Thursday, December 30, 2010

Hidden Valley in San Antonio

It was SO nice this morning to wake up to QUIET!  No sound here... we must not be the only ones here for the solitude.  We spent a quiet day here at the park.  We stayed inside until late morning, then we walked and visited neighbors, then late afternoon we drove up I-35 a few miles to a mall and H.E.B.  H.E.B. seems to be the Albertsons or Safeway in this area.  We needed drinking water and milk, and Jeff needed some new Levi's.  We had a good time out, but we were anxious to get back too.

This really is a hidden valley (as is the name of the RV park).  It's a bit of country in the city.  When we leave here we have decided that we want to visit the Gulf.  So the plan is to stay at Mustang Island State Park on the Gulf, outside of Corpus Christi.  The weather was beautiful, again today, and I guess we are fortunate... hearing all the bad weather all over the States.

We sold our Harley Fatboy!  That is happy and sad news.  Jeff may miss the bike a bit, but we didn't need the bike, so the money in the bank probably makes more sense.  It's not like we are without a motorcycle...  we still have two, and we will ride them during the months we are back in Oregon.

It looks like we may have another camp host job... its not definite yet, but we may be at Prineville State Park for the month of May.  If that is the case, we will be going back to Oregon in April.

http://www.hiddenvalleyrv.net/page6.php

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Movin' Day!

After 43 days in the parking lot of Jims Restaurant on Culebra rd. in San Antonio, we moved out... 15 miles SouthWest.  We are a little closer to the downtown attractions, but we are in the country.  Trees, grass, horses, darkness, frogs... QUIET!  It's so nice.

Yesterday, the tent came down and the sewer tank was hauled away.  This morning they shut our water off!  that one was unexpected... apparently there is a misunderstanding, and the City has no record of approval to use water at the site. 

So after the owner brought our paycheck (Yeah!)... we hooked up and pulled out.  We've paid for 5 nights, to get us through our Anniversary, but may extend it a day or two.  Then we will move an hour North to Canyon Lake, where some friends will be.  We met these friends at Sugarite Canyon in New Mexico in June, and they met up with us briefly a week ago on our lot.

Before we leave here, we plan to visit the RiverWalk, the Alamo, and get together for a barbeque with some of the people that worked with us.  Oh ya... and Rest!  It was really warm again today, and hopefully the weather will stay nice for the rest of our visit.

Here's a few pics of the tent coming down...






Well... like last time, Im having trouble... so I guess thats all the pictures I can post right now.



Sunday, December 26, 2010

Well... WE DID IT!!

We finished loading our lot trailer today.  We had to call in experienced help, because it wasn't going to fit the way we were going.  Actually, it would... because it did... but we needed more muscle to git'r'done. 
Now all we need to do is a little remaining clean-up on the lot... not much... so we should be done with the clean-up in the morning.

We sold 756 trees, and had only 5 tabletop Noble trees left unsold.   We dont think we did too bad.  I guess we will know for sure when we get paid!!

This morning, we slept in... after going to bed early.  We may be tired for awhile.  We did more real work in the last 5 weeks than we did in the last year... or two... or five. 
We had planned to go to Crossroads Church, where John Hagee is pastor...but we got a phone call this morning telling us that help was on its way to help us load our trailer, so we didnt make it.  Possibly next Sunday... I think we will still be in the area.

I had to go out for a few things this afternoon, and we both will sure be glad to get out of this San Antonio traffic.  Its insane!  Its not like they are angry drivers with road rage... they're just mindless.  Its like they get in their car, disconnect their brain, grab the steering wheel and step on the accelerator!  Everywhere we go its like we just merged onto a race track... where anything goes!

This Christmas was definitely different than what we are used to...  but its all good.  The whole Christmas season was focused on getting everyone else their Christmas tree, and when Christmas day came, it didnt really seem like Christmas.

 Instead of getting up and putting the turkey in the oven and starting the other fixins, we got ready to go to the Holiday Hills Christmas Party.  We had a heck of a time getting there... it was about 25 miles away in the downtown area, and we havent been out of our local vicinity since being here.  I did my usual mapping while Jeff was driving, but we did a few... "take this", no, that was wrong, "try this". 

Right before we finally found it, Jeff was ready to give up and go home.  But we made it and we had a good time.  They had rented the Lounge, and it was open bar, so we all relaxed and had fun.  There was a gift exchange, and the gifts we bought for the names that we drew, were the only gifts we bought this year.  For both the guys names we drew, first we bought an Oregon beer...but Jeff drank the beer.  So we bought lottery tickets... but Sheryl scratched the lottery tickets... so we went shopping last minute, and they ended up with a knife and flashlights.  I think they were pleased, enough.

Here are a few pictures.  Its not a blog post without any pictures... right?



Thats not the end of the pictures... but for now I guess it is!  This blogger is not working too well right now!!!!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Still here...

It's been awhile since we've posted a blog.  Did anyone notice??



We've sold 725 Trees, but still have 36 remaining.  Its looking very bare in our tent.  We decided we could finish up ourselves, so all our lot help is gone, as of last night.  We have only had one person on duty for a few hours each of the last few days.  Its slow enough that we can handle it, and we've decided that thecustomers can wait their turn if we're busy with another person.  It's not like any of us can go anywhere else without having to wait in line... right?
Sara dressed up yesterday in her elf outfit, and waved a Christmas Tree sign up and down the road in front of us.  There were constant honks and waves.  Then, helping a family last night, she actually had a young boy convinced that she was a real elf.  He asked her if she would please tell Santa "hi" for him.  It was a fun day.

We've started tearing our lot down and cleaning up... doing as much as we can, and still sell trees.

The owners told all the lot managers this morning, that we will still be selling Christmas Eve day, if the trees arent sold before then.  Boy, I sure hope they sell... but even if our trees sell, and another lots trees arent sold, they will probably bring us trees from their lot!

I thought I would help us out by taking one of our tabletop Noble's and putting it in our trailer.  We havent had any room to put it because we had crap everywhere!  BUT... I found time to really clean this morning, and found a space for our little tree.  Actually, some friends that we met at Sugarite Canyon, NM were coming by this morning to visit, and I didnt want them to see our new home in the mess it was in.  Its so cozy in there now!  I cant wait to go in and relax tonight.  We've had the AC on all day... its been very warm, but now its cooling off, so tonight we can go in and turn on the fireplace and enjoy our clean cozy home with Christmas tree!


Our little Christmas tree


Our creativity showing through here... with this tree with a broken top.  It sold!!



Sara the Elf




We cut a bunch of our trees down to a more popular size... BEFORE all the people came in asking for taller trees!!


Tearing down the flocking room  (before more customers come in asking for a flocked tree!)


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!






Saturday, December 4, 2010

Havin' Fun Sellin Trees!

All is going well, here in warm San Antonio.  Our hands are filthy, our arms are scratched up, Jeff's shoes are ruined from flock, our clothes are stained and sticky with pitch... when we close our eyes, all we see are tree branches and needles, and when its quiet, I still have Christmas tunes playing in my head.  We're having a great time!!  When we leave here, we are heading for the desert... where there are no trees!

Sara has started dressing up as an elf, and its a great hit.  She carries around glitter that we use on flocked trees, and throws it into the air as magic dust for the children.  She is a joy to have here... we scored with getting her.

Last night, a teenage boy decided he wanted to be netted, so Jeff pulled him through the netter, and stood him up.  Then his dad loaded him on top the car.  They were our last customers of the day, so we all had fun with it.

Here's a few pics...





I look very tired... I was.  This was this morning at 9:00, after closing at 9:30 last night.