LIVING AT ADVENTURELAND

WE HAVE ENJOYED LIVING AT ADVENTURELAND CAMPGROUND, WE HAVE A LARGE LOT WHERE WE SET UP THE X-PEN FOR MAGGIE AND MARLEE.

 

 

 

 

WALT, AN ADVENTURELAND SECURITY GUARD BROUGHT TREATS FOR ALL THE PETS IN THE ADVENTURELAND CAMPGROUND. YOU WOULD HEAR SINGING AND THEN HERE WAS WALT!

 

 

 

MARLEE LOVED HIM AND WOULD GET UP IN THE GOLF CART WITH HIM, BUT MAGGIE NEVER GOT NEAR HIM, HE JUST THREW THE TREATS TO HER.

 

 

I WAS EVEN ABLE TO GROW FLOWERS HERE!!   BOUGHT THESE  HANGING BASKETS FROM THE FFA, THEY WERE PRETTY PITIFUL AT FIRST, DARRELL KEPT SAYING THEY WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL.....JUST GIVE THEM TIME......

 

 

 

 

HE WAS RIGHT....THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!

 

 

 

 

THE GIRLS AND I MET WANDA AND ROSIE RIGHT AWAY AND IT WAS INSTANT FRIENDSHIP.....FOR THE DOGS FOR  AND WANDA AND  I!!

 

 

 

ROSIE REMINDED ME OF OUR  BELLA......THE GIRLS ALL LOVED EACH OTHER....

 

 

 

WE TOOK LONG WALKS IN THE EVENING TOGETHER AND WANDA AND I WALKED TO WORK TOGETHER EVERY DAY  ALL SUMMER LONG......

 

 

 

SHE WORKED IN DIPPIN DOTS.....WE WORKED ALMOST THE SAME HOURS....AND ENJOYED EACH OTHER'S COMPANY. SHE LOVED  M &  M AND I LOVED  HER ROSIE.

WE ENJOYED IOWA CORN ON THE COB.....WOW!! THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD....NAMES LIKE PEACHES AND CREAM.....VERY SWEET!!!

 

 

 

AND I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE IT......OVER AT BANDANAS BARBECUE IN ANKENY, IOWA, I FOUND BOILED GREEN PEANUTS....HAVEN'T HAD THOSE SINCE I LEFT FLORIDA IN 1961 AND STILL LOVE THEM AND HAVE TRIED TO EAT THEM AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK ALL SUMMER LONG.....

 

 

 

ANOTHER WORKAMPER, BOB,  WOULD WALK AROUND THE CAMPGROUND AND GIVE ALL THE PETS TREATS.....M & M LOVED HIM....HE PLAYED BALL WITH MAGGIE!!

 

 

IT'S A WONDER MAGGIE & MARLEE DIDN'T GAIN WEIGHT, BUT WE WALKED ALOT!!!

 

BEV CAME IN JUNE AND WE GOT TO BE FRIENDS...SHE LIVED TWO DOORS DOWN, SHE HAD A VERY NICE DOG, ABBIE. AFTER ADVENTURE BAY CLOSED  LABOR DAY, SHE CAME TO WORK AT RIVER CITY.

 

 

 

 

IT WAS HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO ALL MY NEW  FRIENDS AND WORKERS...BUT IT'S PART OF THIS LIFE, WE ALL PROMISED TO STAY IN TOUCH, AND  WE PLAN ON MEETING UP WITH SOME THIS WINTER IN TEXAS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IOWA STATE FAIR 2012

 

 

EVER SINCE WE WERE HIRED FOR ADVENTURELAND FOR THE SUMMER, EVERYBODY THAT KNEW IOWA TOLD US TO  NOT  MISS THE IOWA STATE FAIR... THAT .IT WAS SOMETHING TO SEE.
 WE LOOKED FORWARD TO IT ALL SUMMER, WE HAD NEVER ATTENDED A STATE FAIR. THE FAIR OPENED THURSDAY, AUGUST 9. ON SUNDAY AFTER WORK, WE DROVE OVER TO SOUTHEAST POLK HIGH SCHOOL AND CAUGHT A BUS OVER TO THE FAIRGROUNDS TO SEE ELVIS IMPERSONATOR, TRAVIS LEDOYT ON THE BUDWEISER FREE STAGE.

 

 

HE WAS VERY GOOD, EVEN BETTER THAN THE ONE WE HAD SEEN IN BRANSON IN APRIL. WE REALLY ENJOYED HIS SHOW.

 

 

 

 

WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO LOOK AT ANYTHING. WE DID NOTICE THERE WAS EVERY KIND OF FOOD AND DRINK IMAGINABLE.  WE WANTED GOOD SEATS, SO WE GOT TO THE STAGE PRETTY EARLY.  IT IS SO HUGE AND THERE WERE ALOT OF PEOPLE!

 

 

 

 

WE WENT BACK TO THE FAIR ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, OUR DAY OFF. WE WENT IN THE AFTERNOON, RODE THE BUS AGAIN, BUT HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO LOOK AT ALL THE STUFF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT.

 

 

 

 

ROWS AND ROWS OF CORN ENTERED IN THE FAIR!

 

 

 

 

AND WATERMELON!

 

 

 

 

WE HAD READ ABOUT THE "BUTTER COW"

 

 

 

 

AND SNOW WHITE......ALL CARVED OUT OF BUTTER!!

 

 

 

 

IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING!!

 

WE ACCIDENTLY FOUND THE MASTER GARDENER'S GARDEN, WHAT AN OASIS!!  NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL, BUT THE KIDS WERE HAVING A BALL!

 

 

 

 

WE ENJOYED WATCHING THE CHAIN SAW ARTIST.

 

 

 

 

COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT HE WAS CARVING.....AND THEN....

 

 

 

 

THERE IT WAS AS PLAIN AS DAY....A FROG SITTING ON A TOADSTOOL!!!

 

AT 7:30 WE WENT TO A BEATLES TRIBUTE... ANOTHER FREE SHOW....IT WAS OK, BUT WE DIDN'T STAY FOR THE WHOLE SHOW.

 

 

 

 

WE WERE TIRED AND NEEDED TO GET HOME TO MAGGIE AND MARLEE....AND TOMORROW ANOTHER WORKDAY.

 

ON SUNDAY AFTER WORK, THE LAST DAY OF THE FAIR, CHRISTINA INVITED ME TO A RASCAL FLATTS CONCERT, HER DAD HAD FREE TICKETS AND SHE COULD INVITE 10 FRIENDS. I RODE WITH HER MOM, ANDREA. THE MUSIC WAS AWESOME!!! AND IT WAS A SOLD OUT CONCERT!!

 

 

 

 

AGAIN, LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE!!

 

 

 

WE WERE SURPRISED AT HOW LARGE THE STATE FAIR WAS......THE SLOGAN FOR THE FAIR  THIS YEAR WAS "NOTHING COMPARES"....WE CERTAINLY WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED!!

 

 

ANOTHER CHECK OFF "OUR BUCKET LIST"!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLAYING AT ADVENTURELAND

IT WASN'T ALL WORK AND NO PLAY AT ADVENTURELAND.  WE ENJOYED THE ACTIVITIES THAT ADVENTURELAND PLANNED FOR THE WORKAMPERS. ONE DAY WE ENJOYED ICE CREAM AND MILK SHAKES.

 ANOTHER DAY A WATERMELON FEED.
 

 

 

ONE OF THE PERKS WORKAMPERS ENJOY AT ADVENTURELAND IS FREE ADMISSION TO THE PARK FROM MAY 19 TO AUGUST 19.SEVERAL TIMES ON OUR DAYS OFF WE WENT OVER AND RODE SOME RIDES.

 

WE LOVED THE RAGING RIVER!!!

 

WE GOT SOAKED EVERY TIME WE RODE IT!!!

ONE DAY, WE RAN INTO PAUL AND NANCY AT THE PARK, FELLOW WORKAMPERS, AND THEY TALKED ME INTO RIDING THE SPACE SHOT. THEY TOLD ME IT WASN'T BAD, THEIR 85 YEAR OLD MOTHER RODE IT. 

 

 

I WAS SO SCARED, DARRELL STAYED BELOW AND HE COULD HEAR ME SAYING THE WHOLE TIME......."OH MY GOD!!!" I DECIDED I'M VERY GULLIBLE, AND WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE. THEY TRIED TO TALK ME INTO ANOTHER RIDE, BUT I  TOLD THEM THEY HAD LOST ALL  ACCREDIBILITY WITH ME.

AND ONE EVENING  ADVENTURELAND HAD A BINGO NIGHT FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES.

 

 

 

 

AND I WON!!! I WON $20.00 IN COMMISSARY BUCKS AND 4 MOVIE TICKETS.

WE FINALLY MADE TIME TO GO OVER TO ADVENTURE BAY, THE WATER PARK, AND WE HAD A BALL!! WE RENTED TUBES AND JUST FLOATED AND RELAXED ON THE LAZY RIVER.

 

 

ADVENTURELAND  HAD PLANNED AN IOWA CUBS GAME FOR US, BUT DUE TO NON-PARTICIPATION, IT WAS CANCELLED. WE WERE DISAPPOINTED. BUT THE DAY BEFORE THE GAME, JOHN AND NANCY, FELLOW WORKAMPERS, TOLD US WE COULD GET FREE TICKETS TO THE GAME COMPLIMENTS OF HYVEE SUPERMARKET.   JOHN AND NANCY INVITED US TO GO WITH THEM.

 

WE HAD A GREAT TIME! WE ATE SUPPER THERE..................

 

 

 

DID A LITTLE SHOPPING...........

 

 

ENJOYED THE IOWA CUBS MASCOT.........

 

 

AND THE IOWA CUBS WON THE GAME!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORKING AT ADVENTURELAND

WE WORKED JUST WEEKENDS APRIL 28 THROUGH MAY 19 AND THEN THE PARK WAS OPEN EVERY DAY. I HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH MY SCHEDULE AT FIRST, BUT IT WAS STRAIGHTENED  OUT.  MY SCHEDULE IS PRETTY CONSISTANT.  I WORK 11:00 TO 4:00, WHICH IS ALL I WANT TO WORK. DARRELL STARTED OUT 9:40 TO 2:00, THAT LATER CHANGED TO 3:00. HE SOMETIMES CHANGES RIDES DAILY AND THEN OTHER TIMES HAS  ONE RIDE THE WHOLE SCHEDULE. HE WAS BEEN ASKED DAILY TO WORK DOUBLE SHIFTS AND RELIEFS, BUT HE HAS DECLINED.  WORKING WITH TEENAGERS HAS PROVEN TO BE A CHALLENGE, BUT AS THE YEAR PROGRESSED RIVER CITY PIZZA ENDED UP WITH A GREAT CREW!

CHRISTINA, MICHELLE, NANCY, WE WORK THE DAY SHIFT AND WE ARE AWESOME!!!

SAM AND JOHN (NANCY'S HUSBAND.)

ADAM AND JOHN AGAIN.

SOME MORE OF THE RIVER CITY GANG.

DONNA, SHE WORKS IN PREP, WHAT A SWEETIE!!

LAURA, SHE TURNED OUT TO BE A BLESSING!!!!!

BOB, WHO WORKS  IN GYRO, AND GAIL, OUR BOSS!!

J.W., A BLUE SHIRT, ONE OF OUR SUPERVISORS.

AND OF COURSE, ANDREA, ANOTHER SUPERVISOR, LOOKS  AFTER US OLD FOLKS, LIKE WE WERE HER GRANDPARENTS.....BLESS HER HEART!!

MORE OF THE RIVER CITY CREW

RUSSELL, HE WORKS WITH US QUITE A BIT IN PIZZA, HE IS A GREAT KID!

AND RAINI, SHE WORKED WITH US ALOT DURING THE FIRST MONTH, BUT THEN SHE MOVED FROM ONE RIVER CITY SPOT TO THE NEXT. SHE IS A VERY SWEET GIRL, DEPENDABLE AND A HARD WORKER.

AND THEN OF COURSE, LA'TASHA, SHE STARTED WEEKENDS  WITH US AT

 PIZZA, BUT SHE MOSTLY WORKED IN DONUTS, THAT IS  HER FIRST LOVE! A VERY SWEET GIRL, THIS WAS HER FIRST JOB.

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THIS IS THE COMMISSARY, WHERE WE EAT AND VISIT.

THIS IS THE SECOND HOTTEST SUMMER ON RECORD IN DES MOINES,  THERE HAVE BEEN TEN  DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE TRIPLE  DIGITS. IT WAS 105 DEGREES IN DES MOINES ON MONDAY JULY 23, WITH OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES THAT HIGH,  TEMPERATURES INSIDE RIVER CITY PIZZA WAS 120 DEGREES.  FUNNEL CAKES, WHICH IS ACROSS FROM US WAS 155 DEGREES.

 DARRELL IS OUT IN THE HOT SUN WITH NO SHADE FOR MANY OF THE RIDES. HERE HE IS HELPING EVERYONE INTO THE RIDE.

 

THEN HE GETS TO GO IN THE SHADE TO RUN THE RIDE.

THIS RIDE IS THE DER FLINGER, WHICH HE HAS OPERATED ALOT,  IT TAKES SOME MUSCLE TO RUN THIS RIDE.

HE GAVE ME A RIDE, IT WAS KIND OF SCARY.

 THE SEASON STARTED  WITH ONLY ABOUT HALF THE NUMBER OF WORKAMPERS EXPECTED, AND AS THE HOT TEMPERATURES CONTINUE, WORKAMPERS CONTINUE  TO  LEAVE.  WE HAVE THE AIR CONDITIONING ON DAY AND NIGHT IN THE RV. WE ARE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO AUGUST 19!