By Machelle James
FINALLY! We can see what the store is going to look like! I cannot even begin to describe what this feels like. AJ and I were sitting under the patio cover admiring how AMAZING the store is—even unfinished! The covered patio measures 30 x 50 x 11 feet in depth. It is HUGE! We just decided to build a sit-down bar top on the porch, where the railing will be. It is such a nice view that we decided we had to do something special with it.
Passed our building inspection!
Our other bit of good news is we passed our building inspection on the very first try! We were so nervous. We had a pad of paper to write down whatever needed to be corrected. Well, Hot Dog! What a pleasant surprise to pass and to able to move forward so quickly!
AJ is ordering the metal roof this week and we are hiring a crew to install it for us. AJ can do many things, but a metal roof is something that he has never built before. We’re working on wrapping the outside of the building with “house wrap” and then we will install the windows and doors. We already picked up the cabinets for the store as well as the sinks and faucets. We wanted to make sure there weren’t any delays with the building supplies, so we ordered them early.
Ordering custom beverage containers
Our next order of business is ordering the custom beverage containers. We found a company that sells Polar Camel Insulated Beverage Containers. These are in high demand and we are not taking any chances of them running out of inventory. We have a local engraving lady here to make funny camping sayings on them to sell in the store.
As we work away on projects for the next two weeks, we will be taking some time off in February to see our middle son and his family in Georgia. We miss our sweet daughter-in-law and our granddaughter, Aurora. We are taking Jenna on her first cross-country road trip and we are a little nervous about it. We’re taking a DVD player, in case there isn’t any internet, and, of course, her Switch for gaming. We pray for good weather and patience as we make the three-night trek to see the kids!
Thank you for following our Campground Journey and See You in the Trees!
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AJ, Machelle and Jenna
Read previous articles here.
Machelle James and her husband, AJ, built, from the ground up, a 15-acre RV park in Heber-Overgaard, Arizona, in the beautiful White Mountains 140 miles from Phoenix. Follow them at their website, or on Facebook @ AJ’s Getaway RV Park, or on Instagram at ajsgetawayrvpark.
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Machelle, it is so good to see that your dream is finally taking shape in a huge way! I am happy for you guys that you passed the inspection on the first try. I am not sure what the view is like but I am sure that installing the Bar top on the porch will be a great addition to the viewing pleasure of your guests. We have our place in NC just 30 minutes North of Helen, Ga. I hope the weather stays good for your visit with family. Keep up the good work!
Hi Ed! The view is of an open meadow area and our house, haha! It does look so nice to sit and people watch. I’ll probably be out there myself!
Helen, GA looks AMAZING!!! It’s 2 hours from the kids’ house! And my DIL is GERMAN! I’m going to see if we can make an overnight stay there! What a COOL place that would be to visit!! Thanks for your continued support Ed!!
You will love Helen, Ga. We were married there in a chapel in the mountains. If you like German food, my suggestion is Bodensee Restaurant. They have the best Pork Schnitzel with Yeager gravy. The best German food in Helen. I speak from experience. Let me know how you liked it, if you go.
Congrats on passing the inspection and the building taking shape! Lots of hard work provide a wonderful feeling of great accomplishments! Enjoy your visit with family!
Thank You Joe! AJ is truly bursting with pride and it is a joy to see him so happy with his hard work. Thank you for the kind words and we can’t wait to see the kids again!
Passing first inspection! If anyone could do it, it’s you and AJ. What a relief for both of you. Can’t wait to see the finished store. So glad you are letting us share your journey.
Thank you Diane!! It is way harder than we thought, but we always persevere! Thanks again for your continued support!!