Author Archives: bluecollarbobby

Opening a bed and breakfast was a totally impulsive action for me. I woke up one morning, realized I was short of mortgage money, and because I’m a great fan of English novels, where aging heroines in difficult financial circumstances always open a B&B, I decided that was the route I’d go, too.  (I wasn’t English, but I was of a certain age.)  I’d never stayed at a bed and breakfast myself, mind you–but how hard could it be? Hard. Fortunately, operating a bed and breakfast turned out to be one of my favorite things, but there are those of you who wouldn’t enjoy it.  Here are five good reasons not to: 1. First of all, you have to thoroughly enjoy cooking eggs and bacon while simultaneously chatting intelligently with total strangers first thing in the  morning.  If that’s not you, then that’s the first solid reason not to open … Continue reading →

Did you know that muffin batter will keep several days in the fridge, so you can bake six fresh hot little morsels for two appreciative guests and not have half a dozen stale muffins left over?  Did you know that it’s just as easy to make blender hollandaise as it is to make it from a package?  Did you know you can keep leftover cooked steel cut oats in the fridge, and re-cook them by heating over a moderate burner and adding small amounts of boiling water over a ten minute period?  Did you know you can make incredible homemade syrup by melting 2 tbsp of butter, adding 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of water, plus any favorite berries? Or use the last couple spoonfuls of jam from the jars littering your fridge, and call it your secret recipe.  Of course you knew all these things, and … Continue reading →

Opening a bed and breakfast is the dream of a great many entrepeneurs. Five good reasons to make that dream a reality are: 1. Extra income–you won’t get rich running a B&B, but you’ll certainly augment your income substantially. 2. Making your largest investment–your house–pay you back, or at least help pay off some of it’s mortgage. 3. Working from home–no fancy wardrobe required. 4. Meeting a fascinating cross section of humanity, and listening to a resume of their lives. 5. Being your own boss–you have the ability to control how much you want to work, and when you want a holiday. Opening a bed and breakfast isn’t neccessarily for everyone. In the next post, we’ll explore five good reasons NOT to open a B&B.