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Im thinking of giving up the gites.


dave21478
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Meh, I just cant be bothered with it any more.[:(]

I want to go to see something on a saturday or go away for the weekend - cant, its changeover day.

I want to have a holiday - cant, need to be here for changeovers

I want to spend a few hours floating in the pool and sleeping in the garden - cant, unless I share with half a dozen strangers.

The ladyfriend wants to come round for the weekend - fine, but "I have changeover day remember". "ok, Ill help you". "great, you clean the stale piss off the toilet rim and Ill deal with the jizz-stained matress protector. Classy.

I want to invite loads of people round, turn the stereo up to 11 and have a good party - cant, the guests dont like disturbances.

My nephew wants to come round and run his remote controlled car in the big field - cant, the guests kids are playing football there.

I want to have my dinner in peace - Cant, the guests cant figure out how to use the dish washer, and cant read the instructions.

My dog wants to sleep on the doorstep - cant, everyone wants her to fetch, roll over etc etc.

The kitten wants to explore the world - cant, the little girls in the end gite want to cuddle it to death.

There is a good film on the telly, I want to crank up the surround sound - cant, the bass tavels through the whole building.

I want to cut the grass - cant, there are 3 cars, a badminton net, loads of sun loungers, chairs and toys in the way.

I want to wash my car in peace without hearing "ha ha, you can do mine next" - cant, because thats the funniest, most original joke in the world isnt it.

I want to go out and slap that spoilt kid that has tantrums when he doesnt get his own way - cant, I dont think the parents would like that.

I want to be able to go shopping without wondering if there is enough fairly liquid or bog roll in each gite. - cant, this stuff doesnt restock itself and the guests certainly wont buy it.

 

Im a grumpy old man, and Im not even old! This might not have been a good career choice.

 

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Snap! Yeh its like that sometimes, But when they have all gone from paying us so we can live out here it is nice. But as i said unless they pay us and we have to put up with the summer problems then we can't stay here and i know where i would rather be and its not back in the uk. 
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September? yeah no more guests, but then the builders move in to build a big conservatry thing. Rather than strangers in bikinis in the garden, it will be hairy french butt cracks. :(

Yeah, the guests are paying the bills, but they are wrecking my karma too!

78 is my birth year, so no im not old. Its not often I get called a babe either [:$]

re Basil Fawlty - I view those classic programs as a training manual!

Comedy? Ive been likened to Ben Elton and Jack Dee a few times. I dont know if thats a good thing or not.

 

 

[:)]

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We're only into our 3rd season and I feel like an old hand already... I swear I'm turning into the 'Blackpool landlady from hell' - except I get to do the cleaning in me bikini in 33+ºc temps... and all you men out there can stop dreaming cause a 40 something women in bikini and rubber  gauntlets with her hands down the Karsie is not a sight to behold... get the picture cause the reality of this life is definately not the paradise that I envisaged.  But eh oh I'm on my 3rd Gin & Tonic (courtesty of the last lot of guests's) so I've got over it already. I'll have another one and think of you.

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Changed 6 beds yesterday and 3 this morning.  Another 4 tomorrow.    Did 4 hours ironing this afternnon in 35° heat.  Also put house on market today, expect it will take years to sell but the idea that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that one of these days I'll no longer have to clean others' toilets is a cheery one. 
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i must apoligise now all.  SORRY.......... but, yes theres always a but, i have just done 3 operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan,  yes i know, i chose this life but then hey! so did you! ive given 23 years to my proffesion and country and now its time to gear down!

ive just bought a place in France and could do with the extra income from Gites, even if it does mean some work! belive me if its just making beds, ironing, cleaning sweaty stained sheets and saying hello good bye once a week then bring it on!!  id rather do that and all the stuff you do than picking up body parts of my friends and nearly loosing my bits too many times also!!

Dont get me wrong this isnt about me, ive seen so much poverty and cruelty as well and i know im so very fortunate to have what i have!  but then so should you!!!  when im doing peace keeping work abroad i feel sick with guilt when i see how little some have and how so much I and others more fortunate have!!

Honestly when i see and hear people moan about pure triva i just have to comment. My travels have certianly changed my outlook on life, im not as selfish as i was and i try to help where i can. and hey it makes you feel good about yourself!!

i have a suggestion, go employ some poorer people near you to clean sheets, make beds etc, give something back more than just taxes. and hey youll even get tax relief on their wages!!

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We both chose.  I'm not appologising because I'd never have chosen to do what you did and I really hope you'll enjoy what you do next.  But I'm afraid your comments are a bit like the dinner lady at school telling me that starving african children would have loved the disgusting dinner she was trying to make me eat.  I seem to remember telling her they were welcome to it.

People like moaning about trivia - it is what keeps most of us sane.  If you run a B & B or gites in France you don't employ poor people, you are the poor people[:D]  We are enjoying our little whinging thread here and today we'll all be back smiling politely at our customers.  Please don't take us so seriously.

Hope your French dream is good for you and that you too will have a nice whinge a bout your life in a little while.

 

 

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[quote]i have a suggestion, go employ some poorer people near you to clean sheets, make beds etc, give something back more than just taxes. and hey youll even get tax relief on their wages!![/quote]

From your comment about tax relief, I assume you may be referring to CESU, but you cannot pay a business employee with CESU.
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Lee&nik, that is one of the least relevant replies I have ever seen on this forum.

So, youve been a soldier and picked up body parts - well boo f****** hoo for you. Just because you have done something unpleasant does not give you some kind of superior overview to comment on what you think I find trivial.

No, cleaning piss off the toilet is not the end of the world, nor is it the be-all and end-all of my light-hearted ramblings. I would say you need to get some perspective here, because if you think the two are even slightly comparable, then...well...maybe you were hit on the head out there?[;-)]

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Actually dave, sometimes the world ending might be easier than cleaning yet another toilet.[:D]

I loved your post and recognised every word of it!!

I can add a few of my own, like:-

I'd love to go to bed early but I can't because the guests have forgotten the directions, can't read a map and they are 3 hours late.

 

 

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[quote user="dave21478"]Lee&nik, that is one of the least relevant replies I have ever seen on this forum.So, youve been a soldier and picked up body parts - well boo f****** hoo for you. Just because you have done something unpleasant does not give you some kind of superior overview to comment on what you think I find trivial.[/quote]

I hardly think Lee&nik was trying to be superior nor intending to put people on the defensive, but just trying to keep things in persepctive.  He/she is as entitled to give his view as anyone else.  Yes, his job was his choice, but it's only when you have done a really unpleasant job that some things do appear trivial by comparison.  However, one person's trivia may be another person's drama.

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Great thread...Yesterday was another one of 'those' Saturdays - thought it would be an easy one with lots of returning guests - anything but.......if only it was just the cleaning - yesterday's corker was from departing guests as they left late at 11am 'Oh yes & we've had no hot water since Thursday'.....why didn't they tell us when we live but 50 yards away on the other side of the garden & they drive past us at least twice a day & watch us cleaning the pool, gardening & hanging out washing?????  OH was not best pleased at having to try & purchase & fit a new thermostat on a busy changeover day.......... fortunately everybody arrived late - some very late - why can't they ever phone to give you an idea as to when to expect them?????  If nothing else I would like to know when I can start drinking......& as for eating on a Saturday - forget it, you can guarantee they will arrive just as we dish up......still its great to have 2 gites & a house full of regulars.
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Puzzled - my website is not attached to this forum for exactly that reason.   I occasionally have other B &B or gite owners as guests.  they are always wonderful.  People often don't realise they are being inconsiderate.

One of my brothers has rung this week and asked if I'd pick them (he and adult family) up from an airport over two hours drive away.  He seems OK about this, he does not realise that WE are not on holiday even though I've explained it in words of very small syllables

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Dave, I so agree! We just have one gite that we rent out for a bit of extra money rather than necessity but after having the guests from hell last week I don't think I'll be doing this again.  Summer is just about the only time that anything happens in this area and I spend most of mine with my hands down the toilet or mowing the lawn in 45 degree heat in me knickers and having to turn down invites while I wait in for people who either don't have the courtesy to tell you their arrival time or who arrive while you have your hand down said toilet claiming they didn't see the bit on the booking form, terms and conditions and statement that says 'your booking commences at 4pm'.

We've had some lovely guests and lots of returners but I don't think I want to do this for another summer.

Cerise, I've stayed at your lovely B&B. Good luck in whatever you do next.

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