A beautiful sunny day and everywhere looks so different. Time for more pictures when taking dogs for walk. One more cottage should have left today but they left yesterday when they saw how the snow was settling. One cottage due into our peak district cottages later in the day. Luckily this was cleaned yesterday. Time to catch up from yesterday. Watched the weather forecast for the week ahead – no end in site for the cold snap and more snow. Have given the guests due to arrive this week the option of cancelling or rebooking but so far all have said they will arrive unless conditions deteriorate badly. Guests arrived just after 4pm and have two huskies. They stopped at Sainsburys in Matlock and said it was bedlam as there as some panic buying. After dinner sat down and watched Top Gear amongst other programmes, James May’s report was filmed in the area with some of the driving taking place around Ladybower reservoir.

Still not feeling well and although Chris said he would deal with the departing guests I felt it not fair to let him especially as he did the morning walk with the dogs again. First guests left just after 9am by which time it was snowing lightly. Snow flurries had been forecast but this got progressively heavier so rather than bring cars into the courtyard guests were taking their bits down to the cars. Five cottages out of our peak district cottages with two back in. Two cleaners up as I also have a cottage in tomorrow. By the time guests had departed the snow was even heavier and the drive now covered in a layer of compacted snow – the snow had arrived at the wrong time. Chris was able to clear the entrance to the drive but as fast as he tried to clear the drive he was beaten by the snow. I tried to contact the arrivals as Chris feared if it got any worse they may not get here and certainly would not be able to get up the drive. In this case we would have to revert to Plan B and guests would have to park at the bottom of the drive and we would ferry them up in the Discovery if they could not get up themselves. The cleaning was hampered by the snow but both cleaners managed to get away and back home safely. I also took down three christmas trees in cottages and had taken one down yesterday. By the time it stopped snowing there was 3 to 4 inches. So much for flurries. First guests arrived just after 3pm and although they tried to get up the drive they could not so Chris brought them up and we did a ‘fireman’s line’ to transfer luggage and bits from the Discovery to the cottage. Second cottage arrived about an hour later, but in two cars, one had had a terrible journey. Chris did a couple of trips from the cars to the cottage and I helped with getting luggage into the cottages. Had hoped for a take away but di not risk the road so that meant I had to cook tonight what I was going to cook tomorrow and get something out of the freezer for tomorrow. Sat down for about 8.30 but about an hour later one cottage that had gone out had trouble getting onto the drive so Chris went down and assisted. According to new tax legislation holiday cottage owners do not provide a ‘service’ to guests. Both went to bed exhausted.

Its the change over I dread the most each year, the one between Christmas and New Year. Its because I always worry how messy the cottages could be, in particular the ovens. Up early and out with the dogs to be ready for the get away and arrival of cleaners. Two cleaners up today to do seven cottages. I had hoped for three cleaners but one couldn’t make it but luckily Fay was able to come up for a few hours and help with beds and one of the cleaners brought her daughter up who was able to help too. Six cottages out today with six back into our peak district cottages later in the day. One has been before. A further cottage has delayed their arrival as the wife has broken her wrist after a fall. At this point I will add that when I spoke to my sister on Christmas Day just before she started her shift, she mentioned that as a radiographer she had already Xrayed over 150 broken wrists in the last few weeks because of the weather conditions (and that’s just wrists)! Fears were not founded when we discovered the cottages had been left clean and tidy so all the cleaning was finished with time to spare. Guests trickled in from 3 until 7pm. At least compared to last week guests were able to drive into the courtyard to unload, but more snow is forecast. One downside was that the waste bin was due to be emptied today and wasn’t so have to assume they are running behind because of last weeks weather conditions.

A quick round up of our Christmas. Last guests arrived in our peak district cottages on Christmas Eve. Our friends arrived on the Tuesday, went to Buxton on Wednesday and Thursday went to Chatsworth for a short walk. Had hoped to get some nice pictures of Chatsworth House in the snow but the fog and mist spoilt the effect! We walked from Carlton Lees car park to Edensor hoping for lunch at the tea room but it was closed, so we walked back and had lunch at the Chatsworth Garden Centre. Christmas Day was sunny but cold and some of the snow had gone revealing some greenery but also a slurried field with the footpath to Over Haddon under it! With our friends back playing up a walk was out of the question so we drove to The Bulls Head at Monyash for a pre dinner drink. I cooked a rib of beef for dinner. On Boxing Day we went to Carsington Water for a short walk as the weather was still holding. Hopefully I can find one or two pictures to upload in the next few days. On Sunday our friends went home and one cottage departed so one cleaner dropped in to make a start.