LOST

 When you are running around after 500 kids and adults, it's hard to remember to take pictures.  I promise I'll do better today.

Yes, the disaster of that Sunday/Monday wind and rain was still there Tuesday morning at 8:30.  There were huge canyons carved in the ground running from one side to another, not to mention the entire cover of the bounce pillow was ripped to shreds.  I'm pretty sure my addition to the suggestion box of a permanent cover will be forthcoming.  

Those big shade covers were removed while the rest of us uncovered the bales of hay, restocked the hay maze and set up the hay ride.  Other than drying everything off and trying to clean up the mud, we were in pretty good shape.

Getting the dinosaurs fed .... well that was a different story.  We had 150 kindergartners and first graders ready for snack time, but the velociraptors played Simon Says instead.  Just as the kids would drive by, Simon the T-Rex would say FREEZE and they all stood perfectly still like statues.  The kids are amazed.

A little later, short one tractor driver, I climbed on the hay ride to take a small group around the corn maze.  It's big ... as in HUGE ... and people get lost out there all the time.  I was pretty surprised to see three kids run out in front of the tractor.  In three more seconds, there were ten, along with four adults and a huge baby stroller.  

I loaded them all up and headed back to the starting point.  As I was cruising along, I heard the call.  LOST CHILD!!  We immediately close all the gates and no one is allowed to leave until we find them.  There wasn't even any description other than he's wearing red beads.  What?

I stopped the tractor, walked back to remove the chain, and the first thing I saw was red beads.  I think I have the escapee!!  His teachers were none too happy with him for running off!

Surprisingly, the day went by pretty fast.  My lunch of a snickers bar went down very smoothly before tackling the musical chairs of teenage employees.  Some show up, some are late and some never show their face.

I had to train another girl on the slide, but she was a good one.  She picked it up faster than anyone.  I was almost ready to leave when there seemed to be a problem.  Mom took off first down the slide, with one daughter following her.  The other little girl just sat there.  I walked to the top.  She was very scared with a death grip on the rails.

JUST PUSH HER the mom yelled.  NO ... we are not allowed and we are not going to push anyone.  It took a few minutes, but I was finally able to get her to let go, whereupon she clung to me with both arms.  I noticed immediately she was slightly disabled as we came down the steps, with her mother yelling ... if you would just let me up there, I will push her.  

What's wrong with these people?  I'm sorry, but that's not allowed ... it's dangerous.  She screamed for a refund as she drug the little girl away.  I felt much better later when a lady approached me and said I did the right thing.  Even she could tell the little girl was scared to death.  Working the slide is SO much fun!!

On my final walkthrough, I stopped at the seed planting area for a little quiet.  Many of the school classes sign up so the kids can learn how seeds are planted and grown.  You would think in an agricultural community like us, it would be common knowledge, but it's not.

We closed at 7:30.  It's almost 8:00 and I'm still waiting for the last three people to leave the restroom area.  

Today I get to do it all over again!  WOOHOO!!  

Miles walked:  10.83 (a record?)

Total so far:  189.45   It's getting up there ........