We're happy that our days off this past week were filled with sunshine as the wet weather has arrived again. Today is the final day of August, and we have had 16 days of measurable rain for the month. It was certainly the wettest month that we've experienced in our three seasons here. If only some of the drought areas in CA could share in some of this wet weather.
It is about this time that we take stock of things we still need - or want - to accomplish before we leave the first of October. There are many restaurants that we had wanted to try this season but it looks like most of those will have to wait until next year. We also want to go to the new production at the Playhouse this season - Paint Your Wagon. We will still try to squeeze that in. There are still some animals that we haven't spotted this year - namely, bears and wolves. We only saw one moose which is surprising for this area. I guess we will have to say that we didn't spend as much time out and about searching for these animals. It seems that most of what we saw was just by chance while driving to other places. The weather has definitely impacted our animal searches.
Austin played his first football game of the season yesterday at Purdue where they lost a high scoring game 43-34. The team looks better this year than last, but they discovered a new (freshman) running back that looks terrific. He had 165 yards rushing with three touchdowns in yesterday's game. If he keeps up those performances, Austin may have to try another position if he expects to see significant playing time. We still are in his corner and love to watch him play on the special teams where he shines. The main thing though, is that he is getting a great - and free - education while enjoying his college time. We just hope he doesn't get discouraged.
Our holiday weekend is like any other working weekend. The lodge is jumping and we sold out last night for the first time in about a week. There are lots of events still in town that are resulting in sellouts at every lodge and hotel. We're just about to September, which means our departure isn't that far away...
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Day in Idaho Falls
For the second straight day, we took a long drive in the beautiful weather. We needed to get some things that are only available in a town like Idaho Falls, so it was off to the town over the pass and 90 miles from Jackson. It was around 9:30 when we left in the morning.
We stopped at our usual mini-market in Victor Idaho where we tank up with flavored coffee and where we used to buy our lottery tickets before Wyoming implemented the lottery this month. The stops we had scheduled were at Walmart, Michael's and Sam's Club. Following those stops, we went to a local Community Park around the corner from Sam's Club and had a picnic lunch - again, for the second straight day:
Among all the nice trees that were in this park, there were several pine trees and Josie collected more pine cones for her projects. She is currently working on a wreath as a gift for one of our coworkers that she will leave behind when we depart next month. This is the wreath as it appears at this point, with some more work to be done before completion:
I'll get another shot when she completes the project.
It's back to work at 3 PM today, and I have to say we really enjoyed our days off this week. We are nearing our final month and it promises to be a busy one as there will be some overtime involved during the month. We are also preparing to stay over an extra week to help out, so let's hope the weather decides to cooperate for another 6 weeks...
We stopped at our usual mini-market in Victor Idaho where we tank up with flavored coffee and where we used to buy our lottery tickets before Wyoming implemented the lottery this month. The stops we had scheduled were at Walmart, Michael's and Sam's Club. Following those stops, we went to a local Community Park around the corner from Sam's Club and had a picnic lunch - again, for the second straight day:
Among all the nice trees that were in this park, there were several pine trees and Josie collected more pine cones for her projects. She is currently working on a wreath as a gift for one of our coworkers that she will leave behind when we depart next month. This is the wreath as it appears at this point, with some more work to be done before completion:
It's back to work at 3 PM today, and I have to say we really enjoyed our days off this week. We are nearing our final month and it promises to be a busy one as there will be some overtime involved during the month. We are also preparing to stay over an extra week to help out, so let's hope the weather decides to cooperate for another 6 weeks...
Friday, August 29, 2014
Final Yellowstone Trip
It was close to 9 AM by the time we got everything loaded in the Jeep and headed out for our final drive through Yellowstone. We stopped to gas up on the edge of town, and we were on the road by 9:15.
It was a long, but wonderful day. I never get tired of this drive, even though Josie sometimes doesn't agree. Yesterday, we both enjoyed the drive. It was a very clear morning and the forecast was right-on for the entire day as we reached into the high 70's and had bright sunshine the entire day. We took lots of photos and, as usual, it was difficult to decide which to include in the post for today.
We'll start with this shot of the mountains with a bison herd as we entered the Teton National Park:
At this location, the bison were everywhere and we got this shot of the herd on the opposite side of the road:
As we passed Jackson Lake, we stopped at a location to watch these trumpeter swans:
As we entered Yellowstone, our plan was to travel the entire outside loop around the Park, beginning with Old Faithful. We didn't plan to stay around and wait for the eruption as we've done that before, but we were looking for specific items that we wanted to buy from the Visitor's Center at each of the main stops along this loop. As we were approaching Old Faithful, we were held up for about a half hour due to road construction. There are planned closures of this section of road and one farther north that were scheduled to begin on September 4, so we wanted to time this final trip to beat the closures. Even though these sections weren't closed, they should have been as the road was one-lane travel only, and the wait was long. We spotted this lone cow elk along this section of road:
Much of the trip was through familiar territory, so some of the photos were of areas we've already shown. This is one that we haven't shown before of the Golden Gate Bridge (not to be confused with the San Francisco bridge):
The drive north to Mammoth Hot Springs was through some beautiful country. The views of the mineral deposits and springs around Mammoth were spectacular:
and we drove by the Yellowstone River in several places while driving from Mammoth to the Tower Roosevelt section of the Park:
We had brought all kinds of food to stop along the way to have a picnic lunch which we finally did at around 4 PM. We were so busy enjoying the drive and scenery, that we didn't feel like stopping until we almost reached the Canyon area of the Park. We found a nice picnic area and made our sandwiches and relaxed:
An interesting event happened on the way south from Canyon to Fishing Bridge where a park ranger was herding bison off the highway. We have seen bison crossing the road before, but this time a ranger was there and he had his flashers going while pushing them to the side:
Another goal of ours was to stop at the Bridge Bay Marina and campground to say goodbye to our friends Scott and Valerie. We stopped at the store where they were working and said our farewells as they are leaving next week to travel back to Campbellsville to work for Amazon again this winter season.
We arrived at the northern edge of the Tetons about the time the sun was sinking in the west. We did get one pretty good shot of the mountains with the sun going down behind them:
One last bit of excitement occurred as we were almost through the park when we spotted this herd of elk, grazing in the last light of the evening:
It was another terrific day in Yellowstone and we will miss that park until we (hopefully) return next year.
Our mission today is to drive to Idaho Falls to take care of some shopping needs at Sam's Club and Michael's. So, we'll see 'ya tomorrow...
It was a long, but wonderful day. I never get tired of this drive, even though Josie sometimes doesn't agree. Yesterday, we both enjoyed the drive. It was a very clear morning and the forecast was right-on for the entire day as we reached into the high 70's and had bright sunshine the entire day. We took lots of photos and, as usual, it was difficult to decide which to include in the post for today.
We'll start with this shot of the mountains with a bison herd as we entered the Teton National Park:
At this location, the bison were everywhere and we got this shot of the herd on the opposite side of the road:
As we passed Jackson Lake, we stopped at a location to watch these trumpeter swans:
As we entered Yellowstone, our plan was to travel the entire outside loop around the Park, beginning with Old Faithful. We didn't plan to stay around and wait for the eruption as we've done that before, but we were looking for specific items that we wanted to buy from the Visitor's Center at each of the main stops along this loop. As we were approaching Old Faithful, we were held up for about a half hour due to road construction. There are planned closures of this section of road and one farther north that were scheduled to begin on September 4, so we wanted to time this final trip to beat the closures. Even though these sections weren't closed, they should have been as the road was one-lane travel only, and the wait was long. We spotted this lone cow elk along this section of road:
Much of the trip was through familiar territory, so some of the photos were of areas we've already shown. This is one that we haven't shown before of the Golden Gate Bridge (not to be confused with the San Francisco bridge):
The drive north to Mammoth Hot Springs was through some beautiful country. The views of the mineral deposits and springs around Mammoth were spectacular:
and we drove by the Yellowstone River in several places while driving from Mammoth to the Tower Roosevelt section of the Park:
We had brought all kinds of food to stop along the way to have a picnic lunch which we finally did at around 4 PM. We were so busy enjoying the drive and scenery, that we didn't feel like stopping until we almost reached the Canyon area of the Park. We found a nice picnic area and made our sandwiches and relaxed:
An interesting event happened on the way south from Canyon to Fishing Bridge where a park ranger was herding bison off the highway. We have seen bison crossing the road before, but this time a ranger was there and he had his flashers going while pushing them to the side:
Another goal of ours was to stop at the Bridge Bay Marina and campground to say goodbye to our friends Scott and Valerie. We stopped at the store where they were working and said our farewells as they are leaving next week to travel back to Campbellsville to work for Amazon again this winter season.
We arrived at the northern edge of the Tetons about the time the sun was sinking in the west. We did get one pretty good shot of the mountains with the sun going down behind them:
One last bit of excitement occurred as we were almost through the park when we spotted this herd of elk, grazing in the last light of the evening:
It was another terrific day in Yellowstone and we will miss that park until we (hopefully) return next year.
Our mission today is to drive to Idaho Falls to take care of some shopping needs at Sam's Club and Michael's. So, we'll see 'ya tomorrow...
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Full Days Ahead
We finally reached the weekend (for us) and the weather looks terrific. Our plan is to do Yellowstone today for the last time this season, and to drive to Idaho Falls tomorrow to replenish some of our goods that are cheaper at Sam's Club, and to get haircuts and make a stop at Michael's for Josie to pick up a few craft items. The rain is behind us - at least for the next couple days - and it looks like we can get out and enjoy the sun.
We usually make a full day out of our Yellowstone trips which includes packing a picnic lunch. We stocked up on groceries and some snacks yesterday at Smith's in town, so we are prepared for the trip. Along with a nice day in the park, we expect to meet Scott and Valerie at their work location to say goodbyes for another year. They will leave Yellowstone next week and travel back to Campbellsville, KY, to work at Amazon for their fifth year. We still have another full month ahead and have agreed to work through the first week of October to help out. As much as we tend to complain about what happens at work, it is still the best opportunity for us to enjoy our favorite summer location at an attractive price - free.
It's getting late already this morning, so I'll close for now and get ready to head out for our trip...
We usually make a full day out of our Yellowstone trips which includes packing a picnic lunch. We stocked up on groceries and some snacks yesterday at Smith's in town, so we are prepared for the trip. Along with a nice day in the park, we expect to meet Scott and Valerie at their work location to say goodbyes for another year. They will leave Yellowstone next week and travel back to Campbellsville, KY, to work at Amazon for their fifth year. We still have another full month ahead and have agreed to work through the first week of October to help out. As much as we tend to complain about what happens at work, it is still the best opportunity for us to enjoy our favorite summer location at an attractive price - free.
It's getting late already this morning, so I'll close for now and get ready to head out for our trip...
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Slide Movement
The news in the paper yesterday morning included a report on the famous slide we have in Jackson. All the recent rain we've had has resulted in an acceleration of the movement which is normally about 1/4" per day. I have pictures of the home at the top of the slide that were taken shortly after we arrived in May:
I took these shots yesterday morning for comparison:
We are still waiting for the entire hill to collapse, even though the "experts" are insisting it is stabilized.
It was a total bore at work last night, and we have so many people staying over for conventions and other local projects that our reservations have shrunk to less than 40 per night. That will change next week when the lodge empties out and the convention ends.
The weather is definitely improving as we reached 72 degrees yesterday and had no rain. We are on target to have the nicest day tomorrow when we make our final journey to Yellowstone for the season. We will do some shopping this morning to get what we need to take on our trip tomorrow which will probably take up most, if not all, of our day. Looking forward to tomorrow...
I took these shots yesterday morning for comparison:
We are still waiting for the entire hill to collapse, even though the "experts" are insisting it is stabilized.
It was a total bore at work last night, and we have so many people staying over for conventions and other local projects that our reservations have shrunk to less than 40 per night. That will change next week when the lodge empties out and the convention ends.
The weather is definitely improving as we reached 72 degrees yesterday and had no rain. We are on target to have the nicest day tomorrow when we make our final journey to Yellowstone for the season. We will do some shopping this morning to get what we need to take on our trip tomorrow which will probably take up most, if not all, of our day. Looking forward to tomorrow...
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Six Days and Counting
Yesterday represented the sixth consecutive day of rain. We are at least getting a few sun breaks now, so we are hopeful that the rain is about over. The amounts are less, but rain is rain, and it makes it difficult to plan outdoor activities.
We are looking forward to the predicted sunny day on Thursday. We will drive to Yellowstone for our final visit this year just before some major road closures go into effect on the 2nd of September. We spoke about those closures last night with the Caravan Tour Director and she was describing the huge inconvenience that their busses will have during the closures. They will have to drive about 2.5 hours out of their way to visit the areas they normally visit on their tours. We don't know how long those closures will be in effect, but are assuming they will last the rest of this season.
Along with the rain we've had, we have had very cool temperatures - low of 41 this morning - and we have turned on our main heater on each of the last few days to remove the chill. So far though, we haven't had to fill either of our propane tanks, so we are happy about that.
We finalized the schedule for the first of October and we will stay over the first week to help out with the anticipated busy days during that week. We will be watching the weather closely as we get near that week. It will be the latest that we have stayed in this area and just hope we can beat the snow out of here and get back to AZ without any problems...
We are looking forward to the predicted sunny day on Thursday. We will drive to Yellowstone for our final visit this year just before some major road closures go into effect on the 2nd of September. We spoke about those closures last night with the Caravan Tour Director and she was describing the huge inconvenience that their busses will have during the closures. They will have to drive about 2.5 hours out of their way to visit the areas they normally visit on their tours. We don't know how long those closures will be in effect, but are assuming they will last the rest of this season.
Along with the rain we've had, we have had very cool temperatures - low of 41 this morning - and we have turned on our main heater on each of the last few days to remove the chill. So far though, we haven't had to fill either of our propane tanks, so we are happy about that.
We finalized the schedule for the first of October and we will stay over the first week to help out with the anticipated busy days during that week. We will be watching the weather closely as we get near that week. It will be the latest that we have stayed in this area and just hope we can beat the snow out of here and get back to AZ without any problems...
Monday, August 25, 2014
Looks Like a Repeat
Yesterday morning was so nice we mowed the grass in the AM and took a drive on the Moose-Wilson road to see if anything was happening. We didn't see any wildlife and the dirt/gravel part of the road was filled with potholes that made for a very bumpy ride. There will be a closure of this section of the road - sometime later this season - to do much needed repair work. This is also the road where we spotted the owl last year, and a moose and bear the year before that.
Work was filled with price shoppers and walk-ins. The change in makeup of the guests is striking. One week ago, we had people crying for a room at $128, and last night we had a hard time giving away the same room for $108. Some shoppers didn't return after hearing our low price, so evidently they found something somewhere else that matched or was better than our price. It is all about supply and demand.
We had another problem with one of the tour buses last night - the Joy Holiday Tours. These are the Asian travelers that always arrive late at night - usually around 10 PM, and take over our lobby with their use of our microwave and hot water to make their noodles. Last night, they parked the bus against the lodge where they are not permitted to park. I explained the location to park to the Tour Director when they checked in, but they always seem to do want they want to do regardless of the rules. We woke up the bus driver after we discovered the bus parked against the rooms as we were walking home. We returned to the lobby and had Rachel - the night audit person - rattle him out of bed to move the bus to the proper location. Maybe they will never learn.
The rain returned last night and the morning is very cool - 42 - and foggy. It sure has been a wet spell and I noticed that we went through a similar period this time last year. The good news is that the forecast is holding for a sunny day on Thursday with temperatures in the mid 70's. Looking forward to that...
Work was filled with price shoppers and walk-ins. The change in makeup of the guests is striking. One week ago, we had people crying for a room at $128, and last night we had a hard time giving away the same room for $108. Some shoppers didn't return after hearing our low price, so evidently they found something somewhere else that matched or was better than our price. It is all about supply and demand.
We had another problem with one of the tour buses last night - the Joy Holiday Tours. These are the Asian travelers that always arrive late at night - usually around 10 PM, and take over our lobby with their use of our microwave and hot water to make their noodles. Last night, they parked the bus against the lodge where they are not permitted to park. I explained the location to park to the Tour Director when they checked in, but they always seem to do want they want to do regardless of the rules. We woke up the bus driver after we discovered the bus parked against the rooms as we were walking home. We returned to the lobby and had Rachel - the night audit person - rattle him out of bed to move the bus to the proper location. Maybe they will never learn.
The rain returned last night and the morning is very cool - 42 - and foggy. It sure has been a wet spell and I noticed that we went through a similar period this time last year. The good news is that the forecast is holding for a sunny day on Thursday with temperatures in the mid 70's. Looking forward to that...
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Finally, Some Blue Sky
I hope I am not premature in saying this, but we have what looks like a great start to a nice day. The sun is shining brightly this morning and we can see the surrounding hills clearly for the first time in about four days. We had over two inches of rain, spread evenly over the last four days, and our grass is about 8 inches high. It is still very cool - 47 - but the long range forecast is for the temps to reach into the 60's again beginning today, and the 70's by the end of the week We have some catching up to do on our outdoor activities.
We will plan our final trip to Yellowstone for this coming Thursday. There are road closures for construction announced in the Park beginning the first of September, and we want to catch Scott and Val in Bridge Bay before they leave in early September. The Rodeo Finals begin this weekend, so we will use our free passes to go there for the first time on Friday night. With time running out, there are still some things we would like to do.
The printer is now available on Josie's new computer and she is just about there as far as doing everything she wants to do on the new system. It is very impressive, and a good move on our part. She has instant-on when she starts it up, can do all of her Facebook, emails and browsing faster than I've ever seen on any computer - and there are no pop-up ads.
It's sure nice to see shadows outside for a change...
We will plan our final trip to Yellowstone for this coming Thursday. There are road closures for construction announced in the Park beginning the first of September, and we want to catch Scott and Val in Bridge Bay before they leave in early September. The Rodeo Finals begin this weekend, so we will use our free passes to go there for the first time on Friday night. With time running out, there are still some things we would like to do.
The printer is now available on Josie's new computer and she is just about there as far as doing everything she wants to do on the new system. It is very impressive, and a good move on our part. She has instant-on when she starts it up, can do all of her Facebook, emails and browsing faster than I've ever seen on any computer - and there are no pop-up ads.
It's sure nice to see shadows outside for a change...
Saturday, August 23, 2014
More and More Rain
In the last three days, we have had over two inches of rain. There have been rainy periods in each year we have been here, but none with such a high amount spread over several days. To make it worse, the chances are listed at 80% for rain today. Even with our rain accumulation, there are areas of the country that receive more rain in a shorter time, but at least they get it over with. It's like dying a slow death with the rain coming every day.
Josie's new computer arrived at around 11:30 AM yesterday and we spent the rest of the day - with the exception of a trip to the grocery store - setting it up and making sure everything works OK. Our first impressions are very positive. It boots up instantly, has no pop-up ads, does everything that she wants it to do and it is powerful and small. All that is left to add to the system is the wireless printer that we have in the fifth wheel. Instructions for that are available, and we will accomplish that this morning - hopefully.
We have six weeks left this season if we work until the end of September. We have been asked to stay over for one week, so in about seven weeks we will pull up stakes and move on. So far, this season has been the toughest. The personnel problems and added volume of guests has made for a very different experience. We will have plenty of time after it all ends this season to evaluate our year and determine our options. One thing we learned to do, and that is not to rush to judgement on any working opportunity we have had...
Josie's new computer arrived at around 11:30 AM yesterday and we spent the rest of the day - with the exception of a trip to the grocery store - setting it up and making sure everything works OK. Our first impressions are very positive. It boots up instantly, has no pop-up ads, does everything that she wants it to do and it is powerful and small. All that is left to add to the system is the wireless printer that we have in the fifth wheel. Instructions for that are available, and we will accomplish that this morning - hopefully.
We have six weeks left this season if we work until the end of September. We have been asked to stay over for one week, so in about seven weeks we will pull up stakes and move on. So far, this season has been the toughest. The personnel problems and added volume of guests has made for a very different experience. We will have plenty of time after it all ends this season to evaluate our year and determine our options. One thing we learned to do, and that is not to rush to judgement on any working opportunity we have had...
Friday, August 22, 2014
Laundry and TV
As the rains kept coming down yesterday morning it became obvious that it wouldn't be a good day to travel anywhere. Today is the same with the rain still coming down and no let-up in sight.
Josie did some laundry and I did some computer work in the late morning, and we hung out and watched TV in the afternoon while watching about an inch of rain fall. We have had over 1.5 inches in the last two days and today's rain will just add to that total. In fact, last night at bedtime we had some serious thunder and lightening. The rain has brought very low hanging clouds and we believe the pass road would have very poor visibility which makes it even more treacherous than normal. We'll do the Idaho trip another day.
We pulled the trigger on Wednesday and ordered a new computer for Josie - her first. She has been struggling with the performance issues on my old computer for a long time now, and she has gained enough confidence using computers that she should have her own. It is an HP Chromebook14 that is scheduled to arrive today before 4:30 PM. I did a lot of research before ordering this one, and she does mostly web surfing, Facebook, games, email and some photo organizing, so this should be a perfect fit. Coupled with the nice smartphone she has - the Samsung S4 - she should be set to go for a long time.
Our final day off this week - today - is shaping up to be similar to yesterday without the laundry activity. No matter what we do, it will be a relaxing day and is the first full weekend off at home that we have had in the last three weeks...
Josie did some laundry and I did some computer work in the late morning, and we hung out and watched TV in the afternoon while watching about an inch of rain fall. We have had over 1.5 inches in the last two days and today's rain will just add to that total. In fact, last night at bedtime we had some serious thunder and lightening. The rain has brought very low hanging clouds and we believe the pass road would have very poor visibility which makes it even more treacherous than normal. We'll do the Idaho trip another day.
We pulled the trigger on Wednesday and ordered a new computer for Josie - her first. She has been struggling with the performance issues on my old computer for a long time now, and she has gained enough confidence using computers that she should have her own. It is an HP Chromebook14 that is scheduled to arrive today before 4:30 PM. I did a lot of research before ordering this one, and she does mostly web surfing, Facebook, games, email and some photo organizing, so this should be a perfect fit. Coupled with the nice smartphone she has - the Samsung S4 - she should be set to go for a long time.
Our final day off this week - today - is shaping up to be similar to yesterday without the laundry activity. No matter what we do, it will be a relaxing day and is the first full weekend off at home that we have had in the last three weeks...
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Watching the Rain
Beginning yesterday in the early afternoon, we have had a storm front arrive that has been steadily dropping rain and is continuing this morning. The forecast for the next week includes rain chances as follows: Today-80 % (try 100%), Fri-80%, Sat-40%, Sun-50%, Mon-40%, Tue-40%, Wed-60%. There is not one sunny day in the forecast and the high temperatures are to be in the high 60's. We are beginning to feel like we are in Seattle in March.
Work, as mentioned previously, has reached a new phase this season and we are not selling out, but being kept busy with walk-ins. Our manager has requested we stay over for one week in October, if possible, to help with an expected busy week as they enter the winter season. We have no problem with that as we are not in a rush to return to AZ, and our site is ready for us whenever we arrive. As long as we can beat the snow out of WY, it works for us. It means extra cash and more bonus when we leave.
There is what appears to be a very slow leak in one of the front tires of the truck. All of our tires were filled with nitrogen a couple years ago and I am searching for a location that offers nitrogen for tires. There are none within about 120 miles of Jackson. There is one location in Pocatello, ID, at a Chevy dealership that we may visit if we can combine the trip with other stops to justify the distance. The tire isn't leaking (nitrogen) very fast, but it needs to be fixed before we head out in October. The truck hasn't been driven much at all since we arrived in May, so maybe the trip will be a good opportunity to keep it in shape. With the rain coming down, it may our best option for the day...
Work, as mentioned previously, has reached a new phase this season and we are not selling out, but being kept busy with walk-ins. Our manager has requested we stay over for one week in October, if possible, to help with an expected busy week as they enter the winter season. We have no problem with that as we are not in a rush to return to AZ, and our site is ready for us whenever we arrive. As long as we can beat the snow out of WY, it works for us. It means extra cash and more bonus when we leave.
There is what appears to be a very slow leak in one of the front tires of the truck. All of our tires were filled with nitrogen a couple years ago and I am searching for a location that offers nitrogen for tires. There are none within about 120 miles of Jackson. There is one location in Pocatello, ID, at a Chevy dealership that we may visit if we can combine the trip with other stops to justify the distance. The tire isn't leaking (nitrogen) very fast, but it needs to be fixed before we head out in October. The truck hasn't been driven much at all since we arrived in May, so maybe the trip will be a good opportunity to keep it in shape. With the rain coming down, it may our best option for the day...
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Lunch at the Lift With Friends
Our main activity for the time prior to working yesterday was another lunch with our friends, Scott and Valerie, at the Lift. They came to Jackson to discuss working opportunities at the lodge for next year. Following a discussion about our duties at the front desk and the heavy computer emphasis on the duties, they decided to pass on the lodge as a prospective employer. They just recently began their computer usage on a regular basis and just don't feel comfortable yet about their skills level. They decided to take some time while in town to explore other workamping opportunities in this area since they still would love to come here, at least for one year. Below is a shot of them as we were winding up our lunch at 1:30 yesterday:
There is featured story about them in the upcoming issue of Workamper News Magazine with a photo of them on the cover. We will be anxious to receive that issue and see the article. We also plan to visit them at their current work location at the Bridge Bay store in Yellowstone before they leave in early September.
The weather is turning sour again and the next week has the forecast for rain in the 40 - 80% chance range on each day. I checked the same period last year and we ran into the same kind of pattern during the same week in August. All that will do is to keep our plans focused on indoor activities which take away our chances for any biking or hiking during that period. With time running out on our season, we hate to see opportunities go away...
There is featured story about them in the upcoming issue of Workamper News Magazine with a photo of them on the cover. We will be anxious to receive that issue and see the article. We also plan to visit them at their current work location at the Bridge Bay store in Yellowstone before they leave in early September.
The weather is turning sour again and the next week has the forecast for rain in the 40 - 80% chance range on each day. I checked the same period last year and we ran into the same kind of pattern during the same week in August. All that will do is to keep our plans focused on indoor activities which take away our chances for any biking or hiking during that period. With time running out on our season, we hate to see opportunities go away...
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
New Phase
We have obviously hit a new phase at work with our reduced reservations, more walk-ins and more telephone shoppers for lodge rates. The RV park is also seeing a slight slow down as they have had a few open spaces for the first time this season over the last several days. But, even with almost 30 walk-ins last night, we still had about 25 unsold rooms when we left last night. For the entire season, we are several hundred rooms ahead of last year's performance at this time which is what the ownership loves to see.
The work schedule for September has a lot of holes on it to be filled by existing employees that want overtime. Josie has signed up for a couple extra shifts and it seems like everybody else will have to step up and help fill in where needed. September shouldn't be a super busy month, so I'm sure we will manage.
The construction behind our fifth wheel continued yesterday as they replaced, or upgraded, some huge breakers in the box behind us:
We'll be happy to see the noise come to an end. We know it is necessary and only temporary, so there is no problem.
Today we will meet Scott and Val Anderson again for lunch. The choice was to return to the Lift restaurant where we previously met for lunch and has become one of our favorite places to eat. With only a little over a month ago, we do have some other restaurants we would like to try, but we figured if we went to a different restaurant once a week, we still wouldn't have tried them all. It's a nice problem to have...
The work schedule for September has a lot of holes on it to be filled by existing employees that want overtime. Josie has signed up for a couple extra shifts and it seems like everybody else will have to step up and help fill in where needed. September shouldn't be a super busy month, so I'm sure we will manage.
The construction behind our fifth wheel continued yesterday as they replaced, or upgraded, some huge breakers in the box behind us:
We'll be happy to see the noise come to an end. We know it is necessary and only temporary, so there is no problem.
Today we will meet Scott and Val Anderson again for lunch. The choice was to return to the Lift restaurant where we previously met for lunch and has become one of our favorite places to eat. With only a little over a month ago, we do have some other restaurants we would like to try, but we figured if we went to a different restaurant once a week, we still wouldn't have tried them all. It's a nice problem to have...
Monday, August 18, 2014
Business Slowing Down
First of all, my bug is just about gone now and I feel almost back to normal. It didn't bother me nearly as much last night and I am starting to get back to my normal sleep routine.
We had the slowest night since we returned to Jackson last night. The reservations only totaled 35 and there were two busses with a total of 50 rooms. It appears that we are in a period now of having lots of kids returning to school and not many couples or families traveling too far from home. It was almost boring last night compared to the nights we've had the last two months. Since I was under the weather the last few days, it worked out fine.
One of the Cab companies in town - Cowboy Cab - is owned by a guy named "Mountain" Mike. We send a lot of business his way as we give his name and number to most guests that are looking for taxi service. He also owns a tour company that takes folks on tours through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. He came into the lobby last night to thank us for all the referrals we give to him and he offered to take us (Josie and I and our night audit person, Rachel) on a tour for one day - free. That amounts to $650 per person which is what he charges per person for a full day tour. He has the experience and knowledge to locate the wildlife - mostly bears, wolves and elk - that most people don't know where to look. We will be scheduling that fun trip after September 1 when his demand is reduced.
We are having lunch again on Tuesday with our friends Scott an Valerie Anderson. They are coming down from their jobs at Yellowstone again to talk to our management about opportunities for them at the Virginian for next year. They are a nice couple that would fit in well with their customer service skills. We'll see how that goes.
We have another slow night ahead based on the availability of rooms we saw last night. Until I get back to 100%, I'm happy with that...
We had the slowest night since we returned to Jackson last night. The reservations only totaled 35 and there were two busses with a total of 50 rooms. It appears that we are in a period now of having lots of kids returning to school and not many couples or families traveling too far from home. It was almost boring last night compared to the nights we've had the last two months. Since I was under the weather the last few days, it worked out fine.
One of the Cab companies in town - Cowboy Cab - is owned by a guy named "Mountain" Mike. We send a lot of business his way as we give his name and number to most guests that are looking for taxi service. He also owns a tour company that takes folks on tours through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. He came into the lobby last night to thank us for all the referrals we give to him and he offered to take us (Josie and I and our night audit person, Rachel) on a tour for one day - free. That amounts to $650 per person which is what he charges per person for a full day tour. He has the experience and knowledge to locate the wildlife - mostly bears, wolves and elk - that most people don't know where to look. We will be scheduling that fun trip after September 1 when his demand is reduced.
We are having lunch again on Tuesday with our friends Scott an Valerie Anderson. They are coming down from their jobs at Yellowstone again to talk to our management about opportunities for them at the Virginian for next year. They are a nice couple that would fit in well with their customer service skills. We'll see how that goes.
We have another slow night ahead based on the availability of rooms we saw last night. Until I get back to 100%, I'm happy with that...
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Almost Back to Normal
Yesterday was a very different and unusual day for us. I still was suffering from some kind of bug and didn't feel like doing much of anything - let alone go to work for 8 Hours. Somehow, I reached down and found the energy to go to work. The first four hours seemed like 8 hours, but I began to feel better towards the end of our shift. There was really no option to stay home as this was the overtime shift we were working to make up for the day we missed while traveling last week.
I went right to bed when I got home and slept until 9 AM this morning. I still feel a bit weak, but nothing like I felt the last two days. Hopefully, I'll be back to normal by the time we go to work today.
With only about 6 more weeks to go this season, we are beginning to think about our plans for the return trip to AZ in early October. We like to travel with reservations, so it is really never too early to lock up our stays. This year, we are undecided about which way to go. It will be either the direct route like last year, through Eastern Utah and down through Flagstaff, or take the western route through Vegas and Laughlin. This year, we have more time to spare as we don't plan to go to Patty's until around he middle of the month. Our space at Lake Pleasant is already waiting, so there is no problem in timing with that arrival. Stay tuned for more news on those plans...
I went right to bed when I got home and slept until 9 AM this morning. I still feel a bit weak, but nothing like I felt the last two days. Hopefully, I'll be back to normal by the time we go to work today.
With only about 6 more weeks to go this season, we are beginning to think about our plans for the return trip to AZ in early October. We like to travel with reservations, so it is really never too early to lock up our stays. This year, we are undecided about which way to go. It will be either the direct route like last year, through Eastern Utah and down through Flagstaff, or take the western route through Vegas and Laughlin. This year, we have more time to spare as we don't plan to go to Patty's until around he middle of the month. Our space at Lake Pleasant is already waiting, so there is no problem in timing with that arrival. Stay tuned for more news on those plans...
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Picked Up a Bug
It has been many years since I got sick like I did the last two days. I began to feel problems with my stomach yesterday AM as we went to work on our overtime day. It seemed to improve as the morning progressed, and by the time we got off work at 3 PM, it was about normal. Then, at 3 AM this morning I got the same stomach pains, only worse. I ended up losing my cookies at 4:30 AM and then got the chills. Josie helped me with some Alka Seltzer and then a blanket when I got the chills. We have no idea what brought that on, but can only guess that maybe something I ate at Eleanor's on Friday didn't agree with my system.
I slept in until 10 AM this morning and feel like I should be ready to go back to work at 3 PM today. I'll just take it easy this morning and the rest of the time before going to work, and will definitely watch what I eat today.
Our shift at work served to remind us how much easier the first shift is to work. Checking-out guests is so much easier than check-ins, and there aren't anywhere near the complaints for room locations, noise and other problems with the rooms. Also, the telephone hardly rings at all in the morning. We hope - and we suspect - that management knows how much harder we work in the afternoons and evenings. If they would only show us in the form of more pay, it would make us happier. That's a topic for another day...
I slept in until 10 AM this morning and feel like I should be ready to go back to work at 3 PM today. I'll just take it easy this morning and the rest of the time before going to work, and will definitely watch what I eat today.
Our shift at work served to remind us how much easier the first shift is to work. Checking-out guests is so much easier than check-ins, and there aren't anywhere near the complaints for room locations, noise and other problems with the rooms. Also, the telephone hardly rings at all in the morning. We hope - and we suspect - that management knows how much harder we work in the afternoons and evenings. If they would only show us in the form of more pay, it would make us happier. That's a topic for another day...
Friday, August 15, 2014
Construction and Eleanors
Our workout yesterday morning at the Senior Center was almost completed when we stopped for another Yoga class. All we have to do is read the schedule each day and we would know when these classes are being held so we could do our workouts without interruption. We'll learn.
The construction project behind our rig is moving along as they have the cable sitting in the trench they dug the other day:
We spent most of the rest of the dreary day doing some inside stuff and then went out to dinner at a place called Eleanor's:
It is located in the strip mall across the street from the lodge and we have been sending folks there for dinner when our restaurant is closed. It is closer to being a sports bar than a restaurant and they are noted for having buckets of peanuts on each table for snacking, and you throw the shells on the floor. We enjoyed our meals and will continue to recommend the restaurant to lodge guests, only we have first hand experience now to add a little credibility to the recommendation. It is situated behind a liquor store that you walk through to get to the restaurant and is a nice place to relax:
We signed up to work today - from 7 AM to 3 PM - to make up for the day we lost last week on our trip to WA. We both agree that we will stick to our afternoon shifts as we don't especially like getting up at 5:30 to get ready...
The construction project behind our rig is moving along as they have the cable sitting in the trench they dug the other day:
We spent most of the rest of the dreary day doing some inside stuff and then went out to dinner at a place called Eleanor's:
It is located in the strip mall across the street from the lodge and we have been sending folks there for dinner when our restaurant is closed. It is closer to being a sports bar than a restaurant and they are noted for having buckets of peanuts on each table for snacking, and you throw the shells on the floor. We enjoyed our meals and will continue to recommend the restaurant to lodge guests, only we have first hand experience now to add a little credibility to the recommendation. It is situated behind a liquor store that you walk through to get to the restaurant and is a nice place to relax:
We signed up to work today - from 7 AM to 3 PM - to make up for the day we lost last week on our trip to WA. We both agree that we will stick to our afternoon shifts as we don't especially like getting up at 5:30 to get ready...
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Construction
We saw that there were two exercise classes scheduled yesterday morning at the Senior Center so we passed on the treadmill workout so that we weren't interrupted.
There is a huge construction project in process behind our fifth wheel. The city is building a bus barn and maintenance facility for the public transportation system in the city. The Start Bus is a free shuttle that runs every 1/2 hour and travels around the entire town of Jackson and even to Teton Village. The construction has reached the point where they need to tie into the power source which is contained in a couple big metal boxes behind our rig. They started digging a trench behind us and we were curious enough to watch the workers. This is our scene from the rear window of our fifth wheel:
They were still digging the trench when we left for work at 3 PM.
Our work last night was typical as we sold out once again. Soon there will be days when we have lots of rooms left over as the families with kids are beginning to disappear. Once school starts, the profile of the guests changes from young traveling families to older couples traveling - many without reservations which increases our walk-in traffic, but doesn't allow for sell-outs.
The forecast is for rain today and we plan to go to the Senior Center for a workout before doing anything else on our day off. We have scheduled ourselves to work tomorrow AM on the early shift of 7 to 3 PM. It will make up for the day we missed when we traveled to WA last week. In the meantime, the workers continue (in the rain) on the ditch behind us:
as the digging continues...
There is a huge construction project in process behind our fifth wheel. The city is building a bus barn and maintenance facility for the public transportation system in the city. The Start Bus is a free shuttle that runs every 1/2 hour and travels around the entire town of Jackson and even to Teton Village. The construction has reached the point where they need to tie into the power source which is contained in a couple big metal boxes behind our rig. They started digging a trench behind us and we were curious enough to watch the workers. This is our scene from the rear window of our fifth wheel:
They were still digging the trench when we left for work at 3 PM.
Our work last night was typical as we sold out once again. Soon there will be days when we have lots of rooms left over as the families with kids are beginning to disappear. Once school starts, the profile of the guests changes from young traveling families to older couples traveling - many without reservations which increases our walk-in traffic, but doesn't allow for sell-outs.
The forecast is for rain today and we plan to go to the Senior Center for a workout before doing anything else on our day off. We have scheduled ourselves to work tomorrow AM on the early shift of 7 to 3 PM. It will make up for the day we missed when we traveled to WA last week. In the meantime, the workers continue (in the rain) on the ditch behind us:
as the digging continues...
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Start of Workouts
We were anxious to begin use of the treadmills at the Senior Center. Our first workout was yesterday when we arrived at the Center around 10 AM. We checked in by scanning our new cards and selecting the "Workout Equipment" option and proceeded to the fitness room. Josie took the first of the four treadmills and I was going to take the second one. I discovered that it wasn't plugged in and the cord wouldn't reach the outlet on the wall. I tried the third one and couldn't get it turned on either. I also struck out with the fourth one and went to the desk to get help. The nice lady behind the desk brought in an extension cord and I finally began my workout on the second treadmill around 6 minutes behind Josie's start time.
Every Tuesday there is a Yoga class in the fitness room that begins at 10:30 AM and the power equipment must be turned off to maintain the silence required for this class. That meant we both had to stop our workout. Josie did 30 minutes and about 1.8 miles, and I did around 25 minutes and 1.75 miles. It was OK that we had to quit early as we didn't want to over-exert ourselves on the first workout. We will try again this morning, and will make sure there is nothing scheduled that could interfere with our workout.
We drove around the neighborhood after we left and ended up at the end of the Elk Refuge where we took this shot:
Every Tuesday there is a Yoga class in the fitness room that begins at 10:30 AM and the power equipment must be turned off to maintain the silence required for this class. That meant we both had to stop our workout. Josie did 30 minutes and about 1.8 miles, and I did around 25 minutes and 1.75 miles. It was OK that we had to quit early as we didn't want to over-exert ourselves on the first workout. We will try again this morning, and will make sure there is nothing scheduled that could interfere with our workout.
We drove around the neighborhood after we left and ended up at the end of the Elk Refuge where we took this shot:
It was a warm and sunny day and we sat outside and read for awhile before eating our dinner and heading to work at 3 PM.
One of our new workers - Rachel Leslie - was heading back to school in Chicago so yesterday was her last day. They had pizza that they bought for her final lunch and we all said our farewells to her. She worked with us on our shift until 7 PM the last few nights after working a full day shift from 7 AM to 3 PM. She wanted to make as much money as she could before leaving for school so the overtime hours came in handy. She is the one good employee that came out of four new hires this season.
We had a heavy thunderstorm last night just before turning in at near midnight. The forecast is for more thunderstorms today, tomorrow and Friday, with clearing by the weekend - of course, by the time we go back to work on Saturday...
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Jackson Senior Center
We have heard a lot about the Senior Center in Jackson and how nice the facility is and how great their lunches were - free to seniors on the first and third Friday of each month, and $4 per person every other weekday. It was also a nice walk for us to take. We set out for the Center at about 10:30 AM.
It is located in the far eastern part of Jackson and in a neighborhood we had never seen before. There are lots of nice homes on the walk and we even passed a horse property with these handsome horses:
We arrived at the Center after a 2-plus mile walk and shortly after 11 AM. This a shot of the Center:
There was a very nice lady a the front desk that told us all about the activities, meals, functions and schedules of all the classes and events. We were given a mini-tour and also invited to have lunch which we passed on as we had to get back to get ready for work. The dining room was a large area where there also was a dance floor for lessons and events :
There is a fitness area for exercising classes and also containing some equipment, including a few treadmills. That is our main interest right now as we have been looking for (free) treadmills to use on a regular basis. We ended up joining the Senior Center (free) and getting a card which allows us unlimited access to the facility and all activities. We wished we had discovered this two years ago.
Our total walk for the morning was over 4.25 miles. We had our lunch before going to work and had a relatively easy night at the lodge. We sold out for the night and had only one bus. All in all, it was a good day for us and we are back into the normal routine following our marathon trip to WA...
It is located in the far eastern part of Jackson and in a neighborhood we had never seen before. There are lots of nice homes on the walk and we even passed a horse property with these handsome horses:
We arrived at the Center after a 2-plus mile walk and shortly after 11 AM. This a shot of the Center:
There was a very nice lady a the front desk that told us all about the activities, meals, functions and schedules of all the classes and events. We were given a mini-tour and also invited to have lunch which we passed on as we had to get back to get ready for work. The dining room was a large area where there also was a dance floor for lessons and events :
There is a fitness area for exercising classes and also containing some equipment, including a few treadmills. That is our main interest right now as we have been looking for (free) treadmills to use on a regular basis. We ended up joining the Senior Center (free) and getting a card which allows us unlimited access to the facility and all activities. We wished we had discovered this two years ago.
Our total walk for the morning was over 4.25 miles. We had our lunch before going to work and had a relatively easy night at the lodge. We sold out for the night and had only one bus. All in all, it was a good day for us and we are back into the normal routine following our marathon trip to WA...
Monday, August 11, 2014
Into the Routine Again
It was a back to normal day yesterday. Josie took a walk early in the AM while I tried to catch up on some computer work and watched the PGA Championship on TV. We also did the lawn which grew a bit faster in the last week as a result of all the rain. Here is a shot of that project:
We have that chore pretty much down pat as Josie does most of the mowing while I do the trim around the bushes and trees with the weed-eater. It only takes about a half hour to get the equipment from the RV park maintenance shed, mow the lawn and return the equipment. The exercise is beneficial for us.
Our shift at work was a little less hectic last night as we were not sold out for the first time in a couple weeks. The Caravan bus had stopped its tours during the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota that is held each year. The Caravan tour originates in South Dakota at Mt Rushmore and they cease the tours for about 7-10 days while the bikers take over that part of the country. We have also had an unusual number of guests on motorcycles that have been through Jackson either on the way there or home from the rally. We're happy to see that end.
Even though we had fewer buses yesterday, we sold almost 30 rooms to walk-ins. We will begin to see more and more walk-ins as we approach September when most of the kids are back to school. The older traveling couples figure they don't need reservations during September, so we have that to look forward to during our last month here in Jackson. So far, it has been an interesting and sometimes stressful duty at the front desk...
We have that chore pretty much down pat as Josie does most of the mowing while I do the trim around the bushes and trees with the weed-eater. It only takes about a half hour to get the equipment from the RV park maintenance shed, mow the lawn and return the equipment. The exercise is beneficial for us.
Our shift at work was a little less hectic last night as we were not sold out for the first time in a couple weeks. The Caravan bus had stopped its tours during the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota that is held each year. The Caravan tour originates in South Dakota at Mt Rushmore and they cease the tours for about 7-10 days while the bikers take over that part of the country. We have also had an unusual number of guests on motorcycles that have been through Jackson either on the way there or home from the rally. We're happy to see that end.
Even though we had fewer buses yesterday, we sold almost 30 rooms to walk-ins. We will begin to see more and more walk-ins as we approach September when most of the kids are back to school. The older traveling couples figure they don't need reservations during September, so we have that to look forward to during our last month here in Jackson. So far, it has been an interesting and sometimes stressful duty at the front desk...
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Slow Recovery
There wasn't much to report from yesterday as we were recovering from our long trip to WA. We had to re-stock some groceries so we made a trip to Smith's and pretty much sat around and watched some taped shows on TV. I also caught some of the PGA Championship on TV before we went to work at 3 PM.
There was some unusual activity at work while we were gone. Evidently, a French couple made a scene on Friday night regarding noise coming from the bar which was not too far from their room location. They made such a scene that the front desk ended up "comping" their room. This year has seen much more of that kind of activity than the previous years. We are still trying to figure out what is causing this year's downward trend in customer satisfaction. We know that we have more folks staying at the lodge this year, so maybe that has something to do with the attitude changes as the economy improves. At any rate, it has been less fun at the front desk this year. We are also working harder this year which is having an effect on our thoughts.
Josie made contact with the GM at Phoenix Flower Shops while we were driving to WA. He indicated that the production center in Sun City where Josie worked this past winter was closed, and the staff was absorbed into two other shops. He is anxious for her to work again this season and indicated that he had a "big chunk" of hours for her to work at the store located at 51st Ave and Northern in Phoenix. That means a bit longer commute for her, so we will see how that develops.
It seems like the wet and stormy weather is going to take a break for awhile so maybe we can get in some hiking and/or biking soon to shed the extra couple pounds we gained on our WA trip...
There was some unusual activity at work while we were gone. Evidently, a French couple made a scene on Friday night regarding noise coming from the bar which was not too far from their room location. They made such a scene that the front desk ended up "comping" their room. This year has seen much more of that kind of activity than the previous years. We are still trying to figure out what is causing this year's downward trend in customer satisfaction. We know that we have more folks staying at the lodge this year, so maybe that has something to do with the attitude changes as the economy improves. At any rate, it has been less fun at the front desk this year. We are also working harder this year which is having an effect on our thoughts.
Josie made contact with the GM at Phoenix Flower Shops while we were driving to WA. He indicated that the production center in Sun City where Josie worked this past winter was closed, and the staff was absorbed into two other shops. He is anxious for her to work again this season and indicated that he had a "big chunk" of hours for her to work at the store located at 51st Ave and Northern in Phoenix. That means a bit longer commute for her, so we will see how that develops.
It seems like the wet and stormy weather is going to take a break for awhile so maybe we can get in some hiking and/or biking soon to shed the extra couple pounds we gained on our WA trip...
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Back Home Again
We were all up bright and early yesterday AM and it didn't take very long to get everything loaded into the Jeep, have a quick breakfast in the hotel and check-out to head home. Here is one final shot of Harmony before leaving the room and taking her home:
We left the area to head home at almost 6:30 AM local time, and headed south on I-5 to begin the marathon drive home. As we were driving along the Columbia River in Oregon, we spotted another forest fire. This one was creeping toward I-84 and we got a few good shots, but this one is the closest:
So, there were fires burning in both WA and OR and the ones we saw were only a couple of the total fires burning in these states.
The weather was much better on the trip home and we had sunshine all the way until we reached Pocatello, ID, about an hour and a half from home. There was a huge thunderstorm moving through the area and we raced to get out of the area. There was about a 5 mile stretch that we drove through heavy rain.
Just as we were leaving the Idaho Falls area, we got this nice shot of the sunset that was even more beautiful following the storm we left behind:
Our total drive for the trip amounted to over 1800 miles. That's a lot of driving on the two travel days, but was well worth the time we spent with Harmony. She is having a big birthday party today with all her friends and we were happy to spend the time we did to celebrate her birthday with her.
We are thankful that we made the trip safely and arrived home at 9:45 PM last night. It felt good to sleep in a little bit this morning as we head back to work at 3 PM this afternoon...
We left the area to head home at almost 6:30 AM local time, and headed south on I-5 to begin the marathon drive home. As we were driving along the Columbia River in Oregon, we spotted another forest fire. This one was creeping toward I-84 and we got a few good shots, but this one is the closest:
So, there were fires burning in both WA and OR and the ones we saw were only a couple of the total fires burning in these states.
The weather was much better on the trip home and we had sunshine all the way until we reached Pocatello, ID, about an hour and a half from home. There was a huge thunderstorm moving through the area and we raced to get out of the area. There was about a 5 mile stretch that we drove through heavy rain.
Just as we were leaving the Idaho Falls area, we got this nice shot of the sunset that was even more beautiful following the storm we left behind:
Our total drive for the trip amounted to over 1800 miles. That's a lot of driving on the two travel days, but was well worth the time we spent with Harmony. She is having a big birthday party today with all her friends and we were happy to spend the time we did to celebrate her birthday with her.
We are thankful that we made the trip safely and arrived home at 9:45 PM last night. It felt good to sleep in a little bit this morning as we head back to work at 3 PM this afternoon...
Friday, August 8, 2014
Fun and Busy Day
Following our breakfast yesterday morning down in the lobby area of the hotel, we came back to the room to get ready to go shopping. Josie had made a couple hat and scarf sets for her over the last year, and she modeled them before we left for our shopping trip. This is her favorite:
Our shopping trip was to the Tacoma Mall which was about 15 miles north of Lacey and the hotel. There were several different stores that we spent some time looking for outfits for Harmony, and it was fun watching her model the many different choices. She loves hats, and she modeled a couple of those:
but she ultimately ended up with a nice outfit of jeans, shirts, shoes and accessories. This is one of the combinations we bought for her birthday:
Our trip ended up at McDonalds for a quick lunch:
and we headed out to Walmart to pick up some batteries and other items, including a pair of flip-flops that we got to replace a broken pair she had been wearing. This was taken during the hunt for flip-flops in Walmart:
By now it was time to return to the hotel where she changed and we went down to the indoor swimming pool. As we didn't bring our suits, we sat and let her entertain us with her swimming skills:
She wanted to spend the last night with us before we leave today for home. It was a wonderful visit and we will drop her off on the way out this morning. We don't expect to get back to Jackson much before 10 PM tonight, so we're off to drive another 900 miles to get back in time for work again on Saturday...
Our shopping trip was to the Tacoma Mall which was about 15 miles north of Lacey and the hotel. There were several different stores that we spent some time looking for outfits for Harmony, and it was fun watching her model the many different choices. She loves hats, and she modeled a couple of those:
but she ultimately ended up with a nice outfit of jeans, shirts, shoes and accessories. This is one of the combinations we bought for her birthday:
Our trip ended up at McDonalds for a quick lunch:
and we headed out to Walmart to pick up some batteries and other items, including a pair of flip-flops that we got to replace a broken pair she had been wearing. This was taken during the hunt for flip-flops in Walmart:
By now it was time to return to the hotel where she changed and we went down to the indoor swimming pool. As we didn't bring our suits, we sat and let her entertain us with her swimming skills:
She wanted to spend the last night with us before we leave today for home. It was a wonderful visit and we will drop her off on the way out this morning. We don't expect to get back to Jackson much before 10 PM tonight, so we're off to drive another 900 miles to get back in time for work again on Saturday...
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Visiting With Harmony
Our drive to WA from Jackson covered almost 900 miles. While leaving shortly after 5 AM, we arrived at the hotel in Lacey, WA, at almost 8 PM, after gaining an hour passing into the Pacific Time Zone.. The drive was tougher than it should have been as we drove through mostly heavy rain all the way from Jackson to just before Boise, ID. Then, the sun came out and it started to warm up. Our A/C in the Jeep wasn't putting out cool air and we thought something was wrong. We stopped for gas in WA on the way and the A/C suddenly started working again. Go figure. We passed a lot of beautiful countryside on the way and we arrived at the junction of I-82 and I-90 south of Ellensburg, WA, and we saw the fire that has getting all the attention recently in the news:
The fire is very close to the area I hunted in for almost 20 years.
The drive through WA brought back many fond memories of the beauty that is unique to WA state. We took several shots of the drive over the Snoqualmie Pass, one of which is below. There was lots of construction going on through this area but this shot shows a bit of the beauty:
The real joy was in seeing Harmony again following our check-in at the hotel. We came back to the room and had a small party for her while she opened the presents we brought for her birthday. Her real party with all her friends is scheduled for this weekend, but we had a grand time:
She is developing into a beautiful young woman at the age of 9.
We had a lot of fun all evening and then turned-in to bed at around 11 PM local time.
This morning, we went down to the lobby area in the hotel and had breakfast. It was a nice spread that the hotel provides, and we again took some shots before returning to our room:
Today, we will go do a little shopping for some clothes. We didn't bring any since we didn't know her exact size. She also loves wearing my hat, so that will be added to the list of things to buy today.
It is a real joy, and a trip worth the travel time, to see her smiling and enjoying the time with us. We wish we could stay longer, but we will leave tomorrow for the trip home and to get back to work. In the meantime, we will make the most of our valuable time with Harmony...
The fire is very close to the area I hunted in for almost 20 years.
The drive through WA brought back many fond memories of the beauty that is unique to WA state. We took several shots of the drive over the Snoqualmie Pass, one of which is below. There was lots of construction going on through this area but this shot shows a bit of the beauty:
The real joy was in seeing Harmony again following our check-in at the hotel. We came back to the room and had a small party for her while she opened the presents we brought for her birthday. Her real party with all her friends is scheduled for this weekend, but we had a grand time:
She is developing into a beautiful young woman at the age of 9.
We had a lot of fun all evening and then turned-in to bed at around 11 PM local time.
This morning, we went down to the lobby area in the hotel and had breakfast. It was a nice spread that the hotel provides, and we again took some shots before returning to our room:
Today, we will go do a little shopping for some clothes. We didn't bring any since we didn't know her exact size. She also loves wearing my hat, so that will be added to the list of things to buy today.
It is a real joy, and a trip worth the travel time, to see her smiling and enjoying the time with us. We wish we could stay longer, but we will leave tomorrow for the trip home and to get back to work. In the meantime, we will make the most of our valuable time with Harmony...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
