Office

This the office that I work in with 3-4 other people. It is a small space for that many people, but so far so good. There is one computer for reservations, another for email and another for the Boss, Sandra. There are lots of systems for doing everything and everybody seems to do everything. If they asked me, perhaps more clearly defined divisions of responsibility might help us from running into each other and from having anything fall through the cracks, but as we are still in training, it seems bad form to express my opinion quite yet, and hey, maybe I don't know it all...yet.

The door that you see leads to a guest services corner in the lobby main lobby. The windows look out the back of the lodge, as we call it for the one Lodge Room that also looks out that direction, "a view of a sagebrush covered hill."

There are 24 keys to keep in order! 24 rooms, not 3 gzillion apartment units! cake I tell you!

I must go off to the Hot Pool now!

Thursday Training

So today's training was to ride into and around town with my fellow office workers, Syliva & Barbara, so that we can properly handle questions from guests and guide them to the activities of their pleasure.


This is the local meditation center. They have Catholic Service, Christian Assembly and two Mormon services. I don't know a whole lot about Mormon-ism, except of course, the recent news about the some of the more fundamental ones. So far I'm gathering that being Mormon in the west is sort of like being Baptist in the south- by which I mean there are a lot of them. And the fundamental ones that believe in several wives are disapproved of by the mainstay of the Mormon Church.







A closer view of the stained glass windows.







A tepee at the local spa. You can get a massage in the tepee. Hmm... who in Stanely, ID could you give a gift certificate to for a massage for their birthday in July? did I mention that it was the Meadow Creek Inn & Spa in Stanley? subtle, I know.






More gorgeous mountains with a gorgeous field of flowers in front of it









Stanley Lake with McGown Peak in the background. Stanley was named for James Stanley- the first prospector to come for mining-there was gold in them hills! McGown was named for some brothers with oxen.



A view of the small town of Stanley. There is Stanley and Lower Stanley. Combined, I'd say they are about the size of Hot Springs, NC...maybe a little smaller.






There is a lodge, merchandise grocery store, gas station and several other buildings in Stanley that are all owned by the Harrahs. Yes, as in the Harrahs of Las Vegas that also own the casino in Western North Carolina. Due to death in the family and not wanting to hold onto the property in Stanley, the combined real estate is for sale. I believe the asking price is around $20 million, but I'd guess it's about a fourth of the whole business of town. And real estate prices here makes Asheville real estate look puny, so I'd say it's a bargain!

The coolest part of the trip today, though, was the fish hatchery. I knew squat about fish. Salmon float, not swim, 900 miles downstream to the ocean and then make it all the way back (using their sense of smell!). Then they mate one time and die (no messy emotional break-ups). Of course, now that there are damns along the way to the ocean, not so many fish make it back. In fact, last year, only one sockeye salmon made it back to the fish hatchery. The purpose of the fish hatchery to hatch as many salmon (chinook & sockeye) and steelhead trout(a form of rainbow trout) as possible, grow them big and strong, send them off into the river along to the ocean...and hope that they come back. Apparently, almost all salmon that we eat is farm bred- which can be in a inland body of water or the ocean, but the fish don't have to swim as far and they are fed the same thing every day by humans. Which means, according to some, that they are not as healthy for us, but in exchange we get the electricity off the damns. More room for debates.

Training: Monday-Thursday

Sorry, I've been training for my job here and have chosen to dip into the hot springs pool most evenings instead of updating my blog! I love the hot springs pool. I've been in almost every night that I've been here. I'll get a picture of it soon, assuming the cloud cover ever blows away. It has been very cold here. Today I'm wearing a turtleneck sweater over a t-shirt with a fleece vest over that and a puffy, down jacket over that. I took the jacket off for a brief hour while I was driving in the car (see pictures above). It gets down in the 30s at night. It snow flurried again yesterday- yes in June!

The training is going well. We are learning to check guests in and out. Of course I have more fun portraying the unsavory guest when we role play, than actually practicing my job! There are a lot of systems to learn, but it isn't brain surgery. This really is a gorgeous and lovely place to vacation, if you or anyone you know can afford it and would like to get away from it all, I highly recommend it. And that's not just because they pay me to say that.

I had thought that while being out here with hikes abounding in all directions, that I would indeed "Kate-Moss away" (fritter away weight), but alas the food is so good, I'm beginning to sense that won't happen. Hot french toast, pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon & sausage are ALL available EVERY morning. I've tried to stick to the eggs...but that french toast is really good. Then the baker arrived this week....biscuits, muffins, not to mention desserts! Lunch is usually easier- a nice hot soup (thank goodness for the hot part) and sandwiches. Dinner varies from chicken, to pasta, to pizza and ever since that baker arrived...there is chocolate!!!! Tonight there was chocolate covered bars- I don't know what was in them, but it sort of tasted like a homemade Butterfinger (my second favorite!)

Two of the cooks live in my house. Last night they were sitting in the living room talking about making all sorts of different favorites...barbecues, perfect steak rubs, biscuits and gravy. I was in my room trying to go to sleep, but it was like food pornography being whispered outside my door! oregano...honey..whisked...lightly

We also sat around last night as a "household" and listened to a couple episodes of my favorite Public Radio show, This American Life, that Rosie & Issac had on CDs. How lovely to laugh with my housemates! Our newest housemate, Darwin, is a bit more on the conservative side than all the others seem to be, so some interesting "discussions" have already ensued. Last night's was focused on food- whether or not our society is all based on corn and American greed for money and convenience. It was interesting to listen to. Darwin made good points about the financial need for farmers to use corn at the end of the feeding process. Rosie and Natalie were saying we should all eat smaller amounts of better food.

I have now watched the movie, Juno, 2 1/2 times this week. Mostly, of course, because it is the only movie I have on my Ipod, but it really is so good, the soundtrack alone makes me cry. And each time I watch it, I feel like my heart has been stripped of all the bacon grease of life and the remaining peeled grape is excited to be alive and believes in love. Aaaah, mushy, but good!

Co-workers

Friday was my first day of training. So far so good. I will be working in the office four days of the week and then one evening I will help with hosting. The office work will be checking guests in and out, taking reservations and signing people up for the activities they want to participate in. The hosting will be making sure guests have wine and appetizers while they are waiting to eat and making sure they don't all rush the dining room at the same time.

I'll be working Barbara, who has lived in Florida for 20 years, runs her own travel agency and is originally from Germany. So far she seems a bit particular about her food, but otherwise a very smart, fun coworker.

Erica is our direct supervisor. She has lived here year around for the past three years and has been with the ranch for six years. I like her very much, she is funny and quick.

Sandra is above Erica- she is the Ranch Manager. She is very talkative, and excited and seems to make everything happen.

Outside of my direct contact, so far there are Rosie & Issac- they are married, late 20s. She cooks and he helps with maintenance. Natalie, who runs housekeeping, is a grandmother, but doesn't look it. There are four more people coming to live in the Sawtooth Manor with us. Then there are probably 10 more that will come for waitstaff and other jobs that will live above the kitchen in the main lodge.

Andrew, the chef, his wife, Leah, and 3-year old, Quinn, live down by the Hot Springs Pool. Bill is the other manager with Sandra, apparently he is much more laid back than she. Then there are wranglers that will be coming later with the horses.

Except for the hiking, which is apparently the most popular activity with guests, and the stocked catch and release pond, the rest of the activities are provided by other contractors. The horses stay on our grounds, but there is a separate riding company that provides the trail rides. The whitewater rafting and fishing guides are in town, but we set up appointments for the guests. There are two massage therapists that come to the ranch if a guest wants (whoo-hoo!).

So far everyone seems very friendly and easy to get along with. Of course, the chef is supposed to have a temper, so I've heard it's wise to stay on his good side, and since I like food, I will definitely do what I can on that front!

After work on Friday, I spent an exciting evening doing laundry. Although, the laundry is right next to the Hot Springs Pool, so doing laundry is better than it sounds. It was so relaxing to float in hot water and watch the mountains and clouds float by.

Saturday I went into Stanley and found the library. It's about as big as my living room at home, but with no t.v. or movie theatre close, I think I'll get good use out of my new library card. Then I went on a nice hike loop around the ranch. I watched Juno on my Ipod- thank goodness for the Ipod! I went back into town for pizza (the kitchen isn't all the way geared up on weekends since most of the employees haven't arrived yet). And then I went out again with Erica to a local bar to listen to music (Jeremiah Jones Gang- which I very much enjoyed) and to see people she hadn't seen all winter. She said she hadn't been into town this winter between November and early March. I'm not sure if I have that kind of stamina, or mental stability or whatever it takes to be alone in the middle of nowhere for that long.

It's a bit overcast and keeps raining on and off today, Sunday, so I'm staying cozy with books and computer work before the flurry of training continues tomorrow.

Living Quarters

So here is the main room of the Sawtooth Lodge (my housing quarters)









The kitchen area:









My bedroom:














The view out my window:


















Sunset from the front porch: