Re: Really Stupid Things I Tried

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

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.

--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff


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