After usual chores my main task this morning was to make some mince pis for tomorrows WI Carol Service. It is the turn of Over Haddon to host the group Carol Service and as a part of my contribution I said I would make some mince pies. Another fine day weather wise and all quiet in our peak district cottages. Andrew came up to mend a bit of stone wall that had fallen down. Work is progressing well in the cottage bedroom that is being refurbished so later in the afternoon we headed off to Haddon Hall. They are decorated and open for a week. This is the second year they have opened for Christmas. Chris prefers Haddon Hall to Chatsworth House and the more I go to Haddon Hall the more I see in it. The Hall is decorated in traditional style with lots of greenery. I shall find some pictures. We chatted with one of the caterers about how it is going, as this year they have erected a marquee in the courtyard for refreshments. We ended up being the last visitors there and had to leave by hidden doors!
Author: Shirley Swaap
It’s all go1! Wednesday 9 December
Wednesday dawned cold but sunny and it was time to re-introduce our dogs to the sheep. With the cows now gone from our side of the road, the first of the winter sheep arrived yesterday with more to follow today. Another trip to Sheffield, this time for the probate interview, but we did not stay. We stopped for lunch at a garden centre at Dore on the way out of Sheffield where we had change from £10 for lunch and a very nice lunch too! (Don’t get change from £10 in Bakewell!) Before going back to our Derbyshire cottages we made a detour via Edensor Church http://www.stpetersedensor.org/ where they have a flower festival to raise money for the Church. The theme was Carols and it as very well done. The pictures gave a flavour of what we encountered. Unlike most festivals there was an entry charge – but it did include a cup of tea and mince pie! Back home and time to prepare some food for tonights WI party. My first night as Treasurer. An enjoyable night.
All quiet on the Bolehill front Monday/Tuesday 7/8 December
A quiet few days ahead. Two cottages out this morning, one has booked a break already for new year, with one due back into our peak district cottages today. They have been here before. One cleaner up to prepare a couple of cottages – just in case – and bed stripping. Laundry and rubbish collected as usual. Handyman up today to start work on one of the cottage bedrooms. Rain arrived by lunchtime and I popped down to Bakewell to post some bits mid afternoon. With the weather deteriorating the market was closing down by the time I got there. Had to queue in the post office – that time of year – and in the bank too. Chris dealt with the guests when they arrived as I had expected to be back by then. Chris went to the Bakewell Photographic Circle in the evening. On Tuesday I went to Buxton to get some bits and also went to Morrisons.
Bakewell and bits Sunday 6 December
Another bright day. Two cottages out of our peak district cottages with none back in. First Sunday for a while with no arrivals. With a Sunday Market on in Bakewell we went to Ashford to get a paper. With good reports of the Tree Festival at Bakewell Church we decided to visit the market and the Church. Bakewell was very busy but we found a spot in the long stay car park by the river. This was as high as we had seen it and very fast flowing but none of the flood defences were in place. We went up to the Church first. The tree festival was a display of Christmas Trees staged and decorated by various organisations in and around Bakewell. There were about 70 trees altogether and the decorations of some reflected the organisations, eg the croquet club had croquet hammers. Refreshments were also available but we headed back into Bakewell and stopped for a late lunch at the Lavender Tea rooms in Hebden Court. We then walked around the market which was an abbreviated version of the normal Monday Market. Back home an article in the Sunday Times (property section) focused on the legislation expected to be passed in this weeks Budget affecting furnished holiday lets which is likely to see a number of owners give up the running of holiday homes. We will be affected as we will no longer be considered a trade as according to the new rules we do not provide a service. I had to smile at one part of the article which focused on a holiday home owner who has four cottages to decorate for Christmas, whereas I have double that! Which reminds me I had better start planning when I am going to put up those trees…
A walk Saturday 5 December
One cottage out of our Bakewell cottages today with none back in so with our Saturday cleaner having the day off, and a reasonable forecast, time for a walk. Today we headed down to the village of Thorpe to have a walk along the River Dove. At this point it has left the more popular Dovedale and merged with the River Manifiold so is more broader. From the village of Thorpe with Thorpe Cloud in the background we picked up the path to Coldwall Bridge. This lovely bridge across the Dove now just carries a farm track but over 200 years ago it was the main route into Staffordshire from Derbyshire. By the bridge we picked up the path along the Dove which we followed all the way down to Okeover Bridge. With overnight rain adding to the sodden ground it was quite muddy in places. At Okeover Bridge we turned into the village of Mapleton just outside Ashbourne. It has a unusual looking church. From here we picked up a path back to Thorpe which ran parallel to the Tissington Trail. Often in sight was the conical shape of Thorpe Cloud. Must climb it again! Even on the higher path it was quite muddy in places. By now the sun had disappeared behind clouds but we got home before it started to rain. A quiet evening in with the cleaner calling round again so Chris can have another look at the ill computer. Hope you like the picures.
A better day Friday 4 December
A nice sunny December day. Just the ideal day for the handyman to come over and help Chris fetch the Xmas lights down from the loft and start putting the outside ones up. His favourite job of the year! They do look nice when they are on. We just need to buy a few more to finish the courtyard as each year we have been replacing standard outside lights with professional ones. Two cottages due back in to our Derbyshire cottages later today and two cleaners up. No problems encountered today. One cottage arrived just after 3pm and the second one just after 5pm. Both have been here before. In the evening one of the cleaners came round with her son’s computer which is not well and Chris tried to fix it.
What a day! Thursday 3 December
Thankfully we don’t have too many days like this. Three cottages out with two back in to our Peak District cottages today. Luckily two cleaners up as one of the cottages needed was a bit grubby and in the other the duvet cover had been stained, I have managed to remove stains before so I will have to see what I can do. The cleaning took a lot longer overall and I needed to pop down to Bakewell which I did. We had just finished the first cottage, just before 3pm when the first cottage arrived and shortly afterwards we finished the second cottage. The guests arrived just before 4pm. Both cottages have been here before. One of the cleaners stayed on to start preparing one of the cottages for tomorrow. A busy day and the forecast is promising for the weekend too.
Sheffield & WI Tuesday/Wednesday 1/2 December
December? Where did the rest of 2009 go? On Tuesday we went to Sheffield to hand in the probate forms at the Probate Office. While we were there we did some shopping and tourist bits. Sheffield also has one of those big wheels at the moment and as it was a nice day we took a ride on it. Did you know Sheffield is the 4th largest city in the UK? Sheffield has a student population of 55000! We have always marvelled at the City Hall and as we walked past I thought why not take a look inside. Most of it is not open to the general public but there are some public display areas. Sheffield is a relatively young city, having been granted that status in 1893. On Wednesday we had two cottages depart from our peak district cottages. Went to Morrisons in Buxton and in the evening went to the WI committee meting at Joannas in my new capacity as Treasurer. Must spend some time getting to grips with the role. Weather stats for November. We had at least 6.7 in rain in November (probably more as I think the gauge was blocked on one day). In November 2008 we had 3.19 in rain so you can see how wet November was. The wettest day was the 23rd with .82in rain. The warmest day was 19th with that night being the warmest too. The highest temp was 13.9 deg. The lowest temp was 0.3 deg on 28/11 with the last night being the coldest. Unfortunately I didn’t note was the coldest day was and the records disappear after the end of the month.
Hellos & goodbyes Sunday/Monday 29/30 November
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.
Weekend 27/28 November
Friday was cold and the rumour is that we could wake up to snow tomorrow. Down early to Bakewell and despite the fact that the Farmers Market is on tomorrow I bought some provisions just in case I cannot make it. No cottages out of our peak district cottages but one back in later in the day. One cleaner up to turn round cottage. Later in the day we popped back down to Bakewell to John Hattersley Wines, a small independant wine merchant as there was wine tasting. I got to sample a number of wines, Chris didn’t as he was driving, but we did come away with a number of bottles of wine. Woke up with a sigh of relief when realised there was no snow. Two cottages out with one back in. One cleaner up this morning. Had a grumble about non stick frying pans as we found another ruined one today. Provide utensils for non stick pans but in this case the surface had been sctrached off completely in one area, presumably where something had got burnt on. Down to the Farmers Market where I bumped into one of our guests. There was a lot of activity in Bakewell, with Birds of Prey and Carousels, they will bee switching on the Christmas lights in Bakewell this evening. Our handyman called in to discuss work for next week and reported that there was a few inches of snow from Longstone Edge northwards so we had a close escape. Cottage arrived just after 3pm. They have been a few times before. With two more cottages in tomorrow there were things still to do during the afternoon. Cooked a roast dinner and caught up with a few more episodes of Spooks.