Bummed and stressed

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Bummed and stressed

Postby Echo » Wed May 16, 2012 2:09 pm

I am big time bummed out and stressed to the point that I keep tearing up.

The job has me stressed out and I am not looking forward to having to talk to the lead guy tomorrow. I dread going into work at all tomorrow. :( I am hoping, praying and keeping my fingers crossed that there is another job at the park that I can transfer to.

The trailer really has me stressed out. The fridge has quit!!! I checked the level on the trailer in 3 different places. On the counter it shows that the trailer is dead on level which I know it's not. The table says it's fine front to back but off side to side. In the bathroom it also says it's off side to side but not to the same degree. I would have to either lower the door side or raise the other side. I have 2x6" boards under the tires on the door side but no way to move the trailer as I don't have my truck. And my bottle jack is in my truck. I am gonna go out and check the level on the tongue and the bumper. If I have to change my leveling I'm not sure what in the heck I'm gonna do about it. If I can adjust the level and that's not it? Then I am at a complete total loss as what to do. This trailer is about to drag me under emotionally and financially. After paying bills we have just enough money to last us until I get paid on the 25th. With the money that we have right now we need to buy groceries and gas to get back and forth to work.

I am seriously thinking about saying the hell with the whole full timing thing. I am gonna try and get/pass a DOT physical and maybe get a local driving job. IF I can pass the physical that is. Friend in Maine says I could probably get a job in FL driving tanker for the orange groves, plus she is the one whose son works in ND so I might check out that again. Plus BFF says that just across the state line where I was born and raised the area is booming from the natural gas wells there. So maybe that might work out? I just don't know at this point. I do know that Kelly and I can't continue in this way that's for sure.

OK, done ranting and with my pity party. I am NOT gonna say things can't get any worse because if I do? For sure they will and that will be the breaking point.
Echo
Who is a work camper of 4 seasons,
and now has a truck & travel trailer to live in!
Co-horts: daughter Kelly & 'Shade' the Pom.

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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby dayspring39 » Wed May 16, 2012 3:00 pm

Hang in there Echo... make decisions with a calm clear mind...
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby avalen » Wed May 16, 2012 5:53 pm

Kathleen is right, hang in there and don't make rash decisions when your so upset. When my fridge quit, and it did several times, it was
because of the defrost. I turned it off, defrosted and cleaned and turned it back on and it worked. I had to use a cooler to hold my
fridgables. I'm hoping and crossing my fingers yours just need a good defrosting. Whats up with your truck? Is it off getting fixed? I
must have missed that posting.
Will add you on my prayer list.
Somewhere with Ava and Maggie
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby ali1257 » Wed May 16, 2012 6:13 pm

Hugs to you Echo. Hang in there and definitely don't make a rash decision. Good luck with your talk tomorrow with the lead guy.
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby Nasoosie » Wed May 16, 2012 7:49 pm

Echo, I can feel your stress from here. First of all, get a cheap styrofoam cooler to keep your ice box stuff in until you can figure that out.

Then, why do you hate your job? Is it too fast? Is it too much? Is it not what you thought? Is it too many hours? Decide what it is you dread, and then talk calmly to the lead guy so that he can realize what it is you wish you could do.

Thirdly, what is Kelly doing for work? Can she take over for you and you take over for her? And if she isn't working, she needs to be, for sure.

Next, your truck will be fixed soon enough, and then you can at least get to shopping, or whatever you need a vehicle for.

Then what are your bills? Are you paying on the trailer? Are you paying for your truck? Is it cheaper than renting a place? What can you cut down on? If you smoke, for instance, the cost of ciggies is prohibitive now, financially, let alone medically for you. If you don't smoke, what other things could you cut back on?

As for food, maybe Ramen noodles casseroles would be a good start----I just bought a case of the chicken ones, 12 of them in the case, for $2.28 at WalMart. Ask if you can get any leftovers at the restaurant to add to the noodles, and you will have a meal! I have been very creative with mine!

And finally, remember that you still have a better home to live in than you did in your tent! No matter if the ice box works, or not, you have a dry place to crash when you are beat. I remember the horror stories of the tent! Try to save as much money as you can for a rainy day down the line.

In the meantime, relax, kick back until tomorrow, rest up, write things down, come up with a tentative plan. I will be thinking of you.
Life is about learning to dance in the rain
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby MsJane » Wed May 16, 2012 8:15 pm

dayspring39 wrote:Hang in there Echo... make decisions with a calm clear mind...Kathleen

Ditto!

Sorry that you are going through this. I know it can't be easy and even at time over whelming.

As already posted try using a cooler for cold food temporary to help cut out a bit of stress. If you are in a campground consider asking your neighbors for help with figuring out the leveling problem.
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby bikerchic777 » Wed May 16, 2012 10:03 pm

I fully understand your anxiety! I felt much the same winter before last, when I started my workamping job in AZ. I HATED IT!!! I prayed and prayed about it and managed to find a way to cope. I couldn't find a paying job and when I finally did, I could barely make it through a day there. I went to church and got up the courage to go back to the prayer room afterward. There was the nicest lady. I can still remember her name...Mary. She prayed for me and I left it in God's hands. I quit stressing and got out and enjoyed my time off by hiking and making friends. As you know, this past winter, I did get a 2nd job, working for a vendor at the swap meet. I didn't particularly care for it, but it did pay my bills. Talking to your supervisor is a good idea. I'm sure that since you are a hard worker, they will accommodate you. It sounds like you have some good backup plans, just in case. There are also still campgrounds on Workamper News looking for workampers for the summer. Be calm about the fridge. If you are pretty level, it's probably not the problem. Defrost the thing and see it that works. If it works on propane or electric, try the other source. Also, check with the mfr to see if there is a recall. Many of them have one. I will pray for you, girl! Hang in there and take a deep breath ;)
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby snowball » Wed May 16, 2012 10:18 pm

Echo
all the suggestions given have potential...think the most important is to sit back and breathe slowly and deeply
Stress is not your friend now or ever...create a list even start with what to do to fix the refrigerator. Is your son close
enough he can come and help and usually campers will help it's hard to ask though isn't it?
As to the job can totally understand not liking it would bet that it is hard I remember last year you had health issues
so you need to take care not to recreate that..My thoughts are with you in making decisions that will make life
more pleasant
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby Echo » Wed May 16, 2012 11:00 pm

Where to begin?

Son David has the truck. He has already done upper and lower ball joints and a couple of other things. The upper control arm on the right side was shot. Right now we are waiting for David to have a day off as we have already ordered 3 and all of them were wrong. So David is doing what he did not want to do and he's gonna get one off a truck in a junk yard. This really goes against his wishes but we just can not find one anywhere in the parts stores and Chevy no longer makes that part. Since the big bail out Chevy has discontinued a lot of parts for older vehicles. So have the other auto makers. Right now I am driving his '80' something Blazer. And he has already let me know that when I am done with it and have my truck back he is taking the plates and ins off the Blazer. He's not really happy that I'm driving it as much as I am and the thing drinks tranny fluid like it's going out of style! He worries that it is in rough shape and might break down on me. He plans on using it for an off road vehicle only when I'm done. But for now at least it's a vehicle and it gets me back and forth to work.

As for work, I don't plan on quitting. If they can't find me something else I will just have to tough it out. I don't hate the job but after being warned that Saturday was a good example of what it's gonna be like this summer??? I don't feel like I am going to be able to keep up for the rest of the summer. Saturday was horrible! By time Saturday was over I was exhausted and sore all over. The restaurant is a sit down buffet style. So while the teens don't come in the young families and older crowd all come in and we get swamped. I got 56hrs in this pay period and my check was $333. Sure didn't stretch very far. Kelly is working here at the campground which is a really big help cause we get our site for free and because she is working 6 days a week they are paying her $50 a week under the table. Between paying 3 credit cards, gas, phone that was above normal because of activation fees, propane and a few other things? Ouch. And yes Kelly is interested in getting another job in the evenings. If I had an easier job and they didn't jump my hours around between morning, afternoons and evenings, I would look for something else extra too. But they have me working 3 different shifts during the week.

I took the level out and checked the level on the tongue, the bumper and on the edges of the windows. All in all it's sitting pretty dang level. Side to side I am only off by maybe half a bubble. Front to back it's perfect. And to tell the truth I wish it were a little lower in the back so that the rain water would drain off the roof that way. So I just don't know at this point. There's no problem with having to much ice in the fridge!!! It defrosted on the trip home and it is sure defrosted now. I had to sop water out of the freezer earlier. But there really wasn't that much water to begin with. For whatever reason? We've never had a problem with frost or ice build up in the freezer. At the age of the thing? Go figure!

I do have a decent sized cooler to use but will have to keep it outside as there sure isn't much room in here. I am so very thankful and grateful that we hadn't already gone and bought our groceries already!!! That would have been really heartbreaking. As for Ramin noodles? Oh yeah we eat them! We try to not spend a huge amount on groceries. But hamburger and some veggies in the Ramin goes a long way. And we eat them just plain too.

As for coming off the road? Yeah I am seriously thinking about it. But ONLY if I can pass a DOT physical! If I can and I get my CDL license back I have a couple options open that might work out. The pay would be really good and I would be driving local not over the road like I did before. But I could park the TT for a year or a little longer and save money to upgrade my rig. I'm kicking around the idea of a class C and maybe tow a Jeep. But that is hopefully in the future. An upgrade would relieve some stress and it would be nice to have a rig where the toilet and shower both worked! ;) If I could find a really good paying job and still live in the TT in a campground? Yeah it might be worth it to sit still for awhile. Would be cheaper to sit than travel if I want to save enough to upgrade.

No rash decisions will be made on this end. Just can't do that. So come what may I will muddle thru and do whatever I have to. After this is all over I am promising myself that I will at least still have my hair. My sanity?? That might be a different story.
Echo
Who is a work camper of 4 seasons,
and now has a truck & travel trailer to live in!
Co-horts: daughter Kelly & 'Shade' the Pom.

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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby dayspring39 » Wed May 16, 2012 11:24 pm

This is the perfect place to vent and get things off your chest... we care about you and want you to succeed and be happy in the process... glad you feel like you can share with us... hugs to you Echo I too remember the tent wow that was so brave of you to come and freeze with us!!!
Kathleen
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby Travelinana » Thu May 17, 2012 7:11 am

Echo, So sorry for the problems of job and fridg issue. This truly isn't the time to make a change. You are bone tired, it is evident in your words. Every problem seems insurmountable when you are exhausted. Though we can't help with anything other than expressing our concern, keep talking to us and maybe just in 'unloading' it will help your stress. God Bless and I have you in my prayers.
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby AlmostThere » Thu May 17, 2012 10:22 am

Thinking about you and wondering how your day is going with talking to the lead. Praying all goes well.
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby Irmi » Thu May 17, 2012 10:42 am

Echo, I can't add to what has already been said but wanted to let you know you're in my thoughts today and I hope you come back later with good news.
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby JudyJB » Thu May 17, 2012 2:28 pm

You are in a resort area where the season is just starting, so there must be other people hiring. I know you are exhausted, but maybe you or your daughter could ask around a bit and find something less stressful and at a higher rate of pay.

It does not seem fair that you should be working so hard for so little money, especially since you are reliable and a hard worker, to say the least!!

Good luck with HR tomorrow!
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Re: Bummed and stressed

Postby PeggyinCT » Thu May 17, 2012 3:36 pm

Echo I'm sending you a Big Hug. $333. for 56 hours??? Is that your gross wage or after deductions. The minimum wage for Kentucy is $7.25. For 56 hrs your gross wage should be $405.
Since you don't get tips, you should be earning the min wage. Are you sure you are being paid correctly?

Hang in there
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