Re: Really Stupid Things I Tried

[Bob La Londe <none@none.com99>]

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.
  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.

--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff


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