Brother

Harland came through yesterday, on his way back to SF. Tinnee was along, too. I met her at D's in SF; she's an old friend, and a professional jewelry photographer. They got here about 3pm (end of my shift). After a short rest we drove through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park so they could see some really big trees. It's a 10-miles drive on a narrow gravel road (Howland Hill Road, the same one I did in my rig). We came out at the south end of Crescent City so drove out on the docks.

Stopped and ate at a truly awful place, Fisherman's Restaurant. They touted their beer-battered fish/seafood, so H and T got some. Edible but only just. H told the waitress (she of the really loud, high, piercing, nasal voice) that the french fries were the best part of the meal. I got the "sauteed" scallops, which turned up in a soup bowl with lots of liquid, shrooms, and garlic -- reasonably edible; I think they were bay scallops, they were so small. I took one forkful of the mashed potatoes and knew instantly they were reconstituted dried things -- ick. And I've been farting really smelly ones ever since that meal.

Then we drove to the Battery Point Lighthouse and looked at it across the narrows. By this time it was dusk (about 7pm) and getting really foggy in town. Came back to the camp, having exhausted the tourist possibilities of the area. We all agreed "there's no here, here." They had brought some chocolate cherry soy "ice cream" (tofu) so we had that for desert (huh. maybe that's what I'm farting). Sat around and looked at photos on our computers and chatted for a while. Came outside and it was really dark! I had gotten them a cabin back in the redwoods, much darker and chillier than in the alder trees or in the RV section.

They're already gone. It's overcast and raining spottily. I'm off to town to do errands, including getting my hair cut and getting a pedicure. Tomorrow it's off to Arizona. 1200 miles. Don't know when I'll be back online.

See y'all later.

RIP Ted Kennedy

Yes yes, he had large character flaws, but he's been a staunch liberal and moderate politico all these years. I think he'll be hard to replace in these days of idiocy and vituperation.

New Job

So I got the job with Bowlin Travel Centers Inc. It's a "manager-in-training" slot, starting at 24-32 hours a week and then up to fulltime. The company offers lots of benefits, like 401K, paid vacation, medical/dental/vision insurance, etc. They also have 10 locations so there's the possibility of some movement. I plan to stay with them for a while, both to replenish the coffers and to take advantage of the dental and vision insurance (I need both).

The travel centers are located along I-40 and I-10 in Arizona and New Mexico. The company headquarters is in Albuquerque. I'll be starting at Picacho Peak, Arizona, which is about 30 miles north of Tucson on I-10. I'll have a full hookup site right at the travel center so I won't have a commute (except strolling over). Good thing I lived in Tucson for 14 years so am familiar with the climate. May have to invest in a swamp cooler for my little RV, and will definitely have the awning cranked all the way out.

The winter won't be bad (70 deg days, 35 deg nights), but after the two weeks of "Spring" in March, it'll get hot really fast.

This will all be retail and customer service work, which should be a cakewalk. Just have to learn their fiddly ways of doing things.

Am due there on 3 Sept. and plan to leave here on the 29th. Will have to avverage about 300 miles a day, which is a full day for my little rig, but we'll do it.

At Loose Ends

I'm not on the schedule for the coming week. On-call but probably won't be needed. I don't know what to do with myself. I think I'll take a look at the roof and see if it needs some sealing. I'm going to be so bored.

The travel center company is serious about hiring me; they're just looking for a slot. So I told the Mendocino county KOA that I'm not available. Did that yesterday. Today I got a call from the KOA on Lookout Mtn in Chattanooga, wanting to know if I'm available. Had to tell him that I was pretty much contracted already.

Now, it's just a waiting game.

Found Time

Just before time to work yesterday, Joan called and said never mind coming in. So, there I was with a whole day off. What to do? I saddled up about noon and went north on 101, planning to check out Pelican Bay State Park, right at the Oregon state line. Naturally, I couldn't find it and wound up in Oregon all of a sudden, but there was Criss Field State Park, so I went to check it out. I found it very odd that they didn't have any information on this park but I found out that Criss was the old landowner, and there had been an airstrip there, esp. of use during WW II and later as a regional commuter airport.

Of course, it was a really foggy, misty, windy day, but here's the beach encroaching into the trees.

On a trail back I found this slightly spooky opening into a thick grove of beachside trees and brush. A veritable trysting place.

After that I wandered back to town, taking a new road in (Lake Earl Drive) that promised me I would find Tolowa Dunes State Park, which I've been meaning to check out. Kellogg Beach is there, a wild beach. Well, I wound up in a circular dirt lot, after an amazingly bumpy gravel road, no signs anywhere for anything. Retrace route and go on to town. Off to post office to ship a package. Asked a guy where I could get a good hamburger; answer was Beacon Burger on Anchor Way. Before eating, I went to the end of the dock and got this nice picture of the harbor mouth, looking across to the lighthouse.

And this picture of a groin over on the CC South Beach side, with the fog hanging around (which did eventually dissipate, about 3pm).

Then it was off to feed my face. Fat hamburger, lettuce, tomato, mayo, shrooms, grilled onions. Not bad, but had bacon taste from the grill. Tater tots just okay. Stopped at the CC Feed Store to get farm-fresh eggs (Lady said she only had eight eggs and they're not washed yet. I took them anyhow). Then to Safeway for a very few items, and back to camp.

Slowing Down

Even though we're still busy, the quantity of arrivals has slowed considerably (from like 40-50 a day to 15-20 a day). Some people have already been laid off. Yesterday I only worked two hours because there just wasn't enough to do -- I have a real hard time doing nothing unless I can read or do a crossword.

Last night Joe Sr and his son Joe Jr, who live here in the park and work here, got into a shouting match. It got so bad that Sr didn't know what else to do but call the sheriff, which got Joan and Kevin into the mix, which ruined their night. It seems Joe's family doesn't know how to get angry and then cool off; they just call the cops. So I'm going back at 12 and work till 3 to let Kevin go home early. There's only 14 coming in today so I can handle that by myself.

I doubt there'll be enough to do next week to even justify me going in at all, but Joan has assured me that I'll get paid the contract amount, which will be great as I can use all the money I can get. Looks like I'm going to opt out of the reunion, purely because of the expense of a week in Portland OR. I can stay here for $50 a week until I know where I'm going.

When I know, you'll know.

Don't Know Much

At this point, I'm just waiting to hear from the travel centers job (asst. mgr). This would provide me a good living with perks for at least a year. I will still pursue the carnival job, which is what I really want.

Then there are the two KOA campground who've decided to hire someone else. But there's a KOA on the Mendocino coast who has expressed interest. And there's a snazzy hotel/RV park halfway between here and San Francisco which needs a part-time night auditor, another job I think I'd like and be good at.

So there are still possibilities. At this point, that's all they are.

Have been doing a little maintenance here and here -- rustoleum, sleeves for screws in the AC shroud, etc. Beginning to wind down grocery shopping so won't have much left over when it's time to go.

My brother may blow through here on the 26th. Be nice to see him.

Achy Bones

Just started hurting this afternoon. Don't know why. It's not like the weather changes here. Anyhow, I'm home and have taken two aspirin.

Thurs & Fri have to go in at 9.30 (AM!!) because Kevin will be gone those days to pick up their new motorhome and drive it back.

Hmmm. No response from anybody on my idea of finding a carnival to work with and travel with. Wait -- not true. One friend emailed me to say she thinks that job is SO Me. I do, too.

Jobs Situation

Well, I did the phone interview on Friday, and I think it went well. This time, there was a psychology test, e.g. Rate yourself on a scale 1-10 on tolerance and patience (I gave myself a 9 on both); what are your strengths in a workplace (and weaknesses) -- can't remember exactly what I said, something reasonably generic.

Anyhow, he said, as usual, that they're slowing down for the winter but will be having a meeting soon about stafffing and he'll get back to me in 3-4 weeks. Okay.

As to my "perfect" job, it would be traveling with a carnival (yep, running away to join the circus -- more or less). This would give me the travel I like while making me part of a team. I could be a ticket seller, cashier, bookkeeper, or whatever. There's an outfit based in Florida that has its own train that travels the east coast from mid-April to mid-November, doing fairs, celebrations, events, etc. Wouldn't that be cool? Have a room on the train (park my RV in Florida) and travel from town to town for eight months, then have four months off. They don't have anything right now but promised to keep my app/resume on file.

I've also sent inquiry emails to two other shows, based in the midwest. Just did it Friday, after getting their names and emails from the umbrella organization, so no response yet. I'm definitely going to keep after this type of work as I think it would suit me down to the ground.

Fighting For It

A couple of ways to define this -- one is for the job I want. So far, the KOA near the Bay Area hired someone else; I'm to do a phone interview tomorrow with the travel center outfit; and I've had a response with questions from the job I really want (traveling with a carnival -- there, now you know). We'll see who comes up with an offer first.

Second definition is physical altercation (viz Joan and the camper). I was very surprised to learn that she'd never been in any sort of fight in her life. Is that usual? I started fighting in grade school, had a gang, and was a (mild) terror on the playground. I remember Ginny DeCover, my rival, insulting me, whereupon I picked her up by her throat and banged her against the brick wall of the school. All during school I got into scrapes, usually minor, but involving some hitting and kicking. So I've never been afraid of physical violence.

One of my favorite stories from high school was the "knife fight" story. I was friends with a guy whose girlfriend was out of town. When she came back, she got jealous and challenged me to a knife fight. Pride demanded I agree, and so a time and place was set. Now, she was about 6'1" and weighed about 225 lbs, so I was nervous. Not only that, but I didn't own a knife so I went to her boyfriend (my friend) and borrowed a switchblade from him. After all this, she failed to show up.

I took kenpo karate for three years, and there's always (controlled) violence there. So being afraid of being hit or kicked isn't an option. One must learn how to respond and it isn't mindlessly violent. The older I get the less I feel the urge to violence. I don't even have violent dreams any more. Probably a good thing as the body doesn't have the capacity it did years ago. My preferred weapon now would be a baseball bat. Or maybe a cellphone to call the cops. But sometimes you just have to defend yourself -- and that's when "rules" go out the window and your aim should be to kill that person, whether you do or not -- that goal will let you use whatever means necessary. Use that adrenaline.

Peace.

Errand Day

After today, my schedule changes so that I'll be working the early shift (10.30-3.30) on Thursday, too. So I'm taking myself to town today to ship boxes of books to various folk. Am beginning to think "short-term" as my working time here ends 28 August. I'm starting to clear out things, throw away things (like local calendar of events etc), give away things (like clothes I don't need anymore or don't like anymore).

As you know, plans were to stay here for two weeks in Sept., then meander up the Oregon coast to Portland for the Italian H.S. reunion 1-3 October, then meander down to the Bay Area.

However, I've been hunting for a winter job and have gotten a nibble (not my hoped-for job). I'll be talking to them tomorrow afternoon. If all goes well, I'll probably get an offer of full-time employment in either Arizona or New Mexico to start immediately. If that happens, I'll saddle up on 1 Sept. and head east. That means blowing off the reunion but at this point money is more important.

Working full-time is not my idea of fun but building up the cash cushion is a definite must at this point. And I won't plan to do it forever -- just a year, probably. The job is being asst. manager of a "travel center" along either I-10 or I-40, doing retail. An RV site is provided at the center at a reduced rate. And it may entail moving from one center to another, which would be fine. We'll see.

I'll talk about the hoped-for job in another post. It's one of those things I'd never thought of but once it came to my attention, I said, of course, how perfect that would be.

More later.

Full Story

There were a bunch of people here on a family reunion who paid no attention to the quiet hours in the park, meaning lots of folk around them had trouble sleeping. They also drank a lot and had arguments. So Kevin and Joan went to ask them to leave, Joan made some smart remark and one of the women got in her face and knocked her down onto the gravel, skinning her elbow and bouncing her head off the rocks.

Seems that Joan has never been in any sort of physical altercation before and so was totally shaken up. Couldn't work her shift last night so Kylie came to work for her. Kevin said too bad it was a woman as he really wanted to hit her for attacking Joan.

The people got their refunds and left, after the sheriff said they better go and not come back as it would be trespassing.

Now they have to deal with the folks staying in a tent site, whose drunken teenagers rampage around after quiet hours. They were asked to be quiet one night, after which they went into the bathhouse and clogged all the toilets and put grafitti on the wall.

Yes, we love our customers, yes we do.

Kerfuffle

Yesterday, in the campground, between Joan and some campers. At some point, she was physically attacked by one of the campers and the cops were called. I don't have the full story yet and it was all swirling around me and she was too upset to talk. More later.

Pandora

I'm indulging myself with wandering around the internet while listening to Pandora Radio. I have the small speaker set my brother gave me plugged in, which gives me decent sound. I've got about four different "stations" set up on pandora (Little Richard, Duke Ellington, Paco de Lucia, and Ry Cooder) and I play them all on "quick mix." So it wanders through its library and plays things it thinks I might like, as well as things I've marked.

I just found a guy's banjo version of Carmina Burana. Pretty funny. But it also played Bonnie Raitt for me, and Fats Domino, and The Doors (iffy), Fats Waller, Simon & Garfunkel, etc. So I'm enjoying the variety. It's doing Kelly Joe Phelps right now, a new bluesman -- pretty good.

Soon I'm going to have some ice cream. This is all my birthday treat.