Todays fishing report (?) may only be of interest to female guest anglers. They are becoming far more important at TRM. Men are starting to learn our relegated place in decision making at TRM. We are simply ignored. Evidence follows…
After holding a lady anglers weekend recently I have been dominated and pestered ever since, to cater more for delicate feminine tastes instead of just for male fishos. Naturally, the latter only want to know what level the river is flowing at and which fly to scare the trout with or where the fishing action has been (You should’ve been here on Thursday). They never notice minor items like interior “decor”. Understandably, they have different priorities. So you may not be surprised that we have discovered over many years, when it comes to choosing any motel unit, male fishos could not care less about the type and pattern and colours of bedspreads…(unless it featured trout?) All that mattered was that they were warm and
Every year TRM has a spring cleaning programme to completely do over every unit and scrub and polish everything that might have been missed during usual services. Every year they blow the budget to replace items that might have passed their used-by date, so I try to keep a lid on their wish lists. This year the staff complained again about the out-of-date bedspreads.
The friendly old covers have been on the beds for so many years we had become so accustomed to them and hardly noticed how obsolete they were? I always defended the tight budget by suggesting TRM decor had to maintain the appropriate 1960’s style, true to when the motel was built. I claimed our fisho guests preferred constant continuity over many years. But this time I was out-voted by the team. BOF comes to mind…?
So last Saturday SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed is the omnipotent manager of everything except fishing at TRM) guided by Assistant Manager (See – I really am redundant) Flora, deserted me in the laundry and went off to Toe-paw. They were supposed to check to see what was available, to compare prices, etc. before seeking my reluctant permission to decide if any replacement might be affordable. Assistant manager Flora must have been keeping a watchful eye on weekend specials and informing SWMBO. I should have known better… But I now have to admit the $ savings were quite remarkable – even for men to decide on…
For TRM inmates, perhaps the most interesting aspect of this exercise was to compare $ viability of on-line shopping to traditional retail. Everywhere in the world shopping patterns has been changing to on-line buying. Historic town centre strip shopping have been closing. We are super aware of that trend with so many vacant shops in Turangi. But if you want to keep your local traditional retail shops occupied then they need more support and should be given every chance to match any on-line offers. After all, everything comes from the same source – China. Similar to all other tourist accommodation, TRM receives a flood of glossy brochures from specialist suppliers with their bargains i.e. The top offering was from Gilmac offering 30% off bedding until the end of November. So this was an interesting $ savings comparison exercise.
Instead of preparing a schedule of comparable prices for Head Office approval (?), SWMBO and Flora returned grinning like two cats who had pinched all the cream. The car was loaded up to the roof with about thirty sets of bed covers. They were buzzing as only women can when they have spent all my money. Initially, they confessed they were almost discouraged by disinterested staff but were saved by a Briscoes lady (named Sapna ?) who eventually advised them. She could not have been more helpful. If you are looking for bedding bargains, TRM strongly recommends her. If you prefer investing in a new rod, do not let your wife/partner anywhere near Briscoes. OK?
Before they left, the only sensible decision I bravely offered was to choose one single pattern for the entire motel. Common sense? Then every unit would match and all exchangeable and easier to replace. Of course they wisely ignored me. TRM’s interior fashion consultants team chose a range of patterns to give each unit a different character. You decide…
If you would like to invest in complete sets of rare 1960’s period art deco bedspreads – which may now qualify as antique