Thanks for the Forum--I hope I belong!

[Ethbay]

I think someone else is doing something similar. I think one thing they did was 'you catch it, we cook it' which sounds pretty good.
I had friends who were caretakers in a similar situation altho they were not doing any of the cooking. They did all the housekeeping and groundskeeping. Have fun with it!.

That's EXACTLY one of the things we are offering!

 

[Ethbay]

Welcome!
Would love you to share some of your food and service ideas. We are finding in our area that its a LOT about the food. Our tiny county has a thriving farmer's market where you can find pastured beef, pork, boer goat, geese and chickens, as well as a great variety of vegetables and greens you won't find at S@#!way! Our guests of two days ago ate ___ a n_ e n t i r e_ p i e_ after their evening walk. (ah youth!)
Looking forward to your comments
-KathleenM.

LMAO! That's funny...
We had our interview on Thursday (THREE hours, whew!). I inquired about gardening (we want to grow our own herbs and veggies--google Square Foot Gardening) and were informed that we could and that a local farmer has offered his produce for us to buy/use. For some reason, the current caretakers have turned that offer down, opting for pre-cut packages of the Trinity and other veggies. ZOIKES!

When we had our restaurant here in NOLA, we always used the Farmer's Market. This country was built on the backs of farmers, and we feel it's our duty to support them. We also try to use only local seafood whenever possible (sometimes, if LA seafood's not available, we don't cook seafood!). It's great that you have those resources!
Thanks to all for such a warm update. I'll keep y'all posted on new developments as they occur, but I'm pretty sure we got the job.

 

[Morticia]

I'm thinking about this and wondering why the old caretakers are leaving?

 

[Ethbay]

Hi, Bree...
Here's what we've gathered (keep in mind, this is based on one-sided information):
As caretakers, we are expected to feed and clean up after the 70 members (never at the same time--club sleeps 30) of the club as well as maintain the grounds which includes a marina and dry storage area. We are given living quarters and a pretty good salary, in addition to other opportunities to earn money (fish cleaning, boat cleaning, etc.). The only caveat is that while we keep the profits from food sales, we also have to pay for everything we cook.
We were told that the current caretakers do not feel they are making enough money from food sales. I believe, as well, that they maintain a home away from the area (as that is where they go on their day off).
We've been told that the current caretakers take a lot of cooking shortcuts, including buying prepared foods such as those with a lot of preservatives as well as pre-chopped onions, celery, and the like. This, we all know, will cut into profits. We make all of our food from scratch, so our food costs in our restaurant ran between 18 and 24%. And, as I previously mentioned, they don't take advantage of opportunities for fresh, local produce, which is, IMO, a sin.
It is also my opinion that they are probably getting burnt out. Two meals must be prepared every day--breakfast and dinner. Lately, one of the caretakers has been coming into the dining room and stating, "Y'all don't want breakfast, do you?" which we know is double-speak for "Please don't bother me for breakfast today."
The current caretakers are retired, so this is a later-in-life job for them. I don't know that that's a great fit. The club's location is prime hurricane territory, and securing the grounds, all the boats, then packing up your life and evacuating every year can take its toll. Especially in Katrina-weary Southern Louisiana. Almost four years later and most people still refer to it as "The Thing".
Again, this is one-sided info, but we've tried to look at all of the angles. I'm sure things will arise, should we get the position, that will make us wonder if we made the right decision. But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.
We have a meeting with the board this evening. Yesterday, we had our background checks, urinalyses, and polygraphs (yes). So, we're either crazy/ignorant or right on target!

 

[Morticia]

Hi, Bree...
Here's what we've gathered (keep in mind, this is based on one-sided information):
As caretakers, we are expected to feed and clean up after the 70 members (never at the same time--club sleeps 30) of the club as well as maintain the grounds which includes a marina and dry storage area. We are given living quarters and a pretty good salary, in addition to other opportunities to earn money (fish cleaning, boat cleaning, etc.). The only caveat is that while we keep the profits from food sales, we also have to pay for everything we cook.
We were told that the current caretakers do not feel they are making enough money from food sales. I believe, as well, that they maintain a home away from the area (as that is where they go on their day off).
We've been told that the current caretakers take a lot of cooking shortcuts, including buying prepared foods such as those with a lot of preservatives as well as pre-chopped onions, celery, and the like. This, we all know, will cut into profits. We make all of our food from scratch, so our food costs in our restaurant ran between 18 and 24%. And, as I previously mentioned, they don't take advantage of opportunities for fresh, local produce, which is, IMO, a sin.
It is also my opinion that they are probably getting burnt out. Two meals must be prepared every day--breakfast and dinner. Lately, one of the caretakers has been coming into the dining room and stating, "Y'all don't want breakfast, do you?" which we know is double-speak for "Please don't bother me for breakfast today."
The current caretakers are retired, so this is a later-in-life job for them. I don't know that that's a great fit. The club's location is prime hurricane territory, and securing the grounds, all the boats, then packing up your life and evacuating every year can take its toll. Especially in Katrina-weary Southern Louisiana. Almost four years later and most people still refer to it as "The Thing".
Again, this is one-sided info, but we've tried to look at all of the angles. I'm sure things will arise, should we get the position, that will make us wonder if we made the right decision. But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.
We have a meeting with the board this evening. Yesterday, we had our background checks, urinalyses, and polygraphs (yes). So, we're either crazy/ignorant or right on target!.

Did you mention staff? You can't be expected to do all of that with just 2 people!
BTW, I was never really a kid, so I JUST now figured out your user name. Duh.

 

[Ethbay]

LOL, well, back in '94 when I joined the "Information Superhighway", Pig Latin seemed the clever way to go.
No staff. I'm tempted to show y'all some pics of the place, but I will wait until the end of the week to do so. It's a lot less daunting than it sounds. First, the most people on one day that the camp has had over the past year is 27. With that said, there are not 30 rooms. Being a "camp", the boys sleep camp-style--15 single beds in one room; 15 in another [yes, insert picture of 15 snoring/farting men in one room here]. The bathroom is set up camp-style (looks a lot like boot-camp to me), too. The dining area is set up for family-style seating.
There are days when you may not have a single guest...in fact, we looked at the booking averages and there were several days in a row when members did not visit. We also do not provide them towels, turn down beds, offer quaint and serene B&B settings...so, imagine if all you had to do was cook breakfast at ONE time, go rip off all the sheets from the beds in one room, clean one restroom with 6 toilets, make sure the wood planks from the marina deck weren't popping up, mow the grass, and cook a family-style dinner. Compare that to the lengths to which you go to ensure the comfort of your guests. Two different ballgames. Y'all work a LOT harder on a daily basis. Our job has intensive days, but as a whole, we won't experience as much stress as y'all do. Make sense?
...or should we delve further into the crazy/ignorant angle?

 

[Morticia]

LOL, well, back in '94 when I joined the "Information Superhighway", Pig Latin seemed the clever way to go.
No staff. I'm tempted to show y'all some pics of the place, but I will wait until the end of the week to do so. It's a lot less daunting than it sounds. First, the most people on one day that the camp has had over the past year is 27. With that said, there are not 30 rooms. Being a "camp", the boys sleep camp-style--15 single beds in one room; 15 in another [yes, insert picture of 15 snoring/farting men in one room here]. The bathroom is set up camp-style (looks a lot like boot-camp to me), too. The dining area is set up for family-style seating.
There are days when you may not have a single guest...in fact, we looked at the booking averages and there were several days in a row when members did not visit. We also do not provide them towels, turn down beds, offer quaint and serene B&B settings...so, imagine if all you had to do was cook breakfast at ONE time, go rip off all the sheets from the beds in one room, clean one restroom with 6 toilets, make sure the wood planks from the marina deck weren't popping up, mow the grass, and cook a family-style dinner. Compare that to the lengths to which you go to ensure the comfort of your guests. Two different ballgames. Y'all work a LOT harder on a daily basis. Our job has intensive days, but as a whole, we won't experience as much stress as y'all do. Make sense?
...or should we delve further into the crazy/ignorant angle?

.

I hate to say it but I always find the rooms with more than one bed to be a lot more work! However, they are not camp beds! Because your guests won't be lolling around in bed all day, it does sound like it's not 'too' bad. 2 big bathrooms vs 7 small ones may be easier. I guess it depends on the attitude of the occupants. If they're treating it like 'camp' it may be a LOT more work!
Basically, this is a sleepover camp for grownups. Anyone planning on opening a 'women-only' camp? It sounds like fun! Across the lake would be a good start! Just like being kids again. You could sneak the canoes out at midnight!

 

[gillumhouse]

LOL, well, back in '94 when I joined the "Information Superhighway", Pig Latin seemed the clever way to go.
No staff. I'm tempted to show y'all some pics of the place, but I will wait until the end of the week to do so. It's a lot less daunting than it sounds. First, the most people on one day that the camp has had over the past year is 27. With that said, there are not 30 rooms. Being a "camp", the boys sleep camp-style--15 single beds in one room; 15 in another [yes, insert picture of 15 snoring/farting men in one room here]. The bathroom is set up camp-style (looks a lot like boot-camp to me), too. The dining area is set up for family-style seating.
There are days when you may not have a single guest...in fact, we looked at the booking averages and there were several days in a row when members did not visit. We also do not provide them towels, turn down beds, offer quaint and serene B&B settings...so, imagine if all you had to do was cook breakfast at ONE time, go rip off all the sheets from the beds in one room, clean one restroom with 6 toilets, make sure the wood planks from the marina deck weren't popping up, mow the grass, and cook a family-style dinner. Compare that to the lengths to which you go to ensure the comfort of your guests. Two different ballgames. Y'all work a LOT harder on a daily basis. Our job has intensive days, but as a whole, we won't experience as much stress as y'all do. Make sense?
...or should we delve further into the crazy/ignorant angle?

.

Is it one of those bathrooms you can hose out? All men? I think hosing might help.

 

[SweetiePie]

Make sure you have your duties in writing, or as we saw in Enough is Enough; you may find them growing exponentially until you feel overwhelmed.

 

[Morticia]

LOL, well, back in '94 when I joined the "Information Superhighway", Pig Latin seemed the clever way to go.
No staff. I'm tempted to show y'all some pics of the place, but I will wait until the end of the week to do so. It's a lot less daunting than it sounds. First, the most people on one day that the camp has had over the past year is 27. With that said, there are not 30 rooms. Being a "camp", the boys sleep camp-style--15 single beds in one room; 15 in another [yes, insert picture of 15 snoring/farting men in one room here]. The bathroom is set up camp-style (looks a lot like boot-camp to me), too. The dining area is set up for family-style seating.
There are days when you may not have a single guest...in fact, we looked at the booking averages and there were several days in a row when members did not visit. We also do not provide them towels, turn down beds, offer quaint and serene B&B settings...so, imagine if all you had to do was cook breakfast at ONE time, go rip off all the sheets from the beds in one room, clean one restroom with 6 toilets, make sure the wood planks from the marina deck weren't popping up, mow the grass, and cook a family-style dinner. Compare that to the lengths to which you go to ensure the comfort of your guests. Two different ballgames. Y'all work a LOT harder on a daily basis. Our job has intensive days, but as a whole, we won't experience as much stress as y'all do. Make sense?
...or should we delve further into the crazy/ignorant angle?

.

Is it one of those bathrooms you can hose out? All men? I think hosing might help.
.

Is it one of those bathrooms you can hose out? All men? I think hosing might help.

I cleaned bathrooms at an all girls high school dormitory. Give me strength. After that experience, a little pee on the floor is nothing.

 

[Ethbay]

I think it has a drain on the floor, GH, so perhaps a weekly power-wash will be in order. LOL
Bree, your first comment reminded me of "Little Darlings"...but yeah, your assessment of sleepover camp is probably spot on! Having been in the Navy, I had berthing duty from time to time, and I agree and will attest that women can be quite disgusting.
Sweetie--there is a delineation of duties for us. We've actually conjured up additional duties (thanks to y'all's post regarding what to do when most of the chores are done). We're kinda dorky like that.

 

[Morticia]

I think it has a drain on the floor, GH, so perhaps a weekly power-wash will be in order. LOL
Bree, your first comment reminded me of "Little Darlings"...but yeah, your assessment of sleepover camp is probably spot on! Having been in the Navy, I had berthing duty from time to time, and I agree and will attest that women can be quite disgusting.
Sweetie--there is a delineation of duties for us. We've actually conjured up additional duties (thanks to y'all's post regarding what to do when most of the chores are done). We're kinda dorky like that.

.

Oh, right, I forgot the Navy part. Hubs can face anything in the line of cleaning and I don't know if that has to do with the Navy or 8 siblings! I did, however, know another Navy guy who once told me, 'I'll change the nastiest diaper, but do not EVER ask me to clean up if the baby throws up.' That had to do with the number of times rough seas had caused other sailors to lose their lunch on him. (And, sweet baby that he was, my son had stomach issues that caused projectile vomiting during his first couple of weeks on the planet. Got his dear old dad right square in the chest from across the room. Dad turned green and left the room. But he WOULD change the nastiest diaper.)

 

[Ethbay]

I think it has a drain on the floor, GH, so perhaps a weekly power-wash will be in order. LOL
Bree, your first comment reminded me of "Little Darlings"...but yeah, your assessment of sleepover camp is probably spot on! Having been in the Navy, I had berthing duty from time to time, and I agree and will attest that women can be quite disgusting.
Sweetie--there is a delineation of duties for us. We've actually conjured up additional duties (thanks to y'all's post regarding what to do when most of the chores are done). We're kinda dorky like that.

.

Oh, right, I forgot the Navy part. Hubs can face anything in the line of cleaning and I don't know if that has to do with the Navy or 8 siblings! I did, however, know another Navy guy who once told me, 'I'll change the nastiest diaper, but do not EVER ask me to clean up if the baby throws up.' That had to do with the number of times rough seas had caused other sailors to lose their lunch on him. (And, sweet baby that he was, my son had stomach issues that caused projectile vomiting during his first couple of weeks on the planet. Got his dear old dad right square in the chest from across the room. Dad turned green and left the room. But he WOULD change the nastiest diaper.)
.

I won't ever forget a silly montage of babies vomiting on America's Funniest Home Videos many years ago...I ran from the room gagging.

 

[YellowSocks]

Hi, Bree...
Here's what we've gathered (keep in mind, this is based on one-sided information):
As caretakers, we are expected to feed and clean up after the 70 members (never at the same time--club sleeps 30) of the club as well as maintain the grounds which includes a marina and dry storage area. We are given living quarters and a pretty good salary, in addition to other opportunities to earn money (fish cleaning, boat cleaning, etc.). The only caveat is that while we keep the profits from food sales, we also have to pay for everything we cook.
We were told that the current caretakers do not feel they are making enough money from food sales. I believe, as well, that they maintain a home away from the area (as that is where they go on their day off).
We've been told that the current caretakers take a lot of cooking shortcuts, including buying prepared foods such as those with a lot of preservatives as well as pre-chopped onions, celery, and the like. This, we all know, will cut into profits. We make all of our food from scratch, so our food costs in our restaurant ran between 18 and 24%. And, as I previously mentioned, they don't take advantage of opportunities for fresh, local produce, which is, IMO, a sin.
It is also my opinion that they are probably getting burnt out. Two meals must be prepared every day--breakfast and dinner. Lately, one of the caretakers has been coming into the dining room and stating, "Y'all don't want breakfast, do you?" which we know is double-speak for "Please don't bother me for breakfast today."
The current caretakers are retired, so this is a later-in-life job for them. I don't know that that's a great fit. The club's location is prime hurricane territory, and securing the grounds, all the boats, then packing up your life and evacuating every year can take its toll. Especially in Katrina-weary Southern Louisiana. Almost four years later and most people still refer to it as "The Thing".
Again, this is one-sided info, but we've tried to look at all of the angles. I'm sure things will arise, should we get the position, that will make us wonder if we made the right decision. But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.
We have a meeting with the board this evening. Yesterday, we had our background checks, urinalyses, and polygraphs (yes). So, we're either crazy/ignorant or right on target!.

But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.

I agree completely!
Apologies to the regulars who've heard this story before, but I was very fortunate in that I never dreamed of running a B&B. The first innkeeper I ever talked to I called to ask about a contractor I'd met and happened to ask, "What's it like running a B&B?" Thank goodness she was honest! She said, "Brawn!" I said, "Excuse me?" She said, "Muscle! Long days and hard work!" and went on to elaborate just how long and how hard her days were (very on both). As I was looking for a home-based business where my kids could work hard, instead of turning me off it got me interested. Now that I'm in the throes of peak season... the job is certainly living up to it's billing. I'm averaging 16 hours a day this week. (But next week I'll go fishing!)
As long as you're not afraid of work, you'll do fine. Of course, I think that applies to pretty much any job, but especially to one where you have simply soooo much to do, and no one to make you get up and go do it.
I'm a great fan of work....even though I can be as lazy as the next person, I know it's good for me and good for my kids. It is the ingredient that is consistent in every success story I've ever read. In fact, if you've got time here's an incredibly interesting (but not short) video that a friend of mine posted on FB page about work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-udsIV4Hmc
=)
Kk.

 

[Ethbay]

Hi, Bree...
Here's what we've gathered (keep in mind, this is based on one-sided information):
As caretakers, we are expected to feed and clean up after the 70 members (never at the same time--club sleeps 30) of the club as well as maintain the grounds which includes a marina and dry storage area. We are given living quarters and a pretty good salary, in addition to other opportunities to earn money (fish cleaning, boat cleaning, etc.). The only caveat is that while we keep the profits from food sales, we also have to pay for everything we cook.
We were told that the current caretakers do not feel they are making enough money from food sales. I believe, as well, that they maintain a home away from the area (as that is where they go on their day off).
We've been told that the current caretakers take a lot of cooking shortcuts, including buying prepared foods such as those with a lot of preservatives as well as pre-chopped onions, celery, and the like. This, we all know, will cut into profits. We make all of our food from scratch, so our food costs in our restaurant ran between 18 and 24%. And, as I previously mentioned, they don't take advantage of opportunities for fresh, local produce, which is, IMO, a sin.
It is also my opinion that they are probably getting burnt out. Two meals must be prepared every day--breakfast and dinner. Lately, one of the caretakers has been coming into the dining room and stating, "Y'all don't want breakfast, do you?" which we know is double-speak for "Please don't bother me for breakfast today."
The current caretakers are retired, so this is a later-in-life job for them. I don't know that that's a great fit. The club's location is prime hurricane territory, and securing the grounds, all the boats, then packing up your life and evacuating every year can take its toll. Especially in Katrina-weary Southern Louisiana. Almost four years later and most people still refer to it as "The Thing".
Again, this is one-sided info, but we've tried to look at all of the angles. I'm sure things will arise, should we get the position, that will make us wonder if we made the right decision. But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.
We have a meeting with the board this evening. Yesterday, we had our background checks, urinalyses, and polygraphs (yes). So, we're either crazy/ignorant or right on target!.

But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.

I agree completely!
Apologies to the regulars who've heard this story before, but I was very fortunate in that I never dreamed of running a B&B. The first innkeeper I ever talked to I called to ask about a contractor I'd met and happened to ask, "What's it like running a B&B?" Thank goodness she was honest! She said, "Brawn!" I said, "Excuse me?" She said, "Muscle! Long days and hard work!" and went on to elaborate just how long and how hard her days were (very on both). As I was looking for a home-based business where my kids could work hard, instead of turning me off it got me interested. Now that I'm in the throes of peak season... the job is certainly living up to it's billing. I'm averaging 16 hours a day this week. (But next week I'll go fishing!)
As long as you're not afraid of work, you'll do fine. Of course, I think that applies to pretty much any job, but especially to one where you have simply soooo much to do, and no one to make you get up and go do it.
I'm a great fan of work....even though I can be as lazy as the next person, I know it's good for me and good for my kids. It is the ingredient that is consistent in every success story I've ever read. In fact, if you've got time here's an incredibly interesting (but not short) video that a friend of mine posted on FB page about work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-udsIV4Hmc
=)
Kk.
.

What a great video! Thanks for sharing it!
(Mike Rowe rocks!)

 

[Morticia]

Hi, Bree...
Here's what we've gathered (keep in mind, this is based on one-sided information):
As caretakers, we are expected to feed and clean up after the 70 members (never at the same time--club sleeps 30) of the club as well as maintain the grounds which includes a marina and dry storage area. We are given living quarters and a pretty good salary, in addition to other opportunities to earn money (fish cleaning, boat cleaning, etc.). The only caveat is that while we keep the profits from food sales, we also have to pay for everything we cook.
We were told that the current caretakers do not feel they are making enough money from food sales. I believe, as well, that they maintain a home away from the area (as that is where they go on their day off).
We've been told that the current caretakers take a lot of cooking shortcuts, including buying prepared foods such as those with a lot of preservatives as well as pre-chopped onions, celery, and the like. This, we all know, will cut into profits. We make all of our food from scratch, so our food costs in our restaurant ran between 18 and 24%. And, as I previously mentioned, they don't take advantage of opportunities for fresh, local produce, which is, IMO, a sin.
It is also my opinion that they are probably getting burnt out. Two meals must be prepared every day--breakfast and dinner. Lately, one of the caretakers has been coming into the dining room and stating, "Y'all don't want breakfast, do you?" which we know is double-speak for "Please don't bother me for breakfast today."
The current caretakers are retired, so this is a later-in-life job for them. I don't know that that's a great fit. The club's location is prime hurricane territory, and securing the grounds, all the boats, then packing up your life and evacuating every year can take its toll. Especially in Katrina-weary Southern Louisiana. Almost four years later and most people still refer to it as "The Thing".
Again, this is one-sided info, but we've tried to look at all of the angles. I'm sure things will arise, should we get the position, that will make us wonder if we made the right decision. But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.
We have a meeting with the board this evening. Yesterday, we had our background checks, urinalyses, and polygraphs (yes). So, we're either crazy/ignorant or right on target!.

But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.

I agree completely!
Apologies to the regulars who've heard this story before, but I was very fortunate in that I never dreamed of running a B&B. The first innkeeper I ever talked to I called to ask about a contractor I'd met and happened to ask, "What's it like running a B&B?" Thank goodness she was honest! She said, "Brawn!" I said, "Excuse me?" She said, "Muscle! Long days and hard work!" and went on to elaborate just how long and how hard her days were (very on both). As I was looking for a home-based business where my kids could work hard, instead of turning me off it got me interested. Now that I'm in the throes of peak season... the job is certainly living up to it's billing. I'm averaging 16 hours a day this week. (But next week I'll go fishing!)
As long as you're not afraid of work, you'll do fine. Of course, I think that applies to pretty much any job, but especially to one where you have simply soooo much to do, and no one to make you get up and go do it.
I'm a great fan of work....even though I can be as lazy as the next person, I know it's good for me and good for my kids. It is the ingredient that is consistent in every success story I've ever read. In fact, if you've got time here's an incredibly interesting (but not short) video that a friend of mine posted on FB page about work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-udsIV4Hmc
=)
Kk.
.

What a great video! Thanks for sharing it!
(Mike Rowe rocks!)
.

What a great video! Thanks for sharing it!
(Mike Rowe rocks!)

I am appalled by his commercial for Ford. I don't know why. I think I consider him to be 'above' pitchman status. I want him to be 'everyman' not 'Ford man'.

 

[YellowSocks]

Hi, Bree...
Here's what we've gathered (keep in mind, this is based on one-sided information):
As caretakers, we are expected to feed and clean up after the 70 members (never at the same time--club sleeps 30) of the club as well as maintain the grounds which includes a marina and dry storage area. We are given living quarters and a pretty good salary, in addition to other opportunities to earn money (fish cleaning, boat cleaning, etc.). The only caveat is that while we keep the profits from food sales, we also have to pay for everything we cook.
We were told that the current caretakers do not feel they are making enough money from food sales. I believe, as well, that they maintain a home away from the area (as that is where they go on their day off).
We've been told that the current caretakers take a lot of cooking shortcuts, including buying prepared foods such as those with a lot of preservatives as well as pre-chopped onions, celery, and the like. This, we all know, will cut into profits. We make all of our food from scratch, so our food costs in our restaurant ran between 18 and 24%. And, as I previously mentioned, they don't take advantage of opportunities for fresh, local produce, which is, IMO, a sin.
It is also my opinion that they are probably getting burnt out. Two meals must be prepared every day--breakfast and dinner. Lately, one of the caretakers has been coming into the dining room and stating, "Y'all don't want breakfast, do you?" which we know is double-speak for "Please don't bother me for breakfast today."
The current caretakers are retired, so this is a later-in-life job for them. I don't know that that's a great fit. The club's location is prime hurricane territory, and securing the grounds, all the boats, then packing up your life and evacuating every year can take its toll. Especially in Katrina-weary Southern Louisiana. Almost four years later and most people still refer to it as "The Thing".
Again, this is one-sided info, but we've tried to look at all of the angles. I'm sure things will arise, should we get the position, that will make us wonder if we made the right decision. But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.
We have a meeting with the board this evening. Yesterday, we had our background checks, urinalyses, and polygraphs (yes). So, we're either crazy/ignorant or right on target!.

But going into it with an anti-Pollyanna attitude is the best we can do, if we're hell-bent on wanting and accepting the position.

I agree completely!
Apologies to the regulars who've heard this story before, but I was very fortunate in that I never dreamed of running a B&B. The first innkeeper I ever talked to I called to ask about a contractor I'd met and happened to ask, "What's it like running a B&B?" Thank goodness she was honest! She said, "Brawn!" I said, "Excuse me?" She said, "Muscle! Long days and hard work!" and went on to elaborate just how long and how hard her days were (very on both). As I was looking for a home-based business where my kids could work hard, instead of turning me off it got me interested. Now that I'm in the throes of peak season... the job is certainly living up to it's billing. I'm averaging 16 hours a day this week. (But next week I'll go fishing!)
As long as you're not afraid of work, you'll do fine. Of course, I think that applies to pretty much any job, but especially to one where you have simply soooo much to do, and no one to make you get up and go do it.
I'm a great fan of work....even though I can be as lazy as the next person, I know it's good for me and good for my kids. It is the ingredient that is consistent in every success story I've ever read. In fact, if you've got time here's an incredibly interesting (but not short) video that a friend of mine posted on FB page about work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-udsIV4Hmc
=)
Kk.
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What a great video! Thanks for sharing it!
(Mike Rowe rocks!)
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What a great video! Thanks for sharing it!
(Mike Rowe rocks!)

I am appalled by his commercial for Ford. I don't know why. I think I consider him to be 'above' pitchman status. I want him to be 'everyman' not 'Ford man'.
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What a great video! Thanks for sharing it!
(Mike Rowe rocks!)

I am appalled by his commercial for Ford. I don't know why. I think I consider him to be 'above' pitchman status. I want him to be 'everyman' not 'Ford man'.

He did a commercial for Ford?

 

[Copperhead]

Ethbay, just now chiming in here. Have you ever worked at a Marina? I have a very close friend that owns one in your bend in the bayou. A marina is a VERY hard job. Both my kids worked for him for a couple of summers and came home exasusted. He does not have overnighters, nor is it a 'private club', but I would think this could be a bigger chore than what you think, so be prepared and make sure you have all your duties written out.
I believe I recall you saying you would be resonsible to 'button down the hatches' before any storm including all the boats? Do these boats belong to the club or to the members? My friend has enough to do without being responsible for all the boats that harbor there.
I have never heard Katrina called 'the thing'!! We do refer to history as B.K. and A.K. though. Please email me offline and tell me which restaurant you had in N.O.

 

[JBloggs]

LOL, well, back in '94 when I joined the "Information Superhighway", Pig Latin seemed the clever way to go.
No staff. I'm tempted to show y'all some pics of the place, but I will wait until the end of the week to do so. It's a lot less daunting than it sounds. First, the most people on one day that the camp has had over the past year is 27. With that said, there are not 30 rooms. Being a "camp", the boys sleep camp-style--15 single beds in one room; 15 in another [yes, insert picture of 15 snoring/farting men in one room here]. The bathroom is set up camp-style (looks a lot like boot-camp to me), too. The dining area is set up for family-style seating.
There are days when you may not have a single guest...in fact, we looked at the booking averages and there were several days in a row when members did not visit. We also do not provide them towels, turn down beds, offer quaint and serene B&B settings...so, imagine if all you had to do was cook breakfast at ONE time, go rip off all the sheets from the beds in one room, clean one restroom with 6 toilets, make sure the wood planks from the marina deck weren't popping up, mow the grass, and cook a family-style dinner. Compare that to the lengths to which you go to ensure the comfort of your guests. Two different ballgames. Y'all work a LOT harder on a daily basis. Our job has intensive days, but as a whole, we won't experience as much stress as y'all do. Make sense?
...or should we delve further into the crazy/ignorant angle?

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I hate to say it but I always find the rooms with more than one bed to be a lot more work! However, they are not camp beds! Because your guests won't be lolling around in bed all day, it does sound like it's not 'too' bad. 2 big bathrooms vs 7 small ones may be easier. I guess it depends on the attitude of the occupants. If they're treating it like 'camp' it may be a LOT more work!
Basically, this is a sleepover camp for grownups. Anyone planning on opening a 'women-only' camp? It sounds like fun! Across the lake would be a good start! Just like being kids again. You could sneak the canoes out at midnight!
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I hate to say it but I always find the rooms with more than one bed to be a lot more work! However, they are not camp beds! Because your guests won't be lolling around in bed all day, it does sound like it's not 'too' bad. 2 big bathrooms vs 7 small ones may be easier. I guess it depends on the attitude of the occupants. If they're treating it like 'camp' it may be a LOT more work!
Basically, this is a sleepover camp for grownups. Anyone planning on opening a 'women-only' camp? It sounds like fun! Across the lake would be a good start! Just like being kids again. You could sneak the canoes out at midnight!

She said this is an UPSCALE hunting lodge.

 

[Country Girl]

Welcome!

It's been interesting reading about your new venture. Good Luck!!