Time to Leave!

Today is Easter! Tomorrow we are pulling up stakes and heading for our next adventures. We accepted a job in South Dakota and we are supposed to start on May 9. So why are we leaving so soon you might be asking. Well for starters our job here is finished. The gift shop officially closed last Friday....so if we stay here we would have to start paying rent! Ouch! Also can you believe the temperatures here are already in the 90's during the day. Now it's a dry heat but it is still HOT! It is hard to imagine living here in the summer as it gets up to the 120 some days. That's why when we worked up at Happy Jack last summer we had so many people came Kip from the valley for relief.
Since we have plenty of time to get there we decided this would be a good opportunity for me to visit my sister in Ohio. So I made a reservation out of Denver on Thursday, 4/24 so we have 3days to get there. Bill & Tozer will stay in a campground closely. I've given him several chores to accomplish while I 'm gone.

The Fun Continues!

It's already Sat. February 8 and we are working in the gift shop today so I'll try to blog a little between customers. It is a beautiful sunny day so there are a lot of people at the pool. No Happy hour today...Tues thru Fri they have different bands from 3 to 5 pm. We work on Fri. & Sat. 11am to 5pm. In my last post I didn't say anything about the new business I've started...we'll partially because at that time I wasn't sure if I was going to work it as a business but now I am! And wow now my life has taken a whole new turn. The product and company is called Jusuru. I saw it first at our "country store" that is held every Fri AM. From that I attended a wellness class, enrolled as a wholesale member and now I'm an I Rep! The product is a proprietary blend of liquid collagen, hyaluronicacid and chondroitin sulfate with resveratrol an 13 super fruits known for their anti oxidents. I was interested in it because of my joint discomfort and it's anti-aging properties. I had been kind of looking for some type of business that I could do as we travel so this to be perfect. As of now I have 3 people enrolled, so that means I'll get my next case of product free! But I want Bill to get started on it so will be ordering some for him as well.
Speaking of Bill, he is starting his own business too! Through Workampers.com he went to a training in October to become a certified RV maintenance as well as an RV Inspector which would be like a home inspector. We had to set up an LLC which we named White Stone Enterprises, LLC. Got the name from Revelations 2:17. Sort of like getting a new name & a fresh start! You may have read about Baby boomers re-inventing their lives....that's what we are doing.

Mesa Regal

Gift Shop

Wow, can't believe we have been here for 2 months already! Our job here is working in the gift shop which is located on the patio right by the pools. We work on Friday & Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm in exchange for free rent & electricity. Plus we can take advantage of all the amenities which are too numerous to mention all. I take exercise classes, there's a fitness gym, we joined the computer club which offers classes & I 'm taking a Spanish class. They have a billiards room, poker room, bingo, card games, dominoes, tennis, pickle ball, bocce ball & various crafts! It would be hard to get bored. Guess that's why it's taken me so long to blog....well time management too.
We are only 9 miles from Mike's house so we get to see Abbey at least once a week. We just started taking her out on Sunday afternoons for a little while. First time was to a local airport because she loves airplanes (where does she get that from?). Last week we took her to see a collection of Nativity scenes from around the world. She's only 2 so she doesn't understand yet but she liked the animals! We really enjoy being close by.
She just had surgery to remove her adenoids & put tubes in her ears. She's had a lot of upper respiratory issues so hoping this helps. Mike, Michelle & Abbey just left to go to Memphis area to have Christmas with her family. We will miss them but the Workampers here at the resort are getting together for a potluck dinner. There are over 100 Workampers doing all kinds of jobs. There are 2000 sites of which about half are park models.
Mesa is a Mecca for snowbirds, many from Canada as well as the northwestern states, but also from the east & some from England! So we've met many new people and developing new friendships.
It's also a thriving metropolis, so many stores & restaurants. We have also found a church we really like and attend on Saturday eve when we get off work.

Zane Grey continued....

Just a few more days here in Camp Verde before heading to Mesa for the winter!  It really started to feel like Fall here yesterday.  The Cottonwood trees are really shedding their leave.  It was only 46 degrees as we headed for the rec center at 9am.  It eventually warmed up to the high 60's.  So that was our last visit to the rec center for this year.  I really loved being able to to take the classes and we were faithful to go 2 times a week for the month we were here.  We had lunch at Panda Express....next time remind us just to order one meal & share.  Oh well, it served as our dinner, too!.  On the way back I had scheduled a massage appt. here in Camp Verde.  Every time we came through this area over the summer, I had seen a banner advertising 1hour massages for $19!  Oh, why didn't I schedule sooner!?!? (well partly because it was so far from Happy Jack!)  Anyway it was a full fledged massage & after the $19 one you can get 2 a month for $25 each, if only one a month it's $40..still a good deal.  The massage therapist also works in Sedona & they charge $120 an hour!   Well everything is more expensive in Sedona!  Speaking of which on Monday after the gym we rode the Goldwng to Sedona and hiked a little at one of the trails.  I had wanted to do that since we came.  Originally I thought we were going to be closer to Sedona while in Happy Jack.  Pics follow!

We still haven't decided if we want to come back to this park to work next summer.  Another option is Dead Horse State Park in Cottonwood.  The big draw for me is that it's closer to the rec center, besides being a beautiful park, and our friends Carol & Steve just loved working there this summer.  They are headed to a state park in California for the winter..Cuyamucha in Julian, close to San Diego.  However, I'm thinking we should probably work at a park that we get paid again for the summer.  Last night I researched a place in Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park (closed now of course due to the gov shut down), but they have facilities run by a company called Aramark.  It's not that far out of AZ, in fact its called the 4 corners area, CO, UT, NM & AZ.  Anyway something to think about & getting to see new territory.  Time will tell!

Zane Grey RV Park

Well, we've been here a little over a week and a half and been busy getting the lay of the land, so to speak.  We e-mailed Terrence at Happy Jack to say we are passing on his offer to work there again next summer.  We've been kind of playing cat & mouse about working here next year.  The owners were on vacation when we got here, but they have now returned and we've kind of gotten the conversation started.  Jaque & Gary are their names.  I've indicated to Jacque that we are definitely interested, and she suggested that we are free to shadow the current hosts at any time.  Bill has talked to Gary & he seems concerned about the correct way to use the blower as well as their costs.  So guess we need to get into the working mode and see how it goes. 

As for the area, we really like it.  The traffic noise is somewhat heavy at times, but the back of the park offers lots of trees and a path down to the creek.  There's a little bench right by the creek that a I like..it would be a good place to do my devotions.  The other day I did some yoga poses there, of course, can't do lying down ones, too rocky!  The weather is cool at night & morning, but hot in the afternoon.  Today it's super windy.

We went to the Community Methodist Church on Sunday...it certainly was a lively congregation and definitely felt the love of the Lord.  This Sunday we'll try Parkview...just trying to see where we will fit so if we return next spring we'll have a preview. 

Monday and today we rode the Goldwing over to Cottonwood to go to the Recreation Center which is fairly new and has a multitude of classes including in the beautiful pool.  It's about 18 or so miles, but it is so worth the drive.   Today I took a bone & balance class as well as water aerobics.  Wow, that was quite a workout...I took a couple Aleve when I go home to hopefully ward off the soreness I may feel tomorrow.
Our friends, Carol & Steve Fairbanks, that work at Dead Horse State Park told us about it.  With our Silver Sneakers membership it's free.  May have to pay $2 for some of the water classes.  Cottonwood has many more stores than here including Walmart, Home Depot, etc.  We also visited Montezuma Well and Tuzigoot National Monuments.  So many places that the Indians dwelled so many years ago.

I'm currently reading a book by Zane Grey about a woman that came west at the request of her childhood sweetheart to be his wife and partner in building a cattle ranch.  It is so interesting because of the area they are in...between Flagstaff and Payson, is  the area around Happy Jack!  It was a tough life back then.

Tuesday we drove down to Phoenix to begin the process of getting Bill's VA records transferred from Florida to Arizona.  What a huge facility.  There was a sign that said that Price of Freedom was definitely visible there or something like that, and so true!  We feel so blessed to be walking around on 2 feet and feeling healthy.

Saturday morning they have coffee and donuts/fruit here at the pavilion.  Last Saturday we met several of our neighbors and we'll meet more this Saturday.  Saturday is River Day at the state park, so we may go over there after the coffee!  Oh by the way, we bought a Nutri-Bullet right after moving here so we've been having a veggie/fruit drink for breakfast every morning.  We had started over a  month ago drinking Garden of Eden's Raw Meal drink, but I think that actually drinking the real thing will be healthier and beneficial in our quest to remain healthy as we continue into our senior years, speaking of which I have a birthday coming up next week!  More later!

Happy Jack Memories

It seems I'm always in arrears as I post, but before I start posting about our current location, I wanted to add to the few posts I've already done about our summer at Happy Jack Lodge & RV Resort.  When we arrived in late April, we found out that both Bill & I were to be working at the reservation desk/store counter.  I was fine with that, but Bill was somewhat dismayed since he thought he'd be working outside as he's done in the past.  First, learning the computer system was somewhat daunting for me, but Bill was really out of his element.  We had to take reservations for the over 100 site campground but also the 350+/- site storage lot.  End of the day we had to balance the receipts, etc.  The first few weeks got us pretty well oriented and were supposed to be gearing up for the first holiday weekend...Memorial Day.   And what a weekend it was!  Honestly, we were ready to quit.  Oh yeah, there's also a restaurant open on weekends, & we had to ring up their tabs, too.  That was the weekend that the first cook & his wife got fired!  Joe & Erica were so excited and had high hopes for the restaurant....but after working the first 3 days of the weekend, on Monday Joe passed out in the kitchen...well no sympathy from the boss...they were asked to leave!  Fortunately for them they got a gig in a Pub/restaurant in a nearby town. Speaking of towns, the closest was Strawberry (18 mi), Pine (21) both with small shops & restaurants.  Payson was 40 mi & it had a Walmart which we frequented at least every pusher week.  Flagstaff was 50 mi north, with a better selection if shopping but après boring ride. 
Well, then came the 4th of July weekend...this time we really were going to quit!! We even looked around for other campgrounds to move to (without a job).  Well, we figured we might as well stick it out...only one more holiday weekend to go.  We ended up giving a months notice to have our last day be 9/15/13.  Looking back, we're glad we did.  The biggest issues were the number of hours worked (which leveled out after asking for less hours) the tricky computer programs & the system going down on a regular basis,
boss yelling at the workers (fortunately not us).  Stress that caused me some GI issues. Cleaning that when you finished didn't look any cleaner!    Well now that it's over I guess it wasn't so bad  after all. At least we got paid an hourly wage & even got a $1 raise midway through the season.
We have new friends that we hope to keep in contact with.  We had a visit from a "lost pelican" that we fed until wildlife rescue came to get him!  We got to visit the kids a couple of times, including Abbey's birthday party.  The kids came up on the Sunday evening of Labor Day weekend and we got to have a cookout, as well as show off little Abbey.   The cool mountain weather...which now we are appreciating since we are now spending a month in the high desert.   So long Happy Jack!

Last Day at Happy Jack Lodge & RV Resort

I was reminded by a friend yesterday that I haven't been blogging much and that sure is true!  Here it is our last day at Happy Jack.  We gave a 30 day notice that we would be leaving early (was supposed to be mid to end of October).  There were other times early on that we wanted to leave,espeially after the first holiday weekend..Memorial Day!  The store was so busy as well as the phone that we didn't know if we would make it...but guess what, we did.  Then came the 4th of July & same thing.  We even went looking around for other RV parks where we could just chill out the rest of the summer but ended up without a decision so with that we just ended up sticking it out.  Only one more holiday weekend, Labor Day so we figured we were "seasoned" enough that we could do it!!!   We invited Mike, Michelle & Abbey to come up on that Sunday & they did!  Arrived around 7PM.  Mercy, the Mgrs' wife covered the front desk for us and we all had dinner at the restaurant.  On top of that she didn't even charge us for the food.  We weren't scheduled for Monday, so we had pancakes & bacon on the grill for breakfast and grilled burgers for a late lunch. It was so much fun to have Abbey here and you bet we showed her off! 

Today we were scheduled to work from 1-5PM, but Terrence texted us that we didn't need to work.  They are having a party for us at 5PM....well it's for all the employees, but since we are leaving & others will be leaving soon it was decided to have it tonight. 

So instead of working, we took the opportunity to borrow Kenny's quad & go for a ride.  It was our first time to ATV and that's the big thing up here, just about everyone has at least one or two or more!  And what a ride it was.  I don't think I've ever held on to Bill so tightly!  We went on one of the forest roads that are all muddy due to all the rain we've had lately!  And speaking of rain, as we were trying to find our way out of the woods it started thundering and then raining and raining.  A few time we thought we were lost, and more than once I thought we were going to tip over but that Honda was amazing taking over the hills, rocks, puddles and all and praise the Lord we finally found the main road back to the RV park.  I can see why they are so popular but I can also see why people are going for the bigger ones that have seatbelts and roll bars!  The forest roads are so much easier to plow through....we have tried it in the truck before and that was scary! (probably a little stupid too!) 

Well all for now, have to dry my hair & get ready for the party.  Going to try to attach pics later from my phone.