When did the rose colored glasses come off? What event triggered the 'what have I done response?'

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Morticia

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We didn't really go into this the way many innkeepers do. We looked at it as a job we would do, not a lifestyle we would live. Good thing, because the lifestyle part of it didn't work out. I'd have to say the rose colored glasses came off after the first weekend.
We had a full house and all beds were slept in, multiple turnovers. I faced about 22 sets of sheets that needed to be ironed. I didn't have an iron or an ironing board, everything was still in storage. I actually burst into tears and went next door to the only other innkeepers I knew and asked where was there a laundry that would iron sheets? Nowhere. As it turns out I did convince one laundry 20 miles away to wash and iron everything for me. I had to deliver and pick up but it was worth it.
It's still the laundry that gets to me.
 
They fell when everything came due at once.
Renewals, B&B liability insurance, taxes (in our last state/county) they were due in May and Nov, here they are due in Dec (Merry Christmas!), everthing came up at the same time and we had virtually no guests. It was not pretty.
Our town and county do not accept credit cards. Our insurance company does not accept credit cards. Two big ones right there.
These were things we thought were more spaced apart. YES we had the information, we had a mind boggling amount of information and from relocating 3000 miles - selling, and then buying, starting new everything - it was MASS CHAOS.
 
They fell when everything came due at once.
Renewals, B&B liability insurance, taxes (in our last state/county) they were due in May and Nov, here they are due in Dec (Merry Christmas!), everthing came up at the same time and we had virtually no guests. It was not pretty.
Our town and county do not accept credit cards. Our insurance company does not accept credit cards. Two big ones right there.
These were things we thought were more spaced apart. YES we had the information, we had a mind boggling amount of information and from relocating 3000 miles - selling, and then buying, starting new everything - it was MASS CHAOS..
Good ones! We were paying for the directories before we even closed. 'You can't let them lapse!' was the PO's cry. Well, they sure as heck were going to let them lapse. I should have been more astute on that one.
 
They fell when everything came due at once.
Renewals, B&B liability insurance, taxes (in our last state/county) they were due in May and Nov, here they are due in Dec (Merry Christmas!), everthing came up at the same time and we had virtually no guests. It was not pretty.
Our town and county do not accept credit cards. Our insurance company does not accept credit cards. Two big ones right there.
These were things we thought were more spaced apart. YES we had the information, we had a mind boggling amount of information and from relocating 3000 miles - selling, and then buying, starting new everything - it was MASS CHAOS..
Good ones! We were paying for the directories before we even closed. 'You can't let them lapse!' was the PO's cry. Well, they sure as heck were going to let them lapse. I should have been more astute on that one.
.
All of our directories were allowed to lapse. That was something I would tell those who buy so-called turnkey to remember. You lose alot from that...business and SEO.
 
They fell when everything came due at once.
Renewals, B&B liability insurance, taxes (in our last state/county) they were due in May and Nov, here they are due in Dec (Merry Christmas!), everthing came up at the same time and we had virtually no guests. It was not pretty.
Our town and county do not accept credit cards. Our insurance company does not accept credit cards. Two big ones right there.
These were things we thought were more spaced apart. YES we had the information, we had a mind boggling amount of information and from relocating 3000 miles - selling, and then buying, starting new everything - it was MASS CHAOS..
Good ones! We were paying for the directories before we even closed. 'You can't let them lapse!' was the PO's cry. Well, they sure as heck were going to let them lapse. I should have been more astute on that one.
.
All of our directories were allowed to lapse. That was something I would tell those who buy so-called turnkey to remember. You lose alot from that...business and SEO.
.
As we have found out since then, quite a lot of directories give you a grace period, some don't remove you at all. The big expenditure was the $1000 to be on the local map. As I have found out, they don't cancel your account if you don't pay on time. The new map is out and they're still trying to collect the money to pay for it. Even the state is casual. The starting deadline is actually 3 months before the 'final, last, don't make me call you' deadline.
 
Mine aren't off yet. But they'll probably come off next month. Reservations are finally coming in. Even a week or two ago it was a big deal to have someone call and make a reservation. Now it seems I'm getting 2-3 a day, mostly for July. I'm alternately excited and dreading July.
=) Kk.
 
Mine aren't off yet. But they'll probably come off next month. Reservations are finally coming in. Even a week or two ago it was a big deal to have someone call and make a reservation. Now it seems I'm getting 2-3 a day, mostly for July. I'm alternately excited and dreading July.
=) Kk..
You are getting more than me per day.
regular_smile.gif
I had a 3 nighter come in yesterday but not very many popping into my inbox right now at all.
 
Mine aren't off yet. But they'll probably come off next month. Reservations are finally coming in. Even a week or two ago it was a big deal to have someone call and make a reservation. Now it seems I'm getting 2-3 a day, mostly for July. I'm alternately excited and dreading July.
=) Kk..
July is busy here, too.
Keep in mind, if you start to feel overwhelmed, don't push yourself too hard. Block off 1-2 rooms and only take 2-3 if you're feeling stressed. You don't want to burn out now...
So says I who still doesn't have a housekeeper and realized I can't block ANY rooms off no matter how frantic it gets here.
 
Mine aren't off yet. But they'll probably come off next month. Reservations are finally coming in. Even a week or two ago it was a big deal to have someone call and make a reservation. Now it seems I'm getting 2-3 a day, mostly for July. I'm alternately excited and dreading July.
=) Kk..
July is busy here, too.
Keep in mind, if you start to feel overwhelmed, don't push yourself too hard. Block off 1-2 rooms and only take 2-3 if you're feeling stressed. You don't want to burn out now...
So says I who still doesn't have a housekeeper and realized I can't block ANY rooms off no matter how frantic it gets here.
.
I just did that...blocked off Father's Day & the Monday after. I thought our son was coming to visit then but he ended up coming this weekend. We snuck out for a movie and a quick bite with him & I ended up paying for it by staying up late ironing. (That is the worst part of the job for me too - the laundry!!) Our ds told us that he's not coming back down next weekend because my dh is going up in 2 weeks to go to a Major League baseball game with him. I didn't unblock the rooms...I need the break already.
 
Mine aren't off yet. But they'll probably come off next month. Reservations are finally coming in. Even a week or two ago it was a big deal to have someone call and make a reservation. Now it seems I'm getting 2-3 a day, mostly for July. I'm alternately excited and dreading July.
=) Kk..
July is busy here, too.
Keep in mind, if you start to feel overwhelmed, don't push yourself too hard. Block off 1-2 rooms and only take 2-3 if you're feeling stressed. You don't want to burn out now...
So says I who still doesn't have a housekeeper and realized I can't block ANY rooms off no matter how frantic it gets here.
.
I just did that...blocked off Father's Day & the Monday after. I thought our son was coming to visit then but he ended up coming this weekend. We snuck out for a movie and a quick bite with him & I ended up paying for it by staying up late ironing. (That is the worst part of the job for me too - the laundry!!) Our ds told us that he's not coming back down next weekend because my dh is going up in 2 weeks to go to a Major League baseball game with him. I didn't unblock the rooms...I need the break already.
.
Yeah, it's like being a teacher...you need a day off for whatever reason but you have to prepare so far in advance it's sometimes not worth it!
 
Mine aren't off yet. But they'll probably come off next month. Reservations are finally coming in. Even a week or two ago it was a big deal to have someone call and make a reservation. Now it seems I'm getting 2-3 a day, mostly for July. I'm alternately excited and dreading July.
=) Kk..
July is busy here, too.
Keep in mind, if you start to feel overwhelmed, don't push yourself too hard. Block off 1-2 rooms and only take 2-3 if you're feeling stressed. You don't want to burn out now...
So says I who still doesn't have a housekeeper and realized I can't block ANY rooms off no matter how frantic it gets here.
.
I just did that...blocked off Father's Day & the Monday after. I thought our son was coming to visit then but he ended up coming this weekend. We snuck out for a movie and a quick bite with him & I ended up paying for it by staying up late ironing. (That is the worst part of the job for me too - the laundry!!) Our ds told us that he's not coming back down next weekend because my dh is going up in 2 weeks to go to a Major League baseball game with him. I didn't unblock the rooms...I need the break already.
.
Yeah, it's like being a teacher...you need a day off for whatever reason but you have to prepare so far in advance it's sometimes not worth it!
.
We had a full house memorial weekend and DH went to Lowe's Motor Speedway. The guests were all out and about and I thought to myself, I am not going to work myself into the ground - I am going to watch the race. Well the linens were from the floor to the ceiling in the laundry room and taking that one day off backed me up for a week! It was terrible. I just wanted a break. Not good. Not wise. I should have stayed on top of it.
 
Mine aren't off yet. But they'll probably come off next month. Reservations are finally coming in. Even a week or two ago it was a big deal to have someone call and make a reservation. Now it seems I'm getting 2-3 a day, mostly for July. I'm alternately excited and dreading July.
=) Kk..
July is busy here, too.
Keep in mind, if you start to feel overwhelmed, don't push yourself too hard. Block off 1-2 rooms and only take 2-3 if you're feeling stressed. You don't want to burn out now...
So says I who still doesn't have a housekeeper and realized I can't block ANY rooms off no matter how frantic it gets here.
.
I just did that...blocked off Father's Day & the Monday after. I thought our son was coming to visit then but he ended up coming this weekend. We snuck out for a movie and a quick bite with him & I ended up paying for it by staying up late ironing. (That is the worst part of the job for me too - the laundry!!) Our ds told us that he's not coming back down next weekend because my dh is going up in 2 weeks to go to a Major League baseball game with him. I didn't unblock the rooms...I need the break already.
.
Yeah, it's like being a teacher...you need a day off for whatever reason but you have to prepare so far in advance it's sometimes not worth it!
.
We had a full house memorial weekend and DH went to Lowe's Motor Speedway. The guests were all out and about and I thought to myself, I am not going to work myself into the ground - I am going to watch the race. Well the linens were from the floor to the ceiling in the laundry room and taking that one day off backed me up for a week! It was terrible. I just wanted a break. Not good. Not wise. I should have stayed on top of it.
.
JunieBJones (JBJ) said:
Well the linens were from the floor to the ceiling in the laundry room and taking that one day off backed me up for a week! It was terrible. I just wanted a break. Not good. Not wise. I should have stayed on top of it.
Right, that's what happens. You think you're only taking off for a day, but that day turns into many, many more trying to catch up. It's why we don't leave any rooms 'until tomorrow'. It just builds on itself.
 
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