Starting a new chapter in our lives by living for a year in our motorhome, come along and watch us as we begin our adventure!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
SICK GRANDSON!
Haven't been on here because my grandson Nathan has been very ill, he is in Arizona so I flew out there to be with him and his mother/my daughter! Was there from Thurs. to Sunday. He is doing a lot better but it was touch and go for awhile. I am now getting ready to fly to be with my daughter has she has surgery now! Will fly out tomorrow and be back Tues.! Thank God for understanding Rangers and for Craig for carrying the load himself, it was our week off so it wasn't too bad for him, what was tough was he had to package and ship several e-bay items that sold while I was gone, he did and awesome job! I will be flying Thanksgiving day, so we had our Thanksgiving dinner yesterday since we will be on the road today, going to get a hotel room because my flight leaves at 5AM and it is an hour and a half to the airport! Craig will have to work the visitor center by himself Friday and Saturday, plus more shipping and handling for me! He is being a real sport about all of this, but he knows that family is important and knows I have to do what I have to do! When I get back we will be cutting grass and spraying weed killer, we get to use a z-mower so it isn't all that bad, I will be doing all the work at the visitor center, it is all real easy here, they realize that Craig is limited on what he can do so they allow for that, the other volunteers are pretty cool about filling in for us when we have to be somewhere else! We had pizza and beer night at Pat and Jerry's Sunday night, Brooks and Frieda were there too, had such a great time, laughed and shared funny camphosting stories with them, this is thier first volunteer jobs and so of course us pros (lol) had to fill them in about all the fun and horror stories! Got to see some of those wild hogs at their site, scary to think how close they can get to your campsites! Seen an 8 point buck right outside our MH and seen a 6 pointer while out riding around checking the gates! The manatees are starting to gather more and more, hoping to get some more pictures! Well, will be busy the next few days and will be back on here next Weds. hoping to have some pictures! You all have a great Thanksgiving and God Bless you all!
Monday, November 12, 2012
BONFIRE WITH THE OTHER VOLUNTEERS
BELOW: AN ALLIGATOR SKULL
Had a busy day at the visitor center Saturday, they had the 100 mile race going on, yep, 100 miles race, which takes 36 hours to finish, they run none stop into the night! I had to laugh because the friends, family, visitors were all dressed in heavy sweatshirts, jackets and even blankets because the temperature was only around 65 degrees, I was dressed in shorts and a Hawaiian blouse, they thought I was crazy and I thought they were but one thing they knew for sure, I wasn't a native Floridian!
After the events of the day and work day done, all us volunteers sit around a bonfire with snacks and drinks! Brooks(volunteer) wife showed up and is a sweet and awesome lady, she fits right in, Pat and Jerry the volunteers from the southside showed up also, we all had a great time, lots of laughs and stories!
Had some bad news from my daughter who is in Phoenix with her son, my grandson Nathan is very very ill with viral mono, viral meningitis and EB Stein Bar, they had to move him into ICU! This is the part that makes it hard for me, I want to be with family when they need me and may being flying to Phoenix in next couple of days to be with them, right now my daughter says she is ok and to wait and see how the next couple of days go! Worried sick about both my grandson and my daughter, but been keeping in constant touch by phone and have checked on plane tickets if I need to go! Been doing a lot of praying!
Got the next few days off and am able to get all my merchandise listed on ebay, over 100 items for sale right now! Helps pay the bills! We are going into Palm Bay today to eat at the Golden Corral, vets eat free so only have to pay for my meal! God Bless our vets today!!
Everyone have a great day!
Friday, November 9, 2012
A DAY AT THE VISITOR CENTER TODAY
Worked at the visitor center today for 6 1/2 hours today, just had to answer the phone and any questions visitors had when they came in! Interesting place with lots of stuffed wild animals, bones, and books about nature and the park! Was a busy place today with lots of visitors because of the 100 mile race that takes place tomorrow at 7 am and ends Sunday! Some will run the full 100 miles, while some will do the 50 mile run and the 25 mile run! They will run into the night with the trails lit with solar lights, they have food and water stands along the way! A lot of people showed up today and pitched tents in the back of the visitor center, some got a motel room, some will sleep in there cars! I give them a lot of credit but I could never do it, my knees wouldn't allow it! More power to them!
Craig cleaned the offices while I worked at the center, he got the dirty end of the job (no pun intended) he had to vacuum, clean the desks and windows and then clean the bathrooms and clean the toilets! Tomorrow I work the visitor center again but this time I have to clean it too, oh well, part of the job! While I was sitting on the porch I noticed a bright green beetle, grabbed my camera and took a picture of it, that is the actural size above, kinda neat! Took the picture then kicked it off the porch! Also seen a huge spider yesterday under our MH, I reached underneath to grab a box and the thing almost ran across my hand, scared me so bad that when I tried to scream nothing came out! I called Craig out to check it out and he said it was a wolf spider, nasty looking thing!
Well, long day today, last day of work tomorrow then a week off! We are going to have a big bonfire here tomorrow night with the other volunteers, so should be fun!! So until the next time God Bless!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
WENT ON A WILD HOG KILL!!
THE POLARIS WE USE FOR CHECKING OUT TRAILS OR JUST FOR FUN!
THE ELECTRIC GATE WE LIVE BEHIND, WE HAVE A CODE TO GET IN!
Had a unique experience yesterday! I was telling a ranger that I haven't seen any wild hogs yet, he says "jump in my truck, if you don't mind riding along I just got a call there are 3 wild hogs down the road and I have to shot them", I said "hell yes, let's go"!! I stayed by the truck while he and another guy went out in the swamp looking for them, I heard three shots, I guess they got 2, they dragged one out for me to check out, it was a sow and she was huge, the other one was a boar and one got away! Wild hogs are so distructive here, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage, they have to constantly keep them under control because they breed like rabbits! But I couldn't wait to tell Craig, he was out cutting grass most of the day, which he enjoys on a big Z-mower!
Got sick of waiting on the camera charger to come so I drove to a Best Buy in Vero Beach to day and bought a battery charger! Been taking pictures of nature all day as you can see! But most of all I got to take over 200 pictures of my e-bay merchandise so I can list my Christmas items! I bet now that I have this charger mine will show up tomorrow!!
Craig took Brooks the other volunteer out to shut the main gate and make sure everyone is out for the night! He is a sweet guy, I think he is lonely because his wife wouldn't be here for a couple of weeks yet! I told him we'll have a bonfire this weekend after we finish at the visitor center, we'll see if Pat and Jerry want to join us too!
Getting use to this place now and loving it, I feel like I am living on a farm but instead of cows and chickens we have deer, manatees, and wild hogs! Craig loves it, he never has been the social butterfly I am, lol! Can't wait until the other couple show up in December, I guess they are quite the characters, they sit around a bonfire about every night, this is like the 2nd or 3rd time they have been here and have a few good stories to tell! I still miss my kids and grandkids, can't get away from that, my sons are going thru some rough times right now but are tough and know what they gotta do, my daughter's son and my Grandson has been very ill with Menegitis in Arizona, she is in Virginia and worried sick but he is doing well now, thank God! They have always put one foot in front of the other and kept on going, always making me proud!
Well, tomorrow when we all wake up we will find out if we have a new president or the same guy! We voted absentee ballot before we left Michigan! So you all get out there and vote!!!! Until then next time, God Bless!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
BUSY,BUSY,BUSY!!
SAT. 11/3
We have been very busy as they have been showing us around the trails, getting keys, checking trails out on our own with the gator, that was fun! The new guy showed up today and we had to help get him set up, real nice guy with a 31' travel trailor with a couple slides, his name is Brook, his wife will be showing up in a couple of weeks,she had to get her Mom set up in an assisted care facility!
A few days ago we seen a gofer turtle shell that was laying along a trail, we took the gator and picked it up, when Craig looked inside of it he said there was a golf ball in it, but after looking closer it was an egg, yes, an egg! He said what ever killed it must not have been able reach it or it was too hard to break thru, but what a cool find! Can't wait to show the grandkids! If you go to my friend Snookie's blog you will be able to read about the turtles! http://quinnsawesomejourney.blogspot.com/2010/05/5302010-one-egg-two-eggs-three-eggs.html
We got our screen up on our awning and strapped down, got the picnic table where we want it, chairs unpacked, ebay stuff out of the car and into the motorhome! Set out for awhile and drank a few beers and listened to some music, then the mosquitos came, ugh, they are real bad at dusk and dawn, but once it is full light or dark they go away! Then we get to watch the deer, it is amazing how close they get to us, within 3 feet, they know we're there but as long as we don't move they keep on grazing, we even had the radio playing, Lenny doesn't know what to think of them, he stares and does a low growl! Craig warned me to not let Lenny get too close to the high weeds because of poisonous snakes, there are pigmy rattle snakes, coral snakes, cotton mouth and copperheads, or yeah, don't forget about the regular rattlers! Then there are the big spiders and scorpions, not to mention the giant wild hogs and alligators! I told him if I see any of them that Lenny's on his own because I be gone, lol, just kidding, I will grab Lenny then run! So I make sure I carry a stick with me at all times and don't go near high weeds!!
Tomorrow we start our first full day by opening the front gate, working at the visitor center from 12:30 to 4:30, then in the evening we check the trails to make sure everyone is gone then lock the front gate! If the visitor center needs cleaning we do that, but the other volunteers said they cleaned it pretty good today, they had one visitor, said we may get one or two, can get boring, I don't know how, I will be taking my computer, they have TV and dvd player with a lot of nature movies, books, microwave, refrigerator, big rocking chairs, etc.
We washed and waxed our HHR today because for some reason there is 3 big white marks across the right side of the hood, like the paint was wiped off, took it to Advanced Auto and had a guy look at it, he said looks like brush marks from a car wash, I told him I went to a touchless care washes, he suggested we buy an electric buffer and buffing compound and wax and see if that got the marks out, well after spending over 50 bucks and working on it all day it faded the marks a little but they are still there, so I am going to take it to a dealer since it is still under warrantee and if they don't fix it I will try to turn it into our insurance! I am hoping it isn't from being towed behind the motorhome! We live on a very dusty road with white sugar sand and it makes a mess out of our car, doesn't even look like we washed it after one trip to town!
SUN: 11/4 FIRST DAY OF WORK!!
Had to unlock the front gate at 8 am and unlock the bathrooms. Carol and Stan, other volunteers left today so we have the new guy Brook and us on northeast side and Pat and Jerry on the northwest side. We worked at the Visitor Center today 12:00 to 4:30... Relaxing and enjoyable, had about 7 visitors plus 3 workers! Place was super clean so I played on the computer and Craig watched movies on the big screen, took our lunch with us, but they failed to tell us we can't drink the water from the sink because it is unsafe, so I ran into town and got us some ice tea from Mickey Dee's! We then had to check and make sure everyone was out of the reserve and then lock the gate at dusk, had to ask 3 vehicles to leave or they would be locked in, was a little nervous about that but they were fine with it and very polite! Long day but an easy day, tomorrow Craig has to cut grass around the office and horse stables, he gets to use the fancy z-mower, so we'll see how that goes!!
Well, gotta get off here for now, have a good one! By the way, I am waiting on the charger for my camera yet, hopefully it will be here by Monday! So good night and God Bless!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
1 CAMPWORKER GONE 2 LEFT!
We had 2 volunteers here on the Northwest side when we arrived and on the Northeast side are volunteers Pat and Jerry! One set of volunteers left here today after being here for 6 months and are coming back in April, the other set are leaving here Sunday, they are leaving because they just don't care for it here, too secluded they say, they have only been here for a month, there was another volunteer arriving this weekend but their travel trailer got blown over from the winds of Sandy, now they don't know when they will arrive! Soooo, it looks like after Sunday we will be the only ones on this side and Pat and Jerry the only ones on the Northeast side! Jerry showed us around yesterday and today and this place is massive, 22000 acres and only 6 rustic campsites the rest is a reserve with horse stables and paths, a fireman's cabin (they have several controlled burns here), hundreds of hiking and horse trails, next weekend they are having a marathon run over 100 miles thru the trails, they will be out there for 24 hours! We will be taking turns at the visitor center on Sat. for about 6 hours, opening and closing the front gates, mowing the trails, around the buildings, and our area, but we get to use a z-mower which Craig loves, I have to be trained on it yet, count manatees and scrubjays, make sure all the bathrooms have toilet paper (2 in the visitor centers, 2 rustic outhouses, clean the visitor center while we are on duty there, which is every other week, vacuum and clean the offices once a week, take the dump truck or gator out every night around dusk and make sure all the visitors have left befor the gate is shut! Sounds like a lot but we only work a total of 20 hours a week! More then we expected but not any heavy physical work or a lot of walking for Craig!
I am waiting for a new charger for my camera to arrive or I would be posting more pictures of the deer, manatees, horses, cranes,herons, etc. I have yet to see the 350 pound wild hogs yet but they laugh at me and tell me I will see them when I least expect to!! Jerry and her husband are about our ages and have an older class C motorhome with 3 cats, one they rescued while here, they took it to a cat rescue and they had no room there for about 3 weeks so she took it home and gave it a name, lol, sounds like my daughter Susan! She told me this gig will be like none we have ever done, there is no camphosting here because there are no rv campers, the only campers here our backpackers and they have to hike back in for miles before they get to a campground and when they get there it VERY rustic, no bathroom, electricity, just a few benches around a firepit, ugh, I give them a lot of credit, maybe when I was younger but not now!!
We will start working on Sunday at the visitor center because the gal the does it then will be out of town, but are official start in Monday! So wish us luck, we will either really, really like it or really, really hate it! Ah, the life of a volunteer!!!
Ok, out of here, have a great day and God Bless!!
I am waiting for a new charger for my camera to arrive or I would be posting more pictures of the deer, manatees, horses, cranes,herons, etc. I have yet to see the 350 pound wild hogs yet but they laugh at me and tell me I will see them when I least expect to!! Jerry and her husband are about our ages and have an older class C motorhome with 3 cats, one they rescued while here, they took it to a cat rescue and they had no room there for about 3 weeks so she took it home and gave it a name, lol, sounds like my daughter Susan! She told me this gig will be like none we have ever done, there is no camphosting here because there are no rv campers, the only campers here our backpackers and they have to hike back in for miles before they get to a campground and when they get there it VERY rustic, no bathroom, electricity, just a few benches around a firepit, ugh, I give them a lot of credit, maybe when I was younger but not now!!
We will start working on Sunday at the visitor center because the gal the does it then will be out of town, but are official start in Monday! So wish us luck, we will either really, really like it or really, really hate it! Ah, the life of a volunteer!!!
Ok, out of here, have a great day and God Bless!!
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