Thanks, Guests

A recent breakfast helped me rediscover why being an innkeeper can be such a joy.

The weekend brought together four couples who'd never met before...and represented a wide-range of occupations, blue and white collar. I had met all eight when they checked in, but I hadn't seen any of them converse, except for a brief "hello" when I introduced them.

The next morning, I was in the kitchen starting to prepare breakfast when they emerged from their rooms, one or two at a time. They picked up coffee, immediately introduced themselves and soon the great room was buzzing with animated conversation. This isn't always the pattern, because often couples get coffee, sit by themselves and may not meet other guests until everyone is seated for breakfast.

And the table conversation was active and varied: from mining to unions to education to linguistics to politics. I believe we all left the table a bit wiser in areas in which we weren't so well-versed before breakfast.

It was my pleasure to tell them that it was occasions like this that make it so rewarding to be an innkeeper.