Looks can be deceiving

On first glance life here is relaxing and simple. A hammock I purchased ten years ago in Costa Rica is right at home in our front yard, we've enjoyed more family meals on our porch than inside the house, the kids spend hours outside driving their cozy coupes around the driveway.








We can even walk to campfire programs without leaving home.



In case you are turning green with envy or are about to click over to a different blog because you can't stand my bragging let me assure you that there is more to the story. MUCH more.






Take this picture for instance: Sure, the kids have a big driveway to play in, but it also gets used by huge wedding receptions to park the band's full size semi. The Gator behind Julia is also parked in the driveway because (especially on the weekends) we are constantly running out to the campground. Notice the big black garbage bag in the back of the gator? A camper decided it was too much work to drop the bag off at the dumpster on her way out so I got to retreive it from her site. At least she put her garbage in a bag. The guy at the site next to her left 30 bottles on the ground for me to pick up.

Those types of things I can handle.

Double bookings at the same shelter?

Not so much.
Saturday didn't start off well and it most definitely didn't end well. With one family breathing down my neck I spoke with the other family about their shelter permit. An hour later, both groups were grilling and getting on with their parties. I on the other hand was hustling through the grocery store so I could get back to the office on time for my regularlily scheduled office hours from 1-3 (which usually becomes 1-4).

Now look in the way background of the same photo and you'll see two tents. Up close they look like this:

The bride and groom set these up Saturday morning for their evening reception. All fine and dandy until a storm rolled in and lifts the tents up in the air only to drop them back down on 50 people sipping fruity cocktails. Thank goodness my in laws were here so they could hustle the kids into the house while Brian drove through the campground to check on campers. I ran to the barn to assess the damage. One lady had a bad bruise, but it was the woman on the ground unconscious that got my blood pumping. Four firemen who happened to be attending the wedding took over the first aid while I scrambled to call for an ambulance. It was chaos. I don't know how rescue workers do their jobs day in and day out.
The young lady was transported by ambulance while the other injuries were treated on site. I never did see my kids again that night. Grandma and Grandpa put them to bed while I tried to tame the crowd that got back into the party mode rather quickly after the storm. I was really hoping they'd call it a night so I didn't have to worry about the noise from their live band. The show went on though and donning one of my many hats I wear as part of this gig, I became the Party Pooper when I had to tell the band that the show was over. In a nice way of course. :)

Forty minutes later I mopped the last guest out the door and then spent the next 15 minutes telling them they needed to go back to their campsites or go home. Drunk people are not fun. Calling the Sheriff's office is not fun. Working 14 hours in one day is not fun.

Do I still love it here? You bet I do! (Even after the raw sewage spill I dealt with on Sunday afternoon.) You might have to wait a little longer for me to post anything though because I spend all week recovering from the weekends. That, and I haven't quite perfected the art of blogging from my hammock. I'll get right on that....