May 11, 2014

Little Manatee River State Park

Wimauma, FL

Happy Mother’s Day

We drove approximately one hour down to my brother’s house in Englewood to celebrate Mother’s Day.

My brother, Jon, mixed up a pitcher of some strawberry concoction. I didn’t partake as I am allergic to strawberries.

My sister-in-law, Margaret, prepared a delicious Asian salad. She also served baked brie, baked garlic and a French baguette. Oh my goodness-we stuffed ourselves so much that we were still full when the main course of steak, roasted potatoes, mushrooms and onions and carrots, was served.

My beautiful mom 

My day on his IPad 

These cute ducks are daily visitors along with several sand hill cranes.

 
It was wonderful being able to spend Mother’s Day with my mom—I feel so blessed.

May 11, 2014

Little Manatee River State Park

Wimauma, FL

Happy Mother’s Day

My beautiful mom-I try never to forget how lucky I am to have her for a mom!

My daughter Renee, who blessed me with two beautiful granddaughters, is an outstanding mother.

 

May 10, 2014

Little Manatee River State Park

Wimauma, FL

We had an extremely LAZY day. Monte did some maintenance on his truck and I went for a ride in the park.

May 9, 2014

Little Manatee River State Park

Wimauma, FL

When the alarm went off at 6:45AM I did not want to get out of bed. I have gotten spoiled being able to sleep until waking naturally.

I began my shift at the Ranger Staten at 7:45 by counting out the money for my till, signing into the computer and filling out the daily shift report. With all that accomplished I wheeled out the rental bikes, unlocked the ice box, firewood bin and the closet that contains life jackets and paddles.

Next I hoisted the flags and swept out the foyer.

Having already exceeded his required work hours, Monte took the day off. 

 After my shift we took a ride to Walmart for a "few" items. An hour and one hundred dollars later we checked out. 

We had purchased a large package of chicken.  After pounding out the chicken, I set a few pieces aside to bread and fry.  A few pieces went into a baggie and put into the freezer to make chicken marsala and another package was set aside with smaller pieces for tacos.  Four large pieces I rolled with ham and cheese, floured, given an egg bath and covered with bread crumbs for chicken cordon blu. 

May 8, 2014

Little Manatee River State Park

Wimauma, FL

I was scheduled to work the Ranger Station in the afternoon but switched shifts with a fellow volunteer who needed Friday morning off. I sat outside reading in the morning and then went for a long bike ride.

Monte took a ride with one of the rangers down to Oscar Shearer SP to pick up a new truck. 

 

In the early evening Monte helped our neighbor put a tarp over his rig because he discovered the roof was leaking during the last heavy rain we had a few days earlier.

All and all it was an uneventful but enjoyable day.

May 7, 2014

Little Manatee River State Park

Wimauma, FL

We have some VIP guests coming this week so everyone was tasked with some kind of cleanup.
 Sharon got the meeting room all shipshape, while Monte tackled the garage.

I worked my first solo shift at the Ranger Station. It was much busier than I had been used to while I was in training. At one point I walked outside to put away canoe paddles and life vests that were returned from a rental. The cabinet is outside the station so I grabbed the phone to take with me. Good thing I did because it rang while I was outside. While I was giving the caller information, an RV pulled up waiting to be registered. When I walked back to the station, I asked the RV to pull up to the parking area and come inside to register so they wouldn’t be blocking the entrance. While I was registering them, the phone rang again and a car pulled up wanting to pay the entrance fee.   That was pretty much how the entire shift went. 

All in all I think I did well. After explaining to people that it was my first day, for the most part they were patient. I only had one grumpy person who came into the station wanting to extend another night of camping. I had to go to a screen to first check if the site was available for another night and then enter the additional night on a different screen. It is a little bit of a process. The gentleman, who had begun huffing and puffing, finally lost his patience and said that he shouldn’t have to pay for full price for the extra night as I had used up so much of his time already.

I maintained my smile as I handed him his receipt and said, "You have a nice day, now."

May 6, 2014

Little Manatee River State Park

 Wimauma, FL

 Our project today was to build shelves along one wall of the back room in the garage that will become an office.  

 We began by cutting pieces for the frame.

 

 I shifted through a container of mixed size shrews looking for the size we needed.

 

 

 

We didn’t have enough 2x4’s so we had to cut a larger piece of wood in half. 

I suggested we try to use some of the pieces from an old cabinet that had been taken apart and was on the pile that was going to be thrown out.  

 A couple of pieces had to be notched out.

 Monte drilling in the last few screws on the top shelf.

 The finished product—not to shabby if I say so myself