Monday, September 14, 2009

Winding Up to Wind Down

091409: I'm going to post early today, because there are many things happening today and I don't know entirely where the day will take me. I owe you, the reader, the customer, many photos from the summer and I'm still thinking about them, but for right now I'm going to put them aside. I'm going to concentrate on picking up my camera again and enjoy the thrillllll of the capture.

Yes, I said thrilllllll! I have always enjoyed, loved the art of photography and it is exciting to me to capture a scene from my viewpoint, that I now share with the world. I often take multiple photos of the same scene, but each one is just slightly different. And I know which photo is the best, too, when I've captured it. Often I say outloud, "That's the one." And even later when I'm reviewing all photos on my computer I can see that I was right and that one photo is the "one." Anyways, I digress ('cuz I need more coffee.)
So yesterday, we took the fingers off the North dock - she's winding down her seasonal commission. It was quite the laborious task for me since I chose the job of actually removing the fingers vs. driving "Big Blue." (I like driving "Little Blue" - but she's in the shop right now, stripped down to two tires, etc., having multiple, mid-life procedures done...) So today, after yesterday, I'm suffering from "single jack arm." I'm more of a "hammer" girl, so the single jack wore me out a little!
After we finished with the fingers, my dad came down for a visit and at some point we were in the office together. We listened to a few messages on the machine left earlier in the morning. We were quite amused to hear several messages from a friends/customers that were watching the finger-ectomy on our LakeCam! Sometime soon we will be taking the North dock out of the water. Wait until you see that - my job is to run around and save all the little crawdads!
I like that job even better than driving Little Blue!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

A Preferred Preposition

091309: Years ago, my mother watched me driving the tractor around doing the necessary things that a tractor & driver would do and she exclaimed, "You are not your mother's daughter!" Yes, it's true, kinda.

For many years I spent too many hours inside, in suits and in meetings. Now I relish living on a lake and being on a tractor or on my golf car and out of the city. Actually, if I think about it more, it's not that I'm not like you mom. I just prefer to be like this.

With a little soaps afterwards....

Friday, September 11, 2009

Heavy. Silence.

091109: Life is beginning to return to normal. Yet, "normal" is a relative term for each of us, isn't it? I can say that our lives have taken on a new definition of "normal." Life is what it is, never the same as before.(One of my favorite photos from this summer.)

Now is the time of year that we reflect on the recent past as well as look forward to the future months. The years and seasons are flying by, beginning to add up to the sum of many memories - all of which shape and define our normal lives. Essentially we never forget the past that has brought us to this place and time, and we look forward to each day. I hope you do, too.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

It's the Principle

090309: I've used alot of analogies to describe our own lifestyle here at Topaz Lake RV Park. But I like the "Gumby Principle" the best. I told someone in the Park this summer about the Gumby Principle and they laughed at the accuracy of it but yet practicality. Here it is: (Are you ready?) When life, even daily life or hourly life, seems to be pulling you in many directions you have to "be Gumby" aka be flexible, go with the flow. If you stiffen up, you end up fighting the flow and get much less accomplished. Here's a good example: Recently in the news it was reported that a skydiver fell 10,000 feet (videoing taping it on his helmet) when both of his parachutes failed to deploy properly. Now here's where the gumby principle came into play - he blacked out while falling, and landed on a roof. It was reported that had he been conscious when he hit the roof, he probably would have died as we naturally brace for impact by stiffening up. But since he was a "gumby" (my word) he survived!
The Gumby Principle helps me frequently survive our Topaz days. Of course, I like to be busy, and I thrive on handling multiple tasks. But I couldn't do it without Gumby.
It just occured to me that I might be showing my age a bit when I refer to Gumby. My version of Gumby refers to the flexibility of this clay figure, not his persona - though I can wreak havoc when I want to! And why in the world am I thinking about Gumby right now? Because I've got alot to do today to prep for the holiday weekend coming up, and I've got 17 minutes left before I open up this morning, and I've got to feed the dogs, get dressed and what else? Oh - I'll think of something....
Me and Gumby gotta go.