After a cold and dull Wednesday Thursday was sunny and mild at our peak district cottages.  No departures but two cottages arriving later in the day.  One cleaner up and I went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend.  During the afternoon started to catch up with this months accounts.  Both guests arrived between 4 and 5 pm.  On Friday we had one departure with three arrivals, one has been before.  Two cleaners up and and time for some odd jobs before guests arrived.  All here by 4 pm giving me time to get some accounts done before sitting down early for the first time this week!

Two days of shopping took up the next part of the week.  With not having been shopping for a while we had a list of things both big and small to get for the cottages.  On Tuesday Chris and I wet to Chesterfield to Bookers to stock up for Christmas and then into Chesterfield where we went to one of the furniture stores and bought some replacement furniture for some of the cottages.  By lunchtime it had brightened up and had lunch in one of the cafes in town and outside they were putting up the town’s Christmas Tree.  A wander round Dunelm to cheer me up before arriving back home. It was only when we got home I realised we were short of milk so I went down to the Co-Op in Bakewell.  Wednesday saw one cottage depart and it was my long awaited day out with one of my former cleaners so we can have a shop and a natter.  We opted for Leek and it was quite foggy on the moors but the skies cleared once we got to Leek.  They have a good Wilkinson there and I had a long list of things I wanted to get.  Again a bit foggy on the moors heading home to our peak district cottages and it had felt a colder day so got the log burner going while I put the bits away.

Sometimes you get a manic day when you least expect it and this was one.  Started off pleasantly enough at our peak district cottages and said goodbye to two cottages.  One cleaner up with two cottages due back in.  Usual Monday routines  but also had someone come come up to look at the cottages as they needed somewhere to stay for the next few weeks in between houses.  Although I could help it would have meant a change of cottages and in the end they found somewhere they could stay without moving.  After lunch the phone started ringing and it felt like it didn’t stop until late in the evening.  One cottage arrived just after 3pm with second one, who have been before, arriving about 5pm.  After a busy evening of phone calls and emails when I sat down at about 9.30 I was too tired to blog!

Finally the sun came out on Saturday at our peak district cottages.  One cottage departed but with no arrivals our quandary was which day do we go on a walk?  We opted for Sunday and chose Saturday to do a lot of outside jobs.  I potted up most of the plants and bulbs I recently bought and if the worst came to the worst it would not matter if I got no more gardening done.  Chris cleared the courtyard and car park of leaves and and used the mower to hoover the leaves from the gardens.  He also topped up the log stores.  So after all that Sunday started of dreary again so the walk went out of the window.  One cottage out then went to Ashford to get the paper to avoid the Remembrance Sunday march from the Church into Bakewell.  Jobs around the house and when the sky eventually started to brighten up later in the afternoon we decided to head for the Chatsworth Christmas Market. Despite it being so late in the day it was still very busy, as Chris commented, he would have turned the car round if he had come earlier in the day and seen all the cars.  As the market took up one of the car park aisles the front lawn had been used as a overflow car park.  There is another one next weekend (18-20 Nov).  Walked the market a couple of times, the crowds thinning all the time.  Bought a few bits including a Christmas pudding.  Don’t think the dogs were too impressed with this excursion!  In the evening watched Countryfile which was filmed mainly around the upper Derwent Valley.  Now I know why Snake Pass is called so!  They also did a feature on the River Lathkill.  Hope you watched it too! Here are some pics from Chatsworth.

After all the build up to Wednesday Thursday was a catch up day at our peak district cottages.  A bit dreary again.  One cleaner up with three cottages due in later in the day, one has been before.  Chris went to Over Haddon for the digital work shop.  First two cottages were here by 3.30 with final guests being delayed and arriving at 6pm.  Friday was initially supposed to be a nice day but after another dreary start it deteriorated during the day so by late afternoon it was quite foggy.  Three cottages out and two back in, one has been before.  First cottage arrived at 3pm and second one after we had left for Buxton about 6pm.  We had tickets for the Opera House and saw Tom Paxton (again).  By the time we drove home it was raining heavily, just like the last time we went to the Opera House.

Another deary start to the day at our peak district cottages and a bit colder too.  Last minute preparations and paperwork with our annual Visit Britain Quality Assurance Inspection that morning.  Same Inspector as last year who I took round all the cottages and pointed out all the things we had done since our last inspection and talked of the work we hope to do in the next twelve months.  She also had to see various bits of paper work eg Public Liability Insurance.  The whole Inspection took about three hours after which I suggested to Chris we went out for lunch.  We headed up to Monsal Head but found the cafe was closed, many places are moving into winter opening hours, so we went to Hassop Station.  After lunch we went into Bakewell where I needed to get some provisions as well as some bits for the WI AGM to be held that evening.  Back home I made up some sandwiches for the evening and prepared myself for the AGM. Collected Joana and evening went well.  The annual accounts I presented were accepted and I have agreed to act as Treasurer for another year.  After our high tea we had some memory games lined up then home to relax!

After a lovely Sunday, Monday was disappointing, feeling colder and overcast at our peak district cottages.  Two cottages out with two back in later in the day.  Two cleaners up to keep up with cleaning.  One of the cleaners dropped me of in Bakewell late morning so I could have a quick zip around the market and get a few bits for the next few days.  Both cottages arrived between 3 and 4 pm, one has been before.  In the evening Chris went down to the Bakewell Photographic Club and I caught up on a few phone calls and emails, the Over Haddon Village Hall Committee meeting (OHVHCM) having been postponed.  Tuesday was a repeat of Monday weather wise with one cottage back in.  One cleaner up and guests arrived about 3pm.  They have been before.  Spent some time in the afternoon finalising and publishing our 2012 prices as well as preparing for Wednesday.  In the evening went to the OHVHCM. 

Before I forget here are October’s weather stats, better late than never!
Warmest day (and night) 1st October with highest temp of 24.6  not far off the highest temp for the year!
Coldest date (and night) with lowest temp of 1.8 was 19th October
Wettest day was 6th with .41 in rain with total for month 2.41 ins (Oct 2010 3.42 ins).

Wednesday saw one departure but no arrivals at our peak district cottages.  From now on Friday will be the equivalent of Saturday as we have a couple of busy Fridays (and Mondays) ahead.  The day started pleasant enough but the forecast was for a deterioration in the afternoon although it didn’t materialise until the evening.  Hence our decision not to go for a walk but to make the most of a few nice hours and do some garden related work.  Down came the hanging baskets, the longest I have managed to keep them up.  I potted up some of the plants I bought on Sunday but still have the bulbs to do.  Still it felt nice to achieve what I had.  The afternoon went in WI Accounts and bits around the house.  Collected Joanna in the evening for our monthly WI committee meeting and we had plenty to discuss.  Woken up during the night by the rain and found in the morning it had left a channel through the gravel in the car park.  No departure but one cleaner up to keep up with cleaning with one arrival late in the day.  After lunch went down to Bakewell to get provisions for the weekend while Chris went to Over Haddon for the digital photographic workshop.  On the way back to the car in Bakewell the heavens opened and I got drenched.  Driving back up the hill the water was rushing down and the leaves were blowing across the road like a snowstorm.  Got out of the car at home and it all stopped!  Guests arrived about 4pm after which I did some accounts.  With a busy day ahead got some preparations done in the evening.

First thing on Monday friend and I went down to Bakewell to the market.  She has not been before so she enjoyed herself but I came away with a few things too.  Back at our peak district cottages one cleaner up to finish remaining cottages as three cottages were due back later in the day.  After lunch friend departed and I did the final checks in the cottages.  All guests arrived between 3 and 4 pm, all have been before.  In the evening Chris went to the Photographic Club and I caught up on some blogging.  On Tuesday we planned to catch up on some errands.  Told the dogs would only be a few hours as we set off but it was quite a pleasant morning and as we found ourselves up near the reservoirs we made a diversion to see how the autumn colours were.  I have been keeping the camera with me when we go out in case we come across any photo opportunities.  We drove up to Derwent and Howden dams and took some pictures.  We have always wanted to look at the sinkholes at the bottom of Ladybower reservoir so we stopped near the Yorkshire Bridge Inn and walked along the wall to look at the sinkholes.  Must come back and see them when there is more water around.  Came home via Hathersage and made a detour into the David Mellor (he is responsible for the traffic lights we see on the roads today) Centre, only because there was a large vehicle ahead and we decided we would let it get some miles ahead before we set off again so we were a little later back than I thought but never mind.  It had been another nice autumnal day.