Friday, February 27, 2009

Good Grief!

I thought the recent motel disasters were enough for one week. Wrong. Here I am on my second glass of wine, feet up on my desk, enjoying Rachal Ray when one of my little latino workers comes in the office to tell me that his toilet is spewing water. "No one used it. It just started throwing out water." When I got there, Juan was sweeping water out of the room with a broom. I called Dan and started mopping up water which was no longer coming out of the toilet. I got the steam cleaner out, which is a good sucker upper & was making headway when Dan arrived.

When Dan snaked out the toilet, it was obvious that someone had put something they shouldn't have in there and then made up a story. Why was I surprised? Most people will fudge the truth when they've caused something to go wrong. It's human nature, I guess.

Tomorrow, Karen & I will get in there, move the furniture out of the way & shampoo the carpet. In the meantime I'm laundering the old comforters I had to use to soak up the worst of the water. The Humane Society will be happy to get them.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

How Many Tickets Do you Want?


The Ho & I did such a great job last year on the basket of cheer for St. Patty's Day at the VFW, that we were called upon this year to outdo ourselves. What you see is the result. We went with a pot o' gold theme. The array of goodies is in an ice tub from the local party store and on the gold base we put irish whiskey, Bailey's and a 6 pack of Guinness along with a ceramic beer mug and foil covered cocolate coins. I think this baby is going to generate big bucks!
On the motel front, it's been one of those weeks. In #9 the 220 line fried, putting the ac/heater out of commission. #3 leaned on the bathroom sink & it came away from the wall and he somehow overloaded the electric effectively blackening out both his room and #1. The repairman fixed #9, Dan spent 2 days replumbing and replacing the sink in #3 and the issue with the electric in #3 and #1 is temporarily ok, but need some serious looking into by a real electrician. Hopefully, he'll get here tomorrow.
The guy staying in #3 was asked to leave his previous motel, I don't know why, but I have my suspicions. Since he's been here, he broke the coffee serving table in our lobby, the sink in his room, and screwed up the electric in his room. I don't think he does these things on purpose, but we're feeling he's got a major rain cloud over his head. Just like that character in the old Lil Abner comic strip. What was his name?

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Bob Dropped By


Last night, one of our guests saw a bobcat in our driveway. Then this morning my neighbor tells me that in the middle of the night she heard a scuffle on her roof and her domestic cat, Mau Mau,screaming like a banshee. I myself have never heard a banshee scream. However, I do believe we had this visitor and just sorry I didn't see it myself.
It's easy to forget that the Florida panhandle is still home to lots of wildlife. We're very rural in a lot of places and there's plenty of critters, most being driven out of their natural environments due to development. A mile west of the motel there's a bear crossing sign. My guess is that the state wouldn't have paid for that sign if there weren't some bears nearby. Bobcats are plentiful in our area, but by nature rather reclusive. I'm guessing that Dan's fish cleaning station might have been an attraction.
I welcome Mr. Bobcat. They're pretty much nocturnal like most domestic cats and they feast on rodents and other small prey (like Mau Mau.)

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Upscale Trailer Trash







When the economy started to go in the toilet, we decided to sublet the house and move back into the trailer behind the office. Actually, it's not "behind" any more since Dan cut a hole in the wall & made himself an office in our old bedroom.
In order to make the trailer habitable again, Dan stripped the interior down to the studs, including the ceiling. We had the whole place rewired, replumbed and reducted for heat and air. Dan gave me a private bath and dressing room in the rear which used to be a bedroom & 1/2 bath. The old living room is now our master bedroom and the photos above show the kitchen. The stove & refrig are original to the space and we've carted the butcher block around with us for the last 25 yrs. I couldn't live without it.
A wall was removed between the old kitchen and a hallway with closets. These closets became an open pantry and storage. In the photos, the hall light is on. Without the light on, the open storage is hardly noticeable. I have never worked in such a convenient set up. Everything is at my fngertips. On the wall opposite the fridge is my spice rack. It's amazing how little space is needed to work efficiently when everything is so organized. I do all food prep on the butcher block. The table is a drop leaf & when open is comfortable seating for 6.
Some fine tuning is still necessary. Shelves around the kitchen window will get the nuker up off the counter & give me a little more staging area. We gave up a living room to make sleeping, bathing and cooking more convenient, but with our expanded office area with seating for 6 to 8 it's working quite well.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Cell Phone in Crapper

Actually that's where I think they belong. Personal opinion aside, my old cell died because I dropped it in the toilet at least 1/2 dozen times and this last time was it's last gasp. Dan went to Sam's yesterday, turned in the drowned phone & brought home some kind of guy phone. Lots of bells & whistles. This sucker was a behemoth. Heavy, two levels with a separate alpha keyboard and big. I hated it on sight. I need a texting keyboard like I need a third, 3 letter word beginning and ending with t.

So today I schlep back to Sams to turn in the monster & get myself something light, compact and plain. Because it's a two phone acct. we were entitled to 2 new phones. I asked for mine to be swapped out and I'd take the second unprogrammed & in the box as a spare. For some odd unexplained reason, the clerk, a very sweet girl who meant well, programmed Dan's # into the second phone rendering his current phone inactive. He has to go back to Sams with both phones to get the issue corrected. No happy camper here.

Now I'm sitting here & trying to get the thing to ring like a telephone instead of playing some annoying music, but just can't make it do what I want. Thank god the grandkids are coming for a visit tomorrow. Rocketry be damned, I need a cell phone scientist.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Nascar Room


I know, I know, it's not HGTV worthy, but I do have a Dale, Sr throw coming for the futon. Karen & I finished a deep clean and checkered flag kitchen curtains on Monday. We were very proud.


Tuesday, a couple of workers checked in for a two night stay. Wed. morning, everything looked good, but this morning when we went to turn it over we found that the new bedspread on the twin was dotted with white paint. I tried to scrape it off with my fingernail, but no go. I washed it hoping the hot water would soften the spots, but no go. I put it back inside out. So, so depressing. The carpet was also spattered with paint spots and 2 water glasses were missing from the kitchen. These same guys have a reservation for 3 days next week in a different room. I'm going to let them know that guests who cost me money are really not welcome.


Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Introducing Miss Violet


Yesterday, she became our newest family member. I hadn't seen her. Dan picked her out at the Gulf County Humane Society the day the VFW went to donate the money raised on Dan's Nascar doggie pool. I was pretty much expecting your average tabby alley cat. What a surprise to find that she has obvious long haired ancesters. Her coat is long & silky and she has a tail like a fox. Big and bushy. Terrific personality too, so I think we're all going to get along great. It's possible however that Wally, our betta fish, isn't going to love her quite so much.
How did I settle on the name Violet after Dan nixed all my other suggestions including the brilliant Earthakitty??? Well, I'm a fan of author Jan Karon's Mitford series and one of the protagonists has a beloved cat named Violet. I waited until I met her & realized that, yes indeed, she was Violet.
We had custody of another beautiful animal for a short while this morning. Some guests found a stunning male pit bull wandering the parking lot this morning. My god, what a prince he was. Caramel in color and an obvious pure bred with a gentle disposition. I called animal control, because this gorgeous guy was wearing a collar and I'm sure his owners were very anxious to get him back. Mid-week housekeeper, Minnie wanted to take him home & all of us were sorry to see him go.

Monday, February 9, 2009

suffering

Nothing serious. I have a monster head cold/sinus issue. I didn't see the damn thing coming. The Ho & I have our monthly therapy session ( 3 drink lunch) on Wed. so I'm willing the germs away.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

St Joe Bay


Yesterday, I took this photo a short 1/8 mi drive behind the motel. You could walk it, but the way people drive around here walking our two lane highway is probably suicidal.
The beach begins here at Windmark and runs for about 12 miles. The public beach at Windmark has 4 fishing piers available for free to the public.
On the other side of the bay is Cape San Blas with the bay on one side and miles of gulf beach on the other. The cape is a 20 minute drive from the Dixie Belle. In 2002, Dr. Beach named the cape the #1 beach in the US. One of the best things is that at almost any time of year our beaches are never too crowded. You can always find a private space. Coming from NJ where finding a spot to put your beach chairs and (for me) umbrella pretty much requires an advance reservation, room to spread out & enjoy is a major treat.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Catamaran Couple




A couple of days ago, Dan checked a couple into unit #6, but didn't say there was anything unusual about them and I didn't ask. I have very little curiosity. I'm pretty much a live & let live person.

Yesterday morning, I went in to collect the towels and was shocked to see the room jam packed full. Not just suitcases, but boxes, appliances, a computer printer still in the box and a table set up with a sewing machine, bolts of fabric and an ironing board. Now, my rooms are small to begin with, so I was wondering how this woman was actually doing sewing projects & why.

When I told Dan what I found, he, being the more inquisitive of the two of us, knew the whole story. These folks are from Washington state & they bought a used catamaran to travel on. It has a cabin for living and sleeping. But the boat was used & in need of refreshing. They are moored in the canal down the road while they paint, recover all the cushions (hence the sewing machine) and generally remodel the interior to make it liveable.

They've been working from dawn to dusk, so I haven't had the opportunity to talk with them. I went out this morning to try and find their boat, but couldn't, so in the meantime, I took a couple of pics at our marina which is about 2 miles from the motel.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Multipurposing

I don't check the pots & pans in my kitchen units after every check out. I sorta rely on my housekeeper. Today, though, I went in #11 to strip the beds, collect the towels etc. & one of the frying pans was in the dish drainer. I noticed that the teflon was pretty scratched, so I decided it needed replacing. When I picked it up, I saw that it was quite dented and the middle was pushed up from the underside.

I brought it in to Dan, showed it to him and asked, "how do you suppose this could have happened?" After one look he told me that someone had obviously used it as a hammer. I don't know about you, but I would never, ever treat someone else's property with such disrespect. Am I in the minority?

When we first bought this place, I wanted my guests to have the best I could afford, so I splurged on dishes, pots, flatware and linens. But today I went to the dollar store and bought a set of frying pans for $10. How naive I was then. I've learned the hard way, but am still capable of being shocked by peoples' behavior.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

No Vacancy?

I'm truly amazed. Here it is, traditionally one of our slowest months of the year, a midweek night at that, and we are completely sold out. We have some workers on extended stays, but a surprising number of travelers as well. I think our lower winter rates have really appealed to a lot of people. Of course, our cleanliness and cuteness doesn't hurt either.

Since the winter specials were such a success, I just went through last year's spring rate schedule and lowered all prices for March and April across the board. Just call it the Dixie Belle economic stimulus plan. If we stay busy, I can keep my housekeeping staff (all 3 of us) working and pay the bills too. I'm good with that.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Not For Me

Today, as a VFW auxilliary member, I attended a memorial service for a former aux. sister. I didn't know her personally, but the chaplain who spoke actually bonded with Shirley and I felt as if I knew her as well through his words. He was better than most at his job.

Here comes the "however." If my survivors ever, ever allow that kind of memorial for me, I will have to come back and haunt them. For me, that kind of thing just wouldn't work. No minister will ever know me and I don't want strangers pretending they do. The official auxilliary ceremony is right for some, but it's like nails on a blackboard for me.

Send me off with a party, lots of free booze & free food. Tell funny stories, dance, laugh, live & love.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Rewarding Myself


Went to Panama City today on a mission to find new doormats for the rooms. The old sisal mats are falling apart & look horrible. Mission accomplished at my first stop. The new mats are made from recycled auto tires & will probably still be looking good after I'm long gone. Hit Sam's for necessities like detergent, bleach, TP, softener and of course a couple of paperbacks at $4.88 each. Gotta love that.
Stopped in Kohl's just to look mind you, and spotted this tunic top with a price tag of $56. Uh Uh, no way. It looks purple here, but it's actually dark navy with just the right amount of bling. I decided to be undecided about it. Walked around, came back. And as I was looking at something on the front of the same rack I noticed a 40% off sign. Went around the other side & there it was. I didn't see it the first time. 40% off! Got something I really love & will look terrific with my skinny jeans. When I got to the register, guess what? Another 10% off! I'm a happy camper.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Super Bowl Strategy


See that bed, that refuge, that nook? That's where I'll be with a good book.