The B&B season is in full swing, and it is taking me down. This morning the phone rang at 6:30am - I pick up, no answer. Again, at 6:45 it rings. I spring up, expecting to hear the worse, death, accident, people I love dying in pain. But it is a foreign voice asking if we have certain dates in September available. "Let me look", I say through clunched teeth, "yes, we do". And the rate is as your website says is $125 for two people? "Yes, that is right, plus tax"...and the foreign voice continued what does that come to? $140 a night. "Good, good" I hear...we are traveling around America with two big suitcases...will that be a problem? "Yes" I say quickly thinking maybe I can get rid of him, "Yes, the Bird's Nest is above the garage, you have to go up stairs." "How many stairs"? Now, I am starting to shake....this man is killing me. "A set of stairs". "Is there anyone to help us up the stairs?" "No", I almost scream, NO there isn't. Well, we still want it. I will check with my wife and call you back in a few minutes.

Now this is when I lost it. "It is not even 7am in the morning. I do not like early morning calls. They scare me. "Oh, I am sorry to wake you up". "No you didn't wake me up, you scared me. The phone ringing this early is not good. Don't call me for four or five more hours, I requested.
Now he is apologetic...."I am sorry, but keep the rooms for us."

The day before I had a call, "Do you have towels at your B&B" Yes, we do. And do you have soap? Now, what would compel a person to ask these questions.

Monday the phone rang at 7am and our guest who was to come that night was on the phone from a motel in Poughkeepsie. "How do I get to your place?" I said, Oh it is easy. Go up 9...and he stops me. I do not have a car. Then, I said, you will need a cab or take a bus.

Last weekend the Bard freshmen came to school. The parent drove up, the mother, got out of the car, but the daughter refused. The mother puzzled went back. Is the door locked? What's the problem? "Spider" the girl says, pointing at the outside mirror. "Spider". I looked and said I don't see a spider, and the mother came around and brushed an imaginary spider from the mirror. Ok, now, she said. You can come out.

Do you see how they drive me nuts?