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I am not a cat person. I’ve always had dogs. My husband, Ron, and I have three big dogs. My 85 year old father that lives with us often comments, after my 3 big dogs take over the entire sectional in the living room, ”everyone needs three big dogs!” Furthermore, I don’t understand people who don’t like dogs. It is beyond me. Likewise I’ve never truly understood cat people. Until now. A few weeks ago, we had a bunch of good friends at the Casitas to work on the grounds. Yes, work. And play. Who can work hard and not play? Silly. We cut hiking trails, made trail signs, marked trails and so much more. We worked hard, and then we played. The weather was a perfect Dripping winter afternoon – sunny and 70 degrees. We relaxed late Saturday afternoon and enjoyed the sun. We made dinner that evening in the Pavilion and welcomed a very unexpected guest. A CAT. For two and a half years, Ron and I have been working on these 13 acres and never had a stray cat. I’ve been fairly shocked. Locals that are “cat people” explain that there are many predators in the hill country and cats live a hard life, often short. I will say no more. But this night, we met the cutest, friendliest and warmest cat I’ve ever met. We were all immediately smitten. Even us non-“cat people”. He was clean, white and grey fur with brown accents, and purred louder than I was talking and was surprisingly affectionate…like a dog. I fell in love. Our friend, Gina B., claimed him and announced she would be taking him home the next day when she left. We called him CAT because, quite honestly, we didn’t know if he would move on to a new place by morning. Would we see him again? Sunday morning, we met at The Pavilion to cook up our bacon and eggs, and guess what? The CAT was there. And so excited to be with us yet again. After breakfast, we went for a hike to check out the new trails and markers….and the CAT hiked with us – for over an hour! He earned a name. Frank. Frank Eck was a good friend of mine that passed away, far too early, in 2011 of ALS. Frank was one of the most generous, fun-loving, adventurous, caring and faith-filled people I’ve ever known. I spent most weekends for many years at his farm in Amherst, VA. On most occasions, there were more animals (cats and dogs) on site than there were friends and family that he would gather.  I always brought my two dogs. He loved animals, especially dogs, and his sister Patsy was the cat person. All co-existed at Frank’s farm. I pray that all, humans and animals, co-exist at my Casitas. But I digress. Frank, the friend, would lead hikes on Sunday mornings at his farm. We’d all be a bit “tired” from the night before, but we would go. We called them death marches do to being "tired". This Sunday morning, with Frank the Cat darting from tree to tree, we all hiked our version of a death march. The spirit of my friend Frank is ever present at The Casitas, so it’s quite appropriate that our CAT be named Frank. This week, we took Frank to the vet, upgraded from dry food to canned, and we installed a kitty door on the office door. We are locked in on this guy. And he is set for life. Come see Frank, the Cat. Give him some love. Even if you don’t like cats, you’ll like this one. Trust me. He’s got spunk. And he has the amazing spirit of his namesake. Note: for those with cat allergies, Frank is not allowed in the Casitas. Our Casitas are cat dander free.

So, 2016 ended with us completing construction and opening up all 10 Casitas, a fairly amazing feat in only 8 months of construction. But that was 2016….. In 2017, we learned how to manage 10 small houses and will host almost 300 reservations before the years end. WOW! July and the fall months were the busiest. August was slow as expected, but then Hurricane Harvey deeply impacted our September. Our Houstonian friends were either flooded or helping those flooded, it seemed. We were grateful to support several Houstonians who could not return from vacations as expected and parked themselves at the Casitas to wait it out. Even our DFW friends stayed home and hunkered down. It was a weird month. We continue to pray for a full recovery for Houston and our coastal communities, especially Port Aransas (my happy place!) and Rockport. Our luxury one bedroom Casita #1, The Pauline, was the most popular in 2017. We named this Casita this year, along with two others, after friends and family for very special reasons. You can read the blog post here. We installed the metal cuttings of the names on these three Casitas: The Pauline, The Polly Ann and The Gina B. (#1, #7 and #2 respectively). We also added metal numbers on the Casitas and a sign up by the road – all beautiful metal work designed and installed by our good friend Robert McKay (Mac Design Build), a true artist with metal and our Assistant Project Manager throughout Casita construction. At the end of February, we finished the Pavilion. We knew at that moment, some of our guests’ most precious life memories would happen there. In July, we hosted a wedding group comprised of international guests. More than 100 enjoyed a rehearsal dinner with Tex Mex and Ethiopian food representing the cultural backgrounds of the groom and bride. The party guests traveled from more than 11 countries! In October, a local named Renee celebrated her 50th birthday in great fashion with a 5 course wine pairing dinner with close friends. In July, we completed our chapel and named it La Capilla, Spanish for chapel (so they tell us; we don’t speak the language!). We had a professional photo shoot in August from the great talents at Silverthistle Events and our first wedding in early December. Erica and Ryan were our first couple to get married at La Capilla. Her decorations were simple yet elegant. It was all so special and intimate for the young couple and their family and friends. (Ashley Eubanks Photography) In November, Ron completed the Oak Grove, a clearing around a bunch of beautiful Oak Trees down by the creek where we installed several hammocks and chair swings. More development will come in that area, including a picnic area. It is peaceful and relaxing down there for sure. We also hosted a couple corporate groups for staff retreats/planning. In December, the sales team from YETI Coolers were with us – they were so much fun! We are ending this holiday season drafting plans for a corporate retreat center on the grounds at the Casitas. Lions and tigers and bears oh my! For the few hours this past year that we weren’t working at the Casitas…., Ron and I celebrated our 60th and 50th birthdays. Whoa, that’s a lot of years! We then celebrated with our oldest son, Deron, as he married his college sweetheart in August in Lynchburg, VA. We then traveled to Europe for a friend’s wedding in England – a true English garden wedding. What an experience! And most recently, we partied with our youngest son, Cortlandt, who graduated from Texas A&M Corpus Christi this month. And he has a job too! Hence, the party. So, after just over one year in business, and experiencing some of our life’s and our business’ biggest milestones, we are doing OK. In reflection, it is our guests who make it all worthwhile. Like everyone else, we watched the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” recently and to quote Clarence, “No man is a failure who has friends.” I think we make friends with almost every guest. Just yesterday morning, I saw some of our guests packing up after their family Christmas getaway at the Casitas, and she hugged me with gratitude. Their time was so special that she felt that connected to me, a person she had never met, but knew had provided for her special family time. That hug was special to me too. We made a difference. And at the end of the day, we are doing OK if we make a positive difference in people’s lives. Ron and I hope your holiday season was special too and that this New Year brings you good health, happiness, love and some much needed Casita Time!

My husband, Ron, and I basically jumped off a cliff with a thin rope in the summer of 2015 when we bought 13 acres of raw land in the Texas Hill Country. We then borrowed a crap load of money and built a village, or 10 Casitas, that are now a retreat destination called Hill Country Casitas. We opened our first Casita to a paying guest (key = paying guest), on October 15, 2016. We just passed our one year anniversary of serving guests. And we are still standing. What did we do to celebrate? Nothing. Except thanked God that we are still standing. We thought about throwing a party, but who has the funds for that? Maybe for the 2nd Anniversary! But we learned a lot this first year. So here it goes, the top 10 things Mary & Ron learned their first year in business as Innkeepers. Drum Roll??? #10 Television is not required #9 Some guests would rather not do dishes; it’s their prerogative #8 Everyone needs some Casita Time, especially city folk (I think we knew this one, but got confirmation) #7 Sometimes Cash Flow Statements are needed on a weekly basis, not for the next 12-18 months #6 Texas desert flowers are amazing and multiply and grow in the oddest places #5 Simple design works #4 Young kids (and adults) can unplug and have fun too #3 Two Words: Google Analytics #2 In Dripping Springs TX, you can start a business not knowing what the heck you are doing, and there is always someone there to help you And…. #1 A guest’s cologne can linger in a Casita for an entire year Here’s to many more years!! Cheers! And our heartfelt thanks to all our family, friends and colleagues – all with whom this first would not be possible.

Recently, Hill Country Casitas has become Party Central. And since we built it with a big party in mind, we could not be more thrilled. My Uncle Chuck passed away recently at the solid age of 91. He was a character, a quintessential "East Texas Land Man”. Highly opinionated with no filter…and a huge heart. He kept my brothers and me entertained all our lives with his humor, smart comments and colorful language. We simply loved him. His wife, my sweet Aunt Mary Lou, asked if she could bring the family together at the Casitas and have a simple memorial service there. I was very honored and said YES. Being of Scottish descent, when someone dies you have a bagpiper play. It’s simple. It’s what we do. So I found a bagpiper from Austin and the service was set. My two brothers flew in from Virginia, my father (my Uncle’s brother) of course is here with us, and my cousin (Chuck’s son) and his family drove down from the Dallas area. Miss Polly Ann drove in from Houston. This side of the family was together for the first time since our wedding nine years ago. We had a wonderful time together cooking, eating, drinking, laughing, and on the day of the memorial service, we read scripture, we told stories and we listened to the bagpipes. For us Scots, the bagpiper is tradition and brings us a great deal of comfort and reminds us of who we are, where we've been and what is to come. We are Clan Robertson. So the Pavilion was the setting for a farewell to a man who lived a full life, was generous (but you wouldn’t know it), was ornery (you knew that), had many faults, but did his best to love his people. And we loved him. A couple weeks after bidding farewell to Uncle Chuck, the Casitas hosted a large wedding party. Most of the guests were with us for a week as they came from Kenya, Ethiopia, Germany, Israel, South Korea and all over the US, among other countries – 12 total countries represented. They were here to celebrate the marriage of their friends, Melat and Luke. The couple met in Africa while doing missionary work. She is Ethiopian and he is an American that was raised in Kenya as the son of medical missionaries. They went to school in NC, so their circle of friends is international for sure. This past Saturday night, Luke’s parents threw the big party: the Rehearsal Dinner. The Pavilion was busting with fun and about 90 party-goers! Luke’s parents catered Tex-Mex, of course, and Melat’s mother, aunt and grandma cooked traditional Ethiopian food in the Pavilion kitchen. It smelled so good. And tasted great too. The tables were dressed with silk and linen cloths stitched by hand by Melat’s mother. Beautiful flowers and pictures of the couple’s courtship were displayed. It all was simply special. The international flair was ever present, but even more so was genuine love between human beings of various colors and origins. When Luke's parents left this morning, they gave me gifts and a hug. I told them I'd see them in Kenya one day. It’s so easy to be emotionally knocked out by the vast amounts of evil, hatred and violence found in our communities and around the world. For me, I am grateful for the Casitas and the experiences of true love and joy that they help provide. In talking with friends of the families Saturday night and their missionary work over the years, I told them “I’ve always wanted to do mission work, and one day I will!” She grabbed my hand, and said “but Mary, you are doing mission work.” I will disagree vehemently with her and my current status of missionary, but perhaps she has a point. Perhaps playing a small role in our guests’ most special life moments, some sad, some joyous, is being missionary. It sure does bring happiness to my heart. And in my head, I can hear the piper playing “Scotland the Brave” under the shade of a Texas Oak.

Friends ask me what my day looks like as The Virgin Innkeeper, or what I do all day. Well, I work every day, not 5 or 6 days a week, but 7. I'm not complaining, it's just a fact. Today (Sunday), we made a breakfast taco buffet for 27 guests. They loved it. We then deep cleaned the Pavilion kitchen, and I organized the cabinets. Then I responded to a bride that lives in Alaska that is interested in having her wedding at our place in January. Then I wrote a blib for the paper to go with our ribbon cutting photo and business announcement. Then I hooked up with Ronnie in maintenance (yes, when my husband Ron is "doing maintenance", we call him Ronnie), and we hit all 10 Casitas and cleaned 18 air filters, the blades and globes of 18 ceiling fans and stocked the fridges with water. One guest left us a 12 pack of Lonestar Light. Those are my favorite guests. Then I folded some laundry. Then I did some high finance to see what bills we can pay this week. Then we came home, and I worked on our website (a never ending task), then I had to take another bath to try out yet another bath salt for The Pauline, our Luxury One Bedroom with an amazing soaking tub. Is it sad that I can't tell the difference between the two bath salts I tried? Or that I couldn't tell that there were even bath salts in the water? Oh my... now I am responding to a guest that left a personal item in her Casita. Who knows what else I will do over the next three hours before dinner, but I know that I am about to open a yummy Dry Creek Valley red wine. HAPPY SUNDAY AND HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

When my husband, Ron, and I lost our minds and decided to borrow tons of money, buy land and build ten small houses that would become Hill Country Casitas, we talked at length about naming each house, or Casita. My good friend, Frank Eck, had named all the rooms at his amazing farm in Virginia after family members, with their name inscribed on a brass plate above the door, and it made each room that much more special. So following in Frank’s footsteps, like we’ve done many times over on this project, we knew we had to name each Casita. Our first awesome idea was to name each Casita after one of our favorite Texas Music Artists. The Jerry Jeff Walker, The Lyle Lovett, The Robert Earl Keen, The Jerry Jeff Walker, and so on. We thought we were brilliant. Our lawyer friend, Tony, said NO (you are not brilliant) due to trademark issues. Bummer. We then passed on the obvious: The Bluebonnet, The Roadrunner, The Armadillo. We also considered Texas rivers that are so vital to our state: The Pedernales, The Frio, The Colorado. But how do you match a house and a river? Seemed like a stretch to me. Then, the next brilliant idea: we could use Spanish words since we already went there with Casitas. But neither Ron nor I speak Spanish, so what seemed brilliant was just plain stupid and very gringo, like Mexican food at Applebee’s. So we numbered the Casitas, #1 – #10. So NOT creative, but necessary during construction with subcontractors all over the place and basic communication necessary among our team, and for insurance purposes, not to mention making reservations! So they got numbered and in sequential order as they were laid out down the hill. But we never forgot our most ever brilliant idea of naming our Casitas after our beloved Texas musicians. Before we nixed the idea, we named our Luxury One Bedroom Casita, #1, after Pauline Reese, the state’s leading female country musician, and our friend. I met Pauline before I met my husband and was a big fan. He then became a fan, as most heterosexual men do. While she is extremely talented, she is also very attractive and fun. So, my husband became a devoted follower. A couple years later, she played our wedding. Over the past 9 years, we’ve transitioned from fan to friend. We try to see her whenever she’s playing nearby and enjoy catching up and watching her little girls grow! Her eldest was at our wedding, in the womb! So Ron had picked our most luxurious Casita to be Pauline’s. Following my lawyer's advice, we asked her permission, and of course she loved the idea! So Casita #1 is now, and forever, to be named “The Pauline”. Recently, Pauline and her two little girls stayed in her Casita and loved the down time together. Her husband, Bill, even got to join them in between rodeo gigs! Since the first naming last year some time, we have only named a couple others. For me, it is personal, probably not too far off from naming a child. But when it’s right, it’s easy. Our good friend Gina B. has helped us so many times. She’s spent weekends doing hard labor at The Casitas and last fall earned an unofficial 1% ownership in the business. Her adopted Casita is our Premium Studio Casita #2. Upon arriving at the Casitas, she opens the door of #2 and exclaims “I’m home”! But the Casita fits her too. Gina is an adventurist and not afraid to go solo. #2 sits atop the hill, higher and away from the other studios, proud, graceful and independent. The views and star gazing from #2 are worthy of this outdoorsy, national park enthusiast. And the coziness and warmth of #2 reminds me of the love and compassion that radiates from our good friend. So #2 is “The Gina B.” There is one other Casita that naturally, and more recently received a name. My semi-retired cousin, Polly, has been a cheerleader of the Casitas since day one, just like so many family members and friends. She lives in downtown Houston, and like most Houstonians, loves to get out of Houston from time to time. So Polly shows up at The Casitas with her cowboy hat on standing tall at 4’9”, maybe? Her incredible strength is not in her height, but in her love of life. Polly was married to my first cousin for several decades, all while he suffered from kidney disease. He fought it for most of his life and about 10 years ago, he died. Their union was special and regarded by many as the embodiment of “true love”. She’s told me of the birthday and anniversary cards they gave each other over the years that they would keep in a box and pull out and enjoy reading for that 20th or 30th time. Her grief and loss after his death were real, I’m sure. Part of her “therapy” was crafting. For one of her projects, she painted and decorated a small, rustic end table with a big red heart on it. Their names, Polly Ann and Mark Benton, are inscribed on it, along with the words “key to my heart.” On her last visit to The Casitas, she asked if I could find a home for it. It has been some time now, and while her love for Mark will never fade, she is getting on with her life. Time for the grief project to relocate. It now sits comfortably on the porch of Casita #7 spreading love to all who set a coffee cup or a cocktail on it! During a tour of our property last week, one visitor walked up to #7 and stared at the limestone exterior with great interest. I walked up to her wondering what spider she had found?! She pointed at a natural crevice in one stone, right at eye level and directly next to the porch entrance. That crevice, created by air and water pockets over time, was in fact in the shape of a heart. I was shocked. In 9 months’ time, I had never noticed the heart. Now I can’t walk up to #7 without looking its way and smiling. Casita #7 was the Casita in which Polly stayed on her first visit. She has since tried out several others! Not to mention, she is our advertising office in Houston always talking up The Casitas and encouraging Houstonians to go to the Hill Country and stay at The Casitas. But it is her love of life, past and present, which moves me to name Casita #7, “The Polly Ann”. In the years to come, thousands of people will visit and many will make significant impacts on us and on our lil’ project, Hill Country Casitas. No doubt, some naming will occur along with interesting back stories. But I will wait for these stories to find us. Because, just like true love, it’ll be easy when it happens. And I look forward to sharing The Casitas with friends, family and guests for many years to come, and celebrating love and life with all of them.

We had our first celebrity stay at the Casitas! Well, actually our first celebrity guest was really the most talented and amazing singer-songwriter Drew Womack back in October. But just the other weekend, we had Hollywood. Yes siree! Now, he wasn’t Brad Pitt. He wasn’t Harry Connick, Jr – love Harry! In fact, most folks won’t recognize his name. I didn’t for sure, but that’s not saying much because I get an F in pop culture. My low grade is due in part to my advanced age, but also due to my chosen sheltered world of Texas Country Music, college football, NCIS (all varieties), Bachelor/Bachelorette and Designated Survivor. So how did I know he was a “celeb”? Well, their registered address was a little town in Hollywood. And who lives in Hollywood unless you are in the business, right? His sweet wife, I learned upon checking them in, is a small town New England girl. So, why would she live in Hollywood unless HE was in the business? Exactly. I am that brilliant. Next comes GOOGLE. After just a few hits, I find presumably his father or uncle – looks just like my guy, but a generation older? Then, wa-la! There he is – a great pic and big article about his latest work on a hit TV series. He writes the music, and it is good. His work is getting rave reviews. While I don’t watch the show (reference 1st paragraph), most of my friends do. And even they know the music! Cue: Netflix. I will watch it now! Because they were from “out of town”, aka not from Texas, they wanted some insight in to attractions and restaurants, so I was "Isabella" for the weekend. Isabella is an amazing, smart, talented, passionate woman who runs an Agriturismo (her family's working farm that provides guest accommodations) in Pienza, Italy, located in Southern Tuscany, where I have been fortunate to spend some time. Isabella (on far left in pic), with her copious amount of patience, helps all us Pazza Americanas (crazy American women) with our many special needs while at Cretaiole. Anyway, I learned from the best: Isabella Moricciani. So I spent a lot of time prior to their arrival and then during their visit helping them out with various things, items and arrangements. They were always so daggon nice. I loved them before I met them. Now I know everyone wants a big story with the hot actor and “what is he really like?”….but no. I’ll take my guy any day. My guy was kind, generous with compliments and thoughts, and his family was the kind of family you want in your life. They were in town for a friend’s wedding. I was lucky to catch them loading up the morning they left. My guy says with an honest and gracious smile, “hey Mary, thanks for everything.” He extends his arm toward the hills and the fog that was just lifting from our valley, and he said “this place is a dream.” Our Casitas are a dream. A dream come true. And that dream is made alive and real by people like my guy, my celebrity. I look forward to the day he and his sweet family return as promised.

When I retired from my non-profit exec career in October 2016, I became a full-time Innkeeper. And I’ve never worked so hard and for such long hours ever. Did I mention the non-profit work, known well for hard work and long hours?! There was no time off to officially “be retired” as my husband, Ron, and I were still building our ten Casitas. The first Casita opened October 13th, the last one opened December 17th. While Ron built, I was performing the dual role of designer/stocker AND Innkeeper. But alas, we finished the Casitas and welcomed our first guests! We love Dripping Springs, TX and enjoy its many festivals and events. One great event is the Songwriters Festival held each October. Mark your calendars if you like music! We were asked to sponsor the festival and provide accommodations for one of the songwriters. Being brand new and having, ummm, one reservation on the books for the 4 available Casitas, we said SURE! And low and behold we were assigned the incredibly talented singer/songwriter, Drew Womack. So Drew and his wife and son arrived that Friday evening (our very first guests, eeeeccckkk!), and I am so nervous. Ron is in Drew’s Casita kitchen still testing the water when they arrive! Drew calls me and says “there’s someone in our Casita”, I laugh and think this job will be interesting. The next night at the Songwriters Festival, Drew opens for Rodney Crowell to a packed Mercer Street Dance Hall and puts on a great show. While in between songs he gives Hill Country Casitas a shout out saying the porches are so great, he and his wife didn’t leave it all day long! He was very complimentary, and we were grateful for the reassurance that maybe we did something right. Leaving the Dance Hall that night, we grabbed the fall edition of the local Dripping Guide and guess what? The Casitas are highlighted in an article on new and creative lodging in the area. A good night all around! So we settled in to finishing Casitas, sooner rather than later because time is money in this biz, and welcomed many guests this past fall. One party was four guys out of Dallas who, for the fun of it, buy cars off Craigslist that cost under $1000 and fix them up then road trip, this time Dallas to Austin roundtrip. They told me the fun is in the breakdowns and the fires along the highway! More power to those guys! They were great sports. Since we are in The Wedding Capitol of Texas, we naturally host many a wedding party and one bride’s family stayed with us in November. I try to meet all our guests without invading their space and this time I did get to visit with the bride’s parents. They had put so much effort in to their daughter’s big day; it was so sweet. They, too, were appreciative for the special place that is the Casitas. They were able to relax, be together and just embrace and enjoy the time together. This couple has already made a reservation for early May and are coming back “to relax” this time. This Virgin Innkeeper has so much to learn about Innkeeping, but I imagine it’s not too different from what I’ve done all my career in non-profit human services. Serve people by providing what they need – relaxation, rejuvenation and reconnecting with each other and the beautiful Texas Hill Country. The Hill Country does most of the work. I just provide a clean and comfy Casita.

Nine months ago, the foundation work began on the first slab of the first house at Hill Country Casitas, a new specialty lodging property in Dripping Springs, TX that my husband and I, on some half-cooked idea, decided to build. Today, there are 10 beautiful, incredibly comfortable Casitas, a Texas-sized Fire Pit, and a Pavilion nearing completion where many a memory will be made. How did this happen with our Ma and Pa operation? Lots of hard work, long hours and… friends. Yes, our friends stepped up and gave their time, muscle and sweat, mental acuity and passion for our little project. Throughout the building process, our friends helped us asking for nothing in return. They say you can measure a person’s wealth by their friends. If so, Ron and I are filthy rich. Fortunately, though challenging at times, my husband Ron is very hard working. In fact he works until the job is done, despite his 59 year old physical being’s limitations. As general contractor and chief laborer, he only subbed out what he couldn’t do himself, mostly due to our deadlines. The construction piece was his baby and boy did he build while saving our project hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, my last day as an employee with a paycheck (eeeek!) was October 7th. Thus started my career as a full-time Innkeeper. But wait, one must have an Inn to keep to be an Innkeeper. So, Ron built, and I designed and furnished. And marketed and sold. All to the point of literal pure exhaustion. That’s half the story. One thing in my life that I know is special and often rare, and I am grateful for, is a large circle of good friends. Ron shares this circle too. From our first telling of The Casitas dream, our friends were cheering us on and encouraging us to a point, from our perspective, of surprising confidence. But that’s not all. They put sweat in the game too. Our friends in the furniture business, Austin’s Couch Potatoes, helped us with great deals on Mexican Imported bedroom furniture, premium mattresses and top of the line sofa beds, and they delivered it all on their days off! Other friends advised on interior design. Another friend staged and took marketing photos in all the Casitas. One of our good friends has worked, and continues to work, daily for us in a desperately needed and sorely underpaid assistant chief laborer position (Robert in the pic to the left). More friends spent their vacation painting directional signs for the property. Another took an entire day to help me do inventory in each Casita. The list goes on. Then the first weekend in December, some of our best friends spent the weekend at The Casitas. And that Saturday, after a respectable party the night before, our middle-aged friends stacked firewood, treated leather furniture, picked up construction trash, painted wood panel pieces for the grand wall in the Pavilion, unpacked new patio furniture, broke down furniture boxes, moved furniture all over the place, cut trails (called “lopping?”) around the property and so much more. We were all sore the next day. Instead of continuing to work (aka labor) on Sunday, we went hiking around the property. We would pause at beautiful oak trees or the special and unique Madrone tree. We would stand at Bella Vista (a lookout up high on the far side of the property) and appreciate God’s creation (and our hard work!). We talked about expansion and amenities that could be added for guests. But best of all, we were together. The next weekend, we opened our 10th and final Casita and had our first wedding party that occupied all 10 Casitas. This was the true test of if this “thing” would work. This is why our friends worked so hard for us the weekend before. This is why we were nervous wrecks for weeks. On Saturday of the big wedding group weekend, Ron went over to check on things. I was terrified to go. That day was beautiful and warm and our guests, two families about to be united in marriage, were all over the place. They were playing games in the field, they were lounging at the Pavilion, they were visiting on each other’s porches, and they were going for walks together. They were right where they wanted to be. We made them happy. This thing had worked. Since that weekend, the mother of the bride, the mother of the groom, the grandmother, and the Aunts have all sent us messages saying what a wonderful time they had, the Casitas were perfect for them, and they could all be together and celebrate, amongst other accolades. In fact, I just received another of those emails today. That makes all the hard work, long hours, and stressful days all worth it. But we could not have done it without our friends. My mother has been gone from us for more than 5 years, but darn if I have not felt her loving support these past months. When I mentioned good friends often being rare, it was my mother that told me years and years ago how fortunate I was to have so many good friends. Mom had a few good friends of course, but never the circle that I have always been blessed to have. This project, especially the last few months, showed us again, the depth and heart of our circle of friends. We love you all. Now, let’s have some wine! And let’s have it at The Casitas!

Her name is Taida (pronounced Ti – A- da). She’s a sweet, older woman that owns a shop in Laredo and lives in Laredo, TX or Nuevo Laredo, Mexico – not sure which side of the border. When she learned that we were to purchase furnishings for ten Casitas, I thought she was going to cry. She said “you are a blessing to me”. A good friend of mine spent many years in Laredo, knows the area well, and has excellent taste. He offered to “escort” me to this Texas border town to shop and purchase accent items for our Casitas. Having decided that our decorating style would be “modern, Mexican farmhouse”, we thought it keen to have a few Mexican imported products, other than the big wooden beds. Perhaps some lamps, pots, artwork. So we set off to Laredo with my friend Tony. The first stop was a HUGE, ENORMOUS imported goods warehouse – I can’t say store, because it was massive. The prices were not massive, however, but feeling totally overwhelmed with how many pots and what color, shape and size we needed, I moved on. But I will be back! Next stop was an upscale furnishings store, the kind of store that you like to walk through and then transplant inside your own house. So we left there too. Next and final stop was Taida’s. Taida’s place was an easy medium between the overwhelming warehouse and the upscale, can’t afford anything, shop. Taida’s was perfect. We selected floor mirrors framed in tin, leather and wood patio furniture, and a bunch of Mexican metal lamps. Taida was quick to say, in her good but second language English, “you get these re-wired – they were made in Mexico. I don’t want your house to burn down” and she smiled. Yes, indeed we will put American-Home Depot wire right in there. Taida is quick to tell you with great pride that she has owned this store and been in business for 47 years. Her son, Jorge, works for her. She takes great pride in the craftsmen she buys from in Mexico. I made a bad joke about goods imported from China, and she was repulsed that the fine crafts of Mexico, true art and generations of handwork, would even be expressed in the same sentence with common household décor items imported from China. She went on and on about the talented men and women that she buys from and how this is “real Mexico”. Her pride in her home country and its artisans was powerful. I will more than likely call on Taida for additional items, more patio furniture, etc., and I look forward to visiting with her again. And I pray one day, that the US-Mexico Border becomes safe again and allows families and friends to be reunited and the artisans of Mexico the ability to earn all they deserve with American buyers in their villages. “You are a blessing to me” she said. Well, the people of Mexico are a blessing to me.

My husband, Ron, and I have three large breed dogs. I had one, then we met, got married and wanted a puppy. Came home with two puppies because neither of us could separate ourselves from our favorites in the litter. Thus we have three dogs. My 83 year old father likes to say “everyone needs three big dawgs!” And I guess we do. Now we have three more! And a rooster. Sort of. Ron and I are developing 13 acres in Dripping Springs, Texas, complete with ten small houses, or Casitas, that will be a country inn of sorts come September. So one might ask, among a thousand other questions, "how are you going to furnish ten small houses ranging from 400-900 square feet plus outdoor living space?" My first answer would be: sell your first born! But no, we discovered online garage sales. Living in the beautiful and friendly Texas Hill Country, there are small communities dotted across the area. Each has its own culture and traditions. All love to sell crap. I mean gently used stuff. If you are lucky, you can find some winners…like my three dogs and the rooster. So, each weekend, and some evenings, Ron and I run around picking up our bargains: dining sets, end tables, chairs, décor, etc. We often have the need to tie down furniture in the back of the truck. I learned on several of those first trips that Ron and I have different methods of tying down furniture in the back of a truck. I, of course, knew the most effective method while I was sure he didn’t. I would assert my “expertise” and he would become seriously annoyed. After about our third outing with the unfriendly banter about tying down furniture, I quit “suggesting” how it should be done. Still knowing that I was right and he was just “not as advanced” as me, I stayed silent, followed orders and thought to myself: “this stuff is going to blow out of the bed of that truck, then I get to say – told you so!” The problem with this plan was the stuff Ron tied down never blew out. This was the moment in life when I learned to be a follower. In my profession, and I guess with my personality (Type A maybe?), I’ve always taken the lead, especially with work. Despite my amazing, talented and capable staff, the buck stops with me, and so all day long I am making decisions. I’m 49 years old and for the first time, I’m following someone’s lead. I’m in the shadows on functions in his areas of expertise, among them are building (obviously - but I’m not giving up design), and now moving furniture. Becoming business partners with your spouse is absolutely nuts, for sure. But, if it forces us to better appreciate each other in new and different ways, then I’m guessing we will avoid the asylum. Regardless, I have three little dogs now, and a rooster, that will always remind me of the sweet and capable man I married, who happens to know how to tie down furniture in the back of a truck.

Every day, stable and mentally well adults change careers, fields, industries. I just never thought I would. And yes, the assumption is that I'm mentally well. My doc says I am. I think my friends would say yes. Not sure about my husband, but that sweetheart would never criticize. Yet. I have enjoyed a remarkable and rewarding career in the non-profit, human service industry. As a college graduate many, many years ago, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to do something worthy and feel good about my accomplishments at the end of the day, and maybe even help people along the way. I got that from my dear Mom, God bless her! She was a public school teacher and would run the United Way Campaign at her school. When I graduated college (GO HOKIES!), she handed me the agency brochure listing all the worthy organizations that would benefit. I zeroed in on the senior centers - I like old people. Thus began the career that is about to end. I managed a senior center, a family resource center, a free clinic and finally found my true love 14 years ago: Boys & Girls Clubs. While my blood will always "bleed blue" for the Clubs, I've found a new calling. INNKEEPER. And I know nothing. Not a thing. What keeps me up at night? Pillows. What kind? firm, feather? Sheets...what kind? what thread count? What's an OTA? What's a channel manager? Commissions? And it goes on and on and on. Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!! So, join me on this adventure of the Virgin Innkeeper. It won't be dull. And will probably require good wine.