04/01/2026
April 1, 2026: After 36 years of serving the public, I have decided to retire and close my small, home-based lodging business. Here is my story, along with my words of appreciation.
In 1989, I took a risk when I spent $1,000 to convert a great room into a housekeeping suite. I was a single mother, my three sons were 10, 15 and 17, and I was still teaching elementary school at Margaret Chase Smith School in Skowhegan. After thirty years, I retired from teaching and was working part time as a Parent Education Professional at the Somerset County Cooperative Extension. It was in 2002 that I decided to put an addition on my house in order to make room for another housekeeping suite, larger than the original great room addition. When I embarked on this endeavor, I never expected to be running the business into my seventies!
It's been a long, interesting journey of meeting countless people from all over the country and abroad, including travelers from India, Thailand, Spain, Great Britain and Ghana. Our Canadian neighbors passing through Central Maine would stay here... often on their way back and forth to Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, or Nova Scotia from Ontario or on their way to Old Orchard Beach from Quebec. My black Guest Book is full of names and addresses and memories for me. Thank you to everyone who stayed here and returned over the years as if you were coming back home. Your connections and friendships have enriched my life and opened my heart and mind to so many people from all walks of life. I have a greater understanding of and have empathy for people of diversity and from different cultures and countries...and years later, I have still maintained contact with a number of you.
Joining the Maine Publicity Bureau and the Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce gave me a jumpstart when I was listed in their annual publications and had my brochures displayed at their offices.
Networking works! Establishing connections with local businesses was a key to success. We would send one another tourists and visitors to the area... solo travelers, couples and families who were seeking accommodations when we had no vacancies or were closed for the season. It has been a friendly collaboration that I have always appreciated. Thank you to those who maintained that friendly business contact for decades.
That local business connection began in 1989 when The Brick Farm B & B decided to close and owners Jim and Corrilla Hastings referred all their guests to me. Over the years, my contacts included Helen's B & B with Helen and I sending people to one another whenever one of us was full. Becky at the Colony House B & B at Lakewood and I established a connection that benefited both of us. My heartfelt appreciation I extend to Nancy and Dennis Willette at Breezy Acres, Ray Hern at the Belmont Motel, Sally and Roger Poulin at The Towne Motel, and Dana Kyes and his mother, Della Kyes, at the Kyes Motel for their encouragement and willingness to stay connected for mutual support. When I had no vacancies, I would refer guests to them and vice versa.
A special thank you to the following: Nyla Bowman York, a nurse (working at RFGH), who stayed here with her sons (who all three felt like family) for about five months during the first year I was open, Skowhegan High School teacher Ed Wynn who lived here for a school year, Berlin, NH teacher, Jim Martin, a long-time friend and frequent guest who helped with many carpentry projects (including building my three-season porch over my deck!), Dr. Anthony VanDyk who stay here for a year and a half until his family moved from Massachusetts and they bought a house, Lavina Freeman who lived here for six years when she was an administrator working for Cianbro at SAPPI until she was transferred, Dr. Greg Gallant at the Margaret Chase Smith Library for housing college students here, and Pat Lord who worked for the University of New England and needed accommodations for medical students. Also, much appreciated connections have been Barbara Belliveau at Madison Area Health Center, Richard Willette at Redington Fairview General Hospital, Susan Hoyt at Cedar Ridge Nursing Home and Rehabilitation for housing their doctors, nurses, therapists and a Laboratory Administrator here at Country Cottage Lodging. As far as I know, many of these administrators listed are now retired.
With my heartfelt appreciation to all!
Mary Cayford, Your Lodging Keeper
Country Cottage Lodging
April 1, 2026
