Finally..with a lot of hard work..I stand and look at what we two have accompolished..here I was looking out over the property Dovie and I had bought..surveying the land so to speak..it was a long and hard pull..my name is Toni..Dovie and I had been friends since the late eighty's and she was that sister I never had..loveable and kind..considerate..beautiful..with blond hair and bright blue eyes..she always could make you laugh she always was there for you no matter what..I loved her dearly..she was some one to count on..I must admit she was there for me whenever I would need her..but that never did lesson the love we had for each other...
We always did enjoy collaborations of doing something together..from sewing..to painting..and just in general would come up with ideas of something to do to pass time..or make some extra monies in craft's when our little community had special weekends of selling their wears
This was when we pooled our resources together and bought this mountain property in the hopes that one day we would accomplished our dreams of having a 'Bed and Breakfast'..the thoughts were always there for this..we would see older homes turned into the most lovely guest homes here in the mountains..we were right smack dab in the middle of the now famous tourist spot of the Smokies and Gatlinburg Tn..and with all the influence of different people coming and going during the holidays to see the changing of the leaves..and spending money to stay in Chalet's just in general we especially knew this would work..people who had property were building little cabins to rent nightly or by the week and making a nice financial adding to their income..
We found this older home..which had been abandoned for years..we had seen this place several times in just taking a ride..but never did know all the particulars about it..finally after much inquiry who may know something we found the house was just there..no one in general wanted the place..and the only living family member was an elderly gentleman who after much persuadeing finally settled at a fair price for him self and us too..
Now we could finally do something with that dream we had in our hearts for so long..it would take a lot of hard work and what monies we had put back but we were determined to do this..so off we went the following morning to draw and pool our money for the sale of the house..a handshake was a better seal on a deal than any lawyer could have done..
We had to do a lot of remodeling..making some of the larger rooms into two rooms..all the walls painted and papered..the kitchen enlarged for cooking and all the necessary steps taken to have a beautiful dining area along with a formal room for quests to settle in and enjoy each other's company with soft music and all the nice surroundings they should have to feel comfortable..we worked hard and long and within the first year how most all done and in sending out the news of Our Momma's Place to soon be opened..we hurried to finish on the deal line..
Here it was our first Friday..most all the rooms had been rented and we were so elated..this may work out and pay back the momey we had spend after all..Dovie and I both made our promises that if we could get all our bills paid off and out of the red in ten years we would feel great about our place..
No one was more pleased with our first weekend of quests as those involved in this project..including family members who had worked hard and long with no pay but only from the love and kindness of their hearts to make this a go..everyone was tired after our work week but we were now understood how only you can make anything work with work..time..and never give up..
The bedrooms were all grand..there was the green room..the pink room..the blue room..and so on in soft pastel colors with the Omish and straigh designs..the Quaker designs..and country..each room done in beautiful hand made quilts..hand painted pictures..and the style of that day..it was beautiful even if we had bought and figured a way of doing it at a cheaper rate..we were proud..Dovie's son Henry was a great painter..and in each room hung an original of his painting signed..and if by choice could be bought by guests..
Now as we two look back I often times wonder how in the world we did do it all with only a wish and fore thought on our parts..but we did ..that has be almost twenty years ago..and now that we are getting older our children will eventually take over where we have left off..
We have many each year to return like family..and the nice Holidays we gather with former guests and have such nice memories..sometimes now we just invite those who have become dear and near at no charge..we have all the money we need..within five years of our promise to be out of the red we were.."Momma's Place" is ours..and now we enjoy the life of friends..family..and neighbors..what a great way to have learned the right way to do things..starting with a simple hand shake..
By Kyusha��2000
