Camp News

Today was the day I was going to start the habit of addressing questions from readers in my blog post, but I'm so excited I think I will have to start it tomorrow. I had lots of things to write about today but can't focus on them right now.

As you know, the Lassen National Park's Butte Lake Campground has been closed for some time due to fires and road closures in the area. The camp hosts, Andy and Ann, returned to their home in Florida when the evacuation took place. I wrote to the Volunteer Coordinator and offered to work the Labor Day weekend in the event the campground re-opened by that time.

I heard from Sheryl today to say that they were opening back up on Friday the 31st of August, and asking if I was still interested. Of course I am, so I responded that I would arrive a day or two before Friday so that I could get settled in and acclimated to the job. I will probably drive up early next Wednesday. I don't see any problem remembering how to do the paperwork, but I would imagine I'll have to spend some time putting out the reserved signs in the B Loop sites. (The A Loop is unreserved sites.)

I am really excited about getting back to the Park, and even though the holiday crowds can sometimes be maddening, I'll be up to it. If I remember Labor Day 2009, the A Loop closed a few days after the holiday and I left a couple of days after that. So in all I will probably be at the campground for one week.

I had just polished my boots as I mentioned in my last post, and thanks to Vera for giving me detailed instructions on tying my boot laces. I can't wait to try it. I just have to get a few things together, as well as to decide what food I will take with me, and I'll phone Sheryl tomorrow to see that I don't forget anything.

My daughter's bladder repair surgery went exceedingly well, and she is alert and able to walk. She was advised to regularly take the pain medication for the first 24 hours, and then as needed, and she is doing that. I am surprised that she is not the least groggy or "loopy" from the paid meds, but is comfortable and not in pain at all. She can't lift over 10# for two months, and caught her trying to carry her purse from the car to the house. I know most women's purses are heavy enough to cause us to walk lopsided, and I grabbed it as soon as I could.

I'm so keyed up right now I will just have to go look for the items I will need for Lassen. I have my NPS volunteer pin but I can't find my name tag. I'll be rooting through closets and drawers for the next week.

By the way, a couple of nights ago I ate my supper and then went for the last piece of Billy Bob's cherry chocolate cake. Some critter must have been at it because all I had left was a morsel - a piece about 1" x 2" which anyone would know isn't even a full bite. Dang! But I have two regular sized slices in the freezer if that critter hasn't hit up my stash there as well.