Today is church, house cleaning and homework. My habanero pepper plant has a few peppers on it.

Groceries, wine shop, laundry, and educating myself about the prospects for turning my lower level in-law suite into an Airbnb offering.

Work, extra work, and contemplating losing in-home internet. My intro price expired (or something has happened) and my bill more than doubled. The cost is now too high, and I would rather live without in-home service than pay for rising costs. I do not bundle, and I do not have a business for which some of this cost might be deductible. I did this in the past. I can do it again. Considering that I am on hiatus (give or take a half dozen shops now and then), this will not disrupt my little hobby too much.

@walesmaven: I wanted to float this idea and similar concepts regarding a house that I jointly own. That will not happen. No new information or ideas were permitted, and there could be no discussion of possibility. But I wish you luck in finding information. One place to look for general ideas is in residences that owners converted into B&Bs. The rules and regs would vary, but some ideas might transfer to what you would like to try. Your building always has to meet code, and you might be able to find a niche besides the obvious mystery shoppers who visit your area. Good luck!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2019 01:58PM by Shop-et-al.

Thanks. Actually, the space has been a long term rental for decades, so it meets code. Local taxes for Airbnb will automatically be paid via Airbnb. My cleaner is guaranteed a living wage as calculated by the county for this high cost area. I need to figure out how best to get the first few guests and, therefore, some reviews. First step, better pix of the space with better lighting and taken in landscape mode, I think.

I am in TN exploring the Smokies. The resort has provided us with Ripley's Aquarium free tickets and another free 7 day and 7 night stay at any of their resorts worldwide in lieu of attending their pesky timeshare presentation. Will try to get through those two hours!

@walesmaven wrote:

Thanks. Actually, the space has been a long term rental for decades, so it meets code. Local taxes for Airbnb will automatically be paid via Airbnb. My cleaner is guaranteed a living wage as calculated by the county for this high cost area. I need to figure out how best to get the first few guests and, therefore, some reviews. First step, better pix of the space with better lighting and taken in landscape mode, I think.

Wales...join Airbnb online and find your guests through the site in your town....Airbnb.com

Today is my open house at 1:00 with Broker coming early to place signs. I'll meet with him, show him house, then I'll be getting a manicure, having lunch and basically staying away until 5.00.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2019 05:13PM by Irene_L.A..

Someone at church brought in their excess squash. I picked up 3 yellow and 2 green. I did a bowl for my 5Guys shop. I'm going that route from now on. I'm calling my parents at 5pm.

I picked a red tomato from my plant. It was badly bruised. I looked online and found that they should be harvested when green and semi-soft. OOPS!

Wow! I have learned a ton about hosting Airbnb and have a good start on my ad narratives.
Tomorrow housemate and I will stage the suite, bring in extra light and take pictures in landscape mode to best show the rooms. I expect to launch later this week!

Am I allowed to post about my Airbnb offering it to forum members? Hmmm. Will have to consult Jacob.

Irene, how was the open house?

Annual mammogram first. Then renewing my driver's license. Staging lower level suite and taking glamour pictures for Airbnb listing. Kitchen clean-up.

UPDATE In the last 10 minutes the sky has gone midnight dark. We have torrential rain. I live between 2 creeks that now have flash flood warnings. I am on higher ground but will not be driving across those creeks any time soon. Literally every year someone ignores those warnings and has to be rescued (if they are that lucky.) Time to clean house, I think.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2019 12:24PM by walesmaven.

Just finished a couple of beloved Hamish Macbeth mysteries (MC Beaton describes him as "the other Macbeth", haha!), and it is time for a new-to-me author. For those who have not met Hamish Macbeth, you should know that he is the anti-success chap who would rather stay in the gloomy Scottish hills and tend to critters than accept a career promotion and move to the city. But the countryside is not all good. There are issues, and crimes, and beloved ladies who chronically cancel plans in order to stay in London... alas, Poor Hamish...

Anyway, back here in the rural realm across the pond and off yonder somewhere, it is typical Monday: Work, workout, do small projects, read, and make a variation of the wonderful salad from a few days ago. Now, I am looking for my amazing (but missing) little book of salads. Who knew that salad could be this, and that, and thaaaaaaatttt!?! I am happy to report that there is no jello or cool whip in any of them!!!!! Obviously, someone else was creative with those salads before I came along. But maybe just the memory of the lost (probably donated accidentally) book is enough to spark my creativity now.

Remember my wail about my missing copy of 'An Exaltation of Larks'? Well, i found it. It was on the shelf with stuff from The Word Detective, Richard Lederer, etc. All is well now.

Quick visit to the dr this morning...got stung by a bee on July 3rd, on my lower left leg. Man, did that thing redden and itch!! Encompassed about 5" high and nearly all the way around my leg!! Left ankle got 2" fatter than my right ankle. Been doing epsom salts, taking oral benadryl and using cortisone cream on it. Splotchy and rashy. Today is Day 6 since rash, and it is starting to clear up, shrink and fade somewhat, but still taking up a lot of space on my lower leg! Dr said it was a "large local reaction". He could not guarantee that any future bee stings would be any less reactive. So he wrote me out a Rx for a generic 2-Pak EpiPen kit, which I picked up after I left his office. Got it at my local Walmart, and with my Medicare Advantage Aetna PPO Plan, my co-pay for this was..........$1.25!! Yup! Phew!! If I didn't have insurance, this generic kit would have cost over $300.00!!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2019 08:22PM by guysmom.

Just wandering in Gatlingurg, TN. This little town is a far cry from Chicago. Got two scented soaps from a small shop. I was amazed that they now have a Five Guys here. I made an offer and the MSC accepted it. It was double the fee! Guess, I will be doing my first Five Guys shop tomorrow far away from home. As promised, the resort gave us free rickets to the aquarium and free 7 days and nights at any of their resorts to be used next year. Time share presentation lasted only an hour and wasn't so bad. Went to Clingman's Dome where we were literally walking in the clouds. Tomorrow will be Cade Cove and Laurel Falls.

@guysmom..Hope you feel better. Where I come from, we take an iron key and rub it against the floor to generate heat. We press that repeatedly against the skin. It's an old wives remedy but it works most of the time.

I rescheduled my daytime shops due to rain. I put the inside plants outside, emptied the seedling cups and let them fill with rainwater.

Honny mentioned yesterday's rain. Near me it measured almost 4 inches in ONE hour. But, that was not the only hour of heavy rain, by far. I rescheduled everything except hours of housework. Today will be consumed by a routine medical visit and a TON of errands. mostly related to readying the lower level suite to be offered on AirBnB, Then, back to MS, big time, Wednesday-Sunday.

Binge-watching Agatha Raisin.

Clinical trial $$.

Hah! Production for the third season of Agatha Raisin begins/began this month! *does a little happy dance*

So there is extra work today. A little money, a little exercise, and a little time in the sunshine. Such a deal!

I must remember to get my little thyroid test today. Must remember... remember... thyroid... remember...

Today is laundry and homework.

After one quick shop in a few minutes, I'm heading up the highway to go visit son, DIL, and 2 grandbabies!! Haven't seen them in about 2 months, so it's time!! Short ~ 2 3/4 hr drive up there. Gonna stay for a few days...YAY!!

Edited to correct that it's been 2 months, not 5, as I had earlier put in, since I've seen them... It just seemed like 5 months! Up here now and enjoying being with my family!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2019 01:56AM by guysmom.

I am going to repot a few plants and do a little inside housework. It's too hot outside to do much else.

On top of scheduling, I am trying to motivate my much younger cousin to get his lazy self a job so he can get out of living at my house for free. UGH!!!

Today found errands and a new holistic boutique with nice oils. I got a 20.00 reimbursement and found an allergy free eye makeup remover which I was happy to buy, plus a fee...job took 5 minutes, but submitting report via a Canadian company through About Face is a bear. Home trying to submit this easy peasy report....oh yay.

So there was A LOT of extra work!!!!! It took all morning, and I was aware of the rising temperature.

It's okay. By filling in for someone, we might be preserving a job. They encountered an unanticipated event that interfered with their availability for work. For this cause, I will put up with heat and sore and tender parts. For a little while. And scurry home and pour ice over my head. And stick my icy head in the freezer.....

shop-et-al...don't get brain freeze.....

Picking up odd items from local sales to set up the Airbnb space: 99 cent Dawn dish detergent; unisex scented bath scrub, salt and pepper grinders (great Aldi buy).

When the business is really established, I have found sources of bulk orders of hotel sized soap,shampoo, etc. But, for now, I am sticking with more generic stuff that could also transiton to personal use without any $$$ loss to me.
Also, eyeing a twin size, automatic blow-up mattress that could stretch the unit's guest capacity, but only for SHORT term guests. Also,thinking about a three panel wall art thing depicting poppies, to brighten the bedroom. (Probably not too "girly" to also appeal to guys.) Again, those are for once I am established and confident of handling this. Keeping an amazon "wish list".

Even though I just washed my windows a while back, enough dirt had accumulated that I didn't feel odd doing a window washing estimate shop. The price for doing all windows inside and out came to $378!

I'll remember all the money I saved the next time I'm trying to justify my non-full-time job existence.

I went to the end of the internet to get information on bleaching my hair. I am going to DIY platinum blonde.