Winter Quarters

Some RVer’s think that the four letter word “work” is a dirty word. Others retire early and work to maintain their lifestyle. We have helped our kids and “worked” on occasion. This winter we are “staff” or “church staff” as the other staff refers to us. We have really been working.

Our project this week is to remove wax on the clubhouse vinyl tile floor, reapply it and then buff it. The tables and chairs were pressure washed in addition to being scrubbed. The men all traded jobs and worked hard for five days on the approximately 62 by 56 foot building. Us ladies got to scrub the perimeter of the floor with a foam wax remover, water, a putty knife and then rinse. Other work will be to arrange tables and chairs for the various activities in the clubhouse. Bill is the pastor. Opal is the linguist and will lead the Bible study. Bev is the music director. Terry will also prepare the master copy of the church bulletin (or program) on the computer. I’m sure that they will also use us to do other things but we are the new kids on the block. The other three couples have worked for the church activities for 1 to 8 years. Yes, we are the youngest too. I’m the youngest person and Terry is the youngest man.

Emerald Cove Campground has over 800 sites on a mile of sandy shoreline on the Colorado River and is located on the CA side of the CA/AZ border. Since the nearest towns are Parker and Lake Havasu in AZ, we are on AZ or Mountain Time. We have a site that overlooks the mountains and rocky desert floor. See the photo that I took from our window. Live palm trees shade the two heated pools and two hot tubs. The hot tub felt very, very good after using muscles that aren’t used to such vigorous activity.

W also have a new appreciation for the “work” that is done in campgrounds. Thanks Mike and Jo Ann for the work you did last year. We hope that you are happy in your new assignment in Texas.

My Busy Summer in Iowa

I have been asked why I didn’t put photos and blogs on the Internet this summer. I was in Iowa while Terry was in Alaska for July, August and half of September. My busy summer in Iowa included many activities that didn’t get photographed. When I had photos, I needed Terry to put them on his computer, and then put them on my hard drive in order to for me to put them on the blog.

Starting from the top of the blog, here are the photos. The little boys who are spitting watermelon seeds are at Fifield Shelter House near Pella, Iowa for the Hoven Reunion.

Grandson, Nathan Klein, blew huge bubbles when he stayed overnight with me.

Grandson, Jake Klein, had never been to Iowa. He came from Texas and stayed three weeks with me. We are pictured on the church steps where my nephew, Travis Hoven, married Samantha. Jake visited the historical village and windmill where his Great, great, great grandfather was a founding father of Pella. We had lunch at Applebee’s in Pella with two other grandsons, Matthew and Joshua Klein. I took Jake, Emily and Nathan to the Balloon Festival in Indianola. At the Klein Reunion, Jake met many of his cousins and Great grandmother, Carol Klein.

After Jake returned to Texas, I went to my father’s 90th Birthday Party, niece Megan’s baby shower and visited with some of the girl classmates of 1960. Since I attended Pella Christian High for three years and graduated from Pella community high school, I was invited to both 50-year class reunions. It was a great time to visit with class members and renew old acquaintances.