Every Day is a Lesson...

Greetings to all from hot, humid Western Maine! Yes, Summer is here and in full force.

This weekend found Inn at Long Lake very busy. Saturday's check-ins were all in early and I thought the evening innkeeper duties would be light. Not so! At 6:30PM the power went down in Naples and 3 nearby towns . It remained out for 3 hours. Part of innkeeping entails crowd control mixed with a good dose of positivity at times like these. It was a longer evening than most getting the inn back together when power restarted and this had its effects.

Sunday breakfast was probably one of the worst performances I have had in 6 years cooking at the inn. Perhaps it was the way the orders came in--I was unsure. All I could think of (besides getting out quality breakfasts) was Gordon Ramsey (who you have heard me speak about so many times) yelling: "Stop flapping around like a silly ." Kirsten was setting up plates and expediting in the kitchen. Debbie and Gail were out in the dining room taking orders and keeping people happy.

I tell you this because one thing Gordon Ramsey advises in all his Kitchen Nightmares episodes is to: 1). remain calm and 2). look at the reason for the problematic "flow" of what has happened. And so, I called Gail and Debbie outside after service and got their perceptive feedback on what had just happened. The results from this meeting were that is was indeed a timing mess-up...everyone had sat at once and my response (perhaps enhanced by my being tired from the late Saturday night before) did not help my physical stamina during this particular breakfast. I thanked these two valued members of my staff for their feedback.

We all get tired in our busy lives. Every day cannot be a Gold Medal winning day. In truth, we all exist as "people" and when our physical resources are spent, it is almost inevitable that our performance slides. We can balance this with our standards of caring and Faith that everything has its lesson. Humbling as that breakfast service was for me (I look back on this now with persective), it reminds me that sometimes we are all just "human." Learn and be gentle with yourself.

PS: After a needed nap, I went back in the kitchen for afternoon cookies, rejuvenated, and made some of my Strawberry Snickerdoodles (which got excellent reviews from my Sunday evening guests!). Monday's service went excellent and the weekend was over before I knew it.

This weekend was a great lesson for me. Thanks for reading!

Keith
Innkeeper
Inn at Long Lake