A busy day with eight cottages out and seven back in with three cleaners at our pet friendly cottages.  Seven cottages were away by 10am but one was very late in getting away but eventually all cleaning completed.  No problems encountered.  The north wind blew and it certainly felt a lot cooler but the forecast is an improving one.  Guests arrived at a steady pace from 3pm to 5.30pm, three have been before and a number of friends for our two mutts to play with this week.

A bright day.  Three cottages out and three back into our pet friendly cottages in the peak district later in the day.  One cleaner up and no problems encountered.  Two cottages in between 3&4 pm and one nearer to 5pm.  After an early dinner headed to Youlgreave Village Hall for the Bakewell Young Farmers Annual Showcase.  Every year they compete at County level with other Young Farmers groups in a series of events including Public Speaking, dancing and plays and tonight was the night they showed off some of their efforts to friends and families.  Always a fun evening.

Sunday was a day where the sky was blue and the sun shone all day.  One cottage out with none due back in and a quiet day at home. Found some time to wander around the garden and visit the green house.  I have to order the hanging basket plats in the next few weeks and the winter has taken its toll on a number of plants and pots.  A charity came and collected the old crockery and other bits.  In the evening we went to the farm for a gathering to celebrate Fay’s 21st Birthday.  Monday was another bright and sunny day.  One cottage departed with three back in to our pet friendly cottages.  Two cleaners up today and no problems encountered.  A chance to do a few odd jobs in the cottages before guests arrived.  All cottages in by 4pm so a chance to keep up to date with paper work and accounts. 

Another dry sunny start but not as clear as the last few days. Two cottages out of our pet friendly cottages, (both had dogs) and with one due back in later in the day we decided we had enough of a window to go for a walk collecting the Sunday paper on the way. I had planned two walks and our first choice was Curbar Edge if we could get a parking spot. It was looking ominous as we approached the car park as there was also a running race on but someone was just leaving so we got a space. It was a three mile walk firstly along Curbar Edge itself. Plenty of other walkers and dogs and also climbers. We stopped for lunch before the path headed down below the edge and watched some climbers preparing for their climb. As usual my view included Smudge’s face as he waited patiently for any offerings. The path was initially a little rocky before leveling back out to a track below the edge and back up to the car park. Will post some pictures. Back home just as our guests arrived. They have been a number of times before. Time to sort out a few bookings and cook tea before Joanna and Andrew picked us up to go down to Over Haddon for this months film club. Tonight we had ‘Changeling’ directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie which was good. Another sub zero night followed.

Something more like a normal Monday. One cottage out and one back into our pet friendly cottages. Postman arrived (he had made it up the drive on Saturday) and our rubbish got collected again after three weeks. The laundryman was able to get up the drive too. The cottage had already been cleaned so just had some checks to do. With access to cottages easier I was able to get some jobs done. Chris was able to get most of the outside lights down. After all the cold weather it almost felt spring like although in reality it was probably more like normal temperatures for the time of year. Our guests arrived about 3pm. In the evening Chris went to the Bakewell Photographic Society and took a couple of the cottage guests with him. I caught up with end of year filing of paperwork and accounts before sitting down just before 10pm.

Feeling better today so not so late up. One cottage out with their huskiesbut none due into our pet friendly cottages. I have allowed this weekends booking to change the date of their booking as more bad weather is forecast. It is the third day running we have not seen the postman. We are now in the longest coldest spell for a number of decades. It would happen when we are here! Our January bookings are way down on usual although bookings from February onwards are starting to come in. Chris suggested going out for lunch but needing to keep to main roads we thought we would try the Monsal Head just outside Ashford in the Water. The road was good up to Monsal Head and Chris took a number of pictures of the landscape. The cafe was closed but we had lunch at the pub. We were the only ones there for most of the time. On the way back we stopped at Ashford and Chris took some more pictures. I took some pictures of the farmer feeding his sheep. Back home we sent out our annual newsletter in email form to those we have an email address for. This is the first time we have done this and we had a lower than expected reject rate, eg where guests have changed email addresses. As Chris had asked for a ‘read receipt‘ my inbox was busy all evening bearing in mind we sent out nearly 500 emails! I have got some bookings back from it too!

No cottages in or out on Friday and final two Christmas trees in cottages up. No more snow at the moment but heavy falls in other part of the country. Barely above freezing today. Time for my preparations in empty cottages for next week. Checking all salt and pepper pots full, enough washing up liquid and hand wash and bin bags and dishwasher tablets etc in the cottages! Saturday dawned bright again and went down to Farmers Market. It was -6 in Bakewell but the roads were OK because there had been no snow and the gritters had been out. One cottage out today and one back into our pet friendly cottages later, arriving about 4pm. Time to put up our tree. I’m all tree’d out! Had about an inch of snow on Saturday evening. Could have gone to Over Haddon for this months film, a classic B&W Christmas film, Miracle on 34th Street, but decided not to go because of the snow.

For us a day of paperwork, in particular Probate and associated forms for Chris. One cottage out with two back in. Both have been here before. Cottages already cleaned and guests arrived just after 3m. Two last minute bookings for tomorrow. In the evening went with Joanna and Andrew to Over Haddon Village Hall to see the film Milk. Nothing to do with farming but with the American gay rights activist Harvey Milk who became California’s first openly gay elected official. It was very interesting and a reminder of how much has changed in the last 30 years. Monday was a brighter day weather wise. One cottage out and two back into our pet friendly cottages. One cleaner up to turn round cottages. One arrived about 4pm and the second just after 6pm. One has two collies. In the evening Chris went to the Bakewell Photographic Circle.

I hate wet Saturdays but there is nothing I can do about them. Today we had four cottages out and seven cottages back into our pet friendly cottages as we have a number of dogs here this week. All in for the week. Two cleaners up and no problems encountered apart from the rain which always makes it harder, trying to keep the floor dry and leaves out! Even had a little time for a few odd jobs. At least the sun came out just before guests started to appear. Steady arrival of guests from 3 until 7 pm. Five of the cottages have been here before and one has been here but before our time. Fish and chips for dinner before sitting down.

Three cottages out with five back in and one staying for a second week. This weekend we will have seven cottages of our eight pet friendly cottages with pets in! A breezy day and Chris tried to clear up the leaves but as fast as he was moving them out of the courtyard they were blowing back in so that and the lawn mowing will have to wait. It meant unfortunately the courtyard was not tidy for arriving guests. Two of the arriving cottages today have been here before. Two cleaners up and cleaning finished with plenty of time to spare. Most cottages arrived between 3-4pm but one got held up in traffic so I took their Sainsbury’s delivery in for them. A quiet evening in.