Land of Fire and Ice- Iceland, January 2020

Photo from  the Planetarium

Travel to Orleans can have it's challenges but trying to go from Ottawa can be just as taxing, especially before the Winterlude rush.  Have you ever planned a flight and gotten a pretty good deal but found it was 29 hours with connections then found out it was only a 5 1/2 hour flight?  We decided to pay more to go direct from Toronto to Iceland in the dead of winter and recoup some money  by driving there.  The drive took place in the torrential rain with temperatures of 12 degrees. Now who on earth leaves their hometown when it's 12 degrees to go to a country called Iceland IN WINTER? But wait, in school they taught us Iceland was really green so we were safe, right?  They wouldn't lie to us? Right??

Well, the red eye had us arriving early to a blizzard, and starving on a Sunday so sadly, of course, everything was closed. What to do, what to do?  For this travel, I came with a very detailed plan of what to see and do but the universe had other plans for us.  The first stop was supposed to be the Blue Lagoon which opened upon our arrival but the severe cold scared us off.  Gale force winds deterred us from soaking for the day in hot springs so instead we went to the Perlan Planetarium. We were their first guests and unfortunately  I slept thru the show due to jet lag.  It doesn't help that day light only really starts at 11am. We have to be out of the house at 10 a.m. every day so that we can maximize our 5 hours of touring the island and start heading home by 4pm before dark when we would turn into pumpkins.

12-14 Jan-Stay Apts Reyjkavik:  So far I was very unimpressed by Reyjkavik (aka Ottawa's weather-clone sister), until we went to the outside deck of the planetarium in the blizzard. Omg gorgeous but frostbitey weather. The famous downtown church was closed for Sunday mass but it was immense and just ok.  

I've never actually seen a church that size with the most minimalistic decor ever- no stain glass, marble, anything.  

Typical Icelandic lunch, so proud of myself for trying new foods and it's like my fav recipe Coquille St Jacques. Tried to walk the streets in the city centre but with the gale force wind, it was really cold  and I had this dry hacking cough that reacted whenever I went outside.  I mean, what the hell was I thinking? We went to the Airbnb hotel and they must have had a very good photographer because the place was the size of a matchbox which was unfortunate because we were going to be there for 2 days.  Great location walking to the restaurants and the sites and the beds  must have been comfortable because I woke up at 10:10am the next day in shock, never having slept that late.

13th- it's amazing how you can make  an oatmeal feast with all the leftover airplane snacks then off to the gorgeous Blue Lagoon Spa.  It's everything you've ever heard and more. Unlike the Nordic Spa with individual pools this has one big massive Olympic sized irregular shaped pool with white silica healing water, a drink bar and lots of hidden coves. Found my travel companion gleefully ogling a photographer taking pictures of an Icelandic buxom beauty in a very sexy bathing suit posing. Could hardly drag him away from there, the animal! There is a face mask station by the water to do a variety of treatments including a collagen anti-aging mask. I wanted to cover my whole body in that. It's funny to see everyone relaxing and leisurely floating with white masks on their face then simply slipping below the water to wash it off. 

Was fascinated by the fact that it did not open until 1992  and only after a couple of young guys horsing around in the outdoor pond by their work were shocked to find it cleared up the psoriasis of one of them. It works so well that the doctors nearby will give you a prescription to go there daily if you have a skin condition; I must move there. The three men must be millionaires so if anyone has any of their phone numbers please let me know... to discuss business opportunities, of course. The airport has a full shop selling the Blue Lagoon products. The prices were redonculous and the only reason I needed them so much was their pool tortured and stripped my hair for the entire week.  Can't comb or brush this rat's nest.  I'm hoping to have a normal, unsulphered, non rotten egg bath in Canada and it should be aces again without spending $125 for conditioner.

These are some of the road warnings
 you will see at the airport. 
Very welcoming.

14-15 - Spirit Farms Selfoss

Well we were looking forward to going on as far as the south of the island in Vik but that was not to be. Going thru the mountain pass was ugly with whiteout conditions, quite nerve wracking. they provide a very comprehensive list of roads and that was on the list which has been impassable so we had to re-book our Airbnb and chose a place that I had originally wanted to go to but we didn't, called spirit farms, another spiritual Airbnb. couldn't wait to talk to these people.  So it is in the middle of nowhere and run by two brothers who are hippies. While I love hippies, often their places are  substandard but their's was awesome. They have incorporated the best of all accommodations users; Airbnb, Woofers and more volunteers so the place is clean and he offers sweat lodges and all kinds of side events like I do, only HE is crazy busy. I'm NOT bitter. :)

We booked the room, took off to sight see and by the time we got back I never saw them again.

Pity. I would have loved to have talked to him about his sweat Lodge and workshops. His place was like an artistic hostel but thankfully not like the one in Bangkok overrun by feral cats that my daughter forced me to stay at. He gave us some great tourism ideas too. Daylight was slipping away so we went nearby to see only the Kerid Crater and it was cold,  snow covered and gorgeous but like most other sites in Iceland in winter, it's black and white. I can't even imagine what most of these sites must be like in the summer and I can't wait to come back with my family , Aurora Borealis in absentia be damned. 

Actually every day was a mad hunt for the Northern Lights. You see it in winter when the skies are full of stars. If there's clouds you don't see anything and there were clouds and snow all week. Occasionally we would have a perfect night and spend the whole night with her eyes glued. Sometimes the lights only come for a few minutes but alas not for us. One lady told us she lived there for 10 years and it took her three years to even see the lights so I feel better. Having the apps just makes you more paranoid that you're missing something because they notify you within seconds of Aurora's arrival, only to disappoint.  How can you tell I'm bitter?

15-16 a Cozy Little Cabin - We woke up to a beautiful red sunrise. I was up at 5am and the rest of the house at 10. Got an Aurora notification saying she was visible at 5:29 am. Nope, never saw it. Our first stop was to see the oldest Eco settlement  in the world called Solhenir but alas it's winter and they don't open until spring but I'm still saying I've been there . 

Next we went to Hruni, the highlight of my trip at the Natural hot springs. It really is in the middle of nowhere, is free, which coincidentally is my favourite price  and as we got out of our car I wondered about the sanity of the two of us. We might have turned around and walked away  had we not run into to a lone female telling us yes the air temperature is cold but the hot springs are fantastic and her second time going. It was blustery, more gale force winds and we were frozen .  

You hike up the small trail to the grass covered shack for trolls and fairies, doff your clothes as fast as humanly possible , don a bathing suit and jump into a two-person deep coffin, which warms you to your soul. Sure, there were nearby ponds but only the truly brave and adventurous like myself would climb over the snow and into the ponds to find that they're just too shallow to be wasting valuable body temperatures in.  The Taj Mahal was the bubbling water box. I can't wait to bring my family back to one of my new happy places. 

Although our trip was very detailed oriented, we ended up having to be very flexible with our plans, often driving thru the same area over and over and over again. Next time it will be be the circle route hitting every sight exactly once.

The end of a perfect day was to use our what we thought was rye bread with the havarti cheese and the spread that I brought to make grilled cheese sandwiches.  Oh my god it was the worst meal in history. It turns out the rye bread was actually molasses dessert bread and the spread was cream cheese which does not fry. It was a bloody sweet mess that fell apart on you plate. I looked with envy at the meal the three young kids had made; rice in a bowl and borscht soup which I would have killed for it. Ironically I found out later that they hated their meal too because it was so bland so I guess we're never happy. 

This volcano covers everything in ashes

Did not see this thankfully but there are 200 earthquakes/day!

We had to keep constant watch on the roads so when they were clear we decided to drive down towards Vic to see see the Volcano Lava Interactive Museum. It was very cool and then we went back the exact same way we came twice before to see first the

Gulfoss falls, a mini version of Niagara Falls

  

The Geyser as it blew

Selfoss Geyser and then the Gullfoss Waterfall and both were free. I'm shocked at how many big attractions don't charge in Iceland. Then off to a cozy cabin in the middle of nowhere where we could count on seeing the Northern Lights finally. I had much guilt for contacting the host Hulda to tell them it was chilly in there . At 10:45 pm she left her FIVE children with her husband and drove15-minutes to give us extra blankets and a heater. We are couple of suck babies, ok, me especially. Cooked a hobo supper which was the best we've ever eaten. Chefs from the world over would be stopping in our cabin to taste test and sign us up to work for their 5-star Michelin restaurants. Play some cards and dice game  and then we opened the blinds behind the bed and stared out for the entire night certain we would see Aurora finally. Nope, not this clear night either. I'm getting very bitter about Aurora  evading us . I'm starting to wonder if this is an old folk legend and she doesn't even exist... and to carry it one step further, the tales we learned in school that Iceland is really quite green and warm, all lies. I'm sure it was just a bunch of drunken bums sitting around going well we got suckered into coming here so maybe we should perpetrate the myth and tell all our friends to come join us. It's just a thought.

16-18 Warm Cozy Cottage in the Golden Circle Hallador

Fault lines

 We had planned on going to The Not So secret Lagoon in this area only to find out it was back where we had circled around a hundred times and I said no, not going to happen. Instead we went to Thingvellir Park and toured around the oldest Parliament around and saw the waterfalls and walked through the fault lines where North America and Europe separated. It was shocking to see the vista of glaciers and snow covered mountains so white that you could not even see indentations in the natural scenery other than white on white. I'm glad Iceland has many pullovers to take so many pictures and oh there are so many pictures we took.

Exhausted, on our final night, and with Icelandic kronors burning a hole in my pockets, we went back to Reykjavik to have a typical meal. We ordered soup shared an appetizer had the main course into desserts and the bill came to $212!!!! I guess we're not going to do this every day.  Everything on the island is expensive . A loaf of bread $10, bag of chips $10, eggs $8,  one slice of Cheesecake $23 . This is not a place you stay long-term.

Well we spent the last night standing outside "pushing clouds away",  just shy of doing a Aurora rainbow Northern Lights dance and finally gave up. How annoying to see on two apps that the town on one side and the other side of where we were staying both saw the lights.

The couple's place we stayed at was fascinating. I wish I could have spent more time with them. We stayed in the guest house which was medieval looking somewhat and they had traditional beds, singles, set separately against the wall, headboard to headboard.  Not much nooky going on in this arrangement.  I guess it all worked out because by the time you finish a week travelling with a friend you're more than happy to have your own space and peace and quiet at night from each other.  Translation, neither of us successfully smothered the other while they slept and snored and that's truly a miracle.  

Got an early start on our departure day in Iceland. Off to tour the capital for him and to a city pool  including a rooftop hot spring pool for me. They believe the hot springs are so good for you that people start or finish their day with a $10 soak at the local pools and there are so many of them. Keep in mind that they're very comfortable with their bodies so the showers are single sex, open concept. Oh goodie, you know how much of love public nudity.

At the airport by 2 and by the time I got back to Toronto's snow storm, we drove 4 hours on the treacherous roads, stayed in a last minute hotel, came back to an Ottawa snow storm, shoveled out a driveway to get my car and home, it was not until 24 hours later. Home sweet home.  Decorations still up and I'm so tired, I'm thinking I will be that crazy Christmas B&B lady with the year round decorations.

Some take aways from this trip -   

Make tiny bread balls and sprinkle them with coarse salt.

Roundup some empty lobster tails to make fish soup like every restaurant over there made

Get a waffle maker

Get all my contracts written in blood

The puffins will have to wait until I return in the summer

Aurora will have to wait till I return too. 

Never travel in winter to Iceland!!!

Mom and Daughter Events at the B&B

Decorated, hosted a Christmas concert with all my closest friends then closed the B&B over Christmas for the first time so I could make plans with the youngest daughter, to go to our most favourite place on earth, Le Nordik spa in Chelsea. 

While soaking in one of the many tubs, a young man asked my daughter and I what we got for Christmas. I wanted to answer "a cold" but we said "nothing". He stared at us awhile, couldn't understand our responses. He repeated the question and we said we didn't exchange gifts this year so he told me he got an apple. (Naive me I thought he meant a real edible apple, doh!) 

I guess my answer was not the exactly the truth.  Weeks before, she told me since we would be alone together, and to do everything she never wanted to do in the past.   We would bake and make ornaments, a gingerbread house, ugly sweaters, view light shows, have a fondu, listen to Christmas music, watch Christmas specials and on and on.  Four days of Christmas activities which gave me hope!  

Well, we both had hours of resting on the couch  commiserating over our miserable colds and on Christmas day, I simply made a grill cheese.  Neither of us could taste it and every other idea got shelved.  I sent her home to bed and Christmas passed as it has for many years, recovering from a cold, bloody hell, but I still had hope and in storage is a special box of things I hope to do next year.

Also, I gained so much more from this Christmas past, which feels like a lifetime ago, than I have from other years with excessive gifts. " One of my deepest regrets when she was a young toddler was not spending more time with her. A little voice would come to the kitchen and say "mommy come and watch TV with me" and all I could think is "oh my God I have so much work to do busy, busy, busy."  Ya, I know.  Some things never change. [To this day all my friends think I have a full house 24/7 and am running full-time.  Nope.]  Oh, the regrets I have.  Over the years I wondered what the impact of that would be as I crushed her spirit. Well this Christmas while she was watching a movie, surrounded by Christmas chaos, I heard again, "Mom come and watch TV with me" and I was thrilled.  I dropped everything to enjoy her company ......and finally forgave myself for the past. Best Christmas gift ever. Time with daughter...Priceless!

Recently she learned she got the top salesperson for all of Canada at  Movati.  Maybe she got those ambitions from me but then I question myself. It's taken me 5 years to attain # 9/55 of the top bed and breakfasts in Ottawa and I'm not even located downtown.  There are 46x 5-star ratings on Trip Advisor.   I have 119x 5-star reviews on Airbnb and 40x Google Reviews 5star.  Hmmmm, Maybe she did get her competitive nature from me after all!  

And with that, I will keep one of my first New Year's promises, to shorten my posts and try to keep better on topic.  

Feel free to subscribe at the bottom. Happy New Year. Love all 7 of you readers, lol.

Business, Vacation Travel and What I Love

Back to the off season, winter, you know, November and December is a time for rest and rejuvenation and TRAVEL again at the B&B!!!

For me, travel was the ticket this year.  I went down South for a cruise with a friend in January and then again for another Alaskan Cruise with my siblings in February. Went to hike around Vancouver Island and see my sister too; how could anyone not want to live there full time? It's magical.  

Tried to plan for my annual Australia trip to see the grand babies, (who for the first time called me grandma on the phone after being promised chocolate), but this trip has been delayed till 2020. BTW, being called Grandma is a high point since most of the time they don't have a clue who I am and I know in my heart that they have only just parroted their mom but I'll take what I can get. 

 I've had time to try some new business ventures; lots of Paint & Sip Nites, some were even Live Nude painting, shocking!  Musical Energy Sound Healing events were numerous. People have come in to talk Spirituality,  Indigenous arts, Meditation & Journaling.  

I've hosted lots of sexuality and travel seminars- those both are fun. 

I've even hosted a few Dating discussion nights, for all the good that has done me. I should work for Ghost Busters for the amount of ghosting I've seen these days.  I know it is not only me.  There was a brief fast and furious romance with a charming gentleman who was to whisk me away for a wellness catamaran cruise around the Greek islands.  Didn't happen and is not going to but wouldn't that be the coolest trip?  Someday...  or maybe I was supposed to  rent a villa in Tuscany instead, with my sister and Iceland with him.  I really like the off season.   

And then there was this evening of reckless driving through puddles of unknown origin by Prince Charming, in my car while I passengered since I don't like to drive. While flying through one of these said ponds, there was the mother lode of all potholes in Ottawa; it was like a sinkhole swallowing up my baby. So the car in that particular pothole cost me close to a grand. I guess the lesson here is I drive my own car at my old lady speed as another designated driver and like a turtle, slow and steady 'cause its MY insurance on the block. So many lessons to learn.

Volunteered at Humanics Sanctuary in Cumberland in their opening year and now me and my peeps are all on the planning committee. How the heck did that happen; he's such a sneaky little visionary. Why l even found time to put on at least 3 performances there to teach about healing energy and making lots of noise.  The kids seem to like it. 

Planned two spiritual spa days; one for  Empowerment in the summer with my favourite intuitive Nicole Moronval from Montreal and she came back in Nov for a Spiritual Masterclass using my place instead of renting the church for space.  I love hosting workshops here.  I also had one workshop in French which is normally kind of a drag for me because if I don't understand most of what's being said so it just ends up being a job. Fortunately for me, this one provided follow-along reading and I understood almost everything.  I do these workshops so that I can jump in with both feet but there such a need for this in French that I find it hard to resist doing it. I like to see the looks on their faces as they leave all aglow.

Its important for me to do stuff for myself too so I don't feel ripped off at the end of summer.  Can't forget the Kaleidoscope festival- a most unusual event for sure, Rod Stewart, my first Pride Parade, grew medicinal herbs, and my favourite, spending quality time with the youngest prodigal child who came to watch me perform at Humanics - that was truly a highlight of my year, spending quality time with the beast, and sharing my interests.  We camped, hiked, went to Lilydale retreat in New York state, rented a Mongolian yurt and basically put some fun and balance back in my life.  

Business Travel in Ottawa was amazing, just not so much in the off season because people want longer stays.   Earlier this year, one of my business contacts  filled my house for 3 weeks with a man from India. Have you ever read from me before that I love living alone? I still do. Today another family is coming by to request a full month. I keep swearing I wont ever do it again but I alway do at some point, and end up regretting it from the daily car shuffle in the driveway to the sharing of the TV; madness I tell you!  So many requests for newly separated families desperate for a place to stay.  

It's been an interesting year and through all of the Bed and Breakfast angsts and growing pains,  I have discovered some things that truly make me happy.   It's simple really and it IS a conundrum.  I like to live alone AND I love to have a full B&B and host and pamper guests, maybe because I know they are going home and I can wow them for a short time. After they leave, I can have that sigh of relief as they drive away, I loosen my belt, maybe belch a little, let's be brutally honest, release gases that proper hosts refuse to release with paying customers around, then eat leftovers and let the house go to hell.  There is nothing so wonderful as turning the tube to Netflix and vegging out in my mismatched jammies, knowing I have a day or two off.  That is the true meaning of Home Sweet Home. I love living alone; it makes me so happy.  Wait, what's that, another business guest wanting a room?  Of course we are open. Must practice the word NO.

I've had lots of time to unsuccessful slog through my ever obsession- the mounds and tons of paperwork and finances. I, just tonight, had the biggest Aha moment of my life as it relates to organizing.  A paper junkie like myself feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel;  the boxes of paperwork are daunting.  I would cover my dining room table, a focal point for the house, with all my work and the call would come in with a guest arriving shortly. I'd pile and re-pile my projects in boxes, or should I say burial ground, never to be seen again and then I lose all the momentum.  Did it again recently after someone rented my house and after they all left, I looked at the empty dining room table which is almost never clear and I began to think... A clean dining room table makes me so happy.  With company, I can't work on paperwork so it really takes the pressure off and that is so calming.  

When I was able to work again, I simply took out one item of work to finish that was outstanding and I actually finished it!!!!  Eureka.  Then I took another thing out to work on and realized how productive I actually am if I tackle one job at a time and not 3000 mindless multi-tasking details at once, completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of what needs to get done. I'm more productive when I don't multitask.  One good thing about procrastinating on getting back to the burial ground is, what I once thought was important back then has expired, and is now ready to be filed or sent to bin 13.

My friend Albert filled my head with years worth of great marketing ideas that I have never found the time to do.  It's so daunting and stressing to have them all piling high.  Here's the kicker, and I know I've said this often.  I am stressed because I don't have enough time to market my place because the house is full of guests and I'm too busy.  Hmmmm.  Do you see the "problem" here?  Ironic eh?  There is no problem, just guilt because I feel like I'm not doing enough. I love having the blessing of having a full B&B and the luxury to choose to not having guests as well. I have to turned away many guests who just call minutes before they need me and my place is full so I must be doing something right. Can I tell you a secret?  Sometimes I am "full" when all I desperately  need is a night off.  More Catholic guilt for me. 

I get contacted daily by marketers wanting to improve my website. They told me it's good but I'm very low on the SEO. That panics me until I realize my house is as full as I wanted to be. I currently had a Romance package and they said from Montreal they typed in Romance and mine was the first one that came up. Other people tell me they type in bed and breakfast and again the same results. Lying rat-bastard marketers feeding off of my fears and vulnerability! I love that my website developer Natalie knows her stuff.

I need to fill up the car. A full tank of gas is one of my greatest joys and security. There is nothing so satisfying as a full tank of gas at an all time low rate, and finding the prices have jumped since I filled up the night before. Sometimes the gas is priced so low and I have a full tank, I just want to empty mine to get the better rate.  I truly love a full tank of gas; sometimes I don't want to take a drive downtown to see the tank go down bar by bar.  It's like giving me a free pass to travel and not worry.

I love taking a trip and returning to post the bragging rights photos on the wall of fame.
I love watching the look of wonder as someone paints their first masterpiece and have never picked up a paint brush before.  I love the look on the family of guests who have put on the Virtual Reality glasses and the shit eating grin of happiness and surprise that this technology exists.  So many walk away wanting the price and how to purchase one.

It tickles me when I show off the Bed of Nails and the Accupressure mats both, and make someone lie on it bare back and with true needles biting into their flesh and their look of pride they did it.  Most love it but some grouse and complain loudly and angrily and get up only to ask, where can they buy one.  Lots of B&B owners sell mugs and various sundry products but I sell only the Accupressure mats and Anti-Arthritis finger massagers.  I sell a great many- good for circulation, sleep and keeping healthy. End of infomercial and I must remember to keep off Amazon.  They are killing me with cool wellness tools.

My favorite thing when a guest leaves the romance room just to find that they never used the jacuzzi tub. That just means I can turn the water on and hop right in my tub that I have been missing 4 days. I have no idea how people start the day without a bath but I will find a silver lining if I have to paint it there. Love my two person soaker jacuzzi. 

I love when my guests are chillin’ reading from my eclectic library of Spiritual and Sexual interests. my absolute favoritest book on the planet "The Guide to Getting It On" is the olden day’s version of Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask and let me tell you, my readers are riveted, as they should be. Total silence for the last hour. I bought this book from a spiritual store and I wasn't shopping, just killing time but I had to have it. It's about 800 pages of brilliance but it was too heavy to carry on the bus so I broke it up into pieces and the pictures are too dirty so you have to read it very carefully in public unless you want judgment or funny looks. A librarian friend of mine was mortified that I had torn up a book into chapters so she borrowed it, read it and then rebound it in three separate groups which I’m eternally grateful for. Now I show it to most of my guests and lots have it ordered from Amazon before they even check out. One friend read it cover-to-cover twice all 800 pages and then came back with a list of questions for me. One young family of Travelers actually had this book change their love life forever after the young new husband had read it and gained insight on a misconception he'd always believed. Its life changing!.

And now I feel like I should be spinning around like Julie Andrews singing These Are a Few of My Favourite Things. Can't wait to see what 2020 brings.more; thankfully that is over for now. Time for rest and rejuvenation and travel!!!

The Challenges of a New Parent Running a B&B

Oh dear God, what have I done at this Orleans Bed and Breakfast?  I made a big mistake.  Let me start by, it seemed like a really good idea but in the end it wasn't and I don't know how to get out of it. A million things in my life have gone this way but none worse than accepting my first and last two baby medicinal, now legal seedlings. Unlike Clinton, I don't smoke up, I truly don't inhale and I would never do edibles. I do have a wellness themed bed and breakfast and I know that this herb has so many healing qualities so I thought the leaves in tea might be a lovely novelty. You Tube tells me I'm deluded.

I was a proud parent and all excited to get these two tiny babies but well, I have no idea how to raise them.  Common sense sends all of you and the rest of the world to You tube videos but not this dinosaur, not until it was too late.  Fortunately, there has been no shortage of information from well-meaning friends. 

My first step was to gingerly go into the garden specialty store and whisper I have a plant and I don't know how to take care of it. He was thoroughly versed on it and gave me all kinds of advice, while speaking quite loudly, much to my chagrin. I might as well have been searching for condoms or feminine hygiene products.   I also have a next door neighbour who really enjoyed visiting nature's greenery plants and touching them and brushing them and smelling them and rolling around on them like a dog in poop and then telling me what I was doing wrong, always what I am doing wrong, never what I have done right. Thankfully my soil has been nourished lovingly with 365 days a year compost. I will dare to brag that it's the best on my street, even despite the cold and the rain this summer. So what could possibly go wrong? Let me tell you.

At harvest time, I learned.  It is impossible to sit in the backyard with the stench of a hundred skunks coming from these too innocuous plants. Harvest day came and I uprooted them, cut off the roots andcut off all the leaves. Of course I wore gloves because I'm extremely sensitive to anything mind altering substances like caffeine, drugs, and alcohol. When it came down to the nitty-gritty of getting the smaller leaves, I took off my gloves and accidentally brushed against the buds. Within half an hour I was in a 2-hour coma and when I woke up I realized I could have probably slept for a month. I guess I have to be more careful because I don't intend to use it.  Stop rolling your eyes.

Like every good parent, I started with the basement workshop letting my babies hang upside to dry but that was a disaster with the smell infusing the house with pure evil, and how do you soak the house in tomato juice when this happens.  Can't be done!   I moved them and hung them in the garage but the stench was unbearable even with the garage door closed or open. The nasty smell continued to infiltrate the house so I had to move my tiny bounty out into the shed as I now had a full house of guests for three day.  Of course after one day I realized it wasn't getting dry enough in the shed, too much moisture so the only place left in my life that might be dry and safe was...wait for it..... my car. I should have known what a big mistake it would be but what else could I do with my guests. After I moved babies from the car, the damage was done.  Sure my guests were going in the backyard to smoke up but I can't have them living with my skunks in "their" house.

I went to the Humanics Sanctuary to volunteer and when I opened the doors to unload my instruments, a gust of skunks followed and eyebrows were raised.  It's been over a week that the car has been emptied and it still stinks.  People, don't make this mistake.  Seriously, it's just an experiment gone very wrong.

I am told to let my greenery dry long enough until they are lightly dry but slightly moist but not damp because they'll get rot. What the hell does that mean not dry but not moist. Right now they are all in a bag stinking up whatever room they are moved to and the garage and after 7 days of drying now I have to let them breath.  How on earth do you let them breath when every other person in the house is unable to when they are in the vicinity? They are some of my least favourite houseguests since I open 5 years ago. Will I do this again? I like to think that I learn from my past mistakes so..... 

Music and creativity at the B&B

Music  seems to be a common theme at the B&B.  Every morning, the guests appear at the time they have requested and they get to choose the music they want to listen to at breakfast.  They are usually so accommodating that they say they will listen to anything until I counter with Polka/Rap, then they quickly change their tune.  And yes, it sounds like I'm stereotyping but some groups always choose classical, and other age groups always want breakfast rock.  Lately, I've been listening to Hindi music, day after day after day, for a month, or is it 2 years, I'm not sure.  The time just runs together when the music is "that good".  That's what life is like when it's all about the guest.  

The year started off with me hosting a more intimate concert with Nigel who played lots of the Beatles and Homegrown Music that was a delight to listen to.  https://www.musicalwellness.com/ 

 As an afterthought, I went to see the movie "Yesterday" about the Beatles and it was the best show I've seen in ages.

I used to have the Energy Share where everybody got a healing and then I also did a Musical Sound Healing evening but then I got the inspiration to combine the two and oh my goodness it's wonderful. 

Everyone brought their beautiful musical instruments to share for the "show" at Humanics Sanctuary  on their opening day June 23rd. It was magical.  Imagine this spiritual place in nature where all age groups have gathered in the quiet of the meditation rock gathering place.  I explained to everyone how easy it is to heal and suddenly, everyone was practicing hands on healing and energy work.  Three minutes into the utter silence of nature, save for the sound of birds and the bubbling nearby spring, we slowly started to pick up instruments like rattles, chimes, bells, thunder tubes, Tibetan singing bowls and crystal singing bowls.  Everyone is wandering around trying all the instruments and nearing the 10 minute mark, the drums start....and reach a frenzy then on signal, utter silence.  It gave me goose bumps it was so fascinating.  The children really liked it and for some, it was their first attempt at healing.  What a legacy to help teach the young.

I hosted a lovely indigenous woman Lill to make rattles at my house and then it evolved into hosting a drumming Circle until the Facebook event said they were like 600 people coming. So she found a new venue and now once a month I get to do free drumming with a lovely group of my closest and newest friends.

I took yet another belly dancing class to music. The first one was at Movati and the second one level 2 no less, with Yagu, was at the Shenkman center and was marvelous fun. 

On a previous weekend I hosted a paint birthday party for a lovely group of women who requested my favorite folk singer musician Jim  who does a great sing along session. The ladies loved this.

Another weekend I went to see something I've wanted to do for 15 years and it was a folk show sponsored by Rasputin's at the Masonic temple. As I walked in late I felt like I was home. I sat down and the show started. My favorite instrument in the world is the HARP and there were two harps on stage and two women singing amusing songs. I think that's going to be even higher on my bucket list one day.

Just found out I'm entitled to request a guitar for Vets because simply serving time past boot camp and I qualify.  I was so excited until I read the criteria.  I must have PTSD.  I have grown children; shouldn't that count for something?  On my bucket list is playing the piano but I think the guitar will have to wait. 

 
Had the road trip of a lifetime to go see the Rolling Stones with a friend Roger, and it was unbelievable.  This absolutely has to be the last time they play in Canada.   I confided that I didn't have clue what they sang as I hadn't listened to them in years.  My music is sappy sing-a-long love songs.  Well, out came the CD and 5 hours on the drive there, ok I exaggerate. These guys are like 75 and while they are as old as the hills and have lived every life experience to the extreme, surprisingly, some of them could still move, at least I think it was them.  They were just ants on stage with the huge videos.  For all I know, they could have been doing a podcast from their homes and used actual ants on stage.  Either way it worked.  There was an unexpected ending to the evening tho.  In our cars at 11pm and 5 hours later, 30,000 cars vacated the site; yes, 5 hours and this isn't a Boretski exaggeration!  OMG, the energy in the car was "hangry" which was a sharp difference to the energy at the concert.  

So every time I do a musical energy sound healing and I don't have somebody there who has brought some of their special instruments I'm a little embarrassed because it's less-than-stellar for me. My friend Cheryl noticed a woman was selling a large amount of musical instruments for a pittance so I flew over there same day and bought everything. I have expanded my musical repertoire greatly. And then I went down to the music store and bought two more Thunder tubes and an African Bellaphone.  What have I done?  I've got the music fever.  So now I just need chime and crystal sounds if you have any donations for the cause.


I finally made it to Nature Nocturne with my friends Cheryl and Jim.  We got to tour the Nature Museum which was pretty cool but I loved the Silent Concert.  Three DJ's playing wildly different music and we got to go back and forth between the tunes, depending upon which ones were encouraging the crazier dancing.

Sadly, I have not attended a music festival yet this year in Ottawa.  Well I guess I have to save something for another day.  

Six Months of Workshops, Travel and the Bucket List at the Bed and Breakfst

6 months in for Spoiled Rotten Bed and Breakfast in Orleans and I can't believe how the 

business plan has evolved. 

It was predicted that  this year would be different than all the other years and man were they right. I seem to have focused on workshops a whole lot more and for a whole lot longer than I did other years; something seemed to click and a well loved organizer and friend, Thea, supported me and used the adoration of her fans to promote it so it seemed right to just join the queue and drink her coolaid. 

Ann and Greg

First off, I offered a group and then a private Pierogi  making class. You know how when you go to the beach and come home with sand everywhere?  Well there was flour EVERYWHERE!  

Had a few Paint Nites which segued into Nude Paint Nites which were even more popular!

Enjoyed a house concert with Nigel Harris and his lively brand of music.   https://www.musicalwellness.com/

My reward was a western Caribbean Norwegian cruise with an old family friend, Jerry Wolf. 

Hosted an Indigenous Rattle Making class with Lill and then an Energy Share & Sound Healing, some Drumming- Lill-style (man she's versatile),  https://www.facebook.com/events/465225770948898/  and a  

Spiritual Discussion Coffee Group evening.                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Things got interesting when my favourite masochistic massage therapist allowed me to join my cousin's appointment and take notes.  He is so gifted and I hope to incorporate his techniques into my own massages one day.    

This year I think was the first time I caught the Tulip Festival, and of course, my

garden was in full bloom as well.  

Started my vegetable garden a week early.  The yuckiest day of the year is compost in the garden day.  Oh the agony but it's what makes my garden soil good enough to eat AND all the rogue plants that come out of the compost make it fascinating....well every year but this one.  Nothing, nada.  What a rip!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Got involved with Humanics last year and have had lots of talks since January about this favorite spiritual place- Humanics Sanctuary in Cumberland, preparing for their 2nd year grand opening on June 23rd. http://www.humanicsinstitute.org/

A woman hosted a Girls Nite Out private Paint Party and another had a Paint Birthday party at Spoiled Rotten Bed and Breakfast. My prices are the cheapest in town at $15 per person, including your beverages and food but this is the real reason why I do it.  At least one of them would like to come and help me in the bed and breakfast. At least one of them wants to attend my Psychic Spiritual spa afternoon. Some of them signed up for my newsletter because they like the topic of the workshops coming up. One of them is interested in my romantic date night which I explained was cheaper than one night in a regular hotel including everything you could imagine. It all works out in the wash.

Then "we" delved into unknown territory and hosted one of my first Dating After 40/ Sex After Divorce Potluck Parties and was that ever a lot of fun.  My intent was the discussion about sex after divorce but the group were told it was dating after 40.  Those two topics did not really go together but oh was it a lively afternoon.

 

I got to go away to a spiritual retreat in the country with Deb and Louise and learned what NOT to do at a retreat as the hostess.  Oh they are good women to vacation with.

Playing giant dice by the fire

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I continue to host more Dating After 40 parties. No sooner had I posted it then the event was full with a huge waiting list; how exciting.                                                                                                                                                                                            

One of my favorites mediums, Nicole Babin, came to do a French only Spiritual Spa Day on Angels and Energy and then had a potluck with spiritual friends. 

Off to knock another bucket list item off- vacationing with my siblings.

Bros Tom and Paul, and sister Diane

 Another cruise back to Alaska to take lots of pictures this time and finally have memories  unlike my first trip where my camera fell in water. 

College Fjiords

She looks like I feel

Ever since my daughter moved to Australia and stole my grandbabies away, and my younger daughter has moved out on her own, I have started going on outings with the Ottawa one.  We've been hiking, and camping lately and she is becoming more of a friend than a daughter, FINALLY.  Woohoo!  I don't have to hide the brewskis, pillow mints for the guests and all my socks anymore.  Only 27 years of thievery gone to the wayside.

My daughter Jessica was supposed to go camping with a friend in Algonquin park and asked if she could borrow all my camping gear. Over the past lifetime my precious babies have borrowed my stuff and broken or lost almost everything so I was very leery of her having all my good stuff which I use often for my solo trips. I tentatively gave her all my crappy gear- tents with broken zippers, missing poles... you know, the "karma's a bitch" stuff and coming back to bite you on the butt for not taking care of it the first time around. I didn't check anything- I gave her buckets of  unorganized stuff. Then her trip got cancelled and she asked me along. Good grief, I would have to go through everything again. She came back with her van full so we didn't pack it properly or if I must be honest, check it at all. I added tons of new stuff just in case from replacing old crappy tents with a working huge tent. We figured it would all work out. It did but we haven't forgotten this much in our entire lives. I've only been on one other subsequent camping trip where we forgot even more stuff.  This is the summer of survive or die apparently. 

Previous camping partners would've turned over in their grave if they were actually there. Apparently lot of stuff comes from inside the house and doesn't stay in with the camping gear like spatulas cutlery drinking cups. We had exactly one melted plastic fork 10 knives and a bunch of spoons. The only spatula we had was probably a pot scraper but hey it worked. It was too cold for the raccoons or mosquitoes but they were watching for sure.  

Barron Canyon at the top.

Honestly, the mosquitos were not the worst;  its just you forget what its like having things fly around your head and it was preparing me for my upcoming Killarney nightmare straight out of a Stephen King novel.  It got much colder and we were expecting a lot of rain.  

Last summer, I took foraging hikes and learned all about what Mother Nature offers. We may have enjoyed some of her medicines and laughed til we cried.  Hiked Barron Canyon twice and filled our cameras with millions of pictures.  Caught up on hours of sleep and even manifested a flotilla of male canoers.  Well the trip got cut short with the torrential rains but the memories will last forever; epic mother/daughter camping trip then back to work, again.

An offshoot from the Sex and Dating After 40/Divorce was the requested Online Dating Discussion group which went off marvelously.

Another thing knocked off my Bucket List- camping in Killarney Provincial Park with a friend, to commune with the hordes of pterodactyl mosquitoes and be carried away by the Green Mile black flies outside and inside the yurt. Oh my God what a terrible time to camp.

Back home, the phones are starting to ring now, the place is starting to book up since I'm finally here with cell service. Hosting a caregiver 101 class for all those overworked caregivers then another Online Dating class which filled up  to capacity  in less than half a day. 

Off to see the Rolling Stones for Canada Day weekend- are they still alive??? 

I'm sure there will be many more workshops and paint nights throughout the summer unlike last year but my favorite is coming up with Nicole Moronval, the intuitive medium from Montreal who will talk about Empowerment and Spirituality on July 6th at my Spiritual Spa Day. https://spoiledrottenbnb.ca/about/upcoming-events/#event|spiritual-spa-day-2|68 .  Sign up soon. 

What a half year this has been but now I'm back to work so give me a call and let's get you Spoiled Rotten again.