December 26, 2006.  That was our official first day as Bella Rose Bed and Breakfast.  Finally our seven-year renovation was complete, the house was fully furnished, the sign was up and illuminated for the world to see, and even the beds were made with fresh, crisp sheets from Italy.  We were done.  We were ready.  We built it and the now we needed the guests to come.  How proud we were and how happy we were to finally realize our dream.

That was five years ago and it seems like yesterday.  How could it be that it has been five years ALREADY? That's, like, half a decade!  Amazing.  Now, granted, even though we were done and ready to host, truth be told we didn't enjoy our first guest until the following April...April 10, 2007, to be exact.  But, that's okay.  We used the winter to enjoy our completed home before we no longer had the chance.  We got the website up and running so people could actually find us.  Little did we know that marketing takes time....  Uh, duh...right? Oh well.  It didn't matter.  We knew winter would end and business would start.  In the meantime, we were done, we were open, and we were ready when spring woke people up.  And, sure enough, it happened and there's been no looking back since.  We're grateful we had a couple of months to enjoy the fruits of our labor.  In hindsight, I wouldn't change a thing -- not even the fact that it took us seven years! 

So, I guess we really have two anniversaries to celebrate, but this is the one that officially counts.

Happy Anniversary to us with many, many more to come.  As long as you'll have us, we'll be here.

Labels: Bed and Breakfast, Bella Rose, breakfast, Canandaigua, Finger Lakes, getaway, guests