I see you’ve found my blog. Everyone knows by now that I have purchased an amazing bed and breakfast; well everyone who knows me! I’ve been operating Willis Graves for a mere 9 weeks, but I have to tell you about my very first night. Lets back up a little.
I’ve been a chef for a very long time. And I’ve been in retail for about 14 years. So hospitality is natural for me. I’m an early rising extravert with lots of energy. So I thought I GOT this. Yeah there will be a learning curve. And yeah not everything will be perfect for awhile, but never did I think that after my first week I’d think I was cursed. I was sure there were ghosts!
Night One….all by myself. Nancy and Bob are no longer living on the premises at this point. I felt a little scared. Like I’d been tossed out on my own. You know how it is when you when you drop kids off on their first day of school? Well I’m the kid! I kept saying, you got this. I’m going over the checklist in my mind…. Guests are checked in and I’m prepped for breakfast. I even had to hide a key for a couple coming in late after their wedding. How special to have a couple coming to stay on their wedding night! Ok I am going to bed. I put on my PJ’s and fall sound asleep. All is well right? The doorbell rings and scares me half to death! Now mind you this is my first night. I tiptoe out to see if I can peak out the door to see who is ringing my bell at 11pm. My quarters are right off the front entrance so very convenient. Oh it’s the newlyweds!
Completely forgetting I’m a business owner, I go straight to open the door. I kind of feel like their mother at this point. But then I hear my door shut behind me. Oops! No worries I’ll take the couple to their room and scurry back. Nancy and Bob had said at least 100 times, “never go anywhere without your key”. Well I’m inside so shouldn’t be a problem, except that my door to my area is locked. Hmmmm…I don’t remember locking it. I think “oh no problem! I used my side door today and I am sure its unlocked”. I’ve never been very good with keys, so I tend to leave certain doors unlocked for my sake. I decide I better prop a door open just in case I get out there and it is locked. Remember I think there are ghosts!
Sure enough it’s locked. I am completely baffled. I think well I hate to bother Nancy and Bob on their first night of freedom! But I dial anyway. No answer. Now I’m getting a little concerned. I am locked out of my space. And I only have access to the foyer, dinning room, and the kitchen. How awesome will this be when guests will wake up and the new innkeeper has to cook and serve breakfast in her PJ’s?! I even try breaking a window. Just a little tap with a heavy paddle should do the trick, right? Nope. I hit it harder and it doesn’t budge! I’m thinking is this like Fort Knox or what?! I’m starting to panic. And this is starting to feel not so fun. It’s midnight and I might have to sleep in a chair and try to explain myself in the morning.
Well Nancy finally saw that I called. She then explains to me that there is a key hidden in a key lockbox and she gives me the code. Nope not opening. Not to worry since the code is actually written down in a secret place as well. Thirty minutes later, I am safe in my room. Got a couple hours of sleep which was enough to get me through my first solo breakfast.
What I found out later is Nancy and Bob had locked both my doors. It was just something they had done for 22 years! So no ghosts that night!
Welcome to Inn Keeping!
