'22/#14 Ow, Ow, Ow.....

 It's been two days of work here at Darien Lakes and we are feeling it. Between a month of travel (sitting in the truck) and visiting friends (sitting in restaurants) we have not been getting too much exercise. So the old muscles are getting a work out. Add to that our age which I have come to accept but Mary is fightimg to the bitter end. Today is day three and then we have four days to rest the aching bones. 

Resting will involve some work on the truck, laundry, shopping, and the whole list of chores that need  to be done around the RV. Next week we go to two days a week until the first of July. YAY! Starting that weekend the park will be open six days a week and we start our four day schedule. By then we should be back in the swing of things,

Right now I am just sitting here blogging and watching the clock get closer to the time to go to work. So I will sign off and rest in our home in Corfu because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'22/#13 D-Day

 Well tomorrow is D-Day for us. That is "D" for Darien Lakes. A quick trip to the Post Office and a stop in at our work place to see if there is anything special we need to know  for day #1 of the 2022 season. The rest of the day we will be resting because once the fun starts we will be off and running. Right now it is only three days a week so that gives us four days to recuperate and have some fun of our own.

Now to blog specific tech support. That's funny, me talking about tech support. I mean I can play a mean game of solitare and feel like I am a computer genius. Anyway I can talk a little about my blog. First thank you to everyone who reads the blog and follows our adventures. Most will connect through the Facebook post anouncing a new blog post. For ready access to the blog go to Google, type in "postalpairretired.blogspot.com", add to home screen, and VOILA! One click service to the blog. 

I see and hear a lot from Mary about comments people leave on Facebook. I would love to see your comments right on the blog in the comment section. It is easier than it used to be. Just click on the comment box and there is a place to comment then click publish. Easy as that. I would also like to know who you are. Click the pull down next to "anonymous", click "name/URL" and type in your name and click continue. First names are all I need. I can figure it out from my short list of friends and Mary's much longer list and the content of the comment.

Now remember this is all based on my limited skills using an Android device. I have zero knowledge on I-phones or any other Apple device. Well that is the end off my tech tutorial so I will sign off now. Keep your fingers crossed that we have a good day tomorrow and another great summer in our home in Darien Lakes because.....

Home is where we park it,

Fran and Mary

'22/#12 On Your Mark, Get Ready, ........

 Today and tomorrow are our last days before we start work here at Darien Lakes Six Flags Amusement Park. Our work papers are all filled out, we have seen all the orientation as well as the safety movies, and have our uniforms. Today we take care of some last minute errands in town. A hair cut is needed, a stop at the Post Office, and some last minute shopping for lunch items for our work days.

Friday we start off all bright eyed and bushy tailed for the 2022 season. This year will be different. With eased covid restrictions we will now have Canadians in the park. With the border a mere 45 minutes away we are told that the Canadians will come in droves. There is also a church group that didn't come last year because of covid restrictions but are expected this year. They take over the whole campground and fill the amusement park. 

Relaxed covid restrictions have also allowed a larger number of international students to come here and work for the summer. This will help accomodate the larger crowds and hopefully let the park open all the rides this year.  This year the park will be closed completely on Tuesdays all summer long. In spite of this the word is that we are still short staffed by anything between a few hundred to a thousand employees. Everyday more work campers show up and more international students arrive so with any luck staffing will not be too much of an issue. 

Our store will have all the same employees showing up this year as last, so General Store staffing won't be a problem. We no longer have to run the deli counter since Subway has taken over that responsibility, but we do have more golf carts to rent this year. With more golf carts comes more and new maintenence procedures. This will easily take up the hours that formerly were spent in the deli, not to mention more guests in the store than last year. 

Yes, this is the same job we had last year but it will be different this year. At least we know we will be working with a good crew based on 2021's experience. As they say, the only thing that stays the same is the fact that things will change. Bring on the Summer of Fun 2022!

Signing off now to get started on those errands from our home in Darien Lakes campground because...... 

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'22/#11 Home!

With Pennsylvania behind us and memories from the road with good friends we are now home. Yes, I said home and I mean home in several ways. First and foremost, as I always sign off on this blog, home is where we park it. Secondly, we have arrived at our destination and home for the next four to five months.  Our third level of being "home" was apparent as we got near our final exit on the interstate. We had driven this stretch of road many times last year and it had that familiarity of being home. We know the roads, the landmarks, the shortcuts, and everything that makes one comfortable upon returning home. 

The last and maybe most important way that we knew we were home is....well let me just say Penny and Kim. Both of them gave us a welcome back that is only given to family and the best of friends. Even Mr. B, one of the company vice-presidents spotted us and had to come and give us a welcome back that made us feel right at home. I've said before that in our travels we see so many wonderful and awesome things but what stays with us and means the most are the people we meet.

The next few days will be busy getting our work documents in order, restocking the fridge, getting our home set up for the long stay, and a whole list of things that need to be done after a long and successful journey. It is chillier than we are used to and the weather could be nicer but to paraphrase the saying literally, a little rain must fall. 

I will end this blog having a list of things that need attention in front of me and will sign off as usual from our home in Curfu, New York because.....

Home is where we park itt,

Frank and Mary

'22/#10 A Time To Remember And Reflect

 We are spending a few days in Pennsylvania before the last leg of our trek north. While here we wanted to go see the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville to pay our respects to those who died fighting back against terrorism on September 11, 2001. 

The site is not only a memorial to those who died but is now part of the National Park System to insure that the events of that day will always be remembered. The park is ultimately a cemetery, a mass grave for the passengers on Flight 93, therefore it is a somber atmosphere. It is a place to remember and reflect on how that day changed the world.

There are lots of emotions felt while visiting this site. For me, I am sad for those who died and the families who lost loved ones, I am sad at how the changes stemming from that day have affected all our lives. But mostly I am angry at how it represents mankind's attitude toward mankind. I understand we are all different and have differing opinions on everything, but I don't understand how people could do so much harm to each other over those differences. We should embrace our differences and respect each others differences and make every effort to not hurt or offend each other over these differences.

This is not directed at the terrorists from 9/11 only. I am talking about differences in race, religious, social and economic status, and tasts and opinions of all kinds. Our differences are what make us uniquely human and allowed us to develop and share ideas since the beginning of time. We need to share and nurture these differences to ensure that humankind can continue to grow and evolve.

This was not a light hearted blog by any stretch, but it is my forum to speak my mind. I don't want to start a debate here in the blog. I just want to share my opinion and give you something to think about. Just a thought.....maybe just be kind to each other. 

From our home in Pennsylvania because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and mary

'22/#9 Quick Stop, Quick Blog

 We are just outside of Bristol Tennesee for a one night stay. We don't do 500 mile days anymore so this breaks up a too long drive in an RV. Besides we are retired so, on time is when we get there! 

Leaving Cherokee and our friend Melissa behind we hit the road around 10am for our short trip. As I am prone to do, I forgot to reset the GPS for RV travel. Luckily before it was too late I realized that the directions were taking me over the mountains and through the woods, not to Grandmother's house, but on a recommended scenic motorcycle route. This route was not RV friendly, and certainly not good for a truck/trailer combo 57 feet in length. A reroute and an extra turn or two and we were on our way.

Some steep mountains, both up hill and down hill, but the truck handled it all just fine. We left the trailer to find a small local fuel station that saved us 30 cents per gallon but still set us back almost $150! Ouch!! Oh well, that is the cost of living the RV Lifestyle.

Tomorrow is our longest day of our trek north so I am going to sign off now, have  some dinner, and call it an early night from our home in Tennesee because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank andMary

'22/#8 Ahhhhhhhhh!

 It is raining today so we are not doing much of anything. Today is our day of rest. Two days from now that will change. We will be back on the road north. Mother's Day will be a travel day so today I made my famous (at least in our family) french toast as an early Mother's Day breakfast. Later we will do some laundry and for dinner, eh? Who knows?

Saturday will be all about getting ready for the road. Holding tanks will be dumped, hoses put away, and things inside will be secured for travel. We like to get on the road early so we can check into the next campground and relax before dinner and a good nights rest. One night near the Tennessee/Virginia border and then on into Virginia for a short stay to visit more friends. We seem to have friends everywhere we go.

Mary is in the kitchen and it looks like chicken for dinner. I will get into the shower and get the laundry together. Life on the road is all about the excitement. NOT! It is a lifestyle and the hum drum everyday chores still need to be taken care of. So I will sign off from our home in Cherokee NC because......

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'22/#7 Northward HO!

 Our trek north is well on it's way. We are now in North Carolina at the Cherokee KOA. This destination will serve as a multi purpose home base. First we get to see our KOA sister from Petaluma California. After we left California, Melissa decided to follow in our footsteps or should I say tire tracks. She now is workcamping for KOA around the country and is spending this summer here in Cherokee. Like us she is enjoying seeing the country but is really enjoying the people she meets. Welcome to the workcamper lifestyle.

While we are here we will also be just on the other side of the Smoky Mountain National park from Pigeon Forge. If you follow us you know that is where we spent a summer working at Dollywood. We made many friends that we have kept in touch with and will try to see them while we are here.

On top of that one of our coworkers from the post office has settled up here in the Sevierville area and we will see him and his wife also. All of this will fill our time here in the Smokies before we continue north towards our summer destination. 

For now the trailer will sit still and Cherokee will be our home for the next five days because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary