Saturday, August 27, 2011

In Which Fritzi Comes to Call

Check out my new T-shirt! The front also carries a message: "Don't spray where our kids spray." I had just tried it on for the first time, and was enjoying the soft feel of the organic cotton, when the doorbell rang. Outside stood one very hot lady, who immediately introduced herself as Fritzi Cohen. From the photo, you can tell she's a real firecracker. Wiping sweat from her brow, Fritzi announced she had stopped by, on foot, because of my blog and my concern for the environment, having obtained my name at the library. She was here from Nahcotta, Washington and had just spent two lovely weeks in Wellfleet with her adult children. Fritzi had been gorging herself on oysters at our local restaurants, she reported. Apparently the oysters in her home town are no longer safe to eat, due to the spraying of pesticides in the mudflats to kill a saltwater marsh grass "infestation." You have probably already understood that Fritzi and I have a lot in common. Despite the fact that I had guestrooms to prepare, I sat down outside and chatted with her for a while.

And, guess what she told me next: Fritzi owns an inn called Moby Dick Hotel and Oyster Farm. She described how she started her business, almost by accident, which is very similar to my route to innkeeping. Fritzi told me she had gotten a big kick out of my Glass Half Empty or Half Full post since she has received many complicated guests in her day.

To summarize, it was a great visit.

We share something else in common. We both believe toxic chemicals are dangerous to health and are doing our best to raise awareness. Check out Fritzi's latest effort to stop the spraying of herbicides on spartina, pegged as an invasive species out on the West Coast: Fearless Fund. Who would have thought innkeeping could lead to environmental activism!