Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
The island
lighter:
So, contractor and his wife are looking into getting passports and traveling to the island in January, which is when I planned to go too.
I have to renew my passport too.
I'm leaning towards creating a bunk room, thanks for that idea Amber.
My "caretaker/renter" isn't wearing enough hats.... or paying the 400.000 rent he promised to pay. He IS working at the nicest hotel and marina on North, thanks to my brother gettting him a job at the marina on our side of the island.I guess he did a good job and that got him hired at the snootier place. Good for him, but what about the rent? Nothing? Nothing and he doesn't mention it, even if he does do a bit more at the cottage, but not what I strictly askhim to do. It helps my brother asks him to do things, IMO.
Bikes getting fiured out. Four have returned at this point and brother has the guy who made them all go away.... back working at the cottage, bc he owes brother money. Not living there again, mind you. Just doing some work. Cleaning pineneedle off the roof, etc.
Brother paid him moneyfor beer... I think....and the beer never showed up...neither did the money, so...... the guy is a good worker,but not consistent or to be trusted to do the right thing all the time when he has a choice.
My brother allows this to color his feelings about paying any workers ahead on the island,which I've done with the regimented, trustworthy always housekeeper who always comes through and does her work as well as some other people's. She's an Amazon of the first order...... I trust her completely. It feels like brother beginning to trust me and my choices more and more. At one point he was talking ahead about having his guy deal with the roof, as he's done before even as I told him I had someone to work on the roof I preferred,bc it's hard to get roofing stuff to the cottage.... it needs to be used wisely and to best advatage.
THIS time I heard him stop himself...... take a moment....then say..... "You've got that covered." So my guy, who stopped roof leaks as a hurricane barreled down on the island and I was jumping on the last plane out...... is on the job again.
He's also ground down rusting seaside metal roof edges and coated them. Brother brought white coatingthis time, which will look better and be cooler. The 3entire roof needs to be redone.
A new seawall needs to go up.
I'd love to save the old seawall but everyone says it can't be done. Poor thing listing badly forward, falling into sections now.
Realtor waiting for more information. His buyers have visited the cottage, so he said. Very interested in making an offer,but that feels far off too. Partially bc there's movement and sales on my beath.... the cottage falling into the sea was bought....they tore down the cottage and appear to have listed it for 1.3.
I have no expectations. I feel OK about moving ahead or not.
Lighter
lighter:
About the guest cottage renovation.
There are 2 entrances..... only1 bathroom.
I'd like to make a bedroom out of the loft over the existing bathroom. Caretaker could have that space and a wall would separate it from the main living area with it's own entrance with an addition to include another bathroom and kitchen area.
This is a new thought. Wont work, but security gaurd isn;t going to have all the privacy he enjoys with sole use of the guest guest house much longer.
Cottage roof getting repairs today.
lighter:
The guest checking in at the end of this month cancelled her reservation after holding it for many many months.
That's one thing about this property....... the travel arrangments can be overwhelming, sometimes impossible, IME.
Someone texted me in the middle of the night if they could drive their car to the cottage. I know I spent time explaining something they wouldn't need..... logistics of getting to the island. I really should have set responses. Will figure that out soon.
The guy making roof repairs sends pictures without my asking. He said we bought another couple years on the roof with this repair. I don't know what I'd do if he wasn't there.
The idea of building onto the guest cottage has occurred to me. Maybe a living area and second bathroom, but putting 6'7" security guy (presently called the caretaker/renter) in that tiny space, really it would be a bathroom, small hallway and ladder leading to a sleeping nook he wouldn't fit into very well. That space could have the wall of shelving, I guess. Could think about cutting the bathroom in two, and putting in second toilet, taking out shower. An outdoor shower would be easy enough to install..... I think.
Lets see...... Could have an entrance to the bathroom from main room AND entrance hall for the sleeping loft. Could leave the sink with the toilet and put in a toilet and sink in shower area.
I really want my contractor to go with his wife....... to think this through with me. Pull open walls and interpret, like a medicine man. What is ailment and what is cure? What's the material list? Logistics of getting materials to the island is my end, and seem to be improved since brother has boat. Not sure how that really works, bc brother not keen on carrying stuff there... it's a PITA, I understand that. I certainly do.
Lighter
lighter:
There is NOTHING going on at the cottage right now. No rentals. At all. There's a curfew,bc COVID. THat likely explains it.
I dropped the price back down and someone just asked me to rent to them for a stupid low price....... basically pay them to let them use the cottage.
I'm shaking my head, putting it on the shelf and going back to what I can control.
Lighter
lighter:
We have guests set to arrive the first week of October.
This is a guest who was problematic in pretty much every way a guest can be.... which is somthing, considering I strive to problem solve and am pretty good at it, esp as it has to do with the difficult travel arrangements lining up flights and ferries.
This guest booked the minimum nights during a holiday weekend, but wanted to book it for fewer. I could have booked the entire week, but she got to it first. She'd have to take the minimum nights and then the day of travel arrived and she called from the Fast Ferry.... her dd didn't have a valid passport.
It seemed obvious to me.... she booked another Ferry ride with me on the phone to book the cottage for another date..... easy peasy. No one loses anything.
So, I say all this bc I touched base with her about a week ago. Her response was a list of 10 or so things she needs in place..... bikes, kayaks, coffee type, just lots of questions about beach towels...... and I noticed a knee jerk reaction to seeing her name, even before I got to her message.
Answering her questions required I text the "caretaker" and the housekeeper at the cottage, which I did. They responded quickly and I responded and the guest who is happy. No one feels put out. We've worked the bugs out, I think.
I noticed I stepped around feeling irrittation over the questions, finding the answers and avoiding my tendency to over answer.
As far as I can tell.... I need to go this fall or in the winter to do some maintenance, but we have an Airbnb up and running, people!
Woo hoo!
I'm sure there will be stuff and COWs and problems, but the general running of things has been battoned down.
An article just popped up about a tourist attraction nearby.... feeding the rays. I was so happy to find it and will figure out how to attach it to the site.
Whew.... feels so good: )
Lighter
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