Adam had a very well deserved day off yesterday* and had lots of time to spend with Leah and Chloe at the hospital.  Yesterday was a very special day for them as it was the first time that Leah has been able to hold Chloe since she was born.  Chloe is still tiny and has lots of tubes and wires attached still but she seems to be doing well.  She hasn’t managed to reach 3lbs yet but that is the next target for her.

I’ve seen some of the photos and a bit of video courtesy of Adam’s Nokia N95 and and she looks good.  I was going to ask Adam for some pictures to put on here but then thought I’d give them that bit of privacy.

*You may wonder why Adam is still working rather than having some paternity leave: as Chloe is going to be in hospital for another 9 weeks he will have a short break soon when he can and then have a longer break for when she comes home from hospital

This was the question I was asked by Lucy in the restaurant as we have a big digger attacking the bank and garden below the restaurant.  Lucy was actually a little more specific, telling me that the Police had finally caught up with where I had been burying people!

The reason for all this work is Rick Stein’s Seafood restaurant extension.  We have sold him some land adjacent to the hotel and he is putting a new entrance, lift and a few other bits and pieces.  To get in and excavate the rock they have to dig out tonnes of soil next to workings, this is causing quite a stir in the town, everyone is stopping to have a look.  I’ve got a few pictures which I’ll try and upload later.

The heavy excavation work should all be finished in a couple of weeks so we are hoping they will break the back of it quickly and get on with the building which will be much quieter and less disruptive!

Well, Saturday afternoon saw Team Richardson hopping around nervously on the side of the Camel estuary waiting for the start of this year’s swim to Rock.  We’d seen the buoys out across the water, seen the finish line on the other side then we all spotted the thick sea mist rolling in!

The elite swimmers set off first and then 5 minutes or so later the rest of us went, it was really useful to see the yellow hats in front of us to help show the way along side the bright orange buoys and the canoeists - I shouldn’t get lost this year was one of my main thoughts.

The waves did get up a bit, almost a swell!  We all got sloshed about with these and swallowed gallons so if the tide seemed like it was out further that evening that’s why.  We all settled into our own rhythms and swam away, Mel, Cath & Mike stayed together and kept out of trouble, Andrea and I pushed on.  I’m not sure if it was the tide or my goggles steaming up but again I drifted upriver, thankfully one of the canoeists spotted me and pointed me back on line so I didn’t go too far out of my way.  We had a sea shanty group, the “Fisherman’s Friends” singing on the Rock side and that was great to hear - not only because we knew we were nearly there but also which direction to go in!

Cramp struck me in the last few hundred metres, both calf muscles!  This meant that when I got out I really wobbled about a bit!  Got my legs right and wandered up the slip way to collect my drink of water - it’s amazing how thirsty you get swimming, must be all the salt water.  I picked up my t shirt too then wandered around a bit more & bumped into Andrea who was getting her kit from her boyfriend Keith, can’t say who finished first out of the 2 of us.  We went and got into the queue for the burgers which were very well received, while waiting we let my next door neighbour into the line just in front of us and then the rest of our team arrived.

we went straight from 1 queue to the next to get a beer.  I’m sure the sports physiologists would say this isn’t good practice but it does more for team spirit!  The pint of Sharps Doom Bar went down pretty quickly, quick chat, met some more friends and neighbours and then we had to get the ferry back over to Padstow.

Andrea had to rush back for the end night of Fowey Regatta week but the rest of us didn’t so we had another “rest” in the Old Customs House before going off, Mike back to work and Mel and Cath off to a party.  Mike was very concerned that he would be under-seasoning all the food for the next couple of days as he had swallowed so much water!

All now thinking about next year - how much training I must do and really that I must go in the sea more than once a year!

I started Sunday morning with a bit of surprising news: when I turned my phone on I had 3 text messages come through in quick succession, all from Adam, my Head Chef.  The times ranged from 1.30 in the morning to just after 6 am.  Leah, his partner was expecting their first baby in the middle of November but things happened a bit quicker than planned.

Adam and Leah went down to hospital around 11.30 and Chloe put in an appearance around 2.30, weighing only 2 and a bit pounds and 2 and a half months early.  I am very pleased to report that she is already breathing on her own but is being kept in until November just to make sure she stays alright.  Adam is clearly excited about what has happened but at the same time very nervous about the future as Chloe is so small and frail.  We’ve all told him she is in the right place with the right people looking after her.  As Adam said when I was talking to him on Sunday morning all we can do is to hope and pray that she will be OK. 

Leah is staying in hospital until next week to make sure she’s well enough to come home but after that there will be lots of trips to the hospital just to be with Chloe and to try and bond as much as they can.  Mark is coming back to join us as sous chef next week so Adam will be able to have a bit more time with his family.

Please keep Adam, Leah and Chloe in your thoughts for the next few weeks.

We’re continuing with our front hall re-decoration at the moment, Peter is joining up the new wallpaper around the front desk even though we will be redoing the desk itself over the winter.  To get the job done properly Tony had to take a radiator off the wall.  I can’t guess when it last came off but it must have been a while ago.  We found a whole pile of stuff down there including a programme of events for the hotel from the eighties and an unopened pack of John Player Specials - 19 in the pack!

We’re planning what to do with the poster, may make a feature of it in one of the lounges - come and have a look to see what we’ve done with it.

I’ve been giving blood for a few years now and today was the day, had the form come through last week, even had the card from last time to make an appointment.  Luckily Mel came in to meet Cath to take her up to the centre as I’d forgotten all about it!

Mel and Cath went off for their properly arranged appointments and came back in mid afternoon, having had their drink and a biscuit - but they did admit they’d both almost fainted!  Cath slid elegantly off her chair and was arranged neatly where she fell for a couple of minutes, Mel was having a good laugh at Cath’s expense (much as I am doing now) when she suddenly felt a bit wobbly and decided to have a lie down.  When I went later on for the evening session the lady looking after me remembered them both!

I managed to be seen without an appointment and reasonably quickly - the worst thing at the moment is not being able to use my middle finger for typing with.  I made it back to the hotel in 1 piece and am now thinking about a trip through to the restaurant to make sure they’re all ok.  I did bring back a sticker for Cath as she couldn’t get one earlier - bet they hid them while she was lying on the floor.

I am getting more and more positive about what we are capable of here so I am finding myself saying “yes” to business opportunities without fully thinking them through, knowing we will be able to do them before I have managed to work on a plan to do it.  Sometimes you just can’t afford to wait and miss an opportunity.

Today was a case in point.  Some months ago Mark and Hayley came to see me about their wedding reception, they were planning a small, relaxed but high quality affair after a ceremony up at Prideaux Place.  While chatting Hayley casually mentioned about a canape and champagne reception up at Prideaux and finding caterers to do that.  Not wanting to miss an opportunity I soon put my hand up for that!

This week came and Adam and I went up to the house for a site visit to see where we could assemble the canapes and run the champagne from.  This was plan A, when we got there Wes found the oven wouldn’t take the trays so he had to borrow the Aga in the family kitchen - working around the family cooking their lunch.

Once we got up there our biggest worry was the weather - forecast was good but it was still a bit threatening.  All ready outside, watching the ceremony through the lounge windows so we were ready for them.

All went off really smoothly, Laura was able to head back to the hotel fairly early to help Mel get ready for the arrival drink then we all got back in time to serve the lunch.

The family and friends are just finishing off now with a buffet and a few glasses of wine, we’ve put all the stock back in the cellar and Mel will send the remainder of the Gosset back to Nigel in the wine shop next week.

Back to work to start the tidy up and get ready for breakfast.

This week has been one of little achievements, small targets reached.  The main one is getting our Christmas brochure finalised; we’ve just had the proof back from Chris at Boosters so a good read through to make sure all the details are right then we’ll give it the green light.  I know it seems odd talking about Christmas now in the height of summer (!) but like many industries we have to be thinking and working many months ahead.  We are really a little behind schedule with this.  Once the brochures come back we have a file of addresses to send them off to and we’ll have a copy available on the web site: we then expect to have quite a few more bookings come in.

 We have a great time here over Christmas and New Year, the buzz is great and Christmas really is like being with a family of over 70 - when we combine the guests and staff.  So many people come back every year and they really look forward to it. Some of the couples now meet up together at each others’ homes between Christmases.

New Year is a little different as our programme is really just a one night event and many people prefer to try a new place each time.  Our real improvement for this New Year is that we have a live duo to play for us during and after dinner.  I am really hoping that they will improve the atmosphere and really add to the party feel.  We’re also giving every couple a bottle of champagne to se the new year in with - the sound of corks popping will be much better than party poppers!

Enough of this, I must go and finish proof reading the brochure before I get too carried away looking forward to the festivities!