There have been times in the past when Dave and I have fantacized about opening a B&B in the mountains. We imagined it would be a quiet life, welcoming travelers to our home, offering an oasis of peace and serenity from the world.
Well, that part of the deal is rewarding as well as a lot of fun. The flip-side is that there is also a great deal of work involved! This past Thanksgiving weekend provides a case in point.
Because we are beginning new traditions in our new home, we invited Maggie’s boyfriend, Jan’s family to join us in our Thanksgiving celebration. Invitations accepted, menus determined and the “who’s bring what” negotiated, our guests arrived last Wednesday evening. There were Jan’s parents; Arwed and Teresa, his sister, Isolde, Maggie and Jan and their two cats; Rupert and Ivan. Total in the household – seven adults, four cats.
The holiday celebration was awesome. The weather was unexpectedly warm. We spent most of Thanksgiving Day sitting in the backyard listening to the birds and watching Izzie and Rupert explore. Rupert discovered tree climbing in a big way. Izzie was just delighted to have a playmate to share the outdoors with.
The relaxed atmosphere took me a bit off course in terms of meal planning so we ate dinner several hours later than planned. In retrospect, I am happy to report that instead of spending hours in the kitchen to produce a perfect meal, I spent a relaxing day with family and friends and produced an acceptable meal. The nourishment of the soul was so much more rewarding.
That evening we built a fire in the yard and sat around it, watching it blaze, our stomachs pleasantly full. When the fire died down, we retreated to the family room where we huddled around the TV, the modern “fire” and watched a very odd movie. It was all very cozy, the way Thanksgiving evening should be.
The rest of the weekend followed in step. We were all very relaxed with each other and enjoyed the absence of any type of schedule or itinerary.
So you’re wondering, where’s the work? It sounds like a vacation, doesn’t it?
Well, it is if you’re not the person responsible for making the coffee, taking out the trash, cooking, loading and unloading the dishwasher and keeping the bathrooms stocked with TP. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t that bad, but it was work. Then there are the mountains of sheets and towels to wash and beds to remake. The truth be told, although I enjoy a clean home, I don’t really enjoy cleaning my home – at least not to the level I like it to be when guests arrive.
So, I guess I’m going to scratch the whole B&B idea off my list – at least owning one. I would love to do some travelling and stay at one, or two….
Oh, there goes the buzzer on the dryer, gotta go!