Busy Bristol Race Weekend

What a week! Whew! At least today, Saturday, all the chickens are home roosting before heading out to the Bristol Track for tonight’s big race! But getting everything ready …. It’s been crazy! Life in the mountains is certainly full of great people, lots of things to do and you never know what is around the corner.

First, Let me explain that since I was unable to rent the Lake House for the week…I decided to rent out the rooms individually and have Carolyn, my assistant innkeeper, i.e. housekeeper go over and make breakfast the 2 mornings people would be there. Actually…since I was able to rent the Lake House to one couple for Sun-Thursday it was a good decision for the bottom line.

Wednesday, first guests arrived at the Inn. They (Thomas) were to move to the Lake House on Thursday after the previous guests left. But since I had the room open until Friday am, and we were having a good time, they decided to stay until Friday when they would move. Now, the room they were in, was booked to the Downs for Thursday night, but since I had the Green Room open, if the Downs really wanted the Spring room, I’d move the Thomas, but the Downs liked the Green Room so All is well! Again, a very delightful couple from Chicago.

Thursday evening I did dinner for a couple. He had stopped in to check out the Inn (they are staying at a friend’s 5 bedroom 5.5 bath home on the Lake) and asked if I would do dinner. Sure, said I. So made cucumber soup, chopped salad, steak (I did cook it well if I do say so myself), fresh corn and asparagus and ice cream and cookies for dessert. It worked out well and they are very nice and will probably come stay some future time.

Thursday evening about 9:00 a knock on the door. The Martins are there wanting to get into the Chalet and there is a young man with a large dog who says he isn’t leaving until Friday am! Ooops! I expected the Martins on Friday – Sunday night. But since the Lake House was lovely and clean, I moved the 8 people in the Martin contingent to the Lake House for the night! All is well….. sort of.

Friday am. Make breakfast and have a delightful time with the Thomas’. Would like to get to the Chalet and start cleaning since the Martin clan wants to settle in as early as possible, but the Downs are enjoying a relaxing restful visit…they finally come down about 10:00 for breakfast! We have a nice chat, but then I explain that I must get to the Chalet to clean it so I leave them, some dirty dishes although all frig stuff has been put away. I grab some cleaning supplies since I wasn’t sure what we needed at the Chalet. Dog hairs! Oh my gosh! In the bedroom, in the shower, in the living room! It was a golden retriever and although he had been shaved, my vacuum clean bag was soon full! And as I’m busy cleaning, the Martin clan show up with bags and bags of food, clothes, sleeping bags and air mattresses. I finish cleaning around them and they leave so I can finish cleaning the kitchen. But then I have to get to the Lake House to help Carolyn start cleaning that (Carolyn was an hour late due to problems with her mom). Luckily the Martin clan didn’t make a big mess! But 3 bedrooms and baths to strip, wash, clean and vacuum the house takes awhile. And guests were arriving to go to the race!

Back I ran to the Inn to get the tickets for race which I was selling to one of the incoming couples (I’d forgotten take them with me) and while I was gone one of the other couples arrived so Carolyn got them settled and they went to the race. Back I went to the Lake House, sent Carolyn back to do the upstairs of the Chalet while I finished laundry at the Lake House. The second couple arrived and I settled them.

Back to the Inn to finish preparations for breakfast the next am. Set the dining room table since the weather has been so iffy. Figured people could either eat in the dining room, or pick up their utensils and go outside if it was nice. It was nice enough for the first 4, but then the rains came – lasted about 2 hours. But the Thomas’ donned their rain gear and headed out to hike the section of the Iron Mountain Trail from Cross Mountain to Nick the Hermit’s monument. Earlier in the am, he had done a 6 mile run before the rain started. Dedicated runner – has done 25 marathons!

At 9:00 p.m. get a phone call to see if I had a room. Well, since I did at the Lake House I said yes. Although I was looking forward to heading into the shower and then bed, I went over to meet the gal at the Lake House. She was meeting her boy friend (he was coming from Boone). She paid me (this was to go to the couple who had booked 3 rooms and then one of their friends backed out so I was trying to get her some money back) and I headed home. Just rounding the last corner, my phone rang. It was the couple who were standing at my front door. Told them I would be right there. They were to meet her brother and his wife (the people who’d bought 3 rooms), but had a 10 hour drive and had just gotten there. Got them settled – in between calls from the girl at the Lake House worried that her boyfriend wouldn’t find her since she gave him the Inn address for his GPS and his cell phone didn’t work and neither did hers.

Finally boyfriend called me just as I was getting out of the shower. I determined his location and while he was on the phone, I guided him to the Lake House. All was well! They left very early this am I understand.

So this am breakfast went off very well (chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, juices, watermelon and muffins) and while I was chatting and clearing up, some friends called and invited me to lunch at Mel’s (the Thai restaurant). I put the cold things in the frig, started the dishwasher and took off. Spent about 45 minutes having laughs with friends. Then back to finish cleaning up and prepping for tomorrow’s breakfast. But at least I have the entire afternoon and evening since race guests won’t be home till 2:00 a.m. or thereabouts.

Now time to go deliver mums to the various houses, pick up garbage (although I’m concerned about bears getting into it), pick up some last minute supplies at the grocery store and listen to the last cd of The Shadow of the Wind – a fascinating book my son and daughter-in-law gave me for Mother’s day.

And so it goes here in the mountains. Come, share the magic with us - we'll be sure you enjoy "Pampering Perfected" service.