What it means to be an innkeeper.

Saturday March 8th 2008, will be a day to remember. Our Inn has 24 rooms, a Health spa and sugar shack that was in full operation today. It started snowing this morning, but it was a nice lite snowfall until this afternoon when it really started to fall. By 4h00pm, roads were not cleared and people started to hit snow drifts.

At 4h30 we called our dinner reservations and told them to stay home. We gathered our staff and told them to stay at the Inn since we were now getting news that the roads were closed. All overnight customers were safely tucked into their rooms so the only missing guests that we did not manage to contact was a small wedding party of 18 pers.

They arrived leaving a few cars along the way and getting lifts with other people. None had rooms here but I had three rooms put asside for staff that I gave them to use and told them that all were welcome to stay the night. Just as I thought we could breath a sigh of relief, I received the call.

One of our kitchen staff was stuck in a snow drift on a small country road and was now out of gas and panicking because her husband was also in a drift and unable to reach her. Could we please try and get to her. After taking so many precautions and making sure everyone was fine, I did not want to send anyone out in the storm, but could not bring myself to ignore her plea for help. So I sent out Neil with his 4 x4 Suburu and then Steven and Mike with my Toyota Highlander thinking that they would be able to get to her.

Our employee finaly managed to get to a house by foot, by folowing the lights in the dark and called us to say she was safe and sound. Now I had to try and reach the boys and get them back here. You would think that they would have their cellphones right???? Noooooooo. or at least it was not turned on. Thank goodness I made Steven take mine because his was not working. I managed to get to them to find out they were stuck in snowdrifts and unable to get out.

The electricity was going on and off and finally the phones also went out. we could no longer call out but could receive calls. Gerry was busy with the generator and as I write this, the electricity has just gone off again. The fireplaces are backing up and spewing ash all over, and I am stuck here with a skidoo and tractor and just hoping that the guys will find their way home safe and sound. All the while the guests are enjoying a fine dinner and not really aware of the drama going on around them.

The boys have finally called and are on their way back slowly. They are helping others in the same situation as themselves along the way and are now four cars on their way to the Inn. It looks like we will have to make room for more guests!

That is what an Innkeeper does. It is not always fun and games. Sometimes it is a matter of supplying a safe haven for guests along their journey.

Makes me feel good inside when we experience this.