Busy Bees

I have been busy. Ain't it great?!! And starting tomorrow, I'm going to get paid for being busy!
I have officially been hired as a Park Aide, at an unknown salary, for two months beginning tomorrow, May 1st. When the park ranger was going over paperwork with me yesterday, he realized that no one had told him what my hourly rate will be. Ha! It doesn't matter really. It's probably minimum wage - whatever that is in this state.
My days off will be Thursday and Friday. That's cool too, except that it will interfere with family get-togethers for a couple of months, but I will be free to come and go as I please again after June 30th.
Being an employee will actually reduce my hours at work. I have been going to the park at least 6 (sometimes 7) days each week as a volunteer. Now I can only be there 5.
The main reason that the state allowed the ranger to hire me is because on May 15th we start planting thousands of annuals in all the flower beds. There are just too many flowers for the current staff of four people to get planted alone. We have been preparing the beds - weeding and spreading manure - since I started volunteering on March 19th. Next, the beds need to be tilled and edged before the plants arrive. That's probably what we will be doing this week and next regardless of the weather.
When the sun is shining, this little park is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Every so often I just have to stop what I'm doing and soak it all in: The flowers, the trees, the grass, the bay, the sailboats, the eagles, the seagulls, and the Peace Arch of course.
Wifey starts her new job with Homeland Security today! Work takes on a whole new perspective when you know that you're going to work because you enjoy it, as opposed to because you need it. If it stops being enjoyable, you can walk away!