Sunday was a day to catch up with a few jobs round Bolehill but with an hour less!  Chris spent some time going round the cottages changing timers and clocks etc.  Another sunny day so more thawing but I have noticed that some of the drifts are now so hard that even I can walk on them.  Interesting to see how long they will be around for.  No departures or arrivals.  Monday was the first of April.   Would like to have put a picture of some new spring lambs here to cheer us all up, noticed Green Cowden have put some lambs out now but, have some more snow pictures instead!  Monday was cold and dull in the morning but brightened up in the afternoon.  Three departures and two arrivals and one cleaner up.  First cottage arrived about 3pm with second one about 6pm.  As the first financial quarter has just finished I have some accounts to catch up with, especially having been away for a week, and managed to get some done in the afternoon.  Here are March’s weather stats

Highest temperature 10.6 C on 5th, the day I was inside all day at the WI meeting!  Warmest day and night was the 3rd.  Lowest temperature was -5.1 C on 11th which was coldest day and night.  Wettest day was 15th with .39 in rain with a total of .94 for the month (.29 in rain 3/12).

Sigh.  Woke up to snow.  Again. A good inch or so as far as the eye can see from Bolehill but again the wind had whipped up the grainy snow and blocked the top of the drive.  It had also blocked the entrance to one of the fields.  Chris cleared a passage from the car park so the two cottages could depart and cleaner arrive.  Chris phoned Andrew who sent Ian just after coffee with ‘Thunderbird 1’ or the tractor with the slurry attachment which acts like a snow plough .  Chris and I followed behind with the snow shovels and then we did our double act of salting the drive.  This meant the rubbish and laundry were collected and our guests could arrive and depart with no problems.  Both cottages arrived just after 3pm, both have been before, which gave me the rest of the afternoon to catch up with bits.  In the evening I was due at the village hall for indoor bowls but didn’t fancy driving there, so Chris kindly took me there.  Although the road there was not too bad the car park itself was very icy as was our car park as the temperature had dropped again by the time we got back.  Salt at the ready.  Here are yet more snowy pictures.

 Sunday was a cold wintry day at our peak district cottages.  Beginning to forget what the sun looks like!  After getting the paper the day was spent on house jobs and on the VAT return and paying taxes.  Boo hoo.   Had hoped to go to the village hall in the evening for this months film offering but with an uncertain forecast we did not go.  There was already a covering of snow by the time we went to bed and by Monday morning there was a fresh fall of another 2-3 inches.  Not what we wanted or expected.  Had planned to start the winter maintenance jobs in the cottages but cancelled that along with the cleaner, laundry and rubbish collection.  So day went in accounts, mainly getting this months up to date and WI accounts.  After lunch Chris took a couple of guests down to Bakewell in the 4×4 to get some provisions and Ian came up to snowplough the drive.  Chris put some more salt down afterwards.  I went out with a broom and cleared snow off shrubs so hopefully we don’t get too many casualties.  For the last week the temperature hasn’t been above freezing.  In the evening Chris went to Bakewell for the Photographic Club but I offered my apologies for not going to the Village Hall Committee meeting.  First one I’ve not attended for a while. Here are some more wintry photos.

Wednesday saw one departure but no arrivals and one cleaner up to keep up with cleaning.  Chris needed to go to Buxton to bring back some bits so we went after lunch.  We also had a little walk round town but when we went to come back to our Peak District cottages Chris noticed that one of the tyres to the trailer was flat.  We did a tour of garages and tyre places before we got the right replacement and back home it was a quick tea as I was hosting this months WI committee meeting.  Thursday was a bit drizzly in the morning but brightened up in the afternoon.  Another departure with one arrival band one cleaner up.  As cottages are being vacated I have been removing and taking down the Christmas trees.  Sometimes I think it takes longer to take them down and pack them away for the following year than to put them up! In the afternoon I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend.  Guests arrived about 7pm, they have been before.  Friday started brighter than of late.  No departures but one arrival and one cleaner up.  Spent a lot of the morning in jobs around the cottages and Chris and I started our rounds of going through the cottages making a note of what work needs doing over the next few months.  I plan to get the deep cleaning in the cottages under way next week.  Guests arrived just after 3pm, they have been before.  Then spent the rest of the afternoon in undecorating and packing away Christmas trees and still haven’t finished!

On Thursday we had hoped to get another walk in but the forecast indicated it would be raining by lunchtime.  Our friends were meeting up with a couple of their friends for coffee so we met up with them afterwards and headed up to Derwent reservoir to see the water coming over the top of the dam.  We had heard it was very good at the moment and we must admit we had never seen the water come over the dam with such force.  We did a short walk along the local tracks then headed over to Ladybower to see the water going into the sink holes.  We stopped for lunch at the Riverside deli just outside Hathersage then had a wander round Hathersage browsing in a few outdoor shops too.  Despite the fact it always looked threatening it never rained so we could have had a walk after all.  An early tea back at our peak district cottages then our friends departed for home.  One arrival in the afternoon too.  Enjoy the photos.

Saturday started a bit damp but the sun soon came out.  One cottage out with one back in and one cleaner up.  So for once on a Saturday at our peak district cottages there was no rushing around and I had time for a whole load of jobs.  Chris found time for some outside jobs including stocking up our logs and clearing more leaves.  Found time to talk to my sister and cottage arrived about 5pm.  After dinner I took advantage of our elevated position to watch some of the local firework displays from the warmth of the hallway.  Ventured out into the cold later on to watch displays hoping to catch some of Chatsworth’s display but assumed couldn’t see anything as it is in a dip. Sunday turned into one of those days.  Four departures with no arrivals.   Problems with heating in one of the cottages resulted in Chris having to investigate the issue only to find a leak so that gave him something to do.  He had not long finished when there was a knock on the door and an irate woman complained about ‘our’ cows on the road.  Chris phoned Andrew and went down to help get them back into the field.  An early dinner then we headed over to Chatsworth House for the firework display.  This was the first time they had two nights with both nights being sold out.  (Do the sums: an estimated 4000 people at £12 per ticket!)  A murky day turned into a wet evening but luckily the rain stopped by the time we got to there. There was entertainment, food stalls and a bonfire and the house was lit up in various colours. As expected the fireworks were good and I think the dogs were glad to see us back so we could switch off the loud music we had left on so they couldn’t hear any fireworks.

Monday saw two departures with three arrivals.  One cleaner up and no problems.  Chris at home today for a change.  Cottages arrived between 3 and 5 pm.  In the evening Chris went to the Bakewell Photography Club and I stayed in, but it won’t be long before indoor bowls begins so I’ll be out on a Monday night.  Tuesday was a pleasant day and there was one departure.  I have had the WI accounts back and they have been approved so I spent Tuesday morning closing last years files and preparing for next years accounts.  In the afternoon I went to Buxton to check on the progress and also do some shopping and visit Morrisons so it was quite late before I got back. In the evening I went to Ashford with Joanna for the Lathkill Group WI meeting.  Ashford WI laid on a good spread and the entertainment was provided by a magician.  You don’t see many of those around these days.  Wednesday was a busy day for bookings and emails.  Rain had been forecast but it held off until later in the day giving another fine day for our guests at our peak district cottages.  In the evening we went out with a couple of our guests to the Church Inn at Chelmorton and had a nice meal.