INNformer #134

INNformer #134 Jan 12 2012 It’s a new year! Although it’s the height of winter, all in all it’s been rather mellow here in Coupeville. Not much rain has fallen on this island and not a flake of snow is yet to be seen. Looking out our kitchen window, wound amongst the rose bush branches, we still have a healthy Nasturtium alive and well with about a dozen orange flowers awaiting harvest to decorate our morning dishes. From one facelift to another the Anchorage Inn has changed from a colorful appearance of Fall for Thanksgiving and then again within a couple of days to welcoming twinkle of CHRISTmas decor just in time to welcome the annual Greening of Coupeville evening parade. Last week we neatly packaged her up and stored her away until Oct of 2012. Already, we’re planning the charming decor for Valentines Day. How about a lovers escape? Just one more thought about CHRISTmas. Those carols have come and gone, and with them some of our favorites. One song with mysterious lyrics is The 12 Days of Christmas. I recently learned some very interesting facts. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember. -The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ. -Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments. -Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.- -The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. -The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament. -The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation. -Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. -The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes. -Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. -The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments. -The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. -The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed. So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol. For those who missed it! With the cold morning air and late rising sun a bowl of cold cereal doesn’t quite hit the mark. How about one of Dianne’s entrees from her well worn cookbook. She’s been serving this dish for years to thousands of guests. The Cheesy Egg Bake……. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Ingredients: 1 lb Monterey Jack Cheese (4 cups) 10 extra large eggs 1 pint creamed cottage cheese (2 cups) 1/2 cup white flour 1 tsp baking powder Preparation: Shred the Monterey Jack Cheese. In a large mixer bowl beat eggs until blended. Add everything else. Pour the mixture into a well greased 9″ x 13″ dish, or individual baking dishes and bake for approximately 45 minutes, until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Serve immediately while it is pretty and fluffy. This will serve 10 people for brunch if a large fruit salad and rolls are added. It can be made the night before, refrigerated and baked just before serving. Allow extra baking time if it has been in the refrigerator over night. Our neighbor gave us a call last week and reported that his patio was almost flooded. He new that rain couldn’t be the cause and with further investigation he followed the wetness across his yard and found the source was coming from under our Calista Cottage. It wasn’t just wet, but actually almost had a bit of a current to it. We quickly turned the water main off and after opening a small trap door on the skirt of the cottage began to look for the cause. It was cold and dark under our old saloon with a floor that was only dirt or mud and a space of about 2 feet. This crawl space had earned its name. Had the pipes frozen and burst underground, under the house? As I slowly slid along I began to hear dripping beneath the bathroom and was somewhat relieved. I still couldn’t see it’s exact source but had a good idea. Our plumber discovered that the pipes had merely separated at a joint. The cause is not for sure, but the repair was quick with no damage to the cottage. He estimated that the water had been flowing at full flow for a number of days. Our 16th Innkeeping 101 student will soon be with us for our 2 day course. The whole idea behind our course is to give those interested in the possibility of becoming innkeepers a good taste, answer questions, instruct and have fun. Then they can make a wise decision about their next step. See our outline on our web site http://www.anchorage-inn.com. Of our last 15 to take the course, 11 are now successful innkeepers, 2 have learned that they are not yet prepared, 1 discovered that innkeeping was not for them and 1 are now successful inn “sitters”. World travelers since we last spoke, has only been Canada. For 2011, we set an all time record for our northern neighbors. Returning Guests that have been awarded Anchorage Inn discounts since our last INNformer totaled: Returning Guests that have been awarded Anchorage Inn discounts since our last INNformer totaled: 3rd & 4th visit reservation for the 10% Pancake discount = 4 5th thru 9th visit reservation for the 12% Omelet discount = 1 10th thru 19th visit reservation for the 15% Quiche discount = 1 20 or more visits reservation for the 20% French Toast discount = 1 Coupeville – The shortest distance to far away. Your innkeepers, Dave and Dianne

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