Sunday Morning Thoughts

Good morning on our next to last Sunday at the carnival.

We have had a long and busy week ~ Ron had Wednesday off but spent two and half hours at the laundromat doing 4 loads of laundry. Now we each have enough white t-shirts to make it through the 26th. After that I don't think either of us will be wearing a white shirt for quite a while :)

What we are doing? Ron is one of the circle supervisors in Sillyville (Kiddie Land). He gets to wear a radio! He has to make sure each of his rides has enough operators, that operators get their breaks and lunches, troubleshoots problems before they become big problems and walk around a lot! Pat, the head guy over Sillyville said he was going to knock another 20 lbs off Ron by the end of the Puyallup. You go Pat! Dr. Moore will be so happy. Ron has to be there at 8:30 on the weekends and 9:30 Monday thru Friday. He gets off each night somewhere around 11:00/11:30.

I am at the Customer Service window in the Majors. I am right across from the Matterhorn (with lots of blue lights, ride operators asking the customers if they want to go faster ~ which they in turn yell YES!) next door to the Jumping (these big circles with seats in them that go up and out, has loud music and many multi flashing colored lights) and across from Sinbad (my favorite ride! Hope I get the chance to go on it again before the Puyallup is over. It is a giant magic carpet that goes sideways and then up in the air in huge circles). I will try to get pictures of them at night one night this next week. I have had a couple of afternoons where I got off at 5:00 or 6:00 and one day I didn't have to go in till 4:00. That was when we had 4 customer service workers. Jaylene had to go off to school so now we are three: Dani 1 and Dani 2, they both work in Sillyville and me. Dani 1 is the breaker. So for the next week I will be opening every day which really isn't that bad. Monday thru Friday we don't open till noon so I don't have to be there till 11:30. Every third night I will get off early (between 7:30 & 9:00).

Work is busy and tiring but never dull and we only have 7 days to go after today. Plus of course tear down for Ron. The week Ron is doing tear down I am going to sneak home for a few days to pick up the Suburban, grab a few things from the storage unit, SEE OPAL, Jamie & Suzanne, hopefully sleep in ~ well as late as I can at Gerald & Sandra's, have a cup of java with my mail lady and hopefully see a few friends and then heading to the doctor's (nothings wrong - just need to check in so I can get my prescriptions refilled) before heading back to Puyallup to meet back up with Ron. I will let you know where and when I will be at in Blaine.

Have had a few characters at the Customer Service window: "my bracelet fell off. Well where is your receipt? Ummm I didn't get one....Ummm that doesn't work for me ~ no receipt, no new bracelet." That is one trick they like to pull so they can get a bracelet for free.

One lost little boy ~ AJ. What a cutie. He is 3. We reunited him with his momma and papa and cute baby sister after only about 10 minutes. Found out the parents were a bit frantic as he had been gone for over 30 minutes. Walked from Sillyville down to the Sinbad by himself before a kind citizen found him sobbing and brought him to me. Made me think of Christopher and what would he have done if he gotten separated from Brandon or Danalyn. A good reminder to parents ~ teach your children as soon as they can talk your name, your full name. And next time you are in a big crowd put your name and cell number on a sticker in the center of the little one's back so you can be found quickly.

We have had many cell phones, wallets, credit cards and even a few drivers licenses turned into the lost and found. Most have not been reunited with their owners ~ secure your belongings before going on bouncy, flying rides!

I have found a good place to get a taco salad here at the fair. Pancho's under the grandstand. $6.28 for a great chicken taco salad, the ground beef one not so good. I will be splurging next weekend and getting an elephant ear, some corn on the cob, and of course a fair burger! I am hoping Ron and I can have some time off together - I think that will happen Wednesday - he has off all day and I get off early in the evening ~ so that we can share an Earthquake burger. I have heard they are scrumptious.

One issue we have developed is a leak in the window of our bedroom on MY side of the bed. It has rained hard here for a few nights...and the rain water just flows in through the top of the window, down the window and onto the floor. We have bath towels drying in the bathroom, over the passenger chair and of course one on the floor on my side of the bed. Of course I never know how wet it will be in the morning - it's a surprise every day! Hopefully it will not be raining on Wednesday and Ron can reseal it.

Prayer Request ~

Rob has asked us to return next year. We have not given him our decision as we would like to sit down with him for a few minutes to discuss a few things ~ like what will we be doing? who will we be working for? compensation? We are asking for prayer that God will give us clear direction and a peace in our hearts as we plan for next year.

Also, we are still looking for work for this winter. I will be back at Northwood as secretary sometime in October. But that is not enough for us to live on. Work for this winter is also dependent on our decision for next year. I think you get the picture.

Well I hate to cut this off but the timer just went off and I need to finish getting ready for work and walk over to the fairgrounds. I will catch up with more news soon.

Love and miss you all! Alice