The weather started to improve from Monday but still not nice enough to be described as summer. One cottage out on Monday and one cleaner up at our peak district cottages. With no cottages back in a chance to catch up on paying this months bills. The post brought the paperwork for next years Peak District and Derbyshire Visitor Guide so we need to work on that and think about next years prices. It’s one of those milestones in the year. I have also agreed to place an advert in the next issue of Country Walking as it has a feature on the area. We don’t do much paper advertising theses days but I always consider each approach on its merits. I do feel sorry for some of the telesales staff who phone trying to sell advertising space but it is the same with all the approaches we get from Web Sites ‘inviting’ us to advertise with them. Tuesday was spent doing things around the house including some housework. On Wednesday I popped down to Bakewell to get some provisions and in the afternoon there was a lot of cow movement which meant Blue hasn’t go the run of the front field anymore. We also had one cottage arrive. In the evening we went to The Derwentwater Arms in Calver for a meal which was good as usual.
Author: Shirley Swaap
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.
Buxton
A trip on Thursday afternoon to Buxton to get some provisions for the weekend including some of those M&S meal deals. As it was nice in the evening we managed to eat al fresco. Friday saw one departure and one cleaner up at our and a chance to get one cottage ready ahead of Saturday. Chris also managed to replace the shattered window without any problems. The day started fine with rain forecast later in the day and luckily it didn’t really start until much later in the day so this weeks guests have had a really nice week. Well it is July after all! One of our cottages has been here for the well established Buxton Festival with its Fringe being described as ‘the warm up to Edinburgh’. There is also an annual Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in August and we will have guests staying here at our cottages near Buxton. On Friday evening we joined the Buntings and their Over Haddon’s neighbours and friends for an enjoyable meal at the Lathkil Hotel to celebrate Fay’s graduation. She is also lucky to have secured a job with Morrison’s so we wish her luck for the future.
The problem with sheep!
Wednesday was a quiet day so a chance to catch up on some jobs at our peak district cottages including watering and feeding potted plants and hanging baskets. Amazing how long that takes. In the evening it was our last WI meeting before the summer break. Our speaker tonight was from the Fire and Rescue Service who gave us an informative and entertaining talk on safety in the home. On the way home Joanna and I encountered a dozen sheep or so who were quite happily trotting down the lane. I slowed down then stopped the car as I didn’t want them to turn round and head back to the main road especially as it was starting to get dark. Joanna and I got out the car and couldn’t work out where they came from but we thought if we could get them into a field at least they would be safe. Luckily about half of them jumped over a wall into a field but the other half turned round and as we feared headed towards the main road. Although it would not be busy a car coming round the bend might not react quick enough to avoid hitting the sheep. Luckily we were able to herd them onto the verge and after a few minutes they jumped into the field and joined their friends. Phew! And I thought cows could be a problem sometimes!
Monday and Sheffield
Monday was a nice warm day at our peak district cottages. Said goodbye to the family from Austria and hello to two more cottages. I have been letting some cottages on Monday to Monday basis. One cleaner up and cleaning soon completed. As it was such a nice day I thought we could go for a picnic in the evening so we decided to head to Chatsworth Farm Shop to to get some bits and pieces. We thought we would stop there for lunch but it was very busy so we went to the Hassop Station Cafe where we were able to get a table outside. Pity we didn’t have the dogs with us. The bike hire seems to be going well at the old Station as most of the bikes were out. Even for a Monday we saw a number of bikes pass by. Back in time for the guests arrival. Unfortunately by the evening I was feeling a bit poorly so we cancelled the picnic and ate alfresco instead. On Tuesday I was feeling better so we opted for a trip to Sheffield. It’s been a long time since we have done ‘the rounds’ in Sheffield and in one warehouse our membership had expired as it had been so long since we last went there. We went to JTF (good for gardening furniture) and Decco (good for general items and tools) B&Q and Makro to stock up on items. Popped into the Sheffield Dunelm on the way home for my Dunelm fix!
An embarrasing accident
Sunday was quite warm despite the predicted showers which never materialised until later in the day. As usual a chance to catch up on things and for Chris to cut the grass. He was suffering a little with a cold. At lunch time one of the cottages went off for the afternoon but a few minutes later their car came up into the courtyard and it was obvious they had forgotten something. The wife got back into the car and started to reverse except I could see that she wasn’t going to stop and in the next instant the car reversed in the area between Dove and Derwent where there are a number of potted plants and a bench and two trellis fences. When the car came to a stop it looked as if it had been parked perfectly. We rushed out expecting the worst but found a very shaken lady whose foot had slipped off the brake when reversing. Apart from a couple of scratches to the bumper there was no damage to the car and oddly enough the car had literally swept up the bench and a number of pots with none broken! Admittedly most of the pots are plastic but one had wedged itself under the car and the husband had to jack the car up to release it. Relieved no damage done the guests eventually drove off to try and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Every season brings its delight with views from our peak district cottages. At this time of year the late evening sun means we can make out Curbar and Froggatt Edges. A lovely sunset lit up Stanton on the opposite hillside our peak district cottages so here is a photo.
a busy weekend
Friday saw two cottages out but with none back in a chance to get them done before Saturday. One cleaner up at our cottages near Bakewell. Friday was a bit miserable weather wise but Saturday was more promising. Five cottages out and six back in and additionally a photographer here to take some new internal photos of the cottages. Chris spent the day with him as he went round most of the cottages. Luckily with a number of early departures cleaning got underway promptly with two cleaners in attendance and a time for a session of defrosting fridges! Even I managed to finish my tasks well before the first guests arrived. A steady stream of arrivals from 3pm with final cottage in by 6pm. Four of the cottages have been before and had time to have a chat with them as they arrived. One is here for two weeks. With it being a nice evening took the dogs for a walk around the fields after dinner which gave them a chance to bark at the hot air balloons taking off from Bakewell!
midweek musings
Tuesday was forecast to be a wet day but in reality the rain didn’t materialise until the evening giving our guests a full day to enjoy themselves. For me I went down to Bakewell in the morning and in the afternoon finished off some accounts from the last quarter. On Wednesday I pottered around the house trying to sort out belongings, this summer I would really like to have a good clear out but so far have managed few hours here and there. Chris disappeared down to the Village Hall for a few hours as they are still sorting out the telecommunications. A storm in the afternoon freaked the dogs out, Blue disappeared into the downstairs loo again! In the evening I collected Joanna and we went to the WI Presidents house in Bakewell for our monthly committee meeting. On Thursday morning Chris and I took a few hours off and went to Matlock. We are looking for a new kitchen table and with a selection of shops and manufacturers in Matlock it was a good a place as any to start. We also had a little stroll through Hall Leys Gardens in the centre of town which had just celebrated its centenary. They were looking very nice. We had lunch out then came back home and after a quick check on emails and phone calls went down to Bakewell for a haircut and get provisions for the weekend. When I came back Chris was helping get the cows in (with Smudge) as Andrew and Joana had gone to Fay’s graduation ceremony. A quiet evening in catching up on blogging! Here’s a nice picture of a rainbow taken from our peak district cottages.
A shattering experience and Junes weather stats
Sunday 3rd July was another pleasantly warm day at our peak district cottages. As usual time to catch up from Saturday and have a chat to guests. In the evening we managed to eat al fresco again. Monday was another warm day with two cottages out and three cottages back in, one has been before. One cleaner up and everything ready for guests arrivals. As it was nice Chris decided to do some strimming except the strimmer caught a stone which then shattered a window. Luckily just the outer part of the window shattered but Chris had to knock it out. I was panicking because we had guests coming in later and with no spare cottages I thought we might have to board the window up. The inner pane wasn’t damaged at all and it will be repaired as soon as the replacement outer pane arrives. Two cottages arrived between 3 & 4pm with the final one at 6pm. They had travelled from Austria. In the evening I attended an Over Haddon Village Hall Committee meeting.
As we are now into July here are the weather statistics for June. 12th had record for wettest (.56in) and coldest day. total rain 1.77 in (June 2010 1.66 in) Warmest day and night was 26th with warmest temp 25.4 on 25th. coldest night was 10th and lowest temp was 5.3 on 1st. Highest UV was 8.6. Get the suntan lotion out!
All sorts of arrivals
On Friday morning we said goodbye to our friends and with one cottage due in one cleaner up. A quick trip down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend. A pleasant day weather wise with a pleasant weekend forecast. Guests arrived just after 3pm leaving me time to do some housework before dinner. In the evening in Bakewell the wheelbarrow race took place, not that we saw it. Saturday saw six cottages out with five back in and three cleaners up. Whilst cleaning was taken place Andrew came up and took one of the cows back with a calf it had just given birth to in one of our fields. Unfortunately it was a bull calf. A few things for Chris to attend to before he cut he grass. Cottages arrived between 3 & 5 pm, two of which had been before. I had advised arrivals of the Bakewell Carnival which closed roads in Bakewell between 3 & 4.30 pm. We always notice how little traffic passes our peak district cottages when the carnival is on with a rush as the roads reopen! It was warm enough to have our meal al fresco.