Amazon

 My plan is coming together.   I'm going to work for Amazon during the holiday season so I will have money for the big trip out west.  They have a program called Camperforce.  They give you a choice of campgrounds to stay at and your lot rent and electricity is paid.  You also get a pretty decent salary with lots of overtime.  A dollar for every hour worked as a bonus when you leave.  Yes, there is a catch.  Ten hours a day packing boxes while standing on concrete. 
  The entire hiring process was very easy.  I filled out an application online.  I chose Kentucky as my preferred location.  I then received an e-mail requesting a good time for a phone interview.  I spoke to a woman with a lovely southern accent.   She asked me several questions just to make sure I understood what the job entailed.  I told her of my fear of heights and was guaranteed a job on the ground floor.  What a relief.  I could just see myself holding the rails on the third story catwalk frozen in fear.  She assured me it has happened.  One of the requirements is proof of graduation.  Ok, it's been how many years since I got out of high school?  My diploma is where?  Not a clue.  Turns out a call to the school and my proof is in the mail.
  I'm going to spend the two months in my van.  There's no way this old trailer would make the trip even if my van was strong enough to pull it.  I was told that there would be no problem finding someone to swap dog walking duties with but I'm torn on whether to bring Gable (my 60 pounder) along.  I have friends in New York who will watch him and where he'll get a chance to run every day.  I know he'll be happier but it's still hard.  Three dog night is a great name for a band but in a 32 inch wide bed, it's just plain uncomfortable.  Thank goodness my little ones don't need much space.  I wouldn't go without them.
   I'll be working most of October here at the campground.  I'll start Amazon in November and have to stay until released no later than Dec 23rd.  Drive to New York to get Gable and spend the holidays with my friends.  Then it's either Florida to see my family or Quartsite and Las Vegas first then to Florida.  Depends on weather.  Any way I map it, it's a lot of driving.
  I've already started prepping the van for full time living.   Planning on what I'll take and where it will fit.  I need to get a few things to make life more comfortable.  An electric blanket that runs on 12 volt.  A Porti Potti.  Really good shoes for standing all day.  I know just where to buy everything.  Amazon of course.  I wonder if I can get my employee discount early?

Spring has sprung

  I've been scarce on the blog front lately.  The snow is finally gone and the to do list at the campground is remarkably long.  I'm one of those rare birds who prefers snow to it's warmer wetter cousin.  I don't keep track of how many inches we've gotten but it's way too much for me.  Stain the decks, paint the cement mascot, paint the playground equipment.  I'd love to get it all done if it would just stop raining!  I did finish the photo sign, it resides under my awning waiting to be installed.




The photo sign I painted

    I roll over and look out the window in the morning.  The sun is out, yippee.  I pull on my parka to walk the dogs.  Switch to a hoodie by ten, that's off by noon.  Switch my pants for shorts around two,  back into pants by four.  Add hoodie by six and into the parka again for the last walk at night.  Make up your mind Mother nature, this is ridiculous.
  We've got quite a variety of workampers this year.  Local rednecks, those returning from last year, and a few newbies.  "Empty the waste tanks, that was not on the job description".  I'm sure the retired NYC police officer has never driven a tractor pulling a hay wagon full of screaming kids, welcome to KOA.  Aged 16 to mid 60s they are busy removing dead leaves leftover from the fall.   Rake into huge piles, shovel into bucket of tractor, empty into dump truck.  Big boy toys.  The burn pile was lovely until they added the plastic covered mattresses and insulation from other projects on their lists.   Four new cabins, remodeled store, tons of spring cleaning.  It's only a few weeks until the official Memorial Day start of the season.
  Not that we haven't been busy already.  Last weekend we made birdfeeders and the kids decorated their own cupcakes for our mascot's birthday. There was a huge family reunion here yesterday.  I helped the kids make maracas out of cardboard toilet paper rolls.  We built barriers out of foam insulation and had a water balloon fight.  Hours on the field with sack races and tug of war.  I staggered home and saw my neighbor sitting at her picnic table.  "I just need to talk to an adult" I told her.   It's only just begun.
 
 

Cupcakes the kids decorated themselves

"Chippy" and company