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The Mansion at Elfindale, which looks like a charming European castle, is nestled in the trees.  Just a couple of blocks away are your normal everyday shopping and residential areas.  However, when you enter the property for this B&B, you feel like you’re out in the country,  yet you’re just a few minutes away from the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, the “Grandaddy of all Outdoor Stores”.  So, if you’re looking for a get-a-way from the hustle and bustle of the city for your corporate meeting or corporate travel, but yet you like some of the amenities a city has to offer, The Mansion is just for you! Fully restored and renovated a little over 20 years ago, The Mansion is like stepping back in time only with the modern conveniences of today such as an air conditioning system that leaves the air smelling fresh, never musty like I imagine a castle smelling!  Here are some of the amenities of this historic and captivating bed and breakfast:

• Highspeed Wireless Internet in all the rooms
• Breakfast included in the price (ask about breakfast)
• Higher level of privacy
• Relaxed environment which helps people to be more creative
• Competitive rates
• Comforts of home & comfortable and quiet sleeping environment
• Great place to focus on the work at hand without distractions
• Safe area with higher level of security
• Close to area attractions which fosters team building

  Whatever your corporate needs, whether you need small group space or a meeting room for a larger group, The Mansion at Elfindale can provide accommodations that will inspire creativity and planning sessions for your business.

We just got back from traveling a long way to see my mother-in-law. When I say long, I’m talking about approximately 1,700 miles of driving round-trip.  We didn’t have a vehicle maintenance log, but my husband made sure the oil was changed, new windshield wiper blades put on, tires checked, etc.,  before we left home.  Our vehicle was in great condition for the trip!

We didn’t have gps route planning software to use on our trip, but our son has an iPhone which has a GPS on it.  That was great because we relied on his GPS to route us a different way when three lanes converged into one due to construction on the highway we were traveling on.  Re-routing helped!  If we lived in this area, it might be nice to have an automated meter reading to help us figure out the best routes to take on a daily basis.  Whatever type of traveling, there are ways to make it  efficient.

*Note: I was compensated monetarily for this article. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Have any of y’all been to Branson?  We’ve been but only briefly while stopping over at Springfield.  We just wanted to see what the area looked like, and it was really pretty.  I imagine people who live in the surrounding areas such as Table Rock lake homes enjoy the scenery.  The area with all the shows wasn’t how I had pictured it.   Each show is in its own separate building, and the buildings are built close to each other throughout several blocks.  We didn’t take time to go see a show but did take time to walk along the riverwalk and the downtown area a little bit.  That was enjoyable!

With Spring Break occurring this week for some and next week for others, there will be a lot of people traveling.  When planning a trip, most people think about what clothes to pack, what all they will need on the trip, etc.  But I wonder how many plan what they would do if they needed emergency assistance far away from home?  It’s good to know that there is help available.  So while packing toothpaste, shampoo, and everything else needed while traveling on a trip, it would also be good to pack emergency phone numbers.

When we were in the Springfield area one time, we took a drive down to  Branson to see what it was like.  It’s a really pretty area but wasn’t what I was expecting.  Everything is so close together and the shows are all in different buildings, spread all over town.  I wouldn’t mind winning a Branson vacation package sometime and actually going to some of the shows.  That would be nice.

Have you ever been on a cruise?  We never have but know several who have been.  Most of them look for cruise deals to get the best price they can find.  We are always looking for good buys, sales, and bargains.  If we ever did decide to go on a cruise, I know we would definitely be checking around for the best price available and something that would have a high rating.

The first month of this new year is almost over.  Spring Break will be here before we know it, and many people will be thinking about traveling and maybe getting new luggage.  For the busy traveler, luggage can conveniently be bought online at luggage stores.

Whenever we travel, I like to be organized with a bag for everything.   I like to have a separate bag for vitamins, my own toiletry bag, a separate toiletry bag for my husband, a bag for each of us for small clothing items, and a couple of garment bags for clothes on hangers.

CSN Online Stores has given me an opportunity again to review one of their products.  I’ve been looking through their luggage to see if there is another piece we could use.  But CSN has so many different stores to look through that I can’t decide for sure what I want to get.  They have some great products that would be nice to review!  And they have quite a few products that have free shipping.  I’ll let you know soon what I choose!

Note:  This is a sponsored post.

Since there is a bed bug epidemic in the US now, what can we do to help prevent bed bugs from entering our homes?  These bugs can be anywhere including nice hotels, dorm rooms, apartments, and other places where there is a frequent turnover of people.  They can be on new clothes, new sheets, new towels, etc, because these items are often made in countries where bed bugs are a problem.

Here are some good tips from various sources on how to prevent bed bugs from being an uninvited guest:

• Check out the  BED BUG REGISTRY before staying in a hotel.
• Keep suitcases off the floor in hotels.
• Wash all clothes as soon as you return home from a trip.
  
• Vacuum luggage as soon as you return home from a trip.

• Do not purchase clothes and hang them in your closet! Always wash new clothes or send to the cleaners first.  (It doesn’t matter how much the item cost!)
  
• Always wash new sheets and new towels which most of us do anyway.  But also wash new curtains or any new fabric where these bugs could be hiding.
• Cover your mattresses with a plastic mattress cover.
• (Maybe put stuffed animals in the dryer for 20 minutes?)
  

Here are a few sources for more information:

eHow

Good Housekeeping.com

WebMD

Wikihow

I’ve read on several blogs during the last month about people wanting to rent one of the Outer Banks beach rentals.  That sounds so relaxing to spend a weekend on the beach and just mellow out and chill.  Some weeks are so hectic that it’s nice to get away and not have the phone ring (or at least put your cell phone on silent mode) and not have any laundry or housework.  I think everyone could benefit from that every once in a while!