NO VACANCY!

 I must have jinxed the computer when I said it was functioning properly because yesterday when I tried to post, it lost all my words!! I knew I had very little time to be messing around with the computer yesterday, but I tried three times without success. Then this morning, everything was back!

I am weary this morning, yesterday was a long day. All the days leading up to yesterday were labor intensive. I would be less tired had I been working outside all day long. I spent an afternoon last week preparing meals for this weekend. With HeWho's sodium restrictions, fast food is prohibited, as well as frozen entrees and much of the canned food. I made 5 pans of lasagna to freeze, keeping one out for tonight. A tuna casserole, a stir fry and I was going to bake a cake, but I succumbed to fatigue. I try to keep something sweet so HeWho will not resort to ice cream. He is hard to cook for.

I managed to fill all my sites for every night of the weekend. I hated having to turn people away. I had a no show last night, but filled it this morning. Another camper decided to leave early, so I refunded two nights. I know that I don't have to do that since she reserved three nights, but I have already filled that one, as well. Karma, you know, Val's Even Steven at work.

It is only 10:30 and I already long for a nap! I feel like I have been glued to the check-in counter for an eternity already.

I have four large groups this weekend. Two with similar names. They had made the reservations months in advance, assigning the task to one person. I am always careful to ask what each camper in the group will be coming in, as well as the length of the unit and the electrical needs. I need all that information to be able to place them in the most optimal sites. One of the reasons I prefer to take all the reservations myself. HeWho sort of tries to help, would just tell me that someone wants five 30amp sites together and leave me to figure it out with no call back number. Over the years I have tried to train him better, but will admit that I have failed miserably!

One of the groups first camper arrived and was upset to find that he would not have 50amp service. A nice older gentleman, so I rearranged my seating chart to accommodate him. Had I known in advance I would have flipped the two groups' locations, since the other group needed only 30amp. But some of the other group were already in place and I was not going to ask them to move. Best I could do put the 50amp man apart from his group.

He was fine with being apart, saying the rest of his group could congregate on his site, since he was the patriarch of the family. But before I could change the site I was telling him how to get to the 30amp site I had originally assigned him. HeWho tries to help was in the store and decided he knew a better way than my way and began telling the man that he would pull through 18 to get to 19. After 17 years he still doesn't know the site numbers! First of all, the odd numbers are behind the even numbers and 19 is behind 20, making his "route" impossible. But, since it was a man getting directions, he automatically thought the man giving the directions knew more than the woman behind the counter. He had the poor man so confused that I finally told him to leave. My husband, not my customer.

The man insisting on a 50amp site took my 50amp offer. I knew he could get by with 30 since it was only 54 degrees yesterday and a forecast for the high this weekend not reaching 70. He would be more likely to use heat than air conditioning. I continued checking in campers, only getting confused about the groups having similar names and multiple check-is happening at once and I rebuffed any further "help" from HeWho can't give directions.

About an hour after 50amp man checked in, his wife called to request they be moved to the original site I had reserved for them. I had 2 checking in and some others buying ice cream at the time of the call and I handed the phone to HeWho happened in and told him to answer it and put the caller on hold until I could answer them. After I cleared the store, he told me of the request and even though I said NO, he set out on a quest to fulfil their wishes. Texting me and calling me with what he thought might be a solution. I had already had to rearrange things to get them into the 50amp site and was not going to make the camper I had put in the site that was to be their's move. Every empty site he saw, he would call me or text me asking if I had "plans" for the site!

I found it extremely annoying, so I stopped acknowledging the texts and simply said "NO" when I answered. What part of reserved does he not understand? Finally he ran out of options and stopped. The wife of 50amp man called again to see if my husband had relayed the message, telling me how nice and helpful my husband was. I explained to her that I would have to move the people in the 30amp site and she understood and was fine. I was so happy to hear that she found HeWho was annoying, to be so helpful and almost offered to let him spend the weekend with them!

Being booked with no sites left to offer did not stop the ringing phone. You might suggest that I not answer, but not all the calls were for this weekend. And .... if I don't answer I will be into the evening with call backs. Lots of the calls were orders for firewood and people reserving sites into the months ahead. Firewood, marshmallows, Hersheys and graham crackers were the big sellers. The low temperature made for lots of campfires, although we still had swimmers. No snow cones. I am not sorry about that, as I would have needed help to do that and check everyone in.

Maybe I am a control freak. I don't like the way HeWho crushes too much ice for the amount of snow cones he is making. I hate waste, you know. He will gladly use the extra ice to treat himself to a snow cone with way too much syrup. Oh, let's face it, he just can't win with me!

Part Two: Isn't It Ironic?

 I went to sleep after seeing the twinkling lights of the tow truck flying down the road. The thought did cross my mind that he was probably speeding. I was awakened at the usual hour of 6am by my furry friends and began my day. I fueled up on coffee and slipped away to my garden for a serious weeding session before it got too hot out.

I was in my happy place, having accomplished more that I had planned. I noticed a tiny tomato and my cucumbers and squash that I had just planted already pushing up through the soil. I grabbed a basket and filled it with strawberries and one lone spear of asparagus. It was time to stop, I was dripping sweat and longing for a cool shower.

Throughout my morning activities I am interrupted by the ringing phone, lest you think I was entirely at peace with the world. I had just unlocked the door and provided someone with quarters for the laundry when another camper came up to let me know they would be pulling out. I was on the phone with someone looking for a site for a couple of months they would be working in the area. My camper waited politely while I was explaining to the caller that I would have nothing to offer until June 1st. He could not help but overhear my end of the conversation. He waved at me to tell me he would be pulling out and asked if that would help my caller. It did and she was elated.

The workers that come in and stay a brief time never know when they will be leaving. This particular one had only been here for two weeks and was happy that I refunded half of the month he had paid for. As I was talking to him, a tow truck pulled into my park and proceeded to race down the drive. I know that truck! My husband used to drive when he wore the moniker of HeWho Tows. This must be a new driver, because everyone else knows better.

He was going at least 20mph with a cloud of dust rising up behind him. No way I could have caught up with him without speeding myself and I am very careful not to do that. I feel that I should set the example. My live in campers do, as well, even if HeWho speeds does not.  Besides the door was open and even though it was not time to be open, I was busy and on my own.

When the tow truck came back around to leave, having loaded a truck, everyone heard him hit the speed bump with a loud bang. He took the curve gearing up to go even faster. I was outside with a customer and abandoned her to walk out into the parking lot to have a chat with the driver. I was hot and sticky, not having had that narrow window of opportunity to have my quick morning shower and not in the best frame of mind. I was mad.

I approached the driver's side and had to yell to be heard over the engine. The young man driving had that "deer in the headlights look". Being way up in the cab, he was looking down at me when I asked him if he knew how to read signs. It always amazes me when I tell someone what the speed limit is and they say "I didn't know" and this when I ask if they can read. I am always aware of signage when I am driving and most especially when I am on private property.

I hold up my hand with all five digits stretched out and tell him that the speed limit is 5. The man in the passenger seat chooses to dismount and come around the front of the truck to confront me. I had no problem with him, he was not driving the truck, disobeying my speed limit. I had never seen him before either and he should have stayed in that seat. He never should have told me that I needed to calm down.

I WAS calm until then. His demeanor and the way he stood looking like he was ready to tackle me to the ground if he thought he should, in order to "calm me down" flipped my bitch switch. I ashamed to say that I responded with exactly what I was thinking and I used my sister-in-law's most hated word. Seems like the all the elements of the universe had come together to bring out the worst in me and I let it fly from my mouth. The man looked at me menacingly and I would be willing to bet that he was a bully to women in particular.

By the way, I would have won that bet. The truck left, slowly. I called the owner of the tow company and related the incident to him. He said the driver was actually very nice and respectful and that he knew that he would never speed again on my property. The passenger, who was dressed very similar to the driver was the one I was really complaining about. I thought he might be someone riding along, training. Turned out he was the owner of the truck that had broken down and been towed in with the 5th wheel the night before ... my customer.

I felt bad about it and had every intention of apologizing for my actions. Not just because he was my customer. I had every right to be mad about the speeding. It is a safety issue and a liability issue. What if he had come through this weekend when there would be children on bicycles and people walking their dogs? Nothing to do but wait until the man came back to pay for his stay.

I never got that shower, soaking in my own sweat all day as I was too busy to even go to the bathroom without the phone in my hand. The customer in question called to tell me he had taken his truck in for repairs and rented a car and would stop at the the office to "settle up". He was too nice, making me think "settle up" might have more meaning than simply paying for his stay.

I consider myself to be a pretty good judge of character. I will admit when I am wrong, which is a rare event. I was working on another sign waiting for my day to be over when I saw the car in front of the office. I saw the man standing, leaning on the side of the car (remember that window treatment I applied, you can't see me, but I can see you). He calls me. He says that since I have a mask mandate on my door he can't come in to pay his bill. I ask if he is vaccinated, as that would leave him free to enter without a mask. He tells me it is none of my business and I am breaking the law by asking him. I tell him the reason I am asking and he goes on to tell me that demanding a mask is illegal as well.

Knowing quite well that he is irritating me, he can't seem to shut up and tells me I am violating the HIPPA law. I ignore his attempts to goad me and ask how he plans to pay for his stay. He says he will do it on the phone. Okay with me, the apology I felt he deserved was not going to be forthcoming at this point. I asked how many nights he wants to pay for. Keep in mind the fact that I told him the night before that I was sorry I couldn't offer more than two nights because I was booked solid for the holiday weekend. 

He informs me that he plans to stay through the weekend. I repeated what I had told him and he says we never discussed that. I assure him that I did tell him that. He denies it again and hangs up his phone and drives away, to his site. Laughing. I was watching. I call HeWho rarely gets as angry as I do and repeated what the man said. He said he would go to the site. I couldn't find my go-to guy for help to protect my half hearted husband. I shouldn't have worried, because he saw what was gong on and went over to be the back up man.

He was leaving when he saw me and related the conversation. You might recall that I said I was a pretty good judge of character? I was right about the guy being a bully. He was told to be out by noon the next day and he said no, he would not be. So, my husband with half a heart said, okay, by 10am then. Again, he refused, and he dropped the time to 9am and the bully asked what he was going to do about it if he didn't leave.

I dialed 911. That's what I did about it. The deputy made the man give him the money he owed and brought it to the office, then took the change and receipt back. He told the deputy he would not be staying the night and would be making arrangements to be towed out as soon as possible. He is still here. Campers will be starting to arrive today. Not all of them, most will be arriving tomorrow. A few on Saturday. 

I actually could let him stay until Sunday, having the site that was freed yesterday reserved for Sunday. I could go in my office and rearrange my reservations that I have to accommodate the bully. I could, but I don't want to. I am not going to. I have dug my heels in and will not do it. It was one thing to be rude and menacing to me, but not to my husband!

When noon rolls around he will officially be trespassing and the deputy will return to over see the local tow company tow him to wherever he can find accommodations.

Fun fact, seems that while I was yelling at the tow truck driver I was sporting a pink ball cap with his company's logo on it. Irony?

Closing Time

 Fingers crossed that my internet is finally back to somewhat normal. It has been painfully slow, making the necessary things that have to be done on a daily basis next to impossible. Trying to respond to all the email requests that pop up daily required too much time. A phone call or a check-in would make the entire process shut down and I would have to start over.

As you can imagine, I found this outrageously annoying. The heat wave and humidity isn't helping, but the sleep deprivation is making me really short on patience. I can usually fake niceness on the phone, but I was told by one of my children that was on my personal phone while I took a call on the store phone that I was not doing a good job in that department.

The store hours are in plain view right there on the door, just like the night registration packets and the instructions for night registration are at eye level and quite visible. This makes me doubly irritated when someone calls to ask how to use the night registration. Makes me wonder how people have managed to get this far along in life without my constant help.

I work hard. My choice, but when the office is closed and I have provided  a way to accommodate you, why, oh why can't you just read the instructions. They aren't complicated or lengthy, any of my grandchildren could read them and then tell you what to do.

Same with the signs in the park. The speed limit is posted EVERYWHERE. I just made 3 more double sided signs that will go up tomorrow in neon yellow, red and black. My feelings are that if you are not paying enough attention to see at least one of the dozens of signs, then perhaps you shouldn't even be operating a vehicle. I even emphasize the speed limit when I check people in. I have people that live here that feel free to remind speeders of the speed limit. Even if you have never been here before, you should be aware of the speed limit. It is posted.

Last night I closed late. I fielded phone calls from desperate travelers who have just realized that a holiday weekend is coming up and they have failed to make reservations, calls from those who decide to wait until the last minute for their holiday plans, and workers coming into the area for short term jobs. I already have a waiting list of 14 campers if I have a last minute cancellation.

So, when I get a call from someone at AAA looking to help a stranded motorist whose truck pulling their 5th wheel has broken down, I put my nice attitude on and attempt to help. Sounds like a very young woman who has absolutely no clue about RV's or what is needed. She keeps telling me she needs a place for the motorist to park a car. I am asking questions to determine what they need and she keeps on about a car. She did say that a 5th wheel was involved. You can't pull this with a car, you need a truck. How would a car be involved?

Finally, after many questions followed by me waiting while she asked someone else and then got back to me, she gave me the stranded motorists number and I finally determined that they would need a site to have their 5th wheel towed to while their truck was being repaired. No car involved. 

The moral to the story? Don't give the task of finding lodgings to someone who knows nothing about the assignment. They weren't that far away, but they were waiting for a tow truck to get to them. I was tired and it was late, so I put a map in an envelope and taped it to the door with their site number. This was after I told the man that I had a site for two nights only. The holiday weekend coming up is booked solid.

I went to bed. It was very late when I saw the tow truck leaving my park through my bedroom window with all it's lights flashing in red and yellow.

Stay tuned for the rest of the story ...

Weekends

So many annoying things seem to come up at times I would like to be mindless of the world. Makes my days too long. My body is weary, but my mind is screaming for a time out.

Lately the phone starts ringing before 7 am. I am not mentally equipped to deal with nonsense that early in the morning. Today's winner was a man calling to inquire about the status of his "reservation" for June 1st. I was taking care of my dogs and brewing coffee and considered not answering the phone at all. I answered anyway.

My entire body aches from a marathon session with the push mower yesterday. The ground was too wet to get the big mowers out, so I cut grass all day in between taking reservations and tending to customers and all my other responsibilities. The grass had to be cut, the restrooms had to be cleaned and I seemed to be the chosen one. I was cutting my side yard as the sun went down. I took some preemptive Ibuprofen before I showered and collapsed in bed. So, the ringing phone was most unwelcome that early.

The name inquiring about his reservation was not found in my reservations, but the name did sound familiar. Upon requesting that he refresh my memory, he "reminded" me that I had emailed his wife. Just because you send me an email inquiring about a reservation on a certain date does not mean you have a reservation!! I always respond and end that response with "TO SECURE A RESERVATION CALL the store number". Why would I hold a spot without something to secure it? I need a credit card number or a deposit. Just like every other campground and motel/hotel operation.

The name was familiar because she sent another email and I responded yet again, telling her I would need to know more about the camper in question and ended that email with the same statement about calling to secure the reservation. What is so hard to understand? The man was quite insistent that he had a reservation. After the call I went back o the correspondence by email and checked to make sure I was not wrong. Being right did not bring any sense of peace to my morning.

I am not looking forward to this weekend and most especially the following holiday weekend. I am old, I am tired.

Everything is on track. The pool has been painted and is full of water. The lounge chairs have been built and repaired and now await my attention with the paint. Looks like it might rain and the paint has a strong odor, so I don't want to be indoors with it. Today is not looking good for painting. I would love to grab a bucket of paint and work mindlessly all day long. Not see anyone, not talk to anyone, just me and my paint brush. Alas, seems there is no remedy in sight!

Here Comes The Sun

 We are supposed to have 4 days of no rain this week. The race is on to get the pool painted. The paint needs time to "cure" and then the filling begins. I hope I have the stamina to be a good helper in this project.

Painting the pool is always fraught with tension. Very labor intensive and the weather rarely cooperates. It always feels like we are two steps behind and not going to make it to the finish line. It doesn't help that HeWho procrastinates would appear to be totally unconcerned about it. I get anxious and start trying to offer lots of advice nag incessantly.

While the men do their thing preparing the pool to receive the paint, I am busy in my gardens. Asparagus and strawberries are coming in, despite the chilly weather. I actually grew tomatoes from seed this year and my windowsill garden in the kitchen is crowded with 16 tiny plants reaching for the sun. The five plants I bought are already in the ground outside in a cow feeding trough. It stays nice and warm in there and they haven't grown enough to rise above the sides yet.

I planted potatoes, beans, peas, and beets so far. Today will find me in the last trough weeding and amending the soil for cucumbers and squash. It is overcast now, but rumor has the sun making an appearance tomorrow.

I have been busy painting more signs with my new speed limit of 5mph.

You may be wondering if campers are noticing. Some are, some aren't, and some obey only when they see me watching them. It is really hard to go only 5mph.

The endless mowing continues. I always notice projects that need attention while I walk behind the mower. Fences in need of paint, weeds going wild in my gardens, trees that need trimmed. When I close my eyes at night I see weeds.

Still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my sister is gone. I am thankful for the fatigue that makes me too tired to think as I drift into slumber. Mr. BoJangles is my new alarm clock. He wakes me before 7 each morning. Eddie and Cujo are happy to go outside with Bo, then settle on the couch with me while I sip coffee. 

Toni Louise never misses the opportunity to claim her territory in my bed. It gets loud as she snarls and barks at the three boy dogs. No gentle awakening in my house! HeWho pretends to sleep through it all and then goes right back to sleep as I lead my boys out of the room.

I have been up for two hours now and am ready to dress and venture out to my garden. I have plenty to do and would get it done faster if not for the phone and campers finding me. I am thinking about tall fences to hide behind! That would block the sun and my vegetables need that sun. 

A Word From Cujo

 Cujo here. Mom is tired. She said her brain hurt, so here I am, happy to fill in for her. Things here are busy. We hardly have time with Mom anymore. And that red phone rings all the time. I think I heard Mom growl at it!

I was surprised when Mom growled at the phone, I did not know that she knew how to growl! She has faked a bark before, but never growled. She keeps telling people we are booked solid. I admit that I have no idea what that could mean, but she seems to get a little irritated when the person keeps asking for a site.

A new pet joined our family today. His name is Theodore and he is a turtle. He is quite tiny, this new member of our family. Mom let us all sniff him. It is common knowledge that if Mom is holding a new pet and she offers to let us sniff him, it means he is off limits to play with. I think Bo was looking forward to trying to eat Theodore. He smells a lot like the frogs we find in our yard.

If you find a frog in your yard I would advise you not to bite it. Suds will come out of your mouth and sometimes your nose and the taste is pretty terrible. I did try to warn Bo, but he never listens to my advice. Mom says he has a hard head. I don't know about that, but he is pretty stubborn.

The pool is being readied to paint and Dad found the little turtle living in the pool near a puddle. Mom made him a new home in a glass bowl with water and some rocks to climb on. He is not much bigger than Bo's little paw. 

Bo has tiny feet. I have normal feet and Eddie has giant feet. Mom said she was happy that Eddie didn't grow into his feet. I found that to be confusing. How do you grow into your feet? Tony Louise has regular feet, too. Martha, the boy cat, has cat feet and I am no expert on cats. In fact, Martha is the only cat I know. Martha is getting old now and Mom says he is slowing down. He seem to walk at the same rate as he ever did to me. 

When I asked Mom how she chose the name of the tiny turtle in the glass bowl, she said that she had to think about the name after she met the pet. She said that since Theodore was a turtle and turtle starts with "t", she had been thinking of names that starts with "t". She said she suddenly remembered Alvin and the Chipmunks from her childhood and decided on Theodore, one of the chipmunks that sang with Alvin.

Now I wish I hadn't asked. First of all, Mom used to be a child? That doesn't seem possible! Then, theses chipmunks that know how to sing seems unlikely, too. And if your name is supposed to start with the same letter as what you are, then why is my name Cujo?

Mom laughed at me and told me that she was once a baby! Just like I was once a puppy. Then she told me that these singing chipmunks were a cartoon and then she sang a song to me in chipmunk voice. I was not impressed at all. The sound was annoying. Then she explained to me that every pet she has is named for a reason. Toni Louise is named after Louise, the St. Bernard that was one of Mom's many dogs. Louise, the St Bernard was named Louise because when she came to live with Mom at the same time another dog, Louise's brother went to live with Gage. Gage is Mom's grandson and he had a cat named Burn and he named his dog Crash, so he wanted Mom to name her dog either Thelma or Louise.

This was the name of a movie about two women who crashed their car and burned. How can that make you want to name a dog after them? People do the strangest thing! She said she named me Cujo because I was afraid of the world. Cujo was also the name of a movie and the star of the movie was a rabid St. Bernard that tried to kill everyone. She says my name is meant to be ironic. I do know that word!! Wall-E (another dog named after a movie, but not a St. Bernard) told me what that word means. He was the smartest dog ever!

Now Mom has some research to do about the care and feeding of turtles. Next thing you know we will have birds flying around inside our house!!

I Want Too Much

 We are super busy. This should make me happy, but it has only made me tired. We close early on Sunday and that alone is cause for celebration. I am greedy, I want the entire day. I just want to dig in my gardens. ALONE. I want that feeling of having accomplished something. I want the solitude and peace I find when I smell the earth and feel the roots of the weeds in my hands. I long to belt out an old hymn and not worry that some camper will be offended.

And I want all this to happen without interruption. I want too much. I thought about taking the phone I loathe and giving it to my friend to field calls. Maybe I should have have, but the morning was so quiet as I made my way to a garden bed, thinking it to be pretty much out of sight. I could still see the front of the building if anyone happened into the office. Humming softly to myself, favorite digging tool in hand, I started pulling and digging weeds.

This activity that brings me peace lasted all of 10 minutes before someone sought me out. Not too perturbed, I listened to her request and told her what I would need from her to  accomplish what she wanted. Before she could make an exit, the phone rang ..... and rang .... and rang.

Inside now, HeWho surprised me with iced coffee and pancakes. We were able to have an entire conversation before the phone interrupted again. No, he did not make my breakfast (don't be silly), he drove to McDonalds and bought it. 

I suppose he felt bad about dropping his pill case and all of the pills spilling out. Only four days worth, but we all know who would have to fix it. I was busy with my tomato seedlings in my window and refused to get upset, just told him to be sure to get all of the ones that fell to the floor. I can only imagine one of my dogs with his blood thinner or beta blocker. It would kill them. 

I ventured back out, determined to finish what I started. Interruptions continued, causing me to abandon my work and hike back to the office. I spread my 3 bags of mulch in the weed free area and finally saw HeWho enter the office. I snuck off to my vegetable garden and prepared the area for my tomatoes and seed potatoes. Got 6 of my 18 tomato plants in the ground and topped them off with the worm bed dirt from last year. Potatoes planted with more good dirt and the first drops of rain fell as I was summoned to the office.

I know I told him NOT to make reservations and not to try to discuss which sites may or may not be available for seasonal sites. My own fault, I suppose. But I did tell him that we have NOTHING left until after Memorial Day and already have most of the sites promised out to people waiting until June 1st. So I was irritated that I had to grab a mask and act professional. I was already dripping with sweat and just wanted a shower.

I decided to tackle the pile of pills and found that the numbers didn't add up. So, I know some must be hidden either on the counter or the floor. Maybe under the stove. They can roll a long way. My big toe hurts and my foot has swollen enough that taking off my shoe is difficult, but I have to find the pills before one of the dogs do. HeWho doesn't seem to be concerned and I long to smack him in the back of his head.

So much for a peaceful day. Then the phone rings again with a gentleman just wondering if I still have his reservation. To my credit I did not snap at him and tell him that I routinely threw every third reservation away so that I could challenge my skills in being able to accommodate everyone.

HeWho has the phone now. The last call I took was from a man who is waiting for June 1st  for a seasonal site. My first clue that he would be causing me angst is when he requested that I give him TWO sites for the price of one. Seems he likes a lot of room. I actually am willing to do that on two of my shorter, less desirable 30 amp sites. But he wants a particular set of sites that are 50 amp. We have had this discussion twice before today and today was not the day to try my patience. The man and his wife appear to be older than me, but very well could be younger. My point is that they are old enough to know that NO means NO. If he would like to pay for both sites I would be okay with it. Not happy, mind you, but okay. 

I am off to move the dishwasher and stove, broom at the ready, while my fur babies nap. Then a shower and bed are calling out to me. I am beginning to wonder if Humana sent me a placebo in place of my serotonin uptake. I am not pleasant to be around without my pills!  

Five Will Get You Ten??

 I am still frustrated that I cannot seem to get this computer to download my pictures from my phone. Maybe a grandchild will show up and fix it for me.

In the meantime I have decided to change the speed limit in the park. This means all the signs have to be repainted. They needed it anyway and I am content mindlessly lettering and panting the signs that go back out as soon as I am done.

My new speed limit is 5mph. It was 10. Nobody obeyed as they whipped through, so I lowered it in hopes that five will get me ten. In addition to changing it, I am also putting up more signs proclaiming my expectations of obedience to my rules. If I confront you about speeding, you should know in advance that I always enjoy a good debate. Feel free to share your opinion about my rules if you must, but know that in the end I will ALWAYS have the last word and that I will ALWAYS win.

Being in charge is not a walk in the park. I have so many things to consider when I make a rule. Safety of my campers is utmost and with children biking and playing it is important to keep your foot on the brake and constantly watching for them. If you do not agree, you don't have to camp here.

Spring is finally here. We do not expect any more snow or freezing temperatures. My grounds are filling with lilies and iris, the daffodils had a short presentation due to that last snowfall and the tulip petals are falling to the ground. The dandelions are turning the fields of grass a happy yellow. I remind myself that the bees need them, even as I yank them out of my gardens, lest they take over.

I found asparagus in my garden upon our return from our trip. Only a small harvest, but the strawberry patch is in full bloom. Time to put my tomato plants in the ground and plant some other veggies. It is good to be outside and busy!

Bo, The Entertainer

I have had some bad days lately. I am not a virgin griever. I had a hard time when my son died and again when each of my parents passed. It's not supposed to be easy when you care about the person that has gone on to a different world. Time really is the only thing that will make things "normal" again.

I have been in a cocoon of sadness, coming out to do what is absolutely necessary, then waiting for the day to end so I can go to bed in solitude. Well, I am never alone with four dogs watching my every move. HeWho falls asleep the moment his head hits the pillow and if I entertained thoughts of talking to him with out his hearing aids, I would do just as well to talk to myself. I often do. Sleep does not come easy and when it finally does, I am plagued with disturbing dreams.

I try to remember the dreams, but most of them escape the moment my eyes open, leaving me feeling troubled. Just a vague sense of foreboding, making me wonder when the next tragedy will hit.

I mowed a lot yesterday and my joints ached all night last night. We went to bed early at 8 and I was so drowsy and so hoping I would drift off into a peaceful sleep. That didn't happen,

Time to count my blessings. I have many and I do appreciate them, I am just going to be sad for awhile.

The park is overbooked for Memorial Day. Not to worry, I will play with the reservations and come up with a solution, I always do. Someone is bound to cancel on me at the last minute. I have quite a few guys working in the area staying here and I can always offer some compensation for them pulling off site for the weekend, as they will most likely go home for the holiday.

In the meantime we are prepping the pool to be painted. When I say "we" you can exclude me as I only offer encouragement. I will be painting the pool loungers and repairing any splintery wood. That is easy enough to do as I like to paint.

The grass keeps growing and I keep mowing. I have always rather enjoyed mowing. The noise would prevent me from hearing my kids complain about each other as I waved and smiled at them, knowing how much that would irritate them.

 Nowadays, it is the dogs I wave at .... to get out of the path I am mowing. Mr. BoJangles does not appreciate my efforts and cowers near the door while the remaining three canines follow me faithfully, hoping I will disturb a frog they can play with. Bo managed to make it inside while I mowed yesterday. He barked and snarled through the screen door. Then, when I stopped the mower and opened the door, he ran at the mower, hackles in the air and proceeded to challenge the machine. He was pretty intent on establishing his superiority  over the mower. I thought about sneaking over and starting it up, but decided that would be mean. Better to let him think he is the reason the machine was silent.

Bo is quite the entertainer.