Living at work is not the same as working from home, I’ve discovered. Its rather like when cell phones came into being, and although the concept was good, it meant that you would never again be able to escape work completely. Even at intimate dinners the cell phone crouches behind the salt and pepper threatening to ring or worse vibrate.

When you live at work, especially in an inn or hotel environment the phone is in constant persuit of your sanity, especially when instructions from above dictate not to allow more than two rings before answering. There is also no escaping the constant round of repairs, maintenence, cooking, cleaning, washing up and resetting the perfect arrival scenery from day to day, week to week etc. etc. Of course you say, that is what you have bought into by taking on the role of an innkeeper. That is true and so we have to redirect our focus to spend time doing something here that is not work related. That way when we greet our guests, thirsty for their special retreat, our smiles genuine from time “away” doing things we find inwardly rewarding.

Richard has begun a new hobby, learning how to be a blacksmith. Our friend and master historical armourer Jeff Hedgecock back in S. CA taught him how to make a craftsman’s knife and it was inspirational. Since arriving here Richard has started searching for all he needs to begin practicing making his own style of craftsman’s knives and recently joined the Appalachian Blacksmiths Association. At the first meeting he realized that he did not fit in next to the mutitude of extreme beards and bellies, but he’s not deterred from his goal. Banging away at hot steelon an anvil helps when a pampered guest leaves without tipping.

Me, I walk among the trees, watch the wildlife, and write my heart out. I have joined an online writer’s group led by a friend we meet sailing and from past experience I know that that interchange truly transports you to other worlds.
I have a notion to start hatmaking, since getting my industrial sewing machine from the boat and I am lucky in that part of my work here at the inn entails the creative art of cooking which has always been a pleasurable and fulfilling, as long as I am not in a crazy restaurant environment.

Perhaps living at work is not the issue, the tough thing is chewing off the time to separate ourselves from work, for it is the creating time that renews and gives us back ourselves.