I'm back!!!!!!!

Yes, I've poking my head back up again...it's the end of the season, we're geared up and ready for the event this weekend, and Theresa from Shakespeare's Peddler, just arrived.  Stitchers  started arriving yesterday, with more coming tomorrow and the majority arriving on Friday.  The piece you see here, "A Maryland Inspiration", was delivered in time for the event, along with charts.  It's a fabulous original design by Theresa Baird and  received the Frank Lloyd Wright Award for Outstanding Original Design at the 49th Annual Woodlawn Plantation Needlework Exhibit. Fabulous!!!  We're so excited that we finally got the finished piece on display...please come in and see it.  Well, I don't know how you did over this summer, but I'm much to fat and old to put up with the heat and humidity we had down here.  I thought I'd die from it.  Believe me when I tell you I thanked God every day and night for my air conditioning.  We managed to get through the summer without killing each other or any tenants, again I thanked God for that.  We are blessed to have great tenants in the hotel, for the most part, and we are also blessed to have great stitchers in Salty Yarns.  Now that doesn't mean there aren't a few stinkers in the group, but they are far out numbered by the great ones so we don't like to complain too much.  I do have to say one thing though....and get ready because it's a rant.  I'm a person who believes in tipping for good service and great service I really acknowledge, however I also believe tipping is for service above and beyond, not for those who are simply doing their job.  For instance, I was at the Alaska Stand (a hamburger stand here) a couple of weeks ago and a gentlemen handed the owner change for the tip jar, and then he began to go on and on about people who didn't put money in the tip jar (of which I am one).  Now, when you are at a fast food place, which is what a hamburger stand is here, you can't go behind the counter and get your food off the griddle, so how are you suppose to get your food if they don't give it to you.  Therefore, that isn't anything but their job.  Now, if you kept asking for special things, changes in what ordinarily they do, or extra of anything that isn't normally given, well then maybe throw a few coins in the jar, but that's iffy to me.  Anyway, my stand on hotel tipping is...if you stay one night there is no need to tip as they didn't do anything for you.  They had to make up the room between tenants yes, but that wasn't specifically for you it's their job.  However, once  you spend two nights there is a need to say thank you for cleaning up after me.  I always police my room before room service comes in, make sure all clothes are put away, trash in trash can, etc., so they can come in and do their job, so there is no extra effort needed on their part, but they are cleaning my room for me.  Now, in Nashville there are times when I'm too pooped and they haven't gotten to my room yet I just tell them to forget it for the day (there's nothing housekeepers hate more than tenants sitting there watching them work).  When I don't have room service I don't leave anything for those days as I don't have them do anything...take out trash, replace towels, nothing.  But there are only a couple of days I don't have them come in the room so I'm still tipping for all the days they do come in.  I started this rant because someone who is a regular stayed for 3 nights and tipped with "coupons  for something off a dinner at Outback" and a couple of stamps.  First our housekeeping staff does such a wonderful job and frankly that just isn't good enough.  It borders on rude frankly.  The last time this couple was here they left her a few chocolates in a bag...again, hardly good enough for someone who has cleaned your toilet for the weekend, made your bed, cleaned up your room...etc.  Mary who runs the front desk came to me and said she was embarrassed to even give the housekeeper the coupons, etc., but was afraid not to so she did.  Needless to say the housekeeper just threw it in the trash, which is the same thing she did with the candy.  As for the candy, she wasn't asked what kind she liked...it wasn't presented in a nice box, it was a few pieces thrown in a bag.  If you don't want to tip housekeepers....stay at a camp ground and clean up after yourself,  stay home, or just ask that no housekeeping be given, which you can do.  I appreciate someone making my bed, exchanging my dirty towels for clean ones, etc...I tip for that service.  But will I leave a tip at a carryout counter...no sir...if you don't want to put my food on the counter, then open it up and I'll come and get it myself.  I think I've said enough on that subject...let's move on.    Sara and Pat worked on getting the trunk shows up and they are beautiful...wish I could keep them.  And the girls are shopping, shopping and shopping so I have to end here.  But I'll try to keep in touch since I'll be working more.  Our Connie is retiring and Sunday will be here last day.  Guess who will be picking up her shift....you guessed it...yours truly.  So I'll be in here more and I'll try to let you know what's happening.  Have a great day and a great weekend.  It is gorgeous here...sunny and cool, and we've still had to put the a/c on in Salty Yarns