Paws & Rest

We Have Website

2010-06-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

Not bad for a starter, if I do say so myself...
Research trip less than a week away!

We Have Trademark!

2010-05-22T06:40:00.001-07:00

I just completed the trademark application for the name Paws & Rest and paid the filing fee. Now I don't have to worry about someone stealing it once we start publicizing our intentions.

In July, we will head up to the canyons to do marketing research and check out locations.

Anybody want to buy a house?

It's Time

2010-04-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

We are ready to go. Plan in place.
1. Fix up and sell house
2. Move to paid for property temporarily
3. Fix up paid for property
4. Purchase place for Paws & Rest
5. Sell paid for property
6. Go for it...

The service we want to provide is sorely needed where we want to be...

January 20, 2009: The end of the error.

2009-01-19T02:08:00.000-08:00

Today's the day I planned to be ready to quit my job. Not the day I actually quit, but the day that I could quit if I wanted to. Due to the new job, one that I actually like and enjoy, the cash flow slowed down a bit, the expenses went up a bit--career dressing gets expensive, and don't get me started about needing regular haircuts--and my dream is deferred.

This delay did not come about without a lot of thought. Tony and I want to get started on Paws & Rest, but my misery overcame our dream and we decided that a happy me was worth the extra year or so it will take us to get there. Then the economy tanked, and we got pushed back further. Then we started enjoying living, what with vacations and all, and the dream is again deferred.

I've blown off my monthly updates because there's nothing to report. I get blue thinking that it may not happen. As much as I enjoy the job I have now, I can't see me doing it forever.

And the travel. Tony sees bitter old people who put off living until they retired only to lose their life partner or face serious medical issues. He doesn't want to miss anything if he can help it, and, to be honest, if his hepatitis kicks in, I might lose him sooner rather than later. So, travel we will.

The dream is not dead. It has entered a state of dormancy.

On online poll

2008-10-22T02:59:00.000-07:00

at least the questions for it. I'll have to figure out how to create an actual easy poll to do some research for the business plan...I've got time, but I want to catch what I have so far. I can tell this will take some serious editing before it' s ready for prime time.

1. Do you travel with pet(s)?

2. If not, why not?

3. What kind of pet do you travel with?

a. dog

b. cat

c. bird

d. reptile

e. other

4. Where do you stay with your pet?

a. Campground

i. Tent

ii. RV

b. Motel

c. Hotel

5. How much do you spend on lodging?

a. Under $50

b. $50-80

c. $80-120

d. $120 -$160

e. $160 or more

6. What amenities do you expect in your lodging choice?

a. wifi

b. coffee maker

c. kitchenette

7. What do you do with your pet when your pet can't go with you?

a. Hiking

b. dinner

8. Would you be comfortable in a minimally decorated room if your pet was welcome?

Monthly Update: September 2008

2008-09-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

Just finished tinkering the starter website to clarify our purpose as a pet friendly resort and not a place to abandon critters. Things continue to progress, but maybe a bit backwards this month due to the economic meltdown. Trying to find bargain investments with a bright future.

On another note, I just started a new job that superficially appears to be a great promotion and hefty raise--it actually amounts to a pay cut, so the savings won't progress at quite the speed they have been. I fear that we may have to push the opening to 2011, but at least I'll be working a job I love until we get to live the life we will love.

Monthly Update: August, 2008

2008-08-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

...for traveling pets and their human companions.

Monthly Update: July 2008

2008-07-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

Nothing has changed in our situation--debts nearly gone, savings accruing--but I recently noticed a change in us.

Everything revolves around our future. We talk about when, not if. Will this improvement help us sell the house? Will the new job I might get push us backward? Will Tony's contractor friend Anthony help us build our buildings, or should we get prefab little cabins?

Every day, something comes up that relates to the dream. Yesterday, my sister in law, Jan, complained how big a jerk her other brother is. He hired her to paint his house and he's trying to get her labor and talent as cheap as he can. Jan's a darn good house painter and he's lucky she offered to help him. Another painter would charge more for less. I comforted her by telling her that when we're in Utah, and she's my employee, I'll take good care of her with a regular salary and benefits and proper equipment. Tony completely agreed with me. The three of us will be a team.

I had my reservations about Jan. She's a bit wild, but this month I mentioned the movie Now, Voyager with Bette Davis. Jan knew exactly the movie and we talked about our favorite scenes, particularly the reformed Bette's entrance on the cruise. She's gorgeous enough to make anyone switch. A few nights later, Jan and I watched Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious with Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. Tony watched it too, but she and I were really into it. I can't believe I have an old movie buddy now!

I'm excited about Jan joining our venture. Before anyone else knew we planned to include her, Tony's mom told me that I had better be prepared for Jan to follow us. When I told her we already planned to take her along, Mom seemed relieved. Jan would be lost without Tony.

Eighteen months or so to go.

Monthly Update: June 2008

2008-06-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

I took out a short one year loan against my retirement in the hopes of getting us officially out of debt so that savings can accrue faster. Foolishly, I did not do the math right, so there's still a couple thou outstanding. It's at 3% interest until it's paid off so that won't be a problem but I so wanted to be out from under the credit card debt I've carried forever. If my overtime keeps up, and it should, I'll be able to pay it off fairly quickly, but I'm still disappointed.

Savings coming along nicely even if interest rates have dropped. I'm trying to get some good stocks while they're cheap so in a year or so when things will be so much better we can sell high. (fingers crossed)

Ended up getting an "A" on the business plan. I believe it is some of the worst work I've ever done. ZERO feedback from the instructor. At least my employer reimbursed me, so I learned a little for free.

I so hope that 2 years from now, you, your kids, and your pets can come see us in our new business.

Monthly Update: April 2008

2008-05-06T03:03:00.000-07:00

Not too good on the monthly part of these updates, am I? Not much happened in February and March, and in fact we didn't get very far. I took my four Small Business courses at the community college (finance, operations, management, and accounting) and found that my weakness lies in comprehending the business/money/accounting aspect. At least now I know the basics of that bit so I can speak the language.

I'm frantically working on my business plan; not to start the business, but to try and pass a poorly taught small business course so that my employer will reimburse me the $150 bucks I paid for the class. If I make a "C", I get reimbursed. It's the only reason I didn't drop the course months ago.

But I have an idea now what it will take to create the business plan and a vague idea of how much we can make and yes, we can make a living doing this. I just need to find that spare 1/4 mil I have laying around (it's got to be here somewhere) and we're on our way.

We took our vacation to Custer, South Dakota and we stayed at The Shady Rest, a tiny motel made up of eight antique cabins on the hill overlooking the town. I should have done more research on the vacation, talking to the motel owner about how much it costs to run the place, etc..., but I didn't. I'm a lazy kitty. Mostly, I just hate this class so much I' am not the least bit interested in giving the professor the satisfaction that I learned anything from him.

But I'm way ahead of where I was knowledge wise.

Monthly Update: January, 2008

2008-01-20T23:37:00.000-08:00

No real progress, but lots of ideas scurrying about in my head.

Actual Action:
Scanned logo & emailed it to an artistic friend for revamp and polish.

Debt shrinking on schedule, savings accruing.

Located .com domain name. An Australian speculator has it on hold.

The temporary website at .net now shows up on the first page of a Google search for “paws and rest.”

Tentatively scheduled June vacation at The Roost in Custer, South Dakota. It’s very like what we want to do, sans pet hotel, so it will be a learning vacation. Susan, the owner, is very helpful and supportive.

New Ideas & Wishes
· Found a 36 space RV park in a beautiful tiny town near where we want to be. Need spare quarter mil to buy it.

· Found a manager’s job at a large national RV park chain in a beautiful college town near where we want to be. Sadly, must sell house before considering such a move.

I plan to talk to Tony about applying for the job anyway. The owner wants a one year commitment, and in one year, we should have the house sold, so maybe we can do next year.

Funniest thing: several months ago, I did an online quiz that told me where I should live based on my lifestyle and desires. The Number One place best fit for me? The college town mentioned above!

Monthly Update: December

2007-12-28T22:36:00.000-08:00

Nothing to report, really. Christmas, as always, was a bit more extravagant than planned or necessary, but that’s how we roll. Finances developing nicely, but it will still take about 2 years to get ready. I keep reminding myself that it took me 2 years once I decided to move to NYC to get there, even though it only took me two months to move back to Texas.

Classes for the spring semester: Small Business Management, Small Business Financing, Small Business Operations, and Accounting. Books are ordered and, like my favorite yellow sea creature, “I’m Ready!”

Got the logo sketched out. Need to find a real artist to clean it up.

Monthly Update, October 2007

2007-10-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

In order to keep my mind focused on the goal of quitting my job and becoming a successful hotelier, I set up monthly reminders in my calendar. I am counting down the months until my "quit my job" goal date which happily coincides with the replacement of the worst president ever. On the 20th of every month, I now ask myself, "What have you done toward reaching your goal?"

This month: obtained web domain and starter web page

Set up blog to track our progress

Found another motel owner's blog to track his progress.

Set date for grand opening: Spring 2010

Company email address active

Pre-registered for three college courses that will help create the reality from the dream:
Small Business Operations
Small Business Management
Small Business Financing
& Accounting for good measure.
Best part of these? My current employer will pay for it! ~~~suckers~~~

I've gotten a bit soft on the job quitting date. I hope by Jan 2009 to be completely debt free and then I can use my disgustingly pleasant income from my skill-less job to sock away for down payments and living expenses during the lean first year.

Plus, at the debt-free point, I can go to work with the attitude that I am in retirement mode and can walk away whenever I want.

Also, once we enter the "amass cash" stage, I plan to hire on or volunteer at a kennel or shelter. I need to learn a bit about how kennels run before I jump into owning one. Also, need to learn how to clean hotel rooms.

In the next month I plan to create a spreadsheet that will help track the dwindling debts and rising savings, and I'll be pressuring mylovinghusband to get the house ready to sell. We have a mobile home we own outright. Its only drawbacks? Farther from work, very small, and next door to his sister.

Bonus: Near $0 living expenses and right next door to his sister. He can go over there when we need space (he does anyway) and when we travel, she can watch the furkids from her own home.

Today, I talked to Susan at The Roost in Custer, SD to schedule a week's stay next spring.. Very delightful and chatty. Gave me all sorts of advice and has emailed me websites and books to look into. She recommended attending a seminar by KOA about campground ownership. Also helped me realize we need LOTS of cash. Christmas will be lean this year.

Starting with a campground might work out better than starting with a motel. Our dream requires a few acres and motels tend to cover all the property they have. Ideally, a small mobile home park could be converted and still provide year round steady income for a while.

15 months to go

And so, we begin!

2007-10-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

The dream has walked into the light and now demands structure to make it real. I have registered our domain, procured our e-mail address, and filed for a trademark for our name. Our financial goals get closer every month, and we have set a target date for our opening.

Now, all we have to do is learn about motel ownership, kennel procedures, find the place, finance it, build it, and hope you come.

I keep hearing that disembodied voice from Field of Dreams....