What Have I Gotten Us Into?

This is not a story that has its own pictures, so we'll show you some from our travels in the past. They are all timely, being "fall color."

Methodist Church, Meridian, Oregon
I can't begin to tell you what all we've been getting into recently.

Yes I can, and I will.

It's not enough that I'm co-chairman of the Propane Committee, and I have to be in charge fo the propane sales every Thursday morning. That means I have to be at the Propane place at 7:30, open up the booth, take all the readings, turn on the heat for the cashier. make sure we have enough help for the day, and direct the customers as they approach the bay.

It's not enough that Suzy is a member of the park's Rules Committee, and has input on the daily operations of this 297-member organization.

Outside our Saguaro SKP Co-op Park in Benson
It's not enough that I have taken on publishing the Escapees Chapter 21 newsletter several times a year. And Suzy is the Treasurer for Chapter 21, so between the two of us, we have to be at all the Chapter activities.

It's not enough that Suzy and I have volunteered to be liturgical readers at our parish church periodically.

Oh no, that's not enough.

South of us a little bit at St. David, Arizona

Last month I allowed my arm to be twisted, and became the one and only candidate for the office of Vice-President of Chapter 21! Oh, and that includes being wagonmaster for the year, and that we will host the big rally in October.

And was that enough? Guess what? This month my other arm was twisted, rather smartly, and I agreed to run for a position on the Board of Directors for our SKP Park. And that's a three-year commitment.

I say "run for" the position. As it happens, there are three positions coming open, and there are only three of us running for those three positions. Sounds like an open and shut case to me!

On the eastern side of the Sierra, Carson Pass, CA
Being on the Board is something that Suzy and I have talked about for some time, accepting the likelihood that one of us would be called for that job ... one of these years. We figured on getting a little better acquainted with how the Co-op works here, who the players are, and getting a little more travel under our belts before stepping up to the plate. Well, the plate seems to have stepped up to us!

Are we troubled and frazzled? No. Should we be? Maybe so. But when we joined Chapter 21, and when we joined this park as leaseholders, we understood that only with everyone volunteering, with everyone doing something, can this whole thing work.

At the San Pedro River west of Tombstone, AZ

Twenty years ago, a small group of individuals organized and built this park, doing most of the physical labor themselves, as well as deciding on organization, by-laws and rules. Many of those individuals still live here, and they have done their part -- some still are doing their part, and it's time for us to do ours. It's just all kind of coming to us at one time.

What I do know is that all of this will cut into our personal time. We'll have to skip going to one of our favorite rallies, the annual Western Gypsy Journal Gathering, held in Yuma in March. We won't be nearly as free as we had expected to be to jump in the motorhome and take off for a week or three when we feel like it.

But the present and past Board members, many of them at least, assure me that this we be a rewarding time for us. I guess we'll have to let you know as we continue on ... Our Life on Wheels!

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I want to be sure to mention these folks who have recently joined us as followers. Cruzin2Some of the blog Cruzin2Some; Kimbopolo, whose blog is The Travels of Kimbopolo; Ellen, about whom I find very little information; Heckle, of  Heckle's Rants; and Mark and Chris who write Chris's Phaeton Place. We'll try to give you something to enjoy while you read us.