Cottage Recovery

We have camp counselors arriving today to run our Vacation Bible School.  This year, as in past years, some of them will stay in our cottage.

This year, the getting ready for them has been a bit easier than last year, when we discovered that the AC had stopped working, and mold had overtaken the walls--AGAIN.  This year, my spouse did some heavy lifting, and now we have space for them.  It's still a cottage full of boxes, but the boxes line the walls.  They can get to the bed and there's space for some chairs and tables.  The kitchen and bathroom will be clean.  It's comfortable in a very rustic way.

We did some testing of the hot water.  My spouse was convinced that hot water wasn't getting to the cottage, but it is.  We tested having various faucets running, and while the water pressure dips a bit, it's still usable.

It's usable for camp counselors, at least.  I know the type of lodging they'd have at camp, and our cottage is at that level.  Perhaps a bit better, because it has AC and a kitchen.

I continue thinking about ways to use the cottage if we can ever get it to a better shape.  I'm still most intrigued by having a monastic retreat center or space for a writer/artist to work for a week.  We've thought of having a "Sleep in the Studio" kind of promotion.  Come to a place where you won't be distracted by TV or wi-fi or much in the way of noise.

I've thought of a basic package of $1000 a week.  For additional money, more can be added:  a creativity session for those who like to create together, a spiritual direction session, meals delivered, art supplies,  food bought in advance and put in the cottage.

I realize that price might be high for artists who make a living with their work.  But maybe it's a fair price in the world of retreats.  I'm seeing retreat prices of $300+ for a week-end.  Of course, that includes meals.

I've also thought about my church, which is contemplating future directions.  Could we tie into our church?  People stay and make a tax-deductible contribution to the church, which we then bill for our service.

I'm looking for a way to have it all ways:  preserve my homestead exemption, avoid registering with the City of Hollywood, simplifying taxes, making a bit of money.

Let me keep contemplating.