I honestly don’t know where spring goes. It seems like one day it’s winter and the next thing I know the calendar is filling up and I have guests more days than not. Even though summer is considered to be the “busy season” here, in many ways spring is busier because there are certain things that have to be done every year but can only be done during this span of a few weeks when the weather is warming up and before the crowds descend.
This has been an especially busy spring here at The Stone Lion Inn. If you’ve wondered why the blog hasn’t been updated in a while, here’s what I’ve been up to…
I’ve had some necessary projects taken care of, including having the exterior of the house power washed and one side painted, having the foundation re-pointed (it’s disturbing to look at your foundation and think “gee, there ought to be a lot more mortar between those bricks…”) and having a cobblestone apron installed at the base of the driveway.
The apron at the entry to the driveway really improves curb appeal.
While I was having cobblestone work done I also had a transition added between the gravel driveway and the brick patio at the front of the house. The way the patio ended had bothered me for a long time, I think this is a major improvement.
Cobblestone made a neat transition from the brick patio to the gravel driveway.
Most of the shutters on the house are in terrible condition so I made the decision to order new ones and to go with real wood. I looked at the vinyl ones which are much less expensive, but they’re too ugly to contemplate putting on this beautiful house. The new shutters should be here in a week or two.
Massachusetts put together a “cash for appliances” program this year using stimulus funds to entice people to replace old, energy hog appliances with new, more efficient models. I am taking advantage of that to get a new washing machine and a new refrigerator, those will be here sometime next week (I think). The washer will be an easy replacement, the refrigerator less so. In addition to removing the contents and doing a major purge, which badly needs to be done, all the photos, postcards, magnets, etc. plus a cool, funky spice rack on the outside have to be removed and placed on the new fridge. Wish me luck.
Spring is also time for hiring new staff. My housekeeper of over a year quit in February so I was starting from scratch. My first hire worked three shifts and vanished. The two I’ve hired since then are still here… keeping my fingers crossed that doesn’t change. I don’t enjoy the interview process and training is exhausting. I’ll need to advertise for and hire one more housekeeper before the season gets into full swing, that’s a task for next week.
Other things I’ve been doing/having done: researched & ordered new towels, upgraded all the shower heads to a much better model (partly in response to a reviewer comment but something I’d been thinking about anyway), had the unfinished 2nd gazebo in the back yard taken down & removed, had a leaky skylight in the apartment bathroom replaced & repaired the ceiling around that, re-caulked and repainted the stairs, did a major wall patch in the deluxe queen room and several less major ones in one of the front bedrooms which then got a complete new paint job (same color, though), framed some new artwork and made substitutions in various places; had a new light fixture installed in the vestibule and a new ceiling fan/light installed in the kitchen, purchased new area rugs for three bedrooms, had the motor for the dryer replaced; it died literally DAYS after I ordered the new washer & refrigerator, reviewed/approved an ad for the program for the local theater, had the septic system pumped (annual maintenance), upgraded the modem & wireless router for my internet service… and I’m sure I’m forgetting some things.
I wish I could say I was nearly done with my spring tasks but there’s still a ton of stuff to do outside including mulching, planting, getting the fish pond set up for the summer and rehabbing the yard where that gazebo was. I also need to find new rugs for the 4th bedroom, decide whether to order new t-shirts and if so, what to order, and deal with a half dozen other things I’ve either started or researched but not ordered or made a final decision on.
Whew. I think I need a clone.
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Tags: Improvements, Innkeeping, Renovation, staff
