Getting away ...

Our 4 year wedding anniversary is next month, the 17th.

We haven't been on any kind of real get-away since our honeymoon.

We did each take several days off when we bought our house almost 2 years ago. But even those days were filled with the work and running around that's involved with moving into a new home.

Then that pesky my getting fired thing. I had the time, but not the money.

This year, though, we're getting away.

Not far, just about an hour NW of here.

But it's not the usual Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg trip that involves overpriced hotels, food, and attractions.

Besides ... we live 20 minutes from there and can head up there for a day whenever we want.

Instead, I scoured the internet for a bed and breakfast. I've never stayed at one. They always sound so quaint and sweet.

Days and days of looking ... at prices, inclusions, exclusions ... the whole gammut.

I found one, in this area of all places, that charges almost a grand a night. For a room, a private bathroom, and breakfast.

Honest injun. Almost $1,000 a night.

And when I think 'bed and breakfast', I think romance. Apparently my thinking was skewed, though, because almost all of them, at least in most of TN, cater to kids. Some even go so far as to offer babysitting services.

That'd be great if we had kids that we didn't want to escape, but we don't have any. And I don't relish the thought of trying to be all romantic and sexy with my husband with a toddler screaming two rooms down or a pre-teen running up and down the hallway.

But I digress ...

I scoured, searched, and read review after review.

Some would seem worth the price, considering the setting and luxurious size of their private rooms and what's included (from hot tubs on a private porch to a nightly, romantic dinner cruise on a lake). But I found that most really aren't worth upwards of $250 a night - really - you get a room, a private bathroom, and breakfast. I could get that at just about any hotel for less.

I just couldn't justify the cost.

Until I found this place.

For $125 a night, we get the room with private bathroom, a full breakfast, AND a full 4-course dinner.

It's in a truly historic town in middle Tennessee that offers tours of original buildings and such. And me being me, I find that sort of thing absolutely fascinating.

The site I found it on only offered up 1 review, so I went to Mr. Google and searched for more. And every single review I found (more than 30 on one other site alone) were outstanding. From the inn keepers to the setting to the food, all comments and ratings were excellent.

And, did I mention, it's only about an hour from home? So if Hoss decides he's going to eat PJ after all, we can make it to the hospital in no time flat? (you think I'm joking, don't you hah)

It's quite a deal. If we were to stay in a hotel, we'd have to buy our breakfast and dinner and, of course, snacks around lunch time. All of which will easily add up to, and beyond, $125 a day / night.

The only downside is that our room will have a double bed. They do have rooms with larger beds, but they seem to stay pretty booked and that was about the only room they had left.

But I'm not complaining. We'll be getting away for a real get-away weekend for the first time in 4 years.

And if push comes to shove, one of us could always sleep in the bathtub.