Welcome to our new home

We made it to Sarasota, FL!!! Our new home, or at least through mid-April, is the Sun 'N Fun Resort here in Sarasota. If you are in the area, please stop in and say hello. We actually ran into folks who were guests at Camp Hatteras (Craig and Kathy Van Gogh) who winter here. It was nice to see familiar faces on our first day in a new place.



The resort is huge - 2 miles across and chock full of amenities. The rest of this week will be spent finding our way around and exploring the area. Training for our new jobs begins Monday.



We feel so excited and blessed to be here. Kathy's dad is improving and sounds much better, so everything is good.



Appreciate what you have and strive to be happy where you are - it really improves the world!



Safe travels,

K&J

Southward Bound

We are infinitely blessed on so many levels. First and foremost, we are grateful to be flexible enough to change plans to accommodate family emergencies; grateful to bring family home that are alive and not traveling in a 'box'; grateful for good friends looking out for us (you know who you are and we love you); grateful for understanding employers who let us decline job appointments due to life circumstances and just as grateful for employers willing to take a chance on us at the last minute; grateful for new tires and the wonderful folks who installed them for us; grateful for cancelled reservations that gave us a campground site this weekend. We are grateful for the simplest things that make such a difference in the ordinary.

Today, as if new tires weren't enough, we received job offers to work for a campground in Sarasota, FL. We leave Monday morning for Florida.

Sometimes life is linear, sometimes circular, but it's all good if we just remember to go with the flow.

It's not Arizona, but here's to going with the flow....

K&J

Westward Whoa!!!

We left family and friends behind on October 1st, heading first to the Florida Panhandle. On 10/2 we left Pensacola headed westward toward Louisiana. Just as we were leaving Mississippi, the worst thing imaginable to an RVer occurred - the dreaded blowout. The left front tire shredded but we managed to just get into the emergency lane of I-10 W. FYI, never call the Mississippi Highway Patrol - they do not care about RVers and never dispatched the Highway Safety unit as promised.

Good Sam's Emergency Roadside Assistance came to the rescue, sent a tire service and a wonderful angel to help us. It took a couple of hours for our angel to get there and only about 20 minutes to get us back on the road. We are very grateful for his professionalism and speedy service. By the way, our angel's name was Jerry and he was recovering from a stroke two months previous. We are constantly amazed at the 'angels' and helpers sent to us in various forms.

We made it to Livingston, LA for an overnight stay. That was before the dreaded phone call the next morning. Kathy's dad was on a quick trip to Harrah's in Tunica, MS and was hospitalized with pneumonia and a possible heart attack in Baptist Memorial-DeSoto Hospital in Southaven, MS. Life happens, and the best thing about RVing is that when plans change, you can turn your house around and go with the flow.

With the echocardiogram and heart catheterization scheduled for Monday morning to confirm whether dad had a heart attack, we opted to head to New Orleans for a day trip. Gray skies and gray dispositions couldn't dampen the spirit of New Orleans. We accidentally found an Oktoberfest parade and immediately became bead whores in the rain. New Orleans was a welcome stress reliever.

The folks at Lakeside RV Park in Livingston, LA were very kind to us during our stay and worked with our change of plans. We packed up between thunderstorms and left LA in pouring rain headed for Southaven, MS, which is only 4 miles south of Memphis, TN. It rained so much while in LA that the crawfish came into the campsite. Mississippi is a tall state and it took a full, hard day's drive to make the 340+ miles to Southaven.

Dad did in fact have a heart attack and a stent was placed in his left anterior descending during the catheterization procedure. The WhooHoo Wonder Bus became dad's ride back home to Georgia. Of course, it took two days of hard driving to make the trek to Georgia. Unfortunately, being that close to Memphis, Graceland was right there - oh well, maybe the next time... The Elvis Presley Campground sign next to a gas station in Tupelo, MS was as close as we got this trip.

Dad is back home now recuperating. WhooHoo Wonder Bus set out on a two thousand mile westward journey only to complete a 1700 mile circular trip, and we are back at the starting point. Except now we are in search of RV tires, a closer winter campground location, and, of course, jobs. We forfeited the winter jobs with DeAnza Trails in Arizona. Arizona is still high on the bucket list, perhaps next year...

That's life! Live it well. Never assume family and friends know you love them - tell them. Never take anything for granted there may not be a second chance.

K&J

Westward, Ho!

Labor Day was our final work day of the season at Camp Hatteras. We left the Outer Banks the following Wednesday headed for the North Georgia mountains leaving behind wonderful memories and some truly great friends. The mountains were quite a change from our summer beach home, but as beautiful as ever. Out of the two weeks we were in the area, it rained for about a week and a half of that time. The area received over 10 inches of rain and we actually had to evacuate the campground for one night due to flooding. We were fortunate to not receive as much rain as the Atlanta area did.

We met with our realtor and decided to leave the house on the market for now since there are glimmers of hope and slight suggestions that the market is picking up. If you know of anyone wanting to buy a lovely mountain home, please get in touch with us. We have well and truly loved our home but are happier and more satisfied with our vagabond lifestyle than anyone ever thought possible.

With no WiFi and very spotty aircard, we were mostly incommunicado until we arrived in south Georgia for a week to visit with family and friends. This week has flown by as we've made the rounds with family and friends. If you missed the pictures for this blog, it's because the camera batteries died and we just haven't uploaded photos yet.

After finishing chores this afternoon, we'll begin packing down so we can head out in the morning. The plan is to travel in a southwesterly direction toward Tallahassee, FL to pick up
I-10 to Tucson and hang a left on 19 toward Amado, Arizona, our destination.

Yes, it is a long drive, but adventure is calling! This is a wild and beautiful country we live in and we aim to soak it up.

Westward, ho and safe travels to all.

Hurricane Bill Passed Us By (Yeah!!)

Spending the summer on a narrow barrier island is a wonderful and beautiful experience. That is, unless there's a hurricane in the Atlantic. The Outer Banks aren't known as the 'Graveyard of the Atlantic' just for the shallow shoals, but also for the fierce storms that brew off the coast.

We were fortunate and blessed to have Hurricane Bill pass us by. The dunes are a bit smaller today and there are still rip current warnings posted, but all in all, we survived very well. Portions of Highway 12 (the only road in and out) were closed due to ocean overwash and dune spread.

The house featured in the movie, "Nights in Rodanthe" is about a mile and a half north of us and it suffered a lot of overwash and beach erosion.

We had a fair bit of rain and wind Saturday evening, which blew down the tents and frightened a lot of folks, but all is well now.

For the most part the busy summer season is winding down. School has started in a lot of areas, so we still have kids in the campground, but now mostly on weekends. The beach is not crowded but is still sort of dirty from the storm. Shell hunting is nice now and you can find bigger shells after a storm.

We, too, are winding down and looking for the next campground jobs for fall and winter. It has been the most fabulous summer. We've met some fascinating people from all over the world and from all walks of life. There are some pretty wonderful and caring kids out there and this instills hope for the next generations. We have developed strong bonds and found cherished friends in some of our colleague Workampers here.

Even though the season may end, many of the relationships formed here will carry forward. The lesson we continue to learn is that as human beings, we are more alike than different.

We hope your summer has been as enriching as our has.

K&J

Do you sell worms?

The last few weeks have been very busy and interesting. We saw the peak of the summer camping season in all its glory. Activities were popular with the kids and adults and we found ourselves wondering why in the world we scheduled so much. But, it has all been good.

The question, "Do you sell worms?" came from a young boy after a long Saturday of serving up biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast, hotdogs for lunch, and ice cream later that afternoon. He wandered into the conference center and asked this question. We didn't have any worms to sell him but thought, "Why not?" after having served up a variety of things to others all day long.
It is hard to believe our summer is almost over. It seems just a few short weeks ago that we arrived in awe of our new home for the summer. Now, we find our time here drawing to a close and thinking what an amazing summer we have spent at the beach.

In the last several weeks we have tried to check some things off of our list of sights and activities that we wished to see and do. We went out on a pontoon boat with a group of fellow workampers on one of our days off. We spent the day relaxing in shallow waters near Gull Island in the Pamlico Sound. This week, we saw Currituck Lighthouse, the last of the four we had hoped to see before we left the island.

We are preparing our minds and our rig for our next adventure. We have submitted resumes for various positions in several states and we are excitedly waiting for responses. Our desire and enthusiasm to see new places and try new things remain intact.

We are looking forward to seeing family and friends on our way to our next destination.

Until then, be well and be safe.
K&J

Seasons in the OBX

Well, so much for trying to keep the blog up-to-date. The days are speeding into weeks and the summer is passing at warp speed. There have been a few stormy days and nights here but nothing so terrible. Weather-wise we have been very fortunate - not too hot and not too cool. The daytime highs for the end of July are quite mild, mid to upper 80s, but the constant breeze keeps the temperature tolerable, sometimes even a bit cool.

The weather is certainly changeable, and we've changed up a couple of scheduled activities, had to cancel one or two, changed a few plans on our days off and such, but all-in-all not too bad. We have the very best intentions of keeping the blog current, but after a long day and sometimes evening activities, the blog is the last thing on our mind.

Work is going exceptionally well. The park is busy, busy, busy. Activities are humming along and participation is strong. Kathy's birthday came and went with no major problems other than a pulled calf muscle from trying to play tennis like a 25-year-old again. The leg is much better, but she still hobbles a bit. (And she never played tennis all that well anyway). On the other hand, Jerri pulled a muscle on the top of her foot running the beach and has switched up from running to biking to give the foot a rest. She still hobbles a bit, too. But neither of us is going to let a little hobbling slow us down. Our most attended activities continue to be tie dye, ghost crab hunts, and marshmallow roasts.

Now, back to topic: Seasons in the OBX. We arrived here in May to gale-force winds and rain. The only greenery were the stubby pines around the campground that looked a lot like bonsai. The ducks and geese had teeny, tiny babies following around in a cute line - the ones that survived are grown now. A couple of weeks ago, the Indian Blanket wildflowers were blooming in clusters all over the dunes. Almost overnight the dunes sprouted tall grassy fronds resembling Pampas Grass, which bloomed into Sea Oats, waving gracefully in the wind. The cattails on the pond were beautiful but have almost bloomed out. The Morning Glory vines are prolific everywhere and there are some unidentified pink flowers by the Marina and one of the ponds. Without fanfare, the seasons of the OBX are giving slight clues indicating what might be next.

We were surprised to hear some of the other workampers counting down the days left before they move on to other campgrounds and other jobs. We strive to just be here now.

We've given up trying to use the awning since the wind can gust up at any moment. Everyday we see the other campers put out the awnings only to take them back in a few minutes later. No point in fighting a losing battle with the wind. It's great for kites but not so good for awnings, umbrellas, and such.

Not much is going on right now... we plan campground activities, we facilitate activities, we plan activities for us on days off and so it goes. We visited the Aquarium on Roanoke Island yesterday. After visiting some of the larger aquariums, like in Atlanta, GA and Mystic, CT it was very small and quaint, but the folks were nice. Tried our hands at crabbing from the Marina walkway today. Caught a couple of small crabs and turned them out to grow some more. The point being, there's not a lot to report. Life as usual seems the norm, so no complaints in that area.

The Workampers are planning a shrimpfest the evening of August 12th at the Marina, so there's always something to look forward to. We've met some really cool Workampers from a variety of backgrounds. They, too, have shucked the bonds of the corporate world for a much freer lifestyle. We've met some really interesting members and guests from all over the world. There are a lot of French speaking Canadians in the park right now and trying to explain that next week is 'pirate week' was more than we bargained on. Also, the men like to wear Speedos (not pretty!). Of course, serving hotdogs by the pool every Saturday has proven to be quite interesting as well. We have seen more "crack" than most DEA agents! Where has the modesty gone?

Enough rambling. Here's hoping that we all have 'life as usual' with no complaints.
Life is an occasion. Rise to it!
K&J

It's Tuesday - We Must Be Off....

Yes, it's Tuesday so that means we must be off. This is our version of the 'weekend.' Well, we survived the Fourth. It wasn't so bad considering the number of people times the heat index could have equalled disaster.

The Fourth began with tragic news that a fireworks truck transporting fireworks to Ocracoke exploded. The truck was from South Carolina and we've since been told there were at least 3 fatalities from the explosion. The truck had just driven off the ferry into the village when the explosion rocked the island. Thankfully, the ferry did not explode although service was interrupted for several hours while they transported emergency personnel only. By the afternoon the ferries were back on track. If you've ever visited Ocracoke you know it's pretty remote and only accessible by ferry. Imagine trying to get emergency personnel in place.

News traveled fast and we were told that our local fire truck would not be participating in our campground parade. Yes, as recreation directors we organize, decorate and lead the parade of kids, dogs, bikes, scooters, skateboards, wagons, and wheeled things through all the nooks and crannies of the campground, usually headed up by the bright red fire truck. The good news was that the fire truck did appear right on time to lead the parade - the bad news was that after the first turn, the fire truck turned on its sirens and left us in a cloud of dust to attend an emergency on the beach.

That emergency turned into a water rescue and we were left diverting the parade away from the ambulance and other emergency vehicles. No tragedies here, just some guests swimming in the ocean took in too much water. Could have been worse since there were lots of rip currents. Did we mention the Fourth was a weird day??

All in all it was a good holiday and a great week. We always hope for the best and try to prepare for the worst and hope we never need it. Lots of people were shooting fireworks down on the beach. Wonder what it did to all the sea turtle nests? Park Service has large portions of the beaches closed for turtles... We humans never consider the impact our pleasures create on the planet.

Sunday night we had some fantastic OBX storms come through with sideways rain, thunder, lightning and the works. Wind gusts rocked the coach all night. When we went to work Monday all the tent campers were gone but their tents were sad, flat reminders where they had been.

Wednesday arrived before we could publish this blog entry so just to let you know, we did go jet skiing this morning. We had fun and will definitely plan to do it again. The need for speed on the water offered excitement and a refreshing activity for a hot July day. We'll hang close for the rest of the afternoon and get ready for another fun-filled week of recreation to include hula hoop games, a marshmallow roast, ghost crab hunting and much more. Did we mention that we are now offering aquacise in the mornings? We never would have thought we would like it much but it really does give you a good workout without all the sweat and pressure on the joints. "That damn aquacise" is still heard occasionally when Kathy feels the results later in the day, but she knows it is good for her.

The traffic has really picked up on the island making every trip, short or long, a lesson in patience. The baby geese are about as big as their parents now. We have enjoyed spending our days watching them grow.

Enjoy your days and stay safe.
K&J

Crabfest Update and Other Stuff

Crabfest was wonderful! The crabs were tasty even if they were a little on the 'hot and spicy' side. We ate crab until the juice ran down our elbows. And the company was pretty good, too! The majority of the workampers were able to get together for crab and comraderie - ummm, ummm, good. Only a passing cloud and a couple of drops of rain, not too shabby.

Otherwise it's been work, work, work - or should we say fun, fun, fun!?! Our 'work' looks like fun to everyone else, and most of the time it really is just plain fun. It would seem that everyone envies our jobs, but sometimes it is tough work. The temperature is heating up here in the OBX, as well as the humidity. Being on the beach and playground sounds great, but can be rough. Sunscreen and antiperspirant are our best friends.

The two remaining baby geese are now just smaller versions of the parent geese. Their feathers are in and they are colored just like the adults. The baby ducks... well, that's just a sad story. There were two groups - now reduced to one small group of just three orphan babies and one of them is crippled (probably from a turtle bite). The cats around here are huge and do what cats do (like eat what's available). Everyday we look to see the latest count of baby ducks.

Monday we were at the beach working on a huge group sandcastle learning and practicing stacking techniques, how to make walls, bricks, and all the good stuff. Yes, it is a hard job. One of the workampers (Judy) is very skilled at working with sand and has taught us lots of cool techniques. We are still unskilled newbies, but willing to watch and learn. We toted a lot of water and moved a lot of sand around.

In our off-duty time, we've been flying kites on the beach and acting like tourists. When we have time in the evenings we walk or bike to the beach with our kites and fly them. The airfoil is really easy to get up and has a 50 foot tail. The spinner kite is fascinating and uses the 'magnus effect' (whatever that is) to rotate and fly. Still didn't find time to jet ski this week - maybe next week.

Yesterday we trekked up to Bodie (pronounced body) Lighthouse, then on to Roanoke Island and Manteo. We visited the waterfront in Manteo, which reminds us of a smaller version of River Street in Savannah with the shops and restaurants. We walked a bridge over the sound to the Elizabethan Gardens and museum. Spent some time scratching through the courtyard looking for shark's teeth and other fossils. Afterwards went up to Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head for the only Wal-Mart and groceries at Harris Teeter. We made a full day of it and were wiped out afterwards.

Today we stayed home, stayed cool, and relaxed. The park is quickly filling up for the Fourth of July, which will be a very busy weekend for us. In looking back at the past blogs, we've apparently had a lapse in time. Could be that we're caught up in our work, even though it's not a really good excuse.

WiFi in the park has been splotchy at best, but mostly down. We'll try to do better at posting to the blog.

Have a safe and happy 4th!
J&K

Pictures and Catching Up

Okay, finally transferred the pictures from the camera to help explain the last post. Notice the pic of Jerri and 'Bob the Teacher' who happens to be an avid hang glider and kite flier extraordinaire. Although we didn't kayak, jet ski or fly kites on our days off this week, we are now in search of a multi-line recreational kite to play around with. Bob inspired us with his huge collection of kites which he carefully removed one at a time and flew each one. One looked like a seagull, another was a trick kite, you get the picture. His joy was contagious. He and his wife, Sharon, fed the gulls and love all things that fly.

Kites and kiteboarders were plentiful last week. This picture was taken behind Kitty Hawk Kites in Rodanthe during the Triple S Invitational. A lot of the kiteboarders were packing it in after a day on the Pamlico Sound.

An update on the two remaining baby geese: their flight feathers are beginning to come in. Although they still appear awkward and prehistoric, they are growing into their huge feet. They come up to the coach most days eating bugs and grass (and looking for a handout).

The mama mallard and babies disappeared for a while and we were puzzled why they didn't appear to grow. The mystery was solved when we discovered there are two mama mallards and two sets of babies, one bigger than the other. There are 7 left of the original 11 babies in the first set and 6 babies in the second set. They too come right up to us looking for a handout. They also nibble on toes.... it tickles....

Back to work tomorrow. Planning lots of activities for the next two weeks. We'd love to hear from y'all, too.

Take care and watch your toes.
K&J

When the Student is Ready the Teacher Appears...

No pictures to post right now, but a little news anyway. We picked our first tomato Friday. After gently placing it in the window to finish getting ripe, the plan was to take a picture (as proof) and post the picture on the blog. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the 'little tomato that could' became a prime ingredient in tonight's dinner - and yummy it was!

The biggest news - went kayaking Tuesday amongst all the kiteboarders on the sound and had a great time. Drank a lot of the sound (ugh!) The wind was kicking the waves up so can't say 'smooth sailing.' Wave jumping with the kayak was much better than the side-to-side rocking. Decided this should be a weekly treat - or maybe jet skis next time.

The sound was jamming with kiteboarders down for the Triple S Invitational. Jerri (who is fascinated by extreme sports) has decided she wants to learn to kiteboard. Steve, a longtime kiteboarder we met at the marina, gave her a lesson, some tips, and sent her off to buy a trainer kite. Wednesday we took the trainer kite down south to another less populated beach to try it out. Did we mention the wind always blows in the OBX?

As we were trying to figure out how to tie the leads onto the kite, another teacher appeared. Bob, from Boston, Mass., and an avid kite flyer, stepped in to lend a hand. Bob came to us in the form of an older, kindly gentleman and former head honcho of regional and national hang-gliders. Go figure. Bob's assistance was priceless...

Jerri is now recovering from 'road rash' or maybe a better description is 'beach rash' from being dragged down the beach by the trainer kite. Just on one leg, thank goodness, since she could have gone airborne! Don't let her lie to you - she got an adrenaline rush from it! She'll be back at it on our off days. Don't expect a lot of pictures since I'm usually trying to grab her by the feet to keep her on the ground.

Work has been busier this week with more children around as the school year ends for area schools. We've painted shells, played bucket ball, tossed water balloons, called Bingo and had loads of fun. The weather was a little dicey for a couple of days of rain and WIND.

The geese family is down from 4 to 2 babies and growing so fast. They're at the awkward stage now with really big feet and transitioning from chick fuzz to feathers with a funky little top knot.

About it for now.
Remember to smile more than grumble...

K&J

Holding On To Our Hats

There is no lie about the winds here. They blow constantly and sometimes much harder than one might imagine for an ordinary day. We brought our motor home slide in for several nights just so we could get some relief from the constant flapping of the slide-topper. Our spinner has gotten a true Outer Banks workout and the winds make for some awesome kite-flying.

In a metaphorical way, we held on to our hats as we conducted recreational activities for Memorial Day weekend here at Camp Hatteras. It was a wonderful introduction to what is in store for us. We planned a weekend full of activities for the young and young at heart. Several highlights of the weekend included tie-dying at the beach pavilion, hot dogs by the pool, an ice cream social, bingo and a Memorial Day parade through the campground. We had a blast! Tie-dying is a favorite activity of the Camp Hatteras guests and has quickly become one of our favorite activities, as well. There is nothing like creating a work of art out of dye and then dunking it in the ocean! You inevitably get hit by a wave as you are dunking your shirt, which can be quite refreshing and can only make one smile.

Our new favorite beach sport is called bucket-ball. It is very much like horseshoes only with softballs and buckets. It is a lot of fun. You can meet a lot of people on the beach and we actually get paid to play! But trust us, playing can be hard work!

We are in awe of this beautiful place and even more in awe of what a wonderful opportunity we have to work in such a beautiful place. We continue to get to know our fellow workampers and we enjoy hearing about their travel experiences. We are able to spend time talking to our guests and learning about their experiences, as well. We met a family from Screven County, GA this past week. What a small world it is, indeed!

The Rodanthe Pier is a short ways down the beach from us. The sunrises and the sunsets are breathtaking!

The tans are coming along nicely (even Kathy has color)!

Until next time...
Be well and keep in touch when you can.

K&J

Working Among the Waves

We have officially taken on the roles of Activities Directors at Camp Hatteras. We are now known as the "Rec Girls" by most. Our first two days have been full of new ideas and procedures. We spent this afternoon tie dying our Camp Hatteras staff shirts as a trial run for our big upcoming tie dying event Memorial Day weekend. Although we have done tie dying before, the new twist is dipping the shirt into the ocean to set the dyes. What fun we had! We'll be working Thursday through Monday most weeks and off on Tuesday and Wednesday. Hatteras Island during the summer is a lot like being in the mountains during leaf season with the traffic and such. Being off weekdays will be the best deal all around. There's a 'welcome aboard' fish fry for all the Workampers on Monday. We are looking forward to meeting the rest of the crew. The campground is bustling getting ready for Memorial Day, which heralds the beginning of summer season.

Our philosophy is that everyone has a story to tell. We've met some of the nicest, most well-traveled Workampers and campers. Of course, thinking about the next place to visit. Hmmm...... Some of the workampers have been all over the country. We met a camper today from British Columbia that manages a campground in Mexico for part of the year.

Meanwhile, there's a Mama Duck who brings her hatchlings out to the pond next to us every day. The four goose babies are growing every day, but the baby ducks are such tiny things. There were eleven to begin with, now we count only ten.

The kite fliers are fascinating around here. We've found time to make it to the beach most days, even if just for a few minutes. We caught a couple of kite fliers that were literally lifted off the ground at times. And, of course, there are the windsurfers and para sailors on the sound side of the campground with their colorful rigs. Jerri can't wait to try out new things. Kitty Hawk Kites will be bringing in the jet skis and kayaks later in the week. We've been told they sometimes bring in a climbing wall, too. If Jerri doesn't break her neck, we'll let you know how it all works.

From the beach, this is the view of the way home - back to our campsite. Beautiful, isn't it? Yes, we know the weather is not always perfect here, but this day it was.







With all the bird activities around the pond, the dogs are very curious. Then there's an overly friendly cat that comes out in the evening to visit (he's probably feasting on baby ducks, or something), and he drives the dogs wild. Meanwhile, Homer is ever vigilant in keeping an eye on all the comings and goings around our rig.






The laughing gulls are in the pond every day. It's probably a sign that we should 'lighten up' and enjoy life more. Or else, there's some inside joke we're just not in on... Their constant 'laughing' was a little annoying at first, but you quickly get used to the sound. Our campsite is at the corner of Ocean Drive and Laughing Gull Lane (of course!).




There are signs in every gift shop that say, "If you're lucky enough to be at the beach, you're lucky enough." There are other signs that say, "Enjoy the HI life."

Most folks don't leave the village unless they have to. It is quite a trek to go north to Wal-Mart and the nearest grocery store is 17 miles south in Avon.

'Nuff said.

Safe travels and love to all,
K&J

Settling into life in the OBX

Arrived safely on May 7th. What a difference a year makes in crossing tall bridges and such - not nearly as imposing as before. We have a wonderful site on the ocean side in workamper row. We're next to one of the catch & release ponds and have 'new neighbors.' One pair of geese have four goslings that you can almost watch grow.

The dogs immediately settled in like they've lived here forever. There's a very nice grassy area behind the coach, just like a backyard. They don't quite know what to make of the beach, but 'Freaky' Frannie seems better this time around. Can't ask for more than that.

Getting to know our workamper neighbors. Some have been returning here for years, others are new like us. It seems to be a good mix of folks. Everyone has been friendly and helpful. This is a very nice campground. We're excited to get started in the rec department.

Camp Hatteras stretches across both sides of Highway 12, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pamlico Sound. We're fortunate to be working in areas on both sides. The sun rises on the ocean side and sets on the sound. There are some beautiful sunsets to be seen. If you ever get the chance to visit, Camp Hatteras has it all! On clear days, we'll be riding our bicycles or walking to work.



We feel extremely blessed to be here. Of course we miss our family and friends. A shout out to Michele at Parkwood! We miss you, too. The winds blow hard across this part of Hatteras. The second night here we experienced a Nor'easter with just below gale force winds. After a little rock'n and rollin' you get accustomed to it. It's similar to the 'whistling' winds in the mountains.



Even though it sounds 'corny,' we've just got to say it, "Life's a Beach." Even grumpy Trouble smiles here.



Love to all...
K&J

On the Road Again...

At least for now... Left Statesboro this morning headed up US 301 to Branchville, SC (near Orangeburg) where we hooked up with I-95 to Florence. Just here for one night, so not extending the slide or unhooking the car.



The WhooHoo Wonder Bus has begun adventuring in earnest. Some adventures will have to wait, like attending Cooterfest (yes, you read it right) on May 8 - 9 in Allendale, SC. No idea what it is, but it sounds intriguing. Somewhere between Allendale and Bamberg we were stopped by a railroad crossing. After seeing three semi-trucks negotiate between the crossing arms, we sucked it up and did it too. Squeezing 36 feet of motorhome towing a car with a ladder on top and two bicycles on the back between two down cross bars with lights flashing, making the 'bing-bing' sound, will surely make your heart beat fast. Must have been a malfunction since no train was in sight.



We ran into a little rain on 301, which totally spoiled WhooHoo Wonder Bus' newly washed beauty, but she took it all in stride. When we hit I-95, the heavier rain set in. Then there's a really rough stretch of I-95 between Branchville and Florence that needs repair in the worst way. The rain stopped just outside Florence and the sun came out. Enough adventures for one day.

All is well in WhooHoo world. Happy Cinco de Mayo, y'all.

K&J

p.s. We just couldn't rest until we learned more about Cooterfest. You too can learn more at www.cooterfest.com and be sure to check out the shirts. This one is our favorite...

Gettin' Ready to Roll

Happy May Day to everyone!! The Whoohoo Wonder Bus went in for servicing yesterday before hitting the trail again. She cranked right up, first try, and seemed eager to get on the highway. With a few tweaks here and there and some basic maintenance, she's good to go. Today she will get detailed and the outside cleaned from bottom to top.

We discovered this helpful tip - if using a degreaser type cleaner on your motorhome (or car) start cleaning from the bottom up (sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it?) to avoid streaking which is almost impossible to blend if you start cleaning at the top and the cleaner runs down. Kudos to you if you already knew this.

Frannie and Homer got their summer hair cuts yesterday while Whoohoo was at the shop. Boy, are they handsome now! Trouble will get her bath today (along with Whoohoo). We'll be visiting with family and friends before pulling out Tuesday. We'll be hitting the road on Cinco de Mayo. We will offer a hearty "Salud" to each of you once we arrive for our overnight stay in Florence, SC and have a cold cerveza to celebrate the day's journey.

Jerri has been reiminscing about the many changes to Georgia Southern University (her undergrad alma mater). She regularly runs through the campus and RAC center and is boggled by the changes. The "new" appears to be winning out over the "familiar." Even the roads accessing campus have changed. Most of the buildings are new and bigger; a lot of the old dorms have been torn down and have been or are being replaced. The campus is huge now and beautifully landscaped. We'll be gone from the RV park before GSU graduation weekend (May 9) when it will fill with families and friends in RVs coming in for the event.

Until our next post.....

Happy travels.

K&J

Statesboro Blues

It's been quite a while since the last blog update. In the meantime, we caught a computer virus that put us out of commission for several months, but we're up and at it again now. Finally got all the music loaded onto the computer and ditched the CDs. Dabbled in learning Facebook as a way to stay in touch, but we really are lousy at Facebook (as in we don't know how to use it). On a more personal note, the house is back on the market and we're hopeful it will sell. Kathy's mom is in the nursing home and not doing well.

We spent the winter in Statesboro, GA, but are getting ready to hit the road again and on to the next adventure. The RV park here was convenient to family and we made friends here from all over the country that will be dearly missed when we leave. Jerri was able to run in several local 5Ks while here and came in first in her age division in two races; Kathy has begun walking in 1 mile 'Fun Walks' (begrudgingly, and says the 'fun' part is a lie).

It's been said before, that you meet a lot of unique folks while RVing, and it's quite true. A couple of weeks ago a bus pulled in two sites down from us with some odd travelers. We decided they were either a rock band or space aliens... turns out they were - "The Flood The Band" from Seattle, WA on their way from Jacksonville, FL to Augusta, GA for a concert. We checked out their MySpace page - not our style of music - but musicians all the same. We've met folks from all over the country and some unusual pets - including a pot-bellied pig and cats that walk on leash. Several college kids live in the RV park and it may be more economical than dorms or apartments.

After a strange winter here in south Georgia, with more days below freezing than we remembered, spring finally arrived. Now, every day brings more humidity and higher temperatures. Summer looks to be a scorcher and we'd rather not be here for that.

Jerri discovered inventive ways to practice and find renewed joy in social work, while Kathy found new interpersonal skills in waitressing. We have found our niche as full-time RVers and now call ourselves 'Workampers.' While we don't like labels, it identifies what we do quite well. We travel around, sometimes work in a variety of jobs wherever we are, and live in the RV. The Statesboro sojourn has been the longest stay in one place to date and allowed us to find both friendship and work near family.

We've also learned valuable life lessons, like 'don't judge a book by its cover,' people are not always how they appear - like the scarey looking punk rockers who are very nice and polite despite appearances; 'my job is not me,' any job done well is satisfying and honorable and does not define or limit who I am; 'RVs are not trailers,' despite a friend who insists on calling our coach a 'trailer.' We've tried to educate her that some coaches cost more than a stick and brick house.

We are sad to leave friends and family but look forward to beginning a new adventure. We'll be leaving Statesboro May 5th for a night in Florence, SC then on to Rocky Mount, NC then off to the Outer Banks where we've accepted summer jobs at an RV resort. If you'd like our new mailing address in OBX, email us directly and we'll give it to you.

You know life is good when you get paid to spend the summer at the beach... Happy and safe travels to all. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

"A snail is never homeless." - Sark