Big changes! Wonderful News!

It seems like John's been shirking his blogging efforts recently...so...I've decided to step in and post a few blogs occasionally myself. From now on this blog is officially John AND Deb's.

The last few weeks have been ones of changes (again) and decisions.

CHANGES-John is now back working rotating shifts. For the mostpart this is a really positive change. He did not like working as a mechanic on day shifts. It brought him down to say the least. From the moment he was told that he had to go back to maintenance work he had let the powers that be know that he was not happy. He wanted to go back to work as an operations technician. I am happy to say that after 8 weeks on days he was asked to go back to Operations and he is thrilled. He loves learning everything that comes with working in the utility department. He has even been assigned a new duty of learning the computer/control room operations associated with the power house. It has completely rejuvenated him! and...he doesn't mind the long hours and shift work. Me, on the other hand, I miss him and am not completely sold on the rotating shifts, working nights, and weekends that go along with the operator's job. But, I see such an improvement in his mood, that I will do what I have to do to adjust to his new schedule again.

DECISION-Again this year we have not been able to enjoy camping like we wish we could. Another drawback of the shift work is the loss of weekends to go camping! So, a few weeks ago when we were at Countryside Campground , John and I had a serious talk. We have always shied away from putting the camper on a seasonal site at one campground. We felt like that would really limit our experiences at other campgrounds. But, times have changed. John's shift work along with the price of fuel has really crimped our ability to travel with the fifth wheel.

Also...we love going to Countryside. Right up 395 in Griswold, it is close enough to be affordable to get to, yet, far enough away to know that we are not at home. The sites are spacious. The owners are wonderful. The other campers are friendly. We've always loved it there. When ever we are thinking of going away for a weekend trip, our first thought is to go here. Why not then just put the camper on a site there for the entire season? So...after weighing all the pros and cons, that's what we have decided to do. As of next year the Cougar will sit on site #9 at Countryside from May to October. We hope to be able to spend more time camping this way. Perhaps even during the week when John is off, I could go back and forth to work from there, no problem.

I am so happy! and excited and thrilled! First because we've made this decision, second because this is a beautiful site at the campground. In fact, for several years this was the site that Jane and Bob had. It is waterfront on the swimming pond and large enough for us to have lots of company at the campground! I am hopeful that next year will be full of fun, family times at our seasonal site at Countryside Campground!

Plans Don't always work out

Ok so the June vacation down south didn't work out, not the end of the world right?

So now it's the middle of July and my work schedule is just a mess. First I'm working shifts then I get put to into the maintenance shop on days. A 30K cut in pay, just what I need right now. There might be a possibility of going back on shifts but I'm really just tired of the flip flopping and the uncertainty of the future. Enough of that.

We finally pulled out for the weekend to our favorite local campground a pull thru site high on a hill overlooking the swimming pond.

And we had a special guest her first camping trip, We brought Annie with us here is a picture of Annie

Annie and Taffy were great, the only problem they don't like to be left alone so going swimming with Deb was not an option unless I wanted to have to barking dogs left on the site.

We did go to the pond with Deb and watch Friday night.

It was a very relaxing weekend watched the British open and played lots of cribbage and we realized how much we missed going.

Here is a picture of the girls watching Deb swim in the pond.

I think were going to go next weekend.

New Year new attitude

I can't believe it's been this long since I have visited my site. But I'm back and hope to visit and post more often.
The job is going well and shifts are still difficult but I'm still employed that's all I'm going to say about that.
Deb and I have talked about what to do about our camping, with the rise in fuel cost and working two weekends a month we toyed with the idea of selling our 5th wheel and truck, taking a year off or buy a motor home. So what we decided was to keep things the way they are, budget fuel into our trips and make the best of it.
So with that our summer vacation (June) is planned with a return trip to Williamsburg VA for 4 nights and then 3 nights in Washington DC.
So that is a brief update and it won't be long now that we de-winterize.