Perks

Of all the perks that come with innkeeping, the best of all has to be having the opportunity to meet and get acquainted with all sorts of people I wouldn't otherwise meet. The Tea Rose Inn breakfast table serves as a nexus for common interests and experiences astonishingly often.

Then there are the guests who return again and again, becoming friends in the process. The pastor whose congregation gives him and his wife a Tea Rose Inn gift certificate each year. The local couple that spends each Valentine Day here, the eastern Kansas family that stays here once or twice a year on their way to Colorado, and many others. Then there are those whose jobs keep them travelling to Hays on a regular basis, sometimes for two years or more. It's so gratifying to me that they choose the TRI over all the other choices in Hays, and it's great to welcome them back each week.

Last weekend I had a visit from an African boy who stayed here with his father last summer, as he was getting settled into boarding school in Hays. We shared a pot of tea and caught up with each other. I keep in touch with the father by e-mail, and his son knows that, besides his school community so far from home, he has one more friend and haven to count on in Hays.

These are the rewards that I never expected to reap when I began innkeeping, but they are at the top of the list of why I've been doing it for nearly 11 years!

February is for Lovers!

The Tea Rose Inn is offering a special package during February, along with all our existing packages described at http://www.tearose.net/.

Chocolate Surrender
Heart-shaped chocolate cups filled with chocolate mousse, strawberries and a champagne split will be waiting for you in your room. Enjoy homemade hot cocoa before bed. The next morning, breakfast will feature quiche puffs and cherry-chocolate cream scones. Decorated chocolate cupcakes to take home. Add $40 to room rate.

You can also order:

4 Valentine cupcakes $6
4 heart-shaped chocolate cups filled with chocolate mousse $8
6 chocolate-dipped strawberries $8

Choose any one of the above limited-time Valentine treats as a bonus when you make a 2-night reservation during February!

Baxter's big adventure

If you have been my guest at the Tea Rose Inn in the last six years, you probably remember my dog Baxter. He's my auxiliary doorbell and constant companion. After driving to southwestern Colorado for the Christmas holiday, I decided to fly back instead of riding home with my sister. That meant that Baxter had to take a trip to the local veternarian for a health certificate declaring him fit to fly, and I had to buy a carry-on dog carrier that would fit under the seat. Baxter had not been inside a crate or carrier in over five years, so he was not happy about that part of the adventure. But he was with me every second, and enjoyed a nice long nap during our smooth flight. Now I know I can fly with Baxter, and I'll be ready for the next time!

Welcome to the TRI blog

Welcome to the TRI blog! Watch this space for favorite recipes from the inn, guest comments, Hays events, and new stuff at the B&B. I'll be talking to you soon.