96 of 365 of What it is Like to Run a Resort

Monday, October 18, 2010.

We got up really early because of all the noise in the hotel. The kitchen staff started setting up breakfast around 5:30 a.m. and with all the banging around of everything, we couldn't sleep.

So we got ready and got to the breakfast room in pretty good time. The hotel, a Comfort Inn, had a really nice hot breakfast and we took our time there.

We got on the road pretty early because we had a long drive ahead of us. We had to drive home (2 hours) and then do some things, and then drive to Door County (4.5 hours).

When we got home, I turned on the Alder cabin for customers who would be arriving on Wednesday. This was just in case I wouldn't get there before them. I also left them a note to welcome them back to the resort.

I then turned off the Spruce cabin since they had just left that morning. They had paid us the other day before we left for Duluth. So that worked out well.

I grabbed my pre-packed back for Door County and put that in the car. John had to grab some more items, I hung up our wet swimming suits, we grabbed some lunch, our dogs and their food, and we were off. We were getting out of there a little later than we wanted, but it should still be in time.

We needed to get to Door County before Karen would. Karen is bringing her golden retriever, Riley. John's mom wants a dog that needs attention and is more of a companion than the dog she has. So we will be meeting Riley today to see if he would work. Karen is moving down south and won't be able to bring her dog with her.

John drove and we ate lunch on the way. We arrived about a half hour before Karen did. We took all the dogs for a walk. Buddy had an especially difficult time. His back right leg was having spasms and he could hardly walk.

We had picked up Chinese food on the way there so we all ate that for dinner. Riley will stay for a couple nights before I drop him off on my way back to Mercer. I will be driving the Lincoln which we are buying from John's mom. It used to be John's dad's car. So now I will be riding in high-style. No one will recognize me in Mercer in that car for awhile. I'll be incognito.

We like Riley and hope he will work out. He gets along well with the other dogs. John and I were pretty tired and we fell asleep early - before 10 p.m. It was a good day.