Slow Days

Judy and I have finally slowed down a little since her retirement.  We have continued to reorganize certain aspects of our life. She has put additional documents into our safe deposit box.  Much of it has to do with her retirement. Judy has always been able to put her hands on needed documents since we first got married.

I managed to go have a beer and some wings with a few of my former teacher friends Wed in the PM. at the "Brick"  While I was catching up with my friends Judy kept her appointment at Serenity Day Spa for her scheduled "peti and mani". We both got home around 6:30.

Today has been a low intensity day.  Neither Judy or I did much measurable work today.  She had a lunch date with a bank manager friend. She was nice enough to bring me the "dogie bag" left overs. I spent the morning out on the lake doing a little fishing and enjoying a great day.

We are still prepping to return to the CG Tue.  Tomorrow is Judy's B'Day and I am looking forward to celebrating!

Thanks for stopping by.
Next Post: Mon

Internet Solution

Tue was a busy day.  We took a trip into Milledgeville to take care of several errands.  We went to the Post Office and upgraded our PO box.  Stopped in at WalMart to pick up several items Judy and I identified while at the CG that would be useful to have. Two of these items are an electric skillet and a two burner hot plate. As nice to have as the items probably are, they were not the most important.

Judy and I both agreed it is imperative that we be able to connect.  So we went back to the Verizon store to take another look and have some questions answered. The young man that assisted us was simply awesome.  He was knowledgeable, professional and he demonstrated a couple of musical apps I could use on my Droid. He also explained the various plans available to us.  The price of the Mifi plan that was explained to me about a week or so ago was $80.00 for 5G. Tue the price was a more reasonable $50.00 and the device was $20.00 with a two yr contract. So now we should be able to connect when on the road.

We also think we may need a wireless fax/printer. I think it may take some more deliberation before we make it a reality.  The Office Max here does carry them in stock. Judy and I looked at a HP all-in-one today. The unit cost $100.00.  I will be looking on-line over the next few days to find some others to compare with the one we looked at today.

Thanks for stopping by.

Training Days

Wed.  (Mar 21)

Judy and I traveled back to Blanton Creek Park for three days of training. Wed. was a paid travel day. Since the Cardinal was already in place,  we drove our CR-V the 140 miles to the park. Once we arrived,  Judy got the Cardinal organized with food, dishes, and our clothes put away. I rechecked all the connections, turned the water on and set-up the site.

After we completed our domestic chores,  we went over to the office to talk with Char and Ed the host couple who would be training us.  We still had to complete our “drug screen” so we left the park to drive into Columbus, Ga. to take care of that matter. Our day went down hill from there. Once we arrived at “Lab Corp,” we were told we didn’t have the correct “paperwork”!  Judy got on the phone with our contact in Atlanta, who told us to call the Birmingham, Al. office. Long story short,  additional paper work would have to be faxed to us. By now it is 4:15 PM and we know it is not going to happen today. At this point we know this process had a few flaws.

So we now head to the nearest “Walley World” to pick up a few things.  Judy and I headed north thirty miles or so back to Blanton Creek Park. We put our stuff  away and went over to the office to hangout with Char and Ed. Even though Wed was a travel day, we began our training. A lot of campers were calling in and making reservations. That enabled us to observe the registration process and by the time Ed and I locked the gate at 9PM,  Judy and I had a pretty good handle on the process. Judy worked with Char on the administration part of closing out the day and I observed Ed’s tasks for closing. It had been a long day so Judy and I went to bed as soon as we walked over to our rig. 5:30 AM would come real soon!



Camper Registration - Blanton Creek CG

Thur.  (Mar. 22)

Five-thirty AM did come early! I made it easy for Judy by going to take my shower at the CG comfort station. I am  sure she stayed in bed a little longer. Once back I made coffee for me, Judy doesn’t like coffee. She was struggling with how she was going to do her “make-up” routine. I knew better than to get involved with that. Judy decided the table would be the spot, so she arranged all the stuff she needed and went to work! I sat back and enjoyed my coffee. At 6:40 I met Ed at the office to observe the opening routine. We walked out and unlocked the gate at 6:57 AM.

Ed and I returned to the office and talked and watched the morning news shows. Not a lot happening at 7:AM. Judy arrived at 7:30AM. We all talked for about thirty minutes, and then Judy and I headed over to the “GA Power” land management office about 8 miles away. Robin, the office manager faxed the paper work to whoever we were directed to fax it to for us. About twenty minutes later, Judy got a call and was given an invoice number for each of us to give to Lab Corp. We drove the thirty miles back to LabCorp to get our drug screen. What could go wrong? Judy completed her in-processing and I go to the window to complete mine. I put my hand in my pocket to retrieve my wallet – the one with a photo ID. I am  pretty sure all the color drained from  my face. My wallet was not there. Where could it be??  I placed it with my cell phone, reading glasses and loose change like I always do. Judy then says “I moved it and put it in your top drawer last night because I did not want to leave it out.” I did not say anything but I did think to myself, we are in a campground behind a ten foot locked gate with only a few older campers who didn’t seem to pose any risk. Knowing there was no way I would be getting the “drug screen”, I just let it roll off my back. I knew I would be making a return trip to LabCorp.  Judy completed her screening and we headed back. To Judy’s credit, she did say she would accept half the blame for me not having my wallet.  I thought that was reasonable. That is why we have been married 37 yrs. Once back at Blanton Creek CG, Judy ran in and got my wallet and brought it to me. She went over to continue training and I headed back for my “drug screening”.

I returned a few hours later. Judy had the “reservation” process down pretty well. By closing time I also had the system down. Judy and I took most of the calls and entered the info into the reservation system. Char and Ed made sure the training went smoothly and answered all of our questions. They were right there with us when we got a little off track and got us back on track.  At 9PM we locked up and closed the books. Another day was completed.

Judy is ready for the next call!

Friday/ Sat (Mar 23-24)

We continued training. Activity picked up with the arrival of the weekend. Campers were coming in throughout both days.  Judy and I were taking care of most of the operations with Ed and Char providing answers and guidance when needed.  Ed and I made four golf cart patrols of the camping areas. We did not encounter any “situations”. Ed said they are inevitable though. On Friday and Sat the gate is closed at 10PM instead of 9PM, making the day a little longer. Ed and Char introduced us to the regulars as they checked in. Sat. afternoon when things slowed down a bit, Judy and I had the opportunity to prepare supper. We used the site grill for hand made hamburgers and Judy used Char's electric skillet to make her famous baked beans. The office is really nice and large so we set up the table and had the meal there. I think Ed and Char really enjoyed the break from the routine. Several check-ins said “that smells so good”, when they came into register. I know I should have taken photos.  By closing time Saturday, Judy and I felt very confident that we were ready to start. While we were here,  we were informed that the schedule had been rearranged. Instead of taking over Wed the 28^th  we are now scheduled to start Wed. April 2^nd.  In my weird way of thinking,  it would have made more sense to go from the training session into our first week instead of having a week and a half break.  Not to mention we would not have had to make an extra trip (140 Miles). As they say now, “it is what it is”.

Tent Area

Sun

I went in at 6:45 to help Ed open and Judy slept in a little.  Once Judy got up she packed for the trip back to Milledgeville and loaded the car.  What a wife!!!!  We have a long list of things that we now know we need to help us live more comfortably. One important item is an alarm clock. Since we are so close to Alabama,  the cell phones often shift to central time. We operate the park on Eastern Time. After we had a problem of almost being late,  I had to work around the alarm by using the “timer” countdown function on my smart phone.

We spent some time with Ed and Char before leaving to come home.  They went out of their way to make sure we were trained and well taken care of. We know we are going to enjoy this assignment.  Judy and I both look forward to returning.

Boat Ramp

Thanks so much for the comments we received on our departure day entry.  Judy and I are now convinced that we are going to have to sort out the internet situation. We will be exploring all the suggestions we received and hopefully we will have access before we return to the park.  Judy likes the retirement lifestyle!  Thanks for stopping by.  I almost forgot to welcome our newest follower John and Bridget

Just a Maintenance Day

Today was just a “get things done” kinda day. Judy and I had a quick breakfast at the locale Huddle House – think “Waffle House”.  Then we headed into Milledgeville for a few stops. The first stop was the bank to complete a change of address form. With  the planned travel we thought we should get a PO box. That eliminates the need to have someone get our mail. Judy changed the type of safe deposit box to a pay box since she no longer works at the bank.  The one she settled for is $90.00 per yr. but with the bank accounts we have it was discounted to $45.00. 

She dropped me off at home around 12:15 and returned to Milledgeville to have lunch with Laura, one of her friends.  What did I have for lunch?  I had a roast beef sandwich, fritos, and a diet coke. I bet I had a nicer view than her and Laura. I ate out on the porch looking out over the lake and also enjoyed the sounds of nature. While she was gone I mixed up some Round-up weed killer and sprayed around the yard and driveway.

Judy returned home around 3PM. She said, “ I have a Pilot club meeting at 7 PM .”  That meant another trip into Milledgeville. That would be the third trip in for her.  I told her that I would ride back in with her and she could drop me off at the Black Bird Coffee shop. I could use a couple of hours of “me time” until her meeting was over.  So that is where I am now, having an ice mocca listening to some relaxing music and writing a blog entry which I had not planned to write.

Relaxing at the Black Bird Coffee Shop

HELP: I have not solved my lack of internet access for the time we will be at the CG. I checked at Verizon yesterday. The only thing offered was MIFI at $80.00 a month. That is not going to happen. If anyone has another suggestion please let me know via email or in the comment section.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.

Next blog – When I have internet access

Blanton Creek–Set-up Day

Thurs morning was an early day for Judy and I but we missed our 5:30 AM depart time. We didn’t get on the road to RV World (Buford GA.) until about 6:30 AM.  We had to pick up the Cardinal. We took the truck and the CR-V. Judy drove the CR-V so we could leave the truck at the CG and drive the CR-V home.  It was also nice having her behind me once we picked up the Cardinal as we drove through Atlanta on I 85S. It made it so much safer to change lanes. She would advise me via walkie talkies.
Once we arrived at RV-World, we met with Justin our service writer. He informed us that everything was completed and checked out except the Blu Ray DVD player installation. We had it with us and he took it to Matt, the Satellite tech. Matt had checked out our Winegard travlr Direct TV slimline system, and upgraded our home theatre system. Matt gave us a system overview once he had the DVD installed, and answering the questions we had. He also said we could call him if we had questions later.  Justin did a great job tracking our service work and keeping us informed. Matt and Justin did an outstanding job with customer service.
               
The Good Sam extended service warranty paid $1400.00 of the cost of replacing/installing a new hydraulic pump and 32” flat screen Toshiba TV. I was responsible for the  $200.00 deductible. The sat/entertainment work cost $300.00.
With everything taken care of at RV-World we hooked up the fifth wheel and headed South on I85. The distance to Blanton Creek CG is approx 125 miles. Judy kept me informed about lane changes and I kept her informed about what was up ahead. We arrived at the CG around 4:30. We had covered about 230 miles since leaving M’Ville.
             
When we got there we went into the office to talk with Ed and Char and just relax. Thur was opening day for the CG, and a lot of campers were calling and making reservations. After a break Ed and I left the office to get the Cardinal set-up. Judy stayed in the office to talk to Char and observe the reservation process. Ed directed me as I backed into the site. I was surprised at how level the site was. I did not have to level side to side, it was perfectly level. We got the rest of the set-up taken care of then returned to the office.
       
By then it was almost time for supper. Ed and I left the park and picked up a couple of Marco's Pizzas. They were delicious. Ed and I went and closed the Park gate at 9PM. It was time to get a good night’s sleep.
Judy and I had a leisurely Friday morning. With the Cardinal in its resting spot for the next six months Judy and I went over to talk with Char and Ed before returning to M’Ville.
      
We will be returning to the park 21 Mar.
Thanks for stopping by. Thanks to Jessica and Harry, Laurie and George, and Karen and Al for your comments.

Thurs Plans

I was notified Mon. that the Cardinal is ready so arrangements were made to go to pick it up Thur.
After thinking about the mileage and the cost of fuel Judy and I have decided that instead of bring the Cardinal back to Milledgeville we are going to take it to the camp ground we will be working at. The distance to M'ville from Buford is about 100 miles.  The distance to the CG is approx 120 Miles. If we left from M'ville it would be an additional 125 mi. I'm not sure if you can follow all this but the point is we will save about 130 miles of towing.  Not to mention the cost of fuel.

Ed and Char are already at the park. I am sure they will help us get settled in.  We will be returning to M'ville for the weekend and then back to the park for our first scheduled training session on the following Wed.

I hope to make an entry tomorrow but I am not sure if I will have Internet access. If not it will be posted Sat. Judy and I are planning to be on the road by 5:30 AM in the morning for the drive to Buford. Well that is it for now, I need to get some sleep!.

Thanks for stopping by.
Next Post: Sat

Wasted Trip - Revisited

I got on the road for the drive to Dublin Chrysler, Jeep about 6:30AM.  The service manager called last Thur to inform me that the parts were in to complete the "recall service".  I was anxious to have the repair completed since it is a safety issue.

The repair was completed around 10:30, just as I finished "The Book of Eli" dvd.  The service manager had me sign that the work had been completed.  It would have been a nice gesture had he said "Mr. Maddox, I sure am sorry about inconveniencing you", but he didn't.  Not much on customer service, I guess.

One of my high school friends works at the VA Hospital in Dublin. We had made plans to have lunch at 11:00 AM. I called Carl and told I was through and he wouldn't have to pick me up. I met him at the "Ole Time Country Buffet".  Mrs. Obama would not be happy with the menu, but as I didn't see any federal food monitors I went in and enjoyed some really good country cookin!!  Carl and I enjoyed our social time together but alas he had to return to work and I headed north to Milledgeville.

The Line

Much better than those healthy chicken nuggets!!

The trip was the way I like it, uneventful.  Once home I got a call from RV World of GA letting me know the Cardinal is ready for pick up. Justin said the repairs were complete and the slides were working perfectly. I would have been a little concerned had the slides worked less than perfectly.  I don't know what day I am going to pick it up.  Maybe Thursday.

Welcome to new follower, Karen.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Thanks!

It was about six  years ago that Judy and I first began to think seriously about totally changing our way of life.  In our first blog entry I shared our experience of meeting a host couple at Appomattox State Park in VA. from Wisconsin. The conversations we had with them  were most likely the source of  us eventually thinking about full-time RVing.  We certainly did not know it at the time.  Fast forward to 2007, our change of life plan was “firming up”. Judy and I were on the same sheet of paper so to speak. We had no idea of the ins and outs of a life on the road so our research period began. I don’t want to bore anyone with all the details but I do want to acknowledge a few of the people that have positively impacted us; Gordon and Juanita, Howard and Linda, Joe & Nancy, and Peter.  There are many others who share their RV knowledge and experiences anonymously on the many RV forums I read. The personal blogs that we read are also great sources of information and encouragement. Thanks to all.

Gordon and Juanita

Judy and I only know Juanita and Gordon through their blog.  I ran across a link to their travel journal on one of the RV Forums I was reading in Dec. of 2007. I checked it out and we have been dedicated followers since. They began their life on the road in March of 2006.  Today just happens to be their 6th anniversary on the road as fulltimers. Juanita and Gordon’s “little house on wheels” at the time was a Sunny Brook fifth wheel.  Through their journal, we have traveled from the Rio Grand Valley of Texas to Port Orford, Oregon and many points in between. I have gained much insight, knowledge, and entertainment through Juanita and Gordon’s journal. Thanks for your inspiration. 

Gordon, Juanita and Abbey enjoying the great outdoors!

Linda and Howard

We found out about Howard and Linda’s web site while attending the Atlanta Winter RV Show in 2008. Judy and I were trying to determine what type of RV would best meet our RVing needs. During the course of the show, we had a conversation with a couple about our plans and they asked us if we were familiar with Linda and Howard’s site. I told them  no. The couple said “you must check it out”, so we did.  That was the most valuable information we gained that day at the show!  RV-Dreams is a clearing house for anything RV related. You can read about Howard and Linda’s journey and how it came to be on the site as well as follow their travel journal. Think of the phrase, “the total package”. Judy and I met them  in Dec at Gen. Coffee State Park in Douglas, GA. That was our first outing with our “Cardinal”. You will not meet a more delightful couple. You can read about the outing in their journal entry by clicking “here” and " here". Linda and Howard, thanks for all you do for the entire RV community. 

Howard and Linda on departure day - Gen Coffee State Park

A Birthday Celebration for Linda - Gen. Coffee State Park !

Joe and Nancy 

We met with Joe and Nancy during one of their stop-overs near our home. I sent them  an email and asked if we could stop by for a short visit. They were so helpful, answering our many questions about full-time RVing. Joe and Nancy have stopped by since and we get together for a little visit. They travel now from  May – Oct. and spend the rest of the year in New Port Richie, FL. Judy and I keep up with them  through their blog.  Nancy and Joe, thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

Peter

I met Peter this past Nov. after he contacted me via email.  He is a reader of the Workamper forums and saw a post that included my home town in the signature. He lives nearby so we set up a coffee meeting. We now try to meet at least weekly. Peter has shared his many workamping experiences with me. He will be reporting along with his wife in a couple of weeks to a “Dude Ranch” in NC. They will be there until Oct. or so. Thanks for the camaraderie and advice.

Peter striking a pose at the "Huddle House"!

Welcome to new followers; Sherry and Charlie  , Keith and Brenda, and Mark

Thanks for stopping by.

Next Blog: Tue.

Cardinal Service

Tue, on the return from my “Wasted Trip” I stopped by Scenic Mountain RV Park to hitch up the Cardinal for its service appointment at RV World of GA. in Buford the next day. Once hitched, I drove about 20 miles to the Eatonton Wal Mart. I parked it in an out of the way area and called my sister for a ride home. It is easier for me to stage the truck and fiver there instead of parking them at my home.                                 

Wed morning I arrived at the Wal-Mart at 5:45 am and switched from my Honda Accord to the truck. I completed the 101 mile trip to RV Word of GA. around 8 AM. I checked in and Justin (service writer) wrote up the work request. My top priority was the operation of the slides which had been a little sluggish. I also wanted the Satellite system checked out and any issues corrected. I want to be able to watch TV! Justin informed me that he would have the slides diagnosed first to determine the problem. I went back out and “dropped” the fifth wheel so it could be taken to the service area and then settled in for a long stay in the customer lounge area.        

It wasn’t long before I got the damage assessment. The hydraulic pump was pretty much dead and would have to be replaced. Cost parts/labor $950.00. Ouch! The part was out of the 12 month MFG warranty window. Good news though, it was covered by my “Good Sam” extended service plan, minus the $200.00 deductible. Justin told me there was at least a three day wait on the pump. He also said the 32” Toshiba flat screen TV was not working in the bedroom and would check to see if it was covered. We made plans for me to return next week. The pump would be replaced and the Satellite system checked out and I would have an orientation with the tech to insure I know how to operate it.

 

I returned to my truck and “rolled” my cover over the bed since I would not be using the hitch. That took me about six minutes. Before I could get in my truck and drive off, Justin came out to give me a new update. He reported that the Winegard travler and Direct TV slim-line dish were working fine. That reminded me, I had forgotten something that I also wanted to have done. I asked him if I could speak with the SAT tech. He escorted me to the service area and I talked with Matt. I wanted to change out the RCA DVD player for a Blu-ray DVD. Matt said yep, he would just slide the RCA out and slide the new one in. I asked him for a recommendation and told him I would go purchase one. He dropped what he was doing and went to a computer and went on-line to “BrandSmart” and looked at the inventory. Matt suggested I go with a Sony 3D capable home theatre DVD unit. He told me it would be about $350.00 plus the cost of cables and wrote the parts # down. Off I went to the Brand Smart store. Once there I gave the salesman the info and he proceeded to get the DVD and cables. When he rang it up he said “today must be your lucky day.” It seems that was the last unit and it was not going to be reordered. It was priced at $300.00 but rang up at a sales price of half $150.00 plus a 3 yr extended warranty. Total cost of DVD and cables was $226.00 rather than the $350.00 plus cables that I expected to pay.

I went back to RV World of GA. and dropped off the stuff. I bought both Justin and Matt lunch. Only one thing to do now, head south the one hundred miles back to M’Ville.

Welcome to new followers; Donna K & Russ, Erik, and Rick and Kathy,

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day.

Judy’s Retirement Dinner

 

Judy’s Retirement Dinner

You are close to leaving when you attend your “retirement dinner”. Last night was Judy’s turn. She is only a couple of days from ending her banking career. Judy had a great time sharing the evening with her SunTrust family. Even I was  invited!  All the ladies from Judy’s branch were in attendance as well as former employees and other SunTrust colleagues. Jackson’s On Lake Sinclair, was the venue for the festivities.

I gave Judy the option of writing this entry but she declined. She doesn’t like to be the center of attention normally. I think she enjoyed it last night a little bit though, mostly because she was with people who are very special to her. I have known most of them as long as Judy and I too know they are special ladies.

   Judy received many gifts that will be constant reminders of her friends and teammates. She will miss them all.

       

Note: As we were walking to the car the “Meandering Maddox’s” Nikon camera came loose from the carrying strap and fell four feet to the pavement with a thud! I only said damn once. Surprisingly, the only damage sustained was the battery door came off. I snapped it back on and the camera worked fine. That was a close one!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.

A Wasted Trip

Two days ago I received   notification of a "safety recall" for my 2009 Ram 3500 truck.  Seems the recall addresses a safety issue with a tie-rod. The danger posed is the possibility of the tie- rod failing, therefore, steering would be compromised.  I for one do not want to to be hitched to a 14,000 LB fiver if the failure occurs. So, I called the Chrysler dealership that performs maintenance on my truck to schedule the required "fix" and to have my oil changed. I was careful to make sure the service writer understood this was in response to a"recall".  The service writer scheduled me for today at 8:30 AM.

As I live approx seventy (70) miles away from Dublin, Ga. I left Milledgeville around 7:00 AM to be on time for my appointment. With a twenty five year career in the military I believe in being punctual!  I was going to wait while the service was being completed.  I arrived a full fifteen minutes early. I wasn't the slightest bit phased when the service writer said "this "recall" will take about three to four hours to perform."  I was prepared for the wait!  I had an array of electronic gadgets to keep me in "good spirits" while I sat in the customer lounge. Kindle check, Laptop check, two DVDs (The Book of Eli, and Harry Potter - and the Deathly Hallows P2) check and my smart phone.

I went to the lounge and set my laptop up and popped in "The Book of Eli". Before Eli (Denzel Washington) got to take the boots off of the guy hanging in the closet, the service writer was back in the customer lounge calling my name. Not a good sign when you have been told, "see you in three to four hours."  I was informed that they didn't have the required parts for the fix and would have to order them, making it necessary for me to drive an additional one hundred forty miles (round trip) and burn another day. The good news, he would have my oil changed and I could be back on the road in a half an hour. I was not a "happy camper" but I maintained my professional composure.  The fact that I called the day prior and pointed out that it was "recall" did cross my mind. Without going into the "Law of Assume" verbally, I certainly thought it. I'll share the "Assume Law" for the readers who may have gotten through life and never experienced it. "ASSUME - will make an ASS out of U and ME.

I will be making a trip tomorrow one hundred twenty five  miles north to Buford, GA. to the Cardinal dealer (RV World of GA). The purpose of the trip is to have the slide's operation checked out on my Cardinal. I do know there is a possibility that I may have to leave the fiver there, I hope not though. I'll let you know how that goes.

Tonight, Judy and I are going to a retirement dinner in her honor. I plan to write about it here in the next day or so.  I am pretty sure it will be very emotional for Judy.

Welcome to new followers, Jim & Rosie ( http://jimrosietravels.blogspot.com/ )
Thanks for stopping by.

The Black Bird–A Coffee Shoppe

Today is Judy’s morning of pampering at the Serenity Spa (Manicure and Pedicure) so I headed out to my favorite Coffee Shoppe – The Black Bird.  It is way more enjoyable than that other coffee place. Yes, you know the one.  I like to come here anytime I have a hour or so to chill.

I first started frequenting the BB when Jason, my son attended GA. College & State Univ. after he got out of the Navy in 2006. He graduated in 2009 and headed out to Corvallis, Oregon to work as an ICU RN but I continued to stop by and grab a coffee before I reported to my Middle School classroom. Jason often request that I mail him a pound or two of his favorite BB coffee.  Now that I am retired I can come here to spend time reading, listening to my Rhapsody music service  (headphones of course) and have a great coffee.  Since the BB is located near the college it is a hang out for the students between classes. There is a nice mix of clientele, student, faculty, and business professionals.

Student Art at the Black Bird Coffee Shoppe

That is NOT me

       
The art dept of GA College provides art work on a continuous basis so there's always interesting projects to view. The baristas here are super friendly and create some tasty concoctions! There are plenty of places to plug in your laptop or other devices and the WIFI signal is excellent!

Brandon (L) is an award winning barista

      

You may be wondering why there aren’t many folks in my pics of the Black Bird if this place is so good. It is only 9AM Sat morning and no college student would be caught up that early on a Sat!
My time is up! I have go pick Judy up.

Thanks for stopping by.
Shout out to Jessica for “Live Writer” tip!!

Training Day

Wed was a “training day” for Host/Gate attendants that will be working at GA Power's Lakes parks this season. It was another step closer for Judy and I to our full-time adventure. Since she still has about 9 days left at Sun Trust she had to take a day off.

The training was conducted at the Wallace Dam facility located on Lake Oconee near Eatonton, Ga.  In all there were 10 couples at the training and it was nice getting to meet with them. The couple we will be alternating weeks with at Blanton Creek Park, Ed and Char, came down a day early so I got to spend some time with them. We had a nice lunch a the “Pickle Barrel’ restaurant and then I gave them the grand tour of Milledgeville, Ga. Did you know Milledgeville was the Capital of GA until after the War Between the States?  It is also home to Ga. College & State Univ  (formerly the Women’s College of GA.).


Wallace Dam (Oconee River)

GA. College & State Univ. Campus

The Old Governor's Mansion

The training focus was on customer service, safety, and some operational topics. The presenters shared results of a survey completed by campers on “Park Host” service for last year. It was a 98% satisfaction rating. We will receive most of our hands on training from Ed and Char at the park. During that time we will get instruction on the "reservations program" developed by GA. Power  and used at the parks. Ed and Char  will open Blanton Creek Park on Mar. 13 and we report for on the job training (OJT)  21 Mar. - 26 Mar. Judy and I will start our unassisted week 28 Mar. Our work week start and end on Tue evenings. So if you are in the area stop in and stay awhile.  I will do a complete entry on the park once we get there.

Thanks for stopping by.

Next Blog: Sat

Help: I can't figure out how to post photos side by side. Maybe I need a different editor.  If you can offer any advice please post a "comment" or send me an email. Thanks

Note:

1. I often have “links” within the entry. For easy identification they will be “blue”. Just click for additional information.
2. Pictures can be enlarged with the “click” of the mouse. Try it.