My First Week At China Camp State Park

This is the entrance to the campground.  The RV on the left is “My Spot II” and the other one belongs to John and Fred.  They will be leaving in November and someone will take their place.

The view from my gate,  We are located right off the bay, but in order to see the water I would have to walk out into the parking lot.  This is a walk-in tenting Campground.

                               

On the way in,before you get to the parking lot is an “en-route” area for fully contained RVs and a group CG.

 

This is the CG that I walk through. Most every weekend the CG is full. Each site has a table, fire ring a food locker and a sign that we flip when it is Reserved.  Then when they leave we flip it back to Open.

On Saturday night there was a Campfire program on Coyotes.  I helped with a campfire and S’mores. 

Lorraine and the volunteer presenter

After the program I walked from the amphitheater through the dark CG back home.  Thank you Ted for my new flashlight.

 

There are a lot of deer throughout the Park.

The south entrance to the Park

There is even a beach at the Village. On the weekends there are kayak and paddleboard rentals.

 

There is the Wharf.

That’s the Grace Quan moored at the Wharf.

I have been attacking a few projects around here.  One is a modification to Angel’s tent.  It was held up by poles that twisted and broke.  I used some of the deconstruction material from the bedroom to make solid sides to put inside the tent to support it.  Angel seems to like it.  That’s her stuffed puppy in the tent that she uses as a pillow.

                                             

Yesterday I had to go into Corte Madera just south of San Rafael to the Apple Store.

                                   

It was crowed and noisy.  Unfortunately I didn’t have an appointment, so I had to wait over four hours before I was seen,  Ever since I downloaded the last upgrade,  I was having problems downloading pictures from my I phone.  Eric was able figure out what the problem was and show me how to do it.  Yea!

The next project is the wall in the kitchen.  I had taken off the wallpaper a while back, but has been difficult removing the industrial adhesive.  I ended up getting most of it off and then sanding off what I could.  I’ve cleaned it with TSP and tomorrow I will paint on primer.

I hope that you all are enjoying autumn as I am.

Thanks for visiting

 

Susan and Angel

Another Quick Post------ I’ve Moved

Yes, I have moved to my new Workamping job at China Camp State Park in San Rafael.

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Saturday was spent getting prepared to move, making sure that everything was put away and secured.  I then drove into San Francisco to pick up Ted when he got off work.  We got back to JD Grant County Park just as the Ranger was locking the gate.  We fixed dinner and relaxed for a bit before getting to bed early.  I had already cancelled my landline and Internet, so there wasn’t much to do and we wanted to get an early start in the morning. I had already said my “goodbyes”, turned in the cart, paperwork and keys, so once I was ready to leave, all I had to do was lock up the utilities and put the closed barricade up when we left.

We were both up before the sun, so I fixed some breakfast.  By the time I cleaned up and put everything away it had started to get light out, so Ted got out the ladder and cleaned the upper half of the windshield that I couldn’t reach and did all the last minute stuff.  We wanted to be on the road before 9:00 before all the bikers that come up Mt Hamilton Road.  We were actually on the road just before 8:30 and after getting gas we were leaving San Jose by 9:00.  On Sunday morning it was smooth sailing up I280 until we got to San Francisco, but even going through the city wasn’t too bad.  We pulled into the Campground by 11:00.  Ted set everything up for me outside and then while I put everything away inside he got my internet working (I can use the park’s Internet—Yea!) and set up the TVs.  Yes, I now have cell phone service and television reception.  

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This is the first time that I have had a fenced in area.  On one end is a split gate for access and for answering camper’s questions.  It is a large enough area so that I can fix up the yard any way that I like. 

 

The parking lot in front of “My Spot II” has the local Black-Tailed Deer using it every day.  When a car comes by they just bound out of the way into the marshy area to the right.  The next picture is the view from the doorway.  Just to the right around those trees is San Pablo Bay.  Directly across the bay is where Ted’s girlfriend Leslie lives. this location will be so much more convenient for Ted to visit.  We actually met Leslie in Corte Madera just south of here for dinner and then she took him back into the city for me.  Thank you, Leslie!

 

On Monday, since I was already set up and won’t be on duty until I go through training on the 7th of October, I decided to check out Samuel P Taylor SP north of here for a possible summer 2016 location.  From there I drove another 5 miles to Point Reyes.  I just went into the VC for information.

                              

I then headed back home and took a few detours just to get the “lay of the land’.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that I was making some modifications in  the MH.  Below is one of them.  I have made an upholstered bench that rests on the two chairs in the driving area and put up some sheer curtains to make it appear a bit more like a home.  It also helps for privacy. 

                                 

Just thought that I would share my latest craft project, a wire dragonfly.  It was fun to make and for the most part, pretty easy.

Maybe during the next 6 months I will get back to doing some art projects.

I hope that you all are enjoying cooler temps and having a great time.

Thanks for visiting

I now have a new perch. Yea!!!!      Don’t forget, you can click on any picture to make it bigger.

Susan and Angel

Short Post and Another Countdown

                             

                              J D Grant County Park, east of San Jose CA

                                       March through September 2015

It’s hard to believe that another 6 months has flown by.  It will be less than  two weeks and I will be heading to my next workamping job in San Raphael, just north of San Francisco. I’ve checked with Ranger Dan and it’s a GO.  I will be picking up Ted after he’s done working on Saturday the 26th so that we only have one car to deal with.  I should have everything except last minute stuff packed and secure before I go to get him.  Sunday is the moving day.  Typically in most campgrounds, on Sunday it is a mass exodus by noon, so there shouldn’t be any problem maneuvering “My Spot II ”  into it’s next home for the winter. This will be the first time that I have worked with another a camp host.  There will be the two of us working a set schedule.  That should be nice to know when I will be working and when I can go do whatever I want to do.  They will probably be leaving in October, then I will be alone until probably February when there will another camp host arriving.

There are a few things that I am working on to improve on the livability of my MH.  One is to increase the seating in the living area,  The area where the two chairs are for driving and as passenger are usually just wasted space when I’m parked for any length of time. They do swivel around to face backwards, so I am in the process of creating a bench across the two of them.  I will be able to use it as a lounge when it is finished. ( No pictures yet.)  I also want to build a shelf or desk, but something for all the electronic stuff (modem, printer, Wi Fi, charging station etc.) and get it off of the dinette table.

I might even get some painting done, walls and watercolors,  There are a lot of things that I want to do to personalize “My Spot II”.  With a schedule, I may just get some of it done.

In the meantime, I am enjoying the last few day here at Grant.  It has begun to cool off and the leaves and acorns are falling making lots of noise on the roof and awning,  Angel makes a bit of noise too, telling those squirrels to get out of her yard.

Last weekend we weren’t full, but almost, although it seems that the campers have settled down and therefore the campground was quiet, a definite change from a very busy and chaotic Labor Day weekend.

I hope that you all enjoying Autumn, it won’t be long before we are trying to stay warm.

Thanks for visiting

What will I do without a deck?

Susan and Angel

A Little Mishap / Happy End Of Summer

 

                 

                                        Another visit from the neighbors.

 

Not a good way to start a morning !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A couple of weeks ago while checking fire rings, I had a little mishap.  I made a wrong decision that ended with my cart rolling down a hill.  I wasn’t in it, but Angel was.  She had a bit of a “thrill ride”.  She was in her seat belt as usual, so was just fine.  I had to get one of the Rangers to tow me out of the Coyote Brush and back up the hill.

 

Another change that I am doing in “My Spot II” is final removal of the last bit of wallpaper border.  I’ve already gotten rid of the wide cowboy motif strip and all that’s left is one strip of stars.  When that’s gone I might paint the walls, but that can wait.  I will be glad when this part is done.

Time to Celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last Monday Ted came for a visit and after doing a few things on the inevitable “Honey Do List”, we took a road trip to Santa Cruz.  He took me to the “Crows Nest” restaurant by the harbor for my Birthday Lunch.  We enjoyed watching all the activity in the harbor while sharing an entree of Yellowtail Tuna along with a couple of appetizers and drinks.  Thank you Ted.  I would also like to thank everyone who sent Birthday Wishes by phone and Facebook.

Since we were near by, we decided to check out one of the other Santa Clara County Campgrounds, Mount Madonna.

There is a lot more shade, as it is in the Santa Cruz mountains with a lot of redwood trees.  Angel enjoyed the cool wind in her face.

After that wonderful lunch Ted and Angel just had to take a nap among those redwoods.

                            

My treat to me for my BD was to get my hair curled. In the 1st picture I look like a porcupine or a hedgehog.  I really like the curls.  That’s Jasmine and her helper (I can’t remember his name.  They did a great job.

 

Angel has met some new friends.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was while waiting to get the hair done.

These turtles would swim over to her and tease her and she would scratch on the glass trying to play with them.  It was funny to watch.

Another new friend.

Everyone meet “Hitch”.  Angel hasn’t been this close to a “Big Dog” before, so she wasn’t sure that she wanted to be this close.  I guess that she decided to take it all in stride and go with the flow.  She was calm and stayed on his back, but was glad to get off and back in her cart.

We hope that you are having a great holiday and staying safe and cool.

Thanks for visiting

With all this, it’s time for a nap.

Susan and Angel

Changes

 

First of all, let me say that this post has been frustrating.  A couple of days ago I had it completed and was just about to hit “Publish to Blog” when my laptop gave me that big black screen.  Oh No!  Of course it was the time that I worked on getting the pictures just right and all the writing done, but forgot to save any of it.  So I lost it all.  I just gave up and let it go.  It has been too hot to do anything except what I had to do let alone Think!Yes it has been so hot that I even turned on the AC.  I usually just open the windows and turn on a fan.

On to the changes……

Last month Ted did a little bit of remodeling for me.  He installed a new faucet in the kitchen.  He also removed a couple of drawers on either side of my bed.  Both drawers didn’t work well and was a waste of prime real estate.  I have since purchased some Sterilite single drawer stacking units.  They work so much better. 

 

  I made a lawn Tic Tac Toe game out of a tarp, decorative duct tape and rubber gloves with sand in them.  When I see kids that are looking a bit bored, I let them borrow it.  They seem to enjoy it.  Even some of the parents play.  One little girl left me a note thanking me and said that she was going to make one of her own.  I can’t claim the idea.  I got the idea off of Pinterest.

 

I finally got a picture of the elusive rabbit.   A camper found this Albino Praying Mantis

 

With all this heat, this place is really popular.  I get finches and wrens, lots of blue birds and blue jays, big black crows and even the squirrels climb up for a drink.  It’s fun to see the birds actually taking baths in it.  Of course I have to fill it every day.

 

                                

Stuff going on in the park:

A week or so ago, the other Angel, not my furkid, captured this Blue Indigo snake.  Someone released it near Grant Lake.  It is not indigenous to California., so she took it to a Wildlife Rescue Center.  It was a bit dehydrated a should have been a lot bigger for it’s 6’ length.

Last weekend Theresa rescued a carrier pigeon that had broken it’s wing and delivered it to it’s owner.  ( I didn’t get a picture)

Another BIG change.

                             

                                           I have gone from this to

                                                    ***************

                                                          THIS.

The Subaru has been a great little car, except for driving up the mountain.  I can drive it all day running errands in the valley, but as soon as there is any incline, the engine would overheat and I would have to stop and let it cool off and and add coolant.  So far I like my Mini Cooper Clubman.  It now takes me the usual 20 minutes to get home instead of an hour or more.

And now to the BIGGER change.

At the end of September I will be leaving J D Grant County Park and moving to              China Camp State Park north of San Francisco.

  

It will be nice to be off the mountain and not so isolated.  As much as I like Grant, I’m looking forward to a change of scenery.  It will be a lot closer for Ted and Leslie to visit.

I hope that you all are keeping cool.

Thanks for visiting

  I’m trying to stay cool too.

Susan and Angel