Fulltiming Road Runners

…left of June.  Where has the time gone?

Again, I apologize for taking so long to post again.  Life here has taken on the same-o same-o profile.  We’re still not happy with the way we’re being treated by the company we’re working for, we’re still not getting the hours we were promised, and in spite of the beautiful setting here we are bored!  This week I collected over $5000 at the booth and yet they are still keeping us to minimum hours.  My $5000 is only a small part of the total take for the week (I’d guess $15,000 plus), so why can’t they afford to give us more hours?  After all, we’re only getting paid minimum wage, so it can’t be that many dollars.

The weather has turned very nice (which is why I brought in $5000 for the week).  The highs are getting into the mid 80’s.  Mid 80’s means running the air conditioner.  Unfortunately, we’ve found that, in spite of having 50 amp power here, it won’t run our big a/c.  We’ve asked to have our power supply tested (not the trailer, but the post outside) and they were supposed to be here last Mon or Tues, but no show yet.  In the meantime, the outdoor temps are climbing each day as are the indoor temps, in spite of the running of the smaller a/c in the bedroom.  It’s 9:21 p.m. and still 78F in the house — with the a/c running.  2 hours ago it was 82F.  Speaking of not getting things done… Thom’s golf cart died yesterday and he was told they won’t even be able to look at it for at least 7 days.  He needs that cart to carry his cleaning supplies, mops, brooms, scrub brushes, shovels, etc.

Last Wednesday I took the two shaped pre-cabochons I had left over from a year ago and finished forming them and polishing them. They are now ready for wire wrapping.  In the last 2 seasons in Quartzsite I’ve bought several slabs to make more cabs and I finally started on some today.  I’ve got 5 shaped and ready to “dome” and polish.  I’m really anxious to get a couple of them finished.  They promise to be really beautiful if I do it right.

In the early spring Tiff, my daughter-in-law, planted some of the salad turnip seeds I gave them.  Today is the 2nd time I’ve been able to raid their garden and get some of those turnips to enjoy.  We were down there today to pick up mail and Mike told me to get all I wanted because Tiff’s family absolutely loves them and were coming over for a pool party tonight and would take all they could.  I pulled a half dozen and left about that much for them.  My turnips in the pot aren’t doing so well here.  We had a big thunder storm the other night which included hail/big ice.  The hail wasn’t ball shaped, but very large, sharp ice crystals which sliced the leaves in the trees and my turnips.  My turnips are trying to grow new leaves to recover.

Time for me to get ready to get ready for bed.

Ya’ll stay healthy ‘n happy!

Toodles!

As you know, things have been slow here and our hours have been cut due to weather.  One couple decided to take a week off since their hours were cut to the point of being totally NOT worthwhile.  Of course, they take off, the weather gets beautiful and I’m now working double shifts to cover.  Our boss expects the guys to just cover the park maintenance hours without doing (read that as:  putting in for) more hours.  Last Thursday I worked the booth from 7 a.m. - noon, then 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

We were off yesterday and ran a few errands.  I got my new Verizon phone in the mail so we picked it up at Mike ‘n Tiff’s.  I’ll be learning to use it for the next year.

Today I put in the same hours as Thursday, but we were 3 times busier.  I was on my feet for the full 5 hours collecting fees and handing out passes this morning and even did a fairly decent business tonight.  Tomorrow I only work from noon to 5 p.m., but expect to be on my feet all 5 hours and very busy!  It’s father’s day, going to be great weather, and we have people who’ll be here to party no matter what.

We still aren’t real pleased with the job or the way we are being treated, but will hang in here… unless…  I AM watching the Workamper’s job postings and if something shows up that really strikes our fancy we won’t hesitate to  put in for it.

Yesterday morning (day off), I went up to Mari’s campground, Willows, to have her trim my hair.  Split ends are all gone.  As a bonus, I got to see and shoot several of my old friends at the bird feeders.  Boy do I miss them!  I promise to try to get photos posted.

Time to catch up with email, etc.

Ya’ll stay healthy ‘n happy.

Tah!

…I’ve not posted lately.  I’m still at the point where my posts will be quite a bit negative.  The weather up to today has still been pretty ucky.  It’s been raining a lot, we’ve not been working much, and we’re still frustrated.  Today was a better day, so we’ll go from here and work on staying positive.

I opened the booth Sunday and worked from 7 a.m. - noon.  I had 1 day use come in to fish and 1 boat come in to launch.  Yeehaw!

A few days ago Sue called me to tell me there was a meeting happening tonight and our group was supposed to bring desserts.  Another safety meeting and potluck.  I told her that today was our day off and we had plans to do dinner with Mike and Tiff and I’d call the Area Supervisor to make sure they understood we wouldn’t be there.

Today was a lovely sunny day, a few clouds, but no wind and temps in the low 70’s.  We had a great afternoon at Mike & Tiffs.  Coen was his sweet, silly, loving self and Tiff’s dinner was fantastic!  She made Poppy seed Chicken with noodles and I provided a green salad.  I’ll be getting the recipe for the chicken and noodles.

The rest of this week up to the weekend is supposed to be cloudy with slight chance of showers.  The weekend is supposed to be lovely.  I sure hope business picks up.  In the meantime our supervisors are still cutting hours back… to the point that one couple working here is taking 5 days off to visit family.  When they are only given 2 hours a day to work, it’s ridiculous to  even be here, so they won’t be.  We had another couple take a week off last week.  They’re still gone, but should be back tomorrow.

We’re really hoping the weather is going to be good from now on (starting Saturday) and we can be busy and work the hours we were told we’d get.

I’ve got a few pics of this and that and will probably be sharing them in the next couple of days.

Ya’ll stay healthy ‘n happy.

Toodles

It rained most of the day today.  It was our day off, so we didn’t mind much, but those who were scheduled to work probably mind because the booth didn’t open and the guys didn’t go down into the park to clean, etc.  It’s supposed to rain through the weekend.  That probably means 3 days of no hours, therefore no pay.  Bummer!

A lot of us up here in the canyon are frustrated with the job and with American Land and Leisure.  It feels like the company is bent on cutting our hours to the bare minimum, while expecting us to do exemplary work maintaining the park/campground.  I’m talking about those of us here at Cemetery Pt, as well as those managing the campgrounds in the upper canyon.  We’re tired of being expected to maintain the park/campgrounds to expectations in less hours that we contracted for just because the company doesn’t know what it takes to do the job and insists on cutting hours.

We may be fired from this job for what I’m saying, but we don’t care.  We will never work for AL&L again and would never recommend anyone else work for them. What’s really sad is the Area Managers here are better than most in the company, and they still don’t keep in touch with their employees and find out what they feel and think.

On a happier note, we had the day off today and got down to visit with Tiff and Coen, then on the way home stopped at Mike’s place of work, Les Schwab, to visit with him and have our tires rotated.  Our next day off is next Monday and it’s also Mike’s day off, so we plan on getting together for dinner and longer visit.

We’ve been here in Utah since the end of April, so that makes it over a month and we’ve only seen Mike, Tiff and Coen a few times.

On a positive note, it’s been so wet here, the countryside is beautifully green and lush.  When the sun shines on the hillsides, it’s really gorgeous.

Ya’ll stay healthy ‘n happy.

Toodles.

Nothing to really talk about so I’ll share some photos of the earrings I’ve been making.

Mari is here tonight and I’ll be showing them to her after she’s finished with her blog.  If she likes them, I’ll be posting them on EBay I think.

Here are some of them…

Last one

…not as good as we’d like.  Business has picked up, but isn’t up to expectations.  Weather has been a part of the reason, but we are thinking the Huntsville Road Repair Toll Booth is causing a lot of boaters to go to the other 2 marinas to launch to avoid the extra $3 charge.  Memorial Weekend was halfway good weather and we did get better turnout, and this weekend was even better weather (still not great), and better turnout.  I wish something would happen to make that toll booth go away, but that’s is just wishful thinking.

We’re still doing the same ol’ stuff.  Laundry on Wednesday and shopping on our day’s off.  Today was a day off, so we did a bit of grocery shopping and a bit of Costco shopping.  We picked up a couple of 40 lb boxes of wild bird seed at Costco for Mari.  I put two feeders out over a week ago and they are still full.  Not a single visitor except a Magpie who can’t stay on the feeder long enough to eat anything.  I won’t give up though.  I keep thinking a stray bird will come by, see my seed and come eat, then spread the word.  When we dropped the bird seed off at Mari’s tonight, I saw a Chickadee, House Finch, Brewer’s Black Bird, Brown headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch and Redwing Blackbird.  That’s all within about 25 minutes.  I DO miss my birds!

Yesterday was so warm that when I got off shift at noon, I sat outside and made earrings.  They go fast, so I was able to make 5 pair in about 1 hour.  I have another 5 pair laid out ready to put together.  I’ll try to take pics to show you what I’m doing.

We’re not enjoying our surroundings as much as we do in Quartzsite or as much as we did in the Canyon Campgrounds.  The trade-off is worth it though… we don’t have the pressure or responsibility we had in the Canyon.  When I finish my 5 hour shift, I’m done for the day.  When Thom gets his 6 hours in, he’s done for the day.  We aren’t  on call 24/7.  Yup!  It’s worth it!

Tomorrow I work the closing shift (5 p.m. - 10 p.m.), AND it’s supposed to rain, so I’ll probably be closing around 7 or 7:30 p.m. and Thom just has to go lock the gate at 10:00.  I’ll have all day tomorrow to get a few things done and then make my earrings.  I don’t wear earrings, so I’m anxious for Mari to see them and a couple of the gals here who wear them a lot.  If the gals like them, then maybe I’ll throw them up on EBay.

I won’t be posting tomorrow, but hope to catch up soon.  The weather is getting better, so maybe I’ll have things to talk about.

Ya’ll stay healthy ‘n happy!

Tah!

I opened the booth at 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning and within 15 minutes it was raining.  I sat there for 2 hours with no-one coming in at all.  Larry came by and told me to shut it down, so none of us got more than 2 ‘n 1/2 hours of work in on Tuesday.  We kept the booth closed the rest of the day.

Today was our day off, so, of course, it was a beautiful day where everyone got full hours for the day.  The rest of the week is supposed to be pretty nice, therefore we are hoping to get full hours in each working day.

Today Thom did laundry in the morning and we took a drive this afternoon up to Monte Cristo.  We are at an elevation of 5,000 feet here at Cemetery Pt, and Monte is at 9,060 feet.  The campground there is still closed due to snow on the ground.

This was Willow’s first encounter with snow, on the ground.  It took her a while to venture onto it, but after she did, she had a ball racing, bounding and leaping thru it.  Here’s a couple of shots of her in it.

Tomorrow we’re both on duty.  Thom will start work at 7 a.m. at the latest, but I don’t go man the booth until 5 p.m.  It’s pretty boring down there in the evenings.  Whether we get the job in Oregon or not, we are pretty sure we won’t be back here working for AL&L, or anywhere else.

That’s pretty much all I have to report for now, so I’ll say g’nite until next time.

Ya’ll stay healthy ‘n happy.

Toodles.