Saturday, February 5, 2011

Getting Excited....

We gave our notice on Thursday to our boss that we've accepted another job. Linda and I have been hanging in with this job since last April but we're both very happy to be getting back on the road.  We never imagined, when we took it last year how negative seniors can be (let's make that downright bitchy), along with demanding, childish and manipulative. If you had told us that last year, I would have thought you were crazy. The floating managers, that we worked with here, said that our community has the worst residents out of the 13 communities in our region and I think that is a pretty accurate assessment. There are a few we'll miss but there are about a dozen of them who complain about everything on a daily basis and do whatever they can to make waves or try to call the shots. They don't want to follow any rules...they want to do as they please, regardless of how it impacts anyone else. Add to that the personnel issues of call offs by employees....A week hasn't gone by with everyone showing up for their shifts as they should and when someone calls off, we have to do the work whether it be housekeeping, serving, cooking  (that was my job on Wednesday for dinner and supper) or dish washing. On top of this, corporate keeps adding more forms, greater expectations for more move-ins and more things that have to get done in a week's time and only two people per shift to get it done. We had planned on taking this job long enough to pay off some things and we did get the truck paid off so that is good. We also got all of our medical stuff taken care of so we are good to go !

So, on to the new job. We will be working for a company that does maps for campgrounds. We sell the ads that go in the color guides. I've been the sales and marketing person here and in my previous jobs so I'll be the one to do the selling and Linda will do the bookwork. We know it will be hard work but we've talked to several others that work for the company and they love it. We can set our own work schedule to work as little or as much as we want (we want to work all year long with some time off at holiday time) and we get two weeks free in each campground where we are working. It brings together the best of everything that we love about being on the road...no long term commitment per an area, make enough money to pay our bills, get home when we need or want to for family stuff and stay in campgrounds where you meet the greatest people ! Our timing coming on board seems to be great as there have been about eleven couples who have retired or quit for medical reasons so there is more work than there are workers at this point in time. We leave here on Sunday, February 20th to go to Montgomery, Texas for our training. We'll be there till March 4th or 5th and then head out to our first assignment. We've told the company that we'll work anywhere in the country and another cool thing....we won't be required to go anywhere where it's snowy or bad weather. (I wasn't relishing going to a place like Maine to do any jobs until summer time and as it turns out, we don't have to.) We'll be training with two other couples in Texas.

Getting things done around here before we go. Boomer went to the vet and groomer yesterday. His heart murmur has disappeared (yippee !) and he looks wonderful with his shaved coat. We go to the masseuse this Friday to use our Groupon coupons good for reflexology and a massage (ahhhhh) and also will get new tires on the RV. Dentist and chiropractor appointments will round out what we need to do before leaving the area. We've been sorting and discarding stuff but have been living with very few items that we actually brought down from the rig. All of the furniture here belongs to the community so all we have to take with us is our clothes and personal items. We have a couple of pots in the kitchen, a few plates and silverware and our table from the rig. It's a neat feeling to think that in a matter of about an hour, you could leave someplace. Gives one a sense of freedom from possessions ! Throw our clothes in an IKEA bag and we are outta here....

We'll keep everyone posted as things proceed. Hoping to meet up with our friends down the road....

2 comments:

Tom and Donna Clapham said...

I sure hope you guys make it to the weat coast as Tom and I would love to get together with you again. We feel like we barely had time to start talking and it was time to go. I'm happy for you and I'm sure you'll do a great job. Too bad about the grouchy seniors - never want to be in that boat!!! Donna Clapham

Unknown said...

Good luck to you both on your next adventure. We hope to cross paths in the coming year.

Safe travels!