AMAZON HASLET, TX (UPDATE II)

AMAZON HASLET, TX (UPDATE II)

Week 6

I Googled  "Amazon Haslet, TX" and my last blog post is number 4 on the search. I guess someone at Amazon has read my blog, because I'm no longer on the dock crew, I have been on the receive line all week except for half a day when I was pulled to do .... you guessed it dock crew.  This week was our first with mandatory 11 hour shifts. 11 hour shifts are not mandatory for Camperforce, but we worked them to get a understanding on how they will feel during peak. There is a change form the other Amazon I have worked where the 11th hour is after the normal shift, At Haslet we have to come in one hour early. On those days we have to get up at 4:00am to be on the road at 5:00am for a 6:00am start. Just let me put it like this, on the days we work 11 hours they are very long days. Also this week we worked our first overtime day. I don't mind the work, because that's what I'm here for.  But, that fifth day after an already 42 hour week kicked my A$$. I have made more simple errors in that shift then I have the last six weeks combined. The upside to this story is that I caught my errors (at least the ones I know of) before sending my tote forward. After my shift I walked up to all the problem solvers and thanked them for helping me out all day. Start of next week we are back on 11 hour shifts and overtime ... 

Our off time has almost disappeared, if we are not working we are sleeping. We still get two days off, but that is used to do laundry, groceries, and cook our meals for next week shift. Leaving us very little time to get out and sightseeing. We did find Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Forth Worth. It's about an hour away, we go every other week for our groceries. It's the only place we have found that has our Japanese rice and the meats & chicken are cheaper then anywhere else we have looked.    

The other day we got home from work and found that a friend from last year I worked with at Amazon has pulled in and starts working this week.  If you have time check out her blog HERE

Week 7

We only worked a 40 hour week. Hiromi came down with a cold and there was no reason to work 11 hour shift. It gave her a few more hours of rest. Mandatory overtime this week was canceled at 9:00pm the night before. Hiromi was already in bed and I was on my way when the mass machine call went out. We had the choice to volunteer overtime, but Hiromi was still under the weather and we did not go making it three days off to rest. This week I was split between two days on the receive line and two day on dock crew. Amazon hired a new group of CampForce along with a new group of seasonal workers both assigned to receiving. We now have more workers than workstations. More than likely I will be back on dock crew next week, but only time will tell.

Hiromi has had a few broken nails and bruises from moving boxes off the receive line to her workstation. I on the other hand, have bruises and cardboard cuts on both forearms. Also, non work related from sleeping with my hand in a ball and slept on it all night and woke up with stiff wrist. The next morning I woke up with a stiff back. I guess I have to stay awake so I don't get hurt anymore.

The friend that arrived last week, she pulled out and moved to a campground closer to Amazon. She did not like the long drive into work. The drive is not that long to us, as we car pull and the people we drive with keep it fun and the time passes pretty fast.

Week 8

Last week on one of my shifts we set a building record of 445,000+ items received on one shift. However, we have not reached 200,000 items in one shift since that day and everyone seems to be excited if we reach 150,000 items. What's wrong with that picture? There is over a million items sitting in trucks outside the warehouse. Last year in Fernley, NV receiving close to a million in one day was the norm. On days I work the receive line I ask what my numbers are before I leave, just to see how I'm preforming. I have been around 2,500 - 2,900 items a shift, so I know I'm doing my part.

Starting week 8 and that means only one thing, we are at the half way point of our commitment and everyday from now is all down hill. I have to start looking and calling for reservation for December - February as this is the prime time for everyone to head South for the winter. The military base campgrounds should be no problem, it's Fort Myers that I'm worried about as we plan to attend Red Sox and Twins Spring Training in Florida this winter.

I was on the dock crew three and half days of the five days worked this week. I got a cardboard cut on my ankle and woke up to the whole area black and blue. We have decided to work only 10 hour shift even if they have 11 hour shift. Getting up at 4:00am and working all day is hard for anyone. Also, from lunch to the the next is break 3 hours 15 minutes, it's hard to keep a good attitude after that time block is completed. When working on 10 hour shift there is a break every 2 1/2 hours. It's only one extra hour of work, but we get to leave before the rest of the warehouse leaves and the traffic is almost nothing. We have not agreed on volunteer overtime yet. I would still like to work them days, Maybe, Hiromi can stay home on those days while I got to work.

Texas weather: days are no longer in the 90's it has cooled down to the 80's. Mornings are cool low 60's. We did have a storm come through last week with rain off and on all day that cooled everything down. Now that the storm has passed it's back in the 80's.

AMAZON HASLET, TX

AMAZON HASLET, TX

After leaving Ohio and on our way to Texas we have made it a tradition of sorts that anytime we are near Arkansas to make a stop in Hot Springs NP.  We stay at the NP campground for $10 a night no hook-up or $30 full hook-up. We spend a day at Quantum hot springs pool, ate lunch at the Ohio Club and found out about the 28 history maker tour of spring training baseball in Hot Spring. I told you I could find baseball history anywhere.

With our body and mind relax next stop Haslet, TX and Amazon for the next 16 weeks.We arrive at our KOA campground. For a KOA, I was not impressed. We were fighting off ants for a month that seemed to be everywhere from our sink, drawers and even in our bed. The shower house and laundry room was filthy, can't receive mail and the pool is not heated.

All these birds and still could not eat all the ants that still found there way into our rig

It took us a month, but we moved out of KOA and found an opening at A+ RV Park no ants (if there are campground takes care of them) clean showers & bathroom, can receive mail and an added plus FREE laundry. The drive to Amazon is a few miles longer, but still arrive at work around the same time. 

Haslet Amazon warehouse is huge, but once you walk it all day for a few days it seems small from the inside. We are assigned to the day shift in receiving. We wake up around 5:00am and out the door and on the road by 6:00am to starting our shift at 7:00am-5:30pm. For anyone returning to Camperforce Amazon the indoctrination class has the same power points & videos. There was two new personnel holding the safety training classes and were not very organized. No camperforce ambassadors, but they are looking for volunteers now and should be in full swing in the next few weeks; where campers will train campers. For the job, not to go to in deep, receiving is where product first arrives in the warehouse and we scan the product into the Amazon system and moves to the next stage for stowers. In the month we have been at Amazon, I have worked the line two days after our first week of training on the line. The rest of the time I have been assigned to the dock crew caring boxes off the trucks or moving pallets all over the building. For Hiromi, she has been assigned to ICQA for a few days and lately Prep along with the line. She like Prep and ICQA. We could have had ICQA when we arrived, but she is a day person and ICQA was for the night shift. I would have loved it, as I'm a night owl.

If your a camperforce on your way to Haslet and have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them or lead you in the right direction.

We have not been out anywhere on our off days, just the local places for groceries and eat out. We both want to just relax and unwind. We are at Amazon to work and play time will start after our commitment is completed. Hopefully, in the next few weeks we will get to Dallas and visit Memorial Plaza where JFK was shoot.

SUMMER RECAP (JUL-AUG)

SUMMER RECAP (JUL-AUG)

I have not forgot about my blog, it just got really busy and internet connection was minimal. Instead of continuing to post separate journeys I have decided to roll them all into one big post and get caught up. This post will give the highlights of our trip to Canada, Portland, Boston (Round II), New York, Pennsylvania, and our visit home before heading to Texas for our winter job at Amazon. Sorry, it's a pretty long read, but at least I'm now caught up!

OH, CANADA

29 Jun - 6 Jul

Ocean front view, three Canadian Providence and two Independence Days all into one week from North of the boarder.

 It's not about how fast you get somewhere, it's about the journey you take to get there. While most other cars are speeding along passing us like we are standing still, we take our time to enjoy our surrounds and take in the History in the small towns we drive through.

Calais, ME the small boarder town leading to New Brunswick, Canada had Saint Croix Island IHS. We stopped to check it out and adding another stamp in our National Park Passport Book before we crossed over into Canada. It is the site of early French Colonization. By what I have read and understood the first winter was to rough and after the ice melted the French Colonization moved to a less isolated location. Also, from what I understood the French relationship with the local Nation Tribe was more friendlier, maybe because they worked closely together and did not try to extinct them like the British did when they arrive to the new world.

Our cell phone kept giving us text messages that we are now in international calls, but we have not even crossed the boarder yet. This was our first time crossing the boarder in our rig so I was a bit unsure what to expect.  About 5 miles back into town we crossed into Canada using the new entrance and there was no wait like there was when we crossed into BC last year. We are going to take the same way out when we leave Canada. There was no problems crossing, just showed them my passport and Hiromi's Green Card and we were in.

With most of the day gone we drove as far as we could before stopping at a Wal Mart to spent the night. The next morning we would arrive in Cap Pele at our campground, ocean front water view to Prince Edward Island. We would celebrate Canada and American Independence Day this week along with crossing into Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

New Brunswick: campground, largest lobster, Hopewell rock.

Hopewell Rock high tide

Did some driving to light houses and cover bridges before returning for low tide. 

Nova Scotia: Sugar Moon Farm where they make maple syrup and Seafoam Lavender farm.

 Mystery Machine in some guy from lawn.

Prince Edward Island: St Dunstan's Basilica, Anna of Green Gables. Hiromi had to read Anna of Green Gables in school in Japan, so I thought it might be nice to see where the books were written.

Confederation Bridge to enter PEI. Free going in, but they get ya on the way out. C$45.50 to leave PEI so don't spend all you money... CASH only.

Before heading back home we had to stop for some ice cream.

With our week up we left in the early morning so we could get back into US in one day. We took the same boarder crossing as we did when we arrived and I started to get a little worried when the two RV's in front of us got pulled over and checked. We had no problem and passed in a few minutes of questions and searches of the RV and car. The two RV's in front of us had the passengers removed form their RV and three boarder patrols going inside their rig. Maybe they lied about the fresh fruit or alcohol they were bring into the US. Anyways, we where in the clear and on our way to Portland,ME.

The Class A and B that would get pulled over for further inspection.

PORTLAND, ME

7 - 10 Jul

We are staying at Blueberry Pond Campground in Pownal, located between Augusta and Portland. This is a good spot to hold up for a few days as it is the center point of the places we want to visit with no more than a hour and a half drive in either direction.

Of course we had to stop by the State Capitol Building, Lenny the 1700 lbs chocolate moose, Nubble Lighthouse and lobster restaurant and Portland Sea Dog MiLB Baseball game.

Maine State Capitol Building

Lenny 

I can't remember where we took this picture, but since it's chocolate....

Hiromi loves chocolate and Lindor is one of her favorites.

Nubble Lighthouse and Lobster

Portland Seadogs

My favorite player Travis Shaw game used jersey was in the team shop, I just had to add it to my collection.

 Batting practice ball

 Travis Shaw number forever on the stadium wall of greats

 Mets prospect Gavin Cecchini on the on deck circle

 Gavin Cecchini autograph on baseball after the game

BOSTON, MA (ROUND II)

11 - 12 Jul

Making a quick pit-stop, we are back in Boston for a few days. We returned to Hanscom AFB to visit the Lowell NHP and see a Short Season baseball game. When we left the team's season has not started yet. The season starts for these teams in mid June after the MLB Draft and completion of the College World Series. These teams are made up of newly drafted players and low level players kept at extended spring training. Also, it will be our last military base we will stop at for a while. We need to restock after eating everything in Canada and crossing the border with cobwebs in our cabinets.

Hiromi stayed at the campground and had the day to herself, while I headed to the city of Lowell to visit Lowell NHP before the short drive to the stadium to see my Indians Mahoning Valley Scrappers take on the Lowell Spinners. I will always root for the home team, unless they are playing an Indians farm team or a Kent State Alumni is on the visiting team.

Lowell NHP was a building with a very little exhibit. The movie did fill you in on the history of the city and how it keeps redefining it's self to remain a growing town.

To give the fans who was waiting to enter the game on this hot and sunny day there was a wrestling rig and match before the gates opened.

I love MiLB game between inning today they had a dog catching freezebees.

I thought I have seen everything in a baseball game, but the game ended in the 13th by a catcher balk and the Scrappers lost the game. You will NEVER see this call in the Major Leagues. Good news, I did go home with 3 balls. Gave one to a little girl when walking out the park, her brother had one and she did not... it only seemed fair they both leave a ball.

BASEBALL HALL OF FAME COOPERSTOWN, NY

13 - 16 Jul

Before arriving to Baseball's Holy Grail of greatest baseball players who live in immortality, we stopped by Martin Van Buren NHS. The 8th President of the United States, one of the founders of The Democratic Party and later founded of the Free Soil Party (known today as The Republican Party). We toured his home, but no pictures allowed. Just from the outside.

Four days in Cooperstown and four days spent at the Hall of Fame. For military active or retired entrance is free, and for a baseball fan like me that's music to my ears. Hiromi would drop me off in the morning and I would spend all day in the Hall of Fame. She would pick me up in the evening and we would walk around downtown before driving back to the campground. There is no way I could add ever picture I took inside the Hall of Fame but here is a just a few.

ALTOONA & BUTLER, PA

17 - 22 Jul

My last push to see four more baseball games before heading home to see family and friends. First stop Altoona, PA  to visit Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS then see the Altoona Curve. First we would learn history of how supply ships would be moved over the mountain by train and drop off on the other side to continue it journey to the West or East.

I would get to see three baseball games in two days as one game was a double header to make up a rain out earlier in the season. I would go to the first game alone. The double header was two for one tickets. Hiromi could not stay all day and watch baseball so she dropped me off and came back for the second game that was followed by firework. With the roller coaster them park in the right field wall something different from other minor league parks.The first day I would get one ball and the double header I would add three more.

The next day, we headed to Butler, PA to see two current Kent State play in the College Summer League. The stadium rule did not allow fans to keep any foul balls. Good thing we got there 5 hours early so we had a parking spot for our RV and got six balls from bating practice. I  gave one to a boy I saw on the other side of the fence where no batting practice homeruns were getting hit to. When I got inside the stadium I was able to get pictures with the two current Kent State players.

HOME SWEET HOME: CANTON, OH

23 Jul - 27 Aug

It seems no matter how far I drive away from home, I always find myself returning. We have seen a lot of nice homes in many cities in the last three years, but home will always be Canton, OH.

The first weekend I made a trip to the flea market and struck baseball card gold. For only $30 I would get 30,000+ sports cards. It took awhile to get them sorted by brand, year, number order and logged into my sports card database. My collection currently stands at 98,591 items. My baseball card collection is complete up to the 2015 season, all I have to do now is inventory my football, basketball and non sports cards I have been collecting since 1987. What will my total collection final count be and how much will it be worth?

 My Kent State Alumni on custom made 5x7

17 in two years

 Hiromi and I would go fishing at an extended families private lake. Eight of us went, we had a good day and caught a lot fish.

My family has tickets to the Hall of Fame Football game that kick off the NFL season for as long as I can remember. Funny how I was home to see the game live. The Steelers vs Vikings with the stands full of black and gold Steelers fan. However, the Vikings would win the game.

 Best seats in the house (Row E 50 yard line)

My last baseball game of the year and first time I've been to Canel Park since the team's new owner changing it's name from Akron Areos to Akron Rubberducks.  It was firework night so of course Hiromi came to the game. I liked the upgrades to the Homerun porch in right field and party corner in the left field. It's easier to watch the game for the fan instead of the seats that were there. My goal was to get autographs of the young prospects. The autographs was pretty easy to get, only three fans asking for autographs and the players I called out came over to sign. Our seats was behind the dugout. When getting autographs a father and son had first row seats, but the wall was to high for the son to see over so we traded tickets. Good thing happen when you do good for others as I got two ball in that seat. One from the pitching coach when returning from warming up the starting pitcher before the game started and another foul ball down the line that I reached over the wall to grab. I tried to find that father and son to give him one of the balls, unfortunately I was not lucky.

With the end of the 2015 baseball season just around the corner, I figure this is the best place then any to give my number to the 2015 season. I attended 51 MLB, MiLB or college summer league game, while getting 170 autographs and caught / retrieved 99 baseballs that have left the field of play.I gave away 13 balls to kids who did not have one, Not to the ones who kept asking for one, but to the ones who I seen trying all game to get one and never got lucky enough. If I give one away another one will come my way.  The game attended are up a few from last year while the autographs remained about the same. The ball total is a dream and I can't even believe how many I got. From 2005-2014 I only had caught 24 balls. In the 2015 season along I more than quadrupled the number of baseball caught in the the last ten years. I don't think I'll ever get that many baseball again, but this season is one that I will never forget.


A lot of people outside of Ohio know Kent State not for being the second biggest University in Ohio behind The Ohio State. They know the history on May 4th 1970 when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed college students protesting the Cambodian Campaign announced by President Nixon just a few days earlier. I took a trip back to my University to take these picture that remembrance of that event.

I knew when I saw this potato that any food my mom would cook would taste good.

In Aug 1979 my family returned from our summer vacation in Florida and as my grandfather pick us up and driving us home a plane crashed at Akron Canton Airport. The pilot of that plane was the catcher of the New York Yankees and Canton's own Thurman Munson. That day was the first time I ever saw my grandfather cry. I visited the Yankee's captain final resting place.

 Hiromi before and after pictures of her hair cut.

Hiromi never fired a gun and it gave dad an excuse to pull his guns out. We spent over an hour at the shooting range. I have to find the time to post the video of Hiromi's shooting to my youtube page... it's a must see.

I have to thank my Aunt and Uncle for giving us a place to park our RV while we were home. Also, to my Mom and Dad who let us stay with them instead of getting a campground and having to drive everyday to see them.

My mom said she don't take good pictures,... I beg to differ.

UP NEXT?
Amazon in Haslet, TX