Gate Guarding, doing a new thing

Well it's new to us.  Other people have been doing it for some time.

We first heard about it this year when we were at Quartsite, Az.  Someone in our group ask if we had heard about gate guarding.  I hadn't, so he told me to go on the Escapee's forum where they were discussing it.  So here we are, 8 months later, doing it.  I find that amazing, considering I didn't even know about it 8 months ago.

I really wasn't even looking for a job back than.  Although, if you remember, I ended up working for Johnny's Seasonings while we were at Quartsite.   I wasn't looking for a job than either, someone just said they  needed one more person and would I be interested. (Thanks Toni)   I said sure why not.  Anybody that knows me, knows I have a hard time saying no plus I thought it might be an interesing thing to do, plus a little extra cash wouldn't hurt.  How could I turn it down?  lol

The other thing I had considered was working for Amazon at one of their warehouses.  They hire  right before Christmas.  But than I started reading horror stories about that and didn't think we could do the job.  Anyway the gate guarding job seemed like it might work for us. 

When we left Arizona in April we went by Fort Worth, Texas to start the paper work.  We had to take a test and have our fingerprints taken.  It was about 150 miles out of our way, but it looked like the thing to do to get started.  After we did that they just said give them a call when we came back to Texas.  Seems pretty easy, right.  The only bad thing was they lost our fingerprints.  They blamed it on the post office, doesn't everyone use that excuse.  So we had to come back to Fort Worth and and have them redone.  So after that they told us to head to San Antonio.  Which we did, and that is where we were our last blog. 

We got to San Antonio on Tuesday, When I called Loma, that's the company we are working for, they said they didn't have anything right then but they might the next week. So we were prepared to spend a few weeks here at the campground.

We had a very nice week in San Antonio. That Saturday we went to a Cajun Festival in Lakehills, Texas. The town is so small it doesn't even show up on your gps. But this is something they do every year to raise money and it has a pretty good turn out.

 

They had bands in two different locations
People were having a good time

We were off to the side trying to learn the Cajun steps
We haven't danced in years

We had a good time trying

Ed eating a Cajun pot pie, too spicy for me

Ok now back to gate guarding. 

On Monday we hadn't heard anything and I'm thinking maybe it will be awhile.  Well we got a call on Tuesday morning telling us to be at a site as soon as possible.  They don't give you much notice.  Ed was a little stressed because we had everything all over the place.  We had planned on starting to pack up on Wednesday. Ed kept saying tell them we will be there tomorrow.   But when I had talked to the guy  earlier he had said they would want us to be able to leave in a couple of hours.  So I said sure we can be there   We packed up and were there by 4 o'clock that evening.  Ed was a little stressed. 

 And so our adventure begins.  What did I get us into?

That's what I was thinking Wednesday, which was our first day on the job.  The rock trucks kept coming and going almost faster than I could log them in and out.  I think Ed was thinking the same thing.  Only he wasn't thinking, "what have I gotten myself into;"  He was thinking what has Linda gotten us into.  lol  But here we are 4 days later and we made it.  Thursday and Friday were quite a bit slower; I actually had time to breathe.  And Saturday and Sunday were really slow.

 

The trucks are big and noisy
Every driver has to sign in

Waiting for him to come back so I can let him out

I think part of our problem is we haven't worked for awhile so we are not use to a schedule.  I retired in 07 and Ed in 09.  Right now I think the hardest part is the schedule. I work during the day and he works at night.  He takes over around 6pm and stays up until 3 am than I get up at 3 and let him go to bed.   Right now there is not much traffic at night so he doesn't have to do much but he has to be up just in case someone does come.  After 40+ years of marriage it is strange not sleeping together. 

I bought a small refrigerator, just in case we were in the boonies. 

We are only a short distance from the highway
It is rather noisy

Although, I don't think I am going to need it here, we are only 8 miles form a grocery store.  I think I am going to like having it.  It is nice having the extra refrigerator space.  Than on Thursday, Ed went out and bought us a 10 x 10  E-Z Up tent for a covering.  I had sat out in the sun all day on Wednesday.

He did a good job of setting it up

We are this close to the gate
The motor home is just on this side of the tent

 

  It helps not sitting in the sun.  Although right now there is a mud puddle under it.   I can't believe how everything turned to mud when it rained.  I think we are going to need some throw rugs to cover the carpet.  We did put the wood pallets in front of the door. 

We have a few trees around us
Even though they are scrappy trees they are still trees
and I am thankful for the shade

This is where they were going to put us but because
of the mud they decided against it

This is our generator and water supply
They supply this for us

Anyways, we have decided to take it a week at a time.  They said the spot should be a long term one.  Ed is getting us all set up.  Then I told him last night, "you know they could up and tell us to move to a different location at any time."  That's not what he wanted to hear.  He doesn't like change  haha

We had our first visitor the 2nd night, a mouse.  Ed put the trap out and he got caught very quickly.  I am glad it was on his shift.  I don't do well with mice.  A couple days later we had another mouse.  I heard the trap go off but I didn't even go look.  That's Ed's job.  I did go out and buy some D-con to put around the rv.  I hope that keeps them away. 

Well I could tell you more but will save it for the next blog.

 

Happy Trails    Love Ed and Lyn

 

Psalms 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble