Bye Bye July

Magical Thyme Garden

Where did July go??  It slipped by as quickly as May and June.

I went to Human Nature Festival, had one of my best July 4th, went to the Oregon Country Fair (http://www.oregoncountryfair.org/index.php) and last weekend went to the casino in Florence, OR and to the Thyme Garden in Alsea, OR (http://www.thymegarden.com/).  That was all just in the month of July.  Wow, what a busy summer!

I still love being stationed in Lincoln City and having the ocean right across the street.  I love having a fairly constant stream of visitors and taking the occasional mini vacation.  I enjoy working in the office and the weather has been spectacular.

It has really been one of my best summers ever.

There Goes Another One

We have lost another workamper, this time my working partner.  I check the people in and he escorted them to their sites.  We had a great working relationship and I am going to miss him.

This is a new experience for me, so many people leaving, and not on good terms.  Maybe the owners are starting to wonder as well....

The count now stands at 5 workampers gone, 4 still remain. 

Changes

The park started to change the day I came back from Human Nature.  My favorite workamping couple was pulling out the next day.

I have had my issues with management, which I have since resolved, but my favorite couple couldn't get past some of their discontent and had planned on leaving the end of July.  When they talked to the managers and voiced their concerns they were asked to leave, only given three days to do so.

I was so sad to see them leave as they were very social and I could always count on having a good time while they were around.  Next thing I knew another workamper had accepted a full time assistant manager job in California and will be leaving this week.  That makes a total of four workampers no longer working in the park.  What once felt like an over abundance of workampers now feels like an empty nest.  Management seems to think this is a normal process during the summer but this is my first experience of workampers leaving mid-season and I don't like how it feels.

They have asked if I want more hours, my answer being NO, as there are no plans to hire on more workampers this late in the season and few workampers to take up the slack.  I am usually a team player, but the problem has been there has never been a sense of team at play.  That has been the big problem and why my favorite couple wanted to leave.  They wanted to feel valued and that they were part of a family, if only for the summer.  The reality has been that we all keep to ourselves. 

It may be because it is a small park and there are two managers on site.  I feel they are watching my every move so I keep a low profile.  Another factor has been that the managers have a workamping couple they are very close to and the four of them have excluded everyone else in all their gatherings and outings.  When it is so obvious that can cause some hurt feelings.  Remember junior high and that feeling of exclusion?  Kinda like that.

Management is now trying to correct those earlier missteps and we are all being invited out to dinner and they have been particularly friendly.

 I'm just thinking it is a little late for this season but maybe next season things will be different.

Re-Entry

Back from Human Nature Festival.  It was rainy, muddy, buggy and unbelievably HUMID, but I had a wonderful time and watching my son play on the main stage was the absolute highlight.  These young people are passionate about their music, their lives and raising their consciousness.  I love watching them, listening to them and had some amazing conversations.  I want to take them all home with me.

Main Stage During the Day

Main Stage at Night

Benny In the Booth

Ben Spinning at Quiet Camp

Marisa Spinning an LED Hula Hoop

Three Stages, Non-Stop Music

Three Tired Campers (Ben, Marisa and Ralph)

 I was parked very near the main stage and with non-stop music, I slept when I could.  I soon realized I had no ear plugs on board so when it got really bad I balled up some cotton balls and stuck them in my ears.  It helped, a little.  Ralph slept with me two of the nights and eventually we were both so exhausted we made good bed mates.

All I can say is.....I Wanna Go Again!