September 3, 2016
We are down to our last five days at Geneva Point Center. The
nights have been cooling down, and the mornings have the scent of
Fall in the air. The loons are changing their calls as they begin to
search out one another on the lakes of New Hampshire, and start
gathering in large groups for the migration to the North Atlantic
coastal waters. They spend the long winters out on the open ocean.
Greg is still working hard in the Buildings and Grounds department
and finding satisfaction in the physical labor involved. Last week I
delivered our international staff to the local and Concord, New
Hampshire bus stations. All but one are off on their adventures to
see America. Mat from Slovakia, (“I'm riding shotgun!”, who
learned English watching American television), is staying behind for
a few weeks in order to help all the oldsters finish out the season.
Last year the majority of the international staff stayed until Labor
Day and got us through our last few groups. This year they were
scheduled to leave a week early, and suddenly we are down to a
skeleton crew of mostly retirees who are trying to handle groups of
200 guests and 80 guests, while the Director had to be out of town.
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| The Ice Cream Shop is shut down for the season. |
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| The Building & Grounds crew cleaning up after tree trimming. |
I have been circulating through housekeeping, kitchen, guest
services and the ice cream shop. The day before yesterday I put in an
11+ hour day. Yesterday, on changeover day, I joined the “Four Old
Ladies”, as we were calling ourselves, to prepare all the necessary
bathrooms, shower houses, and cabins by the 3 pm check-in. We didn't
finish on time. The irony of working in housekeeping didn't escape
me. When Greg and I were preparing to apply for workcamping jobs in
February of 2015 we discussed what our dealbreakers would be for any
job offers. Mine was cleaning bathrooms! Guess what I have done for
the last four days?! Also, when we discussed our finances and made a
plan so that we could continue being nomads after our original two
year sabbatical, I sort of remember making a comment about if we ever
really got in a pinch, maybe I would consider cleaning bathrooms...
I now have a new found respect for anyone who has no choice in
order to make a living, but to work in housekeeping, cleaning toilets
and showers, and making bed after bed. I got a real baptism into it
since we were cleaning the cabins of teen-aged boys!
Today I managed to get my hair stuck on a hanging flystrip, yuck!
After coming back to the rig I washed my hair with Dawn dishwashing
detergent. I figured if that works to get oil slicked waterfowl clean
after oil spills, I better give that a try. My gentle herbal shampoo
didn't even begin to cut the glue. At that point I decided that
I was done. I didn't come back here to exhaust myself again. I had a
great time driving the students on their excursions. Greg and I have
both been asked to come back next summer, and I would do the same
job. We haven't committed to anything yet.
We've enjoyed our co-workers. They are mostly friends from last
year. This summer I was able to attend a concert here during Summer
Acoustic Music Week. Last year I had late hours in the ice cream shop
and missed out. Our nephew Jon and his girlfriend Rebecca came for an
over night and we had a fun morning kayaking on the lake. Our
international students asked me to take them to N. Conway, NH to
Diana's Baths and Cathedral Ledge, Old Orchard Beach, ME, Portland
Head Lighthouse, ME, Salem, MA, Franconia Notch State Park, NH, White
Mountain National Forest, NH, the Mt. Washington Hotel, Portsmouth,
NH and a nearby whale watching cruise, Castle in the Clouds,
minigolf, and numerous restaurants, as well as outlet shops, TJ Maxx,
Marshalls, the local bank, and most trips ended by going to WalMart!
If I do this again next year I will already know where to find these
places! I loved getting to know all the kids who rode with me on
those long days in the old camp van. We learned from each other. Most
of them were from Eastern Europe and the UK Our six weeks have passed
quickly and we are looking forward to more family time soon.
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| Summer Acoustic Music Week |
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| The Harmonica workshop band |
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| Selfies at Cathedral Ledge |
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| Portland Head Lighthouse |
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| Sarah, Mat, and Vivien soaking up the sun |
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| The Basin at Franconia Notch State Park |
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| Iveta and Laura after a day hiking |
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| The sign said, "Do you have the 10 essentials?" Do we need a spider?! |
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| The Mount Washington Hotel |
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| Looking at Mt. Washington from the hotel |
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| Downtown Portsmouth, NH |
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| Whale watching tour office |
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| Diana's Baths |
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| Fun at the Baths! |
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| The Geneva Point waterfront |
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| Kayaks and canoes on Lake Winnipesauke. |
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| The kayak paddle and life preserver sheds at the beach |
We have been keeping our eye on the weather and are grateful to be
gone from Tidewater Virginia and Bethpage Camp Resort as Hurricane
Hermine is flooding out that area. Our campground was low and flat
and our RV sat in a lake every time we had an ordinary rain!
Hopefully by the time we leave for Maryland on Thursday morning we'll
be able to avoid the storm. After a good visit, a family wedding and
being grandparents, (can't wait!) we'll start on October 3
rd
at Amazon in Campbellsville, Kentucky. That job is starting to feel
real since we got our e-mail notice yesterday to go get our drug
testing done for the job. I'm ready for the Amazon Fitness Plan after
eating the free meals here and indulging in all the yummy baked goods
calling my name after every meal...
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| Summers End |
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| Evening along the lake |
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| Saying goodbye to new friends Weronika and Paulina waiting for their bus |
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| Backside of the sign that our international student staff saw every time they left their cabins! |
