Wednesday, 5 August 2015 11:03
We are sat here waiting for the first arrival.
Set up last night, field already pegged out.
Waiting with some anticipation of response from visitors.
Weather is warm but overcast, forecast is somewhat dubious due to low cloud but little rain expected.
We have people from all over coming in fact one person is coming from Scotland.
The grass has been cut and left, it is dry and long, I suppose there is never a perfect farmers field..
We were not expecting to steward again this year, but situations changed the arranged stewards were not able to fit it in and there are so few active members left in the club in order to not let all visitors to the “Balloon Fiesta” Sandra and I stepped in.
Chairman Keith and his wife are also involved and will take over completely from Friday midday.
5 disabled have booked, one tent, one caravan and 3 mobile homes, so I have allotted pitches together near the water tap.
1300 hrs and 10 units parked mostly ok.
One caravan nearly hit the post in a large gateway. I shouted, he was an inch away. Did not know how and which way to reverse, but after some coaxing reversed back on to road holding up traffic up and managed to sign in. He was not a very good driver
I indicated where he should park his van, alongside of the yellow stick marker. Made sure he was happy using his motor mover to make final adjustments then I and attended to another motor an towing a caravan, somewhat difficult discussions trying to convey the parking requirements.
He was a bit of an Anorak with sharp responses. How ever I left them both reversing into their pitches.
Returning to the van Sandra agreed we had the same sharp relationship with the Anorak.
A while later I viewed the not very confident driver had unhitched his van and parked his car on his neighbours pitch, the Anorak was beginning to raise his hackles , I intervened at the right time.
We tried to accommodate campers wishes,with their friend and to date all has been well.
The chap whose mother died on site a few years ago in their caravan
arrived and with his normal chatty self had to be urged on to his pitch, chatting about the nearest source of blackberries.
Anyway he continued his conversation about two self-addressed envelopes he sent to Annette our booking officer and e-mailed her requesting the return.
He mentioned this at the Harbour Festival we were Stewards at couple of weeks ago I apologised and offered him £1.50, he refused and said £1.00 will be fine.
Quite interesting Stewarding, all different characters, a small motor home arrived. The drivers window remained shut, the woman alighted and performed all the negotiations, I marched off to park them, she negotiated a prefered spot that was ok by me, I gained another pitch. They were very happy facing into the trees, I acknowledge him behind the glass he replied with a restricted nod. I thought it was a rather limited communication, personality trait maybe, but speaking with him later he communicated a on a perfectly normal level if somewhat stiff lipped.
The day continued visitors were sited and to the best of our knowledge all happy with about half of the Booked pitches full.
Friday midday Sandra and I moved on to our previously arranged other “Meet” and left Keith in control with his lovely wife Rita.
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