A Day In The Life

Lots of guests here at the Simmons-Bond Inn have asked how we manage the morning with everything that goes into the breakfast part of the Bed & Breakfast experience. Yes, there’s lots to do but with a routine established, it all goes pretty smoothly.

I start my morning at 6:30am which gives me an hour and a half before the 8:00am seating. If all the guests eat at 9:00, I can take it a little easier. I set up the dining room table for the number of guests, choosing a different set of china and flatware each morning. Once the dining room is set, I move on to the kitchen and get things set up for Tanya and me to prepare the morning’s home-made breakfast. We do three courses: a fruit dish, a savory egg & meat dish, and a sweet dish to top it off. Yes, we feed you very well! With breakfast preparation, timing is everything. Fresh coffee brewed, juices on the table. Fruit – fresh or baked – prepared first, eggs in the oven, breakfast meats started, English muffins and toast started when fruit is served, bring in the fruit plates and serve the second course, start the griddle for the pancakes, waffle iron ready, take the cinnamon rolls out of the oven. Lots and lots to do. Ensure there’s plenty of coffee, juices, water, and anything else our guests would like.

And amid all the controlled chaos in the kitchen, we always make time to chat with our guests as they enjoy their food. We learn about them and they learn about us. For a couple of hours in the morning, we’re all family. That’s the best part.

After breakfast it’s clean-up time and I return the dining room to its pristine state, ready for tomorrow’s set-up. Around 10:30am or so, Tanya and I are finished with all the tasks, we’ve wished a good day to our guests as they leave to go home, or just off into town for the day. Now it’s time for us to grab a bite to eat and relax for a few minutes. And then it’s off to start the laundry. But that’s a topic for another post.

The Simmons-Bond Inn Bed & Breakfast is a daily, enjoyable experience for me and Tanya. It’s gets a little crazy at times, but that’s all part of the fun. Come see us and be a part of it. We’re waiting for you!