pet friendly cottages

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An unusual weekend

Friday dawned bright and sunny after an inch of rain overnight at our peak district cottages.  Glad it was overnight though.  No departures but one arrival but cottage already cleaned. The morning went in accounts and cottage checks and after lunch went down to Bakewell with Smudge.  Trouble was I forgot I had him with me and nearly left him outside the Post Office!  Still one of the shopkeepers gave him some biscuits as the staff thought he looked so good lying there outside the shop guarding my shopping!  Cottage arrived just after 4pm, he has been before.  Opted for a Chinese takeaway in the evening. First thing Saturday went down to the Village Hall for a brief meeting on Hallmark 2 where we looked at Health and Safety issues.  Three cottages departed and only one due back in and one cleaner up.  Chris had another go at blowing out more leaves from the courtyard and car park before the guests arrived at 3pm with some collies.  Time for some accounts in the afternoon and also preparations for the cottages arriving on Sunday.  Sunday was bright but cool.  No departures but two arrivals later in the day.  With time limited we opted for a trip to Buxton as the Great Peak District Fair was taking place in the Pavilion Gardens.  Although it was mainly craft stalls there were a number of food stalls.  Back before first cottage arrived at 3pm with second cottage, who have been before, arriving about 4pm.  They kindly brought us a present of a painting they had done of our courtyard.  In the meantime we stocked up on logs as it was going to be a cold night so had our first fire of the season.  Enjoy the photos of Sunday at Buxton and the early morning mist in the dales.

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Baslow Edge

Woke up to a sunny and frosty start at our pet friendly cottages.  Temperature was just above freezing but I thought it would be a nice day for a short walk.  We set off for Baslow as I thought a walk in the sun with views would be be best.  As we drove to Baslow the temperature dropped and it was still minus 4 when we parked in Baslow.  There was still a lot of frost around as we set off on one of the footpaths below Baslow Edge.  I waved to home at one of the spots I can see from our office but it was too hazy to make out anything in the distance.  I guess because it was such a nice day there were a lot more walkers around than I expected.  Despite the cold it was a lovely walk but each time I stopped to take a picture my glasses steamed up.  There is a part of the walk that can be quite boggy but the cold of the last couple of nights had frozen the ground and there was only one spot where I got wet boots.  There were some highland cattle in one field which Blue spotted but they were more interested in munching.  One though came very close to find some water so got some nice clos up shots.  Up on to the edge we continued to admire the views as we headed back to Baslow.  Found a nice spot for lunch where we observed a number of planes at high level in the blue sky and used Chris’s phone app to identify them and waved at the plane en route to Washington at 35000 feet.  How sad!  Set off for the car and should have been able to see Chatsworth House but could only make out the outline of the house in the haze.  After passing the Eagle Stone and on reaching Wellington’s Monument we picked up the track back to the car.  Felt like a trip to the Peak Village Outlet Centre at Rowsley before going home and getting the fire on.  Enjoy the pictures.

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A couple of sociable days

The first day of the last month dawned bright but colder at our pet friendly cottages. Three cottages out with one due back in later and one cleaner up while we went down to Bakewell for a Tourism seminar.  We were updated on the advertising campaign for Derbyshire and the Peak District for the next twelve months as well as the potential (negative) impact on tourism the Olympics could have on the area and the potential (positive) impact in the following years.  Watch this space for details of the adverts as they are released.  We also had a preview of the cover for next years Visitor Guide – the Peak Districts own Olympic wheels!  After some other presentations we had a buffet lunch and time to do some networking and catch up with familiar faces.  Back home early afternoon to discover cows have been rustled back across the road so now cow free at Bolehill.  Guests arrived about 5pm, they have been before, giving me time to do some accounts.  In the evening we went to the Pavilion Arts Centre in Buxton to see ‘High Peak on Film’ where a number of old films from the area were shown.  On Friday we said goodbye to two more cottages with four more arriving later in the day.  Two cleaners up and I went down town to get provisions for the weekend.  Although expecting guests between 3 and 4 pm first guests didn’t arrive until 5pm with second ones at 6pm.  One has been before.  After dinner I headed off to Ashford in the Water where the Lathkill WI Group Carol service was taking place and I was doing a reading on behalf of Over Haddon WI.  It was a nice service and a local school provided a choir which added to the event.  After the service there were some refreshments and time to chat to other attendees.  Back home by 8.30 by which time final guests had arrived, one has been before and I called in at the guests I knew before sitting down for the evening.  Ever looked up in the sky and seen a plane and wondered where it was going? Having a chat with my name sake at the carol service she told me about this web site where you can track planes in the sky so Chris and I looked up this site and tracked a few planes flying over the Peak District en route to Manchester!  I can see us using this site on a regular basis from now on!

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Is it really July?

One minute it feels like July then suddenly its more like March.  Saturday started wet and you know how I hate wet Saturdays when there is a big changeover.  Five cottages out with six back in and one here for a second week.  Three cleaners up and no problems, apart from getting wet, to report.  Luckily after lunch it did clear up so at least when guests started to arrive it was sunny.  Four of the cottages have been before and five of the cottages arrived between 3 and 4.30pm with the final cottage arriving about 7pm.  We also have a lot of dogs here this week at our pet friendly cottages so Smudge will be happy with all the cottages he can try and sneak snacks from!  We had a wonderful moonrise on Saturday evening so I took some photos.  My little camera isn’t ideal  but hope you get an idea of the colour of the sky bearing in mind it was 9pm.  Sunday.  Well, what can you say about Sunday.  It was a horrible day weather wise so a day for indoor jobs.  Pity, as it was the Winster open gardens so they won’t have had a good afternoon either.

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nearly all change!

A dreary start to a busy Saturday but it soon brightened up.  Five cottages out and seven back in to our pet friendly cottages.  Three cleaners commenced work while I zipped round the Farmers Market.  A timely finish meant I got through some more jobs in the cottages.  This week one of the things I was checking was casserole and flan dishes. May not sound exciting but it needs to be done.  While I was doing my checks I was wondering what will happen when the tourist board review standards and recommended inventories next time.  It was only at the last review that we were advised we no longer needed to provide rolling pins in every cottage!  A steady stream of arrivals from 3pm with all in by 6pm.  Two have been before.  After dinner took the dogs for a walk and in the paddock they had a little run around with another collie. Sunday was disappointing weatherwise so it was an at home day catching up on jobs around the house and garden.  In the evening we went to the village hall at Over Haddon. As we had to miss out on one of the film evenings when everything was being moved into the new hall they decided belatedly to have an impromptu film night and we saw The Kings Speech which is a lovely film.  Best attended film night for a while too!

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More guests

Sunday was another sunny day and for us another at home day.  Did a recycling run and got the paper.  With it being nice did some more work out in the garden but found time to get an ice cream from Monyash which was very busy.  Monday saw two cottages out of our peak district cottages with four back in.  Two cleaners due up but one had gone to hospital with her son who had suddenly been admitted but luckily one of my other cleaners was able to come up.  All four cottages arrived between 3.30 and 4.30 pm.  Two have been before.  With it being the start of the Easter school holidays we have a number of families here as well as a number of dogs.  So full house on Monday night!

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Dreary days

At least by Sunday morning most of the snow had gone at our peak district cottages but there was a cold wind.  The visibility was better too even though it wasn’t nice enough to go for a walk.  So we spent the morning finishing off last years accounts for the accountant.  In the afternoon I sorted out some items for a jumble sale and also for charity shops. After dinner we went with Joanna and Andrew to Over Haddon for this months film which was Eat Pray Love, which was enjoyable even though we couldn’t decide which category the film should be in.  Monday was dreary again with some snow falling first thing but soon disappearing.  It stayed cold and dreary for most of the day.  Two cottages out with three back in and with two more to arrive on Tuesday there was a lot to get ready.  Three cleaners up and no problems encountered.  First guests arrived just after 3pm with remaining two between 5 & 6 pm.  In the evening Chris went to the Bakewell Photographic Society and I had a number of emails and bookings to see to.

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It’s back.

With two more cottages arriving on Wednesday at our pet friendy cottages one cleaner up in the morning to prepare cottages and I put up the first Xmas tree.  After lunch I went down to Bakewell to get my hair cut.  One of the topics we discussed was oil as my hairdresser was still waiting for a delivery.  The deliveryman yesterday had said they had received over 2000 requests for oil during the cold snap and some of that was panic buying.  Got some provisions to last until the weekend and back in time for the cottages arrival late in the afternoon.  They have been before.  In the evening I made sure I had paid this months bills a it is a ‘short month’ for many companies and finished writing most of my Xmas cards.  Thursday took a turn for the worse with sleet giving way to snow which left a light dusting and the temperature dropping by 10 degrees.  With our handyman off sick I spent some time with Chris putting Sheepfold back together now that the work has almost been completed although this did mean I did not get to put up any trees.  But at least in the afternoon I found time to do some sewing.  I also dropped a WI diary in to one of the members so at least she had it before 2011!  We are now braced for a bad weekend weather wise.  A bit of deja vue as it was the weekend before Christmas last year that it all started…

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Thursday and Friday

Thursday was another disappointing day weather wise with low cloud obscuring the views.  My throat was worse but with plenty to do I still got up although I would have been better off staying in bed.  I think the problem when you work from home is you cannot ‘leave’ the work behind you.  If I had had to go into an office I wouldn’t have done so but as I just pottered around I could rest when I wanted to.  I had planned to go to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend and Buxton to pick up some items I had reserved at Argos.  Bakewell could wait until Friday but later in the day after the handyman had gone and the cleaner had prepared a cottage and some of the public areas Chris took me to Buxton.  Unlike many other high streets and shopping centres we noticed there there were hardly any empty units.  Purchases made and a cup of tea later we headed back home.  Friday was almost a repeat of Tuesday weather wise with some lovely views over the mist although it did keep rolling in.  I stayed in bed a bit longer leaving Chris to deal with the guests departing from five of the cottages.  With four back in later in the day into our pet friendly cottages two cleaners up to prepare those needed for today plus one spare just in case I got a last minute booking.  I wandered around in ‘slow’ mode and early afternoon Chris walked the dogs over to Sheldon to pick up the car which has been in for a service.  All four cottages arrived between 3&4pm leaving me to relax during the evening.

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Paperwork

Sunday started misty again and we had hoped to go for a walk but decided we would wait and see how soon it cleared.  In the meantime one cottage departed and we went and for the paper and finished Tax Returns and VAT return by which time it was mid afternoon.  We had spent time talking to some of the guests as well.  We decided to reward our efforts with afternoon tea.  I chose the Hassop Station as we could also have a walk along the Monsal Trail.  As it was sunny and warm Hassop was very busy but we found a spot outside so we could sit with the dogs.  By the time we hit the trail most people were heading home.  We had a wonderful walk along the section of the trail as far as Great Longstone and back.  We even met someone from Over Haddon out walking their dogs!  As I forgot my camera Smudge’s blog has some pictures.  Monday at least stated sunny and it stayed bright albeit a little cooler than Sunday.  Two cottages out with four back in to our pet friendly cottages, two have been before. One cleaner up.  All arrived between 3 & 6pm.  Usual Monday routines but during the afternoon in between guests arrival paid most of this months bills.  Finished one financial quarter on Sunday and started next one Monday!