Electric Buddha/End of Season

Electric Buddha from last week's Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India

I love this image. To the sounds of suitably transcendent music, the Buddha rose slowly from the stadium floor, in the centre of a giant lotus blossom, formed by a thousand children in synchronized yoga poses. Sheesh!

You may be asking: "What does this have to do with bed and breakfasts?" Well, the average innkeeper is almost always in a multitasking tizzy that just might spin out of control, if the job were not so damned enjoyable! Now that I am about 12 hours away from going on vacation, I realize that all of my best efforts to stay calm and organized have felt increasingly like electrons coursing skyward through my "chakras". Stoic on the outside. Pulsing energy on the inside. And all the time, searching for real calm and peace of mind.

 Nelson House is at the end of another busy summer season but perhaps, not as busy as it might have been, if our American friends were not still in a recession funk. Some of our bed and breakfast projects will just have to wait for next season. The summer was a blur but it still had its quota of delightful guests and remarkable, lively conversations. A BIG thank you to all our guests, both first-timers and o-so-many repeat customer/friends. We had fun!

About now, however, me and the staff could all use our own relaxing getaways.Yoga for some. A cabin in the woods for others. A sunny beach whether I can really afford it or not!

One of our staff is leaving us at month's end after an unexpected illness. We send our best wishes while we struggle to pick up the slack. Applications for a replacement are pouring in, which proves that the dream of innkeeping is still alive and well.

I get to screen the applicants while allegedly "on vacation" and the Manager gets to interview the best of the crop - as if he didn't have enough to do. But we anticipate the best. We have a new computer and that smooths the work. The dogs are happy as long as they have a full bowl. Even the Buddha  got by on alms. The B & B keeps on chugging along into the Fall.

Such is life. Such is life in a bed and breakfast.