George, Iowa ~Tulip Festival~

 

While in George, Iowa we went to the yearly tulip festive, one problem tho, the tulips were a week  late in flowering so there was not many to see. We did go to the Tulip parade and that was very enjoyable, some of us enjoyed the parade while one of us took the opportunity to take a nap.

What began in 1936 as a small celebration of Orange City’s Dutch heritage has led to over 70 years of what is now known as the Tulip Festival. The annual celebration occurs every third weekend in May.

Below are some pics of the festival that I took

Clog Dancers clogs

Took about 20 shots to get a picture of these clogs.

All Hand Made

Promise – No more clogs.

This little toddler was so bloody cute pushing this little red wagon.

In full period costume

Horse drawn Cart

More kids in the Parade.

That’s some serious clogs

Now !!  Where are his clogs.

Yes, Its one of them !!

In Holland they actually wash the streets.

A couple watching the parade in Period costumes

Us after the parade.

Mike taking a afternoon nap while watching the Parade.

 

The guy that owns this t-shirt is Mike and Audrey's son in law. I was a little taken back by seeing a  Aussie t-shirt at the Orange County Tulip Festival in Iowa, USA .  BACA  stands for Bikers Against Child Abuse.

Black Jack !!

I lied, one last pic of some clogs. O bet they weighed a ton

And that my friends in the Tulip Festival that had no tulips. Had a fun day , Will finish our trip here in a few days.

George, Iowa Mike & Audrey's Place

 

Had a great stop here with our friends and Bosses from Mission Texas. They to have a full hoop up site in their back yard.

In our full hoop up site, complete with hot Tub right out of the front door and swimming pool, just in case it got hot, which it didn’t.

We had our own personal Gardner. 

I think Mike has spent to much time in Texas, He has BIG TOYS

Every morning Audrey would msg us and say Breakfast is ready on the Balcony.

Dann Mike and Audrey

On The Road Part 3

 

Before I go any further, I found a little picture and I want to put it in here for a friend of ours, You know who you are Wanker..

Katanning is a little town in Western Australia .

 

Ok, Now on to our  travels. I am trying to play catch up here, so just going to post some pictures and a little info on how we got to Algoma, Wisconsin.  Our first stop was in San Antonio for a few days, A  few more than we anticipated actually but well worth the  rest. Next stop was DeKalb, Texas for a week to visit our friends Joy and Dewayne who we had worked with in Mission Texas.  Joy and DeWayne had to cut their working holiday short and head back to Oklahoma City to take care of DeWaynes mum who was failing very fast. I didn’t want to see them go nor did Joy want to go, but family comes first. So of they went and I had to find new victims to beat at Hand n Foot. Carol was a very willing victim.

Had to take a picture of this as we drove along. A Gate Guard at the entrance to a Oil Rig site, all I can say is POOR BASTARDS

Joys Dad Art, Lovely man

We parked up in the back yard of the Joys Dads place, He has two full hook up sites. Joy and DeWayne were in one and we in the other. Had a great week of rest and card playing here. I love this place, its out in the bush away from everything.

Plenty of room

Joy and me

Had to snap a pic of these Lollies, These are Arts favorite, they don’t taste to bad either.

A Black Orchid growing in their yard

I thought the colour of this was beautiful.

After a great week with our friends it was time to move on.

Next stop George, Iowa

On The Road Again Part 2

 

On the 28th of April we finally hooked up and pulled out of Mission Texas. We stayed a month longer than most of the work campers because we really had no where to go for 2 months and we needed to kill some time until our job was ready for us in Algoma, Wisconsin. We had been in touch with the owners of Captain K’s Marina and they kept telling us to stay away because it was to to cold. So we did.  Why would we go there when we can enjoy the best winter weather the United States has to offer right where we are. We put our time to good use and I helped do some detailed cleaning after the last few hectic months. Cleaned stoves, tables walls, all that sort of crap. Help our Bosses Audrey and Mike while they added a new kitchen and office to their park model. I was introduced to wall papering and I have to say, I don’t really care for that job to much. Why would you go to all that trouble of gluing, lining up and hoping to god it sticks and then paint it..That’s like buying a nice piece of material and then cutting it up into little squares and strips and then sew it all together again.

The new room.

I actually enjoyed this time with Audrey, I think we got to know each other a bit better and bonded more as friends than a boss and employee.

 

~Finished~

 

Below are a few pictures of our work camp mates new and old and a  few of our outings over the last 4 or so months.

 

Lilly and Joe

Carol and Audrey, Carol will be joining us next season, here she is helping us out. Good Hand and Foot Player to, Well sorta.

Bobbie and Jerry – Who will  be returning for another season to help out.

Left to Right- Nancy and Ivan, who will be returning for another season. Me sitting next to Dann,Behind me Bobbie and her hubby Jerry. Our Bosses on right Mikey and Audrey and sitting next to Mikey is Laura, who will not be returning.

Dann and I on one of our drug runs to Mexico

Ron and Carol.

 

Out for dinner with some of our workmates.

And I just had to save the best till last

On The Road Again

 

Well its been quiet a few months since I have updated my blog. After we escaped and ran away from Gate Guarding, we found our selves back in Mission Texas for the winter. I decided not to blog during the winter because I would only be going over  what I wrote about last winter.

When we finished Gate Guarding we stayed in San Antonio at Lackland Air Force base and we got busy trying to get all or most of the dust out of the 5th wheel. I have never seen so much dust in my life. It was every where and thick to. Dann got the air blower out and we tried to blow it out, was slow going but it worked a bit. We did some much needed expensive repairs that were caused by the job.

We  left after 2 weeks and went onto Oklahoma City to visit with Joy and Dewayne. Spent a great month with them at Tinker Air Force Base.  Joy and I have become quiet good friends.

Our next stop was to be Memphis, I was going to see Elvis. Have dreamed of going to Memphis for ever and visit GraceLands.  After Memphis we were going to head over to  Nashville and see the sites around that city. Grand Ole Oprey and what not.  Well In my mind I was going to all these places, but not to be this time round.

I had emailed our boss from our winter job back in Mission Texas that we had decided not to come back, I just wanted to get the hell out of Texas. I had grown to dislike this state. All this state had to offer as far as I could see was Money and Oil and I didn’t want to be near  either again.

Joy Dewayne Dann and myself met Mike and Audrey out at a truck stop (Flying J’S) for a cup of coffee and a chat as they passed through on their way back to the Valley. It hit me real hard while we were all sitting around the table reminiscing about the previous winter and what we had all done during the summer, they sure heard all about our terrible summer job :-) It was then that I realized it’s  the people that make a great state, not the state its self.  After that visit at flying J’s were were turning around and heading back to the Valley and our friends that we had made the previous winter.  So, Poor old Elvis will have to wait for another day………………….