Author: Shirley Swaap

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Another year ends

Thursday saw two more cottages arrive at our peak district cottages with one cleaner up to turn the round.  Otherwise a quiet day with the chance to do some housework. On Friday went down to Bakewell in the morning to get some provisions for the weekend.  Spent most of the afternoon finishing of the accounts and in the evening saw the New Year in with some friends.

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More arrivals

So no snow on Tuesday but the rain had turn to ice so Chris had to go out and salt anyway.  Luckily the temperature rose during the day and most of it had gone by the evening.  Just as well as we had two more cottages to arrive at our peak district cottages.  One cottage departed and two cleaners up and no problems encountered.  Both in by 4pm, one has been before.  Time for some more accounts before dinner.  On Wednesday we had one cottage depart but with no cottages back in Chris & I went to Chesterfield to get some bits for the cottages.  We came back with a dishwasher and rug in the back of the car (and some other bits) with a two piece suite to be delivered next week!  Next week Chris and the handyman will start work again in the cottages and the cleaners and I will be doing some deep cleaning.

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Oh No! Snow again!

Woke up Monday to find another layer of snow at our Derbyshire cottages, about an inch and during the day the constant flurries added about another inch yet by the end of the day it had started to rain.  The worrying thing was that they had forecast more snow for Monday night, Sunday night snow had not been forecast.  Our friends went back to Yoksire today.  Two cottages out and two back in with one cleaner up eventually.  She had found the roads icy so went back and came up in her daughters car which she felt safer in.  Still no problems encountered and both cottages in by 3pm.  One is a returning guest, a friend who I worked with many years ago in London! Rest of afternoon spent catching up with accounts.  I seem to be behind with entering accounts for this month and this week is the end of month, quarter and year for the accounts so I have a lot to do.  Sure I will get there in the end!

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A Christmas round up

Thursday was another fine day at our peak disrict cottages and with another cottage in and friends arriving we had a blitz on the house after finishing final cottages.  One cottage postponed arrival until Xmas Eve but they have been before as had Thursday arrivals who arrived about 4pm with our friends shortly afterwards. On Xmas Eve we headed to Hassop Station for coffee and a walk along the Monsal Trail.  Unfortunately it was closed so we had coffee at the Chatsworth Farm Shop then a walk from Calton Lees car park.  We walked from the car park to the bridge at Chatsworth House then across to Edensor and back to the car park.  We then went to Bakewell for any last minute shopping and lunch.  Arriving home said hello to our arrivals.  Xmas Day we walked down to the Lathkil Hotel in Over Haddon for a drink and then back for lunch.  This has become a Xmas Day tradition!  On Boxing Day we managed a five mile walk starting from Over Haddon to Youlgreave via Meadow Grange Farm then back along Bradford Dale and Lathkill Dale.  In the morning we had gone down to Bakewell for the paper and recycling.  We were expecting to see people gather for the hunt but didn’t realise that it wasn’t taking place because Boxing Day fell on a Sunday.  Still after a nice few days back to reality! Will add some pictures in the next couple of days.

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A Chatsworth Christmas

Sunrise on the winter solstice day.
By Wednesday lunchtime I had put up all the Christmas trees and decorations in the cottages and finally put the baubles on mine!  Tuesday was spent mainly on getting cottages ready for the next few days and again a cleaner up to do a couple of cottages.  One cottage in later in the day, they have been before.  The cottage delayed on Sunday was again delayed but will arrive on Wednesday.  By Tuesday evening the area had been issued with a weather warning for snow overnight, up to eight inches depending on how far north the snow came, but luckily for us we had a covering rather than 4-8 inches that many parts of Leicestershire had.  Whilst I was finishing off in the cottages on Wednesday morning Chris was tidying up his study – the first time in a long time!  One cleaner up today and all cottages now ready.  Guests from yesterday finally arrived in the evening but in the afternoon we decided to go to Chatsworth and look at the Christmas decorations.  Guests have said they were good this year and having seen the pictures of the frozen waterfalls we knew this was our last opportunity.  We took one of the other cottages, who are here without a car, and left them to look around the house whilst we walked around the gardens.  I will upload some photos but bearing in mind we were there only a couple of months ago it was a real contrast.  The cascades were frozen as were the waterfalls and despite the cold at least we got an hours walk with the dogs.  By the time we got into the house it was getting dark and perhaps the best time to get the most from the decorations and lights.  The decorations, which this year were on a theme of Russian fairy tales, was better than the last few years.  On the way back we called in at the farm shop.  So apart from the photos to be added I will sign off for a few days.  Thank you for all your cards and emails and keep in touch.  Still have guests to arrive over the next couple of days at our peak district cottages but plan to put the closed sign up on Christmas day and have the day off.  I wont even check the emails!  Don’t forget the farmers like our neighbours who will have to work on Xmas Day and ditto health workers like my sister who will be at work at the hospital.  Have a nice Xmas one and all!!
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the cold weather continues

Both Sunday and Monday were mainly bright and sunny but bitterly cold.  We had our lowest temperature so far with -7 on Sunday night although in Bakewell it got down to -12.  Sunday saw the start of our Xmas arrivals.  Two cottages should have arrived but one has postponed their arrival for a couple of days.  Today’s arrival will be here for two weeks and arrived about 3.30.  First thing on Sunday we went down for the paper and dropped some Xmas cards in at friends.  Chris and I spent most of the day doing bits around the house.  I put up our Xmas tree even if I didn’t get chance to put the baubles on (yet) but it does have the lights on.  Chris having finished most of the maintenance work for the time being put his tools away for the time being and tidied up the utility area.  It also meant that a part of the kitchen that seems to be used as a work place also finally got cleared! On Monday we had two cottages depart with one back in.  Two cleaners up to get cottages ready for this weeks arrivals at our peak district cottages.  Today’s arrivals were here last Christmas too and arrived a little early as they do not have a car and relied on a lift.  Once settled they walked down to Bakewell to get some bits.  We did offer them a lift as we we decided to have a few hours off.  We headed to Buxton with a few bits for the tip before stopping in the town centre.  Here it was -10 and felt like it, the air feels damper in Buxton.  Apart from a few things for a Christmas Chris had hoped to get a couple of small oil filled radiators but everywhere was sold out!  Watching the late news there was at least  little bit of comfort that our European neighbours are also struggling with severe winter weather.

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and the weather forecast is…

…still worrying but by Friday lunchtime the threat of a horrendous Saturday has disappeared… but watch this space.  On Friday we had three cottages depart from Our Bakewell cottages but none coming in.. The enquiries had stopped as soon as the bad weather was forecast.  Still one cleaner up to keep up with cleaning.  I finally found time to get on with Xmas trees and another two went up as well as preparing two cottages for Sunday arrivals.  Woke up to a very frosty Saturday, had to look hard to make sure it was not snow, and luckily there wasn’t but there was a hoar frost.  I know other parts of the country have suffered heavy falls of snow.  Chris took me down to the Farmers Market and it did try to flurry a couple of times.  Laden with some food for the week and for next weekend, we came home.  The handyman called in to be paid after which Chris and I spent the rest of the day doing a number of jobs in the cottages and garage as well as doing some more finishing bits in Sheepfold and putting up another Xmas tree.  Spoke to my friend in Yorkshire who should be coming down next Thursday all being well.  She’s looked at the 10 day forecast and it will stay cold with the possibility of more snow but ten days is a long time in the world of weather.  And by the way winter officially starts on Tuesday!

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It’s back.

With two more cottages arriving on Wednesday at our pet friendy cottages one cleaner up in the morning to prepare cottages and I put up the first Xmas tree.  After lunch I went down to Bakewell to get my hair cut.  One of the topics we discussed was oil as my hairdresser was still waiting for a delivery.  The deliveryman yesterday had said they had received over 2000 requests for oil during the cold snap and some of that was panic buying.  Got some provisions to last until the weekend and back in time for the cottages arrival late in the afternoon.  They have been before.  In the evening I made sure I had paid this months bills a it is a ‘short month’ for many companies and finished writing most of my Xmas cards.  Thursday took a turn for the worse with sleet giving way to snow which left a light dusting and the temperature dropping by 10 degrees.  With our handyman off sick I spent some time with Chris putting Sheepfold back together now that the work has almost been completed although this did mean I did not get to put up any trees.  But at least in the afternoon I found time to do some sewing.  I also dropped a WI diary in to one of the members so at least she had it before 2011!  We are now braced for a bad weekend weather wise.  A bit of deja vue as it was the weekend before Christmas last year that it all started…