I started the day by taking the dogs to the beach in the morning.  I checked the tide table and learned that low tide was 7:00 am, so I left the campground early with most of my fellow docents and hosts still sleeping.  I definitely have not slipped into the retirement routine.   We had the beach to ourselves, the dogs running and enjoying themselves.

After my visit to the beach I went for my orientation.  I thought I would be eased into the job.  Silly me.   Two hours of orientation then a couple hours at the lighthouse learning the spiel, the security stuff, and hearing stories about difficult people.

So much more than I ever thought about. As a volunteer my job is not to enforce rules, I am to remind people of the rules.  And there are rules for everything.  Weddings:  Can be held outside (not inside) the lighthouse with a maximum of ten people.  No chairs.  Smoking:  No smoking unless you are in your campsite, on the beach, or in a vehicle or on a bicycle.  Everything is to be orderly for all to enjoy.

I listen to Pam give tours while wishing I had dressed a bit warmer.  The lighthouse is only semi heated, the coast in winter is cool and damp.  I got back to my trailer as the sun was setting and the rain was starting again.  The dogs and I jumped into the cold unheated trailer and I immediately turn on the electric heater.  I hovered over it until warmth began to spread throughout.  Within 5 minutes I no longer needed to worship the heater and started straighten things up and cooking dinner.

It had been a great day, feeling the cold wind and rain, watching the waves crash, and getting to know the lighthouse.