Thursday, April 30, 2009

IT'S A HARD LIFE!

Yep, It's a daily thing. I wake up in the a.m. with my jaw already clenched. The gentle tap tap tap at the back of my head that is the beginning of a tension headache. Where's it all gonna' end? Who knows?
What I do know, is that when things get truly overwhelming all I have to do is look at the dog.

NOW THAT'S A TOUGH LIFE !!!

Monday, April 13, 2009

THE FINAL ANALYSIS

So here's the final product on the way to it's home. What do you think for a hundred bucks? I calculated it out and figured that I made about three dollars an hour. Oh well, it actually got me at least one more job, so I guess, aside from the fact that, that hundred bucks came in handy, it was worth it!

The other part of this puzzle is that, having not worked in so long I had really begun to feel like I was some sort of a bum. Consequently, when the landlord came down to pick on me, I was a lot more bothered by it than I would normally have been. Having finished that small project, gotten it delivered, and getting more work off it though word of mouth, I'm feeling much more like my old self. Got some of the old pride back. Feels good! In the end Ms. Lea and I just decided that come hell or high water we are just going to have to move. Of course, it didn't hurt that the property manager found us another place. It's maybe not in as quite as nice an area, but it's still out in the woods, and the landlord is in California. YEAH!!!
Say a prayer for us though, cause it's not a done deal yet! Whatever the case we're done here!
And that's the FINAL ANALYSIS!!!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

FENDING FOR OURSELVES

So Wednesday I get a call from the union hall, the heart begins to speed up, blood pressure rises, adrenaline starts to tickle my brain, but wait, it's Wednesday, job calls are almost always on Thursday or Friday, hmmm.
There's a forklift training class being offered for Friday and Saturday, do you want to come? Well, my card is good for another year, but, the classes are from 7 am. to 3:30 pm., that means I'm out of the house and away from the prying eyes of the landlord for at least 10 hours, when you figure in the drive. Hell yeah I'm coming!!
Unfortunately, I got out a little early Saturday and got home at 1 pm, and was immediately heartattacked.
Now the spell check says that heartattacked is not a word. I beg to differ, it's just a word that most people don't hear used. It's a construction site word. What happens is this, you'll be working along on a wall form or some thing and you're two days from completion, when the Foreman comes around and says, " I just ordered concrete for that wall, it'll be here right after lunch." That's being heartattacked!!
The concrete is not really on it's way, it's just his way of saying that you're taking longer than he thinks you should.
My landlord is playing the same game. He's been here to inspect the property 3 times already this month and now I get another notice that he wants to come look around the 13th, again. The issue is fire season starts in June and he gave me a long list of things that need to be done before that comes about.
I'm not getting them done fast enough for him, the funny thing is, I can't remember seeing his name on a paycheck anywhere. In fact, I'm paying him for the privilege of being driven insane by his bullshit!!!
I guess there are those who are unfamiliar with the concept of commerce. What ever happened to the adage that the customer is always right. Me, being the renter, being the customer? Shouldn't he be working for me? not the other way around?
I've got my own stuff to do, I actually got about 6 orders off of Craigslist for chicken coops, and even though I'm actually making cents for the labor I'm putting in, it feels good to be doing some thing worthwhile, and making a few dollars to boot. Besides that, I think when these coops are done and I post pictures on C/L, I'll probably get even more orders. Although, at some point the price is going to have to go up, due to the fact that I'm running out of the scrounged materials that I had on hand.
As for the landlord, I read the rental contract, all I'm required to do, to to mow and water the lawn and maintain the yard within reason. I'm betting that the court won't see weed eating 5 acres as, "within reason." So he can go ahead and show up the 13th, and evict me if he wants, I'm done jumping through his stupid hoops. In fact, I'm gonna start calling the property manager every time I see him standing at the end of my driveway watching what I'm doing. I pay him to rent the place for myself and my family not to share it with him.
I'm going to have to be very careful now as I step down off my soapbox, so's I don't sprain an ankle or break a leg, that would make it very hard to continue fending for myself, eh?

Saturday, April 4, 2009

WORK WORK WORK

This is what I did today.

















This is what I wanted to do today!!!