Father Knows Best

Over the next 5 weeks we will be spending significant time outdoors cleaning up the park for customers to arrive. This is no small feat I might add, however cleaning up the Park brings about a great sense of pride towards our little lakeside paradise. We drag out every imaginable piece of equipment to clean all the nooks and crannies, too. Though the dumptruck, tractors, power blowers and rakes are by far the most used in our annual after-winter cleanup.

Years ago, my father literally taught us how to rake in the Park more efficiently. I think there was some serious eye rolling on our parts as we thought, "Seriously? We have to be taught how to rake?" But I can say without hestitation after all these years: He was right. There is a method to the madness of how to use all equipment to clean more efficiently. I personally enjoy the power backpack blower and relish the damage I can do to a wall of leaves in a few hours. And Dave & I have perfected a method - something we like to think we developed - called Power Raking. You'll just have to use your imaginations.

We have had friends help us occassionally over the years to help with this big clean. Both Dave & I have had to kindly educate them on the art of using a rake or blower more efficiently. We get a small chuckle when they get this look on their face that says, "Seriously? I have to be taught how to rake?" Believe it or not, yes you do. Right, Dad?

TA DA! Our New LakeCam

Finally... With much thanks to my web designer, Shelly, local tech & computer support, Nick, as well as the great service at StarDot.... We have our new and very, very improved Lake Cam! There is still some tweaking to do, but it is running and about 95% where I want it. It will be be running during all seasons, all weather, barring any technical glitches (knock on wood.)

If you are finding that you cannot see the visual feed on the LakeCam, you probably need to go to Java.com to update or install Java in order to view the picture. I check the camera everyday and, with the exception of power outages, the camera has been running 100% all the time.

Enjoy!!!

Lake Cam Update

We are diligently working on the installation of the new Lake Cam. I am hoping that this will be completed in the very near future. So far we have completed the installation of separate bandwidth for the Lake Cam, which was tedious! The hardwiring and physical installation is scheduled next and after that we just need to install it in the website. Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about? I'm at that stage of computer/tech education that I know just enough to get me in trouble! David is playing an entirely different ballgame than I: He thinks he knows what he is talking about and it does get him in trouble! I won't let him near my computers because "delete" is his favorite button.

Sunny Days

Happy New Year everyone! Another year gone, another ahead with hopes and plans. Invariably, once the new year comes people start thinking about their vacations and summertime. Since we are sitting in the middle of snow and cold right now I thought it would be fun to post a summertime picture.....

Meet Michael Alan. He is one of the many kids who look forward to vacationing at our Park every year. For Michael Alan his days are full of boating, skiing, playing with his friends and cousins. The thought of TV, school and the family dog at home rarely cross his mind while he vacations with his family for two weeks in the summer at Topaz Lake RV Park.

I can relate to Michael Alan because I, too, was a kid at Topaz just like him (many, many years ago!)