Author: The Buchanans Rolling Down The Road

What can be said, about a crusty old curmudgeon, with no fixed address … not much I guess.

The next step

Friday June 26th 2020

So today the park will start allowing visitors to the park … but it comes with some rigid rules. So we will see how long it takes for someone to spoil it for the rest. The rules are simple every guest needs to be checked in so that the local health board can do contact tracing is necessary because of a new Covid virus case.

But while most will follow the rules, there are always a few that think they are above the rules …

Here is the quick version of the rule. All guests need to be from within your Covid circle and must sign in at the office, name, phone number, date in, date out, and of course pay the park fee. They must only enter during office hours to complete the paperwork. No skirting the rules or we close the visitation back down because of the health board regulations.

What no line up?

We also are opening the swimming pool, the allowed number of people in the pool enclosure has now dropped to only 10 and we still need to have proper social distancing, again this will be left up to the residents to use at their own risk but up to us to make sure the rules are followed or again we will have to shut it down. The pool temperatures are 25 or 77 depending your world, all thanks to the solar heater, just another use of that big ball in the sky and the long days of summer.

This will be a year that none of us will ever forget, and as we watch Florida, Texas, Arizona, and some other southern states setting records for new cases of Covid we need to keep doing what we are doing correctly. One of Ontario’s most popular beaches has just closed after two weekends of people being STUPID, so let’s not go there. The other interesting fact is that the age of people infected is moving from the elderly to now the younger people as beaches and patios open, you know the age where everyone in invincible, and while the virus most likely won’t kill them how many of their grandparents will suffer because of their invincibility?

And it’s just too difficult not to comment on the political circus playing out across the boarder, it’s almost too sad to be a decent soap opera, the Democrats have got to be second guessing themselves as their candidate seems to be set on self destruction, blaming most of the world for his shortfalls. I’m thinking a lot of Americans will be voting for a real politician this election. The aftermath of the non political experiment will be with them for years not to mention how many Americans have died because of the miss handling on the “China Plague” by their leader … just saying.

To our Canadian friends – enjoy the summer and stay safe

To our American friends – please be smart and stay well

Summer 2020

Sunday June 21st 2020

Well in true Ontario fashion we have gone from people using space heaters last weekend to the dull roar of air conditioners this weekend. And as a full time resident at the park weekends are not our favourite time, oh it’s busier because of more people but it’s the noise that comes with the people, we would normally just enjoy the cool lake breeze with open windows but Now with the drone of air conditioners all night, and someone’s barking dog at six thirty this morning, just seemed to be the most inconsiderate. We love our pet, and would be lost with out our Mr. Sam but why do people have dogs and then don’t train them, and one of the most annoying thing is they don’t pick up after them? And my newest peeve leaving their little plastic bags of poop behind for us to deal with … just saying.

Could you tell that the barking dog thing hit a raw nerve this morning? We have talked about getting a dog, but there are way too many people at campgrounds that just have poorly behaved (untrained) dogs, and then they think they should be able to run off leash. So we see dogs running off of sites, and with no regard for anyone else, and off course their dog “is friendly” which right or wrong is not the point, if we wanted a dog on our campsite we would have a dog … so if you are a pet owner please keep this in mind. Ok I think I have got that all off my chest.

The long days of summer, sun rise at 5:30 and sun set at 9:00, great days for solar harvest, even plugged in we are still bringing in over 25,000 watts of power every month, even parked in a shaded site. No I’m not going to launch into a big solar pitch but I have found it amazing how few electrical issues there were this hot weekend compared to last weekends cold … all caused by space heaters! I understand the temptation to use all the park power possible since it’s included in your fee, but don’t whine when you kick off a breaker, use your unit as designed, propane furnace and water heater!

Sorry this is what happens when your dog wakes me up … but on a much lighter note, what a great week and weekend, the weather has been great, many have enjoyed the beach, the park looks great, many new gardens, decks, fire pits, and the like … the creation of many memories.

Today was Father’s Day, and because of the restriction of the visitors into the park because of Covid, I think a lot of people left the park to be with their family. The complications with visitors is much more than the fear of transmission of the virus, it’s the tracing if a case breaks out … and because we are not a gated campground and there are always a few people that don’t play by the rules. They will have a guest to their site, not inform the park, usually to try to avoid paying. Now it’s not only the not paying it’s not allowing us to collect the proper information for contact tracing if the virus is detected, which helps protect everyone. If we had access control (a entry gate) and if people were honest we could have visitors, but we don’t have either so we are left with very few options, the health board wants us to collect data on everyone in the park, even the repair and delivery people have completed the required forms to be in the park, and it’s all done to provide better, faster contact tracing of the virus.

Well that’s about all I have on my mind for today, take a few moments today to think about your dad. There are very few days that pass without thoughts of George (my dad), he would have loved this little piece of heaven, on the shore of Lake Huron …..