Slipping

Yesterday was a repeat of Monday. Josie and I spent half the day doing restrooms and other housekeeping duties and did some computer work in the afternoon. Actually, Josie did some computer work in the afternoon as she is the one primarily responsible for the very few check-ins and check-outs we get each day. My primary responsibilities are suppose to be outside duties, but I have yet, in two days, seen or done anything outside. I watched over their (Josie and Sheryl) shoulders while Sheryl instructed Josie. Doug, the owner, showed up in the office - for the first time since we started - and spent about 15 minutes with us. We are taking the propane dispensing exam in Austin tomorrow and we have had no classroom training and only the study guide which Doug gave us on Monday. That should be interesting.

The net of our experience so far is that our disappointment is growing, and we are slipping into a negative hole. At this point, we are still giving this experience a fair chance to turn around. Nothing that has been described to us has come true - including the beaches, which are nothing but shells, stones and a little dark sand in this area. We have to go to Corpus Christi for the nearest white sand beaches that are what we are used to seeing. These are not the kind of beaches where you spread your towels, lie down in the sun and listen to the waves. There are mostly people fishing from the beach. The downtown Port Lavaca area is a run-down stretch of mostly abandoned buildings. The only nice area is the main route at the edge of town where there are some businesses - such as Walmart - that are decent.

Our schedule today is the same as yesterday and Monday. It is difficult for us to imagine how the couple that is departing next week could have stayed here for three years. Sheryl is frustrated because she has one week to train us after she notified Doug in November that they would be leaving now. We are very concerned that we have not had, and will not have, sufficient training and exposure to the day to day operation to be able to effectively take over next week. There is another couple starting this weekend, but who is going to train them? It is not a pretty picture right now...