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!