The first one I called back for a second look, the guy said he sold yesterday. So, I guess it was priced right. That one created a slight problem anyhow, I like my little S10, ratty as it is. As Jerry at the cab garage said, I know what I've got. It's on it's last legs, the mechanical part of it is ok, but the body was shot 3 years ago. I shouldn't say that, it needs a brake pad at the moment.
Disk brakes have a little metal scraper that makes a squeaking sound when the pad gets worn down. It's telling you something. Ignore that squeaking sound, and you will be getting towed and replacing that disk. Since that guy sold that nice little Sonoma, I can get Dave to put brake pads on it. The mechanic sees it as throwing money out the window, but I don't know how long I'm keeping it at this point. So, it's not throwing money out the window, I might still have it on Christmas.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Shopping for a new pickup truck.
I forgot how big a pain in the ass it is to shop for a vehicle. It takes at least 90 minutes per vehicle by the time you call the people and drive there. Then you get there and find out that the picture on Craigs List was taken 10 years ago. But I did see one I will look at tomorrow that was just sitting out on the street in Janesville.
I did see something that was exceptional while I was driving around though. A pair of turkeys, with 8 baby turkeys. The baby's were about 1/2 as tall as the adults, they might have weighed a pound each. It was cool.
I did see something that was exceptional while I was driving around though. A pair of turkeys, with 8 baby turkeys. The baby's were about 1/2 as tall as the adults, they might have weighed a pound each. It was cool.
Monday, August 2, 2010
I got a ticket today
The local cops like writing harmless tickets, eg. not wearing your seatbelt. So, I got such a ticket. In some ways a very good thing to happen. The cop told me I'd surrendered my CDL. OMG!!!!!! I never did such a thing, how did that get into the computer? Turns out that I surrendered my hazmat. What's a hazmat? Hazardous materials endorsement. I never used it anyhow, and in this modern age of homeland security who wants to comply with all the BS to keep this endorsement? Not me, so I dropped it. So I can't haul loads of paint thinner, big deal. But I need to know a cop sees this on the computer. So if another cop in timbuctoo says I don't have a license to drive the truck I'm driving I know what she sees and what to say, look closer and you'll see I'm ok. Only cost me $55.00. A decent investment I guess.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Today is Friday
I've been in a motel for 5 days now, I checked in on Monday. It took until 4:30 am to finish moving out of that rat trap, and then I wasn't sure what to do. So I got this place. It's not the greatest motel, the air conditioning is weak, the little refrigerator only works good because I keep a box of ice in it, some of the cable TV channels don't work, and there is no high speed WI-FI. On the other hand, the dog loves the place, there is a place for him to go swimming within walking distance and it's safe. What more could you want?
I got the most amazing lesson in driving a couple of days ago. And after all these years, driving, lessons are rare. My pickup had been pulling to the right, and the front end had been shimmying, and with increased driving it was getting worse. I had visions of a tie rod end or a ball joint failing, and I was worried about it. The day was hot, and I went on a trip that was about an hour drive, one way. I was about 10 miles from being back to the motel when this noise like a blow out happened with a brief flapping sound. But I wasn't riding on the rim? Curious. So I got out and looked at it, and about 1/4 of the tread was missing. I was looking right at the steel belt. Tire was intact, just missing some parts. Wow. I slowly pulled down to the exit ramp, and drove into a tire store. $85 later I had a new tire, and my front end was 'fixed'. The guy at the tire store said they didn't see that very often. I've never seen it before, short of the whole tire coming apart. When the tread started coming off, it made the tire bigger around, which is why it pulled to the right, and the wobble was also caused by the odd shaped piece getting ready to break loose. I'm getting much better gas mileage now, 2 days later. So, in increased mileage I'll get the price of the tire back fairly quick.
I went over to Union Cab to get Rod's phone number, and I should know the guys name, but I'm guessing it's George. Anyhow, I got Rod's number so I can get my rototiller back from him, he's had it for around 15 years. Since I'm leaving town, it's time. Rod's a good guy, even though a lot of people don't like him. So George is planting a few flowers by the street and I stopped to chat. The subject of armed robberies came up. George said he'd been in 2, one in Palm Springs, California, and one here last year. He sort of laughed about the one last year. Said the guy only got $24 and described him being chased by a police dog. In the other one he got beaten so bad the drivers who found him thought he was dead. Everybody takes it differently I guess. I won't share the details he gave of the one in California because I wouldn't want to give anybody bad ideas. It was the kind of crime that would be profitable and re doable.
Most people don't take it as good as George. I certainly didn't. I might have won, but that's the luck of the draw. It makes me think of LeRoy, Mudpie, and Kate. LeRoy won a fist fight with some guys who tried to rob him and he laughs about it. Mudpie had $10,000 worth of damage done to his face by Hoser's criminal brother who is in prison in California these days. The guy was drunk, and I never heard what the provocation was, but I'll bet it was nothing. Kate had her arm in a cast for a long time. Radial fracture's take a long time to heal. Passenger twisted her arm.
The more I think about Roy Boy firing me, well, he's lucky he's about social security age. And I wouldn't have the stomach to be him these days. Union did more rides than Badger in 2009, for the first ever time. Green Cab is starting, and they're going to directly compete with Badger, doing a zone fare business. THM doesn't give a damn about the drivers, and that's huge. One day everyone will come to Badger and they'll see an out of business sign, and it'll be a total shock. No warning. The accounts are going away, does THM send out a salesman? No, that would cost money. Does THM send his daughter to golf camp at St. Andrews golf course in Scotland? Yes. Fewer rides than Union! The hand writing is on the wall. Will I be there to be among those hurt? No.
My DOT physical is in a couple of hours. Then I can get back in a truck. I passed.
I got the most amazing lesson in driving a couple of days ago. And after all these years, driving, lessons are rare. My pickup had been pulling to the right, and the front end had been shimmying, and with increased driving it was getting worse. I had visions of a tie rod end or a ball joint failing, and I was worried about it. The day was hot, and I went on a trip that was about an hour drive, one way. I was about 10 miles from being back to the motel when this noise like a blow out happened with a brief flapping sound. But I wasn't riding on the rim? Curious. So I got out and looked at it, and about 1/4 of the tread was missing. I was looking right at the steel belt. Tire was intact, just missing some parts. Wow. I slowly pulled down to the exit ramp, and drove into a tire store. $85 later I had a new tire, and my front end was 'fixed'. The guy at the tire store said they didn't see that very often. I've never seen it before, short of the whole tire coming apart. When the tread started coming off, it made the tire bigger around, which is why it pulled to the right, and the wobble was also caused by the odd shaped piece getting ready to break loose. I'm getting much better gas mileage now, 2 days later. So, in increased mileage I'll get the price of the tire back fairly quick.
I went over to Union Cab to get Rod's phone number, and I should know the guys name, but I'm guessing it's George. Anyhow, I got Rod's number so I can get my rototiller back from him, he's had it for around 15 years. Since I'm leaving town, it's time. Rod's a good guy, even though a lot of people don't like him. So George is planting a few flowers by the street and I stopped to chat. The subject of armed robberies came up. George said he'd been in 2, one in Palm Springs, California, and one here last year. He sort of laughed about the one last year. Said the guy only got $24 and described him being chased by a police dog. In the other one he got beaten so bad the drivers who found him thought he was dead. Everybody takes it differently I guess. I won't share the details he gave of the one in California because I wouldn't want to give anybody bad ideas. It was the kind of crime that would be profitable and re doable.
Most people don't take it as good as George. I certainly didn't. I might have won, but that's the luck of the draw. It makes me think of LeRoy, Mudpie, and Kate. LeRoy won a fist fight with some guys who tried to rob him and he laughs about it. Mudpie had $10,000 worth of damage done to his face by Hoser's criminal brother who is in prison in California these days. The guy was drunk, and I never heard what the provocation was, but I'll bet it was nothing. Kate had her arm in a cast for a long time. Radial fracture's take a long time to heal. Passenger twisted her arm.
The more I think about Roy Boy firing me, well, he's lucky he's about social security age. And I wouldn't have the stomach to be him these days. Union did more rides than Badger in 2009, for the first ever time. Green Cab is starting, and they're going to directly compete with Badger, doing a zone fare business. THM doesn't give a damn about the drivers, and that's huge. One day everyone will come to Badger and they'll see an out of business sign, and it'll be a total shock. No warning. The accounts are going away, does THM send out a salesman? No, that would cost money. Does THM send his daughter to golf camp at St. Andrews golf course in Scotland? Yes. Fewer rides than Union! The hand writing is on the wall. Will I be there to be among those hurt? No.
My DOT physical is in a couple of hours. Then I can get back in a truck. I passed.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Back in WI
It's Friday, I arrived home last night. The young slumlord served me with a notice to pay what he claims I owe him or move out. I asked for a complete accounting, he didn't provide it. He provided an accounting of the gas bill only, and that was in type 1/4 the size or normal type. He did that just to be an asshole, the reducing it to the smallest possible size. Today is the day that I either have to pay or else. Well, he's not a judge, nor is he a cop, so I will do neither and see him in court. In this state you need that paper of his to file for a court date, which he'll do, file for an eviction hearing. Now of course he didn't date it properly, and he didn't have what it took to hand it to me. It was sitting on the floor outside the door to my room. He did have what it took to get up at 5:00am to look outside to see if one of my vehicles was here, which it was.
Now we get in front of a judge! I can just picture a judge saying, "Let me get this straight. The defendant is supposed to pay for gas, and there has been no hot water for 4 or 5 or how ever many weeks now?" And, I have a witness who clearly heard him say that I have to give him money so he has incentive to fix the hot water at the 13 day point. The judge will say what I said, and what my friend said, which is, "You have to fix it sooner or later, you might as well fix it sooner."
This last trip is the first time ever that I didn't want to come back here. I actually sat on the curb where the bus into town let me off and felt noticeably crappy waiting for my friend to pick me up. Then I got over to said friends house and my pickup wouldn't start, what fun. So finally around 10:30 I made it into this place, and sure enough, kid is here. Sunday night, he told me he was moving out first day or 2 of the week. Ah, yet another lie. I wonder what he was hoping for with that one? What fun, eh?
Now we get in front of a judge! I can just picture a judge saying, "Let me get this straight. The defendant is supposed to pay for gas, and there has been no hot water for 4 or 5 or how ever many weeks now?" And, I have a witness who clearly heard him say that I have to give him money so he has incentive to fix the hot water at the 13 day point. The judge will say what I said, and what my friend said, which is, "You have to fix it sooner or later, you might as well fix it sooner."
This last trip is the first time ever that I didn't want to come back here. I actually sat on the curb where the bus into town let me off and felt noticeably crappy waiting for my friend to pick me up. Then I got over to said friends house and my pickup wouldn't start, what fun. So finally around 10:30 I made it into this place, and sure enough, kid is here. Sunday night, he told me he was moving out first day or 2 of the week. Ah, yet another lie. I wonder what he was hoping for with that one? What fun, eh?
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Home
It's Tuesday, I arrived here Sunday afternoon, I'm home. The trust got me a rental car and motel room, and told me to go play. That alone is around $150/day. Cheap by vacation standards, I guess, but if I come back to do this again, I'm going to have a tent and buy a car to come in.
Car insurance salesman says I have to have a Michigan license before I can have Michigan insurance on a Michigan licensed car. Guess I'm going to look into having Wisconsin insurance on a Michigan licensed car, wonder if I can do that.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Ongoing slumlords
I had to leave town for a few days, and had no idea what to expect. I'm sure the kid or the oriental disabled the hot water, and I've been heating water in pots on the stove for 2 weeks to bathe. It's looking like I'll need to leave my vehicle parked there, unattended while I'm gone.
When I return, will I find my vehicle vandalized? Will I be locked out of the house? If I'm locked out of the house, will I lose anything I haven't moved to storage? This is a hell of a way to live, all my stuff in storage. It's bullshit in fact.
The trip out of town is to take a look at a housing option. I'll take it, looking at it at this point is a formality. So I write this on a train heading into Battle Creek about 3 hours from home. Real home, where I'm from. I stayed at a friends house last night and he took me to catch the bus this morning. He's taking care of the dog, and it turned out he could let me keep my vehicle at his house after all. I got just about everything out of the house, just a few odds and ends, some food, and some furniture remain.
My lawyer said, he can't lock you out. "Ah, yeah, but what do I do if he does?" He can't. Well JJ was around last night and said he was sure he could fix the hot water heater with a small part he got at the hard ware store. The hard ware store couldn't recommend such a thing to me, and JJ is a mechanical moron. But he's sure it'll work. He Jimmied the hot water heater, and he's going to unJimmy it. It didn't work. And he's giving me 5 days to pay up what HE figures I owe him on utilities or he's shutting off the gas. Fine, on gas, no heat or hot water. I'm used to that by now. Question is, will he shut off the electricity? If he does that, there is no water, no light, no stove to heat water for a bath, and the place should be easily condemnable.
Next move of course is JJ will try to rent the dump to the next victim(s). As an absentee landlord. Ain't happening. Even if there is no electric, I'll be around, and any body that rents will have been lied to, and I'll tell them because I'll be there to do it. What a mess.
When I return, will I find my vehicle vandalized? Will I be locked out of the house? If I'm locked out of the house, will I lose anything I haven't moved to storage? This is a hell of a way to live, all my stuff in storage. It's bullshit in fact.
The trip out of town is to take a look at a housing option. I'll take it, looking at it at this point is a formality. So I write this on a train heading into Battle Creek about 3 hours from home. Real home, where I'm from. I stayed at a friends house last night and he took me to catch the bus this morning. He's taking care of the dog, and it turned out he could let me keep my vehicle at his house after all. I got just about everything out of the house, just a few odds and ends, some food, and some furniture remain.
My lawyer said, he can't lock you out. "Ah, yeah, but what do I do if he does?" He can't. Well JJ was around last night and said he was sure he could fix the hot water heater with a small part he got at the hard ware store. The hard ware store couldn't recommend such a thing to me, and JJ is a mechanical moron. But he's sure it'll work. He Jimmied the hot water heater, and he's going to unJimmy it. It didn't work. And he's giving me 5 days to pay up what HE figures I owe him on utilities or he's shutting off the gas. Fine, on gas, no heat or hot water. I'm used to that by now. Question is, will he shut off the electricity? If he does that, there is no water, no light, no stove to heat water for a bath, and the place should be easily condemnable.
Next move of course is JJ will try to rent the dump to the next victim(s). As an absentee landlord. Ain't happening. Even if there is no electric, I'll be around, and any body that rents will have been lied to, and I'll tell them because I'll be there to do it. What a mess.
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