Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Added: February 5th, 2010 | Be the first to add a comment »
Running a water park in Missouri is a curious way to earn a living, for lots of reasons.
One of the more spicy elements to the job is the fact that our success depends, more than anything else, on something wholly beyond our control. I refer, of course, to the weather.
There’s an old saying in Missouri that if you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes, but in the past few years that hasn’t done us much good. We’ve had two of the wettest, coldest summers since records began. We’re due a scorcher, that’s for sure.
And here’s the funny thing. Deep in our hearts, we know that at some point over the season it’s going to rain and get yucky. We know we’ll have to issue rainchecks to our guests and console upset kids who were looking forward to a few more hours of fun. But still, right now, in February, I operate on the assumption or belief that we will have beautiful, sunny days for three months straight. It takes some mental gymnastics to believe in something that you know isn’t really true, but I’ve had a lot of practice. This leap of faith is akin to believing in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and the Tooth Fairy all rolled into one. In Alice in Wonderland the Queen of Hearts boasted about believing six impossible things before breakfast. She should come and work for us.
Anyway, with a bit of luck we will have those three months of hot sunshine, and I’ll look back on this post, and… oh. There I go again.
Whistle Pig!
Added: February 2nd, 2010 | Be the first to add a comment »
Today is the holiday of fun-filled excitement that we call Groundhog Day when all ears anxiously wait to hear the news that may just get us through these winter blues. Unfortunately, in Pennsylvania, the great prognosticator Punxatawny Phil saw his shadow. (For those of you who aren’t familiar, when the groundhog sees his shadow we still have another six weeks of winter; when he doesn’t, we have six weeks until spring arrives.)
Here at Big Surf, we don’t worry about winter into spring. We only have two seasons: summer and not-summer. Besides, Punxatawny Phil isn’t nearly as cute as the little chipmunk that plays outside my window.
Oh, by the way, if you want to know why I titled this blog “Whistle Pig” just give it a Google.
Winter Blues
Added: January 3rd, 2010 | Be the first to add a comment »
I’m from Ohio. Being in the cold outside doesn’t seem to bother me. (Inside is another matter - I’m prone to wearing cardigans.) I’ve always said that it’s not really cold until you can feel the hairs in your nostrils freeze.
But now I’m in Missouri and, more importantly, I work at Big Surf. Although I still don’t mind the cold, being a Surf employee makes it a little harder to get through these winter days. I’m yearning for the sound of splashing water and the screams of kids when the wavepool announces the return of the waves with a bell that would rival any school’s in six states. I’m anxious to see the kitchen alive with juicy, dripping hamburgers and six flavors of Dippin’ Dots out of the below zero freezer. I can’t wait to see the kids’ faces at the gate just before we open, begging, “Come on, just a little early, please?”
But, alas, there is much work to be done before any of that can happen. We’re making phone calls, preparing new programs, weighing options, and trying to decided on the things that we can do to improve this next season.
And then, of course, there’s the weather. Like I said, the cold doesn’t bother me. But I wouldn’t want to swim in it, either.
Missy McPheeters
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…
Added: December 7th, 2009 | Be the first to add a comment »
It’s ok…you can finish it! CHRISTMAS!!!! It is around us anyway. Last weekend we attended a couple of different area celebrations of the season and, might I say, had a festive time!
Gil made his way to Christmas on the Square in Camdenton and visited with many people! He made all sorts of new friends (even new animal friends at the petting zoo)!
Mr. Camel...no, no spit
There was music, free stuff, lots of candy, the jolly man himself and, of course, our very own dancing shark! You can see the video on our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRP3O3RPoD0.
Sunday, Gil made his way to Breakfast with Santa hosted by the Camden County Relay for Life. It was an extremely fun and successful event! Fun was had by all as crafts were made, games were played and Ol’ St. Nick showed up, along with Gil! And, to top off this awesome event, they raised over $1,000 for the American Cancer Society!
Gil and Santa
See us next Saturday at the Lake Ozark Christmas Parade!
Whassup?
Added: November 28th, 2009 | Be the first to add a comment »
The glow of holiday turkey is just about over and things are getting revved up for the Christmas season. I thought I’d take this little breather to let you all know what’s currently going on at Big Surf.
The most important news, of course, is that our season passes are on sale. Now through March 31st, you can purchase Surfer and Jr. Surfer season passes at $10 off the regular price and Sr. Surfer season passes are discount $5. Don’t pass up this great deal - its the best way to enjoy Big Surf all summer. And of course they make great Christmas gifts!
I’m gearing up to design the brochure for 2010. This is one of my favorite projects during the winter. The cover is just about done and I need to see about reworking the calendar page for next year’s dates. We will have some significant changes to our operating hours this next summer so keep your eyes peeled for updates.
All of the paperwork for 2009 is just about packed up. Things will be moved around to make room and some will be taken to permanent storage. The park looks great and many of the plants have already been removed to make room for new ones next spring. All of the rides have been winterized and most of the pools are already repainted. We’re ready to batten the hatches for winter!
As for today, I’m enjoying watching about six pairs of cardinals play in the creek outside my window. I’m also trying to figure out all of those little things that I can do this winter that I’d like to get done but don’t have enough time during the busy season.
Now where did I put that list?
Missy McPheeters
Kudos to the Crew!
Added: November 16th, 2009 | Be the first to add a comment »
I am sure all of you out there truly believe we have nothing better to do but sit around during the winter months at Big Surf, but I will tell you now….it’s not true! What we do is definitely different this time of year than during the warm summer months, but we aren’t sitting around (unless you are talking about the lovely office dwellers that are hard at work behind desks).
Day after day I arrive to the park between 8 and 8:30 and notice something different each day. Mike and Harold have been hard at work making this place look great, even with no visitors! For those of you who have visited, you know we have the most beautiful landscaped entrance around. During the summer it has beautiful flowers and shrubbery as well as a flowing creek that serves as home to our resident Koi. During the winter it is still beautiful, less colorful, but still beautiful thanks to these guys.
Just the other day, they came through and trimmed our shrubs and plants. Weeded out the creek and I do have to say….it looks marvelous out there! Good for you, Mike and Harold, for keeping our park looking great year-round!
BOO!
Added: November 2nd, 2009 | Be the first to add a comment »
Halloween 2009 was definitely a spooktacular one for me! I finally got out after our season ended. It was great to be with the people again and enjoy myself.
My first stop on Saturday was at Stone Crest Mall’s Kid’s Fun Fest. They had games, a costume contest and tons of fun for everyone-and what a great turn-out there was! We had everyone from ninjas to bumblebees and monsters to princesses. We gave tickets out to the wonderful costume contest winners and I even participated in some of the games…the cookie walk was my personal favorite!
Me with the cutest puppy in the world!
That evening I made my way to the First Baptist Church of Camdenton for their Trunk or Treat event. It was a blast! Everyone goes all out to decorate their cars, trucks and SUV’s. My boss, Darin, even built his own car…to go along with their theme, of course! We gave away a season pass to one lucky trick-or-treater and gave out tons of candy.
Darin with his family, Laura, Sam and Molly (they are the modern stone-age family)
All in all, Halloween turned out to be fun for everyone! I am looking forward to getting out around town for some really great Christmas celebrations…so keep checking back and I will keep you posted on where I will be!
Gil Shark
Off With the Old - On With the Blue!
Added: October 19th, 2009 | 1 Comment »
“Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.” - Edgar Degas
The first time that people find out that I work at Big Surf generally have one question that they ask: “What do you do during the winter?” After they’re surprised to learn that I work here all year, I usually have to explain that there is always a lot of work to be done here, including marketing planning, sales calls, account collections and mailings. And that’s just inside!
Outside, many projects are constantly on the burners depending on whether or not its raining. All of the furniture gets washed and stacked, all of the pools get winterized to keep the pipes in good shape, and the gardens all need to be put to bed for hibernation.
One of the biggest projects that we try to complete as soon as possible is repainting the wavepool. It first has to be waterblasted to remove any loose paint that comes away from the concrete and then you have to wait for a sunny day so the paint will dry.
Today was just such a day – and a gorgeous one at that.
My hat’s off to Degas for his work but one thing’s for certain: he must have never painted for maintenance because these guys really know what they’re doing!
A Spooktacular Shark
Added: October 19th, 2009 | Be the first to add a comment »
Once again, our mascot, Gil, will be out and about town scaring up fun as he goes! On Halloween, 10/31/09, Gil will make two totally cool appearances.
The first will be at Stone Crest Mall in Osage Beach at their Kid’s Fun Fest. There will be lots of candy, a costume contest, Spooktacular egg hunt (yep, you heard that right) and kid’s games as well. It is sure to be a blast for all! The event happens from 11 am until 4 pm-don’t miss out! You never know what Gil will have for you!
The other event on Gil’s calendar is the Trunk or Treat at the First Baptist Church in Camdenton. The event goes from 6:30 pm until they run out of the vast amount of candy they will have available to the kids!
We invite you all to both events, which will be fun, safe ways for you and your family to enjoy Halloween!
The First Cut
Added: October 15th, 2009 | Be the first to add a comment »
You know the saying, “Beauty is pain?” On October 12th, I lived that. As I lay in the bin at an Osage Beach hardware store, two fine-looking ladies came to what I thought was my rescue.
The first thing they did was push me around in this horrible cage-like contraption. If I had arms and legs, I could’ve crawled out, but I swiftly came to the conclusion that wouldn’t be happening. I was then stuck between two pansies (literally, pansy flowers) in the back of a white van. What a ride that was! If I were a bettin’ man, I’d bet the driver was a racecar driver in his spare time!
We shortly arrived at our destination. I was so relieved until one of the pretty ladies began unpacking some shiny-looking sharp things. The sweat began to pour. I’d always heard stories about this, but had never seen it with my own eyes!
*The following details carry a parental advisory warning a.k.a. very gory stuff!
The pretty lady in the green sweater took me outside and proceeded to cut my top off! The other one approached me and gutted me! She scooped and scraped out my insides. I sat outside in the cold for a while like that with my guts lying on the ground beneath me. The green sweater lady came back out and carried me in, but the pain was not over, it had only begun. She put paper over my face and poked holes all over me. When she took off the paper, it only got worse. She grabbed a really long, sharp thing and I couldn’t watch any longer. What ensued was the worse pain I had ever felt. She sliced and diced pieces of me away for what felt like hours and then, it all stopped.
When I felt it was safe to look, I did. Much to my surprise, it was magnificent-I was magnificent! Never in my life had I felt and looked so wonderful. I was a work of art-a masterpiece!
Me....after the pain.
