Re: Really Stupid Things I Tried

[ABLE1 <somebody@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 4/8/2024 7:02 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> On 3/31/2024 4:32 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
>> On 3/31/2024 6:17 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>>> On 3/30/2024 7:07 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
>>>> On 3/30/2024 9:03 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>>>>> On 3/30/2024 4:43 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
>>>>>> On 3/30/2024 6:11 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>>>>>>> I tried to do little extra things to help my guys out, but it was
>>>>>>> never appreciated.  Stupid things I tried included:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I once asked a local hotdog place to run a tab for me, and told
>>>>>>> my guys if they "ran out of cash" before the next pay day they
>>>>>>> could use my tab there.  They bitched me out up one side and down
>>>>>>> the other because they didn't want to eat hotdogs EVERY F'IN
>>>>>>> day.  I closed the tab.  I didn't say I was buying lunch every
>>>>>>> F'N day.  I had figured I'd have to pick up the tab for them a
>>>>>>> day or two a couple times a month.  Yeah, the tab looked like
>>>>>>> they had been inviting all their friends, family, neighbors, and
>>>>>>> that weird guy down the street they didn't even like.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I once put a couple cases of sodas in the office fridge and told
>>>>>>> a guy if he was thirsty he could grab a soda out of the office
>>>>>>> fridge. Two days later it was empty.  I didn't say anything, and
>>>>>>> on day three he rather pointedly told me I was GOING TO HAVE TO
>>>>>>> restock the office fridge.  He'd been talking an arm load out to
>>>>>>> his service truck every morning.  I unplugged the office fridge
>>>>>>> the next day and told him it was broke and I couldn't afford a
>>>>>>> new one after supplying him with an 18 pack of sodas every day.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I once told a guy I kept spare change in the ash tray of my truck
>>>>>>> if he needed to buy a soda.  Just to see I dumped about ten
>>>>>>> dollars worth of quarters in it (plus what was already in there).
>>>>>>> At the end of the week he dutifully TOLD ME I need to put more
>>>>>>> money in the ashtray.  I said, sorry.  "That was for if you ran
>>>>>>> out of money, but now I have run out of money.  I don't know How
>>>>>>> I'm going to make payroll.  I'm ten dollars short.  Just the
>>>>>>> amount I kept in the ashtray."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I used to keep extra fuel in gas cans in one of my service
>>>>>>> trucks. One guy kept telling me He needed to fuel his truck every
>>>>>>> other day. I followed him to the gas stations and sat across the
>>>>>>> street and watched when he filled the gas cans, but didn't put
>>>>>>> any fuel in my truck.  I took the gas cans out, installed locking
>>>>>>> caps, and filled the trucks myself every weekend after that.
>>>>>>> Nobody every said anything about the locking gas caps, but that
>>>>>>> one guy did try to tell me he needed gas in his truck twice after
>>>>>>> that.  "Nope.  I filled it yesterday.  You do not."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Early on when we had a slow day I would ask the guys if they
>>>>>>> wanted to go home or go fishing.  I paid for everything when we
>>>>>>> went fishing of course.  One guy got mad when it was a day to
>>>>>>> work, and said, "Bob you are a good fishing partner, but a lousy
>>>>>>> boss."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Yeah, I know.  I was a total douche bag for cutting off your
>>>>>>> flow of free hotdogs for your extended family, friends,
>>>>>>> neighbors, and that weird guy down the street you don't even like."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Well golly gee whiz Bob!!!
>>>>>> Are you so bored that bad memories pop back into your head??
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And yes, your typing caused me to start and remember employee
>>>>>> issues............  Bla Bla Bla............
>>>>>>
>>>>>> For me I made the decision that I was working harder with an
>>>>>> employee than without.  So I did not hire any after the last.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Life was much better!!  When I needed help I used guys that
>>>>>> had there own 1 man business as a sub-contractor.  At the
>>>>>> end of the job, I would get a bill for labor and I happily
>>>>>> pay it out.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As for your stories, I am sure you should get more busy so
>>>>>> your memories will not bother your brain.  LOL
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I hope you have plans to go a bit east on April 8th!!  Wouldn't
>>>>>> want you miss the special event!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Les
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> This week I plan to make a test run hauling a 3/4 ton truck with a
>>>>> 3/4 ton truck.  60 miles to go get it in Dateland and 60 miles back
>>>>> over Telegraph pass.  The plan is to see if I can load and secure
>>>>> it solo. Should be a good test run for my truck and goose neck
>>>>> trailer. Should also be a good test for the new brakes on a hill I
>>>>> know I can drive without trailer brakes if I have to.
>>>>>
>>>>> This week I put new axles on the trailer with new electric brakes,
>>>>> because the old brakes were a combination of bad and missing, and
>>>>> nobody anywhere had trailer brake hubs that would fit the old
>>>>> axles. Being drop axles swapping the spindles was a bit more work
>>>>> than you might think.
>>>>>
>>>>> I still need to finish wiring up the brakes and break away controller.
>>>>>
>>>>> If it works I'll do the same thing again a day or two later.  Only
>>>>> this time through the mountains up to Show Low and back.  Best case
>>>>> is a little over 5-1/2 hours one way.  I'm rounding up my dad's old
>>>>> vehicles for salvage or repair.  I have two people interested in
>>>>> buying the two 3/4 ton (both are Cummins Diesel Dodges) as is, but
>>>>> I might fix one up and keep it as a backup tow rig.  I'm learning
>>>>> the Duramax in my truck might not have the long life I was lead to
>>>>> believe it should.  Its okay, but I am seeing them fail at lower
>>>>> mileage than I was told to expect.
>>>>>
>>>>> While I am in Show Low I have to make a plan for pulling a park
>>>>> model (my folks old summer home) out of the park where it is.  They
>>>>> WANT IT OUT.  There is a tool shed full of tools I am told, some
>>>>> things in the park model, and of course the truck that will be
>>>>> coming back with me on this first run.  While I am there I have to
>>>>> come up with a plan for the park model... with tip outs.  Manual
>>>>> tip outs.  Technically it is a travel trailer, but its huge.  With
>>>>> tip outs.  Lots of trees have grown up around it since it was
>>>>> placed and I may not be able to just pull it out.  My truck can
>>>>> handle it, and I have a couple stabilizer hitches. The hitch was
>>>>> dropped from the trailer, but I am told its still there. I just
>>>>> hope the axles are still on it.  Tires could be an issue...  The
>>>>> park has given me an April 15th deadline. They won't even accept
>>>>> rent unless my mom actually goes there to stay. Assholes.  I may
>>>>> put an add on the local Facebook groups in Show Low. Free park
>>>>> model.  Must remove by April 15th.  It was built in 1977.  I have
>>>>> the current registration tab sitting on my desk.
>>>>>
>>>>> Still need to empty out my dad's work shop, storage containers,
>>>>> house, old hardware store etc...  I've posted a few of his things
>>>>> for sale on Facebook, but the vultures are out in force.  Like new
>>>>> THINGIE. Tested works perfect.  Sells for $$$.  Asking half that
>>>>> FIRM AND ETCHED IN STONE.  "Oh, will you take 1¢ on the dollar of
>>>>> your asking price?" Selling shit sucks.  I am reminded why I threw
>>>>> so much good stuff in the dumpster when I shut down The Security
>>>>> Consultant.
>>>>>
>>>>> Part of my plan is to haul his cargo containers to my place and
>>>>> drop them behind my shop.  That will reduce some of my headaches.
>>>>> My shop is already full of tools, and now I have a bunch of his
>>>>> stuff in my shop just in the way, and its starting to over flow the
>>>>> space I had left in my cargo container.
>>>>>
>>>>> ... and I still have to find the time to run the shop.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Well OK then, your itinerary is F-U-L-L of too much STUFF!!!
>>>> For me every day is a Saturday and today was a Double Saturday!!
>>>>
>>>> Next Saturday we are taking a trip to Niagara Falls so we will
>>>> be in the best location on April 8th!!
>>>>
>>>> Hoping for no clouds!!  Will get a double whammy at 3:17pm with the
>>>> Horseshoe Falls lighting up and the Solar Eclipse.   Y-A-H-O-O!!
>>>>
>>>> Les
>>>>
>>>
>>> This morning I refused to work on any shop stuff.  I know.  I know.
>>> Its Easter Sunday.  My wife and mom went off to Easter Mass, and I
>>> fixed a table that belonged to my wife's grandma.  Then I expected
>>> them back, but no sign of them so I walked out and looked at the
>>> goose neck trailer.  There are a couple extra lights on the back that
>>> I had no idea what they were for.  I went ahead and tied them into
>>> the running lights. Â Â Gives me two extra tail lights to reduce the
>>> odds of a revenue stop when I go through some broke ass county in
>>> central Arizona.  Then I sat there and stared at the upper deck for a
>>> while trying to figure out how to mount a winch up there.  I've got a
>>> 12 ton Warn winch that's a spare (sorta).  I have a Badlands 12 ton
>>> on the Jeep, but I would like to use this winch on other things.  Its
>>> on a 2" draw bar mount so it can be portable.  A few years ago I
>>> welded a draw tube onto another trailer for this purpose, but this
>>> one isn't so nicely laid out for that.  I finally figured out a plan
>>> and welded half of the plan in place.  I doubt any stores are open
>>> today, and I need parts.  I guess I'll have to wait until Monday.
>>> Now to figure out where my wife and mom are off to...  or maybe I
>>> should grab a fishing pole and head on down to the canal bank.
>>>
>>> Les, there is a neat affect I've heard almost nobody talk about
>>> during an eclipse.  Stand under a tree that has loose leaves.  One
>>> with lots of spots of sunlight shining through.  During the eclipse
>>> look at the light and shadow on the ground under the tree.  Its a lot
>>> cooler than that stupid shadow box they tried to impress us with in
>>> grade school.
>>
>> Yes Bob, I have seen the tree thing on some videos.  Where I was at in
>> 2017 South Carolina the trees were too far away to go a lookie!!
>> Then up and until totality we had clouds..... Then as the totality ended
>> the clouds cleared. :-)
>>
>> Today I worked on setting up my Nikon and Tripod to get the angles
>> right.  I want to get a video, the 3.5 minutes before and after.
>> I think I have everything as best I can at this point.  I got a
>> UV filter and built a box for camera lens to fit into.  Works quite
>> well.  I built one for my iPhone as well, just in case!!
>>
>> It all comes down to the day and the time it happens! Fingers Crossed!!
>>
>> BTW a piece of cardboard with a 1/4" hole will work as well.
>>
>> Les
>>
>
>
> So, how was your eclipse vacation Les?  I thought about it briefly.
> About 11:20 was max coverage here supposedly.  (60% I think)  I
> considered walking at and looking at the shadows under the trees, but
> I'm just not having any fun these days. Been trying to buy a new truck,
> and dealerships just suck.  I'm tempted to fly across country and buy
> the truck I want several thousand dollars cheaper and drive it back just
> to spite the local dealerships.  I think I'm going to grab a fishing
> pole and go dunk some rubber worms.  I should work, but I need to relax
> if only for five minutes.
>
>
>
>
Hi Bob,

As for an Eclipse Story, I will give you the short version.

We went to Goat Island, Niagara Falls, NY. early and parked the
car in one of last spots.  Then we took the Trolley Loop and got back at
about 2PM.  Went out to the observation location to see the 'Falls' at
the same time.  Oh, did I mention that the sky was covered with
CLOUDS!!!  Anyhow, they did clear briefly and I did get 1 (best shot) I
got!!  No that was not the best, then all got V-E-R-Y D-A-R-K and I got
a few pictures of Niagara Falls, Ontario with night lights at 3:18pm
afternoon!!  Then after the sky lit up again the mass of HOOMANNS
started to evacuate.  It was NUTS!!!  But, it was a good ADVENTURE!!

Ok, that is the short version!!

Have a better day!!

Les