Whitegate Inn redecorates dining room

One of our guests apparently clogged up the toilet upstairs and went to sleep. By morning we had a full fledged flood with water pouring out of the chandelier over the dining room table. The table was set for breakfast. This made us realize it really takes a village to run an inn.

Marrissa, Colby, Georgina, Dixia and Susan and I went into emergency mode. One of our guests with contracting background got involved by suggesting we drill holes in the ceiling to release the water and keep the ceiling from collasping.

We turned off the water and electricity, got a tarp, moved the table into the living room, cleaned and polished it and washed and sterilized all the plates and tableware. Breakfast was served only 5 minutes late in the living room. After we stopped congratulating ourselves for our quick response the real work began.

We didn't realize that, in addition to the wet carpet, the water had also stained the strip of wallpaper which ran along the top of the room. The drapes were also stained. When our carpet people came to dehumidify the room they discovered an abnormal amount of moisture in the walls and suggested we demolish two walls as well as the ceiling to enable it to dry. Fortunately our insurance adjusted agreed. We now have the dining room sealed off and will basically have to rebuild it from scratch.

Naturally the carpet is not longer made and the wall paper design is discontinued. John, our contractor, was just here telling me he hopes to get going on the walls tomorrow. We found some substitute carpet we love but now we want to redo the whole hallway with the new stuff and don't think we can afford that right now. Susan and I are in a wallpaper "discussion" I want something simpler and she keeps saying "but it isn't Victorian". We're going to a neutral third party for help. It will probably be late March before this is all finished. We're very lucky it isn't summer.