Running through Summer

Now that the summer is in full swing, I am having trouble finding time to write. This is turning into one of our busiest Junes ever. There are no complaints but it does keep us all running.

Last night the kitchen and the lodge staff hosted a wedding reception. So Saturday morning all the furniture in the lodge was replaced by banquet tables and chairs. That afternoon, Marilyn, Don, Kacy, and I spent three hours cleaning and setting the tables. Meanwhile the kitchen was busy preparing the appetizers and dinners. By 4:15 the guests were back from the wedding. The reception lasted until midnight. Most everything was prepped for breakfast on Sunday morning. Today the last of the wedding items were put away and the lodge furniture was returned.

Today is the busy day for the housekeeping staff. All the cabins checked out and they all check in again tonight. A few had to leave early which gave the housekeepers an early start. It usually seems that the last cabin to leave is the first cabin to arrive. We were lucky with this change over. The first cabin to leave (and get cleaned) was also the first cabin to arrive.

Of course, no matter how busy yesterday was, there is still a full slate of meals to serve today. Don, on very little sleep, is busy smoking meats for the barbeque tonight. Everyone is busy cleaning and rearranging the lodge. By tonight they will all be ready to get some sleep. It will be quiet in the staff housing.

Fishing has been good lately. The guides have helped their guests find a lot of large walleyes. Lake trout are slowly moving into a little deeper water. Smallmouth bass are moving of f the spawning beds and appear ready to eat again. Rick has started fishing fun for the children staying at the lodge. He always seems to find fish for them.

All of our staff have arrived for the summer. They seem to be a very pleasant group. It always helps that there are so many people here from the winter and previous summers. They help all the new people learn their way around. On Friday we had our first general staff meeting. At 6:00 a.m. on the patio, none of us were too wide awake but everyone was present. Each manager had a few words to say. Bruce had a few more words to say.

This coming week is busy. I believe that the cabins are almost totally rented. Guides are close to being fully booked. The outfitters has lots of groups going out. We see many of them in the bistro for their first hamburger at the end of a trip. This summer they are also buying lots of malts and shakes – a new addition to the menu.

In a couple of days we will have the longest day of the year. That means that each day will be several minutes shorter. I am always ready when it gets dark early.