Life carries on as per the last few days at our peak district cottages except I went down to Bakewell on Wednesday afternoon to get my hair cut and in the evening went to Joanna’s for the WI committee meeting.  Thursday was sunny and mild and with two cottages arriving some finishing off bits to do.  Chris and handyman were doing various jobs around the cottages and although Chris had planned to get some more carpet fitted the number of interruptions and a trip to a plumbers merchants at Tideswell meant it ended up being too late to start.  Still I found some more jobs for him!  Magpie should be ready for a cleaner to give it a thorough going over on Saturday.  She is mentally preparing herself for it.  I have now taken down all and washed most of the curtains from there.  Both cottages arrived between 3.30 and 4.30, one has been before. An evening of catching up on CSI programmes to relax!

The weather for January showed the warmest day was 13th with highest temp of 10.3 and the warmest night was 15/1.  Coldest day was 29th with coldest night 3rd and lowest temp of -4.3 on 21 Jan.  Wettest day was 5th with .56 in – most rain fell in the first half of the month and total for Jan was 2.28in compared to 1.55 last Jan.  No snow – but winters not over yet!

It’s still all go here at our peak district cottages.  More work in Magpie, the more gets done the more we find to do and Chris cut some more carpet for laying.  Our dining room has rolls of carpet waiting to be laid and washed curtains waiting to be rehung in Magpie.  Usual Monday routine as well and later in the day one cottage left.  Still felt cold although milder weather on way.  Took Blue to the vets for his annual jab which did not worry him.  In the evening Chris went to the Bakewell Photographic Circle and I caught up with some paper work.  Tuesday was a lot brighter and milder and one cleaner up to prepare a cottage for later in the week.  Chris carried on with carpets and the handyman carried on in Magpie and with some other jobs.  I did various jobs around the cottages and house as well as dealing with a number of emails and bookings.

Some pictures from our walk on Sunday not far from our peak district cottages

The ‘ER’ on the hillside is visible from Chatsworth House – we hadnt realised it was so far away as this is near Bubnell.  From what we can remember it was done to celebrate one of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.

The temperature hardly rose above zero on Thursday and Friday at our peak district cottages but at least they were mainly bright and sunny days.  On Thursday we had one cottage depart and one arrive later in the day.  A cleaner and handyman came up and Chris and I headed for Chesterfield to get some bits for the dogs en suite.  We stopped off at the Hassop Station Cafe for lunch on the way back.  It was very busy there.  In the afternoon I went down to Bakewell to do the banking and get some provisions.  I also did some housework.  The guests arrived about 9.30 pm and although I had sat down I couldn’t settle until they had arrived.  Friday was spent mainly doing bits round the cottages and also some more housework.  Chris was working in Magpie in the morning and also cutting some carpet for laying in Magpie in the next few days.  After a couple of quiet days for bookings Friday afternoon was quite busy, which is unusual but I’m not going to complain!

With no guests arriving or departing during the day on Monday went to Bakewell Market again in the morning and in the afternoon sat down and paid this months bills.  Phoned a friend later in the day.  Chris carried on with plumbing in the dogs en suite and the handyman carried on in Magpie.  One cleaner up to keep up with cleaning.  Tuesday was a bit wet on and off and work carried on at Bolehill.  I did more polishing and odd jobs in the cottages as well as some odd jobs around the house.  Chris also took some new pictures of Sheepfold for the web site.  Wednesday was more of the same but I also spent some time in the linen room as well as the cottages.  A carpenter came to look at Honeysuckle bedroom as I want to replace the wardrobe, but because of its size it may need to be especially made.  Still he is going to come up with some ideas.  The sheep have disappeared over to Andrew’s fields on the other side of the road for a few weeks so our fields are empty again. At least our peak district cottages wont be with more arrivals and departures in the next few days.

Saturday was a relatively quiet day.  One cleaner up to prepare cottage for Sunday’s arrival and I did last minute checks on cottage for today’s cottage who arrived about 3.30.  Also did checks for tomorrows cottage.  Various general housekeeping bits like stocking up on logs and a bit of housework thrown in for good measure, but time eluded me for accounts.  Sometimes I wonder where the day goes!  Sunday saw one cottage depart and one arrive at our peak district cottages.  Down to Bakewell for papers in morning and after coffee paid VAT and Tax bills to get them out of the way.  A number of bookings in the morning but we decided to go out for lunch and have a few hours break.  We went to the Riverside Herb Centre between Hathersage and Bamford which looks over the River Derwent.  A conveniently placed bird table meant we also saw a range of small birds whilst eating lunch.  After that we went to Castleton, which we haven’t been to for months, even in six months shops close and new ones open,  Had a wander round the back streets and walked up to the entrance of the the Peak Cavern.  We did think about going down the cave, but decided to save that for another day. (They allow dogs in too).  Also had a look in the visitor center where the dogs were given a biscuit by one of the staff.  Home via Hathersage where I exchanged my boots for a slightly larger size.  Some phone calls and emails to deal with but at least Top Gear to look forward to in the evening.

Chesterfield beckoned on Thursday morning.  It was very cold so I took the usual route to Chesterfield avoiding the road out of Rowsley which can be an accident black spot in icy conditions.  Left Chris working in the dog’s en suite, the handyman working in Magpie and the cleaner using the steam cleaner in bathrooms.  Visited Booker’s and Dunelm amongst others but also looked for some tiles for the dog’s en suite.  In my absence we had some oil delivered, having had to cut back on our last delivery the oil company phoned to see if we needed any which we did and at least it was cheaper than last time! Friday was another cold but bright day with another hard frost.  You could make out where the sun wasn’t getting to by the white patches in the fields.  I was also careful when I went down to Bakewell to get some provisions for the weekend as some of the pavements looked a bit iffy.  One cleaner up to prepare cottage for today’s arrivals who finally got here about  9.30pm.  Spent some more time in the cottages putting in bits bought yesterday and making a final list of things to do. Despite the number of years we have been here I still spot things I haven’t seen before from our peak district cottages.  Today the afternoon sun caught the features of Gardom’s and Birchen Edge which are not normally visible.  It was also a lovely sunset.  Chris has been doing some more plumbing work in the dogs en suite and as he does’nt enjoy plumbing there was the odd expletive as things did not go to plan! Had planned to pay this months bills but never got round to it so must make an effort in the next day or so.

Just as well we had no guest staying at our peak district cottages on Tuesday.  With the handyman sanding the insulation boards in Magpie, Chris working in the dogs en suite and a new fire being installed in Shippon there was a lot of noise durng the day.  I escaped to Buxton for a few hours to do a big supermarket shop and get some bits from Buxton itself as well as call into some builders merchants on the way back.  Did some bits in the cottages in the afternoon and Chris also installed one of the new TVs.  Both Tuesday and Wednesday were bright but cooler.  Despite the fact we have had no rain for a few days the fields are still quite muddy, especially where the sheep have trooped through the gates.  This means each time the dogs come back in from walks I am having to wash their feet which they do not like.  I shall be glad when their en suite is finished!  Wednesday was spent mainly in the cottages making a list of things still to do as well as some more polishing.  One cleaner up again today.  Getting there with the spring cleaning.  Will be having a blitz on steam cleaning ovens next.  A lot of aerial activity today.  This morning there was a helicopter hovering around in the neighbourhood for a while.  I even thought it was going to land in one of Andrews fields at one time.  It wasn’t a police or emergency helicopter and in the end, watching its movements I decided it was a helicopter checking on the electricity lines.  Later in the day we could hear a Chinook helicopter go down the valley.  Haven’t heard one of them for a while.

Sunday started off promising at our peak district cottages but by mid morning it was raining as predicted.  Down to Bakewell to get paper and both spent rest of morning on various paper work.  After lunch thought it would be good to get out for a few hours so we headed off to Hathersage.  I wanted to look for some new boots and Chris needed a pair of everyday working boots so we wandered round the various outdoor shops and we both came away with purchases.  In the evening we went to Over Haddon for this months film which was ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’.  An upsetting film but worth seeing.  Monday was a much brighter day.  Two cottages out and for a few days we will be empty!  Went down to Bakewell and had a wander round the market as well as get a few provisions for the next few days.  No handyman today as he was ill but a cleaner came up to carry on deep cleaning in the cottages.  After lunch I spent some time on WI accounts and later in the afternoon had my weekly chat with a friend.  The new TV’s were delivered so I spent the evening in the office surrounded by TV’s although they were not working.  Chris was off in the evening to the Bakewell Photographic Circle so we had an early dinner.  After dinner I spent some time on filing last quarters and last years accounts and paper work and fielded a couple of phone calls and emails.  A few more bookings today so I treated the dogs to a chew each from the market!