Saturday, July 16, 2011

FUNNY GOINGS-ON WITH THE NEIGHBORS

We've been here at Thousand Trails in Morgan Hill about 10 days, with this elegant site, #214. The grassy area is about 25 feet between us and the neighboring site, lots of room, plenty of shade for us.

We came into this site backward in order to be able to use the grassy area, which would otherwise have been devoted solely to the neighbor  on #213, and we'd have had a tiny plot of dirt. Since the sites here do not have sewers, it was easy enough to stretch our water hose and 30amp electrical cable underneath Rosie and hook up to the pedestal "out front."

The neighboring site is pretty nice, sharing "our" yard. It is open to the sky for satellite reception for those that want that. There's not much shade, but the weather has been cool for the most part.

We've had a succession of neighbors, none that stayed very long. One couple hauled their picnic table up under their awning, no big deal. Then they set up their lawn chairs close to the table, and turned their backs to us, with hardly a hello. They stayed that way for a couple of days, then pulled out. Others came and went.

Then came in the BIG rig. I went out to greet the new neighbors, as I like to do. The fellow (call him Mr. Smith) told me that they had family, daughters and grandchildren, coming to join them, and asked whether we would mind if they set up a couple of tents in the grassy yard. That's fine, I told Mr. Smith, we'll try not to make too much noise and keep them up at night. Mr. Smith explained that this is an annual affair, and the youngest grandkid was 17, so there wouldn't be little ones running and yelling. Now we don't mind kids, used to be kids ourselves, but the news was welcome indeed, and I promptly slid our picnic table closer to Rosie, and moved a couple of other items as well.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith proceeded to unload scads of stuff: a  barbecue grill and a camp stove, each with it's own stand and side table; folding chairs, a colorful banner; colorful spinning gizmos to catch the errant breeze; a sun screen hanging from their awning and tied to ground stakes.  Next they got the park maintenance staff to bring them a second picnic table, which they placed adjacent to the first. Out came the measuring tape, to see the total width of the two tables. After some table movement, out came a screen pavilion, which they spread above the tables and staked to the ground. They took absolutely hours making sure everything was picture perfect.

Once the Smiths were fully set up, we admired their array. But during the next day, we noticed them surreptitiously glancing over at the rest of the grassy area, that part that we had shrunk our stuff into. We did not budge another inch.

Two mornings after Mr. and Mrs. Smith had labored over their set up, we noticed their BIG motorhome drive slowly away, followed by their toad. Half an hour later, they returned in the car, and began tearing things down, loading them into the car! Being a nosy neighbor I walked over and commented, "You're leaving us so soon?" "Yes," came the reply. "There's not really enough room here for two more tents, and we found a larger site over by the big ditch. We'll put the tents in the ditch." My Arizona training immediately took note (stay out of the washes; you never know when there could be a flash flood, especially in summer), but Mr. Smith said the ranger (that's what we call them here at Thousand Trails, or we used to call them that, anyway) told him there's no chance of rain.

The next day, we wandered past their new location. Every single item was back in place; must have taken them another two or three hours.

Next morning, guess who showed up right across the road from us. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, once again painstakingly establishing base camp #3. They explained that their site by the ditch was too noisy (after all, that's where the families with young kids want to camp, right near the big swimming pool). In addition, a huge fifth wheel had just pulled in next to them, crowding their site.

This will have to be it, however, as the young families will be arriving, one today, the other tomorrow. This is the Smiths' set up as it stands right now -- the pile at left is one of the tents laid out and held in place by lawn chairs.

And across from them sits this 1972 travel trailer done fetchingly in dull blue. I chatted with its owner briefly, then took this picture.

The Smiths aren't the only ones having family company today. Daughter Deb and her pal Albert will be here this afternoon, itching to play a game of Mexican Train. After they unceremoniously beat me, as I'm certain they will, I will graciously grill a fine dinner for them. Not gonna tell you what it will be, as I've spent too many words on food recently, writing about ... Our Life on Wheels.

25 comments:

  1. I think you are lucky the Smiths decided to move from next door to you. They would have eventually taken over the entire grassy area.

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  2. Just goes to show that older folks dcan have lots of energy in reserve if & when they have to use it. Sometimes those RV Park neighbors can provide endless entertainment. If we ever pull into an RV Park again & the neighbor walks over I am going to say Hi, is your name Jerry:))

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  3. nice neighbours..looks like they are utilizing all the 'greenspace' they can!!!

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  4. Just a little note to let you know I'm still here reading your interesting travels.Always with the idea brewing in my mind that this may be us very soon and how would I like it.I can handle all kinds of situations and still remain happy.My husband,HHHMMM I don't think could have put up so well with Mr. ans Mrs. Smith.

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  5. Great story. Funny how different everyone is. Even if I don't need all of my campsite, I still want it - that's what I'm paying for and it gives me some space around me. Even if I don't have "stuff" set up, I like looking at it. We're camping close enough already without people asking to use part of someone else's site. They should rent a couple of sites if they want that much room. Were they quiet in the evenings when everyone was there?

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  6. Sometimes 17 year olds can be noisier than little kids. Good luck with that! :)

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  7. Welcome back to the Smiths...not. I hope their family is appreciative of how much time and work went into their selection of each of the three different sites. It takes all kinds! And even though the "Smith" motorhome looks a little bit like ours, it wasn't us, honest!

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  8. Amazing that they set up 3 times. Hope you can snap a photo when the whole crowd shows up. At our last campground we noticed one camper moved 3 times too. I'm too lazy for all that work.

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  9. Hilarious! Thanks for sharing that with us. Really, some of the best entertainment can be found in RV parks!

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  10. I am a Thousand Trails member and always wanted to go to Morgan Hill. I didn't know they didn't have sewer sites? Do they not have any sewer sites? I have been in TT since 1983

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  11. How long will you be there?

    We drove by you today going down 101 to Gilroy to the See Grins RV dealer. We also stopped at Pan Pacific just off Dunne road.

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  12. I got tired out just thinking about the Smiths setting up all that stuff the first time. Then to do it twice more is insane. I think you guys lucked out on them moving or they would have been wanting to use your bathroom will the crowd they were preparing for.

    BTW; We spend the winters in Tucson at the Cactus Country RV Resort and most likely will be going back there again this year if all works out for us. I have followed your blog for a while and see you spend the winters in Benson. If we make it out there again this year maybe we can meet for lunch sometime. We looked over the Escapee Park there but felt it was too cold for us in the winter. We've lived in Africa and Central America and love the warmth and avoid the cold at all costs.

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  13. Perhaps the "Smiths" should have rented more than one space in the first place??? That seems like the logical thing to do if you are going to have upmteen tents, tables, screen rooms, etc. Just sayin'...

    Have fun with Mexican Train...we still have not learned how to play.

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  14. Quite an interesting story about the Smiths. I sure hope their grandkids appreciate all the work that was done to make them happy!

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  15. Funny! I admire the energy of some folks, if not there obsession with stuff and need for space.

    We are staying in a very tight place in upstate New York and as luck would have it, it is Christmas in July here this weekend. Extra people everywhere, and our immediate neighbor entertained several girl soccer teams and associated family all day. Oh, yes they also have a Doberman that could pass for a medium size horse that they let run loose. So we try to be gone a lot.

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  16. Gosh, I really laughed when I read your post. Ellie and I have had many enjoyable hours over the years watching other RVers. Unfortunately, I have always had that bad feeling that others are watching us too (and sometimes with good reason).

    John
    relaxedrush.blogspot.com
    connectedtothevinephotography.blogspot.com

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  17. This is from our friend Dee, a neat lady from Benson, AZ:

    Why don't people like to camp by you????? What are you cooking??? Does it stink????
    We've been in campgrounds before that were like a three ring circus, with people coming an going so fast you couldn't keep up with them. How did it go after the rest of your neighbors family got there???
    Stay well and SMILE! :-) :-D :-P
    Hugs
    Dee

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  18. And this one is from Suzy's old pal from working days, Mary Russell:

    Oh my word; what a strange parade of setting up-taking down-setting up; expect it will be a relief when this complicated party is all over! Love that little blue guy.

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  19. First time I have visited your blog. Very funny story. I think you got the good end of the deal but them moving! Love the pictures at the top of the blog. Good job!

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  20. A very funny story! Finally catching up w/ your blog again and so much fun to hear about the Smiths.
    Nina

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