Our B&B

I started writing this blog about a nightmare I had...B&B Anxiety.  However, I found myself explaining how our B&B is run and it is taking up so much space, you'll have to endure this posting first! :)

Now, take in mind, we are a small, family run B&B. (Kids have all left, so "I" am the family!)  The inn is our home and you are treated as a family friend rather than a B&B guest.  I suppose the strangest thing (well, planned thing) we do is sit down to breakfast with our guests.  So far, in the 4 years of having the B&B, no one has ever booked a room while someone else was here! We're small and out of the way...not many guests!  So guests don't have to dine alone we delight (or possibly cast fright upon) them with our company over breakfast!  We usually end up telling stories of animals, or kids, or vacations, or work, or...pretty much anything!  Seldom, if ever, has the conversation just been light chit-chat!  We've heard tales of a man that lived on a banana plantation and raised his family there.  A bee-keeper came and almost hired my son to give the bees their vaccinations! ;)  We've had palm readers and ghost hunters, newly engaged couples and families leaving Dad's ashes...each guest has their own story, their own adventure and we love hearing about all of them!  Breakfasts can last up to 3 hours!  The food is pretty good, too! ;)

99% of our guests come to see the llamas.  After breakfast is the time we usually go out and take a trek.  One of my favorite "talks" is debunking llama myths!  Yes, llamas spit!  NO...YOU will probably not be spit upon!  If you go to a friend's house who has a dog are you afraid you're going to get bit?  You tick off the llamas, they spit.  Be nice, they don't.  Have grain, they kiss you! Get kisses, refuse the grain, possible spit! ;)  At this point, I give a llama 101 class which includes safety.  Do NOT wrap the lead around your hand.  As small as llamas seem, they are very strong!  You don't want to have a spooked llama and become a bob-along or a drag-along!  (Don't worry, it's never happened!)

Anyway, trekking takes a bit over an hour and then we run the obstacle course.  Bridge, teeter-totter, ducks, jumps, etc.  Compete against the others!  Then time for kisses!  This has become the icing on the proverbial cake!  You take grain, go out into the pasture amongst the llamas and tease them.  They then give you kisses!  For most of the llamas, you have to "show" them you have grain, then quickly close your hand to receive your kiss and then open your hand for the treat.  However, some of the llamas are great kissers...you show up, they plant one on you!  They too want their treat...and beware the evil Cinderella...no treat...SPIT!

So, this is the morning excitement.  Guests usually leave to go visit one of the surrounding sites...like look for a decaying National Forest sign so they can rebuild it back home!?  I start tomorrows breakfast.  Rather than get up at 4 AM, I prefer to make as much ahead of time as possible so I can at least pretend to have a normal conversation!!  I'll post future blogs about some of the many enlightening conversations...elephants in the hotel, painting bees for identification and searching the forest to find disembodied parts!  No cadaver dogs needed...just looking for a sign!