The Resort Years - 13

Unexpected Guests

The Rim Fire brought us an amazing sight – a disoriented and slightly singed raptor resting on the parking block in front of the car parked by Unit #1 at noon one day!   I backed off and called Tom on the cell phone and told him to take photos from the bedroom window of “the bird” in front of our car.  We checked the internet later and found that it was a juvenile Golden Eagle!

After fifteen minutes of rest and getting its bearings again - despite the half dozen wasps flying around its neck - the elegant, long-taloned bird flew off to swoop over the river looking for lunch.  Several fishermen witnessed this amazing sight as well while fishing the river. 

Having lived in the area for over 35 years we knew of the Bald Eagle’s nest at Pinecrest Lake, and some Ospreys as well, but until this incident, no Golden Eagles lived in our area.  We assumed that it had been sucked up to 30,000 or 40,000 feet in the very hot pyro-cumulous cloud and dropped out, literally falling to our front steps.  After a trip like that I would be disoriented as well!!

We had a visitor stop by the Post Office last week.  I instantly recognized his voice and called him by name – John Trigg, dishwasher and gas pumper from YEARS AGO across the highway.  He had hitchhiked from Sonora today to check out the “old neighborhood” and talked and talked about his emergency last month when he nearly died and the years he had spent in Oregon taking care of an elderly couple, his poor treatment by the Salvation Army after working for them and signing “all of his earthly belongings?” over to them, about writing books.  I told him that writing books isn’t hard, publishing books isn’t hard it just takes money, SELLING books just didn’t work for me so I am giving them away.  I have dropped a couple of boxes on local Thrift Stores, given several to the County Fair Board to use any way they can…so am officially out of the publishing business.

I blessed John with TWO books just to keep him occupied during the drizzle.  He was so busy talking I wasn’t able to ask him how he ever found ME when he had been “homeless in Sonora” for several weeks and the local cops had told him to “move on!” before they impounded his pickup!  Turns out that had happened once in Merced years ago.  That was just one of the stories he told us before we passed him off to a neighbor who had come for his mail and was going as far as Cold Springs and would give John a ride.

Was this a test of our readiness for the next assignment that GOD has for us?  If so, we flunked…did not make him even a sandwich, did not invite him in, we did listen and thank him for coming by and wish him “GOD speed” to his next adventure.

 

We had a homeless lady here in Strawberry; who insisted that she was not homeless but escaping the stress of Turlock and an abusive step-dad who had moved in with her.  She was living in a tent up the Highway, having biked or hitchhiked from Turlock.  She appears to be a prayer warrior, praying for rain and snow - which we need desperately - as well as the salvation of her lost family members and friends. She rode her bicycle up in January, pulling a trailer she said until Knight’s Ferry where she sold it.  She says that she has liver cancer and after six treatments said, NO MORE PILLS!  Her doctor said that she needed peace and quiet if she was going to stop the meds and see if her body would fight off the cancer on its own.  She says that she knows that she is dying, but wants to plant seeds of the Gospel for as long as she is able.  She was camping out in the neighbor’s garage during this last cold spell, and another neighbor took her to rescue her “camp” up the road before the “prayed for” rain and snow come this week, we hope.

Like most homeless people, she could be playing the “prayer warrior” and “dying person” roles to get the survival tools that she needs, but how do we get her to “move on” since she appears to have overstayed her welcome here in Strawberry?  She is afraid of the dark, afraid of the big men/boys at the Skateboard Park where I told her I would pick her up on Monday evening after the mail delivery person suggested the subsidized apartments down in Sonora.  Tom says she needs to move on, but the money she survives on isn’t available until Monday in Modesto!  I just talked to my neighbor Christine, who has been helping her as well, and found a couple of “discrepancies” in her story – like who is taking her to Modesto on Monday?!  At the Strawberry Inn we put folks like her to work, until we found that they didn’t DO THE WORK, then we fired them.  I guess we could move her out of the linen room and lock the door and she would have to find another place to camp out!  Not easy being the “bad guy” but can’t have her living in the linen room any longer.

We ended up taking her to Modesto to pick up her SSI and to the liquor store, which always cashes her check, even without the ID that was taken from her before she started her trek to the mountains the beginning of January. My neighbor, Christine, convinced the owner of the Sierra Village Trailer Park to give her the RV right across from one of my acquaintances, and I even gave her a ride to cash a subsequent check and pick up some groceries in Twain Harte.  God bless her, I am sure that “her mansion up above” is nearly complete.

Several months and many conversations later, I took Mimi to a “new doctor” who said she would call in a prescription for the pain meds she has been on since head surgery in 1998.  Waited and waited at the pharmacy only to discover that my “no pills” homeless person was addicted to that pain pill.  She fell apart when the pharmacist told her that the doctor had called and cancelled the prescription.  Several days of withdrawal later, she went to the ER and the doctor THERE gave her what she needed “before she killed herself!”  Let’s see – do we have a truth problem or an addiction or both.

She is now back at her “old doctor” in Modesto, thanks to rides from folks at the Lutheran Church where I happen to play piano.  She is also living in the pastor’s RV having lost her two month home at the Sugar Pine RV Park, not quite as many druggies, but she can be a pest – she bothered strangers for rides to the ER, asked for money for milk, asked to use the office phone as her cell was out of minutes, etc.  Oh dear!

The minister’s wife “took her in for the winter” as the small RV was not going to be warm enough for the winter.  When she was remanded to STATE custody (her family has deserted her!) by a Judge, County Social Services found a place where her meds can be monitored and she has trouble “escaping!”  She has to “earn” privileges like a trip to the store, where her “spending” is totally monitored.  At least she isn’t camped by the side of the road and the minister’s wife gave her unconditional love, befriending her and helping her to kick her addictions. 

Epilogue on Mimi the homeless lady – Pastor’s wife finally found someone at Social Services who would give her the minimal news that Mimi had died back in April.  That would explain why there had been no contact in a couple of months of trying, asking about her at “the home” and attempting to discover how she could just disappear while under lock and key.  We pray that she has found the peace and happiness that seemed impossible in this life.  RIP – Gemima de Trinidad – RIP.

Life is what happens while you are making PLANS!

The Resort Years- 12

THE POST OFFICE

Our contract station is open 4 hours during the summer months – June through September, and just 2 hours per day during the other eight months. We have had a variety of Postal Helpers at our little sub-station, some elders willing to put in a couple of hours to see their friends, securing their 40 quarters to qualify for Social Security, and some our actual “office assistants” who learn to take credit cards, take reservations, handle various RESORT problems.

The Postal Service, like many bureaucratic organizations, is famous for its inefficiency.  The zip codes were supposed to lead to “no missorts” – no mail going in the wrong direction.  WRONG!  We still get mail for Tracy 95376 or 95378, just because the machines read those last digits as 5.  Our zip code is 95375.  We also get mail for the Strawberry on Hiway 50, even if it has the correct zip code – 95735, and just the other day mail for Strawberry Fields TN with the correct zip code.

The procedures change at least weekly as the middle level managers seem to need something TO DO every day, if only make changes, which are sent out by email.  As a sub-station, I do not have email for the Postal Service so must depend on my supervisor to let me know if one of the many procedure changes affects the way we do business here in Strawberry.

The sorting facility in Stockton was closed so our mail delivery truck was an hour later coming from the facility in W. Sacramento.  It was the slow season when the contract says that we were to close at 1 PM; the mail delivery did not arrive until nearly 1 PM!  The solution was to “Well, change your hours!”  So we did, contract or no contract.

The latest BIG change, a year ago last July, was to give our facility a new finance number!  And just like ten years ago when they did this, we were unable to GET postage stamps, the system said that we did not exist.  I was forced to “buy” stamps like a customer at some other post office in order to have stamps to sell, but with no way to account for the fact that I was indeed selling stamps.  Very frustrating!!

After nearly a year, I was given an 800 number to call for “Touch Tone Order Entry.”  Voila, the stamps that I ordered arrived three days later.  So easy, just have to find a way to get the “order numbers” for the various stamps without calling Customer Service every month.  But that gives Gary and Helen something to do!  TWO MONTHS later the ability to order stamps was given to my supervising Postmaster down in Mi-Wuk, so she has to keep enough stamps on hand to keep me, and Long Barn – 95335, and Pinecrest – 95364, in business!

Oh, and speaking of contracts, when the new contract arrived with the new finance number it listed my supervisor as being Tuba City Arizona, and said that I was to be open for eight hours per day, six days a week.  A phone call to the Denver Colorado Contract Unit Supervisor’s office quickly got a corrected copy with the more logical information and the short hours that we have always been open for the tiny amount that they send our way each month!

Some days you just have to laugh or you would cry, but isn’t that true of just about any job?  

JULY of 2018 was an eventful time - I had received a visit from my supervisor at the MiWuk Post Office informing me that as of August 1st we would no longer have a POST OFFICE here in Strawberry.  She had lost sleep the nights before her visit as she was sure that her news would be devastating to me.  I called to Tom who was in the apartment - on the other side of "the pantry" - walkin closet,  "Honey, grab your tape measure and a pencil and figure out how we can use this space!"  My supervisor nearly fainted!!

So on August first the maintenance guys from the USPS arrived bright and early and literally ripped out 3 clusters of mail boxes.  We had had several locals wanting to "have or buy" THEIR long time combination boxes but alas, they were USPS property as was the hunking scale with the weights to allow you to weigh up to 100 pounds!!  As the guys were finishing their task I asked where the plywood was to cover the HOLES in the walls. "Ah, we have some plastic and some tape."  Planning ahead was not part of their training so the holes were covered with contractor weight trash bags secured with painter's tape!!  Fortunately, my husband had a couple of pieces of plywood to cover their ineptitude!

We went to the local - 30 miles away - lumber yard for paneling both interior and exterior and succeeded in creating a guest room/office.  Covering the window onto the parking lot and street and putting in a larger window on the garden side of the room.  That window was a miracle!  As we were again driving to the lumber yard/ big box store for a window I suggested that we should try the "boneyard" at the local glass company and Tom said, "You know I was thinking of that just this morning!"

I am sure that the Glass Company doesn't have an abundance of customers who want a double pane window and don't care much about the size!  The "boneyard" yielded a $250 Anderson window, missing it's screen.  We offered $75 and they took it.  Tom said on the way back up the mountain that he could easily fabricate a screen from the "left overs" from the #7 remodel!  Their old double hung windows had been replaced, giving us an abundance of screens and material.

Do I miss the US Post Office?  NO!  Do I miss seeing my regular customers?  YES!!  I run into them when picking up our mail at Pinecrest Post Office, but some are actual GOD sends.  That would be my neighbor with property in Oakland which includes two lemon trees.  At the beginning of my three week fight with the flu bug back in January Helmet arrived holding a bag of lemons.  I took it as a sign that I should use the old-fashioned remedy for a cold / flu - hot water, juice of a fresh lemon, and some honey!   So I did and when Helmet arrived at the end of January with another bag of lemons, I thanked him heartily and healthy once more!  My husband Tom, kept suggesting a trip to the doctor or the Prompt Care and I insisted that I would take home more germs than I came in with and declined!!    I also took naps at least every other day and made sure that I was IN BED for 12 hours every night!!  Good immune system and patience plus a good neighbor!!

 The POOL – the ongoing saga!

The plans as drawn by Tom were sent to the engineer along with all kinds of measurements.  Hurry up and WAIT.  All ten owners have agreed that the Resort DOES NEED a pool in the summer and are willing to give us the money to complete the job!!  Halleluiah!!  We have lost TEN WEEKS of “regular reservations.”   Five weeks are coming, but want the “NO POOL DISCOUNT” – they were amazed that we only received $75 per month from the individual cabins for the use of the pool.  Of course, we also get the 20% off the top of the weekly rental.  Several of the weeks have filled with two and three nighters, so that is THE LORD’s provision!!

The owner of Unit #4 has an uncle who “just happens to be” one of four pool structural engineers in the State and agreed to draw up the plans based on Tom’s measurements and photos.  So the building permit was obtained in November of 2014, just before the winter set in.

In 2015 the shallowing pour of 40 yards followed the installation of the new drain system, which was pressure checked and approved.  Then the inspector for the FLOOR pour of 40 yards said, “Aren’t those two drains too close?”  Well, the last inspector signed off on them!  Didn’t matter – the code reads “separation” and is measured edge of drain cover to edge of drain cover.  All other measurements in building are center to center…didn’t matter!  So these two seventy year olds chiseled out the 2-sack slurry around both drains, rotated them 90 degrees and obtained the required SEPARATION and then some!!

The stairs in the corner of the shallow end were done WITH the floor pour, but small “bump in the road” - the receptacle for the ladder, ADA approved, needs to be 4 inches further down in the pool.  More chiseling required, but there has to be 4 – 6 inches more cement on the walkway, which was quickly poured with excess cement from the final floor pour.  Lovely walkway should meet the ADA requirements.  The windows in #10 and #1 will definitely need another washing!!

Then there is the plumbing that was going to be DONE while the floor cured…hopefully the chalk sketches on the pool wall won’t have become “Monets” with all the wet weather this past winter.  With a final inspection needed AFTER the pool is painted with the epoxy paint and water added we have a LOT of work left to do before Memorial Day 2016.

 

2016 - EPILOGUE on the POOL PROJECT – We had a rainy/snowy winter, the concrete cured and the epoxy primer and paint – 12 and 11 gallons respectively – were applied the middle of May.  It was a 4 day process – TSP, rinse with water, Acid Etch, rinse with water (we put a bucket with bicarb under the drain line to neutralize, and dilute the acidy water!) Then more TSP was applied with a final rinse.  The primer catalyst had curdled despite being stored where it did not freeze so Tom had to mix it twice, once just the catalyst then the primer and the catalyst.  So he spent the entire 5 hours bent over the mixing operation.  Since the primer could only be left 48 hours before the final coat of epoxy we had to do that final coat the next day.  No rest for the weary!!  Another 5 hour day but what a relief to have a gorgeous white surface totally covering two years of hard work!!

We decided that we would take the following week off and drive to CO to check on Dad and give the nearby family a few days off.  God chose to bless our decision by sending rain, hail, and snow for ALL the DAYS that we were gone!!  We couldn’t have worked on the pool had we been here!  With the winterizing covers on the five inflowing lines we were able to add water the first week of June as the water folks had asked us to schedule it and check for any leaks as Tom finished the last of the plumbing and electrical connections.

The concrete deck had developed some “Spaulding” over the years, cracks had appeared in the expansion joints where the initial caulk had dried up and been pulled out by mischievious guests.  So mix some cement for the potholes and back to the caulking gun; I used up all the caulk in our stock and a few new tubes besides.  The deck paint arrived; I read the instructions and marveled that the prep was exactly the same as the epoxy primer and paint for the pool!!  TSP, rinse, Acid Etch, rinse, TSP, rinse and finally FIFTEEN gallons of grey paint!!

In the mean time, Tom had emptied the ladies room - tool shed for two years - so as soon as the deck paint dried I started on the renovation of the ladies room!!  Two coats of paint on the walls and ceiling then two coats on the floor and it was a whole NEW experience!!  Miraculous even!!  To top this often frustrating and very tiring project I chose the 4^th of July to call the machine at the Building Department and request the final inspection.  I mentioned it to Tom just before noon on Tuesday the 5^th of July, and the inspector was here right after lunch!!  He looked at the bonding copper wire, I handed him an “as built” copy of the form that our engineer had sent to us by email, “for your file!”  He signed off on the permit and said “job well done!”   What a relief!!

The Environmental Health Department still has to sign off as well, but their pool person is out on Maternity Leave until mid-August. But she comes every summer, so I am not at all worried about her inspection, whenever she gets around to it!!