In four days I’ll be heading out from the refuge with my volunteer stint over with. Toward the end of each volunteering assignment I seem to get short-timers attitude. I’m pretty much tired of being here, and am ready to move on. Being stuck in the Visitor’s Center for the last six weeks or so, and being ill has just heightened my desire to put this place behind me.
As Sunday morning approaches, I’ll be all revved up and a nervous wreck until I’m well underway down the highway. After the first day’s drive, I usually settle down into a calmer traveling mode.
Tomorrow begins the slow packing up of outside items. I’ll probably even take down the feeders, so this afternoon I spent a little time trying to get those last shots at the Hard Rock Bird Café.
Lots of blue jays have been all over the woods since the first day I arrived back in January, but today was the first time one visited the Café.
In years past I’ve offered the interns at the places I’ve been at a nice chunk of change to wash and wax my rig for me. I did the same thing here, only upped the anti since I’ve got a bigger rig now. Since interns are paid next to nothing for their time, they usually jump at the chance to earn some extra money. Not so here. These interns didn’t show the slightest flicker of interest. 
Shucks! It was another of those great plans that went awry! Oh well, I’ll at least get the windows all sparkling.
Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later, Judy
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How long do you usually volunteer at a refuge? I kind of chuckled over you cleaning the windows... for some reason I put off cleaning ours before we leave a place... being on the road just brings on more dust and grit. Too bad you didn't have any takers to do the wash and wax job... but... I'm not surprised... most kids just aren't interested these days.
ReplyDeleteThink I've had that short timer's attitude since the day I was born. Nice Blue Jay:))
ReplyDeleteLove, love the blue jay photos!
ReplyDeleteYou have been at the refuge for quite a while now. We know what you mean about getting back on the road. We have just over a week left ourselves and then we have to start packing up. It will be different for us though because we will be leaving the motorhome behind. It is going so seem awful weird to travel without it for the summer.
ReplyDeleteI too, love the photos of the blue jay.
Kevin and Ruth
www.travelwithkevinandruth.com
It is amazing when kids don't want to expend any effort unless required, but I think a lot of them still have some initiative. Look at all those out there trying to raise money by washing cars.
ReplyDeleteMaybe when you get to your new assignment someone there will be willing to wash your rig. Great pics as usual. We've been in one spot almost a month and we are already thinking about moving on down the road -- to Cherokee, NC where we will spend the Summer. Be safe as you head East!
ReplyDeleteNew adventures are always fun. Good luck preparing for it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a bad case of "hitch itch". We get that way too as we come to the end of an assignment. We are now on our way to a workamping assignment in New York that will last for 6 months. That's the longest one to date. We'll have a really big case of "itching" at the end of that one. Safe Travels!
ReplyDeleteWe get itchy after only 3 weeks when we are on NOMADS projects. Can't imagine months at a time. I was like that my last few months at work. Really had no desire to be there and I developed an "attitude". Short-timers syndrome is a good word for it.
ReplyDeleteThe birds will sure miss you but we bet they are tired from posing for your many pictures.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got some good bird pictures at the "cafe" today. Good luck getting packed up and travel safe.
ReplyDeletedarn 'young un's!..oh well, as long as the windshield is clean!
ReplyDeleteNice pictures of the bird now that you are going to close the Cafe'
ReplyDeleteSo long as you can see out the windshield :-))) I like your blue jay photos.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading about your next adventure. We understand the wanting to move on. We get "hitch itch" way too fast to settle down for months at a time. The most we've stayed in one place is six weeks.
ReplyDeleteAll good times must come to an end...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Blue Jay photos - good luck with your trip preparations.
ReplyDeleteTowhees are my favorites! I totally understand why you are anxious to get on the road. You've been there a good while now and recently have been stuck behind the desk. I'm anxious to have you reporting from Alligator River!
ReplyDeleteSherry
www.directionofourdreams.blogspot.com
Stunning Blue Jay and Spotted Towhee pics, Judy!!
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of the Towhees in CA and I just love mimicking their call!
But the Jays are also a real treat since they don't go west of the Rockies.
Bigger rig must've scared the interns! LOL
When that hitch itch hits it seems like the days last forever. I seem to get it at about a month. Good luck with the prep and like some else said maybe at your next assignment there will be an intern willing to earn some extra money.
ReplyDeleteDon't blame you for the desire of a change in scenery! I think the longest we've stayed in one place is two weeks and that took seemed almost like torture!
ReplyDeleteJust a thought, but we've stopped several times at truck washes along interstates (usually located next to truck stops) and gone through them. We've been very happy with the result and the cost (can't remember exact) hasn't seemed out of hand! It's worth it to us since Hubs isn't able to get up there and I'm most certainly not climbin' up that ladder!
I know exactly what you mean about being nervous about first pulling out. I'm always a wreck for the first thirty minutes or so. Too bad those kids didn't want to make some extra money!!! I guess it looked like too much work for them! !
ReplyDeleteI have had the short timers attitude s many times in my life, it is almost second nature now. Must be that the interns do not need money:) Have a safe trip!
ReplyDeleteI would have washed your rig...I wash ours all the time...Yes, the birds here are in the "courting" phase..The male Cardinal is feeding the female, and I have witnessed the "Cardinal Kiss" a few times...I soooo love to see that. Still no Hummers..I've changed their food 3 times this month...We usually don't camp longer in one spot than one month, then we get "hitch itch"...I guess you would get "Towed Mode"..:-)
ReplyDeleteGreat Blue Jay shots! Looking forward to hearing of your next adventure.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, as much as I love driving The Palms and finding a new place, I still get nervous and anxious before taking off. When I was driving up the coastal states and then south through Idaho and Utah and Arizona, I got pretty used to it and just took off, and stopped when I wanted. After being in Quartzsite so long, I started getting anxious again. I'm more into staying longer now, and I think that's where the anxiety comes from. Great bird photos, as usual.
ReplyDeleteToo bad about the rig wash, but you've just saved yourself some money, and it will get dirty again anyway. :)
I wouldn't feel too bummed about the kids not wanting to wash & wax. It would have been nice had one been interested in washing it though. Waxing it can be another story. If they don't know what they are doing, it can look awful.
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking forward to where you & Emma land next!
Have fun exploring in Alabama after you leave the NWR. We've all enjoyed your photos and appreciated your knowledge of Mississippi Sandhill Cranes - thanx for sharing! Can't wait to see what you see at your next "assignment." ... hope we meet up again! ...
ReplyDelete