CHS

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

A SNOWY KNIGHT

Gracious Readers;

If you are reading this today, you will be well aware of why this blog entry is titled “A Snowy Knight”. I simply cannot believe how much snow there is about!

The street outside, which I can just see thru two sets of authentic Victorian glass topped doors, is simply piled with snow. People are wading thru the snow banks which were, if you were unaware, heaped up
during the night and early this morning by great noisy vehicles which, I have learned, are called snow plows.

During my years in London, of course, I saw some snow, but not nearly as much, and the procedure for getting rid of it was basically to wait and it would soon melt off, aided by thousands of tramping feet as the people, as well as horses walked along.

I did have a short stay with one of my masters in Switzerland. It was summer though, and other than when we were travelling thru the Alps (where there were snowbanks on both sides, although it was high summer), I do not recall seeing any other snowfalls of this magnitude until this past night.

The guests here at Germain Street seem to be taking the snow in stride. Some of them apparently come from other areas where there is much more snow as a rule. Others are from snowless areas, but were
well prepared for coming to New Brunswick, it seems. (In some cases, significantly over-prepared!)

There has been talk by some of them, though, of going to eating establishments nearby.

Apparently, guests of Chipman Hill Suites may have their noon meal at the exclusive member’s only
Union Club, located almost next door! Seemingly, if they call on the telephone, they are entitled to make a luncheon reservation due to their status as Chipman Hill Suites guests. They do not have to join the Union Club to be able to dine there. It seems like a very nice arrangement for the guests!

I will be looking into this a bit more and will inform you, gracious readers, as to what else I have learned about this.

Have a good week and I hope you have no undue difficulty with the snow.

In Knighthood,

Sir Syd

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

A KNIGHT BELOW STAIRS

Gracious Readers;

In thinking over my earlier postings here at Chipman Hill Suites, it appears that I have been “a knight below stairs” most of the time. In most of my stations, my positioning has been immediately at the foot of the stairs. This normally gives me an excellent vantage point over the door and all who enter, and I can keep a wary eye out for doors left unlocked, sleepwalking guests and the like.

Now that I have been resident at 145 Germain for a fortnight, I feel that I have settled in nicely. I find that a number of my guests are from far away, although they do not seem unfamiliar with snow and cold weather. I am hoping to become friends with them, and I also hope that, like many of my former guests, they will wish to have their picture taken with me to send home to their friends and relatives.

There was a gentleman here today who spent a lot of time on the floor on his knees with some sort of instrument of measurement.  For a short while, I thought he had dropped to his knees to pray, but I was soon disabused of that notion when he took out a notebook and began to write down measurements. Apparently, we are to have new flooring installed.

He was speaking into a silver rectangle in his hand, and he mentioned The Lady Marilyn and her desire for a similar flooring pattern to that at one of my previous stations, this being 1 Chipman Hill. I recall it as a very attractive design, a light crème colour, almost but not quite white, with contrasting darker diamond shapes in the middle of each four slabs of marble.

His last words before he pocketed the rectangle were “Thank you, Marilyn”. I have yet to sort out what type of communication this was and/or how it took place. I have so much to learn in this new century, it is already twelve years into it, but truly, I am far behind. I hope someone will explain things to me….

The housekeeper in charge of this building is Lady Giselle, I like her. She, apparently, is from Virginia in the Colonies. Her manner of speaking is somewhat different from the other staff. I must try to work this out. She is not difficult to understand, however, and she works along diligently. The house managers at some of the stately homes in which I worked when I was living in the UK were stern taskmasters, however, The Lady Kim who is apparently the manager over all the cleaning and related duties, runs a tight ship without being overly stern. That is nice. I like her, too.

I still think about “The Girl” from 5 Chipman Hill, though……and remember how she played the piano…Will I ever see her again?

I will close now, gracious readers, and bid you all a fond good night.

Yours in Knighthood,

Sir Syd

Monday, February 13, 2012

A KNIGHT ON GERMAIN


 Gracious Readers;

Well, it has happened again!

I have been moved!

After months happily ensconced at 71 Sydney Street, I have been summarily plopped into a vehicle and moved some four blocks distant.

I am now living/working at/guarding our Chipman Hill Suites guests at 145 Germain Street. It is an entirely different outlook, in all regards, to my previous station at 71 Sydney Street.

For a start, this is a “townhouse” format, much more in keeping with the houses of the lesser nobility in central London. As for the guests, they are a nice group of people, every suite is occupied, and unlike 71 Sydney Street, these people are all here to work (no holiday-makers), and they are all seemingly here for protracted periods of times. (Months rather than nights..)

Some of them have looked at me oddly when they came in after work and saw me for the first time. Iam asked to hold a VERY undignified notice, for their information, saying “HELLO, I AM SIR SYDMAN ORION GERBURG OF PRINCLIFF, MASCOT AND PROTECTOR OF CHIPMAN HILL SUITES. PLEASE READ MY BLOG AT WWW.CHIPMANHILL.COM

I find this very undignified and the only saving grace in this whole situation is that I will meet some new people, learn their stories, and I must only wear the notice for a week.

I am sure you will understand that it will take me a few days to adjust to my new work situation and location, and I hope you will forgive me for the brevity of this posting.

Yours in Knighthood

Sir Syd

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

A SAD KNIGHT




Gracious Guests;

There is a lot of excitement going on at my current residence, Chipman Hill Suites at 71 Sydney Street. This excitement concerns many of the staff who I assist as much as I am able.

Apparently, certain staff members rotate being “on call”, which means that they take phone calls from guests who may need to have a question answered or some assistance rendered during the hours when the office is closed.

From time to time, Sir Edward and Lady Susan, the owners of Chipman Hill Suites, express their appreciation to these staff members by hosting some sort of a dinner or other function, designed to say “thank you” to the on-call staff and their “spouse or significant other” (date-of-the-week not being invited.)

Tonight, just such an occasion is happening! It is very exciting!

At 5:45PM, the on-call staff and their spouse or significant other will be turning up here at 71 Sydney Street, where The Lord and Lady will serve some “nibbles” (what are “nibbles”?) and wine, followed by a walk down the street to attend a banquet at Decimal 81, which is apparently a newish restaurant here in the town, very highly regarded,
apparently.

Everyone seems to be looking forward to this, and I understand that there was a 100% acceptance rate for the invitation, except for the last minute withdrawal, due to illness, of Sir Kevin, husband of The Lady Alice, who, co-incidentally enough, is the lady in charge of this residence.

It is very odd to me to have so many ladies in charge of so much property and so on. In my history, it has been men, almost exclusively, who are in charge of things. I do find this quite strange. Based on the comings and goings of the guests here at 71 Sydney Street, this does not appear to be an isolated state of affairs. Women seem to be in charge of huge projects nowadays. (You must remember that I was asleep in my crate for many decades!)

If it were not for Sirs Gordon, Keith and Kenneth, with rare visits here by Sir Jon, I would have no male peers at all.

Fortunately, many of the guests are male, so I do get a chance to keep up to date on current clothing fashion for men. I am really quite interested in fashion. It is always important for a Knight to be well informed in all masculine pursuits.

Although this is a very happy evening for the on call staff, it is a sad one for me. I have overheard the Lady Kim and Lady Alice talking and I understand that I am to be moved again. My talents are apparently required at 145 Germain Street, wherever that is. 

It is another Chipman Hill Suites building (they seem to have soooooooo many, but I have been very happy here at 71 Sydney and feel that I have done an excellent job guarding my guests, and I will miss my regular guests, and the stained glass windows and the woodwork and my great view of the street outside…

Goodbye to you all from 71 Sydney Street. I will write again next week from 145 Germain where I hope to be able to see outside as well. It will be a new adventure!!


Yours in Knighthood

Sir Syd