Baby Steps

Working on your dream can be difficult, exhausting(I'm pooped today), emotional, and super exciting all at the same time. I started thinking about this blog entry as my hot tub was filling at the Bed and Breakfast Inn I was staying at, a recent birthday gift to myself.
You see, it is my dream to own and operate a B&B, ideally something in the area that I live in now. It just so happens that the Astor House, where I stayed, is for sale! It's pricey, way out of my price range, but you never know. I decided to get a room there to see what the place was like and maybe, just maybe, talk to the owner a bit. Now I've stayed at several B&B's before, but I was going to this one with a whole new focus. In fact, the energy of the whole stay was different, exciting; I was looking at the whole experience in a new light. I definitely wanted to enjoy and relax, but my mission was a little different this time and I could feel that overwhelming urge to make something happen! I really had no idea if the opportunity would present itself to talk to the owner, but I was open to the possibility. I had done my research on the house and its owners by reading their website and I felt fairly comfortable bringing up the subject since they, at one point, had also been in my shoes. And then I met Mr. Robinson...he was warm and welcoming, and as I was checking in I told him that there was an ulterior motive to my stay. He was so gracious and willing to give me information, encouraging questions the entire time, that I just started spilling about my dream and that I had to start somewhere. He understood, and immediately went to his living quarters and brought me two books he thought I should read on becoming an Innkeeper. In the back of my head I knew he was trying to sell his business, but it was more than that. I felt he genuinely wanted to share his knowledge of the Bed and Breakfast business. Mr. Robinson then mentioned that occasionally they use an Innsitter. I had never heard of this before, but I liked what I was hearing! When the Innkeepers need time off they, have someone come in and run the Inn for them. Of course! This was the baby step I needed! What a perfect way to get the experience I needed and to see what Inn keeping was all about. I mostly feel that I lack the business sense for running an Inn, so this would be the perfect opportunity to see how it all works. I was loving my first few minutes of my birthday gift to myself!
The remainder of my stay was spent relaxing and enjoying the beauty of the Astor House and appreciating how good life is. I took photos in the gardens and Mr. Robinson gave me a tour of all the rooms(five themed rooms)in the Astor House-that was special!
After my soothing escape into the hot tub in my Japan themed room, with my wine, cheese, chocolate and strawberries, I settled in to read the books that had been loaned to me on Inn keeping. Most B&B's leave journals in each room for the guests to sign and this one was no different. I started to read these journals and was moved to tears by some of the entries. In fact Mr. Robinson had a journal entry from this very room. This was the first room he and his wife had stayed in at the Astor House several years ago. For me, that's what it's all about, creating a pleasant memory that makes people want to re-live it over and over again.

I don't know what other baby steps will be needed to fulfill my dream, but for now I am just going with what the universe presents me and I have come a long way in the last couple of months. This 43rd year of my life could be really exciting!
As I was leaving, Mr. Robinson gave me a giant hug and expressed that he didn't often meet someone that made him feel as comfortable as I did and that I just had a great energy about me. Sounds to me like great qualities of an Innkeeper...stay tuned-you just never know!

The Color Purple

I like things to match. Sometimes I am VERY matchy, matchy. It is something that people notice about me and it's a quality in myself that I like. I think it's a way of expressing my creativity and it's become part of who I am...and I'm ok with that.
I guess I just like color in general...color is emotion and it can create a feeling. I am one of those people who is not afraid of color and the walls in my house and the clothes in my closet are definitely NOT white!

My favorite color is pink, but I also like purple, all shades of it and all girls know that purple and pink match or "go together".
Actually, the color purple encourages creativity, so if you are trying to get those creative juices flowing, think PURPLE! Remember the book "Harold and the Purple Crayon"? He made all sorts of creative, amazing things with his purple crayon!
Purple is also calming to the mind and nerves, is uplifting and offers a sense of spirituality. Purple has always been known to be associated with royalty, and being the princess that I am, this seems fitting!

The history of purple dates back to 1856 when a man named William Henry Perkin discovered a recipe for a purple dye. The dye was made from coal tar and was named Mauveine. I assume that is where the color mauve came from.
Shades of purple are often used in stained glass, not only for it's spiritual significance, but the color violet is seen as uniting the "wisdom" of blue and the "love" of red. Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increased ten times in purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass. Hence, one of the reasons we see purple used in windows of churches old and new, to this day.

I have quite a few varieties of purple flowers in my garden, some of which you see in these photos. Purple seemed to work well with my house color, which is a shade of yellow or gold. When I first moved into my house the porch light had a green light bulb in it...I guess the former owners were big Packer fans. I quickly changed that. :) Anyway, in doing research for this blog post I discovered that yellow and purple are complimentary colors (just ask the Vikings!), so maybe this color/matching thing is just a little instinctive in me. Hmmm, I don't know...I think I just like things to look nice!

Best Aunt Ever!!

Recent camera problems have prevented me from downloading, and therefore blogging on any new photos, so I thought I would re-visit some of my favorite old photos.

One of my favorite photo subjects have always been my neices and nephews and with 8 siblings, it seems I always have new subject matter!
Being an aunt(the best aunt ever), has been one of the most enjoyable things in my life. Mostly because I can get my fill of kids and then give them back, no strings attached! My mom always said she never knew what she laughed at until she had kids. I have mixed feelings over this statement. Makes me feel sad that she didn't have other things in her life to bring her joy, but yet I know exactly what she meant.
Kids are SUPER funny, they do and say crazy, surprising things that are Readers Digest, 'Laughter is the Best Medicine', worthy! Here are a few examples that come to mind...
During the time when car seats were becoming mandatory for all children, my niece Liz, at about age 3 or 4 was looking at a Christmas nativity scene. As she was naming everyone in the scene, she suddenly announced, "And there's baby Jesus in his car seat!" Apparently to Liz, it wasn't a manger, but a very safe and secure car seat that the baby Jesus was lying in. Liz is now engaged to be married, that would be good material to bring up at her wedding! :)
Ashlyn was once yelling at her dog Theo, when she was about 3 and told him that if he didn't get over here right now, she was going to kick his ASK! Well, at least she didn't swear; that's what she thought people were saying!
Recently Jacob was getting reprimanded for faking being sick and having to stay home from school which consequently made mom have to stay home from work. His dad asked him, "Jacob do you know what mom makes at work?" He was going for money, but very sincerely Jacob asked, "Banana bread?" How do you not start laughing in the middle of your scolding?
I'm sure these are typical of the things my mom was talking about. And I can truely see her point. I never dreamed I wouldn't have children of my own, but life doesn't always turn out how you expect, sometimes it's even better! I have the best of both worlds and I wouldn't trade that for anything.
Enjoy the photos of my "kids", they are one of the BEST parts of my life!