Looking back on 2009!

2009 is coming to a close and part of me is glad is it almost over. The weather has been crazy this year - the third highest in rainfall in many, many years. No surprise here - just ask the many guests who spent their vacation dodging rain drops!The wind has been ferocious. If you are on the top floor you can feel the house sway sometimes. I happen to like the feeling. A few years ago I had a guest who told me he slept on the floor. When I asked him why he said he felt too nervous sleeping in the bed during the high winds because the house felt like it was moving. I guess that some people like it (me!) and some people do not. We had 2 beautiful snow falls here. The first one was during last winter. It was so beautiful seeing snow on the dunes. There was even a snowman on the boardwalk! The 2nd snow fall was just a short time ago. Except for the room cancellations, it was fantastic to see the snow falling. I did not even mind having to shovel the sidewalk! This snowfall was not as deep but just as pretty :) I am hoping that 2010 gets the weather straightened out so it does not snow on the weekend , if it has to rain during the summer only rains after midnight and stops by 6:00 am, and gives us moderate weather for the spring and fall!
Two wonderful events happened in 2009 - both late in the year. I was recently notified by BedandBreakfast.com that Serendipity has been selected as one of the winners for Best in the Mid-Atlantic! To receive this honor in only my 4th year is stupendous and I have my wonderful guests to thank for it. The award is based upon the excellent reviews posted online by my guests during the past year. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I am truly blessed to have such caring guests that took the time to do a review. You can read them at www.bedandbreakfast.com/ocean-city-new-jersey-serendipitybedbreakfast-reviews.html
The other wonderful event is the opening of the Serendipity TeaHouse! The tea house opened the end of October and is open for 4 days a week. I have had a nice response from the locals and hope to be able to operate the tea house for a long time. It combines my love of tea, baking and people into one enterprise - like an extension of the bed and breakfast! It has been a lot of fun for me. Not very many people get to have fun in what they do - I am very fortunate to have found something that I love to do.
Here is the most outlandish request I have had this year. A potential guest called and wanted a room for 3 people. As you know if you have stayed here, my rooms are for 2 people only. When I told her that, she put me on hold for a couple of minutes and then came back and said her husband would sleep on the couch! I almost fell off my chair - in shock! Can you imagine coming down in the morning and some poor guy is snoring in the living room???? I told her that would not work - sorry. Once I got over the shock I realized how funny it was! So sorry - no sleeping overnight on the couch or on the porch or anywhere else except a bedroom!
Thank you for the many great stories you have shared, for your laughter, and for your friendship. I hope that 2010 is a good year for you. May all your hopes and dreams come true.

Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com

Decorating help!

I love the Christmas season and I love to decorate for it. What I do not particularly care for is bringing about 30 totes down from the attic. It is actually a 2 step process. First they all come down from the attic and are lined up in my office/sitting room. Then - one by one - they make the trek from the 3rd floor to the 1st flr for decorating. This year was great - I had help with step 1! Having family visit is great but having them help you out is even better. so between my sisters Deb and Bonnie and my brother Don's family - Marybeth, Andrew who is 10, and Kevin who is 6 - I did not have to do anything with step 1. Not bad :) My nephew Kevin has a fascination with electricity. So I gave him the job of testing the lights. He loved it! Of course his dad, Don, and his aunt, Deb, got called in to help out. But Kevin did a pretty good job of getting the lights straightened out, tested, and ready to be put outside. I figured that Kevin was doing a good job so why not let him finish. He was thrilled when I told him he could do the lights outside - by himself. I got a couple of looks from the adults but the expression on Kevin's face was worth it. And he did a great job. For someone his age to do as much work as he did - he did the railings around the porch and then the bushes - was pretty amazing. So thanks, Kevin!
Not to be outdone, Andrew also was a big help. This time of year Deb covers all the air conditioners. She had the sleeves all ready but needed a 2nd set of hands. Andrew was right there to help out. While Deb climbed the ladder outside, Andrew did the inside work. All the air conditioners got covered in a short amount of time. Don and Marybeth are doing a good job of raising those 2 boys.
So keep them in mind if you need lights strung or other work around the house.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season and if you need work done around the house you have some elves as cute as mine!

Karen
Serendipity Bed and Breakfast
info@serendipitynj.com
www.serendipitynj.com