Saturday, April 28, 2007

Busy

Somehow even though it is still early spring I manage to be very busy. Weekends we seem to be filling up with guests, which is great, but even when we don't have guests to take care of there is always a lot to do: catching up on laundry, paperwork, paying bills and PROJECTS. There always seems to be a list of projects. As if just having a business isn't enough, the buildings have to be kept up. Currently on my list:

- Finish a new wall in our rental cottage (sheetrock is up, sanding, trim and painting are still pending)
- Install new grills on the vent fan/light units in the guest bathrooms; the old ones have yellowed beyond acceptability
- Turn on the outside water (keeping my fingers crossed there are no leaks this year)
- Reinstall the pump and filters for the fish pond
- Plant the rest of my spring bulbs
- Work on the text for our new website (watch for the launch in a couple of weeks)
- Order business cards and other office supplies
- Inventory tee shirts and other logo items we sell, reorder if necessary

There's more, but you get the idea. Anyone who thinks owning a B&B would be a nice thing to do when they retire should talk to an innkeeper before they buy. Not that I'd trade it for any other profession right now, but it's real work.

Dove Update: Mama bird hung on longer than I expected, but at some point in the past week she finally abandoned the nest. I don't know if it was due to all the rain or whether another critter got her egg. Add to the list above: remove the remains of the nest from the gutter.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Doves

Each spring we, like many people, enjoy the return of many bird species to our little town. One of my favorites is the mourning doves. These plump little birds have a sizeable population here but I never get tired of their soft call or the unique sound they make as they take off.

My husband is not quite as much of a bird lover as I am. He calls the doves "fancy pigeons" and would prefer if they didn't nest on our property. Inevitably, though, one pair will take a liking to one of our structures. Many years it is the gazebo, which offers good cover for the birds as they nest and fledge their young. This year, about two weeks ago, we noticed a pair of birds building a nest in a gutter, right over the downspout. Even I agreed this was not a good thing, but when my husband went up on a ladder to remove the nest he noticed an egg in it. Now he may not be a fan of the birds, but he is soft-hearted and he couldn't bring himself to take the nest down with the egg. There was a fairly large rainstorm in the forcast and he assumed that the nest would get flooded and the birds would abandon it then.

Brave momma bird sat on that nest all through that storm, breast deep in water. She sat through the nor'easter this past weekend and the subsequent days of cold rain. She's still there today. I have no idea if that egg is still viable, but if it doesn't hatch it won't be for lack of maternal attention.

I'll let you know what happens.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Check Your Room

Dear Guest:

Please, for the love of all that is good in the world, check your room before you leave our (or any) inn. Don't forget to check next to the bed and between the sheets. So far this week I've found two pairs of socks and a pair of boxers. And this has been a slow week.

If you get home and find you've left something behind, please call and ask for it back, we're glad to sent it. And don't be surprised if we ask you to reimburse us for postage, it takes time and money for us to pack your item, drive to the post office and get it mailed.

Signed,
Your Innkeeper

If anyone is wondering, some of the other things that have been left behind over the years include a box of jewelry, flip-flops, an iPod charger, numerous cell-phone chargers, sunglasses, a robe, swimsuits, jackets, hats, and once, a laptop computer.

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Connections

We're one of those Bed & Breakfasts where everyone sits around a common breakfast table in the morning. Breakfast is served from 8:30 to 10 a.m. and although it has happened that the guests stagger themselves in such a way that there's only one couple at the table at any one time, more often than not at least two couples find themselves sitting together and sometimes as many as four couples do. One of the great joys of innkeeping is watching people make new friends and find connections with each other.

This morning I got to watch two couples learn they had much in common. They even went so far as to exchange addresses & phone numbers. I hope they stay in touch.

Friday, April 6, 2007

Credit where credit is due

Sometimes I stumble on a blog name that piques my interest but when I look I can find no explanation for the name. So for those of you who might be wondering where I got the title for this blog, here's the story:

Before moving to Wellfleet and opening the B&B, I worked in an office in New York City. My plans to make the move weren't a secret, but I had been pretty quiet about my leaving, a lot of our clients had no idea it was imminent. On my second to last day of work one of our long-time clients called to speak to my boss and before I turned her over to him I said to her "In case I don't get another chance to speak to you, I just wanted to say goodbye." She wished me luck and then said "I just don't know how you're going to do it."

"Do what?" I replied.

"Get up in the morning and make muffins for strangers."

And there you have it. It was such a great line I knew I just had to use it somewhere, somehow. So thank you Laura, wherever you are.