May 21st - May 23rd

We started working last Friday, and lucky for us it was kind of a slow day, or at least it was for me. We went in a little early so I could go to the Red Baron ride, where I would be working, and asked the operator to show me how it worked. There are 8 planes and each plane can hold 2 kids, Jane showed me and it was pretty simple. We then checked in and started work at 1:50pm. The park was open until 6pm and we got (1) 15 minute break in that 4 hour shift. Dave's sky ride was always going, doesn't mean that anyone was riding but the ride just never stops unless the operator's stop it. My Red Baron ride I had a lot of down time, some of the teenagers, there were school buses that were full of Jr. High or High School kids, kept wanting to ride and I just kept turning them away. When kids did ride, if they wanted to they could go as many times as they wanted to or when the parents pulled them off. Before I forget, when I start my shift, on the ride, there is a check off list I have to fill out and sign, then when I get my break the person covering for me signs the time when they relieve.

Saturday was a different story, boy was it busy and that's an understatement. When I started my shift the girl told me it wasn't too busy, they came in groups then there would be nothing. So I grabbed the check off list and she asked it I wanted her to wait and I said no because I would fill it out when I had no riders, BIG MISTAKE!! It was going on 4pm and I still had not done my check off list and I was in panic mode because I knew my relief was on their way. I somehow managed to sign the sheet and put what time I started but that was it. So needless to say when I got back from my break, which I came back early, I finished filling out my sheet before my relief left. Like I said Saturday was very busy, luckily for me there was a parent on the exit side that helped me out. Some parent had lifted there kid over the exit gate and told them to run onto the ride when it stopped, the kid got close to the yellow line and the parent stopped them from going any closer. I did see him put his arm out and stop the kid and was wondering why that kid was even there. If you cross over the yellow line the planes will hit you, I'm not even suppose to walk around when the ride is going, I am suppose to watch the planes and the kids that are on them. Anyway, when the ride had stopped I started walking around and unlocking the seat belts when I saw there was a kid on the plane that wasn't wearing a seat belt, my heart stopped. That's when the guy had told me this was the kid that had come in through the exit and jumped in the plane when it stopped. I was just happy to hear it wasn't a kid I forgot to lock in.

Sunday was almost like Friday , not too busy, but this time I did have down time and would have had time to fill in the check off list but I learned my lesson.

Sunday morning, before work, Dave & I took the awnings off our 2 slides so we could see if we could get them fixed or order new ones if we have to. It was windy and cold, we were really surprised. When we left for work it was a different matter, the sun had come out and it was hot. Thank goodness I have an umbrella at my ride or I would have cooked more then I did. Dave's job is out of the sun so he is lucky there.

Forgot to mention on Saturday morning we drove to down town Des Moines and went to their Farmer's Market. They close down a bunch of streets and they had a lot of vendors, with a lot of good looking veg. and fruits.

We got our schedules and we will have Thursdays off and this following week we will still be on the same rides from 1:50pm until closing. All summer long I believe we will always be on the closing shift, at least it should be cooler in the evenings for us.