Camp Hosts – Week 3 & 4
Sunday, January 15, 2017
I have decided I like Jimmy Dean sausage patties better than Bob Evans. They are slightly smaller & a little leaner & just taste better. So, that’s what I’ll get from now own. Learn as you go. Eggs from Tracie Pollard’s chickens were delish & much appreciated. Her friendship is even more special. And I’m still using the bacon I cooked at home before our great adventure began. Only using 2 slices a day makes it last (frozen) for many days.
We cleaned up the bath houses & firepits in Campground #1 & spent some more time getting our new campsite more cozy. I went home to shower & pick up a few needed supplies. When I got back, Perry did the same. The pups & I sat out in the beautiful fresh air & waved at all the people who passed by. This new location is PERFECT – more people to interact with!
We had Easy Peesy – one of my Freezer to Crockpot meals along with grilled potatoes & a salad. I think this dish will be replaced on my list as it’s not my favorite – or even close to it. Not bad, just not the best. We were both so tired we went to bed early. After being asleep for just an hour Spice let us know there were people a little too close to the trailer talking. After being set away from the other areas of campers for a couple weeks, the sounds are different. The people moved on & all was quiet after that.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Breakfast was fixed & enjoyed a little earlier than normal since it’s our “day off” & we needed to get home. We did clean bath house #1 thoroughly & did our other chores even though the other two hosts would have taken care of it for us.
Once home we went over to Fajita Mexican Grill on Railroad Street & had lunch. It’s one of the best Mexican restaurants around – we are lucky to have it in Statham. Back at home we took showers & then went shopping. WalMart, Hobby Lobby & Sam’s. It was so good to run into my friend Cathe & her beautiful, EXPECTING, daughter Rachael. Rachael GLOWS & Cathe is an excited future grandmother!
We bought a BUNCH of meats at Sam’s & I immediately got busy separating them into two person packs & making a multitude of marinades for each. They are doing their thing in ziplock bags in the fridge tonight & then will be transferred to the freezer. That’s 31 meals that will be ready to defrost & grill as needed.
It was getting late so we drove over to Cheddars for dinner instead of going back to Wilbur & grilling. We needed some down time. We did go back to the house & take the trash out, straighten up any messes we made & load up the pups to return to camp.
I’ve caught up with my blog & will now rest easier knowing it’s done!
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
The new location we are in presents a different situation than before. At the Camper Cabins it was QUIET – no one within sight at all. In Site #1, we are surrounded by other campers & some folks talk louder than they think early in the morning. I would probably sleep right through that but not Spice. Nope, she wants to join the conversation with growls & little yipes. <sigh>
Breakfast was done & cleaned up & all chores were handled within an hour. We then returned to our house in Statham so I could work in The Soap Studio & Perry could do some running around about Statham City Council business. I’m not going into that because this is a POSITIVE blog & I won’t let Negative Nelly’s influence my serenity.
We both got much done & then had dinner at our local Mexican restaurant. Perry went off to the City Council Meeting & I stayed home, out of the conversation of some. (Remember, if you wrestle with a pig in a mud puddle, you’ll get dirty but the pig & her sucklings will like it.) All was done in an hour & he was home & happy. We loaded up the girls & returned to camp & the peacefulness that it brings to mind, body & soul. We sure are lucky with this life of ours.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
These two happy campers slept beautifully & didn’t stir until 7:30. We did the camp audit (our turn this week) & delivered it to the park office. After breakfast I made a grocery list – time to restock the supplies. Then we did chores & I headed home to work in The Soap Studio.
I had a long soak in the tub, did laundry, broiled LOTS of bacon & froze it for morning breakfasts & packaged some products for my soap business. I’ll head home EARLY tomorrow & make soap. I’m still trying to catch up after the BIG Christmas season.
Perry stayed at camp most of the day & made sure all the campsites were in perfect condition. Then he came home & took a shower. We FORGOT all about the afternoon campsite audit so we did it when we got back to the park. We drove around the campgrounds on the Gator they provide but it will be my first – & last – venture out on that. Rough ride & so loud I couldn’t hear what Perry was saying while sitting right next to me.
We chased down an incoming camper to get him registered & set up & talked to a few more we saw. I love the conversations with fellow campers. We share a common love of the adventures!
Dinner was grilled chicken, zucchini & squash stir fry & a salad. Life is good.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Our morning routine is a little wacky with us doing the park audits before breakfast each day. And then we forget to take the afternoon audit at 4 consistently. One day we didn’t get it to the office before they closed but they were forgiving of us when we showed up with it the next morning.
After the audit is breakfast & chores. Those take an hour usually but sometimes we put a lot more into the tasks. I may mop the bath house floors if we have muddy spots or Perry may decide to blow off all the campsites & sometimes the roads that seems to shrink when the pine needles & leaves thicken on the edges. Perry has also been enhancing our host site by making gravel walks to the tool shed & a place to park the Gator the park provides the host for transportation. It’s all good & we are enjoying being volunteers for this awesome park.
I went home to work for awhile & get mail orders out. Life goes on, bills have to be paid & cats have to be looked after. Perry came home to shower & then do a small grocery run. And I returned to the park just in time for the afternoon audit.
Dinner was crockpot Café Rio Chicken. It was delish & very different. We cleaned up the camper & then I left to do my Planning Board stint for the county. Perry invited the other campground hosts over to sit out at the fire so I joined them upon my return.
It was an early night. The rain woke us a couple times with its intensity but all was good & we slept well.
Friday, January 20, 2017
We slept so peacefully we didn’t wake until 8 – an hour past our usual time. So we had to hurry our audit & chores along. We stuck around the campground until noon & then went home to do some laundry & still more mail orders. We dropped in at Fajuita Mexican Grill for lunch & had a short walk around downtown. Perry returned to camp after stopping at the grocery & I stayed behind to bathe a couple stinky pups & finish the laundry.
Robby, Lisa & Lily came out to have dinner with us. We grilled steaks & roasted some potatoes & had a salad. I love when these people I cherish so much come to visit – we share so much laughter & good memories are made. Robby & Lisa left & we roasted marshmellows for smores on the campfire with Lily. She, of course, had to do the marshmellow fire bomb thing & watch the gooey mess turn black & fall off the long fork. It’s the thing.
Lily & Pops watched a movie while I blogged. Then the Princess & I crawled into the big bed while Pops took the pups for a walk. It’s our time to girl chat about life & all that makes us unique as a family.
Lily asked how her name for me became “Honey”. You see, when Robby was about 3 or 4, he watched Dick Tracy with Warren Beatty. Mr Tracy referred to women as “Toots” throughout the film & Robby thought that was pretty cool. I became “Toots” which was only funny for a split second. Sometimes though, if you object too loudly, the “joke” escalates so I kept quiet for a few days. Then this sweet little white cat wandered up in our yard, pregnant & so malnourished. We took her in & made her our own – for the following 21 years. I decided her name was “Toots” with the explanation to Robby that he could NOT call me that name any more or the cat would be confused. That made sense to the little guy. However, he didn’t think it was cool to call me “Mom” again so he picked up on his dad’s name for me which was “Honey”. I liked that name MUCH more. That lasted just a few years until I became “Mom” again. So, when Robby & Lisa asked what I would like their new baby to call me when she was born, I decided being called “Honey” was a happy memory & that is the name I choose. Lily was happy with the explanation & said she would refrain from calling me “Toots”. Thank goodness!
Saturday, January 21, 2017
A sweet little whispered voice woke me up at 6:30, asking if I was awake. I was then. Lily & I loved on the pups who also slept with us & finally Perry stirred. The rain started at about 7:30 & by noon, it had not let up in the slightest. After breakfast (boiled eggs because that’s what the Princess requested), Lily & Pops watched another movie or two. The volume had to be turned up to be louder than the constant rain coming down. Lily colored a few pictures & played with magnets she enjoys. Then I made her some noodles & butter because that’s what she wanted. She usually leaves at noon but we told her parents to wait until the rain lightened up. It wasn’t getting better so they ended up coming at 1:30 to get her.
Our campsite is waterlogged. YIKES! The good news is that Perry is able to see where the water is getting blocked & will be able to make small ditches to get it away for future rains. Also, the park had very few campers who were not moving about much. This means the bath houses got VERY little use. See, a silver lining!
Perry went home to check on the cats & bring in the packages that were delivered by UPS & the like. The RING doorbell notified me when they came although I didn’t speak to the delivery people through the microphone. I’m just glad I can see the delivery & keep an eye on the packages. I LOVE that devise!
I made Chicken Stew for dinner in the crockpot. It tasted much like Chicken Pot Pie – a fav of mine – minis the crust. And we spent the evening quietly in Wilbur, cozy & dry. We did visit with a few campers who came by for firewood – I’m not sure they stayed dry around the fire but to each their own. The temp isn’t uncomfortable so there’s that.
Life is good when camping!
Sunday, January 22, 2017
3am is NOT when my brain kicks into action! The most horrendous alarm sounded just outside Wilbur at this early morning hour. BLARE – BLARE – BLARE! And it went on, non-stop! The rain was pouring down at that time so we just knew it was a camp tornado alarm & we were preparing to evacuate to the bath house. We each grabbed a dog & headed out the door when we realized the sound was coming from our own fire detector I had set on the table just outside the door while making breakfast the day before. (I have a habit of setting it off with my “smokin’ hot” cooking.) So, we retreated back into the camper, drenched & hoping other campers were not out scrambling for cover as we were minutes before. <sigh> My goal today is to find out if there is, indeed, a camp alarm & what the procedures are for a Camp Host. Do we go around & grab other campers out of bed in their PJ (or naked) or what? It took awhile to get back to sleep & quiet a very frightened dog but we did sleep in later than usual. Note to self: a wet fire alarm will set off a screech like no other.
After breakfast & blog time, I went home to soak in the jets while Perry did the audit & chores. I then got busy in The Soap Studio & set up tomorrow’s soap making project. Four hours today reduces tomorrow’s work to three hours & I’ll then have time to make a batch of shave soap & face soap. I have a list a mile long of stuff that needs to be made prior to our first Spring show. It’s crazy!
Back at the camp, I made a salad, corn & rice to go along with the crockpot beef tips I put on earlier in the day. And the glass of wine made me soooo sleepy. The weather is threatening to be challenging again so I’ll “retire” early in anticipation of the middle of the night adventures we are likely to experience.
Monday, January 23, 2017
The rain was either lighter during the night or I was out for the count. Anyway, sleep was bliss.
After breakfast I scooted home to make LOTS of soap – I MUST get ahead of the game in anticipation of the Spring sales! Cranberry, Coconut & English Gentleman were the fragrances front & center today – it smelled heavenly! I also did laundry & garbage duty. Perry hung out at the park with the other hosts & visited a bunch of geese at the shoreline. There are just a couple campers in the park at the moment so it’s quiet. Hoping this weekend brings more people around. We LOVE the company!
Crockpot Shipwreck was for dinner & it was fantastic – one of my favs. Tired & happy. It will be an early night.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
It’s our day off but we still did a light cleaning on the bath house before we headed home. After the home chores, I headed over to Loganville to do a complete product switch out at My Sister’s Antique store. It’s been far too long since I was there & the display was looking a bit barren. I need to return VERY soon to add more soap & new signage. However, the fresh products I moved in look fabulous & the smell is wonderful according to the staff. I also stopped by Second Hand Rose in Statham but felt it was too close to 5 so I told Michelle I’d bring all her new things the next day instead of delaying her closing.
Back at home I unloaded my car & finished a load of laundry I started earlier in the day. I decided to make some Cloud Bread to take to camp. My first 2 batches (only 10 rounds per batch) were flops. Even the slightest bit of yoke in the whites when blended will prevent them from fluffing up in the oven. But the last 2 batches were perfect. I took the last pans out of the oven & placed the rounds on the cooling rack. I then covered them with a tea towel while we went out for a quick bite to eat with friends in Statham. We couldn’t have been gone an hour. That was apparently plenty of time for our cat Pewter to discover the fluffy, warm softness of the “nest” on which she laid down & fell asleep. She squished that bread right through the wires! Let’s just say it’s a good thing she runs fast when I scream.
We returned to camp late (nearly didn’t get in the gate before it was locked for the night). All was quiet & peaceful & we are forever grateful for this great adventure.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
While Perry took on the cleaning duties singlehandedly, I went home to pack a box of products for delivery to another store & check on the cats. I then went to lunch with my friend Shannon who also had her dad & a couple really good friends with her. We solved all the world problems within the hour & then Shannon & I went to her salon, “Head Games” in Winder to assess what products she needs to fill out the space in which she sells Sweet Tea’s Soaps & Stuff products. I determined she needs a much bigger shelving unit as this new location she is in is so much bigger & better than the one she had before. Now to FIND a shelving unit for her …. I also got my hair did by one of her people. I LOVE it! I will be going there all the time now!
When I returned to Statham, I stopped at Second Hand Rose again & filled up her shelves with products. She needed a LOT of goods as the Holiday Season was brisk business! There are still a few things I need to take to her soon. Back home, I unloaded my car & headed back to camp.
Perry had taken care of the Camp Host duties perfectly all day. We made Cowboy Crockpot Chicken for dinner (okay, it was in the crockpot all day doing it’s cooking on its own) & then just relaxed for the evening.
Sleep was interrupted by another screeching alarm! I immediately grabbed the fire alarm off the ceiling but I had taken the batteries out the last time it malfunctioned. The blaring was awful & it was INSIDE Wilbur this time. We finally located the source – it was the carbon monoxide detector just below the fridge. NO gas was being used in the camper so we suspect the electric space heater was a tad too close to the sensor & it set it off. What is with these alarms?!? Zero to a hundred on the adrenalin is surely not good for us in the middle of the night!
Thursday, January 26, 2017
I decided to stick around camp & do a deep clean of the bath house with Perry as the weekend report shows a LOT of campers coming in to stay. Even a deep clean only takes a couple of hours to do now that the rooms have been taken care of properly. Perry cleaned firepits & blew off the sites & then came to mop the bathrooms after everything else was seen to. I guess we used too much bleach though because we were both affected by it. Hot coffee & cough drops took care of the tickle in the throat eventually.
I went home & did some online orders, paid bills & put away a good bit of supplies that were delivered & then I returned to camp. We had grilled chicken, noodles & a salad & watched some TV. Life is good.
Friday, January 27, 2017
The morning was pretty laid back as I decided I didn’t want to work on Sweet Tea’s stuff all day. We had a leisurely breakfast & a quick clean-up in the bath houses to make sure all looked good. I went home to take a shower & Perry came home, too. He bathed stinky Sugar while I took my horribly dirty car over to the car wash in Athens – the sun hits the windshield in such an angle at this time of year that the build up inside is blinding.
While Perry scooted back to camp, I did some relabeling in The Soap Studio & made a big dish of Mac & Cheese for Lily who was coming for dinner at the park. When I got back to camp, we got hamburger fixin’s ready along with a salad & the Mac & Cheese before Robby, Lisa & Lily joined us. We LOVE our Friday Family night dinners with them! However, the time speeds by way too fast.
After the kids left we ventured out into the cold night to greet MANY new arrivals in the park & get everyone set up with firewood. Seems like everyone is having fun! Perry did have to visit one of the campsites to remind a couple of the 10pm quiet hour. They were sitting in the cab of their truck with the music turned up, singing as loud as they could. Perry knocked on the window & they were very apologetic. I’m not making comment on the sobriety – they may have just been practicing for American Idle.
Saturday, January 28, 2017
It’s a cool day but not too windy. Lots of folks are in camp who seem to be happy staying in for a while. We cuddled pups until 9 & then had breakfast. Perry checked on a couple campers who needed to go to the office & get registered while others began to get out & play. One couple in matching brown coverall onesies walked by with their big dogs – I wish I had taken a picture of their attire. It was “unusual” to say the least. Kids were riding their bikes & one camper was flying a drone down the lane. It’s a fun, family kind of day!
One young father came by & spent an hour or longer just talking camping & learning the ins & outs of having a brand new travel trailer. I wish I could remember his name – but I will remember his face when he returns as he suggested he was planning to over the next few weeks. He & his family are smitten with the whole camping experience.
I worked on some things for my business that I brought along while Perry ran home to check on the cats. We had leftover burgers & then made a beautiful fire, toasting a successful end to our fourth week of Camp Hosting. We have been enjoying this new experience. Being close to home has been a blessing & a curse – & lots of lessons have been learned.
