Home Sweet Inn
Posted on: Wed, 10/08/2008 - 9:56pm
Original Topic
OfflineHello! At last, I have found the innkeeper's forum I have been looking for 
My wife and I have had a contract on a local B&B for about a month now, contingent on the sale of our home. I know, terrible time to be selling but pretty good time to buy! This will be her business. She has been a wallpaper hanger for 30 years and we have been looking to get her off the ladder for some time now. I'll keep my job and now I have a second job.....
I can not say a lot at this time as the current owner has asked us not to go public quite yet, but I really look forward to spilling the beans soon and hopefully our house will sell, whew is this stressful.
Your forum has everything I have been looking for. I drive a desk and am a member of several hobby forums so know a bit about forum-speak 
Kids are done with college, no mid-life crisis for us - it's a midlife re-invention. We are really looking forward to this, now someone buy our house!
r
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Here is hoping all jells soon for you. Welcome to the Forum.
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Happy in my Hills
Good luck and welcome
Just remember that it is your job too with your dw even though you'll still have that other job. Today my dh forgot that little tidbit and I was ready to throttle him. He was tired as he had gotten up early for a special project at work. I was up just as early and on my feet most of the day. He's tucked in & I'm up waiting for late arriving guests who have had a hideous travel day. See how it can go??
Keep us posted on your progress
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Rollin' on the River ~~~~
Mid-life reinvention. Perfect. Can't wait to hear where you are and all the news! Good luck with the sale.
Cool. You guys are quick
The topics here address every thing we have been wondering about. Fantastic reading!
I really wish I could be full-time assistant innkeeper but we need that second income to fund the remodel we would like to do. I am totally into this adventure and really looking forward to coming home at night! We are west of the Mississippi with 8 rooms......
Thanks for the welcome!
r
After being on a ladder, making beds and doing laundry should be a breeze, right? (It's all the rest of that stuff you've got to watch out for...)
We're glad you're here.
=)
Kk.
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College House Bed and Breakfast, Ashland, OH
Welcome rrh. Glad you found us and glad you think we have been a help already...it only gets better from here LOL
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Inngenious Bed and Breakfast Website Design Advice
Welcome from another new innkeeper...keep the faith and things will work out!
Mary Jo
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Aska Lodge B&B, Blue Ridge, GA
welcome, rrh - we look forward to hearing all about your new adventure! My husband "graduated" from his fed job just over a year ago and we haven't looked back since!!! Enjoy!
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"A wonderful old home in a charming old town"
Welcome! I love your term mid-life reinvention. Very clever!!
Welcome and good luck. Stick around here and you'll get an earful of help and conversation.
Welcome r
I like your attitude! That is half the battle in life. We look forward to hearing more of your venture.
Tomorrow night we are attending the economic council fund raiser so we can meet our new (hopefully) business neighbors and we are going to let them know who we are, so although not officially public, here is a pic of the front
OMG! That place was on my "short list"! (I've entered into the information-gathering, due-diligence phase on another property, though.)
Beautiful property, and definitely something to be excited about.
That's funny ... small World.
OMG! That place was on my "short list"! (I've entered into the information-gathering, due-diligence phase on another property, though.)
Beautiful property, and definitely something to be excited about.
It's a great property, and thanks to all for the compliments
IronGate, are you still looking in CO?
r
OMG! That place was on my "short list"! (I've entered into the information-gathering, due-diligence phase on another property, though.)
Beautiful property, and definitely something to be excited about.
It's a great property, and thanks to all for the compliments
IronGate, are you still looking in CO?
r
It depends on what happens with the property I am looking at now, which is "back east". Being in CO, especially the area where you are, makes tremendous sense since my rooms will all be inspired by my great-grandparents, all of whom lived near where you are setting up shop.
Wow, do I know you? My great-grandparents homesteaded about 70 miles to the east on the plains! I have a bunch of stuff from the family farm that will be used to decorate if we can make this happen! I have lived in site of Pikes Peak my whole life! DW has a bunch of her family heirlooms from MI we will use as well.
I think it's safe to say that this is the Avenue Inn, Manitou Springs, Colorado. Man it feels good to come out and say that. We have been lurking in Manitou for weeks, eating at all the restaurants, going in all the shops, they had an art walk last weekend we checked out but we could never say who we were! DW bought a new evening dress and shoes today for the big economic council Taste of Manitou fund raiser tomorrow night where we get to announce who we are. This is exciting! There is a showing of our house tomorrow morning - please buy!!!
r
Wow, do I know you? My great-grandparents homesteaded about 70 miles to the east on the plains! I have a bunch of stuff from the family farm that will be used to decorate if we can make this happen! I have lived in site of Pikes Peak my whole life! DW has a bunch of her family heirlooms from MI we will use as well.
I think it's safe to say that this is the Avenue Inn, Manitou Springs, Colorado. Man it feels good to come out and say that. We have been lurking in Manitou for weeks, eating at all the restaurants, going in all the shops, they had an art walk last weekend we checked out but we could never say who we were! DW bought a new evening dress and shoes today for the big economic council Taste of Manitou fund raiser tomorrow night where we get to announce who we are. This is exciting! There is a showing of our house tomorrow morning - please buy!!!
r
Good Vibes are coming from me for the sale of your house!!!
Is your house in the same town as the B&B?
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It's Never too Late to be Who You Might have Been
- George Eliot
Thanks for the vibes
Our house is only about 15 minutes from the B&B. It's very convienent for this whole process. The dw has been able to go up and "work" on slow days to get a feel for the operation and has helped out on the weekends when the owner asked for help. So far everything has fallen into place nicely, we just need that buyer fro our place 
Two of my great-grandparents homesteaded and farmed near Calhan. They retired and moved to the Springs after all their children had gone off on their own adventures. Their "city" house is now a store of some kind. The other ancestors made their way to the Springs from Indiana and South Carolina -- some for the adventure of the "wild west" and some because of the health benefits.
Our homestead was 30 miles south of Yoder, 17 miles north of Boone. Pueblo was closer than the Springs so they drifted that way while I was drawn to the Springs. Our families came from Kentucky ( farmers) and St Louis, MO (street car conductor). Guess who fared better in the "wilderness".....I have a couple of awesome conductor's watches
Not to butt in here, however...
My daughter and her new husband live and work in Pueblo, and we have a time-share up in Breckenridge.
Welcom to the forum! DW and I just opened our place in July and believe me, there is so much to learn from everyone here on the forum. They are kind, considerate and sharing people.
Good luck with the sale of your home!
Thanks. I spent a lot of time in Pueblo in my younger years and have carved a turn or two up at Breck
In a prior life, I worked with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to put a really bad doctor away in Pueblo
Have skiied most of the Colorado slopes when I was younger too. I liked Breckenridge when it was just a cool mountain town with a ski slope.
Redbirds, big snow in Breck this past weekend. Everyone is excited, and they open tomorrow on "real" snow. Breck is my favorite.
Where is your place? Email me offline if you'd prefer to not reveal it here.
IronGate -
I sent you an email just now revealing the whereabouts of my getaway!
They are kind, considerate and sharing people.
Mostly. Some of us a a devilish streak though.
But it's all in fun.
As the rear-end of this horse costume, I can attest that my wife does the lion's share of the actual B&B operations. That being said, I am the resident grounds keeper, greeter, fix-it man, bathroom scrubber, bookkeeper and coffee server. Unless you can afford hired help, you WILL have to help to make it a successful business.
Two mornings in a row dh was not here... his day job made him work this weekend! Argh!! And all he does is make the coffee, so piece of cake, right? Wrong! It was AWFUL! I was MISERABLE! He makes the coffee... and pours drinks, helps set table, herds kids, takes food out, chats up guests, and whatever other thing I need.
Yesterday I'm trying to make my Egg Blossoms (phyllo dough... work fast) and my TB (Talcum Bombers) call me from their cell phone to say they needed a bandaid and talcum powder. (Oh no! Now it's my talcum powder they're bombing me with!) Sent a boy up with a Spiderman bandaid and directions to go get the baby powder. "Why does he need it?" "I don't know, just get it for him, would you?" Well, one bandaid was not enough, so a trip to the basement to get the box. Then they needed scissors. Meanwhile TB bachelor son comes down and is chatty. I manage to convince him that people may be sleeping and to go away. Father didn't sleep well as he forgot the power cord for his breathing machine and is stressed about getting a replacement. Son insists they just need to go to Radio Shack, so where's the phone book? Where IS the phone book? Downstairs (both copies). Why isn't the phone working? By the second breakfast sitting they were on their way... except they needed tape for his handicap rearview mirror hanger. And where was dh? At work!
Then this morning I'm all set for breakfast... no, I need one key ingredient (spinach). If dh was here, pop in the car, run down the street, we'd still be on time. No dh. Both boys up, more or less dressed (Spiderman jammies is dressed enough at this point), shoes, jackets... car won't start and needs a jump. TB Father (son doesn't drive) is willing to let me drive, but I'm not listed on the rental agreement... Finally solved the problem by checking with the other guests about a delayed breakfast (fine) and using his van to jump my car (worked fine) and hauling the boys to the store with me where I bought a HUGE amount of spinach (might as well stock up...).
In the end, all was fine, but I sure missed having dh here. I do OK with a lot of stress, but I need him here to keep me from going too far past my comfort level. What seems like not much help is absolutely HUGE and precious.
=)
Kk.
That's why I stick to easy recipes (FT) when hubs is out of town! And ALWAYS check the kitchen for supplies the night before (as we shop everyday that's a given anyway).
That's why I stick to easy recipes (FT) when hubs is out of town! And ALWAYS check the kitchen for supplies the night before (as we shop everyday that's a given anyway).
When we visited an inn-mate and her hubby calls on his way home from work to see if she needed him to stop for anything my mouth dropped. Even tho, apparently the brand or item will not be the specific one she asks for. My dh has never been one to do that, ever. I go late at night for items at the grocery store. I need to remind him of this. In 20 years he has gone to get milk or eggs like maybe three times!
If he even goes to the store for something he needs - he is unwilling to grab a dozen eggs or milk. He is really bad about that.
In the end, all was fine, but I sure missed having dh here. I do OK with a lot of stress, but I need him here to keep me from going too far past my comfort level. What seems like not much help is absolutely HUGE and precious.
=)
Kk.
Yeah try serving a full house with kids getting ready for school. Getting their cereal, making lunch, chores. Now there is a fun morning. That is basically my entire month of October - we get guests throughout the week. It is a real struggle.
Then to have someone call during berakfast or making breakfast (I have to answer in case it is for guests) and want to come and see the rooms - the fairies! That is what we have here - cleaning fairies. When guests check out at 11am I am still cleaning up breakfast! I have not stripped a room or even turns off the gazillion lights and fans they have left running upstairs. The dog is about 10 lbs heavier as I haven't let her out.
DH will make sure the first run of coffee is done and out there before he leaves, but with a full house it is ongoing coffee making.
I am happy to be in November and survived it.
Yes, Saturday I finished cleaning the kitchen around 3... then still needed to go grocery shopping. Never did make cookies. Oh well.
=)
Kk.
Yes we survived October as well. We didn't have so many guests during the week, but had wine tours every weekend with guests (some touring with us, some not) and guests every weekend.
This weekend we have tours but no guests yet - may have our second weekend off this year! But we get alot of last minute bookings these days. This past weekend was booked but I was getting calls all week up to Saturday asking for a room.
Do any of you in destination areas drop the two night minimum after Thanksgiving? I hate to do so since we don't have help and so can't always change the rooms on Saturday before leaving for a wine tour.
Riki
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Riki Goodell
Arcady Vineyard Bed & Breakfast
Arcady Vineyard Wine Tours
www.arcadyvineyard.com
Come! Let us show you the beautiful Monticello Appellation!
In your destination location...I would NOT drop my 2 night weekend minimum. However if you get to Friday and someone calls you and you have the room you may consider taking a one nighter..but I would not change my policies for this. Play it by ear.
That's what I thought. I don't think the others drop it but I'm not sure about January..I do plan to take one nighters if I don't have any bookings by Thursday, especially if they keep calling during the week. But we could use a weekend off to do some checking on the new microbrewery which should be opening soon. That gives us a microbrewery tour now as well as the wine tours!
Chris just has an aversion to anyone checking in on a Saturday when we are not back yet from wine tours. But I have a new lady who is interested in inn sitting for that. I pay a minimum of three hours whether they are there the whole time or not and they answer the phone and check in guests while we are out touring.
RIki
We looked at a place to buy in Cascade about 7 years ago maybe. That is a beautiful area that you will be in. Best of luck and welcome!
We lived in Denver for 8 years. In fact, our son is a native Coloradoan 
We were initailly looking at the Outlook in Green Mountain Falls, just up the road from Cascade. DW worked in the place a lot last winter hanging a ton of fancy wallpaper in there as part of a huge restoration project. The realtor we were working with asks us why we would want to buy her work when she had another one that needed her love and attention and could turn out as wonderful as the Outlook did. Well, we had to agree! Here are some pics of her work at the Outlook.
Wow!
That's gorgeous!
(And a million times better than my one and only wallpaper job...)
=)
Kk.
Impressive. We actually looked at that place too...it did not look anything like that when we looked at it.
Beautiful!!!
Are we to guess which state? Go ahead, taunt us. We might surprise you! This way you don't have to give it all away at once, since it is not a done deal as of yet.
Let's see my guess will be looking at the color scheme and type of house it is -
Oregon
not that far west...
Idaho
warm
Montana?
maybe 1º warmer
North Dakota?
I am moving east by inches
Very neat looking place! What is the light color, blue or gray?
The trim is cream and the gable is light blue. It needs paint and we may change it a bit when we do paint it. We are in a historic district and will have to get official okey-dokey first.
ND is colder....
CO