To Phone or Not to Phone?

Today I received the following email: “I read that waiting for guests to arrive is unpleasant for you. So why not provide guests with a number they can contact you on and request that they do so if they will be later than planned? I looked on the website, without success, to find a contact number before we left home. We emailed you our estimated arrival time and included a cell phone number so you could call us instead if there was a 'problem'. We could not anticipate exact traveling time from Boston as we were strangers to the region (we were also held up in a traffic jam). Consider it is also restricting for the paying guest to feel they have an itinerary to stick to on their holiday. So perhaps a contact phone number could easily solve this?”

Writing a blog about what it is like to run a B&B, I try to include both the advantages and disadvantages of the innkeeping profession. One of the distinct disadvantages is the fact that guests do not always know when they will arrive, indeed. I try to schedule errands and doctors’ appointments at times when I am not serving breakfast, preparing for guests, or receiving guests. This is why I appreciate an approximate arrival time.

Recent guests expected to get here at 8 or 9 p.m. They were good enough to call and tell me they were running late, having encountered rain and traffic on the drive up from New York City. If folks have to arrive after 9:30 p.m., I am willing to leave the door open. I did not especially appreciate the phone call for directions at midnight, since I was asleep, but accepted the inconvenience as a rare occurrence. Earlier, they, too, had commented, by phone, on the absence of a phone number on our Web site. Most people reserve by email and arrive in mid-afternoon or early evening. I do not list our phone number to reduce the number of phone calls we receive. In August, the phone already rings every hour or so. I will, however, now provide the phone number with every confirmation email, and appreciate the feedback on this issue.

An October Day in the Life

I began Sunday by getting up at 7 and having a leisurely breakfast in front of the television with a cup of coffee. I always rise earlier than guests in order to be awake by the time they rise. After a quick shower, I checked the email and off I went into the kitchen. When I carried the breakfast tray into the dining room, I discovered our Liberty Coin guests had left me a message: “We’ll be down at 9 for breakfast.” Now, had they told me last night, I would have had a half hour more sleep. Fortunately, most guests are the considerate type, like those, now in the cottage. Friday they came over to ask if it were all right to put their baby’s Pack & Play in the second cottage room and whether there were an extra charge. This is their second visit. We look forward to a third and fourth!! But, I have been wandering, so let’s get back to the subject at hand. Breakfast, half of why guests chose B&Bs over motels. On our registration form, one of the questions is FAVORITE BREAKFAST? The reply gives me a idea of preferences. After both sets of guests left, it was laundry time. Sven helped me with cleaning Liberty Coin and Seagull Cottage. We have it down to a routine now. He does the bathroom, kitchen, and fireplace. I do the rest. Putting both in order takes three hours. We both look longingly from the windows at the blue sky. All the windows are wide open to let in the warm autumn air. Our Liberty Coin Suite guests arrive at 3:30. After registration, they head out towards Provincetown. Sven and I hit the beach for what surely must be one of the very last beautiful beach days of 2007!

Cape Cod Times Reports BFRs in Harbor Seals

I remember buying one particular pair of pajamas for my four-year-old son in the USA and taking them home to France. I was not too pleased that the material had been treated with flame retardant (BFRs), but, at the time, there was no other choice. Back then, people took for granted that the government knew what it was doing and had thoroughly tested flame retardant prior to soaking children’s garments in it. We-e-l-l-l, now we know better. There was an important article today in the Cape Cod Times, written by Doug Fraser. I will paraphrase and suggest readers go to CCT online for the full version. Harbor seals (cousins of the cuties above) are dying. Analysis of tissue samples have shown the seals are loaded with chemicals, in particular BFRs. BFRs were detected in human breast milk in the 1970s in Sweden where levels have tripled over the past 20 years. However, breast milk from women, born in America, show levels 100 times greater than in Sweden. High levels of chemicals in the body may lower the immune system of seals, and of humans, making us both more susceptible to disease. What can one do about this situation? Avoid BFRs. Inform friends. Write your elected officials. Demand change and fast! (Maine is banning BFRs as of 2010. That’s great, but it would be even better if the ban went into effect sooner. Washington and 9 other states, including Massachusetts, have legislation pending for similar bans.)

Oysterfest 2008 = Fun!

The autumn sun was shining brightly on Wellfleet this morning, warming the faces of partying day-trippers and Wellfleetians alike. As the 2008 Oysterfest began its second and final day, everyone seemed to be having a blast. Wellfleet’s famous street fair has grown in size and volume. Several parking lots were opened for vehicles and buses even brought guests in from the one at Newcomb Hollow Beach. The stands extended from Town Hall to Briar Lane, sprawling all the way down to The Juice and including both the second parking lot on Main and the large yard behind the old Catholic Church, reserved for children’s activities. How wonderful to see so many happy people! The oysters were, of course, what produced the widest smiles. Tourists waited patiently in line for a taste of Wellfleet’s finest while jazz singers performed on stage. Kim Kettler sold her paintings at a stand called The Oyster Museum of Art. Marousia Chavchavadze, representing American Friends of Georgia, sold handicrafts from her grandparents’ native land to benefit the non-profit. The booth, which received the most traffic, raised money for Caleb Potter. The custom t-shirts on sale were awesome! “I think its real nice the whole town is rallying for this cause,” commented one partygoer as she passed. Quilts, clothing, wood-carved birds, pottery – there was something for everyone. Quite a few people were shopping for Christmas, taking advantage of the wide assortment of possible gifts on display. The highlight of the afternoon? The oyster shucking contest, of course.

The Juice: A Great Place to Eat

From the outside, The Juice doesn’t look like much. It did not get the same rave reviews this summer as Wicked Oyster or Mac’s Shack. Still, the-little-restaurant-that-could, mid-way between the two other famous eateries, certainly garnered notice from visitors to Wellfleet. Last night, by 6:30, several dozen people already stood outside, waiting for a chance to dine. When I called around 5, Liam, the chef, answered the phone himself. I could hear delight in his voice after I explained how pleased our guests have been with his fresh organic greens from Truro. Last night our Liberty Coin couple chose oysters – natch! – as a starter and scallops, cooked to perfection. In August, one of our Seagull Cottage gourmets liked the Great White house pizza with clams so much he made his parents return two nights in a row. Another guest reported creating his own smoothie with a choice of two juices and 3 fruits. At the Juice, a nice cross-section of Wellfleet regulars rub elbows. The tourists have been quick to catch on: The Juice, on Commercial Street, is a happening place. Young and old alike enjoy this moderately priced restaurant, which now serves beer and wine, and is, unfortunately, closing for the season this weekend.

Oysterfest Tomorrow!

All week long I have been fielding calls about Oysterfest.
Tomorrow these tables will be full. Crowds of people are coming to Wellfleet to celebrate the oyster. We can expect traffic jams galore on the highway. I spotted a sign at the parking lot beside the post office on Route 6. It advises guests to park and walk. I wonder how many people will be willing to hike a mile into town? It was calm down at town hall today. The deserted parking lot glistened in the afternoon sunshine after morning showers. I observed two women sitting at the empty picnic tables for a chat, and Alex Hay was nailing a banner to the grandstand where the shucking contest will take place on Sunday afternoon. The Mac’s Seafood sign was already well secured in the middle of the large tent. Two dozen Porta-potties were lined up to one side. Tomorrow morning early, artists and artisans, non-profits, commercial enterprises, and sundry independent folk will set up stands along Main Street. Meanwhile, Wellfleet’s shellfisherman hauled in their very last oysters and put them on ice. Let’s just hope it doesn’t rain ….

Weekly Forecast: Rain?

There were kids playing in the surf at LeCount Hollow Beach yesterday, and older folks watching from the parking lot bench. The beachcomber in the bottom photo was determined to soak up the last rays of sun. The Outer Cape has enjoyed a record number of beautiful days so far this fall, but soon mushroom gatherers will rejoice because rain is on the way. Clouds rolled in overnight, and, judging from the forecast on the Weather Channel, they will stick around all week. In fact, the forecast shows showers Monday through Friday, which will help with the drought. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that the wet weather spares Oysterfest. In 2006, the sun shone brightly on vendors and partygoers alike. Last year over 20,000 people descended on our little town for the October street party that celebrates the Wellfleet Oyster. Rain does dampen the spirits, however. There are no beds available in Wellfleet now. Frustrated with turning people away, I called up the Wellfleet Chamber of Commerce, and the secretary suggested telling callers to check the Eastham Chamber. Let's hope no one has to resort to sleeping on the beach!

More Raves for Seagull Cottage

Because Sven and I endeavor to guarantee privacy in Seagull Cottage, often we do not make the same contact with folks who are not staying here with us in the main house. I get to chat with Liberty Coin guests after breakfast and greet them when they come back from dinner. Sometimes I really regret the distance with Seagull Cottage guests, although I understand the seclusion is part of the cottage’s appeal.

My son usually updates our Guestbook but he is busy these days and often does not get to this task for weeks. Therefore, I would like to share the note I found this morning after our Seagull Cottage guests left: “Such a magical spot to spend a honeymoon! Thank you for sharing this glade in the oak forest. We walked on the beaches, swam in the ocean, watched the chickadees, titmouse, and nuthatches come and go, and were so happy and relieved to be together for a few days of peace and rest. Thank you. We hope to be back soon.”

Here is a photo of Seagull Cottage last spring. People are already beginning to ask about spring bookings. Sven and I will move into the cottage November 2 and close Liberty Coin in order to create a brand new room with private bath for 2008. We look forward to the renovation project, but regret having to turn so many folks away in November and December.

Environmental Causes of Hypothyroidism Revealed in The Green Guide

Relaxing with the October/November issue of The Green Guide, I was struck by a headline: Environmental Thyroid Threats by Catherine Zandonella, M.P.H. The article explains that hypothyroidism now affects 1 out of 12 Americans. I was amazed by this statistic. My two best friends in France and Sven all have the condition, as do I. (In fact, I still take the meds prescribed in Paris a dozen years ago.) I attributed the coincidence to the fact that we were all involuntarily subjected to fallout from the nuclear cloud that drifted around Europe following the Chernobyl explosion April 26, 1986. Now The Green Guide informs readers that other environmental factors can also be responsible. The writer mentions Triclosan, an antibacterial used in soaps, phthalates, found in plastic and used in fragrances, PFOAs from non-stick cookware and microwave popcorn bags, PBDEs which are chemical flame retardants, Perchlorates which is a component of rocket fuel detected in ground water, and BPAs, described in one of my earlier blogs, from plastic bottles. Wow! This information really needs to get out there, so please tell your friends. The Green Guide, recently purchased by National Geographic, is available to guests at Chez Sven, but I really recommend everyone subscribe. In this month’s issue there is also an interesting article called What Happens to Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater? Sven and I have been worried about this for years. Take-back programs are being organized. I will provide an update as soon as possible. Meanwhile, scum rode the waves on Wellfleet's backshore ...

Elder Ladies of Wellfleet

May I introduce Margo K? This lovely Wellfleet lady will celebrate her 88th birthday tomorrow. We first met at a Writers’ Guild meeting where Margo read a poem in her clear and resonate but accented voice. Quickly I learned to appreciate this strong, gentle woman who embraced Wellfleet in the second half of her life and now is a well-respected member of the community. “My mother was beautiful, but distant,” Margo tells me wistfully. “My father, he was a dreamer. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened had he lived?” She dismisses the thought with a quick wave. Margo never dwells on the past. When she was 12, her mother left for Italy, and Margo spent her teenage years with grandparents on the Rhine. They sent her to Switzerland when the war broke out. “I was imported,” Margo says with a smile to explain the next period of her life, spent on Staten Island where she taught languages. Following a divorce, she acquired a masters and a new profession: art therapist.

Margo first discovered Wellfleet in 1953. From the door of the $20/week rental cottage, she could watch her daughter play in the sand by the bay. “It was very primitive, but just wonderful,” she says with a sigh. Permanent residence started in 1976. First she lived on Commercial Street, wearing gloves to keep her hands warm while painting. A friend on the library staff told her about the passive solar house on Daniels Drive, her home since then. The house is surrounded by wild gardens where black-eyed susans meander from bed to bed. Margo loves gardening, but no longer can tend the garden as intensively to her deep regret.

Two years ago Margo was chosen to represent Wellfleet on the Human Rights Commission for Cape Cod. Town Hall has not always been so supportive. Margo’s tenure on the Planning Board was marked by her wariness of cell towers and refusal to write the cell phone companies a blank check. In the 60s, every Saturday she set up a folding table beside town hall and provide Wellfleet's young men with choices: "between fighting/killing people and resisting the carnage every war brings, or ... to enter the military voluntarily." Margo’s memory of a polio epidemic in Germany motivated her first steps toward activism: a campaign to collect money for the March of Dimes in 1953. Soon Adlai Stevenson inspired her to stand at the Staten Island ferry and distribute leaflets about his candidacy. In later decades Margo, a Quaker, participated in many an anti-war vigil. She is a proud member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and can still be seen about town posting flyers. Most recently Margo organized a program at the library to educate citizens about consumerism.

Margo’s daughters want her to move out west, but she hesitates. “This community is really special. The Caleb event emphasized that to me. It’s quiet here. I can hear the owls. It takes 8 minutes to walk to the library.” Margo is one who thrives on the stimulation Wellfleet provides. If you want my opinion, I think her daughters will have a hard time getting her to leave …

Outer Cape in the News

On Sunday, I flipped open the New York Times Magazine to the Lives page and the first words of the second paragraph jumped out at me: “Slough Pond is not just any old pond.” (I can only agree there. My godmother Nancy Macdonald was a long-time summer resident, and I used to take my kids swimming in her exclusive pond, right and above, shared by only a few other families.)

Today’s New York Times Editorial Notebook features Verlyn Klinkenborg on preservation of the so-called Hopper landscape in nearby Truro. (When I asked a born-in-Truro friend his opinion, he pointed out that the people, who are offended by the idea of a 6,500-square-foot house, erected their own dream homes during his lifetime.)

And soon, I am sure, some reporter will pick up the saga of Caleb Potter, whose mom, Sharyn, is writing a blog which many people think should be turned into a book, describing how a skateboard accident united a small town ...

Reflections After Receiving Guests with Chemical Sensitivities

Perhaps these tourists are out on the Wellfleet dunes because of the good outdoor air? Staying at a bed & breakfast or motel can be problematic for some folks. More and more people are developing chemical sensitivities. Sven gets asthma if he touches animals, and red splotches appear on his chest if his clothing is washed with detergent. In France, I was once treated for an allergic reaction to perfume and also react to harsh washing powder. Our hope with the bed & breakfast was to create a space that could be allergen-free. This has proved impossible. One cannot post signs, “No spraying of perfume or cologne, please, and go lightly on the deodorant!” and expect guests to return. Since we are running a business, open year round, the exclusion of all allergens is not a reasonable assumption. Some guests smoke inside, although I have posted a no-smoking sign in Seagull Cottage. Others bring candles for romantic ambiance, despite the fact that I provide fragrance-free on demand. What we can promise, however, is that we are aware of the problem, sympathize with allergy-sufferers, provide 100% natural amenities, and do not use toxic chemicals ourselves.

This September we had a guest with extreme chemical sensitivities who spent four nights in Seagull Cottage. (She had developed the condition when her workplace was sprayed with pesticides years ago.) Her search for accommodation includes detective work, a vigorous background check of the premises prior to booking, and much hopeful anticipation. Here at Chez Sven, she did all right, although the bed linens, washed in Seventh Generation and then air-dried, proved problematic for some reason. After departure, she sent me a brochure with information on the Hidden Dangers of Fragrance, distributed by The Environmental Health Coalition of Western Massachusetts. I plan to try one of the washing powders listed. For more information, go to this Web site.

Hatch's End-of-Season Sale & Seals at Le Count!

This morning I took advantage of the sale at Hatch’s Seafood and Produce, unfortunately closing for the season. Sven & I returned to Le Count Hollow this afternoon. Cars jammed the front of the parking lot as tourists and Wellfleetians alike celebrated this marvelous first day of fall at the beach. The water shone aquamarine, and gentle waves lapped at the shore. We were not the only folks out walking, nor the only beings to enjoy the extraordinary weather. Beachcombers paused to stare at the ocean where nine seals cavorted in the surf.

Last Days of Summer

The sun was reflecting off the waves at Wellfleet’s backshore today. There were a number of tourists out, eking out the last rays of summer sun. Some came in cars, others by bike. How different the ocean can be from one day to the next! This is, perhaps, why one never tires of walking on a beach. The view changes with the tide and weather and season. Sven and I then spent the afternoon waiting for guests to arrive. Waiting is decidedly one of the least pleasant aspects of being an innkeeper …

Spectacular Day!

Crisp clean air, blue sky, cool temperature at night ... Who could ask for more spectacular weather? Our cottage guests went off to work at being beach bums all day, while the folks in Liberty Coin Suite chose Provincetown biking. Sven and I skipped out for a half hour at LeCount Hollow where the wind was whipping white caps towards the shore and the ocean appeared three different shades of blue-green. A pirate flag was flying below the Stars and Stripes. Caleb Potter seems to be on the mend at last. Downtown, seasonal restaurants are beginning to cut back their hours. Thank goodness for Wicked Oyster, which remains open year-round!

A September Day in the Life

My day started with a trip to Orleans, shopping for organic fruit and other staples. I also went there – to Staples – for recycled paper. Back home, I vacuumed Seagull Cottage and made the beds while Sven cleaned the bathroom and kitchen. After lunch, we proceeded to exercise our cleaning skills in Liberty Coin Suite. The sky was deep blue and more than once I thought how nice it would be to take a walk later in the afternoon. While I was picking zinnias in the cutting garden, a red car appeared. Ginia Pati, representing the Cape Cod Institute in neighboring Eastham, told me Institute guests have expressed a desire to stay in bed & breakfasts, rather than hotels. Her mission was to sell advertising to innkeepers. I sat down with her and explained Wellfleet innkeepers do not need to advertise in June, July and August when the Institute holds courses. We had a nice visit, nonetheless, and she left me the latest issue of Cape Healing Arts magazine, whose theme this fall is everything green. Sven and I were ready for our guests at 2, but they did not arrive until 5:30. My plan to go to the beach? Foiled again!

Wellfleet Flea Market in September

Every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday of the summer the Wellfleet Flea Market, located on the parking lot of the drive-in theatre, is open for business. By the time September rolls around, the flea market only operates on weekends but remains a great destination. My kids love going. Weekly visitors in summer do not feel they have “done Wellfleet” unless a trip to the flea market is among the ways they chose to spend their vacation time. The Wellfleet flea market is right up there as a fun activity, nose to nose with Provincetown. One guest last year returned with a beautiful old quilt, which she intended to give a son-in-law as a wedding present. Last Saturday 60 vendors set out their wares. There were sunglasses and jewelry, bric-a-brac and what my son calls “junk.” The hustle and bustle and crowds are gone, but shoppers can still find a treasure or two. I did the "junk" aisles and came away with a small carafe for orange juice, perfect for the B&B.

Guest-Blog: The Body Burden Test

Having a guest in Seagull Cottage this week who suffers from chemical sensitivity due to early exposure to pesticides, I thought the time was right to post a guest-blog from Sheri Gibbs, green innkeeper extraordinaire:

"Nothing you use with chemicals in it can't be replaced by something safe.

There is, forming right now in this country, a massive movement to try to get toxic chemicals labelled and/or removed from all products used by humans...because the deadly things in our shampoos, colognes, perfumes, soaps, lotions, hair dyes, nail polishes, cosmetics, household cleaning products, furniture, clothing, food, printing, packaging, and a million other everyday things people use with no clue they are not safe for human exposure are causing glaucoma, a multitude of cancers, and somewhere between 40-156 million Americans are now suffering full-blown serious environmental illnesses. Millions of us are so loaded with what is now officially called the 'Body Burden'...a lifetime's build-up of toxic chemicals... that they can't travel, can't go to any kind of public event, and can barely stand to be in a grocery store long enough to dig up anything that is safe to eat. They are being referred to as 'the canaries in the coal mine,' and, if we don't wise up, don't listen and take action, refuse to buy the stuff, clear it out of our homes...we're toxifying our world so fast there soon won't be any way to escape from what we've allowed to be done to us. We all now have our own individual Body Burden, according to where we have lived, worked, and what products we have used in our lifetime.

Because of my committment to green, chemical-free lodging at White Pines Victorian Lodge B & B, I'm shoulder deep into the battle now, too, and want to urge you to raise your own awareness and that of others you know and care about, by taking the simple quiz on this amazing Body Burden website. According to what you fill in for the things you use in your home, on yourself, what you cook with, and your every day routinely used things, this test will give you a score and explain to you, personally, what you have ingested in your lifetime, and give you suggestions for what could save your life, definitely help your health. We all have a lot of stuff we use every day, or regularly, that has no business being on us or in our homes, or in our workplaces, which is where so many people are getting seriously sick. It only takes a few minutes and the results will knock your socks off!

Click here. In seconds, it will give you a score on the chemicals in your body and tell you where you stand with the four main bad chemical groups. It will tell you where and how you most likely have got (or still get) exposure to them, and offers suggestions for what you can do to lower exposures. For example, it's time for us all to get all the fleece clothing out of our closets here in the north. And get that cheese out of that plastic wrap, quick. This really is remarkable and well worth the few minutes it takes to do this quiz. Results like these from expensive, specialized blood testing cost upwards of $10,000!

I write these words with the hope that it will help make your health, your future and our Planet Earth a safer place to be...one person at a time!"

New Flowers

Yesterday I got up early and drove through Wellfleet before 8 o’clock. Main Street was deserted, except for one lone car, parked in front of the liquor store. The tourists, who had the sense to choose this week for their vacations, were still snug in their beds. During the day I heard more than one person comment on how nice it is now that the crowds are gone. I spoke with Tracy, at Winslow’s Tavern, who also had a very busy summer. She has lost weight and looked a bit harried, rushing about her duties. I could only wonder if the stress showed on my own face, too. Here at Chez Sven, we are treating ourselves to a week with family. We made many new friends over the summer and were able to enjoy return visits from guests who are now old friends. Everyone seemed to admire the garden despite the lack of rain. A couple of long-term guests sent seeds over the winter. As high, high season ended, the inobstrusive little plants finally flowered.

Guest-Blog: Testing the Waters

Innkeeping is not a profession that allows many holidays. Having had an extremely busy season, Sven and I decided to get away to the city for two days in preparation for a busy fall. Luckily for us, my brother has always dreamed of running a bed & breakfast. He feels a bit nervous as we prepare to leave, with a couple of guests still snug in their bed. Nick Grabbe has memorized the breakfast routine. Since he happens to be a writer, I decided to ask him to guest-blog this morning: “Ten years ago, I had been in the same job for 19 years and was feeling like I wanted to do something completely different with my life. I seized on the idea of starting a bed & breakfast in Deerfield, Mass., home of a historic village and a prep school, thus a destination for many travelers. My wife’s family had owned land in Deerfield for over 100 years, so it seemed a good choice. But my wife told me I just didn’t have the temperament to be an innkeeper; she said I would get frustrated and wind up like Basil Fawlty, the John Cleese character who insults his guests. I suppose she was right; I got a new job that I like very much and forgot about my plans for running a bed & breakfast. Curiously, my sister started doing exactly that. So now, I have the opportunity to fill in for her for a day and a half. I can tell callers that no, there are no spaces free for Labor Day weekend. I can make conversation with the guests, maybe give directions to the beach. And I can actually make a breakfast! I can probably restrain myself from insulting the guests for one day …”