The Plan

With any business, you need to start with a plan. Now our plan for running a bed and breakfast didn't happen the way we thought it would. Here is a video of how my plan was told to Laura not long after we first met.

Big Travel Weekend

This weekend kicks off the travel season for America. So in classic travel form, today's salt and peppers are the classic travel companions, the family car and a trailer.
You don't see this combo very often anymore. The RV has taken over and the trailers are too huge to tow with a car. Now you need a $50k truck to pull your trailer.

A friend of ours decided to do the vintage travel trailer and purchased this.

We wish them a lot of luck getting this in tip top form. Having old VW's and "art cars" in the past, I'm sure this will be rockin'. I mean, really nice.

So hopefully you'll be out there with the rest of America and traveling this weekend. If you don't have reservations for your favorite B&B, it might be too late. Camping in Oregon, too late to. So plan ahead for your travels this summer. Who knows, you may drive by a field and find an old trailer that needs a new family.

A horse, of course.

So you own a horse. That is a lot of responsibility. Feeding every day and cleaning stalls, it takes it's toll. We here at The Craftsman B&B think you need a vacation, and bring your horse with you. That's right, you and your human friends can stay at the B&B and your horses will be well taken care of at our local Horse Hotel.

Just a few minutes from Pacific City, our still tiny town, is the Horse Hotel. You can ride on the beach and many of the forested trails in the area, drop off your steed, check in, hit the town and do it all over again. Knowing your horse will be well taken care of and not stuck in it's trailer while you do your own thing.

Just let us know you plan on traveling with your horse and we can connect you with the Horse Hotel.

Bob Straub State Park is a great spot to horse around. They have a great parking/ staging area and a trail on the sand spit that separates Nestucca Bay from the Pacific Ocean. Ride down to the bar where the Nestucca enters the ocean and see the salmon swimming up and the seals and sea lions feasting and sun bathing.

We know you dream of riding on the beach. You haven't because it's too far for a day trip. Now, you don't have a reason not to, giddy up!

Black Friday?

The day after. Another fantastic Thanksgiving dinner here at The Craftsman B&B. This year was no different, in that the food was fantastic. We brine'd the turkey for days, it was awesome. Laura baked many pies and tarts.



So yesterday, I posted turkey S&P's, today we can't forget the Native Americans that made Thanksgiving possible, so here they are.

We had a crew of Black Friday Shoppers leave early this morning. If you, like me, avoided it at all costs, great. It cost me cleaning up the roasting pan and getting the house back to normal. So now that the Christmas shopping season is upon us, we'd like to remind you of our gift certificates. You can purchase them from us for The Craftsman B&B, click here, and we also sell BedandBreakfast.com gift certificates you can use all over the country, great for giving to people who don't live near the Oregon Coast. Call me and I'll set you up, you family and friends will love them. They are also good for corporate gift giving.

B&B's, a guy thing?

Those of you who have stayed with us at The Craftsman B&B in Pacific City already know what I am about to write. Those of you that haven't my be in for a surprise, we think it a good surprise.

Our original plan to get out of the rat race was to buy an existing B&B business. We are so glad we didn't. There are many reasons, the main one was we could operate the kind of B&B we wanted to run. The down side to this is starting a business from scratch, read: no customers, versus buying an existing business that already has had many guests and return guests, read: steady business from the start.

Most B&B's in the United States are in Victorian style homes. Ornate machine made trim, large multi-profile crown moldings, gaudy floral wall papers, I think you got the picture. Our idea was to be a lace and doilie free zone. The restoration of our 1921 Craftsman style home spoke to us about the way things were, plain and simple. We wanted to have a B&B that guys wouldn't be embarrassed to tell their buddies about the weekend with the "better half."

Well five years later and the New York Times has caught onto our idea. So have a few B&B's around the country. The article is here. Now we don't have a pub on site like Forty Putney Road, but we do have an award winning brew pub a short walk up the beach. We do have a fish cleaning sink and can also arrange for guided fishing in the ocean or river. Do we offer scrap booking weekends? Yes, but we also offer chair building weekends. A great guy activity, power tools! I'll teach you how to use them safely and how hand tools are also important and a real time and money saver too. This is great for couples too. You end the weekend with two chairs for your deck or yard. I think they are nice enough to be in the house too.

So people out there not wanting to experience a stuffy, overly decorated, lacy, frilly B&B or a no frills no customer service motel now have a place to spend their vacation, The Craftsman B&B.

Music Video shot here in Pacific City

MIKESCHAIR officially released their first-ever music video, Let The Waters Rise. From Mike Curb records, who signed a young Lyle Lovett, MIKESCHAIR is climbing the Christian rock charts.

Their unique video was shot on the Pacific Ocean coast among the beautiful scenery of Cape Kiwanda, right here in Pacific City, Oregon. Shot on the North side of the Cape, rarely seen by folks that think the only beach in town is the one in front of the brew pub, MIKESCHAIR - Mike Grayson, Sam Tinnesz, Jesse Hale and Jon Haire - immensely enjoyed their first video experience. Although, during the one-day shoot the filming became more than expected due to the intensity of the blaring sun, long treks up and down the vertical sand dunes, as well as the sandstone cliffs and gusty winds of sand. The guys laugh about it now, even more so as they continue to find sand creviced in their clothes and bags, a few weeks after the video shoot.

There is no question that filming on the coast, with the dunes, a gorge, and the amazing sunset as the backdrop made the whole shoot worthwhile. The beach town of Pacific City has been known for over a hundred years as a quaint fishing village and vacation destination, a unique geographical and geological area located between Tillamook and Lincoln City, found on the south end of beautiful Three Capes Scenic Loop.




"The Oregon coast has some of the most breathtaking scenery and definitely displays some of God's most beautiful creations," commented MIKESCHAIR guitarist Sam Tinnesz. "We had a great time making the video...especially climbing up and down mountains to get to different locations you see in the video."

Lead vocalist, Mike Grayson agreed stating, "The location where we shot the video was so overwhelmingly beautiful."

If you too like the setting, come stay at The Craftsman B&B and we'll tell you how to access this sceret beach.

The video was helmed by Eric Welch, founder and director for Broken Poet Productions. Welch has also directed videos for Brandon Heath, MercyMe, Jars of Clay, Toby Mac, and many more. Aristo Media is set to head up the video's distribution.

"Let The Waters Rise" is quickly climbing the CHR, Christian (Overall), AC Monitored and AC Indicator charts, proving to be a powerful record touching both programmers and their listeners. This is the group's second single off their self-titled debut project, released on Curb Records July 14th.

MIKESCHAIR is managed by Creative Trust, Inc. and booked by Jeff Roberts & Associates, both located in the Nashville, TN area.

Fishing from a Kayak

One of the most popular activities here in Pacific City, Oregon is fishing. Here at The Craftsman B&B, we have an outdoor, stainless steel sink for cleaning you catch of the day. Most people fish out of a dory boat during the summer. Fall brings the Salmon up the river, so you can fish from the bank or drift boat.



I ran across this video of a guy fishing in the ocean from a Kayak. He looks pretty well set up and has mounted a video camera to his rigging. Watch him paddle out and land a Halibut. If you've ever been in a Kayak, you know trying to pull something that big up without tipping over can be a challenge. Oh, and a warning, if you get sea sick, watch this video with caution.



Thanks to pacifickayaking.com for posting and showing the world fishing in Pacific City.

Best of the West!

THE CRAFTSMAN BED & BREAKFAST CHOSEN AS Best in the West IN THE BEST OF BEDANDBREAKFAST.COM AWARDS

The Craftsman Bed & Breakfast of Pacific City, Oregon, was selected as Best in the West in the annual Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards, 2009-2010. The Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards are based upon a qualitative and quantitative review of the nearly 50,000 independent reviews submitted to BedandBreakfast.com, the leading online B&B directory and reservation network worldwide.

"BedandBreakfast.com surveys show that independent reviews are the most important factor when choosing a B&B. In fact, according to BedandBreakfast.com's most recent survey, 96% of consumers consider reviews to be somewhere between important and essential when selecting a place to stay, and 12% will not make a reservation at a property without them. We're delighted that inn goers concur that The Craftsman Bed & Breakfast is deserving of its accolades from travelers," explained BedandBreakfast.com's Sandy Soule, one of the most highly recognized authors and a spokeswoman for the B&B industry. "Clearly, The Craftsman Bed & Breakfast earned its stellar reviews from inn goers for its quality accommodations, breakfasts, amenities, and wonderful hospitality and service," commented Soule.

"It's an honor to be chosen for a Best of BedandBreakfast.com award, and we thank our guests for the positive reviews that resulted in this award,” stated Michael Rech, The Craftsman Bed & Breakfast’s innkeeper. "It is gratifying that our guests took the time to share their comments about our hospitality, accommodations, breakfasts and attention to the details which set The Craftsman Bed & Breakfast apart," commented Rech. Here's an excerpt from one of our reviews: The room was tasteful and the bed was so comfy. No frilly doilies or wallpaper! The private bath is great, and the service was great. Breakfast was really tasty and the coffee was FABULOUS!

For a complete list of all winners, including regional and international Best of BedandBreakfast.com Award winners, please visit www.BedandBreakfast.com and click Winners 2009-2010.

Founded in 1995, BedandBreakfast.com is highly recommended by The New York Times, Real Simple, Forbes, Travel & Leisure, USA TODAY and many others. To learn about more nearly 9,000 other perfect choices for your next B&B getaway, visit BedandBreakfast.com, the leading online bed and breakfast directory and reservation network worldwide. A variety of search functions and extensive maps enable inn goers to find the perfect B&B. Travelers can make reservations online, purchase The Getaway Gift Card from BedandBreakfast.com, welcomed at over 4,000 B&Bs in the U.S. and Canada, read up-to-date trip reports on The BedandBreakfast.com Blog, read and write independent reviews, and post questions on expert-hosted message boards.

We survived the Tsunami!

An 8.3 magnitude earthquake that caused a tsunami in Samoa has resulted in a tsunami advisory for the Oregon coast. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the advisory, saying a mild tsunami – up to two feet – could arrive on the coast about 10 p.m. Tuesday night.

“A Tsunami Advisory means that a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or very near the water is imminent or expected,” the NWS said in a bulletin. “Significant, widespread inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory. Currents may be hazardous to swimmers, boats, and coastal structures and may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival.”

The tsunami does not pose a threat to homes or structures along the shoreline, and no evacuations are planned. Officials are stressing this will result in only larger than normal waves, many of which may not be noticeable.

Here in Pacific City, high tide was happening during the expected wave, it was also raining pretty hard, so lot of water. The wave would be a tsunami, but hardly noticeable as any storm surge produces much bigger waves. The following surge up the coastal rivers would hardly register.

The Tsunami might take the sand from some beaches and on some steeper beaches, there may be some erosion.

Here at The Craftsman B&B, Laura was reading her book and Mike was watching a movie. Not wanting to stand in the rain to watch a 3 foot wave, in the dark. I guess we lived at the beach long enough to know not to worry about a tsunami that was triggered on the other side of the world.

Take our Survey

We want to know what you think. Take our quick survey/ questionnaire. We want to know what you think of The Craftsman B&B and as we finish our 5th busy season, we want you thought on a few items that have come up.

We have 2 reviews on TripAdvisor that were not Excellent or Very Good. Both wanted a TV. Our goal was for our guests to open the door to 1921, so we decided not to have TV's. What's your thought?

The other big question is about a 2-night minimum. Currently we do not have one. We wanted to grow our business and get as many people in the door, having them spread the word. A lot if innkeepers require a 2-night stay to make sure the rooms are filled on the most popular nights, Friday and Saturday. We want to be able to have rooms for people touring the coast and only staying one night along their route. Do we charge more for single night stays? Tell us what you think.

If you are a past guest, we sent you an invitation for the survey. Friends on facebook also got a wall post. So if you haven't done it, please do, our business is providing you great service during your vacation and we want to hear your thoughts and ideas.

Take our quick survey/ questionnaire.

Oktoberfest, Year 2

Its Oktoberfest!

The Pacific City Association (PCA) would like to invite you to our 2^nd annual Oktoberfest: Root • Beer • Float. This is a Black Beer and Root Beer Festival, held Saturday, September19th in Pacific City, Oregon. The title is a play on words, as we will have root beer, black beer and the floats are for glass floats. The trophy for the people’s choice is a large glass float and we will raffle off traditional and modern art glass floats to voters at the Festival. This event promotes Pacific City. Money raised is used to buy advertising and marketing materials to promote the businesses of the PCA. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to local charity, Tillamook County Habitat for Humanity.

Our first year hosting this event, we kept it small, five root beers and nine black beers were available for tasting. This year we are able to expand the Black Beer Garden and our only rule: If it’s clear, it ain’t beer!

A souvenir mug, with tickets, is purchased and the tickets are used for 4 oz tastes and 12 oz pours of the Black Beer and Root Beer. We will also be selling event t-shirts.

The Root Beer Kindergarten is a kid friendly part of the celebration. Kids of all ages can test their taster at the Root Beer Tasting Contest, where they try to identify a national brand root beer. The prize for the winner of each heat is a handful of root beer barrel candy.

We will be having live German music and dancing with the High Fives Band from The Dalles, Oregon and Accordionist Lauri Neumann-Grable from Hillsboro, Oregon.

We will be serving German food. Bratwurst and Sauerkraut is the staple of any Oktoberfest.

It all takes place on Pacific Avenue, just West of the 4-way stop in downtown Pacific City, Oregon.

Please contact me at The Craftsman B&B. 503-965-4574 or at innkeeper@craftsmanbb.com

3 states

Here at The Craftsman B&B we get visitors form all over. They come to explore the beautiful Oregon Coast. Many other things bring them here as well; biking the coast, hiking, fishing, beer tasting, you name it. A lot of visitors choose our B&B because of our strict no lace, no doilies policy.

To show us and other guests where our guests come from, we have a map in the landing upstairs. We welcome our guests to put a pin in the map from where they currently live. If they visited Alaska, we're not interested in that. If they were born in Ohio, not important. We want to know where they live now.

So goes the challenge with any project, our map pins are always growing, but we are missing 3 states. We want to show the diversity of our country and we are missing: North Dakota, Mississippi and South Carolina.

If you know someone from these states, tell them to stay with us. If you are from one of these states, get yourself in here. This is a social media experiment, spread the word. To make things more interesting, we will make a deal. If you have a valid drivers license or ID from one of the 3 missing states and stay at The Craftsman B&B for 2 nights, we'll take 50% off your second night. But to make sure our experiment works, we need the help of our friends and past guests, so if you refer a guest from the missing states, we will take 25% off your second night the next time you come for a visit. Make sure you let your friends and family know when they make a reservation.

Good enough reason to get your family and friends to visit the Oregon Coast and our tiny town of Pacific City? I think so.

Games, pre Nintento style

Here at The Craftsman B&B in the tiny town of Pacific City, we enjoy the slower paced life. Now that doesn't mean we aren't connected to the latest trends, we just choose what we want to follow, not what our neighbors are doing. So when it comes to games, we enjoy the board game to a video game, hands down.

We encourage our guest to relax and unplug from their everyday modern lives. One way to do that is offer up classic board and card games. I grew up playing cut-throat Scrabble. 3 letter words were laughed at. We even figured out that my grandma cheated at Scrabble, she has played so long with the same set, that when she came to play at our house, her words were lame. She had memorized the wood grain of each tile, to know what letters she would choose. I my life, I have always been competitive, I'm the youngest of five kids, so I needed every advantage I could come up with.

Later in my auto racing days, I could always appreciate the "clever interpretation" of a rule book. Not that I ever took advantage, ahem.

So the house rule here for Scrabble, is you have to use our dictionary, which was published the year I graduated from high school. No new-fangled, trendy words here.

Come to Pacific City, enjoy the Oregon Coast and settle in with a glass of wine and some old time fun.

It's all about the Dory

In Pacific City, Oregon, it's all about the dory. The town is full of them and a visit to Cape Kiwanda at sunrise, you're bound to see the launching into the surf. The best time is around 11:00 AM, when the wind picks up and the dory's return to the beach. Gliding through the waves and sliding up onto the beach.

This article is a few years old but showed up in my "web radar" the other day. It's a real good story about the dory fishing here in Pacific City.

You can find out more about the Dorymens Association from their website.

Learned's Boat Shop, mentioned in the article, is on facebook and so is The Craftsman B&B.

So Dory's have a long history in Pacific City, they celebrated the 50th year of the Dorymens Association this year. The Craftsman B&B's house was built in 1921. Come and live in the history or our still tiny beach town.

Tillamook County Quilt Trail

Looking for a way to see inland Tillamook County? More than just looking at all the cows? We all know the main draw around here is the beach. We suggest you also adventure out on the Tillamook County Quilt Trail.

So here is how the trail got started: identify historic barns and other buildings in Tillamook County, enhance with a large painted wooden quilt block, share the history of the dairy farms and quilts through a self-guided tour for visitors and celebrate our Rural Heritage.

This idea, first voiced by Marti Rhea, has become a reality through a coalition of local citizens and organizations: the Farm Bureau, Tillamook County Dairy Women, Latimer Quilt & Textile Center, Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce, the 4-H Leaders Association, the Fair Board and the Tillamook County Historical Society. Together, they put the plan into action.

The first Quilt Block Trail on the West Coast, Phase I was central Tillamook County. For Phases II and III the hope is to expand the Quilt Trail to North and South Tillamook County, that's where The Craftsman B&B is located. Phase I of the project began on January 4, 2009 and the goal was to have quilt blocks in place by the opening day of the Tillamook County Fair in August of 2009. Well they pulled it off! Twelve blocks are in place. Stop by the Chamber of Commerce, next to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, for a copy of the Quilt Trail brochure, which provides not only the route, but a history of the farms showcasing a quilt block. I'll be taking this tour soon and will post some pictures of the adventure.

This project captures a unique heritage, by combining the art of quilting and the rich history of the dairy and agricultural presence in this community. Most of the quilt block patterns come from “Patterns for an Oregon Quilt,” a book available at the Latimer Quilt & Textile Center and itself derived from a book by Eula M. Long. Many of the patterns were designed exclusively for Oregon.

When you're done with the tour, stop in at The Latimer Quilt and Textile Center is located at 2105 Wilson River Loop Road, Tillamook, OR 97141, also close to the Cheese Factory. www.latimerquiltandtextile.com

Better than S'mores

I'm not a big fan of S'mores. I know, an innkeeper that doesn't like coffee and now this? I don't mind chocolate, I have never had a craving for it and don't seek it out, yet another nontraditional trait of an innkeeper. Oh, and marshmallows, don't get me started. Besides the game "fuzzy bunny" I don't go near them. Graham crackers, not a staple of my pantry.

My guests last night at The Craftsman B&B had a great, alternative beach snack. They got Tillamook Cheese, a loaf of crusty bread, a beer and a tin can. They made a fire on the beach, melted the cheese in the can, with a little splash of beer to get it nice and creamy, and dipped with the bread. Mmmm, tasty, I'll call it Hobo Fondue.

Now cheese fondue, that's a great snack, appetizer or meal. Made the French or Bavarian style, it's soooo good. A trip to Portland, for me, usually includes a meal at Gustav's and Fondue for a start of a great meal. I used to work near Gustav's and ate there at least once a month, it's all about the cheese.

Now you may know that I'm a little bit competitive, so of course there are rules to fondue. The one rule I have always lived with is the first person who drops their bread in the fondue pot has to pay the tip on the dinner bill. But a little research truned up a few more rules via Martha Stewart:

Rule 1: If a woman drops her bread in the fondue pot, she has to kiss every man at the table.

Rule 2: If a man drops his bread in the fondue pot, he has to buy a bottle of wine for everyone at the table.

Rule 3: If someone drops two pieces of bread in the pot, they have to plan the next fondue party.

Martha's Tip: Make sure you invite men you want to kiss to your fondue party.

Next time your in Pacific City, without the kids, yearning for a beach fire, but not the "usual campfire snack" try the Hobo Fondue, then back to your cozy room at the B&B.

Watercraft Freeriders come to Pacific City

Pacific City Oregon to Host second round of 2009 IFWA Freeride World Tour and IJSBA Motosurf Western Championship on September 11-13th 2009. Click Here to sign up.

The world's greatest Watercraft Freeriders and racers will descend on Tierra Del Mar Beach located just north of Pacific City and is free to the public on this wide expanse of beach. This event marks a return to IFWA and IJSBA co-sanctioning events in order to bring the very best PWC athletes together at one venue.

If you would like to see them in action, come on down to Pacific City and stay at The Craftsman B&B, just minutes from the venue.

The Blowsion Surf Slam will bring freeriders from around the world competing for a cash purse and points towards the IFWA World title and competing for the first IJSBA Freeride World Cup. The infamous Pacific Coast surf will boost riders over 20 feet in the air while performing tricks like backflips, barrel rolls and no handed landings. Joining them will be some of the best PWC racers in the world who will display high speed turns through a grueling buoy course all while challenging the unpredictable waves.

Current IFWA points leader and last year's World-Title holder is American Ross Champion. When asked about his thoughts on the 2009 US location he said, "We are really looking forward to the Blowsion Surf Slam this year. We riders have been coming to Pacific City for the last 10 years for a private event. We are happy to be expanding the event this year and looking forward to the general public being exposed to the sport of Freeride."

Spectators will also witness exciting personal watercraft racing with the IJSBA MotoSurf Western Championship. The top racers in the country will battle it out in the challenging Pacific City surf.

Freeriders will compete in a head to head double elimination format. A panel of profession judges will score them using 50% for their wave surfing and 50% for their aerial maneuvers. Racers will compete, in a multi-lap format; through a challenging buoy course that requires split second navigation while maintain speeds exceeding 70 MPH.

The Tillamook County Fair

This year it's August 5th - 8th. That's this weekend! This years theme is "WHERE PIGS FLY." The fair board chose this theme because the Tillamook County Pig-N-Ford Association will be celebrating the 85th Anniversary of performing their World Famous Pig-N-Ford Races during the fair.

The 2009 Tillamook County Fair is said to be one of the best County Fairs in the state, if not in the nation because it is so unique and offers so much for visitors to enjoy. See all of the 4-H/FFA exhibits that Tillamook County residents have prepared for the fair. The dairy cow judging is a lot of fun. They describe the animaals in dairymens terms that are a hoot. Pari-Mutuel Horse Racing for you gambling types and what is a fair without a Demolition Derby.


Here at The Craftsman B&B, we love motorsports, we think the highlight of the fair is experiencing the excitement of the Pig-N-Ford Races, that pigs really can fly. This is something everyone will need to watch the Pig-N-Ford Races themselves to see "WHERE PIGS FLY". Come on down this weekend a see for yourselves.

Solo Travel at a Bed & Breakfast

Here at The Craftsman B&B, we have had quite a few solo travelers. A few have been on business trips, but most are single ladies that want to get away. B&B's are for couples, honeymooners and anniversaries you may think. Well, we do get those here too, but don't let that bother you. If fact, if you are bothered by seeing other people having a good time while on vacation, then any kind of travel probably isn't for you.

Some of you my dread eating alone in restaurants and that has prevented you from trying to travel solo. There are solutions to this challenge. First, at a Bed & Breakfast, one meal is already taken care of, breakfast. Find restaurants where you can eat in the bar. Your alone, but with a group of people. And if you just want to read while eating, you can do that too. I'm sure you single ladies know the "fake wedding ring" trick, hey, it works. Eat early, before the crowds if you are uncomfortable.

Here are some reasons that would make you want to travel solo:

• Sick and tired of trying to arrange trips with friends and fit every ones schedules.
• Altering what you want to do versus what your friends want to do.
• Waiting for friends to get moving in the morning or between any activity.
• Adjusting your activities based on the budgets of your friends.
• Altering your sleep, nap and chill time when traveling with others.
  

Here are some advantages to solo travel:

• Freedom.
• Choice of sights.
• Solo travel is stress free.
• Sitting in front of a special art piece or view for for as long as you want.
• Visiting sites or taking tours you want to see at your own pace.
• Eating at your pace and what, where and when you want.
• A road trip where you can jam out to your favorite music, sing along with out the groans of your friends.
• Ability to alter your plans as you see fit.
  

Here are advantages of solo travel and B&B's:

• Innkeepers look after their guests. There job is to make sure you have a great stay.
• Innkeepers know the area. They can help you plan a day out, can recommend sights and restaurants.
• A B&B is safe, usually in a neighborhood, not a row of hotels, they are family homes and friendly people stay in B&B's.
• Most B&B's have free wi-fi, you can keep up with your social media as you would at home, but post pictures and update your status of your great adventure.
  

Here are the advantages of staying at The Craftsman B&B during your solo travels:

• We feed you pretty good and you could skip lunch or have a light lunch on a bench overlooking the ocean.
• There are several great restaurants here in Pacific City where you can eat in the bar.
• If you prefer to order to-go from a restaurant, we will provide you all the dishes you may need and clean up for you afterwards.
• Enjoy your dinner on the deck or dining room.
• We have 187ml bottles of champagne, the perfect glass and 375ml bottles of wine, good for 2 glasses.

So if you are considering solo travel, try a night at a B&B. Make your first solo trip a short, quick one. Maybe overnight, within a tank of gas of your home. I know, if you try it, you will like it. The added bonus of solo travel at The Craftsman B&B is we discount the room rate. And I'm always here to greet you when you return, you can rub my belly as long as you want. I also like to sit with you while you read in the living room, making sure your safe and happy.

Fireworks at the Beach

Fireworks at the beach? Why is that a question you may ask. Well, in the past, I haven't done very well with fireworks. The booms are too much for me. So a few years ago, I started to take doggie downers on the Fourth, to mellow me out.

Well this year, it was all wrong. First of all, I am older and don't eat as much as I used to. I am not as active as I used to be, on 3 legs and all. So I got my pill in peanut butter stuffed into a bone. I ate it. I fall for that trick every time. Then the plan was for me to eat my dinner. More food, more better. Well, as I am stubburn, I didn't eat my dinner and then, Wham! The drugs kicked in. I paniced and made a run to my safe spot by the front door. I didn't make it, those floors are slick. Mike and Laura moved me to my spot and I stayed there until after breakfast this morning, 17 hours later.

I decided to go outside and let the sun set me right. Mike brought out my breakfast, last night dinner, and some water. I was hungry, so I ate it and I even got another scoop of food. I'll save that for later.

I will recover today, but that was a real knock out. Next time, how about half a pill.

So what did I miss? Nothing! It was a hot day in the Willamette Valley, that draws the fog inland. So about 9:00 p.m. last night, we were in pea soup fog. We could hear the booms, but not see the fireworks in the sky. Laura even stayed up past her normal bedtime to watch.

Oh well, we had a full house here at The Craftsman B&B and every enjoyed their stay. Out on the beach, they were able to see the show, our deck, not so much.