tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27445152891837357122024-02-20T19:20:46.100-08:00Traveling with Alona and JimHow we support our fulltiming lifestyle and the experiences we've had.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-52787865811882723202011-01-29T19:17:00.000-08:002011-01-29T19:26:38.779-08:00New position at Yosemite Pines Campground!We are so happy to announce that we are now the new managers at Yosemite Pines RV Resort and Family Lodging. We are just 22 miles from the west entrance to Yosemite National Park and it is just beautiful here!<br /><br />We just couldn't work set up in parking lots any longer. It is part of the job and we knew it going into it, the company is good and the pay is above average, but no more garbage trucks at 5am, no more sirens continuously, etc. The biggest downfall is that I just couldn't have grandkids come to visit in the summer because we weren't in places I would want them most of the time!<br /><br />Instead, it will be the sounds of birds, campers coming both late and early, smells of campfires and trees, marshmellow roasts, petting farm animals and long walks in the woods with our dogs.<br /><br />Grandkids are going to love it here! We have a pool, hayrides, petting farm, and much more. The summers will be slamming and the winters slower but this is going to be our home. Sitting in one place won't be as difficult when you are surrounded by so much peace and beauty! Stay tuned I will post pictures as I can.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-50505315945311188652010-08-14T12:19:00.000-07:002010-08-14T12:32:38.885-07:00On The Road AgainWe have worked here in Aurora, CO as resident managers since August '09 but have decided to go back on the road. Mini U Storage is a good company with good people but sitting in one spot finally got to me! We could have gone back to roving for them but honestly, I just can't do the auctions any longer, too many sad stories. I look for the positive parts of life and thankfully seldom find the negatives other than losing family members which of course is the worst you can go through in my opinion!<br /><br />About 5 years ago we worked for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">IDPlans</span> out of Florida doing shopping center surveys and we have decided to go back to work for them. It is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">definitely</span> a "job" but the money is pretty good and the travel can be extensive, hopefully giving us an opportunity to see family in various locations. Lots to do to get the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">motorhome</span> ready for our new adventure such as tuning up the generator (won't be plugged in so all generator), we put in a new vinyl floor (cuts down the dirt tracked in), wiring harness for the trailer hook-up and more but we are just about ready now. Work starts in So. Cal on 8/30!!<br /><br />Until then we are still in Aurora taking care of Cameron and Savanna before and after school but will be pulling out about 8/24. That's the hardest part, leaving the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">grandkids</span>. Our sons are <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span>, they know it's what we like to do and they will miss us but since I am still mothering them I think there will be a certain amount of relief when we go! Happily, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">grandkids</span> are old enough now that we could fly them to where we are during the summer and explore so that will be fun!<br /><br />If you see a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Southwind</span> sitting in a shopping center with a 20' trailer being pulled stop and say hi!Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-49788595981009761062009-11-24T05:39:00.000-08:002009-11-24T06:07:49.745-08:00Resident Managers in Aurora, COWe have been here since August and are finally settling in I think. Moving from the motorhome to an apt is a bigger effort than I had imagined. We bought furniture but went the used route rather than buying new, afterall, I'm sure we won't be here forever! New furniture, new dishes, new everything, so much more is needed. It is nice to have a larger kitchen, a laundry room and the ability to take longer showers, then only real problem is as managers we get a free storage unit and I'm sure Jim will try to fill the darn thing. I reminded him of what it was like to have to downsize his "stuff" when we first moved into the rv and he swears that isn't going to happen again...we'll see.<br /><br />We had our first snow, 2' a couple of weeks ago, what a difference from temps we had while in Anaheim and Las Vegas! I think the dogs are enjoying the larger space but still spend most of their time sitting on us if we're sitting down. Old habits I guess.<br /><br />Our youngest son, Nicolas is living with us at least for the winter with his dog Indy. It's nice to have him here but of course I mother him too much, well, that's the price he has to pay! We are planning Thanksgiving dinner here with all the kids and Nic's new girlfriend, Suzanne, now if only the kids from Washington could be here it would be perfect!<br /><br />All in all, it's a good job with a good company but I do miss moving around and wondering what's over the next hill. I need a project or a plan to keep from getting bored so here is the latest. We have decided to build a teardrop trailer! They are the cutest things, just a bed on wheels with a galley in the back when you lift the hatch. We plan on spending all of our days off this next summer exploring parts of Colorado we've never been to and taking the motorhome all the time just isn't cost effective. The teardrop can be pulled by our Subaru Outback since it will weigh under 1000 lbs. Plus, once we are back in the motorhome we will take the tear with us for camping with Subaru again. I'm excited about it so that is our current plan. One day we'd like to go to Alaska but doubt we'll have the money to take the motorhome so it will be much more feasible by taking the Subaru and the teardrop. We will post pics and progress once we get started after the holidays.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-60275963835540130152009-09-02T19:00:00.000-07:002009-09-02T19:33:53.190-07:00Once Again a Change...We have been working for Mini U Storage for the last 4 months. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Even though</span> the company is nice and I like the people we answer to we were still tossing around the idea of leaving them and going back to traditional <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">workamping</span>. No sooner had we decided when our HR person, Christina, called to say that they had a resident position available in Colorado! Most of our kids and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">grand kids</span> are in Colorado so we had told her that if something became available there to let us know....and she did. Oh my gosh, another decision!<br /><br />We decided to go ahead and take the position and these are our reasons why. The pay is adequate (though we just found out that we don't get quite as much as we thought) and all the other reasons are there; close to the kids, a chance to clear out of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">motorhome</span> and doing some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">remodeling</span> and several others. Hey, I get a Christmas tree for the first time in 7 years!! I already told the kids Thanksgiving at my house!<br /><br />Time will tell how long we are here, I hate to make <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">proclamations</span> because sure as heck, the fickle finger of fate (as my Dad called it) will change things up but you just never know. As many have said before, hitch itch will set in at some time!<br /><br />I'll keep you posted how things progress. We haven't stopped, we are just sitting longer than normal.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-83741249078346020102009-07-26T23:04:00.000-07:002009-07-26T23:55:22.822-07:00So much more!Let's see, what has happened since my last post...much!<br /><br />We did get visits from two of our sons, Josh and his wife Rachael with the kids Cameron and Savanna <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUF7Lh5jV38QoYXi2KU0twukL_3EyMb4Y3Be6hdLHp8FA3Kjsf2AczfeQ14i7m2VpX8GlyNX-dEkK34ZnGDC5JjbIeglr1jdtFXNKer4-9CZuFpoN8gD9Tv3HMPwM0kg1QnHxseluK1HR/s1600-h/josh+in+hollywood+006.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363026560733126386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUF7Lh5jV38QoYXi2KU0twukL_3EyMb4Y3Be6hdLHp8FA3Kjsf2AczfeQ14i7m2VpX8GlyNX-dEkK34ZnGDC5JjbIeglr1jdtFXNKer4-9CZuFpoN8gD9Tv3HMPwM0kg1QnHxseluK1HR/s320/josh+in+hollywood+006.JPG" /></a><br /><br />and before that Jon and his wife Cari and their kids Brittini and Morgan came to visit us in Anaheim. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzG85fi-oBa-cRHCbWm18Y2cuHa1AC6dFgUDXbcnU9qxT0tMW4Ek5BbO6koPeWceN9a9OSJjBm7xGqL6lzTNxD3-A4JIVQJKW2OSIk-3_QTNopRoYWto5WWMMMbLVR7KvDB3QnLGG_sHNe/s1600-h/Jon+cari+kids.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363027550881136130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzG85fi-oBa-cRHCbWm18Y2cuHa1AC6dFgUDXbcnU9qxT0tMW4Ek5BbO6koPeWceN9a9OSJjBm7xGqL6lzTNxD3-A4JIVQJKW2OSIk-3_QTNopRoYWto5WWMMMbLVR7KvDB3QnLGG_sHNe/s320/Jon+cari+kids.jpg" /></a>I'm sure Disneyland had nothing to do with it...right! What a fun time! The kids were able to get a ride around the the rv park on Harleys owned by my friends Steve and Bill.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8CwcFwxKGDFssJptbmD8SbQ9zSv3HaFMKutGDC1St-67VaBlqrvEW1Xp0Bwy2EkaNBMCUZgTV4W-9qIwLmkaAd0TVDdvp-7uqbfE6VvjAnwxv8C696NZDQV1DB0GzEJstIO9nkKNgAAA/s1600-h/morgan+n+heitor.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363018099433969282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8CwcFwxKGDFssJptbmD8SbQ9zSv3HaFMKutGDC1St-67VaBlqrvEW1Xp0Bwy2EkaNBMCUZgTV4W-9qIwLmkaAd0TVDdvp-7uqbfE6VvjAnwxv8C696NZDQV1DB0GzEJstIO9nkKNgAAA/s320/morgan+n+heitor.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZGEVnviTq3POpIrk1wHtp7ENvjflYcrFdhZaSNEj72SgEYmkxMSLbbHkVupuro1t73Yxk0UqRmVHETq-FVQv8r3argKoTYNb5CFlJttbMMdLzRBEPtUKIk-L6sw0T6rXM7hdxwv43D2t/s1600-h/steve+n+brit.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363018488221573154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZGEVnviTq3POpIrk1wHtp7ENvjflYcrFdhZaSNEj72SgEYmkxMSLbbHkVupuro1t73Yxk0UqRmVHETq-FVQv8r3argKoTYNb5CFlJttbMMdLzRBEPtUKIk-L6sw0T6rXM7hdxwv43D2t/s320/steve+n+brit.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Sometime after their visits we took a job as Roving Managers with Mini U Storage. We have been with them now for about 2-1/2 months and so far it has been both good and interesting. As Rovers, you never know exactly what you are walking into. Our first assignment after training with our now good friends Karen and Steve, was in Las Vegas. Now, this is an interesting town to begin with, then you add to it a new job. We got there just before a unit auction and of course we had not done one before other than in training. The VP that came to the site and helped us was great and a huge help.<br /><br />While we were in Las Vegas, Jon/Cari and the girls once again came to visit. We moved over to a beautiful RV park called the Oasis and had a lovely weekend. What a beautiful park, if anyone gets the chance to stay there, take it.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbOXxRth6gJC3XmxIWNzy1ucGb5onH6X7cMBy02Fmt2WZwjAF6hrddFJSEDmqgqW_BpWWmEyZhMVxioAqde7wZCgD97ewA8Q8Y2RRr2xBLCvn_tA4xRsK9I7H2lIue4MvokpZ3t2CPMQN/s1600-h/las+vegas+011.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363022588045094130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbOXxRth6gJC3XmxIWNzy1ucGb5onH6X7cMBy02Fmt2WZwjAF6hrddFJSEDmqgqW_BpWWmEyZhMVxioAqde7wZCgD97ewA8Q8Y2RRr2xBLCvn_tA4xRsK9I7H2lIue4MvokpZ3t2CPMQN/s320/las+vegas+011.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5_837svZoPgWNLzxKKgCCbBEr0gzEZcNG7sZsZ2sUaC6yq3nRNE0Wc3kwRIlbob5lQn6r_kdbCs7VIl-lcmbWBT7FN2qiVpHwLDAdX7COudrzCWeKr7Xq9ZMbHLmC3abhfMlVfzKcdGV/s1600-h/las+vegas+017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363022979004659330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5_837svZoPgWNLzxKKgCCbBEr0gzEZcNG7sZsZ2sUaC6yq3nRNE0Wc3kwRIlbob5lQn6r_kdbCs7VIl-lcmbWBT7FN2qiVpHwLDAdX7COudrzCWeKr7Xq9ZMbHLmC3abhfMlVfzKcdGV/s320/las+vegas+017.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OFCsRXNcYPxEvOoSmjidWus3Bz2FdBKTHrhRlfCURQHIjmcCF7qO6-m50TI51BCozgIyCzBMSPmqyd7sPZQZskOlS04JtbEL6h3jCsaXGeMef6-vHd3roTKW2ThEBL51GuW0Kgw-sBmx/s1600-h/las+vegas+021.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363023383345586706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OFCsRXNcYPxEvOoSmjidWus3Bz2FdBKTHrhRlfCURQHIjmcCF7qO6-m50TI51BCozgIyCzBMSPmqyd7sPZQZskOlS04JtbEL6h3jCsaXGeMef6-vHd3roTKW2ThEBL51GuW0Kgw-sBmx/s320/las+vegas+021.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />On one of our days off we took a drive into the Red Rock Canyon just outside of LV. Only $5 entry fee for the car and it was worth that and more. We don't hike much...ok, never but even staying on the road it was worth it.<br /><br />After spending about 2 months there and training the new managers we were off to Azusa, Ca. The managers here in Azusa were much loved by their tenants. Unfortunately, the wife had passed away and the husband retired. From what I have heard, they were very nice people! We have been here now since the 4th waiting for new managers to be hired, then we'll train them and then on to another assignment.<br /><br />Well, that's the basics, there was more that went on but I think you have the jist of it. Can't wait to see where we go next and what challenges we will encounter.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-81247868739174232202009-01-23T21:49:00.000-08:002009-07-26T23:02:10.650-07:00Finally - a current update!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtKMYtDZB9CmqQL-_5s_31CkPEyaYWVfgAQCZr6vgF4coCOJcxlJCm8Bk3orHwBkDQnThqmk2zIPdE_y6xkKsA9WmCyRtHo5WVwwPeidFCwbRAsQ9Miqf4_1CKVXfsa_Al2sNJmaVIL4Q/s1600-h/Zion+024.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtKMYtDZB9CmqQL-_5s_31CkPEyaYWVfgAQCZr6vgF4coCOJcxlJCm8Bk3orHwBkDQnThqmk2zIPdE_y6xkKsA9WmCyRtHo5WVwwPeidFCwbRAsQ9Miqf4_1CKVXfsa_Al2sNJmaVIL4Q/s320/Zion+024.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363016145567093186" /></a><br />So much has happened since I last wrote here, obviously I suck at the daily blog thing but at least I check in here and there. <br /> <br />We left Howard Prairie after a beautiful and enjoyable summer and headed for Colorado to visit the kids and grandkids. We stayed two weeks which is the longest we have stayed before and enjoyed the time with kids immensley. They are all getting big so fast and I wonder if we're doing this backwards...traveling when the grandkids are young and want to spend time with us as opposed to waiting until they are older and aren't as interested in hanging out with us. I hope I don't regret our decisions but how do you know if you have later as opposed to now? <br /><br />After Colorado, we headed to El Cajon, CA for our first experience managing a Pumpkin Patch! Hard work, record heat waves and lots of fun! We enjoyed the people we hired and still miss most of them alot. I'd work that job again if I can have the same people work for me. <br /><br />Two days before we closed for the season a couple brought some Chihuahua puppies in to try and sell and yes, I bought one. Jim calls him my mid-life crisis! Well, he was alot cheaper than a Corvette!<br /> <br />His name is Rocky and we have both grown to love him alot, not so sure that Harley shares that sentiment however though River seems to have gotten attached. He is certainly our comic relief!<br /> <br />After the pumpkins we took just the car and left for a two week road trip up the coast to Washington to visit family. We had a chance for the first time to stay with our son Ben and his wife Sarah and the kids Chance and Briielle. We had a wonderful time there and they were great with us trying to potty train Rocky without 100% success. We miss them alot!<br /> <br />Visiting my sister Sherese, brother Marc and my sister Jerleen and all of their families was good and sad, I miss them more than they probably know.<br /> <br />Once we got back to the San Diego area we moved over to Escondido to manage a Christmas tree lot for the second time with the same company that we did pumpkins with. I was much more relaxed this year with the trees than I was last year, but I'm not sure why. Had a good time with our employees and of course Danny who has been with the company for 18 years and makes the whole thing look easy! Can't imagine doing the tree lot without him!!<br /> <br />After the tree lot we spent Christmas/New Years back in Craig, CO with the grandkids. First Christmas I have had all of them together in 6 years and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I don't miss the -26 temps however!<br /> <br />Currently we are back in Anaheim working at the Anaheim RV Village. Old friends, new friends, seems like home. We are planning the visits from the kids this spring but we do miss our good friends, CJ and Jeanne Sands who left here to head east.<br /> <br />Oh, one last thing, our friends Terry and Kathy Langley bought a new toy hauler so they offered us their 1988 Southwind. It's a little newer than our Champion but has many features that the Champion did not, thanks you guys, we love our new home.<br /><br />Finally, you're all caught up! I will add pics later but at least I got the writing done. Bye for now.<br /> <br /><br />!Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-88224922065012976842008-07-22T21:27:00.001-07:002008-07-22T22:06:40.368-07:00More At Howard Prairie ResortWell, so far it has been an enjoyable and busy summer. The ice went away, the skies are blue, pelicans are gathering and the fishing is good! Business at the restaurant has picked up quite a bit which helps the time pass. Though I'm enjoying waiting on people I can't say that I would want to do this again. I won't say never because then fate is sure to prove me wrong, but it isn't my favorite job. We'll see how I feel at the end of the summer. The people that I'm working with are great! Really, if they weren't I wouldn't still be here I'm sure.<br /><br />Jim is enjoying the marina, why wouldn't he, he gets to grill the guests on their fishing for the day....you know, where did they catch them, what did they use, etc., etc., etc. He takes one of the boats out quite regularly and once in awhile I go with him. Today we took both the dogs in a Prairie Bell out to the "Cheese Hole", dropped anchor and fished. Within about 2 hours we had 4 decent trout for dinner and back we came. River does not like to ride in anything with a motor but once we dropped anchor he did actually lay down and sun himself. Harley on the other hand loves the boat and fishing!!! As soon as Jim hooks something Harley is right there whining his encouragement and then he guards the fish once they're in the bucket. Too funny!<br /><br />We've tried bbq'ing them but we still prefer them rolled in flour and fried in a hot skillet. Yum!!Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-56734139957760954602008-04-30T10:23:00.000-07:002008-04-30T10:33:32.321-07:00Howard Prairie Lake ResortWe arrived here in southern Oregon at the Howard Prairie Resort on March 15th, 2008.<br />Lots of snow where we are temporarily located....lots of snow but beautiful! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_KPnOI5HnzFMqIJCyiG_ULdBmy67bS6uZF17hGGx9JeEZxbaH6kiZ6pfxhdlz9bhYPZF-euKGHOWg0Jnwr6-IN7fjKf1Vb-f9CldOm6yW1nkaVJz9afPgwrjQvUrqTgNr-erg9FrhFnz/s1600-h/Howard+Paririe+001.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_KPnOI5HnzFMqIJCyiG_ULdBmy67bS6uZF17hGGx9JeEZxbaH6kiZ6pfxhdlz9bhYPZF-euKGHOWg0Jnwr6-IN7fjKf1Vb-f9CldOm6yW1nkaVJz9afPgwrjQvUrqTgNr-erg9FrhFnz/s320/Howard+Paririe+001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195092308170548418" /></a> This is the lake under ice and snow!<br /> <br />Jim will be working on the marina, something he has wanted to do since we started fulltiming and I will be serving in the cafe which is something I wasn't sure I could do but so far so good.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-31805093572455845262008-03-08T07:01:00.000-08:002008-03-08T07:32:51.174-08:00It's been too long!It's been way too long since I last updated my blog! I guess I'm not the best blogger, I know it's supposed to be more like a daily diary but I'm just not very reliable in that respect, I tend to "catch up" it seems. Anyway, here is what we have been up to since the last post.<br /> <br />We left Anaheim to go to Escondido to work at a Christmas tree lot. I knew that it would be work but we had no idea, none, not at all! It was a huge lot, run by very nice people and our lot was managed by Danny, who is a super guy! He worked non-stop but made the whole process as fun as possible.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PtrF8Or9VuuvQPtHMDOwWiRACa8K3On53PC3TGjT6g621uSkpApVy-A7Fb9DP5kpF9j-ELLHqzO4gB3u3pG7bhIzKE1leKIJUgWgdb3zrYmehcU73-rsZoHwib-yBEH7lxmQ9b87FVUR/s1600-h/Dec+2007+017.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PtrF8Or9VuuvQPtHMDOwWiRACa8K3On53PC3TGjT6g621uSkpApVy-A7Fb9DP5kpF9j-ELLHqzO4gB3u3pG7bhIzKE1leKIJUgWgdb3zrYmehcU73-rsZoHwib-yBEH7lxmQ9b87FVUR/s320/Dec+2007+017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175392131526627330" /></a><br /><br /> <br />We worked 12 hour days, 7 days a week. I took care of the front desk girls and Jim worked with Danny out on the lot, setting up trees, carrying them to the cars, delivering, unloading trucks, etc. Very hard work, don't let anyone tell you different, unless of course, all you have to do is sit at the desk and delegate. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTRhZl1XlIffbJJSbpbkhC1Xw9s1M2bCH4OTPGZjROuosTDoIcaXWCbBjLg81Qn8_EDyuDh9nhDdorKp7ce5JnqjD0NRphVgPiEDT2ztbP5d2UdJgZQ9jrmHOJqhRg9xN1N86kAZWDbBK/s1600-h/Dec+2007+004.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTRhZl1XlIffbJJSbpbkhC1Xw9s1M2bCH4OTPGZjROuosTDoIcaXWCbBjLg81Qn8_EDyuDh9nhDdorKp7ce5JnqjD0NRphVgPiEDT2ztbP5d2UdJgZQ9jrmHOJqhRg9xN1N86kAZWDbBK/s320/Dec+2007+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175392883145904146" /></a><br /> One benefit was that we both lost some weight, never a bad thing. The money was paid in two payments and was nice to get in a lump sum like that but when we did the math it turned out to be minimum wage. I doubt we'd do it again, but I won't say never. <br /> <br />After the tree lot we left the motorhome and drove the van up to central Oregon to spend Christmas with our two oldest sons and their families. Jim's mother passed away Christmas Eve in Vancouver, WA so we stayed longer to attend her funeral and see Jims siblings that are spread out. Seeing everyone is the only pleasant part of a funeral like this. Fern was the best mother-in-law and she adored her kids and grandkids. Though she will be missed, she herself was ready to go to a better place.<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wIWV8PMPQpWPrZsesVN9FovFK-NeBKFe-J6UIMfJIunAJI1OUBNn6YafA0KXQ8fJyNeHSlMTXDvjf6SMQ9gCffCgkvjKEqD4KxkFYX1XO1ImVSjohQ8iDOn-v6QRB-YbPw475h6GCeku/s1600-h/Yuma+014.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wIWV8PMPQpWPrZsesVN9FovFK-NeBKFe-J6UIMfJIunAJI1OUBNn6YafA0KXQ8fJyNeHSlMTXDvjf6SMQ9gCffCgkvjKEqD4KxkFYX1XO1ImVSjohQ8iDOn-v6QRB-YbPw475h6GCeku/s320/Yuma+014.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175394055671975970" /></a><br /><br />We left Oregon on 1/2 to go back down to Escondido to get the motorhome and go to Yuma, AZ. We met some friends, Dale and Melody, who had also sold Christmas trees in Yuma and they took us to Algodones, Mexico for the first time. Jim went to Melody's dentist there, had tooth pulled, a crown and got a partial plate, all for the price of $720! Nice little town, great shopping and the best shrimp tacos!<br /> <br />In mid January we came back to the Anaheim RV Village. I am working for site and Jim got a drafting job just 15 mins away making very good money through a temp shop. We will stay here until a business that we are starting with my sister and brother-in-law gets off the ground, more on that later. <br /> <br />So, now we are caught up. I don't promise to write everyday but I will try to write more often. I'll also add some pictures.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-28821572904338616492007-08-15T10:12:00.000-07:002007-08-15T10:24:56.603-07:00On To Disneyland!We have now moved on to our next assignment in Anaheim, CA. Due to family issues, we had to leave the resort in Flaming Gorge to take care of things and are now basking in the California sunshine. <br /> <br />We are at Anaheim RV Village, a newly remodled very nice RV park just 5 blocks from Disney. Lots of palm trees and the Disney fireworks display just outside our window can not only be seen but heard and felt also! What a display. Both our dogs, Harley and River were a little disturbed by all the noise but after a few weeks they actually sit and watch.<br /> <br />Our new managers, Susan and Paul, are the nicest, happiest people I think we have ever worked for and their sons, Spencer and Chandler (whom we also work with) are great kids to have around. We also work with two other couples, Dave/Susan and Jack/Mary Ann, plus Randi, all very nice and helpful. Our duties are drastically different from what they were in the Gorge. Jim works mostly maintenance and some front desk and I work only the front desk. The atmosphere is fun, relaxed and not as busy as we will be when more folks know that we are open after the remodel. At the moment I think we are a well-kept secret but with us being the closest park to Disney that will change rapidly I'm sure!<br /> <br />It is nice to be close to all kinds of shopping and activities after having been so tucked away in the gorge. We have ordered our new glasses and getting some much needed dental work done. Without health/dental insurance it has been tough to arrange and now that we have discovered CareCredit we are able to get some things done. Anyone in the same situation should apply for either CareCredit with GE Money or Wells Fargos' Allcare. No I don't work for them, we just use them. <br /> <br />I will post more of our CA happenings soon with some pictures so please come back to visit.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-17027679019211744462007-05-03T08:51:00.000-07:002007-05-03T09:24:19.953-07:00More at Flaming Gorge ResortWe have had a chance now to settle into our new routine. Jim's hours have been changed to noon to 8pm while I have a couple of evenings as well as my two splits. Here's a good thing! So far I have lost 12lbs and Jim has lost 6lbs.! Woohoo!! We are both discovering muscles we forgot we had but we kind of expected that.<br /> <br />We have had a few snow showers over the last few weeks, some great days also (preview of coming attractions) and last night a dandy thunder/lightning storm. Looks like either rain or snow today also. Oh well, they promise that summer is on it's way.<br /> <br />Jim has gone fishing several times with great success in fact, the other evening at Sheep Creek he caught about 2 dozen 1-2lb. rainbows. When the weather warms up more we will take a raft down the river which we have never done before.<br /> <br />We have two sons that live about 3 hrs. away in Craig, CO which we have visited twice so far. Our grandkids there, Cameron and Savanna are already planning their summer visit so I'll need to find a sitter here for about 3 hrs. a day when our schedules cross. It should be fun to have them all to ourselves though!<br /> <br />Oh, another thing. The monthly dog fee here at the resort was canceled which made everyone happy. It wasn't the workampers that didn't want to pick up the canine deposits so this is a much fairer way of doing things.<br /> <br />The mule deer just crossed behind our motorhome and our two dogs, River and Harley, are trying to convince me they are deer hounds...NOT! Love to watch the deer!! Also, I've never been much of a birdwatcher but I must admit they have some of the prettiest birds around here which of course, I don't know the names of but love to watch.<br /><br />We have been picking up a couple of things that we have needed or wanted such as an exercise pen for the dogs, car parts, etc. The only possible negative here is that we are expecting new uniform shirts which my boss, Woody, wants us to tuck in....problem is, I don't tuck my shirts in nor will I...ever! He's a very nice, young guy with the cutest little wife and he doesn't understand that women my age (not all but many) do not tuck shirts in so I told him if he insists I would give him a two week notice. I know it sounds silly but I think I do a good job and if I had to tuck then I would be so self-concious I think my efforts would suffer. Yes, it's that important to me. So far, we have kind of stopped talking about it for the moment. I guess time will tell.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-70137395174136344922007-04-04T07:10:00.000-07:002007-04-04T08:03:25.662-07:00Flaming Gorge ResortIt's been a long time since I last posted! We stayed in Redmond working local jobs until our summer assignment started here at Flaming Gorge Resort in Utah. It was a nice winter though, we were parked in our son and daughter in laws yard and our granddaughters, Brittini and Morgan, would run out to the motorhome every morning. I am so glad we had so much time with them and our other grandchildren, Chance and Briielle, it wasn't quite as sad leaving them as usual.<br /> <br />We arrived at the Flaming Gorge Resort on March 12 and after passing our drug screen we started work about the 19th. Jim is working at the gas station doing such things as maintenance, shuttling the guides/clients, cutting wood as well as anything else they need. I am in the resturant hostessing. So far, both of us are enjoying the people we work with as well as our duties. <br /> <br />We are parked behind a double row of employee mobile homes and the national forest is our backyard! Mule deer wander the grounds in large numbers, owls hoot in the night and the bird songs are beautiful to hear. On a visit to nearby Red Canyon we even spotted a group of mountain goats along the side of the road!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6lqeT9LNUJegnn-rSspF1rvOgs_2xALQgf87tQeFQi16ahKPzAZTjlE-7AI-dfL5wuD_G8ykMVhp3llw-1-5F0-mH4G38a3pWGrpLwnUgC-sAYQnniCmY8rZdRN26Fhe_11m6L9HDmmP/s1600-h/Red+Canyon+goats+2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6lqeT9LNUJegnn-rSspF1rvOgs_2xALQgf87tQeFQi16ahKPzAZTjlE-7AI-dfL5wuD_G8ykMVhp3llw-1-5F0-mH4G38a3pWGrpLwnUgC-sAYQnniCmY8rZdRN26Fhe_11m6L9HDmmP/s320/Red+Canyon+goats+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049588183332410018" /></a><br /><br /><br />When we arrived we met our supervisor, Woody (a very nice guy), received our employee handbooks and directions for the drug test. The nearest town with grocery stores, wal-mart, resturants, etc. is Vernal which is about 40 miles away. Our only surprise was that they charge a monthly fee for each dog you have. I guess this was something new they just started but it was a surprise not only for us but for all the other workampers that have been arriving of which there are several! We have added that to our list of questions to ask in the future. Oh, we also need to start asking what kind of shifts we are each working, since we found out when we arrived that as a hostess I am working split shifts and Jim is working days although we do have the same days off now.<br /><br />You can see photos for this area in the photo section as well as photos of family and friends that visit. We will be here until October so there will be much more info to come.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-75036560408773725442006-12-22T15:12:00.000-08:002006-12-22T15:33:00.321-08:00Heading For Redmond, ORWell, I've packed up all my good glasses, taken the pictures down from the shelf and straightened everything else up in readiness for our latest move. We have had a wonderful summer here as I have mentioned before but it is time to move on. The drafting job that Jim has been working at is in a new field for him and unfortunately those in charge were not willing to put in the time for Jim to learn all that he needed to which just added to the stress he was already feeling. As for me, since I haven't been working I am bored to death! So, off we go.<br /><br />We will be staying in Redmond, OR near our sons, Jon and Ben and their families of course as well as my sister, Jerleen and her family. Having a couple of months to play with grandkids, etc. means that leaving will feel a little better since we will have had so much more time with them. Then it will be on to Flaming Gorge Lodge in Utah for the summer!<br /><br />We are excited about this new location! Not only the location but we will be only 2 hours from our son Josh and his family as well as our youngest son Nicolas. This will be our "getting healthy" summer I think. Jim's desk job and my non-job (RV sitting) has not been kind to our physical being so we are looking forward to lots of biking, hiking and of course, lots of fishing. <br /><br />At the lodge Jim will be working in the service station renting out the rafts, etc., as well as doing some work on the grounds. I will be in the lodge working the shops as well as hostessing in the restaurant. Once we arrive and see what is what, I will share with you the financial aspect of our summer. We will be paid for all hours worked, 40 hrs. per week each and of course our site is included. Should be a pretty good summer.<br /><br />It's 3:30pm now, Jim should be here any moment and with snow coming to the pass this evening we need to get on the road soon so I'll sign off for now.<br /><br />Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! Enjoy your loved ones and please be safe.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-51559633636387062902006-12-19T12:11:00.000-08:002006-12-19T12:39:51.142-08:00Financial Info #12003 Summer in West Yellowstone:<br /><br />40 hrs. p/wk @ $7p/hr for each of us. Full hook-up site was included. That income allowed us to pay the few monthly bills we had such as insurance and phone as well as the following-<br /><br />$500 p/m to a terminally ill sister<br />$400 to pay vet bill for our sons dog<br />$400 p/m groceries<br />$200 p/m "extras" spent at Wal-mart<br />$200+ p/m on gas<br />$260 for quilts made by Nancy for my granddaughters<br /><br />As well as various up-keep items on the motorhome, eating out a couple times a week, clothes and many misc. items I can't even remember.<br /><br />If we were in our stationery house, we would have needed $3200 every month just to break even and that wasn't even having any fun! Before we went to fulltiming we were drafters making pretty decent money but barely making it. Now that we are fulltiming, the wages are far less but then so are the expenses. I have seen it written elsewhere and agree, if you have expensive habits when you are stationery you will also have expensive habits when fulltiming and of course the reverse is true also. We find that we fall somewhere in the middle, we spend less in some categories but more in others. Financially, though we now live job to job (we don't have another source of income) we are better off then when we were stationery.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-77006067272839702002006-12-19T11:16:00.000-08:002006-12-20T14:48:58.438-08:00Our First Job!We moved into the motorhome in March of 2003, left our jobs the first of May (right after my gall bladder surgery!) and headed for West Yellowstone, MT and our first job working at the Best Western Weston Inn. I had originally sent out 26 resumes to jobs we found in Workamper News and received back two offers. We chose the BW because of the location, Yellowstone was a place we had always wanted to explore.<br /> <br />Mike and Heather Mathis were not only brand new owners of the hotel but also brand new to workampers so we were all "newbies" together. The other workamper couple was Sky and Nancy, long time residents of West Yellowstone but now fulltimers returning to the area. What a great summer it was!<br /> <br />Jim was the housekeeping supervisor and worked the breakfast set-up on Sky's days off while I worked the front desk and even the laundry for a couple of weeks. We worked the same 40 hr. p/wk shifts and had the same days off so we had lots of time to explore. <br /> <br />The rivers in Montana are gorgeous! Clear water, beautiful forests, glimpses of moose, bison or elk grazing in the meadows. We love it there. Just love it.<br /> <br />Work was interesting especially when learning new tasks. We rode our bikes, walked alot and took countless drives around the countryside. One of our favorite places was Virginia City, a living ghost town. Meaning that people still live there but most of the main street stores are closed and are kept exactly as they were when the doors closed for the last time decades ago. What a glimpse into the past! Even the bordello shacks and I mean shacks are still there.<br /> <br />Mike and Heather were a joy to work for and Sky and Nancy were a hoot! Sky has a wicked sense of humor, believe me I know, and Nancy is a quilter extrodanaire! I bought several baby quilts from her for my grandkids, in fact I need to get another one from her! Sky is an excellent chef so being invited to their camp for dinner or a BBQ was a real treat. Most evenings we would gather at the table outside their fifth wheel to drink wine and swap stories until the cool night air drove us indoors. We really miss the comaraderie we had that summer.<br /> <br />We left there at the end of our assignment only to return again for the summer of 2004. That summer both Jim and I worked the front desk as well as Sky and Nancy. We didn't have the same shifts so it made time together a little harder but at least we had the same days off.<br /> <br />Since West Yellowstone is about 90 miles from a larger city (West is only 950 people) we went every two weeks to do our shopping. Never once did we mind the drive because traveling through the canyon to Bozeman, MT was breathtaking. Once we stopped along the highway because a moose was running across the meadow right towards us. She came up on the road right by the car, looked at us and just walked down the road. Another time, there was a forest fire burning right down to the edge of the two lane highway so we had a pilot car take us past it. How weird, you could have poured your water bottle on the fire!<br /> <br />We have many wonderful memories of our time there. Between the two summers all 5 of our kids and their families came to visit us, we saw the play, Deadwood Dick, at the Playmill Theatre in West which you must see if you are ever there, great fireworks, huge oldtime car shows, good friends, etc. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N0GW597m0iu5YgEpKodyG6Jov3VQ1z8ce1JdE4FDRKzaLMOiQKYj5adPcrTerrUJ_upqIKjwfxbDLdUvvdqamPvixqBzAdG4HkQslHTbR5MsxNif6pcW_1x_55-fpyPS7MCn2i43sle8/s1600-h/HPIM0377.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N0GW597m0iu5YgEpKodyG6Jov3VQ1z8ce1JdE4FDRKzaLMOiQKYj5adPcrTerrUJ_upqIKjwfxbDLdUvvdqamPvixqBzAdG4HkQslHTbR5MsxNif6pcW_1x_55-fpyPS7MCn2i43sle8/s320/HPIM0377.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010742555482089202" /></a><br />We have also spent a few months there during two different winters. Lots of snow, cold temps, stunning winter scenery. What a great place, if you look at our pictures you will see some of the scenery and family visits. In your travels, make sure you plan lots of time to see not only Yellowstone National Park but its surrounding territory also!<br /><br />Mike and Heather have sold that hotel but just purchased another one near Mt. Rushmore so we look forward to working for them again in the future! Spending more time with them, their son Ryan and the new baby due this coming July will be a real pleasure.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-37075931466322906842006-12-13T10:25:00.000-08:002006-12-13T11:45:22.866-08:00Waking Up In Parking LotsFrom May 2005 to March 2006 we worked for a company based in Tampa, Fl. We were required to pull a 20' work trailer and travel the country working at various shopping centers. There were about 50-60 items that we were to record and we were called commercial surveyors. Each of us had a golf cart to tool around the shopping center in performing our various duties. Some of the things I had to record was gathering meter numbers and matching them to the tenants (not an easy process), counting parking spaces, copying each and every sign on the property as well as several other things. Jim had to wire track the irrigation system and locate all the valves, wire track the parking lot lightpoles and many other things. Not a tough job and it paid on a per job basis so the money was pretty good. However, some of the locations we were at were......interesting to say the least!<br /> <br />Our first location was just outside of Tampa. Very commercial somewhat upscale area with lots of big name stores and there we were, parked in the parking lot. We had never been to Florida or even the east coast before so all of this was a new and exciting adventure for us. Jim called me on the radio to tell me that there was an alligator in the drainage ditch in front of the Lowes store! The next morning he went out to walk JoJo, our very sweet but not very bright dog, and thought he'd go see the alligator again. He didn't notice that JoJo had walked out on the grate over the ditch and when he did he called her back and she slipped and fell right in the ditch! He had to pull her up like a fish on the line before the alligator had her for breakfast!! I swear that any puddle there bigger than a plate has an alligator in it!<br /> <br />We went from Florida to Long Island, NY for our next assignment. The roads out to Long Island were so bad that our license plate on the motorhome sheared off never to be seen again. During our 1-1/2 month stay we had some great fun like driving out to the Hamptons just to sightsee, we were interviewd by a reporter for an article about working fulltimers and several other good experiences. However, on our way back to New Jersey, right at the toll booth on the bridge going into the Bronx our motorhome transmission gave up and there we sat. They have tow trucks that just cover that bridge so they towed the motorhome off the bridge to a "safe area". We had Progressive Insurance so they found a tow truck (it took 3 hours) big enough to tow our 33' motorhome with a 20' trailer on it plus the tow truck itself was about 25'long through the streets of the Bronx during rush hour traffic. It looked like some kind of bizarre train!! Very funny the looks we were getting. One week later we had a new tranny and off we went.<br /> <br />We did several assignments in New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania (where we saw our first fireflies and an old time, small town type 4th of July) and finally in North Carolina. From there we had to make a fast trip across country to Medford, OR to meet a deadline and do a few jobs there. Then on to the Sacramento area just in time for the above average rain they were having there. One memorable location was in a not very nice part of Sacramento. We set up our rigs in the corner of the parking lot and about an hour later saw two armed security guards creeping along the side of the motorhome. They didn't know who we were and as it turns out that corner of the lot where we parked is notorious for drug dealing! Once they found out we were legitimate they suggested that we move to the center of the parking lot under the lights and even recomended that we get a gun! Which we did not!! During our stay there we had to call the security guys because someone was smoking a crack pipe!<br /> <br />We went a little further south of that location and worked in a beautiful shopping center but were warned by the police that it was also a high crime area! Happily, nothing sinister happened there.<br /> <br />The reason we left that job was because we grew tired of waking up in parking lots to the sound of the lot sweepers and trash trucks! We had a company credit card for gas and food since most of the time we were forced to eat out which I know sounds great and it was for awhile but 20 extra pounds later it no longer sounded like a good thing. <br /> <br />We didn't get to see as much of the areas we were in as we would have liked because we were so busy and had deadlines to meet but we did have some fun. Jim was able to go out on the group charter fishing boats three times, we saw Plymouth Rock, drove out to the end of Cape Cod, etc. Someday we hope to go back to some of the areas just to sightsee.<br /> <br />We left that job in March of 2006, drove back to Tampa to give back the work trailer and then came back to Montana for our next job.Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-82520907353577079342006-12-08T11:04:00.000-08:002006-12-08T12:53:43.225-08:00How Not To Start Fulltiming!This is going to be kind of a readers digest version of the last 4 years to catch you up to where we are now. I want to tell you how we got started fulltiming without the "safety net" that some others are fortunate enough to have. <br /> <br /><strong>First the Idea</strong><br />We have always wanted to travel in some kind of an RV. Jim wanted to fish in all the places he had seen on the weekend fishing shows. I was showing Akitas at the time and thought that attending dog shows in each state while Jim was fishing would be heaven on earth! The only problem was that we didn't have the money for an RV and didn't know of anyway to fulltime other than camphosting which we thought <em>only</em> gave you a free campsite. Our dream was always just that, a dream with no chance of reality or so we thought.<br /> <br />On a late spring day, we were driving around the Colorado Rockies with our oldest son Jon and his wife Cari, when we started talking (yet again) about our dream of traveling someday when we had the money. Right in the middle of my sentence Jon blurted out, "Mom, I don't mean to be rude, but you're never going to have that kind of money so if you really want to do it, then find another way!". Ok. I'm always up for a challenge! So I started looking for information.<br /><br />I searched the internet for information on traveling in an RV and discovered the word "Fulltiming". Searching that word was how we found Escapees. That was a gold letter day! I joined the discussion forum and read every single entry. I was up that first night until 3am. I'd drag Jim into our home office and read him entry after entry and true to form he kept saying that there was no way we could do this unless I figured out a plan that I could prove would work. By the way, he said we'd never make it to Hawaii either and so far, we've been twice, but that's another story!<br /> <br />Through Escapees I discovered Workamper News, now I was on a roll. Thank you everyone, you answered all my questions and then some which convinced me that we could do this.<br /><br /><strong>Then The Plan</strong><br />Jim always says no unless there is a plan that I can prove to him will work so that's what I had to figure out. It was just after 9/11 so contracts for drafting were way down so Jim and I were working at other types of jobs. I was at Lowes and he was working at Dillards selling shoes. I showed him the costs of living in our rental at $1200p/m plus all the other costs of living in a home versus moving into a hotel. With the savings from just that, plus both of us getting second jobs and saving I thought that we could move into an RV. He was willing to try but not entirely convinced.<br /> <br />First we had to get rid of alot of stuff, you know the kind I'm talking of, the boxes in the basement full of things we can't do without but don't remember. That kind. What was so hard for Jim was having to empty the double garage which was so full of tools and fishing things there wasn't any room for a car!<br /> <br />We both sorted through our respective areas deciding what to keep, what went to the kids, what went into the garage sale and what to throw away. My daughter-in-laws came over and picked out what they wanted then we divided up the family photos which the boys would not help with, they said it was like I was dead but still here and it "creeped" them out. The sentimental things that I could not part with were divided into 3 small boxes taped up well and labeled. I asked each son to carry one box with them wherever they went until I got rid of it or died. They agreed. <br /><br />We had two garage sales in July and Jim cut his tools and fishing stuff in half four different times. He was traumatized! Once all was said and done, what was left went into storage and we moved into a nearby Super8. Mind you, at that point we didn't have an RV in sight since we didn't have any money! <br /> <br />Jon found a 26' Winnebago for sale for $3000 and the sellers agreed to take payments. I have to tell you about these people because we found them to be very...interesting. They were a very large, happy biker couple. Bikers are fine, but these two looked and talked like they were right out of an old biker movie. They were friendly and very nice with two teenagers plus an Irish Setter that road in the sidecar. They had let the teens put any stickers they wanted on the back of the Winnie and let me tell you, how they kept from getting shot because of some of those stickers I don't know! Everything in it was going to have to be replaced. Remember, at this time we had no idea what it took to fulltime or what to expect. The Winnie had bunks and we thought it wouldn't be an issue to fold out the bed at night. Crazy! what were we thinking!! Anyway, whenever we went over to make a payment they would pour coffee and talk about fights they had had where the wife had shot the husband because he wouldn't listen to her. I'm not kidding, they laughed about it. I won't take any more space here telling you some of the other things they talked about, I just knew I needed to double my payments!<br /> <br />Anyway, while living at the hotel Jim and I each got a second job working at a Christmas kiosk in the mall so now we were both working everyday at two jobs. Tiring, yes, but it was the plan and we were working the plan.<br /> <br />We arrived at the bikers house one evening in January '03 to make the final payment. Yea! We got our keys, went out to the mh, started it up...and it didn't move, not one inch. The transmission was shot. Great. To their credit, the sellers said they would put a rebuilt tranny in it, so back to the hotel we went. By the end of February the tranny was still not in for a variety of reasons. We had a deadline of March to be out of the hotel before summer rates started so we needed the mh. Jim finally quit his job at Dillards to help put in the tranny and managed to get it done in just 3 days. He started it up and it drove 6 feet and died. The carburater was no good and the sellers were not willing to replace it. Jim called a mobile mechanic and started to work. <br /> <br />While Jim worked on the Winnie, my daughter-in-law Cari and I went to a nearby RV dealership "just to look". I found a 33' 1985 Champion motorhome parked right in front of the office that had just been detailed and looked beautiful. <em>Remember when I said that Jim always says no? Well, when I told him I was going to go look he told me not to waste my time since we didn't have enough money and knowone would sells us anything.</em> Ok, so on with my story.<br /> <br />The Champion was $11000 (which we did not have), they would not take payments but they would take the Winnie in trade. They even gave me $4000 in trade (we only paid $3000) sight unseen. I went into great detail about the condition of it though because I didnt' want to take a chance the deal would go bad. We signed the papers and off Cari and I went to tell Jim what I had just bought. Oh, the motorhome wouldn't start when we turned the key but the sales agent said they would fix it and since it was so pretty (especially in comparison to the Winnie) I bought it anyway. When I told Jim he almost had a stroke! We went right back to the dealer so he could see it and he agreed that it looked great but kept asking how we were going to pay for it. I didn't know. On the drive home while the three of us were discussing it the phone rang. Jim answered and after listening for a minute he pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the car. It was his brother in Washington state who had called to tell Jim that he was sending him $9000 from his fathers estate (who had passed away the previous year). His brother had not told anyone that he was working on it because it was something to do with a house that was sold and he wasn't sure it would work out. Now we had the money thanks to Jims' Dad.<br /> <br />In March we picked up the Champion and moved into it. We started our first workamping job at the Best Western Weston Inn in West Yellowstone, MT on May 21, 2003. We have been back there to work the Weston 3 times until it was sold early this year. <br /> <br /><strong>Was This The Best Way?</strong><br />No, probably not but it was the only way for us to start living our dream. I'm sure some of my family would rather I didn't share so much detail but it was the only way I could prove that if you want something badly enough there is a way. Maybe not the best way but a way nevertheless. As I tell my kids; <em>Make a plan and work your plan, if things change make a new plan and work that one.</em> Just make one!<br /> <br />As for Jim, he thinks it was all his idea...ahh, husbands! But I'm always up for a challenge and afterall, he's worth it.<br /> <br /><strong>Today</strong><br />We are now in Reedsport Oregon where Jim is doing drafting in a new field, boat building. I will continue from this point on but will probably go back in time again to tell you about a job that we did in 2005 which was quite a challenge also.<br /> <br />Thanks for listening, Travel safe!Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-52259827430023990122006-12-07T10:58:00.000-08:002006-12-07T10:58:56.236-08:00Fishing with Grandpa in Winchester Bay '06<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/4000/335023839011686/1600/282671/big%20and%20little%20kids%20033.jpg"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/4000/335023839011686/320/999981/big%20and%20little%20kids%20033.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a> Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-15889317227499636252006-12-07T10:57:00.000-08:002006-12-07T10:57:25.627-08:00Stormy sunset in Winchester Bay, OR<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/4000/335023839011686/1600/929578/beach%20006.jpg"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/4000/335023839011686/320/575088/beach%20006.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a> Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744515289183735712.post-9000741851601266752006-12-07T10:55:00.000-08:002006-12-07T12:13:21.589-08:00Jim and River, our Parson Russell puppy<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/4000/335023839011686/1600/651993/beach%20027.jpg"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/4000/335023839011686/320/715957/beach%20027.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /></a>Alona & Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667934801481677166noreply@blogger.com0