After Lisa's gush, I hesitate to assess my own standing with the universe. I guess I'll do a good news-bad news format.
I did a week at a Jewish kids camp which is good news. It was easy (worked maybe 3 hours -- got paid for 12. Little monsters didn't devour me, and in 6 days, I made more than I made at the hospital in the last three months. For us non-kid types, the complaints were pretty lame: My bug bites itch; I threw up this morning; My tummy hurts; I'm cramping on my period. My personal reaction was "How nice for you, and what am I supposed to do about it?" but I managed to soothe their psyches. Actually the most well-mannered, respectful group of kids I've ever dealt with. The religion is as baffling, illogical, and superstitious as any I've come across, but I sure can't argue with the product. I'd do it again any time.
Then I came back to the world of Bean Rd., wood, Bubba and other assorted problems. Our former tenant, along with stiffing us for the rent, tore off the front porch, and stole two wood stoves, a ceiling fan and a sump pump out of the basement. In addition, the guy in the trailer that he brought in as an illegal sublet, refuses to leave. This worthy uses a kerosene space heater while he's on oxygen, helped himself to the neighbors water and in so doing flooded his basement. (Disconnected hose to kids swimming pool, which siphoned back into the basement.) He also goes through the neighbor's mail box on a regular basis. I had posted an ultimatum on his door before I left which he, of course, ignored.
So I took Bubba down and dragged his trailer out in the middle of the field where he can't reach power, water, sewer etc. This pissed him off and he called the sheriff to have me arrested for assault. I learned about this from the sheriff when he came out so I could file charges against the former tenent for theft.
You might be wondering why the sheriff doesn' throw this guy out (back to trailer guy now). So am I. Basically, they're too terrified of getting sued to do anything. He said he will only evict him if I get a court order. I assured him I had no intention of spending $1500 -- 2000 to remove someone who never had any right to be there in the first place.
Now, however, another sheriff has told trailer guy he has no right to be there and he has to leave. Stay tuned. I don't care if it goes to the first turn-out on Hwy 101, the dump, or Albertson's parking lot, but it is going.
After I moved it, he came and got some stuff and went to some other people's house. They dumped him back again the next day, reportedly for selling methadone off their front porch. If he still tries to occupy it, and they tell me moving it of our property is theft, then I'm going to park it on the very edge of the bank above the pond. The very edge as near as I can see while backing up Bubba.
We have recovered one stove that the first tenant stole, and he appears headed for jail. I'm hoping to get some money from him in exchange for dropping the charges, but I'll also be perfectly happy if he goes to jail. Actually, I think I'd be happier.
Any way Bean Rd. has been pretty much a full time project. After getting jerked around for a couple weeks, the other good news is I finally got our new investment account open and funded and in the market. The associated bad news with that is I told them to start on Wed. the 25th. If you were wondering why the market crashed Thur., you need wonder no longer. I figured (depending on which way they bet) we'd either be stopped out or have a huge gain. Neither. We made $165. I'll take it.
Trying to get started on vacation Monday; whether land first or boat first remains to be seen. However as of this morning, we have no water, which probably means the well pump has gone to its final reward, and since the well is 400 feet deep, it probably translates to $2000.
Dave