Amateur Night

The day started out and ended in a bad way.  In between it was just boring.  First, I broke the elbow joint that connects my sewer hose to the RV park sewer system when attempting to unscrew it.  RV supply stores are few and far between in this part of the world so I’ll have to use duct tape until I can find another one.  Next, I was ready to connect the car to the tow bar and had to be very careful while backing the car, as there was a utility pole behind me.  To protect the utility pole was a hexagonal-shaped (six-sided) plywood wall, about four feet high, which had been built around the pole.  While backing the car I kept a careful watch for the utility pole and the fence but backed right into a guy wire that ran from the top of the pole to a point in the ground that was OUTSIDE of the pole’s protective wall!  Now I have a nice three-foot long crease in the rear of my car.  

As we were starting to pull out Herm (our Tail Gunner) began shouting and pointing.  I was about to drive off with my door and patio awnings still extended.  It wasn’t just me this morning, either.  Keith and Pat tried to drag their jeep out of the RV Park before Herm ran and waved them down.  They had forgotten to take the jeep out of gear and the wheels weren’t turning.  They left some nice furrows in the gravel lot.  Then when Richard pulled out of his site he tried to take out an electricity and water connection pedestal.  Fortunately, Herm came to the rescue again and managed to stop him in time.  Herm must think we are all idiots.

As usual, Carol Ann and I were the last ones to leave this morning (8:55AM).  However, I did pass a few others on the way to Twillingate so we weren’t the last ones to arrive.  We stopped once for fuel and again to eat a sandwich for lunch, otherwise it was a very boring drive.  We arrived at Peyton’s Woods RV Park a little before 3:00PM. 

This RV park does not rank near the top of the list of RV parks in which we have stayed in Canada.  It’s probably one of the bottom three, although it doesn’t appear to be as bad as some of the reviews I read on the Internet.  The sites are not very “scenic,” even though Notre Dame Bay is just across the street.  They advertise Wi-Fi access but because our site is about as far from the office as you can get and still be in the park we are unable to connect to their Wi-Fi.  As a matter of fact, my computer’s Wi-Fi adapter is not able to even detect their Wi-Fi signal!  I went up to the office to check on it and found that all they have is a “household-type” wireless router with no outside antenna.  You probably have to be pretty close to the office in order to use it.  But that’s OK.  I put up my Hawking outside booster/repeater on the top of the flagpole attached to my rear ladder, which put it about 18 to 20 feet above the ground.  I was able to find a much stronger Wi-Fi signal that we can use (no password required).  It’s also quite fast.

At 5:45PM we carpooled a couple of miles up to Crow Head for the All Around the Circle Dinner Theater.  This is where I have to be careful not to offend anyone (but I’m afraid I may have to).  It is advertised as “local fare, music and skits”, which is exactly what it was.  But first let me cover the dinner.  We started out with a “homemade vegetable beef soup” in which I identified two possible vegetables.  Carrots for sure and then either rutabaga, turnip, or potato.  I did manage to find one small piece of beef, about a half-inch square, near the bottom of the bowl.  I was jealous of Val because I could see two pieces floating on top of her soup (I don’t know how many more pieces may have been in the bowl).  The main course was a choice of salmon, cod, or chicken.  I had selected chicken because I just don’t care much for seafood.  The chicken was okay.  It was stuffed with dressing and covered up with gravy.  The entree came with two vegetables, very much like the soup.  The vegetables were carrots and potatoes.  You’ll never guess what we had for dessert.  It was carrot cake (no joke).  I should be able to see much better tonight but I’m afraid my skin may turn orange.  I’ll have to check the color of my urine in the morning.

After the tables were cleared, the wait staff, cooks, and bartender morphed into the cast of the production.  It was, well, it was not exactly what I had expected.  And perhaps I was expecting too much after having attended the Anchors Aweigh show the other night in Rocky Harbor.  Tonight’s show was extremely amateurish.  At first I thought that this might have been part of the show.  You know, a professional who acts like an amateur for laughs?  But, no, there was nothing professional at all about the performance. 

There were three men and four women in the cast.  One of the men played the accordion and the other two played guitars.  One of the men acted (I use the term loosely) as the emcee and sang.  There was nothing of note about their playing or singing.  They just stood there, very wooden-like, showing no emotion, not even the slightest smile.  Of the seven, one of the women might be called funny.  I thought the whole thing was very much like a high school production but later decided that I was sadly mistaken.  It was more like something you would expect to see in junior high.  The sound system was also of poor quality (but so is my hearing) and I had trouble understanding everything that was said, such as the punch lines of their jokes.

Here were seven adults, who have done this same show six nights a week during the summers since 1988 and yet there was absolutely no polish to it.  It really was like amateur night.  Now, I know I couldn’t do any better, I will admit.  But I’m not charging people to listen to me.  Then again, people up here have to make a living and they have to do it over the summer months.  I suppose they can get away with it since almost all of their audiences are tourists who will most likely never be returning.

I don’t know why Fantasy chose to spend OUR money on this event, nor do I wish to think about WHAT it cost US.  We will be here for three nights and if that was the best they have in this town I will be most disappointed.

Please, don’t think that I am being an ass about this.  I really am a nice guy.  Honest.  Ask anyone that knows me.  I’m my mother’s son.  I was born and raised in the South and she taught me to be nice to everyone, whether they deserve it or not.  I certainly don’t like to speak ill of anyone, especially those trying hard to make a living.  However, I have to be honest.  That was about the worst thing I have had to endure in a long, long time.  I’m sorry, but that’s the truth and somebody needs to tell it like it is because there are travel articles, websites, and books that actually recommend seeing this show.

Maybe tomorrow will be better.