Computer says NO!

It has been full on these past weeks! Lots of guests, lots of conversations and breakfasts.

Ever since we gave room only prices, there are some weeks where no one has breakfast, which is a weird feeling after so many years of prepping and baking.  It’s almost like we don’t really know what to do with ourselves!

But since Easter, it has been all guns blazing from 7 am as it used to. The best thing about breakfast for a host is that we get the chance to talk to our guests, hear about their experiences, help them to refine their days’ plans or allow them to pick our brains.

All of us have a favourite place in London, either off the beaten track or so obvious people usually miss it or walk right past.

We also had a big incident this week….. All the documents on my computer disappeared!!! All the files were empty and my computer wouldn’t respond. Once I managed to download AVG and do a virus scan there were over 50 viruses, mostly sitting in my junk email box.

It cost me £200 to get all my equipment cleaned, let along the many hours I spent in a blind panic but also having to wait to hear back from my tech support guy. It was THE MOST STRESSFUL 48 hours I have had in a long time.

Luckily, we have back-ups and remote storage, so no files were lost but the disruption was loss enough. All is well now but, I now have proper security protection for my Mac. I think the days of impenetrable macs is now over….

My advice would be to download AVG Anti-Virus Software ASAP. To avoid an incident like I had.

On a lighter note, we ran a competition at the start of the month. It reached well over 5000 people, with 184 people entering. We announced the lucky winner on Monday. This is the first time we have done such a competition using Facebook and I think it went really well. Not sure when I will do the next one but it is amazing how social media is becoming such an important tool for a modern-day B&B host.

I had a lovely couple stay recently to celebrate a birthday.  In the conversation over breakfast it came up about how they met  – they met whilst climbing Machu Picu!  The coincidence is that her sister who lives in Holland, lives about 20 miles from his home and she would have driven down his road for the past 25 years! AND her sister has the same street name.

Till next time,

Sally