What would Dad have done?

I really don't think it happened because we have had full houses nearly every night for two weeks and are losing our enthusiasm for guests. In the past eight years, we've had only a small number of needy, messy, inconsiderate people. Most of our guests have been wonderful, caring, interesting ones we would definitely like to see again. When people ask if we ever have "bad" guests, I used to reply, "only one," a distant relation on Paul's side who was extremely rude to us and other guests. Even Paul's mother agreed that the relative in question should be encouraged not to return.

I was really surprised to encounter the guest we had recently, an ordinary, garden variety bigot who was proud of it. Over breakfast, he decided to instruct some foreign guests in what he believes are at the root of America's problems. I could not believe my ears - and these foreigners listened in rapt attention - as he noted that African Americans have caused all of our problems. And he did use the term "African American," but rather one that went out of fashion in the 1960's. He said that they abuse "the system" by expecting a free ride on government benefits. He went on to describe Sherman's march to the sea, noting that it did not focus on the right target. I was so upset that I fled the dining room and busied myself with linens, dishes, and whatever else I could find.

But his diatribe did not end at breakfast. The foreigners wanted to take photos of us all and of the house. As they finally left, Mr. Racist told them to remember the root of all of our problems as they continued on their travels. With that, he plopped down in the livingroom to wait for his wife to get ready to leave. I went up to our room to sew until they left. I kept thinking about what my father would have done in that situation. I didn't want to make the foreign guests uncomfortable or cause a scene. I considered following them out to their car and explaining that not all Americans feel the same way, but I was not sure they would understand even though their English was fairly good.

I know my father would have exploded with anger at the breakfast table. He most likely would have told the man to leave immediately. But of course, such a person would never have been invited to my parents' house or, for that matter, my own. Businesspeople must sometimes put up with despicable customers in order to make a living. I continue to wish I had done more in this situation, and look forward to talking with Dad about it.

Which Jane Austen heroine are you?

I took a fun quiz and found out I was most like Elinor Dashwood of Sense and Sensibility, my favorite Austen novel. Try it at http://www.strangegirl.com/emma/quiz.php

Just keeping on!

I just haven't had much time to post lately. Maplecroft has been busy! We had over 70 guest nights in September and are off to a roaring good October. Between now and the 18th, we will be full most of the time. This year, many guests are staying more than one night which gives us a bit of a break. Still, breakfast for 10 can be quite a job! We have decided to close for the winter Nov. 1, which will give us time to catch our breaths, travel, and goof off. Can't wait!

Our guests have come from Denmark, Ontario, California, New Hampshire, England, Michigan, Connecticut, Georgia, New York state, and even Vermont. Fall foliage is at peak color right now, and we try to get outside as much as we can to enjoy it, too. I am determined to take a decent photo for Margaret from England who arrived before the colors changed. Maybe tomorrow!

Last weekend we went to a concert at the Opera House with Dan Tyminski and his band. It was great! We are looking forward to Nov. 1 when the Duhks are playing. In between guest-business, I've been knitting a sweater, appliqueing the borders of a pink and green quilt, gathering polka dot fat 8ths for a swap, and finishing off Christmas Dear Jane swap blocks.

Quite a challenge!

After a lot of moaning and groaning but certainly not a lot of time, I finished Todd's Army retirement quilt. It was somewhat out of my comfort zone, but what a challenge!
Todd is Paul's niece Beth's husband, and officially retires in January, 2009. Beth sent a box full of fatigues, t-shirts, patches, medals, pins, khaki-colored cord, and blue starred fabric. After trying a few different possibilities, I settled on some sawtoothed star blocks to hold the "fruit salad" and other pins. Todd was a member of the Polar Bears out of Ft. Drum, NY, and served in


a variety of places, thus the blue polar bear and different styles of fatigue fabric. I did a little research on ranks in the Army to make sure that the ranks were in the proper order and right-side up. The cord wound around the top to signify the "long and winding road" of Army personnel. I wish Todd and Beth well in their new life, featuring new jobs and a new house in NH.

Works in progress

I have nothing to show, but lots I'm in the middle of:

1. A pink baby quilt for Justin & Kelly's Natalie - just needs to be photographed and then it's on its way south.
2. A memory quilt for Beth's husband Todd, who's retiring from the Army at the end of the year. This is definitely out of my color comfort zone! I put the "sandwich" together yesterday and am ready to quilt.
3. Quilting a scrappy house baby quilt in lime and blues which I just "sandwiched" yesterday, too. I will give this to a local organization to raffle off this winter.
4. Dear Jane winter/holiday swap blocks - 3 sets of 5 each, plus one for me
5. Dear Jane birthday siggie swap blocks for Sept.-Dec.
6. Dear Jane polka dot fat eighth swap

I also offered to make a few quilt blocks for a raffle quilt to publicize the Central Vermont Quilt Show next May. Should be getting my assignment next week. That's a lot but will surely keep me busy through the fall foliage season. The B&B is just about full from mid-Sept. through mid-Oct.

Yve gave me a great journal to record my quilts in, and Cindy has been printing photos for me from my Flickr page. I still like having something I can just page through now and then to see what I've done.

Finishes

I finished two projects last weekend. The landscape had been hanging around for years after an initial blast of post-Jo-Diggs-workshop energy. The garden was inspired by Sharon Baker's first "Fabulous Flowers" book.

B&B busy-ness

Maplecroft has been extremely busy this summer so far. I thought I was shopping for food a lot (nearly every day), but then I decided to add up the guest nights - 74 by last Friday, with a week left to go in the month. Last year we had 48 for the whole month! This summer we have had a host of interesting, nice guests including:

• my brother, his wife, and two daughters
• master's degree graduates from Norwich University and Vermont College and their families
• craftspeople attending the International Preservation Trades conference
• two sets of mothers and their daughters for get-aways
• people attending weddings and family reunions
• genealogists and researchers
• several writers, including a noted travel writer
• tourists from Canada, Texas, California, Virginia, and lots of places in between, visiting the granite quarries, Ben & Jerry's, Trapp Family Lodge, and so much more. Vermont looks so good at this time of year!

Last weekend was Barre's Homecoming Days celebration, and the new configuration - closing off part of Main Street for performers and concessions - seemed to work very well. Paul helped set up tents for the library booksale in the pouring rain on Thursday, but by Friday, the sun was out, and the booksale seemed to be a huge success. Guests raved after showings of the film "If Stone Could Speak," shown at the Old Labor Hall by the Barre Historical Society. And we were pleased that our very first B&B guest, a Barre native who has become a dear friend, could come for the weekend with her husband and join the fun.