Today's ridiculous question from one of the campers. (Ever here of a grocery store?) I guess because we are the campground "Hosts" we are also expected by some to be the local convenience store, medical supplier, local bank, and provider of mechanical tools.
We have been asked for $5,00, $10.00, a box, neosporin, cold medicine, an extra chair, 6 paper plates, tin foil, cork screw, can opener, ice, hammer, grease gun, screwdriver, wrench, scissors, the use of our computer, printer....Yup. I think that's about it.
This weekend begins the real 'craziness' as vendors will arrive for the fair. We are completely exhausted with all of it. If we could just make it through one night with no disruptions, it would help. Friday night was 'domestic disturbance' in Site "C". Saturday night was LOUD talking in the middle of the night by some woman not even staying here. And last night was just the typical campers who sleep all day, but are UP all night. We figure we may have to buy a new door for our 5th wheel trailer, because ours has been knocked on so many times and opened and closed several hundred more, that it will be worn out by September.
Ahh, the life of a campground manager. And they have invited us to come back next year! No thanks.
7/17/2007
My 'Bloomin' Roof"!
The campground office complete
with 'hobbit door' and flowering roof
(click images to enlarge)
A closeup of the roof
(wildflowers)
Finally, the wildflowers are blooming on the roof! And....the Carni's are coming! Fair time is just 2 weeks away and the carnival people are beginning to arrive. The campground is adjacent to the fairgrounds and we have been warned about how crazy things will get. Can it get any crazier? Oh my goodness! Hope I'm ready for it.
Between selling Arctic Circle tours, Dri Wash 'n Guard and running the campground, this summer has been nuts.
7/15/2007
Motorcyle MotorHome?
This interesting vehicle pulled in to the campground last night as we returned from the wedding. A 'homemade' motorcycle/motorhome combination. Pretty cool!
Great weekend!
Tyler & Amanda (my baby girl)
(click on pictures to enlarge)
Alicen (my granddaughter) and me
Tyler & Alicen being silly
The kids came up from Anchorage, and we celebrated our daughter's 20th Birthday, attended my niece's wedding, and had brunch at Pike's, served by my nephew.
It was a fantastic but flying two days! We taught Tyler how to play "oh heck", and managed to squeeze in a few games. They had brought a bottle of Greek wine, some Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio with them; so we drank some wine, ate Rum cake and Viennese Torte, and Amanda opened her gifts.
The weather cooperated for the wedding last night, so all went well with that. The bride was beautiful!
7/08/2007
Stuck in Prudhoe Bay
Well, Henry's day trip to Prudhoe has turned in to a two day trip. As is common for Prudhoe Bay, the clouds and fog roll in, and the planes can't roll out. He won't be back until Tuesday!
What next?
What next?
BlackJack and Stuart....
.JPG)
BlackJack on the left..Stuart on the right
Stuart was the Schnauzer we had when we lived
in Anchorage. We had given him to my brother and
his family in Fairbanks. He looks great!
.JPG)
Caden and Stuart. (how cute!)
Exciting Travels?
As our summer is flying by, we feel our fulltime lifestyle has been put on hold untill we leave Alaska.
Working too hard and not playing at all best describes our day to day routines for now.
For example, Henry flew out early this morning, after getting up at 5 a.m. (no one should have to awake at 5:00 a.m. for anything). He flies from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, then boards a bus for a one hour ride to catch a helicopter that will take him to an island northwest of Prudhoe.
I will stay here and run the campground, cleaning out firepits, collecting money, and hopefully booking more tours. The tours have proved to be worth my time. For every tour, whether it's to the Arctic Circle, Chena Hot Springs or Manley Hot Springs, I receive 20% in cash, on the day I book the tour. The Arctic Cirlce tour is everyones preference and earns me some decent money for very little work and time. Talk it up, take their $$, and watch my 20% grow. Far more rewarding than being the campground host'ess'.
Then....Why is it so difficult to find good help anymore? They want the money, but don't want to earn it. The couple I have cleaning the bathrooms receive their site for free plus laundry allowance, yet they take the laundry allowance and buy alcohol with it, drink all night, sleep all day, and from one day to the next, I never know if they will show up to clean. The young people today want it all without working for it, and expect everything to be handed to them. We have created a lazy, 'give me' generation. However, I am SO proud of my own kids! Brian is the head title officer with his OWN office...Amanda is a clinical services coordinator for several audiologists; they both show up for work and are proof that not all kids today are lazy.
On an even brighter side, Amanda and Tyler will be up next weekend for my niece's wedding. I am so excited about seeing them, as her 20th birthday is on the 17th, so we will celebrate while they are here. She wants both my rum cake and viennese torte for her birthday cake...so I've got some baking to do! Can't wait!
Working too hard and not playing at all best describes our day to day routines for now.
For example, Henry flew out early this morning, after getting up at 5 a.m. (no one should have to awake at 5:00 a.m. for anything). He flies from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, then boards a bus for a one hour ride to catch a helicopter that will take him to an island northwest of Prudhoe.
I will stay here and run the campground, cleaning out firepits, collecting money, and hopefully booking more tours. The tours have proved to be worth my time. For every tour, whether it's to the Arctic Circle, Chena Hot Springs or Manley Hot Springs, I receive 20% in cash, on the day I book the tour. The Arctic Cirlce tour is everyones preference and earns me some decent money for very little work and time. Talk it up, take their $$, and watch my 20% grow. Far more rewarding than being the campground host'ess'.
Then....Why is it so difficult to find good help anymore? They want the money, but don't want to earn it. The couple I have cleaning the bathrooms receive their site for free plus laundry allowance, yet they take the laundry allowance and buy alcohol with it, drink all night, sleep all day, and from one day to the next, I never know if they will show up to clean. The young people today want it all without working for it, and expect everything to be handed to them. We have created a lazy, 'give me' generation. However, I am SO proud of my own kids! Brian is the head title officer with his OWN office...Amanda is a clinical services coordinator for several audiologists; they both show up for work and are proof that not all kids today are lazy.
On an even brighter side, Amanda and Tyler will be up next weekend for my niece's wedding. I am so excited about seeing them, as her 20th birthday is on the 17th, so we will celebrate while they are here. She wants both my rum cake and viennese torte for her birthday cake...so I've got some baking to do! Can't wait!
7/03/2007
Happy 4th of July!
85 degrees in Fairbanks today! Clear sky, lots of sun and hot. I love it! Campground is completely full and my overflow lot is filling up quickly. The minute I sit down, somebody needs quarters for laundry while another is pulling in looking for a site. We have tried putting a sign on the door of our trailer, 'Host-Not On Duty' at 9:00 p.m., but have learned that either people don't read, or more than likely, they truly just don't care....because sign or no sign, they WILL knock on our door. At 7:00 a.m., 1:15 a.m., 11:00 p.m...doesn't matter. We have learned to accept that we pretty much do not have a personal life this summer. Not to say none of it is enjoyable, because some of it is. We've met some really nice people from all over the globe, and it's fun to listen to them talk about where they're from.
We have the tadpole boys staying here, the butterfly man, the bird guys, the taxi drivers, the freeloaders, the down on their luck couples, and last, but not least, the tourists.
Since arriving here, we have been given a case of latex gloves (from the bird guys), a 5 gallon gas can (from the butterfly man), a roll of bubble wrap (from ?), a book about women that travel, halibut, salmon, and a crank for the extensions on a motorhome.
Good help is hard to find! We are on the second set of people to clean the bathrooms and laundry room. The first one I fired, because she simply was not cleaning. The second one is completely undependable. They do a great job when they show up, but are they going to show up today??
Time to go. Gotta run some more.
We have the tadpole boys staying here, the butterfly man, the bird guys, the taxi drivers, the freeloaders, the down on their luck couples, and last, but not least, the tourists.
Since arriving here, we have been given a case of latex gloves (from the bird guys), a 5 gallon gas can (from the butterfly man), a roll of bubble wrap (from ?), a book about women that travel, halibut, salmon, and a crank for the extensions on a motorhome.
Good help is hard to find! We are on the second set of people to clean the bathrooms and laundry room. The first one I fired, because she simply was not cleaning. The second one is completely undependable. They do a great job when they show up, but are they going to show up today??
Time to go. Gotta run some more.
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