Making Lemonade

You know, when life gives you lemons you're supposed to make lemonade.  So I'm doing my best to get some joy out of this lemon of a job I took on.  Well, really, it's probably not such a bad job for some people.  It's just not a great job for me.  I'd prefer to be off in some remote state park.  But I'm here in the metropolis of Gore (population 900) working at a family destination camp.  So how do I make the best of it?  I started looking around the area to see what's out there to see on my days off.  And guess what I found in Muskogee right next door to the VA hospital? 




 Ok, I guess I should explain that I was at the VA because I slightly injured my medial meniscus.  No big deal it seems.  Just more of an inconvenience so far.  And not enough of one to keep me from the museum.  Especially since it's practically on the campus with the hospital.  Seems the building was a part of the hospital for a while.  I guess it was a good thing that it was small since after all I did at the hospital I was kind of tired.  Still it was cool to see a little piece of Native American history right there at the VA!

 

Feeling Soggy But Grateful

I guess it's no secret the weather here in Oklahoma has been a bit windy the past few days.  And after watching the news reports yesterday and today I'm too embarassed to admit any suffering on my part.  I have to admit I spent about 6 hours sitting dressed in my clothes (including my raincoat) and watching the western sky and hoping if the warning horns did start blowing I could get to the shelter fast enough.  Actually it wasn't really that dramatic but I did have everything ready to go out the door quickly if I had to.  Fortunately it didn't get too bad.  The power only went out a couple of times and not for very long each time.  We have cable tv here so I was able to watch CNN and The Weather Channel through the night.  Also kept an eye on the weather updates on the Tulsa station who was tracking the storm as it moved northeast from Oklahoma City. 

The best I can tell the nearest tornado was 30 miles away in Tahlequah.  For about an hour the wind was pretty fierce here in the park.  The owner of the fifth wheel next to me is going to want to bring a tree saw with him on his next visit.  I had come home during lunch yesterday and put my awning away just in case.  Even after all the tornadoes moved on the thunderstorms stayed here all night and up until the middle of the afternoon today. I can truly vouch for the watertightness of Seeker.  She kept me warm and dry through it all. 

 

Tomorrow the sun is due to come out and start drying up the puddles.  I am so lucky.  I know that.  But I think Oklahoma is a passing thing.  I'm just about ready to move on out of here now before I get caught up in the next big blow and end up landing on top of some witch's house in Oz.

Running Away With The Circus

So I asked myself, what would my family and friends say if I told them I had run away and joined the circus?  And self answered, "It probably wouldn't surprise them at all."  So I made the call to a certain circus that was advertising a need that I could fill.  Nope, not a juggler or a tight rope walker (I'm probably not that good any way) or a lion tamer (not that brave either).  Just a plain old school teacher job. 

Most people don't really think about it, but a circus is really a big family.  A big traveling family.  And in that family you find children - children that need an education.  So the circus was advertising the need for a teacher with an rv and the willingness to travel along with the circus and teach about 20 students each day.  Sounds like the job was made for me.  So I made the call.  And we talked for quite a while.  According to the lady I spoke with, I'm perfect for the job.  Can I start right away?.......

That was the hardest "no" I've ever had to utter. 

Let me make that a "no for right now" since I don't want to close that door forever.  I mean the pay and the work situation really sound good.  But I have made an obligation here in Oklahoma and I can't see myself just walking off this job with no notice.  And a recent stumble has left me in a knee brace that has slowed me down for a while.  Since the circus moves daily I just couldn't see a way for me to keep up.  So I said "no, for now".  Who knows.  The opportunity could around again and next time I might just say "YES!!"  Until then I'll keep practicing my juggling act.

Take Me Back To Tulsa!

My name is on the log at Oklahoma's oldest cache.

If I'm ever feeling a little blue I just find a station playing western swing music and my mood is quickly lifted.  And here in the land of cowboys I have actually found a station that plays cool old Bob Wills classics.  So I was listening to western swing just the other day as I drove under the big sign marking the halfway point on Route 66 in downtown Tulsa.  This was my first visit to Tulsa but it won't be my last. 

Just outside of town is the Keystone Dam and a trail that leads to the oldest geocache
in the state of Oklahoma (placed there in early 2001).  After the hike I returned to downtown for a real treat.  There is a paved trail down both banks of the Arkansas River


Looking across the river from the west side.

as it winds through downtown with a total of nearly 20 miles for walking, running, or as in my case, riding your bike.  And even on a warm weekday afternoon the trail was busy.  I will have to plan my next trip for early morning on a Monday perhaps.

Can you see the bow hunter on the pedestrian bridge?  The water
below was shallow and made it easy to see the fish.

Still, I was able to ride about 4 miles finding geocaches and munzees along the way.  But I had to cut the day short to get back to Seeker (about 65 miles back) with a stop about halfway in Muskogee at the Walmart for supplies.  Guess this was more of a recon mission, but one day soon I will TAKE ME BACK TO TULSA.

Oklahoma is OK!

Came across the Oklahoma border yesterday and that damn song keeps sticking in my brain.  You know the one, about the winds.  The winds were blowing really good.  I'm set up now in a small shady spot near the Illinois River.  My friends from Amazon days have been here 2 months but will be leaving soon to go to work at Amazon in Kansas.  Tomorrow I will start work in the office and helping out in activities.  This will be the first time I've tried working with kids and camping.  Don't know for sure that I will make it.  We will see.  But for now I am looking forward to seeing some of Oklahoma.  Who knows, I might meet a for real cowboy!