Sunday, February 24, 2013

It’s All Good…


New workamper park managers came in, and its good!  They are fun, friendly, and competent.  We’re all Smiling!  Norma is delightful!



We get our days off again… and the weather continues to be incredible!



The Redding area has a lot of good roads for a relaxing motorcycle ride… and we’ve enjoyed a few.



Like I said…. It’s All Good.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

“NEXT...”


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We have been here just 4 1/2 months… and here we go again!  We are soon to be onto the fourth round of park “managers”.  Couple #3 is out of here today.  The time they last seems to be getting even shorter!  The first couple lasted 2 months.  Second couple 6 weeks.  Third couple 5 1/2 weeks.  Shall we place bets on how long couple #4 lasts??

They have all left, whether voluntary or involuntary or mutual, for different reasons.  But one thing is for sure… they all came here with an unclear picture of the job.  After they got here, it wasn’t what they “expected”… whatever those expectations were. 

When we inquire about a workamping or camp hosting job, we ask a lot of questions, and we make sure we get clear answers… preferably in writing.  I like to summarize my understanding, with specifics about the issues that are important to us, and put it into an email… then I make sure I get an email response.  This way if it doesn’t turn out to be what we agreed to, I have my “letter of understanding” to back us up.  It may not change things, but if we decided to leave early because it wasn’t what we agreed to, we wouldn’t be in the wrong.  I also like to get a picture of our site… this will be our home for a few months, so we want to be comfortable.  We like to keep to our commitments… and park owners, business owners, host coordinators all like to find people that will keep to their commitments. 

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So if we were ALL (Owners/Employers AND Workampers) honest and clear about the details and expectations… this hiring, quitting, firing, rehiring wouldn’t keep repeating itself!

So what does this latest change mean for us?  We’re sticking it out. 

The owners have hired another couple who will be coming here from Washington in a week or two.  They have experience, and hopefully they have clear expectations.  Either that or they have a “go with the flow” attitude… an attitude far from the personalities of the last 3 couples who have come and go.

Workamping is not for people out to make lots of money.  nor is it for people on a power trip.  Workamping is not for people with something to prove.  Workampers are usually full-time RVers.  If you’re old enough to be a full-time RVer you should have proven yourself by now.  If you haven’t by now… you may need to give up on that.

Full-time RV life is suppose to be fun!  But it doesn’t have to be playtime everyday.  Some FT RVers are workampers or park hosts because they just like to have something to do, a little responsibility a few days a week.   Some are workampers because they need a few extra dollars to live this dream life!  It IS a dream life… and we should be thankful we are able to do it, however we are able to do it.  If we want it to work for us we need to make it work for us.  If we need to prove ourselves or make lots of money… maybe we should just go back to sticks & bricks, rush hour traffic, and the 9 to 5 rat race.  But NOT US… We choose to make the best of every day we have this life!  and we will do what we need to do to keep this life!

Ok… I’m stepping off my soapbox, now.

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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

3 Years ago today...

3 years ago... we woke up the morning of February 5th, with a new excitement for our life.  We didnt have to go to work!  It wasn't the weekend, it wasn't our vacation... we didn't have jobs anymore!  We had said all our good-byes to co-workers the day before and went home to start a new life.

This is what I thought of first thing when I awoke this morning.

How exciting that morning was.  There was a lot to do... but how fun!  Without a work schedule to keep, we could now move in to our travel trailer, that was parked beside our house.  Then we could really kick it into gear with getting rid of all our stuff.  And that we did.  We freed ourselves of STUFF!  Who needs 2000 sf of house with rooms and rooms of stuff... and cupboards and closets all full of stuff!  We didnt and we still don't.  We are very content with our new roaming life and our small house on wheels with just the stuff we need.  and we dont miss the rat race!

One of these days I am going to do a recap of our full-time RVing adventure.  I said that at the one year mark, and again at the end of two years.  Here we are at three years... maybe now!  never know.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

GO NINERS!!!

The 49ers havent been in a Super Bowl since 1995.  They were in 5 Super Bowls up to 1995, and they won every Super Bowl they played.

We also like the Ravens because of player Michael Oher.  Did you see the movie "Blind Side"?


But the 49ers have to be the team we are rooting for this year.  We have named this Super Bowl, the "Kenny Bowl".  My late husband, Ken Feriante, was a serious 49er fan.  Unfortunately, the last 11 years of his life, the team no longer did well.  But they have finally made it to the Super Bowl again, and we know he would be freaking thrilled!  So this Super Bowl is for you, Ken.

Are you watching the game today??  Who is your team?