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Monday, December 10, 2007

The Last month of 2007...


Yes, the last month of 2007 is a reality. We thought it would never get here...just kidding. As stated in our blog entry for November, this year has sped by quickly enough to give us whiplash! We've hosted several wonderful guests this month and are thankful that our weather held out. The departing guests Sunday (12/9), wondered if they'd be sliding down our hills on their way out of town, as we we're hit with ice overnight. Thankfully, they all made it home safely. Hopefully the warmer weather we're expecting this week will materialze. Just a bit of sunshine would help a lot.

As promised, we're including the info about The Shepherd's Tale. This performance is something that every person who loves the story of Christ needs to see. Hannibal's own-Richard Garey, portrays the shepherd Esrom in full shepherd attire, on the stage in the Planter's Barn Theatre. Esrom will draw you into his world and have the audience feeling as if they are walking along with him in the Judean hills. Click the following link to gain more information about the show. http://heritagestage.com/shepherd.html Be sure to read the reviews. This truly is a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of Christ. It is the Christmas story as never told before. So plan your trip to Hannibal before Christmas to see this wonderful performance.

Make your reservations now, as space is limited. We have over-night openings for 12/20, 21, 22 or 23. This old girl is dolled up for the holidays, and we'd love for you to come enjoy the festive decor. We hope to see you before the end of the year, but if not, be sure to come visit us here in America's Hometown in 2008! Blessings to you and yours. Happy Holidays! Judy & Norm

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Seems as if November passed us by...

November 2007...it seems was the fastest month of our lives. Certainly the massive amounts of exterior work we did this year were a factor in time passing quickly here, but we are so glad that our big construction projects and much of our painting is finished. We still have the west and north walls and porch ceiling to paint, but overall we're happy with what we accomplished. Since our painter was missing in action, we did all of our work ourselves this year. We both recognize that we're happy we didn't choose to be painters as a profession, but we'd certainly do a neater job and be more reliable than and ours has been.

On several occasions, we found ourselves saying that we wondered where the year had gone. Then November flew by with warp speed. My how time flies when you're having fun! This has been a wonderful year once again, and we thank our guests for being a part of that. To all whom have stayed with us, and to all who will come in the future, we appreciate you!! Two-thousand seven is close to becoming our best year since we began innkeeping. And...in November, we are thankful for all those who have made it possible. With good numbers in gift certificate sales, our year will be our best since our inception. We're hoping for a great December!! Next month's blog will offer links to information about our Christmas Show in Hannibal. The Shepherd's Tale is a "Must See"!! We have openings on December 19, 20, 21 & 22 only. Give us a call or book online. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Hannibal in October



The photo was taken in 2005 in Riverside Cemetery. Colors rival and exceed this in October. Since October is our busiest month of the year, why not make your reservation now? As promised in an earlier blog, it's soon time for our rates to go up just a bit, to help us offset the 40% increase in our energy expenses over the past 3 years. We have not raised prices for over 4 years, but we knew it would come eventually. If you know you'll be coming in October of next year, make your reservation now and mention that you saw this post. We will book you at 2007 prices! Don't delay. After prices change in April, it will be too late to get the discount.
We'll await your email or call!! Click the following link and Email to: stay@reagansqueenanne.com, or call us toll free: (888)221-1251.

A September to Remember!

September follows suit with August in being our best September in eight years. THANK YOU to all September guests who helped make it possible!! Our hard work and superb occupancy earned us a mini-vacation, and we welcomed the opportunity to take a couple days off in late September. Since Judy is a NASCAR fan, Norm decided that a great birthday gift would be to take her to Kansas Speedway to enjoy the race. We stayed at a wonderful B&B in Leavenworth for 2 nights and attended the race on Sunday. Being in the first row just past the finish line was a superb place to watch, feel and smell the NASCAR experience.

Though our A/C took a nose dive in August, it's all functioning at 100% once again. It's a good thing, considering the extraordinary weather October has offered! Finally, this morning the temps dropped a bit, and it is a beautiful autumn day. We're looking forward to the color of the leaves evolving very soon. Some color is showing now, but by the time our Fall Folklife Festival is in full swing, there should be plenty of vibrant colors to enjoy. Since we have very limited vacancy for weekends in October, don't delay in booking your weekday getaway while you can still enjoy the colorful trees before the leaves drop. If you want to lock in this year's prices for weekends next October (2008), we can certainly book you now for the "Leaf Peeper" season next year. Remember that our Fall Folk Life Festival is the 17th & 18th of October next year.

You can still come to enjoy the festival this year 10/20 & 21, but premier lodging is impossible to find at this late date. Come to Hannibal October 20th or 21st, stop by to make your reservation, and we'll gladly give you a tour of the main level of our Victorian Queen. You truly do deserve to book an October weekday (with year round discounted pricing), drive to Hannibal and enjoy the colorful foliage, tour our quaint town, relax in our Victorian Queen, enjoy a restful slumber, and a delicious breakfast served by Judy and Norm. Maybe your entree du jour will be Judy's well received Apple French Toast with Cider syrup, or our signature Crustless Quiche, or maybe a guest favorite "Queen's French Toast Marmalade".

We currently have limited availability on the 26th & 27th, and some Sundays have good availability as well. Just call to check for open rooms on those days. Again, if you want to enjoy the festival next year, make reservations EARLY, or right now if you prefer!! Just follow the link to our website and book online, or give us a call. Hannibal is a wonderful place to come during autumn. A perfect way to enjoy the autumn blessings of nature, is to travel the roadways leading to the land of Mark Twain, and enjoy the magnificence of the autumn color palate. http://www.reagansqueenanne.com/. We'd love to meet you!

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Oooooops...JINXED!

August began HOT and became even HOTTER...what a month!! And we must have jinxed ourselves, because our main central a/c unit (for guest rooms) bit the dust during the hottest part of the month. We closed 3 of our rooms for over a week, while we waited for a new air handler. We improvised, and put window units in 2 rooms so we were not completely out of business. Thankfully, guests with window units in their rooms, were cool as cucumbers in spite of our sweltering 2nd floor hallway. Not withstanding hot temps and sauna hot empty rooms, plus a "grandma" vacation of almost a week for Judy late in the month, we broke our record for all previous Augusts. We'd like to offer our August guests a great BIG THANK YOU, for our best August in 8 years.

The hummingbirds are absolutely crazy this time of year. The young ones born here this summer are such fun to watch. We have more than a dozen birds at our feeders this year and they are a constant entertainment for those who venture to the veranda. Our spring bedding annuals have seen better days due to the lengthy heat wave, but our mums and hibiscus are filling in the voids nicely. Some of the late impatiens have survived well, and the mandevilla is beautiful as usual. We've also seen a fair share of rain and our grass is once again green.

We've been saying "where has the year gone" for months, but now it's really hitting us. September has arrived and soon the leaves will be blowing around. We're just hoping that the snow holds off for a looooooooong time!! We never look forward to the departure of the hummers, but they too will soon begin to migrate to their winter abodes. Be sure to check out our Autumn page on our homepage. We post local photos from spots around Hannibal and the autumn leaves are stunning. We'd love to accommodate you this autumn. Leaves begin to show color changes in early October. Since October weekends are nearly full, don't delay in reserving your favorite room. Or if you can come during the week, there are plenty of choices, and we discount weekdays year 'round!

We look forward to greeting you at the door of Reagan's Queen Anne.

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Fantastic June!!

First of all, we're thankful for the absolutely perfect weather we've had this summer. It has allowed us to keep our rates the same as they've been for over three years. With rates for energy taking a gigantic Calaveras County Bullfrog leap recently, we're resigned to the fact that it's going to happen eventually so we can keep the boat afloat. We also want to thank all of our wonderful guests who helped to make June our best in eight years.

We have some fantastic news. Hannibal's own, Mark Twain HIMSELF, is running for President in 2008!! Check out his website: www.marktwainforpresident.com. This is the same Mark Twain who entertains our guests on a regular basis during scheduled "Breakfast with Mark Twain Experiences". You may see him soon on CNN news and ABC Family and the Travel Channel!! There is another bit of very exciting news we are itching to share, but we're sworn to secrecy for a bit. We'll let you in on the secret as soon as possible. Let's just say that it will certainly put Hannibal on the map of the USA, when things in the works come to completion.

As mentioned in May, the flowers indeed are blooming and have added to the serenity of the veranda and back yard. Our front and side yard is in stages of redesign. Judy is anxious to see it to completion as soon as possible and works every chance she gets a bit of time off from the inside duties. The mosquitoes are wicked this year!! We're heavily supplied with Citronella candles, so don't worry about enjoying the veranda in the early afternoon and evening. We'll take care of you! With the mini drought, our pretty green grass has been fading, so this is the perfect time to rework the ground for more perennials and ground cover. Now the chore will be to keep them watered and protected from the summer heat, which arrived "on time" today-July Fourth, just in time for the prime activities Hannibal celebrates each year as we host National Tom Sawyer Days.

It truly felt like summer today!! YES! We have three central a/c units to keep this 5200 sq foot mansion cool in the summer. We hope to meet you in the future! Give us a call to schedule your stay.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

It's the last day of MAY!!

It is amazing that May is ready to come to a close. Summer is on our doorstep and we find ourselves wondering what happened to spring. We've had an eventful month busy with guests, outdoor projects and visits with family. The hibiscus plants have finally been moved outside and are setting dozens of buds. It won't be long and they'll be popping with color. Bedding plants are flourishing and the grass is the most beautiful green. One of the best things about May is that our resident hummingbirds are back in full force. We've counted 10 and there are likely many more. We're anxious to see the babies begin to stop by to quench their thirst next month. Now if I can just keep that pesky fox squirrel out of my newly repotted plants!! If it's not raccoons getting into mischief...it's squirrels who wreak havoc in our yard. I think I've fixed foxy however. Today I put pepper seeds in some of the pots he seems to "dig". There is plenty of ground in the neighborhood for him to bury nuts, without using my flower pots!

We thoroughly enjoyed a visit this month from sons Bill and Tim. Bill's girlfriend Amy came with him, and we loved meeting her. Tim and his wife Kathy and our grand-daughter Kaylie made the time fun. There's never a dull moment when a 1 yr old is in the house. It was a great combination of Mother's Day and my birthday, especially since I'd rather forget that another year has passed. The kids helped take my mind off any unpleasantries relating to age!

Hannibal will be in full swing with the onset of June. Give us a call and reserve your room. Weekends especially, are filling fast right now. We look forward to hearing from you!!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

What?? April FREEZE??!!!

Well I suppose we should be prepared for this (living in the midwest), but in spite of that fact we were shocked to have far too many nights in April with wind chills in the teens to single digits. Some late April Fool that was! Only it wasn't foolery...but actually happened!! With all the warm weather in March, our cherry tree had just set blooms along with tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. Some of our hostas had reached 8 inches tall. The flowers survived and lifted their sagging heads, but the hard freeze was not kind to the hostas which were turned to mush. We're hopeful that they will rebound. Most flowering bushes and trees were also "zapped". They'll fully recover, but we missed out on the pretty blooms this year. The good news is that our cherry tree is now in full bloom, so we're hopeful that only a few buds were damaged. We certainly enjoy the tart cherries in the summer and fall and use them in several breakfast recipes.

We're finally back to our painting outside, however we're doing it ourselves once again. Our painter left in November (yes, it was warm enough to paint then), and has not contacted us to schedule his return as yet. The pond and waterfall work began but came to a halt when the weather turned frigid. Boy am I looking forward to finishing cleaning out that waterfall! I just wish it wasn't such a nasty job, but it will be so nice when it becomes a little babbling brook once again. The fish are huge and very hungry. Be sure to visit them when you stay with us. Soon, soon....our hummingbirds will be back and I'm anxious to see the first one! I set the feeders out this week for the transients who are heading further north.

Our weather is warming again, Hannibal has awakened from winter and is set to welcome you. Give us a call or book your visit online. Don't forget to check our Last Minute Specials, and remember that Reagan's Queen Anne is the only B&B in Hannibal where Mark Twain comes to share breakfast time with overnight guests! Hope to see you soon!!

Friday, March 09, 2007

We Heard the Roar with the Arrival of March

Weather has been the story here in the beginning of March. I guess we were due. Last year we were greeted with the "Lamb". Yes, our March began with the proverbial Lion this year. We're hoping for a calmer spring and have noticed the tips of tulips and daffs popping their heads already. Soon it will be time to be outside working the grounds, to get ready for the the best time of year in my book. I LOVE SPRING!!

We're feeling the excitement of the emergence of Spring, and since we have some "Irish" connections with the O'Reagan family, we're offering our guests a little "pot of gold" at the end of their rainbows. Just check the homepage for the "Lucky Discount" during the month of March. Keep in mind that March rates are the lowest of the year and we're adding a St Patrick's discount on top of that. We promise the same accommodations, hospitality and breakfasts offered at our regular rates. Just make your reservation in March for a date in March and you'll receive your own "pot of gold", compliments of Reagan's Queen Anne. Click here and scroll down a bit: http://www.reagansqueenanne.com.

Happy St Patrick's Day!!

February has Quickly Come and Gone ~~

February 2007 is history. We finished our final inside winter project and now the Riverview & Rose and Wilson's Chambers have a new look to the bathroom. Though I loved the wallpaper, it had to go, due to the lack of adhesion qualities on the part of the 100 yr old plaster. We tried numerous "fixes" but nothing seemed to work. I was about to apply "Liquid Nails", but that would have obviously been a ridiculous remedy. It looks nice with the paint which matches the Riverview & Rose room, and we won't have to worry about paper rolling or peeling any longer.

To all of our February guests~Thank you for braving the cold, wind, ice and snow, thus making February one of our top four!

So long February...until next year! We won't miss the frigid temps, ice and snow!! We're looking forward to getting out of the winter doldrums.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Two thousand seven arrives with a smile...

We hope your holidays were everything you hoped they would be. We spent a quiet Christmas with anticipation of a visit from our Daughter-in-law, her Mother, and our grand-daughter. What a delightful time! Norm was able to experience being a grandparent for the first time and he LOVES it!! Kaylie is a joy. Since Air Force son Tim is deployed until next month, we were able to spend time with our daughter-in-law, grand-baby and pets. We thoroughly enjoyed their company, and were glad to give her a hand with the "clan" while Tim is away.









~~Grandpa & Grandma & our jewel~~
As always, January has been fairly quiet regarding occupancy. So...as usual for this time of year, we're working on renovation projects. We've painted and worked on several jobs inside, but as usual there is a never-ending list of more waiting in the wings. We're thankful for the time to be able to "spruce things up", but don't let that discourage you from coming. Our guest rooms are always ready for guests. Give us a call or book online and take advantage of our generously discounted "Quiet Season" rates. We await your call.