July Dudness?

[TheBeachHouse]

We started slow, but it has picked up and we are on pace for similar numbers to last year.

 

[Lee2014]

Turning people away. 96% occupied this month

.

Turning people away. 96% occupied this month

I'm nowhere near that. Which is OK. I don't want to be that busy.
.

We are as full as we need to be. Took reservations until April to see what the calendar looked like and then blocked out the rooms and dates that gave us some time to ourselves. During the months of May and June we took new reservation for the dates that were already booked and in July we just quit taking reservations for the house,and focused on promoting the cottage.
I have been apprehensive about how to scale back without taking the risk of not having "enough". Looks like this summer is a kinder gentler way to be a B+B innkeeper and I am wondering why we didn't cut back sooner. It is so strange to not be going after every inquiry that comes our way...sometimes I don't even answer the phone. OH MY!

.

I'd like to do that but I'm going to sell this joint in a few years so no can do.
If I don't get a new housekeeper we'll start blocking rooms like we did last summer. It stinks getting too old to fill every room.
.

Oh yea, heading to the big city to orthopedic doc. on Wed. I have been limping around in a "boot' for 2 months and finally got an MRI...torn tendons in mid-foot. Shoot! There went my relaxing walks on the beach this summer! So it goes. Not much to be done about it so may as well kick back and have a glass of wine.

.

I am so sorry. I hope a quick fix is in order. May everything perfectly.
.

Thanks Duff and Gillum for the good thoughts. I am trying to keep it all in perspective...just another bump in life but, unfortunately, this bump is happening in the middle of our "make-hay-while-the-sunshines" season. Wouldn't ya know!
.

Isn't it always that way?
Look at it this way - there IS a reason. Example:
Cop daughter got a knee messed up again is a scuffle with a drugged up drunk woman in Jan or Feb. Managed to get back to work to qualify for her beloved bike patrol BUT her wheel got caught in something during training and she took a serious header over the handlebars, bruising her ribs so badly she is still on leave from it - since May. This year there have been shootings and mayhem even at the beaches she would have been patrolling. In addition to the targets the cops have affixed to their uniforms these days.
There is a reason. But it really is not all that - she had a close cop friend found dead in her (the cop's) yard and just a few weeks later had to put down her beloved baby that she kept alive for several years by taking him to university vets and thousands (not an exaggeration) of dollars. She was way too broken up by those 2 events to function on the job.
.

I'm glad your daughter is off the streets right now! She sounds like my EMT sister! She has an exciting life but I prefer the quiet and safe style of life.

 

[gillumhouse]

Turning people away. 96% occupied this month

.

Turning people away. 96% occupied this month

I'm nowhere near that. Which is OK. I don't want to be that busy.
.

We are as full as we need to be. Took reservations until April to see what the calendar looked like and then blocked out the rooms and dates that gave us some time to ourselves. During the months of May and June we took new reservation for the dates that were already booked and in July we just quit taking reservations for the house,and focused on promoting the cottage.
I have been apprehensive about how to scale back without taking the risk of not having "enough". Looks like this summer is a kinder gentler way to be a B+B innkeeper and I am wondering why we didn't cut back sooner. It is so strange to not be going after every inquiry that comes our way...sometimes I don't even answer the phone. OH MY!

.

I'd like to do that but I'm going to sell this joint in a few years so no can do.
If I don't get a new housekeeper we'll start blocking rooms like we did last summer. It stinks getting too old to fill every room.
.

Oh yea, heading to the big city to orthopedic doc. on Wed. I have been limping around in a "boot' for 2 months and finally got an MRI...torn tendons in mid-foot. Shoot! There went my relaxing walks on the beach this summer! So it goes. Not much to be done about it so may as well kick back and have a glass of wine.

.

I am so sorry. I hope a quick fix is in order. May everything perfectly.
.

Thanks Duff and Gillum for the good thoughts. I am trying to keep it all in perspective...just another bump in life but, unfortunately, this bump is happening in the middle of our "make-hay-while-the-sunshines" season. Wouldn't ya know!
.

Isn't it always that way?
Look at it this way - there IS a reason. Example:
Cop daughter got a knee messed up again is a scuffle with a drugged up drunk woman in Jan or Feb. Managed to get back to work to qualify for her beloved bike patrol BUT her wheel got caught in something during training and she took a serious header over the handlebars, bruising her ribs so badly she is still on leave from it - since May. This year there have been shootings and mayhem even at the beaches she would have been patrolling. In addition to the targets the cops have affixed to their uniforms these days.
There is a reason. But it really is not all that - she had a close cop friend found dead in her (the cop's) yard and just a few weeks later had to put down her beloved baby that she kept alive for several years by taking him to university vets and thousands (not an exaggeration) of dollars. She was way too broken up by those 2 events to function on the job.
.

I'm glad your daughter is off the streets right now! She sounds like my EMT sister! She has an exciting life but I prefer the quiet and safe style of life.
.

She was a jock when she was in school - right through college. Adrenalin junkie I guess. Thing is, she is really good at her job. She has many commendations in her file - she does not bother to go pick them up. (Point of pride for Mama though.)

 

[Anon Inn]

July B&B rooms just slightly down from last year, but overall bookings up 12% over last year. Lets hope that continues through September.
Revised to say July B&B rooms now up over last year. What a difference a week or so can make. We're now well into the late call late booking season.

 

[Momma Smurf]

UPDATE: Yes, what a difference a week can make, silly me. July is turning out to be just dandy, the feeding frenzy for room availability has finally commenced here. Our next 23 days are now 96% booked!
.

 

[Lee2014]

My aunt just talked to a manager at the top notch place in town which said that not only are they empty during the week but the weekends aren't filling up like usual. They blamed that it was election year. My uncle who used to run our place says it was always slower on election years. So far each 2016 month has beaten 2015 so we aren't going to complain too much.

 

[Silverspoon]

Turning people away. 96% occupied this month

.

Turning people away. 96% occupied this month

I'm nowhere near that. Which is OK. I don't want to be that busy.
.

We are as full as we need to be. Took reservations until April to see what the calendar looked like and then blocked out the rooms and dates that gave us some time to ourselves. During the months of May and June we took new reservation for the dates that were already booked and in July we just quit taking reservations for the house,and focused on promoting the cottage.
I have been apprehensive about how to scale back without taking the risk of not having "enough". Looks like this summer is a kinder gentler way to be a B+B innkeeper and I am wondering why we didn't cut back sooner. It is so strange to not be going after every inquiry that comes our way...sometimes I don't even answer the phone. OH MY!

.

I'd like to do that but I'm going to sell this joint in a few years so no can do.
If I don't get a new housekeeper we'll start blocking rooms like we did last summer. It stinks getting too old to fill every room.
.

Oh yea, heading to the big city to orthopedic doc. on Wed. I have been limping around in a "boot' for 2 months and finally got an MRI...torn tendons in mid-foot. Shoot! There went my relaxing walks on the beach this summer! So it goes. Not much to be done about it so may as well kick back and have a glass of wine.

.

OH My What a bummer!
It sure is hard to take it easier. But tendons torn. Please do take it easy cause the only thing that will get them healed is resting. Or have they decide to operate.
The best part is Wine .Now you can try different wineries. Time to find that great book you always wanted to read.
.

Thanks for the concern. Luckily, surgery is not required since it is "only" a partial tear and I can still work my foot. Unfortunately, I am in an air-cast up to my knee for at least the next month and then, hopefully, into rehab. We have a trip scheduled to Quebec City in Sept. so I am super motivated to get this behind me.
I am being a good girl and wearing the "Darth Vader" cast. Really, what choice do I have? DH is picking up the slack and keeping the ice bucket filled so I can take a break and ice the dang thing every few hours. What a pain! But at the end of the day the extra ice comes in handy for a nice G+T...kind of a reward.