Let this post serve as a "reinvention", or a "transformation" of the Laurelinda's Leaves blog, which happens to coincide with a reinvention and transformation of the lives of Linda Teller (me), Phil Teller (my husband), and our friend, Joy Morningmoon. We range from ages 52 to 64, and it is possible we are experiencing a "mid-life crisis", but it doesn't FEEL like a crisis. It feels like everything we've experienced in our lives up to now has led us all to this precipice with the skills and knowledge we need to confidently jump off the edge of the cliff and know we'll land safely.Most of our friends and family are being quite supportive (possibly getting caught up in the elevated levels of excitement and energy we've been emanating out of every pore in our bodies). But there's a very tiny undercurrent of doubt and incredulity. Perhaps I'm projecting the doubts and incredulity that all 3 of us have experienced as we embark on what will likely become the biggest adventure in our lifetimes. While, in fact, it truly feels like we were "guided" to do this, and continue to have stepping stones laid in front of our path to support us as we walk forward with intention.
It all started when Joy landed a job in Kettle Falls, WA. We went to visit her there, and she expressed a wish to buy a house, but she was sad that she couldn't do it herself. We offered to help her achieve this wish, so she started looking at small places in town, and Phil inspected each residence for potential problems. It became a group project, but the more we looked, the more we realized there were some *amazing* deals on the housing market! We made an offer on a small craftsman on the edge of town that was built in 1918. We all fell in love with it, but it needed a lot of work, including a revamp of the electrical (still had fuses instead of breakers!). It was big enough that Joy could have roommates or run it as a hostel for the many bicyclists that travel through Kettle Falls in the summertime. However, the owners wouldn't budge on their price, so we shrugged and let it go. We weren't thrilled with many of the other options in that same price range, so just for grins, we increased our price limit, and that's when the most amazing house landed in our lap!
It was HUGE, with 4 bedrooms and 2 baths...and it was ON Lake Roosevelt with incredible views! This was way more house than Joy would need, but she wasn't opposed to roommates. Suddenly, Phil and I toyed with the idea of moving into the house, too, and then a more grandiose idea hatched...what about a B&B? And what about building a gazebo in the large side yard and renting it out for weddings? And what about renting the whole house out as a vacation rental? The more we thought about it, the more we all began to like the idea of providing a fabulous place for guests to enjoy our hospitality. Plus, there is something that Phil and Joy and I do VERY well together, and that is "group cooking". During the brief time that Joy stayed with us in our Redmond house, we found we had a *knack* for cooking (and eating) delicious and healthy food together! Why not share that with guests? The more, the merrier! And so, the idea was born, and we fed it well, and it grew.
This lovely house had been wasting away on the market for almost two years. We think it was because it had been painted an unsightly green color (we nicknamed it "house hideous"). Because of this, the seller was quite happy to finally have AN offer, no matter how low. It was truly a deal we "couldn't pass up", and we set the wheels in motion to make it happen with a "we'll iron out the living arrangements later" attitude. On our repeated visits to help Joy with this project, we became acquainted with many folks in the small town of Kettle Falls, population "1600 and 1 grouch". We attended the Open Mike night at the organic market, and another (musical) at one of the taverns. We ate at the different restaurants and bars, and we attended the annual craft fair (it was amazing!!). So far, we have been amazed by all the people we've met. Each one of them has an interesting story and personality, and everyone seems genuinely hospitable and friendly. I remember when Redmond used to feel that way. Phil and I have both been saddened by the "progress" that has changed Redmond from the sleepy little "bedroom community" we used to know into a bustling metropolis. The one good thing that has come from all of this growth has been the increase in housing prices, and we are going to benefit from that when we sell our house that sits atop Education Hill, amidst all the schools, and within walking distance of downtown and driving/biking distance from Microsoft. Yes, we have decided to cash in our chips.
As of today, the three of us are officially the proud owners of "7 Riverwood Circle" (we have the keys now!). There is a LOT of work in store for us over the next year....especially the next 2-3 months! We have to transform an empty house into a beautiful B&B, which means filling it with furniture we don't have, adding a hot tub that isn't there, installing locks on all the bedroom doors, etc., and do this as quickly as we can in order to get it generating a profit. AND... we have to get a website presence ready and decide on what
software we want to use for taking registrations and billing guests. AND...we have to hurry and get the Redmond house ready for sale at the same time, which will require a few small remodel projects. AND...we have to work on buying the *second* Kettle Falls house, so that we will have a place to live when people want to rent the whole Riverwood house....but *that* part of the plan will be covered in a separate post! (All this while Joy and I continue working full-time...)
Still, while WE were expressing doubts about our own sanity early on, we have had a couple months to think about it, and even though it will necessitate a scurry of hard work and activity up front, all 3 of us are absolutely excited and chomping at the bit to get to work on this new chapter in all of our lives. If we agree on one thing, it is that we know we can do this...and that's a good start!
