Getting Ready To Roll

Seems like it was just last week that we pulled in to Payne Lake Campground to volunteer for six months. Time goes by way too fast when the place is as beautiful as this. The Forest Service folks had a “Volunteer Appreciation Day” last week to thank us for our work here.

There was a cookout at the day use pavillion, and a lot of the guys and gals came out to say good bye to us and to Rob and Belinda, the camp hosts on the other side of the lake.

They cooked some hot dogs and hamburgers, there was some pasta salad and some baked beans, and I took some Kozy Shack Chocolate Pudding. Everyone had a great time.

Joe gave us all a T-shirt, and each couple received a nice throw with the Forest Service emblem on it. They also gave us a “coffee table” photo book of Alabama. They all said they were sad to see us go. And we are just as sad to leave. It is very hard to leave such a beautiful place:

But we’ll be leaving in the morning, headed west to Arizona for another season at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. And that is another beautiful place, one we can’t wait to get back to.

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Is It Just Me?

Ok, I have been either a volunteer or a paid worker in campgrounds for going on 10 years. I love what I do, and will continue to do it for as long as I am able to do it.  There are so many rewards of doing this work, that I know I shouldn’t complain. I COULD still be working the 9 to 5 in a stuffy office somewhere and being bored to tears. But….

The thing that really gets to me is when adults who are in charge of a bunch of children break the rules, and when you, as a volunteer or employee, have to say something to them, they almost always say something about it being “for the kids.” The reason this really bothers me is that these upstanding citizens, who give their time to help shape the upcoming generation, think it is ok to break a rule because to obey it would not allow them to do whatever it is they are doing “for the children.” To me, that is inadverdently teaching those children that it is ok to break a rule or a law if you do not agree with it. To me, that has far reaching implications that affect the way those children think and act as they become adults.

The thing that started me feeling like this today was that when I was out doing my rounds in the campgrounds, there was a group of about four men who were hiding Easter Eggs in the primitive campground.  Now, there was only one campsite occupied over there, a site across the road from where they were hiding the eggs.  The people who were camping on that site had gone off somewhere, so they were not on the site, just their tent and “stuff.” And there probably wouldn’t be any other campers coming in to that area today, seeing as it is Easter Sunday.

But, because the rules of the park indicate that people who are there for “day use” are not to be in the campground, I had to say something to them–it’s part of my job as a volunteer here. So, I asked “Are you camping with us today?” and the guy in charge said, “No, but we have a lot of children with us and we thought this would be a good place for the egg hunt.” I told them about the rule, and said they really weren’t supposed to be there, but because they had already hidden most of the eggs I would let them “this time” but they needed to pass the word to others that is it not ok to do this. Then he said, “well, I tried to call the forest service office yesterday to ask if it was ok, but no one answered the phone”, which sounded to me like he was making it the fault of the forest service that he broke the rule.

So, here is the question is, Is it ok to break a rule because you do not agree with it?  And the multiple choice answers are:

1. Karen, you are a hard headed stickler who is just out to spoil Easter for this family.

2. It is ok to break that rule because no one was camping over there, so what difference does it make?

3. Those people meant well, but they are teaching their children that it is ok to break a rule because they don’t like it.

4. If I was camping over there I would be a little ticked off if I came back and there were 20 kids hunting Easter Eggs all over my campsite. And who is going to pick up all their trash?

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April In Alabama

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Cataract Surgery Was A Success!

The weather the day before surgery was beautiful–the flowers and trees are starting to bloom here in in southwest Alabama, so I was hoping it would be a good day for driving to Birmingham the next day. But, that was not to be. We got up at 4:00 a.m. to the sound of a ferocious thunder storm. Luckily, it was heading east ahead of us, so we didn’t actually have to drive in it, but the roads were wet and the sky overcast:

We arrived at the VA Medical Center in Birmingham at 7:00 a.m., a little early for our appointment. They took FabGrandpa in and got him into his hospital gown and prepped for the surgery. They didn’t take him up to the OR until about 9:00.  It didn’t take long for the operation at all. He was out of surgery and back in the recovery area by noon. They called me and asked me to come down to where he was, and when I arrived he was sitting there eating a sandwich, smiling really big and joking with the nurses.

After he got dressed, we had to go over to the Eye Clinic for the to check his eye before we left to come home. When we were ready to leave, they gave him an OH! So sexy pair of shades to wear home:

We were back on the road home by 2:00 p.m.  He has to go back in a week for his post op check-up. This morning, he was already telling me how much better he can see out of that eye. And he was really surprised at how much this whole process did NOT hurt, and how easy it has been.

By the time we got on the road home, the weather had cleared up and the day was gorgeous:

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Pre-Op For Cataract Surgery

See those flags up there? they are blowing so hard in the wind they look like they are upside down! And it was cold!

We spent the whole day today at the VA Hospital in Birmingham getting pre-op stuff done for FabGrandpa’s cataract surgery. We have been working towards getting this surgery done since November 1 of last year.  The appointment with the specialist was two Saturdays ago. They told us to call a week after the exam to find out when the surgery would be scheduled. When I called, they said they didn’t have any time to schedule until the end of April. I was not happy with that, because we have to leave here by April 12 to go back to work in Arizona.

The lady was nice enough but still told me she couldn’t do any better than April 30. I told her to put him on a waiting list in case someone cancelled. Luckily, she called me back in less than 10 minutes and said they had a slot to do the surgery on March 12. That means his post op 30 day check up will be on April 9, and we can get back to work on time!

Today, we had another consultation with the opthalomogist at the eye clinic, who took measurements for a new acrylic lens implant they are going to put in during the surgery.  The doctor also answered all our questions about important things like how they handle pain management, how long the surgery will take, and how long FabGrandpa will have to abstain from playing “Left For Dead” after surgery.

Then, we went back over to the main VA Medical Center, where they drew blood and did an EKG. We also visited the anesthesiologist and the people in the Eligibility. The last stop was at the pharmacy to pick up three prescriptions eye drops.  All this took about four hours, but it was well worth the time spent as we have no other health insurance.   So, next Friday, March 12th, is the big day.

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Scenic Sunday

Taken on the road to Greensboro, Alabama on February 18, 2010.

For more Scenic Sunday photos, click here.

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