B&B Convention

Dawn and I are meeting in Phoenix this weekend for a four-day B&B convention, with such titillating workshops as:

• Selling to the Affluent
• Yield Management for Inns
• Master of Disaster: Planning for the Worst
• The Art of Fruit
• WalMart Budget, Tiffany Dreams
• First, Do No Harm: Safety in the Kitchen
• Granola...Much More Than Cereal
• Internet Boot Camp Part I
• One Wheat-Free-Vegan-South Beach Breakfast Coming Right Up
And my favorite...
• Blogging for Business

The scary part is, I find all of this fascinating. Perhaps it's just learning something new, or because it's so different than my usual routine, but I want to go to "Capitalizing on Changing Guest Expectations" and "Profitable Green Trends."

After the convention, we'll return to Pennsylvania where I've already got a full schedule lined up:

• File taxes
• Visit a local winery
• Review schedule, kitchen cabinets with the contractor
• Visit the furniture
• Hire a landscapist (is that a word?)
• Meet with the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitor's Bureau
• Pick up a copy of the Lititz directory (with our first ad)
• Make final decisions on paint colors and lighting
And, of course...
• Give a tour on April 8th at 10am

My cousin is also coming up from South Carolina to help with the design, furniture, and marketing. She's terrified of airplanes and really wanted to make the 11-hour drive (or 12-hour train ride) but we somehow convinced her to take the 2-hour flight. Yesterday she told me she had a new pair of pajamas and a prescription for valium, and was all set. If nothing else, this trip won't be dull.

And finally, we got our second reservation request today, but I don't think it counts because it was from the same person who made the first reservation request! Of course, last August I told her we'd be open in May, so now I had to back-pedal and tell her mid-June.