Innkeepers' Blog
Just a few random thoughts & words from Chris & Tracey (mostly Tracey) ... maybe even a photo or two, who knows!
Thurs., May 1, 2008
Three cake orders due this week, including one for Sunday neighbor Sadie, who turned 1! Sadie's mom and dad, our good friends Drs. Tim & Amy, graciously asked me to put new baby neighbor Adelle's name on the cake as well, as the girls share a birthday. I've been trying out new buttercream frosting recipes lately, so it's worked out well to have lots to practice on.
Mackenzie's first track meet was today, and I was longing for last week's mild weather. It was about 40 degrees with intermittent sprinkles. Yuck! And of course I'd packed up all the turtlenecks, fleece jackets, and so on. Which, of course, is as good as guaranteeing chilly weather!
Wed., Apr. 30, 2008
We had a special guest last night; Griffin's good buddy and neighbor Burke arrived for a two night stay, as his mom & dad headed to the hospital to welcome a new arrival! Baby Adelle was born early this morning, and all are happy & well -- albeit very tired. Congrats, Dave & Alicia! The boys are not very interested yet in any baby details, but are thrilled to death about the whole sleepover adventure. At 10:30 pm last night, I went up to check on them and found the lights on, the beds strewn with Potato Head parts, and Griffin ton tiptoe on the headboard of the fire engine bed, turning the ceiling fan blades by hand. Having hosted only little girl sleepovers previously, I was a bit taken aback, but recovered quickly and restored order (sort of).
Tues., Apr. 29, 2008
In other news ... the loons have returned! I love their call. For the uninitiated, loons are a species of water birds, sort of similar in appearance to a big duck. I'm not sure how to describe their song. It's definitely musical, almost like if a flute could yodel. Very lovely and lyrical, and carries well because of the water. It's kind if other-worldly, almost haunting, and it's unmistakable once you've heard it. It's one of my favorite things about living here among all these lakes.
One of the things I did while at my grandparents' last week was to interview each of them, separately, with a tape recorder. It was great to hear their stories. What they remembered about their childhood homes, tales about their siblings, memories of school, holidays and vacations. It's a project I'd wanted to do for years, so I'm glad I finally had the chance. After all, some details should definitely be preserved ... like my grandfather going skydiving at age 80, my grandmother's elocution lessons, my aunt (then mom, then dad) wrecking the family convertible as teenagers.
Sun., Apr. 27, 2008
The Bistro Night series is officially over. Our last hurrah was beef burgundy ... yum!! Although I think my favorite bistro entree of the whole series was the chicken pot pie earlier this month.
Of course our visit to my grandparents' was filled with delicious comfort food as well ... plus a lot of sleep, a fair amount of reading and lounging, and gorgeous weather. It was 60 to 70 degrees every day, which was quite incongruous with the mounds of snow and ice pack on the lake we saw when we arrived. (I think they're the only ones who still had more snow that we did.) By the time we left, though, it had mostly diminished.
We made a quick (sort of) stop at the LL Bean complex in Freeport on the way home. With Christmas gift cards in hand, we made the rounds and found something for just about everyone. They've got four buildings, and there's fun stuff like little indoor trout ponds, wildlife displays (sorry, PETA, there does appear to be some very professionally taxidermy going on somewhere near by) and the Giant Boot (photo provided, for those not familiar) to keep the kids entertained.
Sat.., Apr. 25, 2008
I was, as a native New Englander, embarrassed at my paltry knowledge of Patriots' Day, our regional holiday, so, for your edification and mine, thanks to the Boston Athletic Association website, here it is:
For New Englanders, Patriots' Day remains the quintessential observance: the anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolutionary War with skirmishes between British troops and the Minute Men of Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts, and preceded by Paul Revere's famous Midnight Ride. For runners, Patriots' Day has become synonymous with the Boston Marathon or, as locals often refer to the day, Marathon Monday.
The events of more than two centuries ago in April 1775, now commemorated as the Patriots' Day holiday in Massachusetts and Maine, marked a turning point in the long struggle between England and her American colonies. In a march of protest and petition, which turned into revolution and independence, the fighting on April 19, 1775 foreshadowed the rebellious action of the American colonies in ultimately creating a new nation, the United States of America. Originally celebrated on April 19, Patriots' Day was moved to the third Monday of April in 1969.
Fri., Apr. 24, 2008
We're back home & settled in. The kids have a new cousin, baby boy Colson, born in Indiana but moving to Michigan next week, where there are grandparents galore. Congrats to brand-new parents, Aunt Hilary & Uncle Nick!
And while we're at it, belated birthday wishes to cousin Hazel (via Chris' brother Ryan & wife Melinda), who turned 1 in Colorado last week!
Hubby Chris & brother Matt held the fort admirably during our absence, although I don't think it was quite the respite they expected. They had visions of uninterrupted beer brewing and guitar playing, but what they actually got was yard work, indoor touch-up projects, and an unexpected last-minute catering job. Well done, guys!
Things are back to usual again, which means that tonight I'm ferrying several pre-teens to a group outing -- this time, roller skating. I was debating bringing along ear plugs, but decided that I didn't want to be that blatantly fuddy-duddy. This time.
Sun., Apr. 20, 2008
it's school vacation week, and the kids and I are heading over to my grandparents' in New Hampshire today. After much packing, preparing and cajoling, I think we may actually be ready to depart! We're all looking forward to it. We're returning on Thursday, just in time for the last Bistro Night, so I've got my desserts ready in advance.
Tomorrow's Patriots' Day, which I'm pretty sure is a holiday only recognized here in New England. I belive it commemorates Paul Revere's midnight ride and the beginning of the Revolution. Patriots' Day is marked mainly by highly -hyped sales at car dealerships and appliance stores, and by the Boston Marathon -- although there a number of folks actually get the day off work!
It looks like there might be another reason to celebrate in our family; Chris' sister Hilary, almost a week overdue now, is scheduled for delivery by induction tomorrow. We're all anxiously awaiting the news!
The weather's been great, and I spent several hours working out in the yard. Got just about everything in the front and side gardens raked, except where there were still a few lingering mounds of snow. Spring -- yay!
Wed., Apr. 16, 2008
Finally framed & hung two new magazine articles in which the inn was mentioned. Maine Food & Lifestyle and Port City Life both did great features, complete with photos, which we're honored to add to our "brag wall"!
Sat., Apr. 12, 2008
We had our last scheduled Bistro Night on Thursday, but the series has been so popular that we've added one more -- on April 24.
It's the time of year where we starting gearing up for the season. Inventory, reordering dwindling amenities, reviewing scheduling minor repairs & touch ups, and so forth. We've got more exterior work than usual due to the record snow -- railings and shrubs damaged by falling ice, soggy terrain from all the melt, plants & timbers beaten & battered by plowing. In general, it's looking pretty scruffy out there, and Chris has his work cut out for him!
On a personal note, there are the travel plans to be made for the kids, who will head to Michigan (separately) to visit Grandma & Grampa. Renewed passport for Mackenzie. Paperwork for a week of overnight tween camp -- medical forms, contact info, etc. Ditto for the week of overnight soccer camp. Prekindergarten registration & evaluation; yet another round of paperwork. Plans for April vacation (my grandparents' in New Hampshire, maybe?), and Mackenzie's 12th birthday party. Never a dull moment!
On a bright note (no pun intended), we've had a grass sighting! In fact, there are large patches of grass now visible. It's brownish and flattened and muddy, but it's grass! The roofs are now almost completely clear of snow, and you can once again see familiar landmarks around the grounds such as the fountain, the hitching post, and the bird bath. Yay!
Breakfast is finished & cleaned up, and my desserts are ready for dinner service this evening. I'm heading out momentarily to take Mackenzie & a teammate (borrowed, for a sleepover) to soccer practice. (Up in Waterville, of course.) I think Griffin & I are due for a Candyland marathon this afternoon!
Wed., Apr. 9, 2008
Chris & I did a cooking class last night for the ladies of the Women's Club. 18 women, 2 chefs, 3 appetizers, and 3 desserts in 2 hours. It was hectic, but fun!
Mackenzie started track this week, which means practice and/or meets at least 4 times a week. Plus ongoing soccer, twice a week. I've always heard the jokes about moms as chauffeurs, but honestly -- how does anyone handle this?! Add in nursery school, and we now have 8 separate events each week in Waterville/Oakland -- anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes away. Thank goodness for carpooling!
Sun., Apr. 6, 2008
Griffin & I had a fun adventure at the "Library Tea" held today by the Waterville Women's Club, of which I'm a member. The Women's Club has, since its beginning in Victorian times, supported organizations that focus on women & children; a particular early focus was the public library. The tea today was a chance for kids to explore the library a bit and learn more about all its offerings. A scavenger hunt, a visit from Baster the Maine State Library mascot, snacks, and a book bag & book to take home made the day extra kid-friendly.
Book club on Thursday was fun as well. The format went along the usual lines -- 95% discussion of husbands, kids & work, and 5% about the book. We've found that ratio to be just about right for our group. Member Alicia is due with baby #2 next month, and Amy finished her medical residency in March, so we celebrated, too. We included a tradition started a few pregnancies ago by member Melanie -- what I call the "Frozen Baby Shower". I guess the proper (and less gruesome) name would be the "Frozen FOOD Baby Shower", but I'm verbally lazy. Instead of gifts, we each bring a frozen dish to make life after delivery a little easier. (Or, as one very clever member did, a gift certificate from Day's Store, just across the street -- where they make pizzas, subs & hot sandwiches.)
Wed., Apr. 2, 2008
Last ski day of the season for Chris & Matt! They headed up to the Loaf with good friend Dan, who we've known since he was head chef at a neighboring restaurant back in Ogunquit.
Tomorrow's book club -- "A Thousand Splendid Suns". For some reason I have a mental block on the name; I keep calling it "A Thousand Splendid Splinters". Don't know what that's about. Then Friday Mackenzie's 6th grade class heads off on a field trip to the Boston Science Museum. The kids need to be at the middle school for departure at 6:00 am, and are scheduled to be picked up at about 10:30 pm. Yikes!! When I think of 60 twelve year olds on buses for a four hour trip each way it makes me very glad I'm not in education. Or even a chaperone.
Sun., March 30, 2008
Congrats to my brother Matt, who's been accepted to start at NECI (New England Culinary Institute) in the fall! We'll miss him dreadfully, but we're very excited for him.
Daughter Mackenzie was up at Sugarloaf with a friend's family overnight on Friday, and went out for her first mixed-gender movie last night. From what the attending moms reported, there was much giggling, as well as a fair amount of coordinating by the girls. ("You sit here, then I'll sit next to X over here ...") I'm not really sure the boys know what hit them, but so far they're gamely going along for the ride.
Yesterday was cooking class day, and a delicious time was had by all. Chris prepped appetizer, soup & entree with the group, & I stepped in to demo dessert. The results were fully taste-tested and evaluated at dinner, and recipes distributed for recreating at home.
Most of our weekend guests checked out this morning, so I settled in & finished the book club selection (A Thousand Splendid Suns) for our upcoming meeting this Thursday. In case I haven't mentioned it before, I love my book club. We're pretty much all at the same stage in life -- time-crazed and perpetually slightly frazzled, up for any opportunity to get out of the house. There's wine, pot luck food, lots of laughing, ribbing and anecdotes, and sometimes we even discuss the books!
Wed., March 26, 2008
Our Easter visit to my mom's in Massachusetts was fun but brief. Lots of great food, and grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, nices & nephews galore. We stayed overnight, as it's a four hour drive each way, so we had time to hang out and enjoy my mom's new toy, a Wii system. Needless to say, the kids have a new addition to their birthday & Christmas wish lists! I remember to both make and bring bread,
both my favorites (oatmeal, and onion dill), so that's an achievement right there!
We got right back into the swing of things with soccer practice Tuesday night, but inspired by our Wii time, took the kids out bowling afterward. There's not much cuter than a four year old trying to heft an eight pound ball and get it to connect with a set of pins. (Thank goodness for gutter guards, which vastly improved our own amateur games as well!) Mackenzie had a great time, too, and even Chris, who doesn't generally like an sport he can't immediately excel in, had fun. My brother Matt, whose misspent youth apparently took place in bowling alleys rather than pool halls, whipped us all. Tomorrow's back to StoryTimeAtTheLibrary, Friday's nursery school, and so on.
Sat., March 22, 2008
The Chili Chowder Challenge is an annual event, held at the Armory in Augusta, benefiting the Children's Center (a non-profit helping kids with special needs). Local restaurants make & serve, you guessed it, chili & chowder, and the public tastes & votes. We've participated for probably four years or so, and have never won, but it's always lots of fun. Chris said the first two years that his chili wasn't traditional enough to win in New England; he does more of a Texas style. Then he switched to chowder -- but claimed he never wins because the reigning Red Barn jam packs theirs full of lobster, shrimp & scallops. This year, though, we did take home a prize -- most original. Chris did an Indian-style fish stew with curry & coconut (again, probably unlikely to win fan favorite in central Maine, but oh so tasty!). The kids always enjoy it, as Gifford's donates ice cream, and there are lots of family friendly activities. As always, a good time was had by all, and money was raised for a great cause.
Fri, March 21, 2008
The kids & I are heading down to Massachusetts on Sunday for Easter with my family. Chris will be here holding down the fort, and cooking much ham and other goodies for Easter dinner service. It was a bit zooey once again this week, what with two soccer practices, a school dance, the Chili Chowder Challenge coming up tomorrow, and an all-important middle school party Saturday night. I have to remember that I've volunteered to bring the bread for Easter. My family can overlook a lot (for example, we leave the peas in the microwave every holiday, instead of remembering to serve them), but bread is NOT optional. They'd rather do without the ham & roast beef, and I must say I concur!
Wed., March 19, 2008
Easter sort of caught me by surprise this year; doesn't it seem really early? (Of course, I said the very same thing about daylight savings a week or so ago .... when I was casually prepping morning coffee & leisurely preparing muffins, and couldn't figure out why so many guests were already milling about in the Great Room! Yikes.) I know there's something to do with the equinox, and the Catholic calendar, or a groundhog, maybe, but I've just never been able to get the Easter dating system down. Luckily there's Google! (Which, by the way, I used last week to plug the next 5 years of "spring forward/fall back"'s into the reservation software, so as to avoid that embarrassing goof in the future.)
Monday, March 17, 2008
Happy St. Pat's! Erin Go Braugh! And so forth, et cetera, and so on. Heading to Colby College today to deliver a chocolate cupcake cake with mint buttercream; yummy! Too bad they don't make chef's checks (the traditional black & white houndstooth pants) in green! My dad was adopted, so we don't know his exact heritage. His birth name was Patrick Francis Foley, though, and his adopted name, Richard Griffin Mahoney, so we feel entitled to celebrate on March 17th!
Sat., March 15, 2008
A lovely light snow today -- gentle & pretty, expected to be 1 -3 inches total. As opposed to 1-3 feet. How refreshing! Mackenzie & grandparents will be headed to soccer practice (indoor, of course), then lunch and a bit of shopping. And for any of you who might be wondering, we are quite fond of our daughter as well, and she's very attractive, but is in that pre-teen stage of complete camera avoidance. Thus, no blog photos to add!
Thurs., March 13, 2008
Chris' mom & step-dad arrive today from Michigan for a long weekend visit. We've been having fun showing off all the improvements when we have family visiting; the Sage Suite, the Moonlit & Burgundy revamps, and all the work we've done on our apartment. We're like those poor, shoeless cobbler's kids in that the priority is definitely for the inn to look nice and our quarters are way down the list. In the last two years, though, we've finally gotten around to our space. We gutted and redid our bathroom completely; replaced appliances, repainted & tiled in the kitchen; and redid the dining & living rooms. (Oh, yes, and remounted the banisters and touched up the paint on all areas from the sliders to the kitchen, as previously mentioned in the "Adventures in Refrigeration" episode.)
Sat.., March 8, 2008
The last day of ski lessons, and the annual barbeque and "Downhill Dummy" race. This last consists of homemade objects and effigies strapped, bolted, taped or otherwise affixed to skis, and sent downhill in a sort of free fall. Mackenzie & friend Hailey made a giant paper mache soccer ball, complete with fabric wings, duct taped to a sled screwed to an old set of skis. It didn't win any of the prizes, but was certainly an interesting project to watch in progress!
Fri., March 7, 2008
Congrats to neighbor Amy (wife to doctor neighbor Tim) who has FINALLY graduated from her residency! It was unexpectedly interrupted twice by childbirth -- we used to tease them that they must have missed the prevention class in med school. Tim rented the Elks Club out & threw her an 80's themed party. I made the cake (chocolate, of course, Amy's a girl after my own heart) and topped it with photos of famous doctors of the 1980s. Dr. Who, Dr. J, Dr. Ruth, Dr. Seuss (Puliter Prize winner, 1984), C. Everrett Koop, Doogie Howser, etc. It was much better than my original idea of "Top Medical Stories of the 1980s", which would have instead had depictions of artificial and baboon hearts, pacemaker kickback monies and AIDS and Altzheimers. Not festive.
Thurs., March 6, 2008
Bistro Night tonite! Meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes -- yum yum!
We have a new arrival, and are very excited. A larger, side by side frig of our very own, in our apartment! Yay! Even has ice & water in the door, as opposed to our old one -- which had ... a door. Quite old. And small. It was quite a process swapping them out. Chris built a gate into the deck several years ago, as it's a bit twisty & narrow to move anything large up to our quarters via the inside route. The old frig was lowered quite unceremoniously off the deck and moved to "Man World" outside, where it will become the keg frig for Chris, Matt and their newest hobby. (Brewing, that is, not drinking. Although drinking does certainly feature into beer brewing.) The new frig was then raised up to the deck (that's so much quicker & easier to type than the actuality), into our living room through the sliding doors, up the stairs (railings removed, of course) and into place. Now there's just the task of remounting the banisters and touching up all involved paint.
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Mon., Mar. 3, 2008, part III
An update on my to do list -- breakfast dishes are done and the guestroom is cleaned. Thanks must go to my junior innkeeper/assistant housekeeper, whose assistance was invaluable. I have to admit that we have stylistic differences, but what good partnership doesn't? I, for example, prefer to work in in chef pants, chef coat & New Balances, while he was decked out in Cat in the Hat one piece jammies, Blue's Clue's slippers and a white plastic hard hat. I like to tackle the glasses first, moving on to plates, then silverware last. He, on the other hand, spends his dish duty rewashing the same Tupperware container in a tub of soapy water. To clean a guestroom, I've got a caddy filled with Ajax, Windex and spare trash bags. His holds a slew of Matchbox cars and, inexplicably, a single napkin ring. Whereas I start by replacing used towels, then move on to make the bed, he stacks the throw pillows into towers, knocks them down, then hides under the dressers. What he lacks in terms of detail-orientation he more than makes up for in good nature, excellent companionship, and overall cuteness. Also, he works cheap -- any change found in the cushions after a check out goes right to the Thomas the Train piggy bank.
My staffer and I are off now to lunch and an afternoon of errands. Where might a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef be dining for luncheon? Why, Red Robin, of course. Even the highly-acclaimed Wings Hill Inn doesn't offer free balloons.
Mon., Mar. 3, 2008, part II
Those afore-mentioned voices in my head are now overlapping with the song currently and insistently stuck there, Willy was a Whale, by Justin Roberts -- musical darling of the preschool set.
Mon., Mar. 3, 2008
Here's how the stream-of-consciousness thing is going for me today ...
Still haven't finished bkfst dishes. Housekeeper's out today, gotta clean guestrm before guest gets back. Call repair guy for washing machine, won't spin, very wet laundry, probably hafta get to laundromat today or tomorrow. Ooops, need to refill prescription, gone without Prevacid for a few too many days. Ooops, gotta feed the wood fires; Chris & Matt skiing the Loaf today, so it's on me. Wonder how Mackenzie's doing at school ... a touch flu-ey over the weekend, today's a test. Mail package ... mail package ... mail package! ... tripping over it for more than a week. Drop off at Goodwill. Pick up at Staples. Pick up at grocery store. Pick up at Walmart. Bake cake, Friday order. What's not frozen, can feed kids tonite. Reorders: makeup removers, coffee mugs, imprinted pens. Wait, shouldn't be out of makeup removers, where'd case go I ordered in fall; was ever delivered? Call re: makeup removers, check closet corners.
Today's question: If you hear voices in your head, but they're only prompting you to do things like get more basement shelving and register for soccer camp, is it still considered psychosis?
Sun., Mar. 2, 2008
We had several last minute bookings for men's college ice hockey playoffs at Colby this weekend, but everyone's checked out now, and things are fairly quite at the moment. Daughter Mackenzie's feeling under the weather, so she's reading one of the Harry Potters (again) on the couch. Chris & Griffin are across the street at neighbor Tucker's fourth birthday blow-out. The big two-part dessert order finished last night, and despite the blustery winter weather, delivery & drop-off went smoothly. (Got about 8 inches of fresh stuff yesterday, so Saturday ski lessons were canceled but my die-hard spouse & offspring gladly hit the slopes anyhow.) Dirt and Dexter, two of my favorite guilty TV pleasures, are on tonight, and we're having tacos for dinner -- always a crowd pleaser -- so all's well in the world for now.
Thurs., Feb. 28, 2008
Sometimes I feel that this blog is just a testament to the hecticity (I know it's not really a word, but, boy, does it fit) of my life these days. It's supposed to be the "off-season", but I'm not getting much in the way rest or relaxation this year! Tuesdays are soccer practice -- up in Waterville. Wednesdays and Fridays are preschool mornings. Also in Waterville. This week, I delivered a cake on Wednesday as well, in, you guessed it, Waterville, and on both Friday and Saturday I have large dessert orders to deliver, yet again in that fair metropolis. This morning, as every Thursday, was StorytimeAtTheLibrary. That's how we refer to it ... just like it was all one word, with the capitals, and usually really fast. "Hey, time to go to StorytimeAtTheLibrary! Hurry, we're late for the first book!" Tonite's Bistro Night, so we're jam packed. My desserts are done for that (butterscotch pots de creme, yum yum) as well as for the weekend. Our daughter had a friend over after school and apparently today I was supposed to "help" them with a sewing project. Tomorrow my dad comes for a weekend visit, and several check-ins arrive. Friday & Saturday look to be busy with dinner reservations. Saturday's the last day of ski lessons (just in time for Saturday soccer lessons to start), plus a neighborhood toddler birthday party. The nomination form for soccer coach of the year has to be postmarked by the 1st, I have a package that's overdue to be sent to a baby niece, and I've got a very patient marketing person waiting on updated photos of the renovated guestrooms. Yikes! Is 40 too young to retire?!
The sky today was brilliant blue, and so sunny that it was almost blinding off all that clean, fresh, gorgeous snow. By now, it's hard to see out of many of the first floor windows because of the snow off the roofs, and the loader made a great 12 foot pile on Saturday that's just perfect for sledding.
Wed., Feb. 27, 2008
One hour delay for area schools today, as we had about 8 inches of snow last night. Whoo hoo! It's like living in a snow globe. Unreal!
Sat., Feb. 23, 2008
Got another few inches of snow yesterday -- two to three, I'd guess. We had a loader here in the morning, moving plowed snow around to make room for the next installment. I've never seen anything quite like this winter for snowfall; the drifts and plowed mounds are up to 6 feet tall, and there's probably a good two feet on the ground. It's been great temperatures to enjoy it, as well; a bit milder than usual. Whee, as Griffin would say!
We're already broken February's room night record, so, added to a new record for January as well, I'd say it's a great winter all around!
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Wed., Feb. 20, 2008
It's the half-way point of school vacation. My mom came to visit Monday and left this morning, so the kids were thrilled to get some grandma time in. There was shopping and snuggling and snacking and so forth. A good time was had by all! After her departure, Chris, Matt & Griffin went skiing. This is Griffin's first year on the slopes, and he's loving it. There's not much cuter than a four-year-old, bundled head to toe, zipping down the bunny slope with a wide grin and a loud "Wheeeee!".
Our daughter Mackenzie, who's been skiing for several years but only this season discovered snowboarding, took a rare pass and decided to go to an ice rink with some friends instead. An hour of fun, 10 minutes waiting out the Zamboni, one spill on the slick surface, 2 hours at Thayer E.R. and 5 stitches in her chin later, I think she wishes she'd gone skiing with the guys!
Sat., Feb. 16, 2008
It's a quiet moment between the usual bursts of activity and chaos. By the way, for those of you wondering, I type blog notes up in a word document whenever I get a moment, and then, during longer periods of, um, spare time, enter them into the website en masse. I have to say, it helps with refresh my memory that way, as well, as usually I can't remember more than the past 6 or 8 hours.
Chris and the kids are skiing, as they do most Saturday mornings, so there's a temporary lull. Breakfast is done, kitchen is cleaned, departing guests have checked out, staying guests are out on adventures, and today's arrivals haven't yet arrived. So I have a span of 2 or 3 hours, and a list of about 12 hours worth of work to choose from. Should I clean up the paper swamp on my desk? Prep more desserts, as we're looking likely to fill for dinner tonight? Finish the decorative details in the Sage Suite? Download from the camera, resize, and upload to the website the revised photos of the 3 renovated guestrooms (Sage, Burgundy & Moonlit)? Bake tea goodies & breakfast muffins? Eat breakfast? Or I guess I've missed that chance, it would now be lunch. Finish the last few pages of the Sue Grafton I borrowed? Take a nap? Take a shower? Take a vacation?
Fri., Feb. 15, 2008
The dessert saga continues. When I left the kitchen last night, I asked Chris to be sure he pulled both sets of the creme brulees out of the freezer once they were chilled. As I discovered when while prepping for breakfast this morning, he apparently didn't hear all of my request. An entire pan -- 18 creme brulees -- were still in there, like little TCBY frozen custards. He had moved the other pan, and luckily the brulee-sicles, due to the brief time frozen, thawed well and were none the worse for wear. It's a bit like a comedy of errors with my desserts this week, though -- I'm may need to hire them some protection!
Thurs., Feb. 14, 2008
Well, today was a very hectic day. I spent most of the morning with bakery deliveries, but it was a beautiful day for it. The trees, with a glaze of ice, and the sharp white of all the fresh snow, were amazing against the brightest blue sky I've seen in a long time. It was hard to watch the road, it was so gorgeous.
The rest of the day was spent playing catch up. My original goal was to get my desserts out of the way early in the week, but what is it they say about the best laid plans?
The 22 individual, portion-sized cheesecakes I made yesterday were in Chris' way while cooling, he popped them back into the oven, which was off, to move to the frig once they'd cooled completely. Unfortunately, when we opened that same oven this afternoon, lo and behold, there were the cheesecakes -- which he had forgotten. So, out those went to the trash, and, at 4 pm on Valentine's Day, with 30 guests arriving over the next 4 hours, I scrambled to replace that dessert. I made ginger & brown sugar creme brulees instead, as they don't need a lengthy chill time to set up, and popped them in the freezer to bring them down to proper service temperature as fast as possible. Ta da!
Wed., Feb. 13, 2008
Yet another snow day for the kids. They'll still be in school in July, at this rate! It's the snowiest winter I can ever remember, and I'll lived in the northeast all my life. It sure is pretty ... and it definitely reinforces that decision I made that homeschooling would never be a good option for me.
Got home from my spa outing last night to find a cake made just for me! Yay, and thank you much to my wonderful husband and kids. Daughter Mackenzie gave me a handmade book of coupons for free babysitting and other wonderful chores -- which came in very handy today! She watched her brother Griffin most of the day, so I was able to get quite a bit of my holiday baking done; all the cakes, most of the cookies, and even cheesecakes for dessert.
Tues., Feb. 12, 2008
Happy Birthday to me! Today's a milestone -- my 40th. As Chris likes to remind me, he's "only" 38, so he's making the most out of my big day. I've got a facial & a massage planned for this evening, as part of a women's group outing, and I'm looking forward to the pampering!
Sun., Feb. 10, 2008
The boys (Chris & my brother Matt) are off to a beer brewing class today. They're really embracing this new hobby, and if any of you are fellow brewers, they do love to consult, commiserate, and kibbitz!
It's another wild winter weather day here. Stay warm!
Fri., Feb. 8, 2008
Next week's going to be a bit crazy. In and amongst all the snow, the kids, the usual overnight & dinner guests, we've got Valentine's Day -- which is really more like a three or four day event, what with the weekend celebrators. So far, I have three sets of cookies and four cakes to deliver to Colby, and one cake for pick up, all for Thursday. Plus of course all the desserts, as we're already fully booked at both seatings for dinner. I have a cake for an in-house order on Friday, too. Yikes! I'm going to be a busy little baker.
Sun., Feb. 3, 2008
Everyone's checked out, and it's (momentarily) quiet. The Sage Suite is semi-officially done -- meaning that all items needed for functional use of the room are in place. It looks absolutely fantasitc! We can't believe how different it is -- like another room entirely. We hosted our first guests in the renovated space this weekend, and hopefully they didn't look under the bed -- where I stashed the artwork I didn't get a chance to hang up! Thanks, Rick & Jo, for giving the new room its test drive!
It was a cooking class weekend as well, so that's always fun. Tiny tartlets of homemade tomato chutney & the always amazing, local York Hill goat cheese; roasted red pepper soup; Cornish hen crusted with coriander, served with garlic mashed potatoes & red wine sauce; and, for the final touch, chocolate espresso truffle cake. Yum! No one went home hungry, and all went home with recipes to recreate the evening.
Sat., Feb. 2, 2008
Happy Groundhog's Day! Just a bit of info I picked up from www.groundhog.org, the official site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club:
The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May...". Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania) held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800s. Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog.
Also (according to the club) Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors.
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Sun., Jan. 27, 2008
Yesterday was Chris' birthday -- Happy 38th! He doesn't think much of cake at all, but the rest of us can't pass up the opportunity. Also, I had a great new cake pan I wanted to test out; it makes a small cake that looks like a giant cupcake. Chris much prefers pie -- which I hate to make. I make a really tasty pie, don't get me wrong, and a pretty one at that, but fussing with a crust, what a pain. Plus, I don't like to eat pie, which probably has a lot to do with it, too. (Fruit is NOT dessert, in my mind! It's too healthy -- even combined with sugar, flour and butter.) So I cheated. I called a fabulous local pie baker about a week ahead. I emailed her, too, just in case. I really did not want to be cranking out that pie myself! I hadn't heard back, though, so, while he was skiing yesterday morning with the kids, I gave in & prepped a juicy, beautiful (if I do say so myself!) blueberry-apple pie. He specifically requested pie, and despite my own cake-lust it seemed that such a simple birthday wish really should be granted. So I made crust, and rolled crust, and filled crust, and so on, and just as it was finishing in the oven -- you guessed it -- the above-mentioned fabulous local pie arrived! Mixed berry, and still warm, fragrant and gorgeous, like something straight from pie heaven. So we sang "Happy Birthday" three times, accompanying each round with a different birthday dessert. Chris was a very happy boy!
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Floor's done! Yay! |
Fri., Jan. 18, 2008
So today begins a very busy weekend, what with Monday being a holiday. Lots of folks are taking advantage of the extra day of to getaway. We’re fully booked, even having kicked my brother Matt out of his guestroom to rent it. November through April he’s got his own guestroom here in the house, and when the warmer weather arrives he decamps to his “summer cottage” – the shed. What with the mini-fridge, cot, TV, all his music gear, and a safe distance from his adoring but demanding niece and nephew, he’s got quite a little hideaway for himself out there. I’m jealous!
The Sage suite is so close, but not quite ready for use this weekend. We had to turn away return guests (sorry, Chris & Nancy!), as the floor is not done yet. Apparently the process of repeatedly moving the furniture in & out of the room to accommodate inn guests has significantly interfered with the progress. Ooops!
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Not the prettiest cake ... but apparently too tasty to resist! |
Mon., Jan. 14, 2008
My brother Matt lives and works with us here at the inn, and has myriad roles. A very versatile employee -- maintenance, waiter, host, emergency babysitter. Beloved uncle and tormenter to our son & daughter. Fellow guitar jammer, beer brewer and "Man World" loiterer to Chris. And, even today, on his 29th birthday, baby brother to me.
No birthday would be complete without homemade cake, at least not here at the inn, and today is no exception. This one was not one of my most photogenic creations, however, assembled as it was from remnants of Griffin's cake last week. All the different colored frosting leftovers were combined, forming a putrid shade of gray/brown, and I did my best to use up all the remaining sugar letters. The result was quite the conversation piece-slash-dessert, if I do say so myself.
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Fri., Jan. 11, 2008
January's a big birthday month here at the inn; we kick things off with our son Griffin, who turns four today. And what little boy (and friends) wouldn't love a train cake, complete with individual box car for each guest! Yummy!
Reopened today for lodging; no dinner service until next week, as the chef and waiter have both been busy playing with polyurethane all week. I’m not on my husband’s sunny side at the moment, as he was relying on a full two weeks of downtime to complete the project. I, on the other hand, couldn’t resist a couple of early bookings, as we’ve got a good shot at setting a new room night record for January!
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Goodbye and good riddance |
Wed., Jan. 9, 2008
The old pink carpet is gone (Ding dong, the witch is dead ...), and in its place is a pristine wide-plank pine floor! A thing of beauty. The new decor scheme for the Sage Suite is sort of country cottage; lots of pale, soothing colors, and fitting, rather than fighting, with the exposed post & beam structure.
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Tues., Jan. 8, 2008
In my absence, the Sage Suite, our major renovation for the off-season, has been been emptied. All the furniture is stacked in the Great Room, which, as a result, is not traversable. In order to get from Point A to Point B (the front entrance to the guestroom door, approximately 20 feet), one must detour through the kitchen, the dining room, and the hallway. Not to mention all the furniture, fixtures, flora & fauna packed out in the Sage Suite private entrance/porch. Quite a sight at the moment, especially considering we reopen with overnight reservations on Thursday, but not entirely unusual around here. We're pretty good at flexible. And it's going to look great when it's done!
Mon., Jan. 7, 2008
Back home now, after my mini-vacation at my grandparents'. It's always like a cross between being little again and a Celebrity Cruise... sleeping in every day, eating all my favorite foods, being shooed away from the dishes. It's the absolute antithesis of the productivity and efficiency of my daily life; yee ha, I'm Paris Hilton! (Except for the partying. Alden & Priscilla aren't much for the nightclubs.) I've got my work cut out for me, though; part of my weekend was spend sorting, cataloging and photographing a giant bin of vintage jewelry from my great-aunt's house -- she's moved into to a nursing home. Boy, she had great style as a younger woman! Combine that with the family tendency to hoard (packrats we are, for sure), and the result is about 30 pounds of necklaces, bracelets and earrings (clip and screw-on). I'm up to my elbows in beaded clasps! My job now is to eBay like there's no tomorrow.
Thurs., Jan. 3, 2008
Boy, it's hard to get used to typing "2008". It always takes me a while to get that transition. For a week or so every year, all our bills are paid with checks with amended & initialed dates.
Griffin headed out yesterday for a road-trip adventure to Michigan with Don & Cindy. Due to all the Christmas booty they brought with them, they drove out for the New Year's visit. (Think lots of small wheeled objects for the little one, some pre-teen fashion scores and a snowboard for the bigger one ... and, probably the most exciting gift a grown child can get, a hand-made electric guitar for the biggest kid in the house, Chris.)
We're closed now though the 10th. Ostensibly the downtime is to work on projects like the un-decorating of the inn, the Sage Suite remodel, and the massive end-of-the-year paperwork clean-up (yes, I am the worst of all administrative types -- a procrastinating, disorganized hoarder. My "file piles" have taken over the office and threaten to avalanche into the rest of the inn.) And now, with own mini-cyclone wreaking his specialized brand of havoc on eastern Michigan and his sister back in school, we sure could get a lot done. However, we really do love that respite that 8 days of no dinner prep, no breakfast service, and no employee supervision to provide! I'm escaping to New Hampshire for a quick visit with my own grandparents. Toodle-oo!
Tues., Jan. 1, 2008
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Well, it was a fairly mild New Year's Eve for the Anderson family. Dinner service (our annual 6 course New Year's blow-out) went smoothly with both seatings fully booked. It was a bit of a hectic day, considering the weather -- 9 inches of snowfall in about 14 hours, ending around 4 pm on the 31st. This year, Mackenzie, who previously would have packed her extremities in ice to stay awake to see the ball drop, gave up in the midst of her 5 course dinner with the grandparents at our 8:30 seating, and was sound asleep by 10 pm. Griffin, who's year definitely peaked with Santa's visit, was not in the least bit interested in staying awake and, as usual, was out by 8 o'clock. The rest of us managed to make it until about 12:30, but we're certainly not as much fun as we used to be!
Here's wishing a wonderful, happy, healthy, fortuitous 2008 to you & yours! May the new year bring only good things.
Mon., Dec. 31, 2007
We have a great tradition with my in-laws, Don & Cindy Anderson -- every year since Mackenzie was born, they travel out from Michigan to spend New Year's with us. It started in a little tiny apartment in Fishkill, New York, when Mackenzie was just a few months old and I was finishing up culinary school.
The tradition continued through our years in Ogunquit (1997-2001), although already by that point it was all about the grandkid! Chris & I spent our New Year's Eves in doing special dinner series, and usually finished up just about the moment to pop a cork & swap a kiss at midnight. Don, Cindy and toddler Mackenzie tried a different wonderful restaurant in Ogunquit, and even nearby Portsmouth, NH, each year.
Now, we usually finish up dinner service here at the inn in time to head upstairs and join the family for the midnight toast. That is, all of those who've managed to make until 12 am. We'll see how everyone does this evening!
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Gotta keep the roof cleaned off! |
Sun., Dec. 30, 2007
What with all the holiday goings-on I've fallen way behind in blogging. But you didn't miss much! It went something like this: snowy weather, shoveling, private dinner; more snow, more shoveling, regular dinner service; some snow, some shoveling, some overnight guests; additional snow, additional shoveling, closed for Christmas to visit with my family in New Hampshire; well, look at that, it's snow, shoveling, private party; yes, more snow, more shoveling, get ready for New Year's.
Of course we made sure to fit in bouts of skiing and snowshoeing, not to mention sledding (Chris is working on what promises to be a very excellent luge run in the lower front yard, I kid you not). I think it's very possible that we'll have had more snow by December 31st that we did all the way through February last winter! And boy, is it beautiful!
Mon., Dec. 17, 2007
So Christmas is fast approaching, and I’m excited to see all my family! I’m pulling favorite recipes in anticipation. (I think it’s genetic; from my grandmother, I inherited the overwhelming urge to feed those around me. We apparently solidly equate love and nurturing with fresh baked goods!)
I'm way behind schedule for gifts that need to get mailed out. My plan today is to finish & pack everything, then send it all down to the Post Office with Chris. I've got cranberry & port jelly, white & dark chocolate peppermint "bark", spiced nuts, homemade granola, pancake & sugar cookie mix, and a variety of cookies.
Fri., Dec. 14, 2007
We hosted a big office party yesterday. Too many folks to have a sit-down luncheon, so it was lots and lots of hors d'oeuvres and finger-food desserts. Holiday parties are always so much fun, what with the gift swaps and sometimes even caroling. The smell of the spiced cider, all the laughter ... it makes all the decorations around the inn feel even more fitting. And it makes all those hours of preparing all those hundreds and hundreds of little itty bitty mini-bites worthwhile! Another lunch party coming up on Wednesday, then Bistro Night, then a private dinner just after Christmas, and New Year's Eve. It's pretty busy around here these days!
Sun., Dec. 9, 2007
My new plan for combining a very busy life as innkeeper & mother – enlist friends! It’s always so hard to squeeze social time into the equation, so this year I invited a neighbor over to help me decorate the tree. Alane is so organized and together – and I’m such a procrastinator – so it was perfect! The tree is done and looks great, we got to hang out with tea & cookies, and I got a chance to spend time with someone who generally speaks in full sentences and can dress and clean herself. A win-win! Next up – wrapping night. I’m going to track down friends who are equally time-management-challenged, and we’ll rotate from house to house wrapping the gifts. The hostess provides the supplies, I’ll throw in some hot spiced cider (with optional rum), and we’ll bang it all out like so. No solitary wrapping in the wee hours of Christmas morn for me this year!
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Tues., Dec. 4, 2007
Snow, glorious snow! We were treated to the season's first real flakes, and in spades! About 11 inches or so total, starting late Sunday and continuing, slowly, gently & steadily, through Monday. No school for the kids, which meant a day of sledding the front hill followed by hot chocolate and popcorn. The Christmas lights shining through the snow look so pretty, and the view is just stunning, especially now at twilight. It looks magical! Time to break out the snowshoes & cross-country skis -- the nearby ITC trails and the golf course are waiting, and perfect for an quiet, clear, crisp afternoon escape.
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Getting decorated! |
Sun., Dec. 2, 2007
Well, the Christmas Stroll has come and gone once again. It’s a little like Christmas, or the prom – lots of preparations, and then it just zips by! It was, by far, the coldest day yet. When I came in from the Cookie Tent at 5:37 p.m., it was already well on its way to the predicted low of 6 degrees. Even with turtleneck, wool sweater, two pairs of socks, my Ugg boots, a scarf, fleece headband, and wool coat with hood, and I am an innkeeper-sickle. But the day was filled with lots of holiday fun. The firetruck arrived on schedule next door at Lakepoint Real Estate, bearing Santa, and the church held its annual chowder café & sweets shoppe. The town tree was lit, and the high school chorus caroled, and there were pretty lights and wonderful smells throughout the village.
Fri., Nov. 29, 2007
Just finished my Adult Ed Excel class before vacation. While we’ve had Excel for years, I’ve really just used it as a way to get info into nice straight lines. See, my preteen music was vinyl -- Shaun Cassidy and Leif Garrett. I can still see my baby brother, 12 years younger, with his Pearl Jam CD, laughing at the fact that cassettes were the music revolution of my teens. (Our daughter now scoffs at her uncle because there weren’t VCRs in his childhood, though … so there!) And while there was a computer lab at Penn State, I pulled up in my ‘77 Toyota Corolla with my graduation-gift Smith Corona typewriter. Between college & culinary school (which was originally supposed to be between college and law school) I was a legal secretary, so I’m pretty proficient with word processing. Desktop publishing – no problem; I’m the “marketing axis” of the Chris & Tracey collaboration. But Excel was largely an unknown for me, so thank goodness for Adult Ed. I now feel triumphant, competent, and oh so tech as I chart, plot and graph anything I can get my hands on -- from the silly practice problems with elementary students and ice cream flavors to the inn budget data. Yay!
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Squirrel food. Or dessert, actually. |
Wed., Nov. 28, 2007
And now, for the downside of vacationing. All that mail to sort, laundry to wash, and squirrel to trap. OK, so that part needs some explaining. While we were away, a squirrel feel down an unused chimney shaft, info the kitchen. Since the inn was closed for the week, the staples were packed up and safe, except for a squeeze bottle of chocolate – we melt it to dress the dessert plates. That got missed in the pre-vacay clean-up, and was left on the counter. There are sooty little prints leading from the chimney to the counter, and directly to the bottle – which now has a 2 inch wide hole eaten through the side. (This is thick, restaurant-grade, dishwasher-safe plastic, mind you.)
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Window grid, post-squirrel. Not a very considerate house guest! |
Then the tracks lead over to the windows; the true divided, six-over-six, double hung, individually-paned windows. The squirrel, apparently panicked and jacked up on chocolate, and within sight of his beloved outdoors, attempted to eat his way out. He managed to gnaw the window grids, in many spots, all the way flush to the glass. Anyway, a few hours, one Have-a-Heart trap, a chimney screen, and much cleaning and disinfecting later, the kitchen is back to its usual state and the only remaining after-effect is the addition to Chris’ “honey-do” list – to repair the grids! That's country living for you!
Tues., Nov. 27, 2007
It’s hard to avoid jumping into the holidays too soon when your job requires it. For example, Belgrade Lakes’ Christmas Stroll is coming up on 12/1. For the Cookie Walk that we host here at the inn, I usually bake about 20 dozen cookies or so. Other business owners make cookies for the event as well, of course, but as Chris can attest, I may have just a touch more obsessive-compulsive to my nature than is recommended! Plus, I have so many cookie recipes I love that it’s impossible to narrow it down to just two or three kinds. For the Cookie Walk, I usually make lemon sugar, Snickerdoodle, molasses raisin, oatmeal spice, and butterscotch gingerbread. Now, I ask you, how could anyone weed any of those out of the running?? And, since I do hate to run out of any particular flavor during the sale, I like to make at least 4 dozen of each. Since any unsold cookies go to the Bread of Life soup kitchen in Augusta, why not? My favorite trick is to prep quadruple batches of cookie dough (easily enough, when you’re a lucky girl with a well-used, much-beloved 20 quart commercial Hobart mixer), portion them onto parchment-line cookie sheets with a mini ice cream scoop, and freeze. Then I can pack them into freezer bags, to be baked as needed.
Also in the holiday preparedness vein, the holiday decorations have to go up here at the inn as well. That’s usually a week-long event, as there are kids and guests and dinner service and Thanksgiving to attend to as well in that timeframe. So, dear reader, please don’t blame me if I am, in fact, overcome with the holiday spirit any day know despite my stated, and still fervent, attempts to resist.
Mon., Nov. 26, 2007
Well, our family Thanksgiving was great. We decamped for Colorado for the week, packing the children, the baked goods (altitude differences, you know!) and the ski gear. There were four generations, way too much food, and lots of good times. The rental house was a beautiful lodge, equipped with a fabulous kitchen (yea!!), a hot tub (double yea!!!), fireplace, private bathrooms, and a killer view of Breckenridge. The cheesecake and flourless chocolate truffle cake came out just fine, despite the altitude, and the goodies I prebaked & hauled cross-country were even better -- the only work I had to do on those was to unpack before I hit the hot tub.
Mon., Nov. 19, 2007
I'm falling behind on my blogging these days. It's been a whirlwind of activity, getting ready for Thanksgiving. Much, much baking, and some preliminary holiday decorating as well, as Christmas Stroll seems to come right on the heels of Turkey Day. It's going to be a busy week, as we eat much and laugh even more with Chris' whole extended family. I've got rum raisin pound cake, tons of different cookies, and of course gingerbread already made. The Big Pig Out day itself will feature a pumpkin cheesecake, apple pie and, hmmm, perhaps a little something chocolate? But those are slotted for Tuesday or Wednesday -- when there will be lots of help readily available to recruit. For as much as I love to bake, I don't much like the clean-up -- and, as Chris likes to say, I use every utensil in the kitchen when I work!
Wed., Nov. 14, 2007
Gingerbread! Oh, how I love gingerbread. I made some to serve with Giffords' vanilla ice cream and homemade caramel sauce for dinner service last weekend, and one of the very best things about living in a restaurant is the left-overs. We polished off the gingerbread late this morning (subtract the caramel sauce and ice cream, top with a bit of unsweetened whipped cream, and it's perfect for breakfast!) and already I'm thinking I must make more. My favorite recipe is Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread, from epicurious.com. It's about the only recipe that would entice Chris (who's taken up brewing beer recently) to sacrifice a stout. I have gingerbread pancake, gingerbread muffin, and gingerbread butterscotch cookie recipes, but, come fall, there's nothing that can compare to this spicy, moist gingerbread cake. Not to mention how heavenly it makes the whole house smell. I may have to stay up late tonight to do a little baking!
Tues., Nov. 13, 2007
What a day today! Sunny and mild, and very golden all around, what with the sunlight playing on the fall leaves. Our daughter changed into shorts as soon as she got off the school bus and headed outside to play. Now, at just after 4 pm, the colors are starting to turning over the lake. I'm putting out tea cookies, and sampling as I go. Nothing goes to waste around here, but some things do go to "waist" more than others.
Mon., Nov. 12, 2007
This time of year always feels like things are in overdrive. While it's quieter here at the inn with overnight guests and dinner, it's still steady, so we're busy with that. And all around us, there are events underway. The big craft fair at the Civic Center in Augusta was this past weekend, and next weekend is the Maine Crafts exhibit at the Maine State Museum -- a juried fair featuring artisans from around the state. In just a few weeks, Belgrade Lakes, Hallowell & Waterville have holiday festivities. The Waterville Opera House has "A Christmas Carol", a Celtic Winter Sojourn, and the Nutcracker, with the Bossov Ballet, all coming up.
Despite my resolve to avoid the premature holiday hoopla and pressure, I'm feeling the pull! Yesterday I made a double batch of my favorite oatmeal bread, to use for toast this morning at breakfast and, of course, just for innkeeper-nibbling. Yum! And I think today I'll go to town making muffins. It just feels right, with the falling leaves and that fresh, crisp edge to the air, to bake many, many starches. Maybe it's just watching the squirrels; this year, they showed an unusual gusto for the neighborhood pumpkins. Big, squirrel-sized holes, and then all the seeds and pumpkin meat munched out; a phenomenon we've never seen before. Chris and the kids, who are all snow enthusiasts, are excited that this means a deep and drifting winter on the hills, trails and slopes!
Sat., Nov. 10, 2007
All the flyers stuffing the daily newspaper this morning were holiday-themed. Despite the sudden, strong, craving for the taste of cinnamon and the scent of pine, I am going to resist! No fevered cookie baking or stocking-hanging for me just yet.
On a more Maine, rustic, organic note, the sunset over Long Pond tonight was gorgeous. All those wintery hues of pink and blue and cool oranges. Framed in the Great Room window, with the fire crackling in the fieldstone fireplace behind me, and the guests shuffling back toward the inn through the leaves, all rosy-cheeked back from hiking, it reminded me how much I really do love this time of year -- despite the cool temps!
Fri., Nov. 9, 2007
Apparently today is the official kickoff for Christmas advertising. Yesterday, no holiday ads ... today, most of the TV commercials were snowy, red and jingle-y. This much be the date that Madison Avenue has designated as appropriate to bring on the yuletide joy. Personally, I think the day after Thanksgiving is plenty soon enough, but that might just be the neurotic side of me. As soon as I start hearing those carols and all the accompanying hoopla, I subconsciously kick into Martha-mode. All of a sudden I have the urge to bake, wrap, mail, decorate, and color-coordinate my world. It's a bit scary, as Chris can attest!
Tues., Nov. 6, 2007
Well, alas & alack, the Novas did not win the State Championship. But there's always next year!! And indoor soccer starts tonight, so the girls should be ready to hit the fields again once the spring season opens.
Friday, Nov. 2, 2007
Don’t forget to “fall back” this weekend. It’s back to standard time, vs. Daylight Savings, and I have to say it might be my favorite day of the entire year. An extra hour of sleep? For me, the breakfast cook? I love it! Other than that, there may not be much extra sleep this weekend for the Anderson family. Sunday's the Youth Soccer State Championships … where the Mackenzie’s team, the Waterville Nova U12 Girls, will be playing! There is much ado here at the home of the goalie. The last few weeks (since playoffs) have been a blur of royal blue and gold.
Thurs., Nov. 1, 2007
Our cooking classes start back up this month, so lately we’ve been planning the menus. We’ve added a new format this year; guests will join Chris in the kitchen after breakfast on Saturday, for preparation of the appetizer, a soup, an entrée, and a dessert from that week’s menu. They’ll get to taste the results at dinner that evening, and will get recipes for the courses to take home. It should be fun -- we're excited!
Wed., Oct. 31, 2007
The weather this week reminds me exactly why this is my favorite time of year! Sunny & bright, with a nice, crisp, cool feel, and that great tang in the air at night. Should be perfect for trick or treating this evening! Because we're at the edge of the village, we don't quite get as many ghosts & goblins as our "downtown" neighbors, but it increases every year. (The hot spot, by the way, is actually a few doors north of us -- at Comeford Chiropractic, they give out the big daddy chocolate bars -- like 4" x 8" -- so the kids are usually completely indifferent to our Tootsie Pops anyway.)
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Chris, as Magnum P.I. |
Tues., Oct 30, 2007
Today is our annual Halloween party, with friends and neighbors. It’s a costumed event, although the guidelines are fairly loose. Our neighborhood is quite small, but has a number of young to young-ish (us) couples, and a fairly high rate of offspring. In fact, for a while we thought there might be something in the water. From July 2003 to May 2004, there were five babies born in this one block area. All five were boys, so somewhere, we figure there’s a neighborhood swimming with little girls. There’s a lot of energy in the air when you have that many little boys in a contained area. Not to mention a lot of Tonka vehicles. (As inn-dwellers, our Tonkas are well-hidden, but still well-loved.)
My job today is to finish the pumpkin cake. The cake is chocolate, of course, and round, with orange-colored vanilla buttercream. You didn’t think I made a cake out of pumpkin, did you? I’m an addict, pure and simple, and while I make a variety of cake types for dessert at the restaurant, and for specialty orders, when it comes to my own consumption, only chocolate will do.
Mon., Oct. 29, 2007
It's brisk here in Belgrade Lakes today! I've been inside all day, but have peeked out repeatedly, and the thermometer's continued to hover right about 58. The first really autumn-y day of the year always reminds me to call the oil company to set up the annual cleaning of the propane "fireplace" in the owners' quarters. Of course, we'd all be just a mite warmer if I thought of it a few weeks BEFORE the first cool day instead ...oh, well.
I've been inside all day because things have started to quiet down; no guests for breakfast this morning, no arrivals until mid-week. So this time of year always finds me turning to those tasks I've neglected. What is that saying, about the cobbler's children having no shoes? Well, it applies well to innkeepers, too. Those of you who have commented on the guestroom and common area decor, or about the cleanliness of the inn overall, might be a bit shocked to see what OUR apartment looks like, come the end of October. I've been scrubbing floors, sorting toys, packing up the summer clothes, fingerpainting (OK, not all our off-season activities are on Martha Stewart's calendar), and working my way gingerly into an attic reorganization project. So dusk today finds me double-sweatered, with my hands smelling vaguely like bleach, and splotches of blue tempera paint in my hair. Very different from a typical day here at the inn in August!
Sat., Oct. 27, 2007
This whole blogging thing is odd to me; it’s sort of like a radio show, but without call-ins. Is anyone out there? How is a blogger to know if there are, in fact, any bloggees? The philosophical question of the day: If a blog appears on a website, but no one logs on to read it, does it make a blog?
Fri., Oct. 25, 2007
OK, yesterday’s entry was so benign even I was bored … and it was my day. In my defense, however, the word “scintillating” was not part of the blog definition anywhere in the introductory section. But in the interest of, well, interest, here’s an addendum to yesterday’s entry. At about 3 pm, I was finishing a chocolate cake with raspberry filling & mocha frosting for a birthday order (it’s not relevant at all to the happenings, but I do like to work chocolate into the conversation – blog-versation? -- whenever possible). The phone rang, and it was our good friend and neighbor, Dr. Tim. Chris listened, spoke, listened again, and hung up. He explained, “Tim needs a favor, and I have to go meet him at the Augusta Airport right now. He’s flying to Dartmouth to teach a class, and forgot the pigs’ feet in the basement,” and then rushed out. He drove the Chrismobile (an ’87 Bondo-colored Chevy pick-up truck with flame detailing – a story for another day) to Tim’s house, collected the 50 pound box of frozen (but quickly defrosting) pigs’ feet, and headed off.
So, now on to an important feature that I neglected in beginning this literary endeavor. DISCLAIMER: We do not imply or suggest, in any way, that this blog is representative of the daily lives of typical innkeepers. Any resemblance to persons living a normal life is purely coincidental.
In actual inn-related news, tonight is Inland Hospital's Fall Pops Concert, with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, at the Waterville Opera House. It promises to be a lovely evening for those who are not attending the evening's other major cultural event -- the K-6th grade Halloween Party at the Belgrade Center for All Seasons. Alas, a mom cannot be in two places at one time. (With a 3 year old and an 11 year old, I fear that our symphony days are a good stretch away.) The concert will raise money for ICU equipment, and even features a chocolate dessert buffet!
Thurs., Oct. 25, 2007
After a string of unseasonably warm days (sometimes over 80 degrees!), fall has arrived. It's a balmy 60 degree high today, but the nights are now cool and crisp -- great sleeping weather! Maybe because of the unusual temps, the colors are still beautiful. We generally pass the foliage peak around the 10th or so, and the leaves go almost immediately to either brown or gone, but this year it's been prolonged. We've had a few windy days, but lots of trees still have their leaves, and those are pretty vibrant. We're dying to get out for a hike up Blueberry Hill for the view, but haven't been able to yet. It's been a very busy fall here at the inn -- our best yet! -- and between that and our very busy kids, it's been hectic.
(Hmm. A bit anti-climactic, after such a grand introduction, but I warned you that there might be no reason at all why our daily lives would be of interest!)
The Introduction
I'm not particularly high-tech, but these days everybody & their pet seems to have a blog (a contraction of "web log"). Here's what Wikipedia, that modern marvel, a veritable font of information, has as a definition for blog: a website where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries.
Why might you, gentle reader, want to peruse our "personal online diary"? An excellent question, and one which I cannot for the life of me answer. But I have been assured by any number of more savvy, high-tech members of our industry, that you in fact do. In fact, innkeeper blogs are apparently so all the rage, such an absolute must-have for today's hip, with-it, stylish inn, that to deprive you of the same would be ungracious. An affront, even. So, without further ado, here it is. Ta da!