A moment in time. The wedding

Friday morning my brother and his wife and my son and my grandson all met Jeni and I at Park Sierra for a trip to Sacramento in the RV for our Daughter Katie's long awaited wedding.We got into Sac. about 1pm. Our sister in law Martha had to get certified as she is doing the honor of marrying Katie and Bill.The rest of us were busy hustling and bustling about in preparation of the ceremony at noon Sat.Friday afternoon was the rehearsal and that evening we had a dinner for all the family at "Hacienda Del Rio" in Folsom. One of our favorite places for Mexican food, except this occasion where our 6:30pm reservation turned into an 8:45pm "fiasco" including "sub par" food and a "surly "manager that looked about 17 yrs. old! If your ever in Folsom Ca. on Sutter St.Pass that place up! We won't be back! Anyway At 7am Sat. morning our son and daughter,my 2 brothers,and our sister in law Martha headed to the park to decorate for the festivities.Oh! did I mention that is was a Thousand degrees outside.Well it felt like it but we managed.Jeni had this ice chest the size of "Omar the tent makers"coffin and she sent my brother Gary and I to Costco for the food,water, and Ice.Once we got that "Behemoth" loaded the car was trying to "pop a wheelie" all the way home.That "sucker" was heavy! Jeni was smart, all the water(140 bottles), soda stored in the RV,and soda,beer brought in all toll probably topped 700 drinks and it was basically gone by 3pm.All in all it was a great time had by all and Daughter Katie,She was Beautiful in her wedding dress and that "million dollar" smile.It was her day to shine.

The thing that made this very special for Jeni,myself,and Katie was that Katie's aunt Martha did the ceremony and married them.Kate and her new husband Bill are now Mr.and Mrs. William Hise. Katie has lots of friends as she is very "social". She gets that from my Father.He never Knew a stranger, as they say.One of her best friends that shes known forever is Jamie.That's them in the picture 2nd pic.from the top of the page.they and their kids are very close.
Jeni and I would like to thank our family for all their hard work to make it a special day for Bill and Katie".Through thick and thin,good times and bad,you are always there for us;THANK YOU.

All the pictures we posted are very special that we wanted to share but my favorites were my grand kids. Me sitting with Aiden(with glasses) my son Dan's son and DJ my Daughter Jackie's son.Also the picture of the lovely bride and her beautiful Daughter Alyx,my granddaughter.I love them both.(top pic.)

You know in life when you have something that seems to become a snapshot in your mind,an image that is there forever.Saturday,watching everyone celebrate,looking at my Daughter's smiling face,watching my family,my wife,kids and grand kids,enjoying themselves,that was my "moment in time".I will remember that image forever.

Good luck Bill and Katie.

er

site seeing

Sunday Jeni and I decided to do some exploring so we checked out the little town about 5 miles up the road. Coarsegold, it is an old mining town like so many in the foothills of the Sierra's.It has the old western flavor of the small shops and restaurants.on weekends they have lots of vendors selling almost anything you can think of. Jeni was looking at this little "condo" thinking we could put it on our lot for guests,or for me when I'm in trouble.......I don't think so!

Next we headed for Oakhurst, a bigger town about 13 miles from Park Sierra. It has a Vons and Raleys grocery stores, banks, lots of great resturants, and a huge "true Value" hardware store. We checked out the stores but we didn't try the restaurants this time.Hwy 49 intersects hwy 41 right in town where it dead ends but you can take 49 and head north towards Mariposa and on north.

Before we started our adventure we had Breakfast
at our favorite place, "Chukchansi Gold" casino.

It is a pretty large casino for an Indian casino. It has a resort hotel where the rooms start at $150 a night. An indoor outdoor pool with swim up bar and all sorts of great restaurants and a "killer" buffet. We love the Wed. night seafood buffet for $8.99. They also have live entertainment on the weekends and have an outdoor stage for "top name" talent. "Three Dog Night" was here last week and Regis Philbin is here in a couple of weeks.

Monday we woke up to rain showers and much cooler weather. Once the rain cleared we sat outside and enjoyed our coffee on the little deck. It's been hot here this last week or so the cooler weather has been a welcome break.

We have met some great people here at the park and we have started playing cards on Friday nights in the "club house" with two other couples.

Tuesday nights the members have a "dinner out" where you sign up and they all meet at a different restaurant each week. We went this Tues. with them to Oakhurst to the "Sweetwater Steak House". We had a ball and the food was great.
When we first came into the park a couple of months ago,there were 150 people out of the park traveling,but now the park has more people in the park so more social activities have started. We now have bingo night and on Thursday evenings we play a game called "Peton", it is like "boccie but not as precise.after the game(men vs woman) we have a"potluck"barbecue.Lots to do here at Park Sierra.
Next week on Friday we are heading to Sacramento for Daughter Katie's Wedding. We are so excited! It will be an outdoor wedding and it will be an honor for me to walk her down the isle.
We should have pictures to share the following week.

Fitting in

Well Jeni and I have been getting used to life as a member of Park Sierra although we are not members yet. We are still workamping and volunteering and attending meetings to learn about the park. We have met a lot of nice people here as with us working here ,you interact with everyone.
As with any community, fitting in and doing your share is essential to a great "park sierra "
experience.I enjoy going down to the "pole Barn" in the morning to meet up with my "peeps" and pair up for our "chores of the day".A quick cup of coffee and load up the Golf cart and we are off. I'm usually paired up with the other workamper Sean. His mother is a member of the park. He is about 20 years younger than I am and a great worker. We have been working on upgrading the water system at the park and that translates into lots of "hand digging".Combine this, the hot weather lately,and your coworker that is 20 years younger,"ole Phil" is having trouble keeping up! It is the hardest work I have done since Jeni and I started fulltiming!
I got a little too much heat yesterday and this morning Jeni said "only work til break time today'. I told her I would see how I felt,Hey, I'm "the man",I don't want to be embarrassed in front of my "peeps"right! Well I worked til break time,then me and my fellow "peeps"(workers) went to the clubhouse for cookies and coffee and I was confident that I could work til 1pm. I felt pretty "cocky"As we all walked through the doors at the clubhouse.Suddenly my "cocky attitude" took a turn straight south! There was Jeni sitting at our table!!! "What is she doing here!"Why is she sitting at our table!"Everybody set down, had a cookie ,and chatted with her as.I sat squirming in my chair,"what is she doing here!"As break time was over we all headed back toward the door when I felt these"eyes"boring into the back of my head.I turned around and Jeni was giving me "the look!"I knew I had to make a tough decision fast."Sorry boys I won't be going back to work with you today." My wife cares about my well being.that is not a bad thing.I had her take me home.I sure love her.

Sacramento and back

Nothing but good news on the Doctor front for Jeni and I. We spent Thurs and Friday in Sacramento visiting our respective Dr's getting checkups.Boy I remember back when you only had one Doctor, now they are all specialists.Jeni and I each have three for our specific needs.Thank god for "union" insurance!

We headed back to Park Sierra Friday afternoon with our Daughter Jackie and grandson DJ in tow.They followed us and stayed with us Friday and Saturday.We had a great weekend with them. Jeni and DJ enjoyed the covered porch on our site as we just enjoyed the park ,played table games and barbecued.Sunday Jackie and DJ headed home and Jeni and I rested so we are ready to go Monday at the park.Speaking of workamping, Wednesday another workamper and I were locating a water valve in the park.It was for the main water supply and the park Mgr. wanted us to try turning it off and on to make sure it's working.They call it "exercising the valve."Well, I turned it and nothing.It would not move. I put a little muscle behind it and it started to turn.I put a little more pressure on it and "SNAP" Here came the water.LOTS OF WATER! I broke the valve and water was gushing everywhere! Panic set in." Where do I turn it off" as the only place you could turn it off at I thought was the one I broke! The park mgr. was not a" happy camper" he scrambled to get a set of plans to see if there was another way to get the water turned off. Meanwhile, 250 residents of the park had no.........WATER!!! I thought to myself as I stood there in shock,"this will be the shortest workamping job in history!"......"Jeni is going to kill me!" Lucky for me we located another valve and got the water turned off so we could fix the valve and get water to everyone.The park Mgr. said "it was no body's fault and all seemed well and I think I'm back in good graces with him.But,I have noticed the friendly people of the park have been waving at me with one finger,and their golf carts have been coming "Dangerously" close to me as I walk the park.....Hummm.

Park Sierra musings

Here is a picture of our "workamper site".It overlooks a gentle sloping canyon.It has a covered porch with a porch swing that looks out over the canyon.This is a delight for Jeni as she enjoys sitting out on the swing and reading in the afternoon.

We are both enjoying the volunteering here at the park.We were a little worried that not being members yet,and getting a free site might "outcast" us a bit with the members,but everyone has been great.They treat us like family.My work day consists of showing up at the "pole barn"(maintanence shop) at 8am.There is a park manager that assigns us our tasks according to urgency and difficulty.So far I have done a wide range of things,repairing waterlines,the septic system,patching asphalt,tree trimming,running the various equipment consisting of,backhoe,skiploader,chipper,chainsaws,and the dump truck.They pretty much take care of all maintanence in house.Breaktime is about 10am where we congregate at the clubhouse for coffee and cookies."lots of cookies"!Back to work at 10:30 and done by noon.

Jeni has been working in the office and is getting involved with some of the social ladies groups here in the park.We have met alot of the members by being involved in so much of the happenings at the park to see if we will fit in and be happy with living here when we are members{#35 now).So far we are impressed and can't wait to join.

I am amased at the spunk of the people here.They are up to the challenge every morning.If it is broke,needs repair,or replaced. No matter what it is, they pool their vast knowledge and abilities to get the job done.And some of these guys are in their 8os! Yea,I have a hard time keeping up with these guys. This is a close knit community for sure.

Here you are known by your first name and site number, hence Phil and Jeni site#426. If you are single it's your first name and site number only.I was surprised to learn that there is only a few single guys but alot of single gals in the park.Jeni has already told me not to get any ideas or it will be Jeni at site #426 only! "ole" Phil will be "dearly departed."

The main transportation here is golf cart.Big,small, all styles, and color.And when your out and about in the park,you better wave and say hello or they wonder if your an outsider and their security has been breeched!

This is an "escapee" park which is an RV club that supports the RV lifestyle. They have parks like ours at many locations around the U.S. They are very low cost and secure to stay at as you travel,but you must belong to the Escapees to stay at their parks.

We will be heading up to Sacramento Thurs. and Fri. for Dr. appointments and seeing the kids of course.

Workamping begins

Monday we start our workamping job here at Park Sierra. We have moved from site#421 to a nice spot with a view site#426.We get a golf cart to get us around to do our duties while we are here.It is a three month contract which takes us until the end of the year.As with most volunteer jobs there is no money but you get free rent, utilities ,laundry, and propane.In return we give them 24 hours a week between both of us.The work is always easy and the camaraderie is priceless.

My brother Gary and his wife Martha stopped in for a visit Friday(this is the only picture I have of them together from a couple of yrs. ago at Aidens soccer game.).They were on their way back to San Diego after a vacation that led them to Oregon.We showed them around the park and they seemed really impressed.Martha especially liked the dog run here at the park. As we strolled up, the people with their dogs started showing up and the dogs didn't disappoint as they put on a show for us.I would guess that about 90% of the population here has dogs.Jeni and I were proud of how warm and friendly the members here treated our guests.That is why we chose this place as everybody treats you like family.Friday night we played "skipbo"as I refused to be humiliated at "hand and foot"again. But alas,Gary and I got beat by the girls.I quit!No more cards!........Damn cards!

Saturday we all went to the casino for breakfast but managed to stay away from the slot machines.The last time we all were in Vegas, Gary and I found a "three Stooges"slot machine and played it all night.The girls were not happy with us as every time you made a bet it would sound off"whoop whoop whoop whoop" like Curley used to do.It also broke us both.

Today we moved the rig over to our new site and got set up.The only drawback was a light rain that fell all morning.It sure cooled it down here though.

We sure enjoyed seeing Gary and Martha this weekend They are great! Martha always brings along gifts for us.(yummy) We are a close family and our kids and grand kids are very lucky to have them in their lives.When the "going gets tough", they are always there for all of us.

Good friends,good food,Damn Cards!

It's been a quiet week here at the park. Me helping out with the "work detail "crew,and Jeni staying with the physical therapy for her knee.


We got the news this week that we have been accepted for the" workamper"position here at the park.We will start on the 24th of August.and work through December.Jeni will work in the office a couple days a week and I will keep doing what I have been doing. Were so excited!


We had a nice surprise Thursday as our friends Stan and Diane Shelstead stopped in for a couple of days.They got the site right next to us.When Jeni got a call Wednesday from Diane saying they were stopping by for a couple of days,my first thought was "uh oh," She read my blog blaming her for my card playing woes",but when they arrived, not a word about my "slanderous"accusations in the blog! Hmm,maybe she didn't read it?


We all went out to dinner Thursday evening for Chinese food in Oakhurst,a liitle town east of the park.The park manager had suggested the place to Jeni and Diane when they were checking into the park.The food was great and the owners treated us like family.The husband and wife included us in their lively bantering between each other.The husband was putting up shade screens on the windows of the restaurant while his wife of oriental decent,and her broken english kept us laughing as she kept her husband ,the cooks,and the waitresses on the move.I think they all were related.Back at the park,those "dreaded" words were spoken by the ladies,"HAND AND FOOT ANYONE'! Stan and I "cringed",but we knew we were doomed.Cards!We decided to play over at the clubhouse at the park.Stan and I thought that a neutral card playing site might be just the advantage we need.......WRONG! We got whipped by the girls again!


Friday Stan and Diane got to enjoy the park while I did my volunteer thing and Jeni her Phy.Thrpy.thing.Diane made a nice dinner Friday evening,we had hamburgers and this "fabulous" coleslaw she made.She is a great cook.Last winter at the potlucks where we all volunteered,she made some "yummy dishes".


After dinner,what else; Cards! Stan and I took another "trashing" at the hands of the ladies."That card game sucks!"I hate it!" Well the girls took pity on us and decided we would play C.L.R. A dice game where you play with dimes and roll the dice and have four options,C-put your dime in the center,L-put your dime to the player on the left,R-put your dime to the player on the right,and -a dot- means you keep your dime.The object of the game,be the only player with dimes and win the pot which is the dimes in the center.We all had fun playing and the tension of the dreaded card "trashing" was gone.


Saturday morning,we said our good byes as Stan and Diane headed south for more adventures.Jeni and I were sad to see them leave as I think we have all grown to be good friends.Hopefully we can meet up with them this winter somewhere.


I gave Jeni a tour of the "pole Barn" Sat. afternoon.this is the huge maint.bldg.that us volunteers meet at to get our tools and instructions for the work day.She was surprised how big it was and how many tools they have.I will try to get a couple of pictures of it,to give you some idea of the place.


Saturday night they had a dinner at the clubhouse for all of us.They served "pork loin",mashed potato's,green beans,salad and ice cream for dessert,and coffee all for $7 bucks.What a deal.

We met a lot of new people and Jeni made some contacts for volunteer work.A guy I have been working with this past week,George is an avid golfer.I told him that I would get my clubs out of storage in Sacramento and play with him in a couple of weeks.A guy and his wife at our table from Florida wanted to play golf while they were here so I "hooked" them up with George.I don't know if George was happy about it or not.

Monday we leave for Riverside for a couple of days to see our son and hopefully the Grandsons.Jeni also has a Dr.appt.for her knee.We should be back in the park Wednesday.

I love this time of year for sports as the baseball pennant races are heating up and NFL football is back with the preseason games going on.I sure don't get much done around the house and I put on a few pounds as I turn into a "couch potato" this time of year,but it's the"buena vida" time of year for me.