we're still kicking

We are still alive and kicking, as they say, just very busy. Our camphosts here in Big Meadows had to leave because of the high altitude...ends of fingers turning blue. So Jim is doing all the work here and at Tucker Ponds, and cleaning the restrooms at the boat ramp here and up at Shaw Lake. Just heard the road to Lobo just opened, so he will have to go up there and clean that restroom also. I say, "up there" as it is a beautiful lookout up the side of a mountain and is about 12-13,000 feet high. You have a grand view all the way to New Mexico on a clear day, but it is a long drive to spiff up the floor and load up six rolls of toilet paper!!!.

I take care of all the paperwork for this campground and also for the weekly reports for the district, as we have seven campgrounds we supervise, but we do have camp hosts at most of the other campgrounds.

We had a delightful couple of days with Fay and Jay (and Lulu, of course). We met them in Pagosa Springs for dinner one night (at Boss Hog's-Hog's Breathe) and then they came over Wolf Creek Pass to visit us at Big Meadows. We drove them around the area, had lunch and enjoyed wonderful conversations. It is always so wonderful to see fellow SKPs and especially to connect with classmates.

Last year there was two camphost couples in Big Meadows beside the Area Managers, this year there will be just Jim and I for the rush of 4th of July. All our reserved camp sites are already filled and we have three non-reserved spots that will be filled for that weekend. So we have 18 spots left and we will be filled and we can put up our "campground filled" sign up.....that's our goal....we want to be able to put that sign up a couple of times this year. (I'm really envious of Bill and Lesle because at their job at Colorado City KOA they are filled every night!!!)

Well, I'm off to help out Jim by raking up a couple of sites and cleaning a couple of restrooms ---he's off to South Fork to pick up 5 case of toilet paper in preparation for the holiday.

See why I haven't posted much to our blog....it's all about cleaning restrooms and raking sites...not too interesting. We're not going to play tourist anywhere...in fact, I'm not sure when we will even get a day off!

But this place here in Big Meadows is beautiful and serene - an absolutely gorgeous place to spend the summer. This is our rig in the campground; how's that???

I get one bar with my antenna hooked to our aircard, so uploading a photo takes almost 10 minutes, but I will try to be better at posting and try to find something else to talk about than cleaning restrooms and raking camp sites.

Happy 4th to you all and remember, you are loved!!!

Day Two-Colorado Chapter Rally

Another great day at the Rally with eight ladies gathering for crafts. There was interest in recycling all those Walmart grocery bags into wine/water carriers, totes or purses.

In the afternoon eight of the ladies decked out in red and purple went across the freeway to Max's Restaurant for a modified Tea. Actually it was coffee, iced tea and homemade pies. The winning pie was a Lemon Crunch that looked like a lemon curd topped with a streusel topping. But I was happy with my blackberry cobbler.

Once again the Hobo Stew we had last night came out wonderful. It is so interesting that no matter WHAT you put into it or WHO is doing the cooking, Hobo Stew is always tasty and filling. Put that together with chucks of French bread and we had a great meal, complete with brownies for dessert. After dinner I called it a night and turned in although others stayed and played cards and Mexican train.

It rained off and on yesterday and was chilly. Hopefully today we'll get some sunshine and warmth; I'd like to try out the swimming pool.

Well, I'm off for the donut run for our breakfast this morning. I forgot the cable for our camera, so can't upload any of the photos I've been taking. I'll do that after I get home tomorrow.

Remember, you are loved!

Colorado Chapter Rally

Wow, what a great response we had to the first Colorado Chapter Rally in numerous years. We are having it at the KOA in Colorado City, where our friends, Bill and Lesle are camp hosting. They have a hot tub, swimming pool, great little miniature golf and a gorgeous iris garden in this park. The sites have lots of trees with nice lush lawns and good gravel pads. It is one of the top KOAs and you can sure see why, it is beautifully kept.

There are 15 rigs and me in a cabin, as I had to leave Jim at home to take care of the campgrounds. Jim called this morning and said it was snowing and here it is June 10th. I checked the forecast and there is a chance of snow for the next day or so.

I was surprised that about half of the group were fulltimers who have Colorado connections and were spending the summer in the area. The other half of the folks came from Denver or Colorado Springs areas, are retired and live in Colorado. Also for about half, this was their first rally and/or were pretty new to Escapees. One couple just recently got their membership card!

Yesterday we had registration, introductions and a great happy hour and baked potato supper. Interestingly, some people had never heard of having a baked potato with toppings for a dinner. They were happily surprised.

After dinner we watched the movie, "Mama Mia", which is a great movie. One lady said this was her eighth viewing! Though there weren't any overt, out loud singing, you could hear several hushed voices and humming to the popular Abba music.

This morning we put together a very nice continental breakfast with cantaloupe, grapes, fresh pineapple, then raisin bread, mini-bagels and English muffins to toast to go along with three juices and lots of coffee. Everyone pitched in and everything was set up in 20 minutes flat. Great cooperation!

We recruited the men to be in charge of the Hobo Stew for tonight and the ladies are going to Max's Restaurant (across the freeway) for a Red Hat function with homemade pie with tea or coffee.

I brought over all my plastic bag projects and photos of others I saw at the Plantation in Alabama. So this afternoon I'll show the ladies how to use the "plarn" (plastic yarn) in various crochet projects. I also brought over instructions and examples for newborn baby hats to donate to hospital nurseries and Paula Nankivell's crocheted necklaces. It will give us some crafts to share.

Tomorrow I'll help folks with their computer needs - blogging, email, Picasa, etc. There are several other folks who have different computer expertise, so we have a lot ways to go.

Well off to lunch and then crafts. Remember, you are loved.

Back again!

Sorry, All, for the silent treatment, but we didn't have cell or aircard service in the campground UNTIL TODAY. Happily we had a visit from our friends, Dave and Marie Dengate last week and they have the same cell phones, aircards and antenna as we do. (Dave and Marie are camp hosting at The Great Sand Dunes National Park near Alamosa, CO, and spent their two days off with us here in Big Meadows-what fun). Dave let me use his antenna adapters for the phone and aircard and I was able to use our Verizon phone and get on the internet....YIPPE-E-E-E-E!!!

So we went to the campground our friends, Rich and Terri, are managing and used their wifi and ordered the needed adapters online and in five days we received the adapters and are in business again. I only get one bar on the aircard, but it is working and it isn't too slow...no, not really.

While the Dengates were visiting we all went to The Shaft Restaurant for dinner.

That's Rich and Terri, Jim and I, Dave and Marie

Unfortunately, it has been raining every day for two weeks; then yesterday the wind started kicking up and we still can't go outside to enjoy the beautiful setting of the mountains. I want so bad to sit outside under the awning and knit or read.....maybe next week.

Happily, all our camp hosts are trained and doing a good job with their jobs. Every Sunday they all come over here and we have a pot luck and visit. It has been very enjoyable. We have a great team this year. The last three weeks have been understandably slow, but that all changes June 13 when everything picks up. I like it when it is busy.

Tomorrow I drive to Colorado City (about 2 1/2 hours from here) to work with Bill and Lesle on putting on Escapees Colorado Chapter Rally. We have 14 rigs signed up, which is pretty good for our first rally. The chapter has been inactive for a number of years so we are trying to get some interest in getting it going again. Lesle has done all the planning and contact with the Colorado Escapee members, I will do the afternoon activities and help cook. We're doing many of the same things we did at our Class of 2007 reunion in San Antonio this year...hobo stew, baked potato bar, brown bag auction. It should be great fun! I'll be back Friday morning so I can help with the weekend campers arriving.

That's it for today....remember, you are loved!