Daily Journal 2015
Starting off the New Year 2015 we were still working at Yogi Bear Jellystone Park in Waller, Texas. We just finished up Christmas and decided to take a couple of weeks off to visit with Josh & Karen. We were thinking that it was getting time for us to move on, but our obligations to the park kept us there. Gayle had to start the ordering for the season opening, which occurs at the beginning of March with the bears coming out of hibernation, and the Activity Center is in full swing. Before we opened for the summer, BooBoo and Yogi were taken off of the island in the swimming pool and I had to repaint them. We were in charge of the department and had an obligation to stay and keep it running. The only way we could leave is to find replacements, which we decided to work on.
In May we had to drive to Atlanta because Jim's Mom passed away a few days after Mother's Day. We were up there for a couple of weeks to take care of matters, and during that same time we got an offer on our house in Stone Mountain, which we took and closed on the sale on May 30. When we got back to Jellystone we discovered a couple of new additions to our corner of the park where we camped. In particular, there was a young couple, David & Katie, who were in their late 20's and early 30's workamping - David in maintenance and Katie in the store. Both were unhappy with what they were doing and Jim & I decided that they would be great replacements for us as Activity Directors. So, we started the process of convincing Cyd & Joe that they would be good as Activity Directors and Jim & I could resign.
In June everything fell into place; we resigned and David & Katy took over. Jim & I left in the middle of June to start our "Adventure." We were able to travel, that is, until another event took place that changed the direction of our lives. Our first stop was at Tres Rios for a few days and visited the Somervell County Museum and the Speakeasy ruins. We then went to Carlsbad, New Mexico and stayed at Brantley Lake State Park, and visited the Living Desert Zoo, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and Sitting Bull Falls.
From Carlsbad, we drove up to Capitan, New Mexico where we visited the Lincoln Historic Site and the Smokey the Bear site. Our vacation was cut short at the end of July when Jacklyn called us and told us she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and needed us in Florida. We traveled from Capitan, New Mexico to Ruskin, Florida, stopping at Duck Commander in West Monroe, Louisiana on the way. Ruskin is just east of Tampa/St. Pete and were there from August until the beginning of November to help her through chemo treatment. We stayed at River Oaks RV Resort in Ruskin, which was right on the Manatee River. One day we had a visit from the Sandhill Cranes.
We did a little bit of sightseeing around the Tampa area in between Jacklyn's treatments. One day we visited the American Victory Ship, the Henry B. Plant Museum, and Heritage Village.
After she ended her treatment and got a clean bill of health, we traveled to Sebastian, Florida to visit with Bill & Julie for a couple of weeks. They just bought a new house and sold their house in North Palm Beach. We did not do might sightseeing while there, but we did make it to the McLarty Treasure Museum. During our stay in Sebastian, we drove down to Lighthouse Point and visited with Barb & Bob Remley for a day. I went to high school with Barb and have seen her occasionally throughout the years. It was great seeing her again and finally meeting Bob.
From Sebastian we took three weeks to drive back to Houston so we could be there to spend Christmas with Josh, Karen, Ellie & Jason.
Jan - June 2015
July - Aug 2015
Sept - Dec 2015
Starting off the New Year 2015 we were still working at Yogi Bear Jellystone Park in Waller, Texas. We just finished up Christmas and decided to take a couple of weeks off to visit with Josh & Karen. We were thinking that it was getting time for us to move on, but our obligations to the park kept us there. Gayle had to start the ordering for the season opening, which occurs at the beginning of March with the bears coming out of hibernation, and the Activity Center is in full swing. Before we opened for the summer, BooBoo and Yogi were taken off of the island in the swimming pool and I had to repaint them. We were in charge of the department and had an obligation to stay and keep it running. The only way we could leave is to find replacements, which we decided to work on.
In May we had to drive to Atlanta because Jim's Mom passed away a few days after Mother's Day. We were up there for a couple of weeks to take care of matters, and during that same time we got an offer on our house in Stone Mountain, which we took and closed on the sale on May 30. When we got back to Jellystone we discovered a couple of new additions to our corner of the park where we camped. In particular, there was a young couple, David & Katie, who were in their late 20's and early 30's workamping - David in maintenance and Katie in the store. Both were unhappy with what they were doing and Jim & I decided that they would be great replacements for us as Activity Directors. So, we started the process of convincing Cyd & Joe that they would be good as Activity Directors and Jim & I could resign.
In June everything fell into place; we resigned and David & Katy took over. Jim & I left in the middle of June to start our "Adventure." We were able to travel, that is, until another event took place that changed the direction of our lives. Our first stop was at Tres Rios for a few days and visited the Somervell County Museum and the Speakeasy ruins. We then went to Carlsbad, New Mexico and stayed at Brantley Lake State Park, and visited the Living Desert Zoo, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and Sitting Bull Falls.
From Carlsbad, we drove up to Capitan, New Mexico where we visited the Lincoln Historic Site and the Smokey the Bear site. Our vacation was cut short at the end of July when Jacklyn called us and told us she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and needed us in Florida. We traveled from Capitan, New Mexico to Ruskin, Florida, stopping at Duck Commander in West Monroe, Louisiana on the way. Ruskin is just east of Tampa/St. Pete and were there from August until the beginning of November to help her through chemo treatment. We stayed at River Oaks RV Resort in Ruskin, which was right on the Manatee River. One day we had a visit from the Sandhill Cranes.
We did a little bit of sightseeing around the Tampa area in between Jacklyn's treatments. One day we visited the American Victory Ship, the Henry B. Plant Museum, and Heritage Village.
After she ended her treatment and got a clean bill of health, we traveled to Sebastian, Florida to visit with Bill & Julie for a couple of weeks. They just bought a new house and sold their house in North Palm Beach. We did not do might sightseeing while there, but we did make it to the McLarty Treasure Museum. During our stay in Sebastian, we drove down to Lighthouse Point and visited with Barb & Bob Remley for a day. I went to high school with Barb and have seen her occasionally throughout the years. It was great seeing her again and finally meeting Bob.
From Sebastian we took three weeks to drive back to Houston so we could be there to spend Christmas with Josh, Karen, Ellie & Jason.
Jan - June 2015
July - Aug 2015
Sept - Dec 2015