Another Day – Another Adventure – Weeks 13 & 14
Monday, July 31, 2017
The new hosts for Camper Cabins arrived early in the day. They quickly got their beautiful, new 5th wheel all set up & comfortable & then set out to “discover” all the wonderful things the park had to offer. This was Ed & Judy’s first time as Camp Hosts although they had traveled far & wide in previous RVs. Ed was from Georgia originally & Judy was from California. They had lived in their current home in mid-Florida for many years. This 2 month camp hosting tour would be a wonderful adventure for them.
After we did our normal chores & such, we descended on the Tent Walk-in Host Site once Will & Kimberly had pulled out. The grass was overgrown in clumps so we spent some time weeding & getting park maintenance over to the area to cut the grass on the hillside. The firepit was overflowing & Perry cleared that so it was presentable. Denise & Terry arrived at about noon to await the delivery of their new-to-them RV. The driver got a little lost but eventually made it to the site & set up the girls new home in no time. Because this was their very first experience with an RV, they enlisted Perry’s help in showing them how to connect electricity, water & sewer. However, someone had turned the faucet on in the bathroom sink & also plugged the drain. Much squealing ensued & lots of towels & a mop were used to rectify the flood. The RV had it’s quirks which were unknown at the time of purchase. The hot water heater didn’t work, the awning wouldn’t extend & the skylight had a leak. All these things were discovered soon after the RV was set up. Perhaps the RV company that sold it to them “as is” would have a heart in getting these faults fixed?
It was another busy day for us. Who needed a day off, right?
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
We started the day with the audit, our second week in a row since the new hosts needed time to settle in to their regular duties. We worked with Campground #2 & Camper Cabins hosts throughout the day, showing them how firepits should be cleaned, sites blown off, bathhouses sanitized, where equipment was, how to fill out a work order, how to check in late arrivals & more. It was a marathon but enjoyable all the same. The Tent Walk-in Hosts were busy with other things so we would have to show them the ropes later. (Note: They never made themselves available for us to show them. Not our monkeys & not our circus.)
We ran home for afternoon showers & returned in time to do the audit. We made sure all late arrivals were checked in as the evening progressed & that new hosts were feeling good about their situations & surroundings. All was well with the world.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
The Camper Cabin Hosts were proving to be hard workers. They made sure all firepits & grills at each cabin was spotless, blew off the picnic areas & then we found them on their hands & knees pulling weeds in the gardens. They were actively making this adventure successful!
The Tent Walk-in Hosts were needing a little more time to work out the kinks, understandable with all the problems they would have to address with the RV. And maybe they didn’t completely understand the time obligations for the job when they signed on – they put off learning what was required in cleaning the bathhouse or firepits again – Day 3.
Campground #2 Host had a 4 year old to chase around which seemed to be a bit daunting for her. She also asked Beth if she could put an “Out of Order” sign on the ADA bathroom because the worms on the floor gave her anxiety. Beth told her that would not be a good idea & referred her to the Park Manager. Then she drove her camp vehicle over to the Tent Walk-in area to pick up one of the hosts there & took her to the area where ash was discarded. Her reasoning was she was afraid to go there by herself. It wasn’t a scary area & we were sure she would feel more comfortable about the chore in the future.
We did the audit & chores for our area. And we relaxed by the fire as the evening progressed.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
We had a great morning, doing the usual stuff but slow & relaxed. Then we went home for showers & some grocery shopping. The dogs had baths & Beth took care of a few mail orders. We may have been on this great adventure but the customers needed to be well taken care of, regardless.
The rest of the day was slow & easy & we remained “Happy Campers.”
Friday, August 4, 2017
The park was busy with all camping sites reserved. Most of the area schools were scheduled to start the following Monday so families were getting the last family time in before the kids hit the books. RV & tent campers flowed in all day & some folks we actually knew! Sherry Moore & family set up in what we referred to as “The Twins” which were two campsites sharing a common area. And Camille Dutton came with family to fill up three sites all together. It was so nice to see familiar faces!
The Park Manager, Julia, called a Host Meeting for the afternoon where she went over the expectations & rules for all to follow. She was efficient & informative. Maybe the potential problems with anyone not vetted as a camp host riding in a camp vehicle would be adhered to & that proper safety procedures would be followed while driving in one’s personal vehicle in the park. When other campers see laws broken by hosts they, too, may feel it not necessary to have their child in a car seat or would allow them to hang out a sunroof in their moving car. (Note: The guilty party apparently did not “get it” & continued driving her child around in the camp cart & standing on the console in her car, hanging out the sunroof all the time we remained as hosts. Not our monkeys & not our circus.) Just sayin’.
When we got back to our campsite, the camp cart that was out for repairs was being returned to us. Campground #2 Host then got the other cart.
Our friends & Statham neighbors, Alana & Matt, came out to visit & share a feast. Both were trained chefs so they brought steaks & seared tuna & desert which was perfection. Beth made a couple veggies & salad. Sadly, not nearly as spectacular as their offerings. We had such a good time with them & we look forward to our return to town where we will see them more frequently.
We had a fire blazing as the evening progressed & enjoyed lots of laughter together.
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Only a couple campers were scheduled to leave this day & their sites were quickly filled back up. It was a reservation only weekend – no more room for drop ins. The last site was taken by an adorable little teardrop camper that Perry had to help direct in. It was their maiden voyage in that thing & backing it in, regardless of it’s small size, was challenging. Beth was impressed that the wife took the wheel & did the maneuvering while the husband stood aside & happily allowed Perry to provide instruction. It may have been marriage saving.
Robby & family came out to have dinner with us. We grilled chicken & had baked potatoes, broccoli & salad. Then we made S’moores around the fire. A few campers stopped by to chat & buy firewood. It was an easy night & we loved seeing the youngin’s.
After Robby & family left, one of the campers brought a couple slices of homemade pound cake to us. That was so nice & very appreciated!
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Perry sent a text to all the other hosts telling them the day was ideal for clearing firepits & blowing off vacated campsites. And it was also a good time (in the afternoon) to do a deep cleaning of the bathhouses. Most folks leave by noon. Some campers remain but the majority of the campground is vacated. The Tent Walk-in Hosts borrowed our camp cart (theirs was unoperable) to do their firepits & such. They left their blower in the open back which we didn’t see until the following day, after hours of rain. Hopefully, it would work the next time they needed it? (Note: It didn’t & the hosts turned it in to maintenance for repair without an explaination as to it having been left out in the rain.)
After all our work was done, we went home for showers & went out to dinner at Cheddars. It was nice to be served & not have to cook for a day. Life is good.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Finally, the first day in 3 weeks we actually took a day off. We spent the day at our house doing much needed chores, paying bills & such.
We returned to camp at about 7pm & drove around through the campgrounds for awhile. We came by our bathhouse & noted an older mini-van parked with it’s back hatch open (so the license plate was not visible). We also noted they didn’t have a park pass hung on the rear view mirror so we stopped & asked if they were camping in the park. The woman said they were visiting friends. When asked what campsite she gave a number but couldn’t tell us where that was. Then she said she & her daughter just needed showers but we never saw a child. We drove on over to our campsite & called the Duty Ranger. She was on the far end of the park &, unfortunately, didn’t make it to our area in time to speak with the people before they zoomed off. When we checked the bathrooms they had used, there was quite the mess – lots of black staining on the sink & floor & lots of long black hair that looked to have been cut off. The men’s room shower had been left on & the trash can was filled to overflowing. Both bathrooms took quite awhile to get back in order (all the bathrooms needed cleaning anyway as the backup hosts had disregarded the chore that was their responsibility when we had a day off). It’s disgusting the disregard a few have in taking responsibility for their personal habits but it’s even more disturbing to wonder why all that hair was cut off. The hair was black as was what we think was hair dye but the woman we spoke with at the van had gray hair. I guess we will never know. We shared this information with the Park Manager who was genuinely concerned & said she would keep it on file in case something ever came of it.
Another day …
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
We took care of our minimal chores – bathhouses need very little attention when they are used by very few people & are cleaned daily. The walk-in Hosts did not clean our bathhouse the day before so we did it ourselves. Then we simply “hung-out” in Wilbur. Beth spent the day catching up on the blog & doing website stuff for her business & Perry enjoyed a movie & reading the news on his IPad.
We had intended to go to the County Commission meeting but a call from our friend Stanley Rogers changed those plans. Instead, we met Stanley & his wife, Suzy, at Ruby Tuesday’s for some much needed chatter & laughter. We do love all our friends!
Rain made outside activities off limits. Life is good anyway!
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
When “living” at home, Beth often gets started working in her Soap Studio as early as 8am & frequently doesn’t stop until 7pm or so. Her intent while on this adventure was to go home most days & make soap or other products, leaving Perry in camp to do the hosting. However, summer hosting required many more hours than when we hosted in the winter months. After breakfast & regular chores Beth usually didn’t get away until 11am or so. Perry soon followed for a hot, forceful shower at home. Then we’d go out to lunch at one of the local eateries most days. The campground was busier & our attention & help was often needed beginning at 3 or 4 in the afternoon so back to the park we’d go. All this to say the soap business suffered in product production & regular delivery to our retail stores. It was a hit & miss to put it lightly. Summer is normally slow on sales & then things pick up RAPIDLY beginning in September. The stores would be visited & stocked at least monthly from then until Christmas.
Beth went home to do some mail orders & product planning. She got yet another large, special order out & even managed to restock her Buzz Off mosquito spray.
Back in camp, Perry took care of the chores & made sure all the campsites were in welcoming shape as the park was completely booked for the entire weekend. We did the audit twice as required.
We finished off the last of our pre-made freezer to crockpot meals so Beth got into planning mode for the next epic preparation project. More recipes & variety were in order. But the actual preparations would have to wait until after our time as Camp Hosts ended.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Goodness we loved our mornings in camp! Coffee in bed as we watched Good Morning America & then a delicious breakfast of sausage, eggs, toast & an orange. At “home” we don’t normally have a cooked breakfast, just cereal or a food bar. It was a camping thing!
We had audit duty again & a second day of taking care of the Tent Walk-in area as the hosts for that area were off. We had to clean firepits in campsites that were used & then vacated during their days of duty for the second week in a row. Perry also had to ask them to return the mop & bucket to the bathhouse utility closet that they borrowed on the day they arrived. Which told us the bathrooms had not been mopped since we did it prior to their arrival. These chores are expected of them DAILY in exchange for their “free” rent & utilities. Hosting IS a volunteer job … so volunteer instead of expecting a free ride.
After the chores, we went home for showers & lunch. Beth stayed for awhile to do more work with her business & Perry returned to camp. Then Beth came back to the park in time to make dinner. Later, we sat out in the gazebo, enjoying the evening & the visits from campers passing by. Life is good.
Friday, August 11, 2017
The morning routine was followed by a trip home to take care of showers & grocery shopping. We were excited to be having the younger Barton’s over for dinner & for Lily Bug to be spending the night. And the park was filling up fast with campers.
We did a quick run about at about 5pm, dropping off flyers to all campers in the various parks. Beth had made the flyers about the Fort Yargo Living History Society who come to the old fort once a month & live as if they are in the late 1700’s. The public has the opportunity to visit them for free & learn all about the history. It’s always on the 2nd weekend of the month. The turn out for the weekend was great & we hope our efforts helped in that success.
Robby, Lisa & Lily got to camp at about 6pm & Robby & Perry grilled burgers & hot dogs. We enjoyed hearing about their week’s adventures & having lots of laughter fill Wilbur’s belly. When the parents left, Lily & Beth got busy painting rocks. Lily did several with paint she “mixed” herself. She loved combining colors & experimenting with shades.
Our painting was interupted by a fun visit by Ted, the park Maintenance Manager & his wife Wendy & Daniel & Ramona, two of the Maintenance Host volunteers. They arrived in style – on a boat. Ted had converted the water vessel into a funky car with wheels & a golf cart motor. It was pretty cool!
Later, we put the paint project away to be completed the next morning & Lily fell asleep almost as soon as her sweet head hit the pillow.
Saturday, August 12, 2017
What a sweet face to see when one first opens their eyes … Lily Bug, with a silly grin on her face, waiting for you to see her. It made Beth giggle. And then the two girls talked in low voices for a good 30 minutes about Lily’s school days. She had just become a first grader so there were many new experiences to share. Perry pretended to be asleep in the other bed, behind the curtain, but the girls knew he was stirring. Life is so fun with a granddaughter.
We got up & had breakfast & then Beth got out the paints again so the girls could resume their rock painting. Lily watched a movie Perry put into the DVR before he left to do camp stuff. The rocks were not completely dried when Lisa came to get Lily so Beth said she would seal them & save the hiding until Lily’s next overnight stay.
The afternoon at camp brought Daniel & Ramona to Campground #1. One of the washing machines had not worked since we were hosts back in January. We suspected there were too many quarters in the can or one had blocked the switch & the park staff had not been able to locate the key. One day, the lock will have to be drilled out so the machine can be put back in order. Meanwhile, Daniel was determined to make it operable so he worked on it for at least an hour. No luck.
Daniel & Ramona invited us over to their campsite in the Maintenance Host Section to celebrate Ned’s Birthday. Ned is another Maintenance Host. He had no idea the gathering was for him until he saw a card & cake & heard us all wishing him a Happy Birthday. It was great to spend time with these people, including Ted & his wife Wendy. A really great evening with good people.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
A lazy morning with rain falling allowed us to watch a little more TV before the day got going. Beth took on the bathhouse for a really deep cleaning while Perry cleared nearly every firepit in our area & blew off the leaves to make them all spiffy. At noon, most of the departing campers had vacated which allowed us to get our area of the camp completely in order.
We went home for showers & to check on the cats, had dinner out & then returned to camp.
Beth texted the Tent Walk-in Hosts to inquire about the daily audit they were responsible for & we had not received. Their response was they thought doing it was “optional” which it was not. They had also “skipped” doing a few REQUIRED audits during the week with the explaination of forgetting or sleeping late. Not our monkeys & not our circus.
An evening sitting in the gazebo with the fan cooling us off was a perfect end to the weekend.