July 11th, 1927 ~

Things are peaceful at the hotel today. We don't have guests departing or arriving, but we are seven rooms full. It's nice like this, not too crowded. It give us the time for some tidying and resting up a bit. And everyone staying is very quiet and relaxed.

Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for our house last night. Around half past two this morning, Anna was taking one of her many nightly treks to the bathroom, when I heard her scream my name followed by "BAT!"

Anna and I have always been plagued by bats, whether here or at the cottage. It comes from having the upstairs windows open after dark, and last night was particularly stifling, so we opened them. The result of which was our late night visitor.

We're not really afraid of bats but it is rather jarring to have one buzz past you in the darkness. Anna has always been concerned about one getting tangled in her hair. I have my doubts that ever really happens, but there it is…I can't convince her otherwise.

Over the years I've developed a sure-fire way of getting rid of them without injury to either human or bat. They're only frightened and trying to get out of the house, after all. So I sat quietly on a chair in the corner and waited for it to fly into the bedroom. Sure enough the little bat came careening in, and sensing the breeze from the window, flew out to freedom.

I hollered for Anna that it was safe to come out from wherever she was hiding - the closet at the end of the hallway in this case. The whole thing only took about ten minutes, but it was enough to disrupt the entire night and I have been up ever since. So a quiet and serene day suits me fine.

Later this afternoon I'm getting together with Mr Grant to see the plans he's drawn up for the gazebo in our garden. He's our local handyman. His son and nephew help him with his little business and I think it's only right to hire someone from our village to do the job.

And then tomorrow I have another council meeting. They want me to bring along The Amazing Remo, our resident magician and mystery man, so they can approve his act for the bazaar. I think we're very lucky to get him, but I do wonder what his story is.

I stopped by the bookstore and bought a new book for William. Gulliver's Travels, one of my favourite childhood stories. My mother used to read it to me before bed and I thought it would be nice to do the same with my son. As soon as I gave him the book, the lad could hardly contain his excitement. I reckon he's going to be a reader, just like his mum and dad. So, tonight we're going to start it and I am really hoping he loves it as much as I did. It will remind me of my boyhood days….

~ John Bates

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I'm waiting for John to arrive home for dinner. It's so nice when he comes home early. I have a shepherd's pie in the oven, which I know he loves, and I baked an orange pound cake for dessert, using his mother's recipe. William helped me, of course, and I must say, the time he spends with Archie in the kitchen has indeed proved to be productive. He knows the measurements and that he should always stir clockwise. How impressive! Maybe he will be a chef one day, who knows.

John had an appointment to talk with Mr Grant about the gazebo for our garden this afternoon. I haven't seen him since then and I'm so excited to see what they came up with and when he can start.

And I see he mentioned the bat, didn't he? UGH! I was walking, half asleep down the dark hallway when it flew past my head. I threw my hands over my hair and dove for the nearest door, which happened to be a closet, where I remained for the duration. I can't take many more frights like that, not in my condition. All windows will remain shut at night.

I must say, I'm rather excited about Gulliver's Travels. I never read it before, thinking it was more of a boy's book, but I live with two boys and soon maybe two more. It's about time I learned about Mr. Gulliver and his Travels, I think. It will be a lovely bedtime story for all of us. I might pop some popcorn.

Oh! John has just arrived home. I need to get dinner on the table..

~ Anna Bates.

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William held the book against his chest as he waited, rather impatiently, for his father on his parent's bed. John was still washing up in the bathroom and Anna was brushing her hair at the vanity table, watching through the mirror the excitement on her son's face.

'Mummy, can we read it now?' the boy asked, tightening his grip around his precious book. 'I want to read it now!'

'Be patient, darling, your father will be out in a minute,' Anna smiled through the mirror.

William nodded, looking down at the drawing on the cover of a giant tied down and surrounded by little people. He was so excited about the new story, and his eyes danced with curiosity as he tried his best to read the title of the book. 'Gulliver's Travels' the boy whispered. His father had already told him what those letters said, but nevertheless, he liked to pretend he could read them himself. 'Does Gulliver travel to America? Or to China? Where does he travel to, Mummy?'

'I don't know Will, it's a new story to me too. We'll have to wait and see,' Anna said chuckling. She rose from her chair and walked towards the boy. 'While you wait for your father, I'm going to the kitchen, alright?' she kissed his blonde hair and the boy smiled up at her.

'Daddy! Come on! Let's read this!' William called to his father just as John came out of the bathroom, his hair still damp.

'Alright, alright, little man. I am coming now.' He sat down on the bed, next to his son and took the book in his hands. 'Where's Mummy?'

'She went to the kitchen, I think you took so long it made her hungry.'

'I am sure it did,' John grinned at his son's words, and a moment later Anna came into the room with a big, blue bowl in her hands with a delicious smell emanating from it.

'Buttered popcorn!' she announced, winking. 'Just for me.'

'Me too, Mummy!' William's eyes were wide as soon as he saw his mother placing the bowl on the bed.

'Only if you promise not to make a mess,' she told him, petting his head.

'I promise! Daddy shouldn't eat any though, else he'll growl like a bear when he sleeps.'

John knew William was speaking of his snoring. 'I do not growl like a bear,' he said, looking up at Anna for an answer, pretending to appear offended by the accusation.

'When you eat before bed you do,' Anna replied, giggling at his expression. 'But then, you will be reading, so you can't be eating.'

'That's not fair at all. I'll go on strike then,' he teased.

'It's alright, Mummy, let Daddy eat it too. If he growls too loud he can sleep downstairs.'

Anna and John laughed at their son, before taking their place in the bed. William in the middle, holding the bowl of popcorn between his legs and his parents at each side. John started reading in his low, hypnotic voice as Anna and William listened and enjoyed the buttery popcorn.

'Hey, Mr Bates!? That's you daddy.' William interrupted his father.

'Maybe my great, great, great grandfather yes…' John said and the boy rested his head against his father's arm.

'When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my father: whereby the assistance of him and my uncle John, and some other relations, I got forty pounds, and a promise of thirty pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden: there I studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it would be useful on long voyages.'

'Are you chewing on unpopped kernels? William your teeth!' Anna took a hard kernel from the boy's mouth.

'I like to chew on it.'

She rolled her eyes and John continued reading with a smile on his face. Soon, an eager silence fell between them, as Anna and William's attention was focused solely on John's steady voice. John pulled Will closer and wrapped his arm around his slim shoulders and Anna scooched down deeper into her pillow. With each passage, the boy's curiosity increased, as did his mother's drowsiness, and before John could make it just over halfway through the first chapter, Anna began to softly snore.

'Daddy, Mummy's growling,' William cupped his hand around his mouth and whispered conspiratorially.

John nodded his head, smiling. 'Shhh…I know, son. Let her be. Mummy didn't sleep well last night.'

'Because of the bat?'

His father nodded.

Will thought for a minute and continued quietly, 'But she'll miss the story.'

John looked over at his sleeping wife before reaching down to the foot of the bed and pulling the quilt up over her. 'Don't worry, son. I'll catch her up.' John kissed Will on the top of his head and resumed his reading.