Bloggers and Large Type

So far I have had the honor of meeting two fellow bloggers. One found me quite by accident and realized that she was a mere 13 miles east of me. She sought me out and I am happy that she did. It is so nice to meet people in the flesh that you enjoy reading. Hi to Joy and Phil at Backroad Chronicles.

Just yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting another fellow blogger. We almost missed this opportunity because she did not realize she was going to be in the same area my park is in! Just so you all know...... KAN-DO KAMPGROUND is located in Montgomery City, Missouri. We are conveniently located at exit 170 on Interstate 70. Phone # is 573-564-7993. Oh, and I give a blogger discount. If you head my way stop by....there may or may not be cake involved.... but you will get to see me!



I love my new friends! Pat ( A View From The Edge) and I talked for hours last night! When I got back to my house love of my life was asleep and the dogs were all awaiting me (yeah, he forgot to take them out). I feel like we have known each other forever. Her hubby is a great guy, too. I am just sad they couldn't stay longer, but I can't compete with hot-air balloons!

In case you may be wondering why I changed to such a large type, I hope I have convinced my dad to get a computer to communicate with me since he refuses to get a hearing aid. He was having trouble reading my posts while he was here, so, this is for you, Daddy!

Families......

I was going to post about something totally different...... meeting a fellow blogger. But my mind is taking me in a different direction.

I have been noticing for the past few weeks that love of my life is not his usual chipper self. At first I thought he was just tired, like we always are towards the end of the season. He has been sleeping quite a bit though and is still not himself, so I was wondering if he might be sick. But he isn't. I think he is a little depressed. He will rise to the occasion when we have company, but he just isn't himself.

I have been pondering what may be the cause (other than our current economic situation) and I think I have the answer. He might disagree with me until he really thinks about it. We have been here for five years. Every year my Dad makes the pilgrimage to see us. Our children do the same and we make a trip in the winter to visit them and our grandchildren.

Not once since we have been living here in Missouri has his family paid us a visit. His mother flew here the first year and was here for Thanksgiving. The only time we have seen her since is when we have traveled to Georgia. Traveling is not easy for us. We are open year round and when we go to Minnesota to see our grandchildren we don't usually go together. Someone has to be here. My family seems to understand this and visits us.

My husband has only one sister and she called him several years ago and said that she wanted to be closer and stay in contact more. This was actually about ten years ago. Since that conversation she has made little effort to see her brother. I know traveling is an inconvenience........ I know this because we are always the ones to travel to see her. I would call her and tell her how I feel, but we don't have that kind of relationship. I have extended an open invitation to my in-law family and beyond that I don't know what to do. It is not that they don't travel. They go places all the time and it is mentioned on her face book page. I just saw that they just returned from a trip to the beach and mentioned it to my sweet husband this morning. I think his feelings were hurt and he has been gloomy all day. He would no doubt deny this if I said anything... being a guy and all.

Just had to lend voice to my feelings. My own sister has never been here either, but we do keep in touch. She has a situation that prevents her from visiting me. My step-sister has been here three times to see me and like I said before, Mama and Daddy come every year. All the regulars here at the campground have met my family and will ask if Drew has any family since they have never seen any visit us. Makes me sad and a little angry at the same time. Don't mess with the love of my life!

Rainy, Cold and Dreary....and a Surprise

I awoke this morning to dull light and the sound of rain falling. This would explain why my joints were hurting all day yesterday. I was sitting here catching up on blogs I read, sipping coffee and wondering what I will do today.

The phone rang and I knew before I answered that it would be Pat (A View From The Edge). I read her post about heading west yesterday and she had included my little city in her itinerary. I left a comment (or two) about wondering if she would be gracing me with her presence. She will be here this afternoon!! I am excited to meet her. I feel like I should roll out the red carpet...... but I don't have one and it would get wet! Maybe I will go mop the store and spiff it up. I suddenly have new energy.

The good thing about rain is that it slows down the work on the pipe line and my tenants will be here longer. I am trying to look on the bright side. I planted some shrubbery yesterday and the slow steady rain will help establish those roots. The rain is good for my gardens........ who am I kidding, I just want to crawl back in the bed!

I am off to take advantage of the momentum that Pat provided with her call. Mop bucket.... here I come!

For The Pipeliner's Wife

pipeliners wife said...
You know not all people are the same. But when you talk about pipeliners you talk about all. Its not easy when we have to leave are familys just so we can work like any other person out there. But what makes it harder is when you go to a park were you don't feel welcome when people like you talk about us.This is the frist time in three years i didn't feel comfortable.The only one that made us feel welcome was you husband.Well if i ever come back to missouri. your park is not on my list. Well now that we are gone you can get your sanity back.We are people to. We might have gotten a litttle noise sometimes. but when they work all week they deserve it.Its not like we fight or do stupid shit we just have a good time.So i'll keep reading your blog. to see who else you can talk about. I have better things to do besides talking about people.So keep you sanity in place you don't have to worrie about us anymore.YOUR PARK IS (KAN'T DO)and is not for pipeliners. PIPELINERS WIFE
Saturday, 26 September,


As I scrolled through previous posts reading comments left, I came across this one at the top of this post. Seems she was offended that I would talk about the behaviour of the group that she apparently associates herself with. I will take this opportunity to address her concerns.....

I agree that all people are not the same. This was made all the more apparent by the behaviour of the group that recently moved on. Yes, they were pipe liners. I still have pipe liners in my park. Lucky for them I do not prejudge their behaviour by the example of the recently departed ones. The ones that are still here have commented on the quiet evenings we all enjoy now. The noise level has gone down dramatically. The number of complaints that I am responsible for solving has also decreased...dramatically.

I am sure that leaving your families and traveling is a hardship, but one that you have chosen to do. By choosing this lifestyle you should expect to be subject to the rules of the parks that you stay in. These rules are not put in place solely to inconvenience any one group. They are pretty standard in any park I have ever stayed in. You say that I did not make you feel welcome, but that my husband did. Probably because I am in the office and he is out in the park. I am the one who answers the phone and hears the complaints, so that when you do see me it is to solve a problem. After addressing the same problem with the same party time after time I would agree that my facade would not be a welcoming one. Had any of you complained about another camper creating an atmosphere that you found to be unbearable they would have been treated the same as you were when they complained about you.

You say that because you work hard you deserve to make noise and have a good time. Do you think that the campers around you who may be tired and want to get a good night's sleep not deserve to have that. They also pay to stay here.

I am not sure what you would consider to be stupid shit. Would that be leaving a dog out to live in a cardboard box to howl and whimper all night. Maybe parking your vehicles in empty sites. Or maybe getting so drunk that you are seen laying half in-half out of your camper without a stitch of clothing on? Maybe it would be drinking out of glass containers in the pool area, or using the pool skimmers as your personal ashtray. The laundry room would be considered part of the building and would be a no smoking zone, but that didn't stop someone from emptying an entire ashtray of cigarette ashes and butts into the floor. The washers and dryers were repaired weekly due to overloading them. Maybe this is what you may be referring to.

You are absolutely right when you say that all people are not the same. Even with-in your group were some that would be welcome back at my park. I am glad that my park is not on your lists of parks should you ever find yourself back in this area.

I tend to disagree that my park is not for people working on the pipeline, I do agree that it is not the park for the group you are with and I will definitely be screening my long term renters more carefully from this point on. Sad to say that a whole group of hard working people will no doubt be judged by the behaviour of a few.

Perhaps you should consider your own behaviour and why I found it to be worthy of posting on my blog.

Can You Feel The Love?

Not too long ago I had a visit with my Mama and Daddy. It was a short visit, seems they all end too soon. I was able to take some time away from the campground and do a few things with them......... all involving food. No matter where we went we always ended up eating something......

Love of my life captured this moment as we were about to go on an adventure. He got some other shots that I found objectionable (too much of me in them....way too much). Mama and Daddy are still in the newlywed phase and seem to always be holding hands. I find that so endearing. Aren't they a cute couple?

My Aunt Hazel came along and I missed getting a shot of her. I thought I had snuck one in, but I didn't. She was the aunt who was brave enough to ride with me my first time behind the wheel of a car....... her car! She brought me a gift. Unexpected gifts are so nice. I am thinking my step-sister Glenda must have told her about my collection of elephants.

Speaking of Glenda, just look at this lovely candle she gave me. I love it. But I don't want to light it.....cause then it will melt away. But candles are made to be used and I will light this on a cold winter night and enjoy it with a cup of hot tea and think good thoughts. Glenda was camera shy..... I did get a shot of her, but had to promise not to publish it.

Right before my family came for their visit, my favorite tent camper EVER brought me this elephant. He is such a good friend to us. I tend to write about the negative side of this business, but we have made many wonderful friends in the years that we have been here and Don is one of them.

Can you feel the love?

Gourdgeous Gourds

It is almost time to harvest my gourds. This is what they looked like in August.


Here is a close-up. Pretty Impressive, don't you think?

They aren't through growing, though. Just look at this one. I finally noticed this one last week. It seemed to appear suddenly. These gourds are sneaky like that.

This last picture is a shot of the same three in the picture at the top of the page. Not only have they grown dramatically in a few short weeks......they don't even look like the same gourds.

I have tried several different methods of curing these gourds. I read a lot about them and found that some are left to dry in the fields naturally. In this method you lose some. Since I don't have a whole field of gourds...... Another method suggests that you scrape the green skin off, this will hasten the drying out. The easiest method is to put them in a cool dry place and let nature take it's course. Mold will form and eventually slough off.

You will not be using them this season with any method. They need to dry inside also and you will know when they are ready. They will sound hollow when you tap them and some of them will rattle when you shake them.

I learned the hard way.... if you decide to scrape the green skin off, don't touch your mouth! Bitter doesn't begin to describe it.... and it lingers forever. Also remember to wear a mask and eye protection if you decide to drill or cut a hole. The dust inside will escape and go everywhere. Learned that the hard way, too.

The gourds aren't through growing just yet. They won't be ready until the vine withers and turns brown. They grow a lot in the last few weeks. they seem to appear suddenly...... like a nice little surprise. I think they are gourdgeous. Don't you?

Anonymous Has Left The Park

Peace reigns here today. Anonymous and company have pulled out and all is quiet. I have my serenity and sanity back and all is well in my world! I know exactly who the author of the anonymous comments was (is?) and all her cohorts. Seems every problem I have had for the last three months stems from these folk. My last encounter with one of them was unpleasant indeed.

My Dad was here and I took some time off from the storefront to be with my family. One evening I checked in a traveler who requested a pull-thru (not an unusual request). I sent him to a site along with a map and went on with my supper preparations. He came back minutes later to tell me that a truck was parked on that site. I knew immediately who the vehicle belonged to.... they had parked there before when I tried to put someone on the site. This incident is what prompted me to put in writing a list of rules and distribute them to the occupants of the park. The site next to that site was also unoccupied (I thought, anyway), so I told the nice man to just park on that one thinking I could take care of the problem later. No such luck.....another truck was parked there.

I turned off my stove and told my folks I would be back in a few minutes and took off on foot to remedy the situation. I knocked on her door. I admit I was already annoyed, but she came out with an attitude. She told me that was her parking spot (yeah, right) and that my husband had told her not to park on the grass (no, he didn't). I told her that she had already been told NOT to park on an empty site and that she was preventing me from renting the site and that she could indeed park there if she paid to. I told her to move the truck....she said she didn't have the keys. I then asked whose truck was parked in the next site. "They ain't here, and they ain't never had a place to park. They've gone to Kansas." WHAT! I am by now not very pleasant and I repeat what I have already said about blocking the use of my empty sites. I walked over the nice people who are waiting to see if they would mind backing into a site.

She discovers that the second truck has the keys in it (I know I always go to another state and leave the keys in my vehicle). As she is moving this truck I am busy picking up broken flip-flops and beer cans and tequila bottle and all manner of garbage. I put this down and go to tell the man to pull into the site she is moving the truck out of. "Don't you put that shit in my yard!" she screams at me, "I have already cleaned my shit up and that ain't my shit!" How very classy. I had no intention of leaving it there.......and I am quite certain that the shit in question was hers. I had seen the mangled flip-flop on the foot of her child at one point during their stay.

This doesn't end here...... Love of my life was at work. I called and told him that I had had an encounter with this person. We do communicate about these things. She went to the station where he works and told on me! I can' t even express in words just how exasperated I was.



Early on in their stay here I wrote a post about the cloud of marijuana that engulfed the park one evening. I was told by several reliable sources that it emanated from the same vehicle blocking my site.

While out shopping with my Mama and Daddy I found this candy from my youth. I was enjoying it immensely and offered to share with love of my life. Holding up the bag I said "Want some Mary Jane, honey?" He looked at me strangely and then said, "Oh... candy, I wasn't sure what you were talking about." Then I pondered....... was this an inside joke, as I took it to be...... or does he need a hearing aid as much as my Dad?"