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ukmaineiac

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It all seems so petty in retrospect, but MAN O MAN did they end up getting under my skin.
At least 8 calls prior to their stay ... most of which centered around food. No big deal. Between them there were approximately 35 things they couldn't eat. I'd rather know up front. They also told me about some things they COULD eat. A good thing.
They were scheduled to arrive early so I planned my day around that (love early when I can). Called during regular check-in hours and said they'd had some travel problems and would arrive super late. No problem - get the room turned down, leave a note on the door and have dinner at a decent hour. They called another 8-10 times because they were "lost" (they weren't - the call back number went through to a local dining icon) and then arrived just after regular check-in while we were eating.
I had the food for their 4 day stay perfectly planned so they could eat it and the other guests would enjoy it. Meant working around normal recipes, adjusting everything and constantly checking their "list" but it worked out fabulously. Shopped accordingly.
Day 1 - poached pears with raspberry sauce (they had actually TOLD me IN WRITING that they loved pears but could only eat them if they were peeled and cooked).
Present pears - OH ... we can't eat pears ..... what a shame, that raspberry sauce looks lovely. We love berries. Now I have to figure out what to do with the other 18 pears I purchased.
Go to clean their room. Their room has a "moveable a/c" because there is only one window and this gives guests the option of an open window or a/c. It's also the best a/c in the inn - commercial strength. They had the a/c running all night but because it got too cold they closed the vent. Didn't turn it off, didn't open the window, so the carpet is sopping wet. When I saw them later I suggested that, if they felt the need to use the a/c again, and if it got too cold, they might consider turning it off and opening the window.
OK - so now I can't do the pear and blueberry crisp I had planned for the next day. BUT I have some beautiful wild blueberries (they said they love berries) and a lot of egg whites left over from another recipe. COOL ... I'll make meringues, mix the blueberries with some creme fraiche, lemon zest etc etc. NOT what I want to do because meringue is just too unpredictable. Make 'em, leave 'em in open oven over night as I'm supposed to and hold my breath.
Meringues worked out beautifully. I serve it with a smile and a Ta Da !!!! Oh how gorgeous .... I hope you peeled the blueberries. No? Oh what a shame we can't eat fruit skins. OK. How about YOU tell ME what you CAN eat. Oh - we love grapefruit. OK - for breafast tomorrow I was thinking of doing either French Toast Pretending to be a Waffle or pancakes. Oh - that sounds wonderful. Do you use buttermilk? Why yes - I do. Oh - that's a shame, we can't do buttermilk - it's too acid (yet apparently you're fine with the grapefruit you requested for the same breakfast).
Go to clean their room. Guess what - it got too cold again, so they left the vent open (YEAH) but pulled the hose out of the window so I have a different sopping wet spot.
Serve breakfast the next morning. One of them is thrilled with her grapefruit, except she's allergic to cinnamon so could I please do it again without the cinnamon and the other one grins and says "to be perfectly honest - I hate fruit - all fruit". :
Next conversation. We have to leave at 3:00 tomorrow .... (I'm expecting an annoying conversation about how I need their room by midday at the latest) .... so we'll need breakfast at about 2:15 a.m.
No. Even if I make you something, you won't eat it anyway. I'll leave you some muffins and a pot of coffee. (long discussion left out because my blood pressure is rising again). OK, so we've finally figured out which specific muffin you can eat (it's ok you've only changed your minds 26 times) - yes I'll leave some 1 1/2 % milk in the guest fridge - yes I'll brew both decaf and regular and NO NO NO NO I won't be up to say Good Bye
These are the highlights. The rest was just the usual minor annoyances.
 
Great big hug and a G&T headed your way.
They would never have lasted here after the first breakfast. You are the queen!
 
I was looking at my blueberry pecan french toast this morning and thinking, 'now how was Tipsy going to peel those blueberries?' Now we know the rest of the story.
yay, they're gone!
 
I think from now on I will always ask to have my blueberry peeled
 
2:15 AM!!?? THEY ACTUALLY THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO GET UP AND FIX THEM SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULDN'T EAT ANYWAY AT 2:15AM???
OMG! Get these people out of here. Give them directions to the nearest Motel 6!!
 
Fruit skin is where much of the nutrients are, and the seeds!
But wait, I have to say I would stop dead in my tracks and really find out what this means, the "Oh what a shame we can't eat fruit skins" I really have to know.
We'll need breakfast at 215am? See if we weren't innmates we would never believe this stuff, but we have all been "here" and post the most remarkable stories, such as this.
You poor thing! Hats off to ya!
 
Fruit skin is where much of the nutrients are, and the seeds!
But wait, I have to say I would stop dead in my tracks and really find out what this means, the "Oh what a shame we can't eat fruit skins" I really have to know.
We'll need breakfast at 215am? See if we weren't innmates we would never believe this stuff, but we have all been "here" and post the most remarkable stories, such as this.
You poor thing! Hats off to ya!.
Joey Bloggs said:
We'll need breakfast at 215am? See if we weren't innmates we would never believe this stuff, but we have all been "here" and post the most remarkable stories, such as this.
Seriously! We would think someone was making this up if we weren't all in the same biz!
I love you guys because you 'get' what's going on inside my head when this stuff comes up!
 
That request for 2:15am breakfast - sure, I will have a bagged breakfast waiting for you....
And that is what I would have done with some of those 18 pears!
devil_smile.gif

Well not really but it would have crossed my mind many, many times.
G&T - make that a double!
 
Just...OH! What is WRONG with these people???? I wish my DH would have been there to deal with it...if you tell him you can eat something and then don't eat it, wow...wouldn't be on the receiving end of that for anything. You are just too nice and I'm sorry these complete losers took advantage of you.
 
That request for 2:15am breakfast - sure, I will have a bagged breakfast waiting for you....
And that is what I would have done with some of those 18 pears!
devil_smile.gif

Well not really but it would have crossed my mind many, many times.
G&T - make that a double!.
what is wrong with these people?! so odd ....
 
Wow. I don't know if I would have managed not to kick them out of the damn house. Yer a saint.
 
I'm very selfishly glad you shared all that... it makes all my guests seem like pieces of cake.
((hugs))
=/
Kk.
 
Unbelievable! Those people have a lot of nerve. No wonder you were fit to be tied. It's such a slap in the face when you go out of your way to do special things for guests and they act like this. And people wonder why we get burnt out.
pita.gif
 
Wow. I don't know if I would have managed not to kick them out of the damn house. Yer a saint..
ummmm - I think my imaginary shoe left a very big imprint in a couple of (in)appropriate places.
Saint ??? Hel .... Sorry HECK no. I think I was most freaked out because nothing was extraordinarily bad. It just added up .... and up ..... and up .....
 
And I would bet the farm there was NO TIP! May these guests next appear at the grungiest, nastiest establishment, the one with an innkeeper who has no problem telling them flat out - Go to Hell! As I said in the beginning, they had to be REAL LOSERS to have upset YOU!
 
Why do you let people walk all over you? Here's breakfast AS REQUESTED. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. Send these A-holes to Denny's if they don't like your offerings. Or better yet suggest to them that THIS may not be the right B&B for you and send them packing.
 
Yikes! I wouldn't bake for these people. This is what the store bought mini-croissants are for. Lol! You went above and beyond!!
What, if anything, would you do differently next time?
 
Why do you let people walk all over you? Here's breakfast AS REQUESTED. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. Send these A-holes to Denny's if they don't like your offerings. Or better yet suggest to them that THIS may not be the right B&B for you and send them packing..
No one "walked all over me". I prepared breakfasts as requested - if they couldn't eat it - they didn't. I adapted for the next day's breakfast accordingly .... and if they couldn't eat it - they didn't. No waste with the re-done grapefruit - it just went to the next table and she had hers plain. If the request was plain ridiculous - the answer was "no". When they messed up the a/c - I told them (didn't just let it go) but they managed to mess it up a completely different way the next day.
They were always grateful and pleasant.
As I said, when writing it down it all seemed so petty and I'm surprised I didn't see the humor in it at the time .... but the cumulative effect just got to me. HOWEVER - "do you peel your blueberries" will now go down in TTB legend and make me laugh.
 
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