Change is gonna come

Today was the best of the big days so far. Cake, cake and more cake was cut, displayed, served and eaten together with a lake of tea. The magnet system proved a winner - it needs tweaking but it really works. My stress levels stayed surprisingly low despite the crowds because I wasn't seeing trays backing up. The first lunch order (jacket potatoes) went into the kitchen at 1145, the last (ham on granary) at 1650. I fought a constant battle with the contents of the till: I started the day with loads of change. I even had back-up pound coins and 10ps. The situation would look healthy one minute and then 3 customers and 3 twenty pound notes later and I was staring at a problem. But then there's always someone who empties their pocket/purse of coins at exactly the right time to pull me from the brink. And I have to stop myself kissing them.

S'gone

A good Bank Holiday so far. What looked like a large number of staff this morning (9 in total) turned out to be justified as people started to arrive at lunchtime and continued to arrive until 5.05. We baked scones this morning as usual. 35 in the batch. By lunchtime they'd all gone and we took the highly unusual decision to bake again. At the end of the day we had 2 left. Tomorrow is forecast good weather, and I've booked the same number of people to help. Fingers are crossed that 9 is enough.

A time and a place

A second coach party from Kent today. It was a rainy, grim day so had it not been for them we'd have been pretty quiet. Still the slow afternoon allowed us to discuss coleslaw. I mooted that we should make our own. We (Mary, Nancie and I) then talked about recipes, how and when we'd do it, how to minimise waste. We're going to buy cabbage, carrots etc after the Bank Hol and try it out. I kept my powder dry about introducing chilli as a jacket potato filling. Perhaps we'll talk that over on the next slow day. This evening a woman arrived as we were closing to say she was "very upset". We'd moved her dad's bench (a bench with a plaque bearing his name). I had no idea there was a bench position. I went out with her, told her not to be upset and to feel free to move it wherever she wanted to. She didn't smile. At all. I pointed out that we'd treated the bench before opening up, and cleaned up the plaque. I didn't point out that the bench had been in the same place for more than 2 months. I wonder how often they visit it?

Repeat attenders

The little dolphins come most Fridays after their swimming lesson in Abberley. Their mums were the ladies who prompted me all those weeks ago to buy more high chairs, and on Friday lunchtime they use all three and generally order jacket potatoes. People who visit regularly are a real pleasure. David and Katie, for example, often come three times a week for scones or fruit cake with tea. Their daughter Kelly brings her children and has a toasted teacake and a cappuccino. Simon and Sue come on Wednesdays (although after last Wednesday I shall have to coax them back). Simon has an Americano. Sue likes asparagus soup. And millionaire's shortbread. Wendy has a skinny cappuccino. Her daughter likes the apple shortcake.
Sometimes I try to guess what first time visitors are going to choose. An older couple is the easiest - go for two teas, slice of fruit cake for him, victoria sponge for her and it'll hit the mark most of the time.

Très Simples

A day away from base, but a sort of brainstorming session with Becky at a fine Worcester establishment which serves lattes with a leaf shape on top. A bit beyond us at present. Items on the agenda:
1. Running out of mugs during morning coffee
2. Running out of room for trays during busy lunchtimes
We solved 1. by going to Marks and Spencer and buying more mugs. Ingenious.
We are going to try out a solution for 2. which involves magnets. Usually each written order is placed on a tray which is then filled with cups, milk, knives etc. but with lots of orders and a wait for food we often run out of space during busy times. What we're going to try out is pinning orders along a metal shelf above where the trays are. It's a simple idea, but it's tricky to introduce ahead of what promises to be a busy Bank Holiday.

On a White Charger

Stand up Simon.
Meet the man who came to his local tea rooms for lunch and ended up clearing tables and washing up. He was fab. Simon comes at least once a week and today during his soup a multitude descended. Table after table filled with people who queued, ordered, ate and left. I rang for reinforcements but before they could arrive Simon put his head round the kitchen door and asked if he could help. I bit his hand off. He brought in trays, wiped tables and did battle with the dishwashers. He wouldn't even take a thank-you coffee. The second hero of the week and it's only Wednesday.

The Spice of Life

Today was fab. A little cooler so easier to manage. Lovely people who laughed and ate scones. Customers of the day were three brothers who brought their 84 year old aunt back to the village where she grew up. They ordered cake. "Victoria sponge, please" said one; "fruit cake" said the next; "carrot," said the third, "what variety?". I panicked. What variety of carrot was in the cake? I had no idea. I couldn't even guess. I didn't know any carrot varieties. Then it dawned on me that what he'd actually said was "What a variety!". They laughed when I told them. Said I should answer "tinned" if anyone really does ask.
Nancie came in this morning with a swollen eye. She asked if I had any "calamine tea". No honestly, I heard her correctly. Henceforth on this blob chamomile will be known as calamine.