being the septic company and yes, I have to have a company do a monthly inspection apparently that's state law - for commercial operations, not household residences.  He informed me there was fluid coming out of the thing and it was disgusting.  

Say what? I went over there this morning before getting into the truck and sure enough.  Raw sewage flowing out the top of on of the tanks. Enough pressure to push the edge of the lid up and allow the fluid to escape.  

Well I don't know when they came out last for it was obvious that raw sewage had been pumping out the sides of one of the tank lid for quite a while now.  There is an entire lake of poop, pee, toilet paper and whatever else over there where the sewage flowed downhill. It is absolutely disgusting and I"m going to have to have a discussion with them about this "inspection" they are allegedly doing for $30 a month, payable in advance to the tune of $360 check per year.  

And I can tell ya, it was my fault. Unknowingly  of course, but nevertheless, my fault.  The power line to the aerator pump had been severed when I was digging doing the trenching.  That was a while ago, that means that system hasn't worked since then.  Gross.  I almost wish guests would have noticed the smell so I could have gotten it fixed sooner.  

I had actually thought about that power line when i was trenching but I didn't think it would go through the area I was digging for it would be out of the way. I had no idea where the line was tbh, I was working when they were doing a lot of the work of building that park.  I'd come back and take pics, yes, but they had already done the work and filled the trenches back up.  

I dunno, but the guy said it needs a new line and recommended having the tanks pumped out. Yup, I knew the tank pumping was going to come with this after seeing it this morning, I asked why they can't just fix the line instead of replacing the whole thing? Well it's pretty torn up.  If it's me, I'm going to Lowe's buying enough line to cut it into the damaged portion, connecting it and be done with it. But, I wanted it done and so I just authorized it. I'm sure that bill won't be fun. 

This is why I stopped with the trenching operation.  How much more damage can I do? Probably nothing now, I've already managed to somehow find every single thing that could be damaged in that area and tear it to shreds.  

My sleep has been so bad that when the nights come that I do sleep well, it's too much. And so it was today that I woke up groggy and out of it to the point that when I came home, I passed out on the bed and fell into a deep sleep. Not good.  You really don't want to do that in the middle of the day, it will probably affect your sleep the coming night.  I have no idea, I hope not.  

_________________________

Well it's almost bedtime now. It's rare that I actually finish a post in one setting, I usually end up having to do something or eat dinner or go somewhere.  This time it was a proposition for "you fly, I'll buy" for a Starbucks and of course, I will fly, I like Starbucks regardless of the sentiment against the establishment.  There is a Huey's coffee house in town that just opened up - they spent a small fortune on that place and I wasn't impressed with their coffee. Not to mention there is no indoors.  You walk up or drive up, but you can't walk into the place. They have outside seating. Some of it in the shade, some of it in the open sunlight. That should work well in the summer!

Then there's a 7 Brews that opened up last year, distinctly dislike their coffee.  And then there is a vet owned coffee truck called War Daddy which isn't too bad and I do like supporting vets.  

After that? Nothing. Well, some pushups. And for now? Time for bed. 

G'nite. 

 Tuesday - early afternoon

I got up at 3:50 am, got my stuff done and got busy driving the truck.  They wanted me there early so I could be in and out of there before another driver was to show up.  The problem? Not a problem, just a situation.  The other driver is basically OTR with this run.  He loads, delivers same day, loads delivers, etc.  He wants to do that, more power to him, I do NOT.  And I don't have to, so there is that. 

However...

When I was up there at the receiving plant 2 days ago (Sunday), I was shocked to find both tanks almost completely empty. They were glad to see me! I had no idea we were so far behind.  I was out 5 days sick and then before that, they had me doing the Ennis run and then they had 5 trucks break down all at once.  A driver quit and another driver refuses to do more than 2 loads per week. All well and fine, but if we get into trouble, perhaps his @$$ can help out just a little bit more and keep things afloat. 

But who am I? Just a person that doesn't want to go looking for another job right now because we lost our contract.  Don't read that wrong, we haven't lost the contract but who knows if we're close to doing so? They had to have 3 truckloads delivered up there from another company in the last 2 days because of our dilemma.  

One thing that hasn't made sense to me since I joined this company is the idea that trucks are breaking down but they don't rent tractors to fulfill their obligations? 

Anyway, I am likely working for-ever lol. No, I don't know.  If they can't get some OTR drivers to haul a few loads to get the tanks filled up again, I will be busy until they can get them in.  

One thing that was nice about today and getting done super early? I was back in time to see the boys off to church camp.  It's a camp somewhere south of Houston so at least 4 hour drive from here.  They are on the road now.  I predict the older boy will have an absolute blast and the younger boy will have numerous meltdown over minor, petty or even non-existent stuff. Just hoping they don't call us to come down there and get him.  Put him in time out the rest of the time there, I don't care, just don't make us come get him. 

They know all about him, btw, this isn't something they were going in blindly about.  They had already had a meeting a few months ago about this kid and what they were going to do with him if he goes south in his attitude. It's almost guaranteed he will. He won't get his way about eating, a game, another kid, whatever and he'll have a literal meltdown. Face burning right, feet stomping, mouthy. 

I have addressed him several times quite directly in the last few weeks for I am quite sick of it. Especially the sass and talking back shit.  I let loose on him not too long ago after he started yelling at me, I shut him down.  He freaked out because at that point I was angry. No, I didn't do anything to him, I just had my voice raised considerably and no one was doing anything but hearing me.  Even mom didn't try to stop me.. Why should she? We are all fed up with this boy's attitude.

Yesterday, I told him to do something and he started getting mouthy with me. It was outside in front of the house.  I completely shut him down and spoke right over the top of him telling him to go to his room.  He kept trying to talk over me - he tries to get mom to take sides - which never works but he tries anyway.  Then he'll trash her as well.  An incorrigible child as far as I'm concerned, I'm not tolerating any more of it. I sent him to his room, he went stomping off and whatever. 

He came back out 5 minutes later. I thought I told you to go to your room? I did!  GO BACK, NOW.  Another meltdown, I didn't care.  Stomping.  Blah blah blah.  Eventually I went in and had a short discussion with him and he was good for the rest of the day, amazingly enough.  I can tolerate a lot, but that sass and backtalking I cannot deal with.  There is no way he should be talking to adults like that. 

I finally did it today. I have been contemplating it for several days and I realized that it would be foolish not to do what I did today.  What did I do that was so hard to pull the trigger on? Pay off around 24k in credit card debt.  I reeeeeally didn't want to spend the money mom gave me on that kind of stuff, but I really thought about it.

Some of that stuff would have taken years to pay off and it would have cost far more in interest than paying it off now.  I just felt I was being saddled with debt and I have been really irritated about it lately.  After paying off 5 cards which was most of the debt - there's still a little bit more but it's less than 2k, I'm waiting to see how far the account goes down after all of that hits for I want X amount of cash in the bank,  I felt soooo much better!  It's going to free up over $800 per month in credit card payments, that's no small chunk of change.  

And the other thing is that I will now have tractor payments for 5 years I think it is.  I needed to dump some debt load to be able to easily afford those payments.  I'm back into a budget frenzy. Looking through everything and seeing where I can save some money. For me, Dish Network is a no brainer.  It's over $100 per month and I rarely even watch it anymore. 

I can't believe how much I had racked up in credit card debt. Not just that amount but that other loan paid off a lot of it as well. I still have 4 years on that loan.  But I can't pay that off now, it would leave me with too small amount of money in the bank.  Yes, I have gotten much better with credit cards, I rarely use them now.  They're good to have around, especially with a business, but I have too many of them. If you cancel them, it really hits your credit score and I still have other loan considerations to take into account.

Expanding the park and amenities for the park. I do not have the cash for that - well I can do the front portion that I was already working on, I am referring to the back portion that I got a bid on and if I thought I could get a loan, I - well right now I wouldn't do it.  I am not getting that many calls and tho I do have some people coming in, I just can't justify a loan. I need amenities to draw people in with. A pool and a building.  A large building.  

A building that can be divided up into a laundromat, a tv room, an office, possibly a game room and a c-store. I'm not really sure how I would do it, I have done zero research into it for it's just not in the cards - yet.  

______________

Long interval. Like almost time to go to bed. Fortunately, I don't have to get up at 3:50 am, I do have to get up at 5:30 am but that's a substantial difference in my world.  

Applebee's called me back - I've been going to that one for some 11 years now, service complaint of which they "promised to fix".  I wouldn't make such a complaint at a place I frequent if it weren't bad, like seriously bad.

And the John Deere people called but I didn't feel like talking to them so I just let the call go through.  We'd like to discuss with you your recent purchase...the local store calling tho, not some third party questionnaire group.  

And nothing else. The kids are gone, the house is quiet and that's amazing.  

 Friday - afternoon

Final day of work freedom. I spent most of it in bed so it wasn't like a vacation or anything. But, I am feeling much better today thankfully, sort of need to go back to work.

We - we being the kids and I, mom was at work - took the tractor over to the property, I had no problem getting it off. I thought I might because of the way the dude drove it up on there like it was -- difficult or something. Nope. It came off smoothly and without any problems at all really.  I then proceeded directly to the back of the RV park and plowed down the grass and weeds, almost all of it.  

This machine is 1,000% better than that thing I was using from the kid.  They're not even in the same world if you're talking functionality.  Mine is hydrostatic, his was old and completely manual. You had to push the clutch in for everything.  This? No clutch at all, it's pretty much the same as an automatic car.  Put it in gear and then forward and reverse are just separate pedals, no hand work at all.  There are levers all over the thing, of course, but it didn't take long at all to figure everything out.  So much easier and simpler operation.  

And the motor is very powerful, I am extremely glad I opted for the higher HP engine.  It's a smooth ride in the park, this thing is worth every penny I am paying for it.  

There is the entire front to do, but I figured not to push it too much, I have to get up at 5:30 am tomorrow - Saturday - don't want to tempt fate and get sick all over again.  We went to IHOP after that - remember, kids are on summer break as of yesterday early afternoon. Gone 3 days next week, we'll get a much needed break from them.  Love them to death, just it can get trying with young kids constantly full of energy and wanting this, that, the other thing, the house, the moon and the stars to boot. It's endless, trust me that is not an exaggeration. 

If I would have thought about it and touched on it yesterday in this blog...I just should have bought a new tractor 2 plus years ago.  Then again, I was helping the kid out. He's starting out in life, he has some sort of heart problem that he needs surgery for, was going to school, working a job and helping out on his family's farm.  He's now making at least $36 per hour fresh out of school, that's what SWEPCO (power company) pays them if they graduate.  

So, I guess I won't regret helping a person out that isn't lazy, has a good work ethic and just trying to get started in life. 

But now, I need to focus on getting the 3 empty lots filled up.  I forgot to take pics, dangit.  I'll have to go back over there.  I need pics and get ads running all over Facebook.  I won't use Google ads, they are useless. Pay a lot of money for nothing in return. Facebook ads are far cheaper as well and I usually get some results out of it.  The money is needed to pay off debt for the upgrade project - I spent several thousand on it already beyond the septic system and I want it paid off sooner than later - and I need more money to get those 4 lots finished.  

Why finish those lots when you have 3 empty? Because this stuff comes in waves.  You go without anyone calling for a lot to 50 people in a month calling.  It's crazy the way it works. Last year I probably turned away 50 people wanting a place to stay.

Now, I do have some prospects that are interested in coming and moving in there, but I don't count my chickens before they hatch, not in this industry.  People say they are coming and don't. They find something else and don't bother to tell you about it.  I am at a distinct disadvantage to other parks with not having a main building to have an office, a C store, game room, Tv room, whatever. A gathering place.  I'd love to have a deli, but that isn't really a thing unless you have enough spots to warrant a full time employee to run the thing. 

Since I don't have those amenities, I cut throat my rates and advertise the fact that my park is closer to town then any of them.  My park is cheaper and my park is easily the quietest park in the entire region.  I am a mile and a half away from the Interstate and several miles away from 59, a mile away from 43.  The first 2 are heavily used highways filled with truck traffic and those other rv parks are right next to or very close to them. NOISE NOISE NOISE all the time.  

You pick the best attributes you have and work with it.  It brings people in, but mostly the pricing is what gets people in there, that and the quiet part.  Students like it because it's close to all 3  colleges, tho the university if further away, it's still closer than any other park around.  They don't want to waste time going to school and they don't have a lot of money (usually, sometimes the parents are financing everything).  

That gives me an idea. I haven't even targeted the students! What a crock, I should have been doing that a long time ago. I get there are posting boards and internet rooms with students where I could post my park.  

 Thursday - night

Definitely still under the weather. I am getting better but not that much yet. At least the headaches are mostly gone.  That was annoying, an all day long headache I couldn't get rid of.  

Anyway, the boys got home from school early - earlier than I anticipated but not by a terrible amount. Mom was busy all day long with work, happy to help out if I"m not working or otherwise doing something that I have to get done.  

So, I decided we'd go get a bite to eat and then head over there to the tractor place, otherwise known as United AG and Turf, ergo: John Deere. If you look it up, it will tell you that John Deere was founded in 1837, long before gasoline or diesel engines were even invented much more an every day thing that you basically must have in this "modern" world.  

Now, I bought John Deere not just because of name brand and highly regarded reputation, no, that actually wasn't my top priority.  They have a very large store covering a few acres of property in town with a complete service shop. That's what did it for me.  I have extended warranty coverage and some plan for replacement parts including the expensive stuff if it goes on the whack.  A relative few extra dollars.  

Anyway, I don't want to have to drag a machine 25, 30, 40 even 45 miles each way to get the machine to a shop.  I don't have time for that or the desire.  John Deere is the only tractor store in town here. But boy do they have the selection.  From absolutely mammoth machines down to itty bitty little things.

Mine is bigger than itty bitty but certainly doesn't compare to those monster farm machines, I don't need anything that big and frankly, it wouldn't work.  This unit is hydrostatic, not clutch driven. That old Kubota the kid had over there was nice to have around but it was a pain to use. Push the clutch in for everything and slow.  I got the larger engine and I think I made the right decision on that. A few thousand more but the extra horsepower will get dirt jobs done easier.  

They also sell a hoe attachment for it, but at 12 grand I scoffed. No thank you. I use one of those every once in a while, if I absolutely have to have one, I'll just keep renting them.  They are near $500 per day rental, but at maybe twice a year? No need for it.  I was trying to keep the payment at around the cost of an RV lot. I was already giving the lot away for a couple of years in exchange for tractor use, now I wonder if I shouldn't have just bought the unit at the get go and have 2 years of payments behind me already....oh well. 

Anyway, after seeing the unit sitting there in it's green glory, I was very pleased with the purchase.  It's much easier operation than a manual setup, MUCH easier.  I wasn't very happy that people who came in after me were getting taken care of before me.  I had texted the salesman who asked me to let them know before I showed up he would make sure they have it ready. 

Nahh, bro. 2 other customers were taken care of before me.  I guess a form of discrimination in that they were obviously spending a lot more money and likely frequent customers.  I was actually on the verge of leaving - they can call me and I'll tell them exactly what was happening and how I felt about it, they can deliver the thing now or cancel the contract and I'll go out of town for my tractor needs.  Oh, I don't mind discrimination such as race or gender or whatever, just that you know that many businesses will give better service to repeat customers, especially if they're spendy.

Applebee's would be my example.  I go there often enough they all know me by name, they know where we want to sit and they know what we are drinking before we say a word.  I've been going in there for at least a decade now. It seems unfathomable that I have lived out here this long.

Well, they came up to my truck where we were waiting and said, well that guy just has to chain down his tractor and we can load you up. Some other dude came out and asked why not just ask that guy to move? He must have seen me sitting there patiently - trying to be patient anyway - waiting for some time now and I agreed. PLENTY of room up ahead of him and that tractor isn't going to magically fall off the trailer moving it 50 feet at 3 mph.

That guy that came out ended up being far more helpful than this salesman. Note that this salesman wasn't the one I was dealing with to purchase the unit. They had a yard worker drive the think up on there and then I asked where the tie down holes are? Well, there aren't any. 

Now that is kind of weird. MOST heavy equipment has holes built into them for chains to tie it down, the manufacturers know you have to chain down heavy equipment in order to haul it anywhere.  Just think after all of this time in the business they would have thought of that.  Anyway, the guy said well, just my input and you don't have to do anything I'm saying, but this is how I do it...

Yes please, I have no idea where you would chain this thing down without damaging it, at least not without studying it for quite a while.  We got it all nicely chained down and they were kind enough to put air in my trailer tires. They looked fine - until all that weight was driven up on it.  They were half flat.  Yikes! They filled all the tires up - they are newer tires that trailer just doesn't get used that often. Nice to have around when I need it but I really, really, reeeeeally didn't want to have to go out and buy a new trailer for this thing. It worked out nicely.

Well, I headed down I-20 to the next exit to get to my property but it started raining and I was running out of steam. Still sick, you know. Just wanted to get this done and over with. So, I got off at that exit and drove home instead.  It's parked in the front yard. I want to get a tracking device for it. One of those GPS things you hide on it in case it's stolen. But I have a good place to park it where a person or people would have to go way out of their way to steal it and would be doing it in plain view of tenants.  I have some good people in there now. I let them do things and in return, they watch out for me and my stuff. 

I've got another long term coming in soon, well they say they are anyway and another coming for a month or two.  Trying to get all the lots filled back up, I have 3 empties right now.  

That's about it. It did rain today but nothing like the forecast was showing. I didn't do much after the tractor affair.  Sleep, cook dinner, made the unfortunate decision to succumb to demands to go for a bike ride and just watched tv and played a few games after that. Oh, and one of the kids fell off his bike. Nasty fall.  I forced him to put a bag of ice on that knee, he was complaining at first but after a while, ohh this is working!

G'nite.  

 Thursday - morning

I slept the best sleep last night that I have had in quite a while. 9 solid hours. I was soooo tired when I went to bed last night I was really hoping to get some good z's in.  This is what helps you get over sickness more than anything, good quality sleep. 

It was 8 am before I finally said enough, it's time to get out of bed, but perhaps I should have slept  longer? It's an hour and a half later and I still feel like I could go right back to sleep and stay that way a couple more hours.  I might just do that.  I'd rather get better than "go do things".

The kids last day of school is today and they are getting early release. Mom says they should be getting home by around 12:45.  About 3 hours earlier than normal. I'm really not ready to have kids around like that, it can get old quickly. They still aren't allowed to play their games and even if they were allowed, dad has them with him in his truck.  He's not supposed to be home until some time late next month. 

However, the kids will be going to church camp and after that, grandma is coming for them to stay with her and grandpa for a week. The fact of that matter is is that they would be going to grandma's sooner but the youngest has a doctor's appointment that can't be missed. Won't go into those details, but he's having problems and not of the illness/sickness variety.

That tractor is sitting there waiting for me to come get it. I simply haven't had the energy for it and before I got sick, I didn't have time. I would have to go get the trailer then drag extremely heavy ramps out of the back yard and hope they actually work for the trailer I have and then go to the outlet, do whatever they want me to do there, load it up, chain it down, take it back to the park and offload it.  

It isn't that much work, or is it?  I really don't know how I feel until I try to start moving  - but - I didn't wake up coughing and this yucky feeling in my lungs so there is definitive improvement    

Anyway, the vacation in July is paid for, basically. I paid my room plus a room in New Orleans when we're heading there - no clue, the ladies want to see stuff there before we get to Gulf Shores - and just gas and food money. 

Well, I'd write more but I have decided to get out into the real world for a bit and see how I feel.  It's Saturday I'm slated to go back to work, so I have all of today and tomorrow to get to feeling well enough for that level of activity.  

  Tuesday - morning

I'm sorry the company is having driver issues. People who do not want to work probably shouldn't be - working.  Go live off the government I guess.  Trucks breaking down is not my responsibility either. They have an old fleet, this is expected. Having a lot of trucks break down at the same time? What do they expect? And they are too cheap to rent tractors while the trucks are in the shop. So, they put the contracts in jeopardy of losing them by not getting product to its intended destination on time.

Late shows are a big thing when you are hauling liquids that will shut down an entire plant if they run out.  

And if I get sick once in a while? It's been quite a while since I was last sick, some time last year.  It is what it is.  I'm not going to work. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, I truly am, but I feel like hell and have stayed in bed the entirety of yesterday excepting going to the bathroom and a couple visits to the kitchen and today I did until 8 am.  The 11 year is graduating elementary school. Yes, it's a thing nowadays to graduate elementary and middle school. Older generations will remember the only graduations were from high school.

Times have changed. So we went, the boy was given a certificate and a couple of awards and that was that. I am now back home and doing absolutely nothing.  How do you get better if you keep working or moving around too much? Well, it takes a lot longer.  You will likely, eventually get better but why drag it out? And feeling like this? No thank you. 

Oh I have plenty of things I could be doing, beyond work.  I kind of feel bad for the manager, this company puts him into impossible situations.  The driver quitting didn't help anything tho it certainly didn't bother me that that particular individual is now gone.  There is another driver who only does 2 runs per week, he could be doing 3 when times are demanding it?  I rarely ever  tell my manager no when he's asking for a favor - which is usually no small thing. A complete alteration to my plans, I don't like having to cut plans short because they want me to either drop what I am doing or continue to keep working when I was scheduled off.

I have nothing right now beyond this. Bed is calling my name. 

 Monday - morning late

Well when you get sick, you tend to sleep well enough anyway.  

Definitely not feeling well and have done nothing today besides lay in bed. 

It was no shock to me that work called - I had the ringer off and on purpose - and left a message stating: "We had you working today".  Uh, no and no.  You did not have me working today, I checked the tablet several times.  There was nothing put in there for Monday on Friday, which is when they would normally put it in there and there was nothing put in it Saturday or yesterday. 

As it stands, I barely made it through yesterday work-wise. I was going to go get the tractor today but I'm doubtful. Someone stole my tie down chains - they are expensive now a days - and so I would have to go spend $200 on those and binders before even considering going to get the tractor.  It's not that far, maybe 4 or 5 miles, I just don't have any energy.

Anyway, I was in no mood to talk to them so I waited an hour or longer before calling them back.  The manager clarified after I flatly stated there is nothing in the tablet for work for today that he knew it hadn't been put in there but they were supposed to put it in there yesterday.

No, I thought, they are supposed to put it in there Friday.  Regardless, I wasn't going to work today I don't care what the threats or urgency is.  I doubt he would threaten me but other trucking companies would try and I would quit right then and there. I will not be treated like some sort of machine or slave that is forced to do a company's bidding when they are the ones that screwed it up in the first place. 

If you can't tell, I'm in a mood. That phone message put me in that mood I am trying to claw back out of it.  I can tell ya my immediate thoughts were quitting, just say fine, come get your truck.  I have knee jerk reactions sometimes to stuff like this when it comes to trucking simply because of the way I have been treated in the past.  I don't need their job as much as they need me to drive their truck.  Yes, I need a job but they are more needy. Especially this company with junky equipment and low pay - tho I got out of the low pay bracket pretty quickly. 

Whatever was going through my mind, however, is not what came out of my mouth. I don't really want to quit or be fired and it really wasn't going to go there at all, I'm just not feeling well and a bit grumpy. I stay away from people when I get sick because - I get cranky. I know I get cranky so I just figure it's best to lay low until I get better again.  Getting phone calls from your employer when you shouldn't be getting phone calls from your employer mixed with sickness is a toxic combination, at least for me. 

He had dumped it on another driver who, admittedly, has been working his @$$ off. He is also 30 years younger than me and has lots more energy than I do. I remember the days in my 50's saying I could outwork 20 year olds, that isn't likely true anymore and I don't care that it's not true, it's just a part of growing older that I have accepted and I keep the pace that I can keep and I'm fine with it.  

However...he did not dump the entire load on the other driver, he wanted me to do the other half of the run tomorrow.  I said that isn't going to happen if I don't start feeling better and quickly, I am pretty weak right now.  It is highly likely he's going to have to figure something else out. I hate to put him in a bind but this is a legitimate reason unlike almost all of the other drivers who regularly bow out of work via lame @$$ excuses.  He tolerates them because he doesn't have much of a choice. This company doesn't have people breaking down the doors trying to get in with it for employment....

.......and when they do find people, they either can't do the job correctly or they don't last. I KNEW that driver that kept skipping in front of me until I had to get really pissy about it and put my foot down wasn't going to last. I figured 6 months and I was right on the nose. He found a "better" job somewhere else.  There are a lot of "better" companies that simply won't tolerate the crap he was doing at this company, good luck with that. 

Enough ranting. I have no ambitions to do anything today. I just made myself some breakfast and that's the end of the line for me.  

G'day

 Sunday - afternoon

What I didn't want to do this morning, what I abhorred doing this morning? Getting up at 5:00 am.  There was nothing in me to force me out of bed but sheer willpower to get the day rolling and get it over with.  I was still incredibly fatigued from the previous night' lack of sleep. OH yes, I slept well this time but it wasn't enough.  At least, until now. I feel fine now.

Anyway, I get up to the plant in Gurdon, drive down the driveway that goes into the plant where the scales are and what do I find? The gates are closed and locked! 

First off, I have newer seen those gates being used before regardless of the day of the week it is. Second, there is no way to flip a Uey there. Third? Well I called them.  What is with the locked gates?  Well the plant is under lockdown, you'll have to go around to the main gate (there are 4 gates).  

Umm, I can't turn around here, I'm going to have to back down this driveway (about 800 feet) and then back into the highway. There isn't much visibility for that. Umm I can't help you with that! WTH

I backed down that driveway - not a big deal - but backing blindly into a 2 lane highway with lots of traffic? Yes, a big deal.  I did it without running into anyone and went all the way around to the other side of that gate where the scales are. 

So what's the big deal here? The security guard said that someone had been fired and had called in death threats and threatening to shoot up the place.  Gee, that's just what I want to be in the middle of on a Sunday morning....

And what is with people going into rages like that?  Let's just kill people because - excuses?  Like, your life must truly suck to be threatening to act out like that.  Get help. Better yet, get Jesus!  Or repent and ask Him for forgiveness more like it. 

I forced myself to drive all the way back without stopping. I wanted to stop and take a nap, NOOO. Do that at home! Get this junk over with now!  So I did. Got home, went to Applebee's - the kids were insisting and I didn't mind that much since I don't have anything else pressing today - and now safely home and sitting at my bedroom desk.  

Although a little late, I intend on taking my Sunday afternoon nap after writing this, in fact, I can finish this later...

______________________

Yeah - no. Not feeling it at all. My voice is down an octave, my lungs are congested and I have a slight sore throat.  Headache, flu symptoms, crud.  Going to bed.