TheInnkeeperAt

I’ve been trying to write this blog for over a month.  I’ve wanted to tell you why you should stay at a B&B when you travel.  To do that, I came up with a “Top Ten List” of reasons for you to stay at the Captain Briggs House B&B.  So let’s get started.

Starting with number 10: What happens at the Inn stays at the Inn.  Hmm… maybe I better not try and explain that one.  I’ll leave it to your imagination!  Although I will say that my hubby always claims that we have no calories here!

Number 9:  Everyone is welcome at the Captain Briggs House B&B.  Don’t think that one needs a lot explanation either!

Number 8:  We have VERY comfortable, quiet rooms.  Our beds will enable you to have a very peaceful night’s sleep, and since we’re not on Main Street like so many of the other Inns, you won’t be hearing any of the street (and truck!) traffic.

Number 7: We serve full, delicious breakfasts.  MY definition of “bed and breakfast” is that I do serve a FULL breakfast.  Many B&Bs will serve you only a “continental” breakfast, but if you leave my table still hungry I either haven’t done my job OR your too picky!!

Number 6: We provide a more personal service to our guests.  We’re not sterile like the “big boys” and we’ll do our very best to get the answers to whatever questions that you may have.  Also, since we make it our mission to check out the restaurants in the immediate area, we can give your our opinions on them.

Number 5:  We’re located on a side street so we’re very quiet.  Oops!  That sounds too much like number  8. 

Number 4: The Captain Briggs House B&B is convenient to all activities & shopping.  We’re located just a 5 minute easy walk to the center of town (Freeport, ME that is!) and of course the home of LL Bean!

Number 3:   When we say  ALL are welcome, we mean EVERYONE including the family dog.  Well-behaved dogs are ALWAYS welcome!

Number 2:  We’re a family oriented B&B.  Children of all ages are welcome!

AND finally, the number 1 reason for coming to the Captain Briggs House B&B…. it’s like coming home!

 Yes, I know.  This blog is LONG overdue.  All that I can say is that it’s been a very long summer.  July and August here at the inn are the busiest of my year.  This year I’ve had guests not only from the good old USA and Canada, but also from Turkey, England, Germany, Spain, and Italy.  It’s been very entertaining and interesting, to say the least.

The comment that I get from my guests these days most often is how like coming to the inn is like coming home.  I think that this, above everything else, makes me the proudest.  I feel that I’m doing something right, and that I’m earning a reputation as being a most hospitable hostess.

The children have been wonderful.  Nearly all of them have enjoyed what I’ve put in front of them without any complaints.  The young man that I had from Turkey set a new record for the number of waffles eaten at one time.  It’s always a pleasure to cook for people when they really enjoy what I’m serving up.

We have some wonderful new stores in town.  Besides that national chain Talbot, we now have Cape Madras, Vineyard Vines, Lindt Chocolates (which is actually returning to Freeport after a 6 month absence), Maynard’s Chocolates, and Island Treasure Toys.  These are just a few new stores that have come to Freeport.

We also have 2 new restaurants: Linda Bean’s Maine Kitchen and Topside Tavern and also Fresh Batch.  Make sure you check these out the next time that you’re in town.

We even have a new entertainment venue in town called Freeport Factory Stage which features live stage productions.  Very entertaining!  This fall we’ll be getting a six-plex movie theater.  Now you’ll have something else to do when you come to Freeport after shopping all day!

Time to close this blog, and I promise to try and write more often.  Remember to tip you’re Innkeeper or housekeeper not matter where you stay!  They may be working for no payment at all.

Every spring, we in tourist towns, experience something that a dearly departed friend of mine, Gerry, called “fruit basket upset”. 

We lost Gerry this last year to illness. We had met Gerry and her husband, Armon, when we visited our first B&B in Galena, IL.  Gerry became the standard, in my eyes, that I aspired to be in an innkeeper.  Always gracious and loving offering comfort and good food.

So back to the term “fruit basket upset”.  What did Gerry mean by this?  Every year in Freeport (and Galena and I suspect all tourist type towns) we lose businesses that didn’t survive the lean winter months.  As these businesses move out, we gain new businesses that move in to take their places.  Or existing businesses expand into the recently vacated store fronts. 

So what’s new in Freeport, Maine?  Let’s take a look at the new offerings.

Vervacious, www.vervacious.com, is a store that features table top sauces.  Their motto is “Travel Far.  Eat Well. Eat long”.

Cape Madras, www.capemadras.com, is a men’s and women’s clothing store that feature’s unique madras material.

Lindt Chocolates are back!  Their store is now located in the Freeport Village Station.

Island Treasure Toys has taken up residency on Bow Street.  Find out more at their web site: www.islandtreasuretoys.com .

We have more night life now in Freeport with the new addition The Freeport Factory Stage, www.freeportfactory.com, has live stage theater every weekend, starting on Thursday and running through Sunday with afternoon and evening performances.  Thus far my hubby and I’ve seen both the “Gershwin Girls” and “Catechism After Dark”.  Both very good!  Check their web site for new and upcoming events.

Coming later this month will be Talbots and a new restaurant called Fresh Batch.  This fall we’re getting a new Cineplex which will have 6 theater screens.  No longer will we have to go out of town to see the latest movies.

So now you’re all up to date on what’s happening in Freeport.  Come visit us soon!

 The other day I was musing about how when I was a young girl, probably in my teens, I thought that I would like to be a farmer’s wife.  The whole idea of planting crops, taking care of chickens and cows, and keeping a home just really appealed to me at that age.

It then occurred to me that being an innkeeper was a lot like being a farmer’s wife.  Or rather, like being a farmer.  Bear with me a minute while I explain.

We both depend upon the weather to cooperate.  For farmers, they’re always worried about the weather.  Will there be too much rain?  Will there be enough rain?  Hey!  Believe me!  This true!  I grew up in Iowa and had several uncles who were farmers.

For innkeepers, and depending upon your location, we innkeepers also worry about the weather.  For those of us who are dependent upon snow for bringing us guests, we worry about getting enough snow for the skiers requirements.

For example, the winter before last, I had nearly an entire weekend filled in the month of February.  Unheard of in February.  UNFORTUNATELY, the weekend fell apart because we had no snow, which was the main reason for the guests who were coming up for a cross country skiing.  The sponsors moved the event to the west end of the state, which left us, no pun intended, out in the cold.

Another example?  We’re both dependent upon the state of the economy.  For farmers, they depend upon what prices that they can get for their crops and livestock to make a living.

For us as innkeepers, we depend upon the price of oil.  This year is a perfect example.  With gas prices ranging from $3.90 a gallon and up, we’re all holding our breaths to see if people will travel this year.  I’m not quite sure about the others, by my May is looking pretty bleak, and June is currently non-existent.  All we can do is hope that a miracle happens between now and the start of summer.

Sounds a bit like farming, doesn’t it?

It was this point in my musings that I realized that I had indeed the same job as a farmer!

I’ll leave you with this last bit information.  I’ve started a newsletter through Constant Contacts that I send out about once a month.  If you’d like to receive it, just e-mail me at our web site: www.captainbriggs.com and I’ll add you to my e-mailing list.

 Spring in Maine!  That delightful time of the year that Mainers like to call “mud season”, as if it’s unique somehow.

I’ve always found this amusing.  As you may recall, I’m from Iowa, and if they really want to see “mud season” they should go to Iowa and see the mud in the corn fields there.  Now that’s a real “mud season”!

So what do innkeepers do during this time of year?  Well, I for one am trying to complete my winter projects.  I’m almost there!  Tomorrow I’ll finish painting the first room of the Forget-Me-Not suite.  On Sunday, I started the process of stripping the wall paper from the walls and completed that on Monday.  Today I primed the walls, and tomorrow I get to paint.  I can’t wait to see the fresh paint on the walls!

Spring is also for a great many other chores.  My front steps are treated wood that I had replaced the second year that we were here with treated wood.  Fortunately, I was smart enough to stain those steps, otherwise I would have to scrape the old paint every year before I could paint them.  Instead, I just re-stain every spring.  So the first nice warm day that I get will be spent in do the steps.

Last year I didn’t get a chance to mulch the flower beds, because spring came so early,  so this is another task that I must absolutely get done this year.  This year, instead of making several trips, I’m going to order 60 bags of mulch to be delivered.  Why bags you might ask?  That way I can spread it at my leisure.  If I have a pile of mulch delivered, I’d have to work fast to get it spread.  Obviously, this would indeed be cheaper, but still it’s very inconvenient.  There’s also the task of cleaning up those flower beds to mulching and the rest of the yard seems to have an excess of tree limbs hanging about as well.

On not so nice days, I have to start washing windows and curtains.  This task isn’t too difficult, but it still will take me a few days to complete it.  Keep in mind that I have windows not only in the inn to wash but also in the residence.

This is just an example of the many tasks that await me.  I’ve been hearing a lot lately that some have the perception that Inns that accept dogs are not very clean.  Listen up!  That is NOT the case in this inn.  I’m not busting my buns for nothing!

Later!

 OK!  OK!  I know that this blog is SERIOUSLY over due, and you’d think that I’d be less busy during the winter months, but between illness and inn projects, I’ve been just a bit busy.  Oh, and don’t forget vacation!  This is the only time of year that we innkeepers can take a vacation. 

So what have I been up to?  For starters I did finally get the Common Room repainted, and yes!  The same colors that it was before.  You may remember that I had talked about it being 3 different shades of blue.  I left the walls the same color but was amazed at how much fresh paint did to make the walls look so much better!  Once I got that room completed, I went on to the entrance and upstairs hallways.  Also encouraged by how much better everything looked.  Almost immediately discouraged by slightly clumsy guests who run their bags over my newly painted walls on the stairwell.  Oh, well.  What can an innkeeper do?

I’ve been slowed down a bit by on going problems with my bronchial tubes.  There’s been a couple of times this winter in which I swore that I had bronchitis or even pneumonia, but no, my doctor assures me that it’s allergies.  To what, I do not know, but look forward to consulting with an allergist next week to find out exactly what.  I’m beginning to suspect that I know exactly why my ancestors left the coast and headed inland.  I love the sea, but I suspect that it doesn’t love me!

As I already mentioned, we were on vacation  earlier this month.  We did something that we hadn’t done since we took over the inn.  We took a cruise to the Caribbean on one of the largest ships that we’ve ever been on.  Not too bad of a time, but were somewhat disappointed by the food and the entertainment.  We did have a nice time “cave tubing” in Beleiz on Thursday of the week of our cruise, but then my as-yet to be determined allergies kicked in that same night, and I felt pretty punk the remainder of that trip.  At least this is one trip that I didn’t gain any weight!  Also, there was the added bonus of disconnecting my cell phone from the Inn and throwing it into my purse for the entire trip.  Heaven!  Not one phone call to handle the entire trip.  This was a first for me since we took over!

Well, this blog is getting pretty long and I don’t want to take up much more of your time.  I’ll try to get another blog in soon, and I’ll tell you what my plans are for the rest of the winter.  In the mean time, I’d like to bring to your attention an event that is coming up here the end of the month.  It’s called “Flavors of Freeport”.  Check it out at www.flavorsoffreeport.com

Later!

 Ah… winter in Maine.  That beautiful time of year when us innkeepers look forward to some down time.  Few guests, but still work to be done.  Painting, wall papering, deep cleaning.  Need I go on?

Today, there’s a rip roaring blizzard going on the outside.  So, in addition to the painting that I’ve already done in the Common Room this morning and the deep cleaning I want to do in the residence kitchen this afternoon, I get to look forward to shoveling a ton of snow when the storm stops later today.

I started repainting the Common Room in the Inn this week.  I wasn’t entirely sure that it needed to be done, but as soon as I got the first wall, I couldn’t believe how much brighter it was.  Paint really does fade over time!

Someone, probably the previous owner, painted 2 of the walls one shade of blue, the third wall another shade of lighter blue, and the fourth wall is a darker blue.  It’s what has kept me from painting the room sooner.  I just couldn’t decide if I wanted to repaint it the original colors or start with an entirely different color.  After consulting my guests of the last year, I decided to go with the current colors, but what a difference it makes to put fresh paint on the walls.

So what’s my next project, after the Common Room?  I’m thinking I’m going to repaint the entry way.  Last year when I tried to touch up the paint, I ended up with kind of a splotchy job.  Definitely time to repaint that area.

After the entry way, I’d like to tackle the first room of the Forget-Me-Not room.  That, however, requires that I strip the wall paper.  I’d love to re-wall paper the room, but I just don’t have enough expertise in that area.  (My sister did the previous 2 rooms, but I can’t get her to come to Maine these days.  She’s just too busy at work!)  So, I’m thinking that I’m going to just paint instead.   Maybe a forget-me-not blue?

Of course, winter gives me the chance to also get a few blogs done as well.  So hopefully, you’ll be hearing from me a bit more often.  I would also like to comment here that I’m sorry that I delete so many of your comments, but I’m having trouble deciding which of you are serious about what I’ve written and those of you who are just hoping to link your own web sites to mine!

Later!

Christmas is nearly upon us here at the Inn and I think that I’m finally ready.

The week after Thanksgiving I start decorating.  This means hauling the tree out of the basement and decorating it.  Stringing the evergreen along the staircase banister and adding red bows to it.  This year I made life a bit easier on myself.  I’ve attached a remote on the tree and on the evergreen on the staircase banister that allows me to flip the lights with a switch.  No more crawling under the tree for me this year!  Well, OK.  Except on the live tree that I’ve put up in the residence.  I still crawl on my knees to light that one.

Outside I’ve strung evergreen on each of the light polls and topped with red ribbons.  There’s also evergreen lights (on a timer!) on the staircase banister that leads up into the Inn.

Unfortunately, I didn’t put out the polar bears and igloo this year.  They seemed a bit tired looking to me and I’ve felt a bit lazy this year, so  I didn’t get them out.  I’m hoping that when the sales occur after Christmas I’ll get something new for next year.

Christmas preparations don’t end with the decorating.  I know that I’ve said in previous blogs that I send out close to a thousand Christmas postcards too, to previous guests who have stayed with us.  I do this for only in the US as it would get even more expensive to send to outside the states.  To my Canadian guests and others throughout the world I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Finally, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without cookies.  I’ve lost count of the number of cookies that I bake every year.  These are given out to our neighbors, certain hotels here in town (who’ve sent guests to us!) and my last 2 batches will be taken into work tomorrow to treat my co-workers at city hall.  I also sent some back with my hubby to take to work tomorrow.  (In case you’ve forgotten, he lives in Pittsfield, MA during the week.)

None of this, of course, includes personal preparations for Christmas like cards for family and friends, and gifts for the children and their spouses.  This year we have a grandson to buy for!  He’ll be coming for Christmas with his parents and I can hardly wait to see him again.  I hear that he’s crawling now, so I’m sure I’ll be getting a lot of exercise while he’s here.

Well, this blog has gotten decidedly long and I have cookies in the oven.  I want to make sure that I take some down to my current guests.  Guests? You ask.  Sure, I’m still getting a few, but things are slowing down rapidly, and the next time I blog, I’ll tell you what I’m planning during the winter months!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year our Thanksgiving was different from other years.  The kids wanted me to come Pittsfield, MA (where my husband lives and works during the week) for Thanksgiving dinner.  “Great!” I thought, “I won’t have to cook dinner this year!  The kids are FINALLY taking over some of the holiday traditions!”  “What would you like me to bring?”  thinking that they’d probably like me to make the home made rolls. 

“Well, actually, we hoped that you’d make dinner, because we don’t know how to.”  Needless to say, I couldn’t help chuckling to myself!

So we agreed to have Thanksgiving dinner the second week in November because I knew that I couldn’t possibly leave the Inn the week of Thanksgiving.   Not with “Black Friday” the day after Thanksgiving.  It’s my busiest days of November.  Our daughter, who lives in Ohio, joined us and we had a very nice family dinner.  At the outset  of all of this, my husband wanted me to make dinner (again!) on Thanksgiving, but thankfully came to his senses and realized that 2 turkey dinners in a single month would just be too much.  Instead, we ended up at the Muddy Rudder restaurant, having a very nice Thanksgiving dinner that included a couple of very nice rib-eye steaks!

Earlier this week I was very down in the dumps.  I really hate living without my husband, but selling the Inn is obviously going to be a very slow process.  I thought to myself how tired I was of being depressed and decided to count my blessings.  Here are some of them:

I’m thankful for my new grandson.  He’s a very beautiful boy with a very happy personality.  He’ll be 7 months old on the 30^th, and has already figured out a way to pull himself up using the coffee table.

I’m very thankful for my husband who has been coming home every weekend for 2 years now to help me out and to just be together.  I made a most excellent choice in marrying this man 36 years ago!  You’re the best, my very dear Hubby!

I’m thankful for both of my children and the wonderful spouses that they have chosen.  I love all 4 of them dearly.

Finally, I’m very thankful for a God who sent me to this place that we call Earth to learn the lessons that I needed to learn and to accomplish the tasks that He wants me to accomplish.  I love you Father!

This week we honor our veterans and active military personnel on Thursday, Veterans Day. 

I’m honoring my own personal veteran, my son Chris, who not only served in Kosovo but also in Iraq.  I’m doing this by opening up our inn, Captain Briggs House B&B, on November 10 to any and all veterans and active military personnel for free.  That’s right!  For free! 

However, we’re not alone in this.  There are more than 850 B&Bs within 49 states and 8 international locations that are also opening their inns to our veterans and active military personnel.  (For a complete listing, visit www.bnbsforvets.org )

Here in Freeport, there are 5 inns participating in this.  They are, besides us, Brewster House, James Place, Kendall Tavern, and White Cedar. 

And while thinking and talking this through, my hubby had a great idea!  He said, “Do you suppose that we could get some of the restaurants to also throw in a free meal?”.  So I e-mailed several of the restaurants here in town and three of them signed up: Azure Café, Jameson Tavern, and Gritty McDuff’s Brew Pub.  Fantastic!

So here’s to you, our honored guests!  We honor you for our freedom.  We hold you all in great esteem for not only your bravery but also for yourself servitude.  God Bless You All!  I know that I’ll be passing out hugs as I welcome you into our inn on Wednesday.

And Chris, our dear son, we’re so very proud of you and we love you very much.