Vacation Rental Dreaming

Welcome to Wednesday. It's a little above freezing, but not enough to make it comfortable or acceptable. This time of year, without fail, my mind turns to the question: Why in the world are we making soap in this misery of an ice box when we could literally make soap from anywhere? Seriously, what in the name of all that is holy are we thinking? I could just as easily, no more easily, make soap in say, Aruba. I would even settle for Florida, but it is so cold there that iguanas are falling out of trees. I don't really like the idea of frozen lizards falling on me, so I'm sticking with Aruba. I have a VRBO account, and it is currently filled with potential vacation rentals in Aruba. A girl can dream.  

Speaking of vacation rentals, my bib-overall-wearing buddy and I will be attending a conference on Agritourism. Yes, you read that correctly, Agritourism. My bib overall, wearing business partner and life partner (he hates it when I use that term), would like to turn our private little piece of heaven into a shared experience, inviting strangers to come and stay in tree houses while our darling goats graze beneath. He is not limiting it to just tree houses, oh, no, yurts are on the table, custom glamping sites with hand-built huts, he has big ideas. He even talks about remodeling the granary into a vacation rental and mentions the springhouse.

I'm being completely transparent when I say this idea makes my little introverted heart go bumpity-bump in a very nervous way. What about my peaceful morning walks with The Heavy-B? Will I have to people all the time? Peopling is very hard for me. No, for real. The older I get, the weirder I get. Eric says he could be a hermit, but of the two of us, I am genuinely introverted. In a crowd, I am socially awkward at best. Will I have to play host all my days? Will I have to clean other people's mess? I struggle to clean my own mess and that of those who share my home. I live with pigs, and they exasperate me. I yell at them when they are too messy. I don't want to clean up after others. I don't want to yell at strangers for leaving their socks in my woods. I don't want to touch said socks. Socks are gross. Stranger's socks are next-level gross. And then there is the whole bed sheet and human dander issue. I can't breathe in other people's dander. I sincerely feel like I can feel it hanging out in the back of my throat, and it makes me cough. I don't think I am meant to be a hostess to strangers. However, I will give them fresh linens every day and not act like a twit about it or make up stupid, unsanitary rules like you must reuse your washcloth after you have washed your butt. Yeah, I am a bit bitter over the whole lack of service in hotels.    

I am to blame for this. It is my idea to utilize our land and share our experience. The Bibbed Wonder just took it in a new and unexpected direction. I was thinking we would teach some classes and host an adult summer camp, maybe a community garden kind of thing. Nope, let's invite strangers, possible serial killers, to hang out in our woods with our beloved pets. I'm a bit apprehensive. Sigh. 

It could be fun. Just think of all the interesting people we could meet? I mean, if meeting interesting people is your thing. I could also get very creative and decorate the treehouses, yurts, or glamping huts. I really do like to decorate. I could have a little goat cart and deliver coffee and muffins to everyone in the morning. I really like the idea of a goat cart...and muffins. It has some positives, for sure. But some people are very hard to please and are mean. I don't like mean people. I especially don't like mean people who would stay on my farm and take up my time with complaints. I don't like complaints. However, the goat cart and muffins could be a deal breaker. I could be bought with a goat cart and muffins. 

This is all just an idea at this point. However, it is a serious enough idea that we are attending a conference to explore it. There is a lot to consider, for sure. It is fun to think about, but it is also a lot to take in and consider. I'm definitely not the people-iest person you will meet. If nothing else, we will get a lot of good information. I am also going to add a goat cart with muffins to my must-have, non-negotiable list. I can't people without a goat cart and muffins. If I am going to have a goat cart, The Bibbed Wonder has to train Lester and Teddy Bear to pull my cart. That is also non-negotiable. I should teach a class in negotiating. Oh, and the muffins are baked by someone else. I don't want to bake muffins; I want to enjoy them. Everything tastes better if you don't have to bake it yourself. Yes, I can see this working out. 

So, what do you think, dear reader? Would you come to stay in a treehouse on our farm with our lovely goats grazing beneath you? Would you like me to deliver coffee and muffins to your treehouse in the morning in my goat cart? Of course, there would be really good goat's milk soap gifted as well. Weigh in, I would love to know what you think. Good idea or bad idea?

On this chilly January Wednesday, stay safe, be smart, don't be afraid to explore crazy ideas, tell me what you think, and keep washing your hands.