Writing at Downton Abbey

For the two days I spent packing for this six-week residency, snow fell across North Carolina where I live and South Carolina where the Rensing Center is located. My partner and my parents were very concerned about the safety of the roads. Not only was the snow much deeper than usually seen in these areas, Southern states generally aren't as prepared to deal with heavy accumulations. They don't have enough plows to keep up with the weather, and main roads can  remain covered in slush that freezes overnight for days.
I of course assured my parents that I would be very cautious about when I left. Ellen, the center's administrator, kept me updated on local conditions by email. Weather apps, weather websites and national newspapers kept me in the loop about the storm's effects. My plan was to leave the moment things seemed clear....and if possible, to arrive on the date and at the time I had sent Ellen.
My partner was worried that I was too focused on the commitment I had made with the date. He urged me several times to put off my arrival by a day or even two just to be sure that the rural roads in South Carolina would be safe.
We had just finished binge watching the first three seasons of Downton Abbey on Netflix. The third time he asked if I would delay my arrival, I asked, "Do you remember that, every time a visitor is due to arrive at Downton Abbey, the entire staff goes into a frenzy getting things ready?"
He thought about that then nodded, unsure where I was going.
The house staff, I reminded him, freshen the bed linens and scour the fireplaces and clean the room. The butler polishes the silver, the cook orders special food and creates a special menu, a valet and maid must be assigned to each visitor. And then when the carriage or car pulls into the grand round driveway, the entire staff turns out to greet the visitors.
That, I told him, was happening at the Rensing Center. Ellen, her volunteer staff, the artists who came on the work program, and Friends of the Rensing Center were all making preparations for the next round of artists. By doing the best I could to arrive when I was expected, I honored the hard work and extra effort those preparations required.
The accommodations here are part of the draw. The artists were even encouraged to cut some of the lovely camellias on the property to liven up their studios and living spaces. (Camellia flowers, by the way, stand for perfection and excellence.) In the end, an important part of the Rensing Center's appeal is that it is accommodating.