Bumblebee Logic – believing things will happen that weren’t supposed to happen – like that we are FULL for Thanksgiving and that after only 6 months here, we are making real, visible, documentable progress on re-branding and renovating the rather shopworn Resort we bought 6 mos ago. Looking at some past occupancy figures from Webervations (they do our online – and some offline – reservations) last year in October it showed 17 reservations, we had 47 this year. We blew away last November’s whopping 4 reservations the first DAY of November this year. We have had several guests return for a 2nd visit (in 6 months) and we have cabins booked already for December and January – and a wedding too! And I indeed might be crazy but I swear this property is magic – every week we see guests arrive tense, stressed, grumpy and then see them leave smiling, happy and relaxed – wanting to return. We call it the “porch effect” – 2 evenings (or mornings) on one of our cabin porches and it seems stress just drains away.
Our guests are relaxed but we are busy as bees, this winter will be our toughest test of faith yet. We are working hard to try and make sure we are ready for freezing temps and other winter related issues we haven’t yet experienced. Oh, and planning for that whole 2 people, 3 dogs, 2 cats in a teeny cabin together when it’s too cold to go outside thing…yeah, that too. Have quite the list to work thru – heaters for the well sheds, firewood cut split and covered (our guests LOVE the fireplaces), some weatherproofing on our our “barn” (the former chicken coop and shed) to keep the ducks, goats and horse cozy, more mulch for the turtle enclosure and of course, making sure the cabins have adequate heat for those truly frigid days we’re bound to have before Spring. Bumblebee Logic again – I think we will get thru this winter and our Event Center will be ready for a soft opening by Valentine’s Day.
We moved to a whole new place, alone, knowing no-one and yet we have been blessed with loyal guests and great people helping us every step of the way. We are thankful we have survived the 1st 6 months of this totally new endeavor relatively sane and without any huge disasters. It has not been easy and we are still dealing with Dallas issues but our goal is to have all of that behind us by 2010. Buzz Buzzzzz – we have plans…big plans and we are anxious to get on with them.
A big Thank-You to all the people who worked with us in big and small ways to get us this far. We are thankful for our parents – who are always there in so many ways and our families – who have supported us with encouraging words and understanding – and by coming here to experience our little corner of the Ozarks first-hand. Getting The Retreat at Sky Ridge from a dream to reality has been a group effort in many ways. Hiccups, goofs, tragedies and losses aside, it’s starting to feel like a dream within reach.
If I could, I’d give some “Bumblee Logic” to all you dreamers out there. To everyone who longs to make that leap of faith – dreams of launching from solid, grounded today into an unknown tomorrow – I’d give you the wisdom to know that like every fledgling ever pushed from their cozy nest learns – nobody ever likes leaving the known (even if it isn’t comfortable anymore) for the unknown but nobody ever said making dreams come true was EASY, just that you could make it happen if you wanted it enough. Bumblebees don’t know they shouldn’t be able to fly, so they fly. No matter how you look at it the only real true test is in the doing. So, when you’re ready, like the Bumblebee, you have to know that no matter what others say, no matter how improbable it seems, you can fly and then …..spread your wings and go.
So, because of a Bumblee’s unlikely talents – the miracle of his flight – I am here, in this place – where I discover a new wonder of some kind every day. I am blessed that I get to I live every moment of my dreams coming true by helping other people make THEIR dreams come true – how cool is that? I think the Bumblebee would approve.
