Tuesday, May 31, 2016

I Need A Nap!

The three day weekend has worn me out! Unfortunately, my old dog is unaware of my work schedule. He has chosen 1:00 am as his time to wonder around the house and contemplate his life. This requires the dog to be lifted down to the floor and followed. He won't go unless I follow. I doubt that he sees me, but he feels my presence. Sometimes we go outside and walk through the dew covered grass (which will bring me completely awake) and sometimes I am allowed to sit down in a chair while he bumps around the furniture. He "talks" as he walks. Sounds like he is muttering under his breath with his deep voice.

These nightly episodes only last minutes, but interrupt my sleep. It might be okay if I did not automatically wake with the dawn. This morning, it was 5:30 when my eyes flew open and I was staring into the loving brown eyes of Toni Louise. She was waiting and watching and once my eyes open, there is no going back and pretending to be asleep.

Knowing that HeWho is apt to ride a motorcycle and hurt his knee was scheduled for an MRI at 9:00 am and would have to be up early to get there, I decided to just sit down in my recliner for a few minutes while coffee brewed ......

I was asleep in my chair, Cujo tucked in neatly at my side when HeWho has no comprehension of being quiet awoke. I heard him bumbling around, but kept my eyes shut. Then he asked me why I didn't go get in bed. I glared up at him and shook my head, trying to hold on to that thread of sleep. He actually asked me again, oblivious to my annoyance. Then he went to the kitchen and I was treated to the sound of ice clunking into his Bubba mug and the sound of the 2 liter bottle of Diet Coke being open. I kept my eyes squeezed shut, refusing to have a conversation with him. He finally left and I dozed until almost 8 am.

Fatigue, both mental and physical, settled over me like a shroud as I stumbled to my room to dress. No big hurry today. I do not open until 11 am. Much to my delight, the skies were cloudy and gray with a steady drizzling. Rain during pool season is a day off!!! I showered and dressed, determined to finish merchandising the pool toy wall and hit my sewing room. Plans, I had big plans!

Alas, the sun was shining when I got out of the shower. I still had some time left before the pool opened, so I ventured out to gaze upon my garden and give a few chosen plants a good drink of water. One by one, they found me and my quiet meditation will have to wait for another day.

I was minding my business and playing with the peg hooks to distribute the pool toys in a sensible, eye pleasing array when I was interrupted by the phone. We have two cordless phones, but, unable to locate either one, I was forced to my desk and the corded phone. It was HeWho was supposed to be in the imaging machine. "What kind of stent do I have in my heart?" I don't know. There is a lot of trivia bumping around in my head, but stent types and model numbers, well .....

"What was my surgeon's name?" This was 16 years ago, I don't remember. I tell him to have them contact the primary care clinic we used in Minnesota and he proceeds to ponder aloud about the doctor he saw and wonder if he is still there. I cut him off and tell him that it is his records they are looking for, not his doctor.

He finally comes home, hours later, having had no MRI. They are waiting to hear from the clinic in Minnesota and were told it would take weeks. I just talked to the nurse he saw this morning and she told me they have the information they need and we are a go for Thursday. Now I can worry about the stent being sucked from his body .....

I need a nap.

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Weekend Success

Day three of the crazy holiday weekend. I was a little worried about the forecast for rain as the weekend approached. I had some cancellations early Friday. I was supposed to have a group of Penn State geology students coming in and they cancelled ..... that was 25 students and 4 advisors. They re-routed their trip, thinking we would have tornadoes here.

Around 11 am the phone started ringing and did not stop until after the office was closed with people being evacuated from parks that had flooded. I filled my park and had to turn people away. It was nice to have people really appreciate my efforts.

As the day was coming to an end the skies opened and the rain fell in sheets. The gutters could not hold it all. Thankfully, all the tents were already up. The pool was full to the top, too much water!

Saturday was a beautiful day with a shower in the afternoon and people still scrambling to find camping accommodations, so we were full again. We have not been this busy ....... since the last time we were this busy and I can't remember when that was. We have been so busy that I had to place an order for Snocone syrup, despite the fact that I had already received a big order in hopeful anticipation. I have gone through 28 lbs. of ice just today making snocones.

My pool toy wall is looking bare, I have spread my merchandise out 3 times so far! This is the weekend that usually sets the pace for the camping season and this makes me happy.

I will be happy to have this weekend behind me tomorrow. Tuesday we will be having the MRI to see if HeWho was not allowed to tow, will need surgery. That should make for a good story to tell, since HeWho provides me with so much material to write about.

Off to bed with my four legged crowd of loved ones!

Friday, May 27, 2016

Yes, The Pool Is Open!

The weekend started yesterday with three groups checking in a day early. Not complaining! Last minute reservations are filling in the gaps on my chart, despite the cancellations. My on-line reservations from the web site come to my personal e-mail.

I still keep a close eye on the kampground website. The one that caught my eye was the query, "Any openings left?" That's all, no other qualifications for what the person was looking for. I replied with, "For what date?"

The rain that was forecast for the week did not happen. I mowed until my legs felt like rubber yesterday .... after I painted the boards for picnic table assemblage. The "storms" scheduled for the week never appeared and lots of weeds were pulled and I even picked 4 strawberries!!

Cujo, my 4 year old dachshund killed a rabbit!!! I can't imagine why a rabbit would want to come into our back yard. I even questioned HeWho witnessed the event, wondering if Martha, the boy cat might have gifted the rabbit to his best buddy, Cujo. HeWho says that the rabbit was hopping across the yard when Cujo gave chase and grabbed the intruder. So smart, my Cujo, knowing that his Mommy loathes rabbits stealing her crops!

The storm came in as dusk fell last night after a bright and sunny day. Scattered showers are in the forecast today and tomorrow, with sunshine and clear skies for Sunday and Monday. We shall see.

The other event of the week was the visit to the orthopedic surgeon for HeWho. His knee still hurts and when he went to the clinic, things went just as I had predicted. You will recall that we had an x-ray at the nearest facility with that capability, a hospital 25 miles from here. I assume a qualified radiologist read the x-ray and reported no fractures. This is the same facility that left me with a huge bruise from the phlebotomist who seemed incapable of locating a vein.

There is a fracture to the tibia. Just a hairline fracture, but an MRI is being scheduled to determine whether surgery will be needed. Since the man refuses to stay off the knee, the fracture could have occurred after the initial x-ray, although the doctor didn't think so. Such is life with HeWho refuses to listen to his wife.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Where Have All The Berries Gone .....

The week before the season opening big holiday weekend. Say that three times fast. I have been studying the weather forecast intensely. Rain will affect my prosperity and I have absolutely no control. I like to be in control.

Yesterday was sunny, affording the only opportunity to attend to the grounds. The forecast had rain coming in the night and lasting until Friday. That will eliminate the Thursday and Friday morning mowing in preparation for the big weekend. I started early and set out to mow the sites that are not easy to get to on the big mower. I also mower closer to the ground. I got 5 sites done and 5 more prepped for HeWho mows while riding.

I chose to stay home and trust HeWho hurt his knee to go to the clinic alone. In his absence I moved the newly painted picnic tables to the finished sites. This can easily be accomplished with a hand truck. Just lift from one end and tip the tabletop toward the hand truck and roll away. This is my way. HeWho much prefers starting the tractor and maneuvering the bucket attachment under the table top and lift it precariously in the air. This always results in having to retouch the paint job and sometimes a rebuild if he tries to race to the site and drops it. I prefer my way, it is actually quicker and results in no damages. Quiet, as well.

I cursed the man under my breath as I re-situated the big bolt ends that define the playground. Instead of using the weed whacker he pushed all of them forward with his mower into the pea gravel to facilitate mowing the grass along the edge. He will employ this method for moving picnic tables, as well. This will also result in damages.

To say I was tired when he returned goes without saying. I decided to make the store stock run while the skies were clear. I don't relish the thought of tackling that in the rain. I don't care for driving in storms, either. I got to sit down while driving, too.
I returned and stocked the store and checked expiration dates.

It was still light outside. I was torn between picking the ripe strawberries or mowing the dog park. I mowed the dog park. I was stumbling tired when I finally came in as dusk was falling. I had forgotten to eat lunch and the breakfast toast energy had been gone. I pulled out leftovers and put them on to heat up and toyed with thoughts of picking those berries, but took out the trash instead.

Sleep was hard to come by, as I was aching all over. HeWho slept in oblivion with his new pain meds. Toni Louise was particularly restless, she kept looking at the window and growling deep in her throat. I shushed her sternly and continued seeing dandelions behind my eyelids.

Today dawned sunny and bright and I dutifully tackled the kitchen mess from our late supper before grabbing a bowl and heading out to the strawberry patch. Yesterday lots of red berries peeked at me between the leaves. At a glance you could see that the plants were full. But, today, nothing! Somebody deftly picked my berries! Not a critter, they would have left a mess. This was done by human hands. I was profoundly annoyed. Not even green berries were left to ripen.

But, I had no time to launch an investigation! This is the week before the season opening big holiday weekend and I have stuff to do! I staked up some baby trees and helped HeWho hauls away aluminum cans bag them up and tie them to the trailer. I tended to my hanging baskets and then decided to mow the side yard, as the skies were starting to look bruised.

My bedroom window looks out on the side yard. The vegetable garden extends back from the side yard. The peach tree lends shade to my window and the strawberries grow along the fence. As I mowed, I noticed quite a few green peaches on the ground. It was not windy at all yesterday and I had actually gazed up into my tree, noting that I did not have many peaches. Now I have none .....

Maybe I should not be in such a hurry to shush my dog! The dusk to dawn light gives such brilliance to that area it causes me to make use of room darkening shades. The rain began to fall as I finished the last bit of grass. And now I sit, still wet from the rain and ponder the lost berries.


My peonies, choking in weeds.


My peonies, after weeding.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Reservations About Reservations

As the holiday weekend approaches, I have been busy with reservations .....

Pretty normal, right? I find myself having serious reservations about what people think reservations are for and how it works.

I have regulars who reserve a year in advance and always show up and request the same site. They obviously understand the concept of making reservations. If they forget to make a reservation for a weekend and just show up, they understand that the site they want might not be available. That's how it works.

Last week I had a gentleman call to make reservations for the upcoming holiday weekend and he requested two sites that have been reserved for a year. When I told him they were already reserved, he was indignant and informed me that he would not come if he couldn't have those sites!

I guess he is not coming. Today a man came in and said he had several questions about my park. I was busy pricing merchandise and stocking shelves while listening to a Robin Cook suspense. I put my book on hold and prepared myself for an barrage of questions and some unsolicited advice.

His first questions were about the pool and the price to enjoy an afternoon in the pool. This was followed by suggestions about season passes and lowering the rates. I almost said, "Yes, but no." Meaning yes, I hear you, but no, your ideas will not be entertained by me. When he realized he would not be convincing me to see things his way about lowering my rates, he decided that camping here would be cheaper than paying to swim. "Will I need a reservation for this weekend?" he asks. I tell him that he should absolutely reserve a site, that I only have a few left. He then told me he would be in on FRIDAY to make the reservation.

I told him he could try, but that I might not have any sites left. He could not seem to grasp the concept of reservations, wondering why I wouldn't hold a site for him (unsecured), since I knew he would be here Friday to make the reservation ....... FOR FRIDAY.

But, I saved the best for last. I had reservations for a particular site that would be arriving AFTER the holiday weekend. I even commented that I was glad it would be after the holiday, since that would assure more choices for him, as his stay would be a couple of weeks. He looked at the site map on the website and chose one. This particular site is an end site and very popular. I have had a reservation for this site from a regular customer for months. He always asks for this site due to the size of his toy hauler.

A few days ago the man with the reservation for AFTER the holiday called to see if it would be okay to go ahead and come in this Friday. Yikes. I explain that I have a reservation for the site he wanted. I can tell that he is not happy with my solution of putting him in another site until after the weekend.

As much as I want to accommodate all my guests, sometimes it is just not possible. After his call, I promptly forgot about it. I had done the best I could. He called me the next morning to see if he came in BEFORE the weekend and was in the site when the weekend arrived, would that work.

Again, I want to say, "Yes, but no." I have no intention of blowing off a return guest for someone staying at a reduced rate. Fortunately for him, I had a seasonal camper pull out rather suddenly (they had no idea their camper would sell so fast). This solved the problem as this is a very nice site with lots of space.

I still have reservations about my reservations, though.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Crazy Old Man Syndrome

Men are so helpless. HeWho is still limping and complaining about his knee. You know, the knee he landed on when he flipped the motorcycle. The knee that was not broken, but was no doubt about it, seriously injured. He was told to take it easy and stay off the knee. That means, limited walking and even less bending and kneeling. He was given a round of steroids to speed up the healing and was told to take 800 mg of Ibuprofen for 2 weeks. And that he would need a brace.

He religiously took the steroids and the Ibuprofen was hit and miss. The brace consisted of an ace that he thought to be sufficient. The steroids made him feel so much better that he went right back to mowing and towing. Now, weeks later, he is experiencing a lot of pain. He asked me to call the clinic today. He thinks they should prescribe something for the pain. His wife told him that the pain was his knee telling him to slow down and stay off of it and that the clinic visit will result in a referral to an ortho doctor. His wife is right, we all know it, but I dutifully made the appointment for Monday.

When asked what the appointment was for, I reminded the receptionist of the old man and the motorcycle and she did remember him. I relayed my thoughts to her and then told her to put "crazy old man syndrome" in the complaint box.

Friday, May 20, 2016

I Am The Kampground Bouncer!!


Friday night in a campground, one hour to go. I can't wait to lock the door and get into a steaming hot shower! Thursday and Friday are mow days. After I finished my tasks I painted three picnic tables and helped move one of the new ones onto a site. The new tables are really nice, but super heavy.

My run over tree is alive and well. I think it will survive. Still wonder why anybody was on that driveway ....

You will recall my recent success in evicting an unpleasant dweller. I may live to regret that! Since I seem to be more adept at this task, it has fallen on me to do it again. I guess you could say I am the bouncer of undesirable campers.

The non paying tenant failed to meet the deadline of paying rent, so I decided to cut my losses and just kick him out. There were a parade of various women showing up and staying at his camper. Before you get the wrong idea, he was not there. My soft hearted husband did not think it would be nice to make them leave after he had someone come up with a partial payment of less than a third of the money he owes us with a promise of another like payment to be delivered last Friday.

I nagged until Sunday, trying to convince HeWho is always up for a hard luck story, to pull the plug and lock the box on this camper. He finally did on Sunday .... or he said he did. I was annoyed at him for reasons too numerous to count and found myself closing up early with a bottle of wine in my hand. Oddly enough that wine seemed to add fuel to my annoyances!

I meandered down to sit at a fire with some friends who were nice enough to suggest I might enjoy sipping the wine from a glass instead of straight from the bottle. I declined, although I did offer to share, but since I had no takers on my offer, I decided it would just be wasteful to employ a glass that would have to be washed.

About one third of the way to the bottom of the bottle I noticed that the plug of the non paying tenant was situated securely in the electrical outlet provided by the fact that we pay the bills. This did not sit well with me and after a few more sips (gulps) of my whine, I decided to correct the problem.

I marched over to the box and yanked the offending cord out and flung it dramatically to the ground. That felt pretty good, so I followed up with a knock to the door. I knew someone was in there, as I had seen movement in the window and a vehicle was parked there. A young woman answered my knock ........ with her shirt hiked up and her hand rubbing her belly. Her jeans were splayed open and not zipped or buttoned. I was not impressed with her and regret not having told her to pull her pants up before answering the door.

What I did say was, "I have unplugged you .... plug it in again and I will cut the plug off that cord. Do you understand what I just said to you?"
Still rubbing her exposed belly she nodded in the affirmative. I asked her why she was there and she told me that non paying tenant had requested that she watch his dog in his absence. "You need to get the dog and get your things and leave. You are not a registered guest and you have no business here in my campground." Then she told me there was NO DOG there!

"Which begs the question ... what are you doing here?" She started with the simpering story of watching a non existent dog again and I raised my voice and demanded that she leave immediately. I was not nice at all, I may have told her to get her $#*# together and go or I would be calling law enforcement since she was trespassing.

She remarked that she could not believe I was doing this and I replied, "Believe it, sister, and spread the word!!" I still regret not addressing her attire. She left, the camper is still unplugged and we have heard nothing from non paying tenant.

Now I just need to figure out a way to remove his fifth wheel since I have rented his site to another long term camper next month. I suggested that HeWho tows borrow the wrecker and drag it out. He says it will damage it, that it needs a fifth wheel hitch. Really, I don't care. I want it gone, along with all the bags of trash accumulated outside the door. Cigarette butts adorn the area and I need to clean it up for my next tenant. I say just pull the wrecker in behind it and shove it out.

Legally I could lock it and put a lien on it, but it is not worth what he owes us. We get stuck with abandoned RV's from time to time and end up having to pay to have them removed.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Mysteries

In case you might be wondering where I have been ...... I have been having trouble logging on to Blogger. Don't know why, since I was not denied access to anything else. "This page cannot be displayed."

I rebooted everything and still it would not open up. So, I just went to bed. The rain and the pending projects have had me pushing myself to the limit every day. Painting, mowing and weeding take up all my waking hours and now I sit here listening to the projected forecast for Memorial Day weekend ...... supposed to rain Friday and Saturday. Great.

Yesterday I decided to dig up some young trees and create a line of trees to camouflage The Barn of HeWho. I married Fred Sanford, but have decided to call the Barn "HeWho's Folly" because only people my age know Fred Sanford.

I don't know why I did not think of this before! I always have lots of baby trees in the spring and why this did not occur to me before is a mystery. I dug up 13 trees yesterday and planted them to strategically create a visual block to the eyesore of HeWho's Folly.

Every muscle in my body aches today. That was a lot of digging! I plant trees all the time and have lost hardly any. This morning when I went out to see what my garden was doing, I was happy to see my corn finally coming up, but when I glanced over at my line of trees, I was disappointed to see one laying flat on the ground.

I had an issue with water yesterday. I had pulled the hose over to the tree line to give them each a good drink when I was interrupted by a check-in. This was immediately followed by another, then a phone call. I confess that I totally forgot the water was on. I knew the connection between hoses was leaking and it sort of flooded the area. I figured it had something to do with water pushing it up and toppling it over.

I walked over to pick it up, thinking I would need to stake it when I saw the tire marks. Somebody drove down the private drive and ran over my tree! It was not HeWho mows and tows. We came inside at the same time last night as it was turning dark.

Why anyone would drive down the private drive is also a mystery. There is a map on the front of the building and the private drive way is clearly marked with signage and lights. Not a good way to start the day, already aching from big tree planting adventure.

Saturday, May 7, 2016

I Have A Flower Delivery ....

No, not for me. HeWho and the children all know better than to send me cut flowers. But that is not what this is about.

I was planting some green envy zinnias in a spot that I can see from my bedroom window. I need all the help I can get to make me want to roll out of the bed in the morning. I happened to see a non descript van barreling down the EXIT drive. I sighed deeply, thinking it was far too early on a Friday to be dealing with people who can't read. There is a sign posted that says 'ENTER NEXT DRIVE' that can be seen from pretty far away. Then if you happen to not see it and turn in, another sign warns you that you are going the wrong way. It literally says 'WRONG WAY'. Like the ones on the exit and entrance ramps on the interstate system.

I lay down my multi-tool that allows me to pluck dandelions from the ground, plant bulbs and even has a saw edge that I have never used. I was afraid I might want to use the saw edge if I kept it in my hand. As I approached the van at the entrance to the office, a man was opening the side door and when I inquired about being of assistance he sang out, "Flower delivery ...."




Flowers? I don't see any flowers. I realize that florists are apt to deliver other types of baskets. I might have called this a fruit basket. The woman driving was grinning at me and I told them I would take the basket, since I just saw that camper leave a few minutes before. "Oh, and by the way, did you realize that you came in the wrong drive?" I am always ready for a good excuse, as it will usually contain blog material. She just smiled at me and said that she did. Like a dog with a bone, I just couldn't let it go. So, I asked her if the signs were visible and again she said they were, but that she had already turned when she saw them. At least I didn't have to ask her if she could read.



But, back to this basket. I was carrying it into the office out of the sun. I looked down and saw this. Sliced American cheese. Odd, don't you think? I mean I have seen baskets with cheese and crackers and summer sausage and such, but I can honestly say that the package of American cheese nestled next to the bananas is a first for me.

So, this called for an investigation. I turned the basket slowly, thing there must be crackers and maybe mustard some where. I was wrong. There is a small bag of chocolate chip cookies, some ginger snaps and 2 cans of peanuts. All brands I have seen at the Dollar Tree. Lots of oranges and bananas and the cheese. Sprinkled throughout are miniature candy bars in Easter colored wrappers and 2 packages of juicy fruit gum.

I am friends with the recipient of the basket, so I felt free to explore the contents through the cellophane. I did not open the card (I do have some scruples!), but am pretty sure this is from her sons who live in another state. I hope she sends a picture of the basket of goodies to them so that they can give some feedback to the company they ordered this from.

I wish I knew her kids. I would call them and ask how much they paid for this basket. I have sent such things myself and I would want to know if the local florist with that contract had delivered something like this.

Looks to me like they used candy left over from Easter and supplied everything else from the Dollar Tree except for the fruit. And I happen to know that bananas are on sell this week for 39 cents per pound. The cheese? Maybe they had a coupon?

Just goes to that old adage ....... it IS the thought that counts!!

Friday, May 6, 2016

Dog Devotion

We have had a few rough nights here. When I say we, I mean me and my old guy, Oscar. He usually sleeps peacefully after his midnight drink of water. But for several nights he has whimpered all night.

I get up and take him out and tell him to show me what he wants. Sometimes he will head to the back door or the water bowl, but mostly he just appears to be miserable. I can feel his tummy churning when I pick him up and he seems to be losing more weight. His spine is defined, I find myself running the pads of my fingers over the ridges.

I long for the time when he was a puppy. When a puppy cries he is either lonely or hungry, both easily solved. Oscar loved to be cuddled, always claiming his space next to me whenever I sat down. He always enjoyed napping with my dad when he was visiting. He seemed to crave attention and loved to be touched and held. Now I am always afraid I will hurt him when I pick him up.

He still wants my company, but is no longer cuddly. I want to comfort him and can't. It just breaks my heart to hear his whimpers and know that there is nothing I can do. Only when he is fresh from sleep will he curve into my arms and let me hold him.

I know he is old and I know I can't make him live forever. His last check up found him to be quite healthy. His heart is very strong and he still has some vision. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is just a reaction to a new brand of food I tried. He only has a few teeth and tends to swallow his food whole, so I tried some new canned food. I miss that annoying puppy that loved to run after a ball over and over again.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Respect, Or Lack Of It

It was cool this morning as I headed to the dog park to mow. I had my handy dandelion tool and some clippers, intending to weed the areas around the benches and try to address the bottom of the fence that needs weed-eating.

HeWho recently injured himself on the motorcycle is in no condition to haul out the heavy weed-eater and I can't handle it myself. I had hoped to slide the blades of my scissor-like clippers under the chain-link and simply clip the long grass and be done with it. This did not work at all. I could only do one side of the fence, then go back and get the other side. The area is 50' wide and 100' long. That would equal 600' of bending over to cut. I gave up on that.

I did get all the weeds out of my nicely mulched seating area and then mowed. I decided to work on my hanging baskets on the front of the building. Before going to mow I noticed a car I did not recognize parked in front of the store. No person appeared to be with it and I decided to investigate. The ladies room was occupied and I could hear the shower water. I called HeWho loves to ride around the park to "check things out" to see if he knew the owner of the sedan that was being held together with duct tape. He is actually smoking when he says this. He is forbidden to smoke inside, his wife has asthma.

He did know. This was a lady friend of the not paying tenant. Seems there have been a group of friends of the not paying tenant hanging out in the not paying tenant's camper. I did not bother to ask HeWho is a sucker for a sad story, why he was allowing this. I filled my mower with fuel and weeded a nearby garden while I waited for the woman to emerge freshly showered, followed by steam escaping the bathroom thanks to me paying my bills that allow water to be pumped and heated.

I was not nice. I asked the woman if she was a registered guest. She said that she was. I told her that if she had registered I would know who she was. She sheepishly told me that she was staying with the not paying tenant and thought it should be fine to take advantage of my park amenities. I told her that I had not rented a site to her and that it was not fine and she needed to vacate the premises unless she was willing to pay the back rent due in the amount of $1100. She sputtered that she would have to call not paying tenant and that maybe he could give me "something". I told her that something in the amount of $1100 would work out well ..... for him, not her.

I watched her leave before moving on to mow the dog park. At some point she came back unseen by me. I was either hanging out laundry, feeding a dog, or relieving my self in the privacy of my bathroom. HeWho returned from his second or maybe third trip to obtain what he needed to repair a pipe.

So, there I was, in my happy place, carefully trimming and watering my 12 hanging baskets, when I noticed a truck pull into my park. He slowed slightly at the stop sign, disregarding the sign that says all visitors must check-in at the office, then gunned his engine as he took the turn. I watched him pull into an empty site, then roar on down the road. Why, yes, I was annoyed.

A phone call to the man on the mower to see if this might be another friend of not paying tenant. The dilapidated condition of his vehicle led me to suspect this. The man in the truck was headed out of my park when I walked toward him. He tried to look straight ahead, making me call out to him. I asked if I could be of assistance and he gave me a dirty look and said no. I then asked what he was doing here and he informed me that he did not have to tell me. Really annoyed now, I inform him that he does indeed have to tell me, that he is on my property uninvited. I go on to tell him that he ran the stop sign and was speeding. He rolled his eyes and asked how I knew he was speeding. "Because I am just that much smarter than you. I know how to read. You apparently don't since you neglected to read the instructions to check-in at the office and you blew through 2 stop signs. I can tell how fast you are going by the amount of dust you left in your wake."

This when he berated ME for disrespecting HIM. I wish I had not put down my hose as I walked towards him. He informed me that he was a property owner just down the road. He is probably one of the locals filling my dumpster with their trash. Two more years. Just two more years.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

A Sign Of The Spring

I have been busy painting signs for the kampground. Everyday has found me with a paintbrush in my hand, eyes bleary. I listen to audio books while I paint, but after a week of this, I am bored.

People do come and go and advise me on how to paint and what I should be doing instead. Happens every other year or so when I need to refresh the signs. This year I am adding 4 speed limit signs. Just little reminders for those who think they are immune to my rules. I want to add cameras like the ones that capture traffic violations at red lights.


I added the "children playing" as an explanation. I really just wanted to put "because I will shoot out your tires if you speed", but HeWho won't let me have a gun.

Making signs is a lengthy affair. I primed, then painted the signboard with two coats of yellow paint. Not the shade of paint I wanted, but settled for, since I could not make the older gentleman in the paint department at Walmart understand that I wanted him to duplicate the color of the rustoleum paint I had in my hand. I spoke slowly and I have been told I enunciate clearly .........

After the yellow paint dries, I painstakingly letter the signs, then paint them with black paint, dry that and use three coats of polyurethane on top of that ....... dry that, flip the sign over and do the same thing. I am very careful to make sure my lettering is not upside down on the opposite side. I did that once and got really annoyed with myself.


My new entrance sign.


Iris are blooming!


Hostas are popping out of the ground!


Strawberries will be here soon.

 
And the dandelions keep on coming!

Monday, May 2, 2016

Peanut Butter

Life's little annoyances are sometimes the things that make you crazy. If you have read much of my blog, then you know certain things:
HeWho is my husband.
HeWho can annoy me.
HeWho loves peanut butter.

I buy the big double pack of the big jars of peanut butter. I tried the gallon size Jif in that cardboard looking container and I had to agree with HeWho is the reigning peanut butter connoisseur. It did not taste as good as the jars. Besides that, Toni Louise would be deprived of her favorite treat. She seems to know when the jar is nearing empty and will stand watching expectantly for that jar. He always leaves more in the jar than I would, what with me knowing what a spatula is for.

But that is not the most annoying thing he does with his peanut butter. He will eat just about anything with peanut butter on it. Today he made a doughnut peanut butter sandwich. He eats it on biscuits, cornbread, garlic toast and all the normal stuff, as well. He eats peanut butter every single day. Without fail. He makes a sandwich at least once a day. He is working on some blackberry jam currently.

This is the annoying part of my peanut butter loving husband. He does not make the sandwiches correctly, and yes, there is a right way and a wrong way! He used to get peanut butter into the jam or jelly, until I gently pointed out (nagged incessantly) his error. You put the jelly on first and then wipe the knife on the clean bread before you insert that knife into the peanut butter. Jelly is easier to wipe off that knife than peanut butter is.

Having accomplished that bit of training, one would think he could listen to the rest of my instruction (nagging) and not leave a peanut butter coated knife where ever he happens to be when he constructs his snack. I find them every where. On the edge of the sink, on the counter, on the kitchen island and always coated in peanut butter. You would think he would lick that knife clean! But, no, he says he leaves it un-licked in case he wants another sandwich later. But, I can testify that he does not re-use the knife, getting another out and leaving it coated with peanut butter.

I estimate 1/4 teaspoon of peanut butter left on the knife, meaning that he wastes a teaspoon of peanut butter every 4 days. In a year he wastes 91 teaspoons of peanut butter and that is only accounting for one knife each day! That is a lot of peanut butter. There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon, so that would be 30 tablespoons, or more than enough peanut butter to fill an 18 ounce jar!

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Almost Ready ......

Rain and cool winds came in overnight. After pushing to get the grass knocked down and some seed into my beds this past week, I confess that I don't mind the break and the cancellations.

Wouldn't you know, I decided to plant the tomato plants I so carefully nurtured inside for weeks. This cool spell won't enhance their growth. I saw the first daylily bloom this week, so I thought the tomatoes needed to be in the dirt ....

My mini vacation was short lived. The sun came out and I went out. So much to get done. And the grass just keeps on growing. You can almost watch it grow. I have pulled dandelion so much that when I close my eyes at night, all I can see is dandelions.

We managed an afternoon outing to Sam's, Lowes and Walmart. I hit Walmart, carefully detailed list in hand, While HeWho is still limping, went to Lowes. He picked me up and we hit Sam's together. HeWho is not a fun shopping companion. He walks slower than I do and can't seem to stay on task with a list. He seemed to get distracted easily as I zipped up and down the aisles grabbing necessities. He stopped on the pet food aisle to make faces at a baby while I struggled with a 50 lb. sack of dog food. He didn't even notice that I had loaded it as I went past him on my way to the candy bars. I got a little distracted at the wine and alcohol section and lost him. I went around that aisle three times, looking for him. I texted him and inquired about his whereabouts. He responded "over here". Really.

I kept shopping, thinking he would eventually catch up with me, or me with him. He finally texted to see if I was thirsty ..... he was at the snack bar. His bum knee was bothering him and he wanted a pretzel. I am not sure what one had to do with the other.

We finally hit the frozen foods and stocked up with ice cream, burgers and corn dogs. Didn't forget the Jimmy Dean breakfast biscuits either! We are almost ready for Memorial Day. I have the pool wall set to go and as soon as I paint the rest of the new signs for the park, I can hit the sewing room.