Up and after breakfast for guest usual bits before setting off eventually for Chesterfield. Stuck behind lorries and an accident at a roundabout delayed my arrival. After the town centre went to the retail park for PC world for a surge protector and Pets at Home to get some dog food. Then home via Morrison’s. A quiet evening catching up with filing and sat down to CSI.

Supposed to be one of the gloomiest days of the year. A busy day with three cottages out and four back in. Gripe for today is guest spilling things on carpets and not telling us. Typically it was in the last cottage to be cleaned and not noticeable at first. They had tried to clean it up but if they had told us we could have taken our carpet cleaner or the steam cleaner and had a go at it sooner. The trouble is that the carpet most probably is now permanently stained. Cleaning was finished in time. Three sets of guests arrived together just after three with the final guests arriving about 4.30. Had an early tea as Chris was going to the photographic society meeting. Laundry collected about 6.30 pm. The phones and emails were a bit quieter this evening so started filing last years paperwork to make way for this years paper work! Sat down about 10pm.

A wet day was forecast but it didn’t turn out that bad, but having said that the flood watch on the River Wye from Buxton to Rowsley has been upgraded to a flood warning. There already is flooding at Rowsley where the Wye and Derwent met. When we went to get the paper we noticed that the flood defences were in place by the Co Op where the footbridge goes over the river to the car parks. One B&B guest out with one B&B back in so one room for us to turn around. Also one cottage in but that has already been done. Chris suggested going out for lunch so we drove around to the tea rooms at Flagg but they had a cycling group in for lunch so said it would be a while so we decided to go elsewhere. It was nice to see they were busy. As Monyash was nearer we dropped in at The Smithy and must arrived at the end of the lunch rush as we found a table and did not have to wait long. Back in time to deal with the emails and phone enquiries. Sometimes emails are not a yes/no and price but take some calculations which may result in nothing. B&B guests arrived about 4pm. They have been treated to a two night stay by one of their children. Cottage guests arrived about 5.30. Had tea and sat down and answered some more emails using the lap top finally finishing about 10.30.

Another day that seemed to just go. Nobody out but one cottage in with one cleaner here this morning. A number of phone calls this morning, usually Saturday is a quieter day, but by the end of the day i had a few more bookings. Cottage guests arrived early so spent afternoon tidying up own bits and a little bit of personal surfing. Cooked a roast dinner. Sat down for 8pm.

Sometimes I forget to mention things that Chris gets up to. Last week we did a stock take of light bulbs and during the week Chris went to an electrical wholesaler at Buxton and bought a whole lot of bulbs. He also bought a number of low energy bulbs which we are trying out in a number of places.

The fields are getting quite muddy. As I went from one field to the next I could feel my boots sticking in the mud. Handyman up today and another cottage has new lino in the kitchen plus a few other jobs. Two cleaners up to turn round four cottages in readiness for today and tomorrow. Went down to Bakewell and was able to use my permit to park for free for a change. Got back then it was all go. Two businessmen out today and three cottages and one B&B in.

Everything ready in time. First cottage guests and B&B guests arrived simultaneously at about 5pm so Chris showed the cottage guests in. The next guests arrive about half an hour later but the final guests arrived just before 10.30 pm. They were expecting to arrive late but road conditions, particularly surface water had delayed them.

Another day to catch up on things. One set of guests out today (and one yesterday and one Tuesday evening which I forgot to mention). One cleaner up to turn around a cottage and public bits. I also managed to get some bits around the house. Chris went to Over Haddon for the digital photography session. After tea I did some more paper work and planned ahead for the next few days as I had a couple of late bookings for the weekend and are quite busy next week. Last phone call was at 10.15.

Not a good a day as yesterday. Had a lot planned and although achieved most it seemed fraught. We had had a good inch of rain by 10am. Perhaps more than anything it was a phone call from someone who was enquiring about making a booking that put a spanner in the works. As we do not allow smoking in the cottages she felt she could not proceed with booking. She then phoned me back and started to get quite aggressive which upset me. I felt quite shaken for a few hours afterwards. After lunch I spent a few hours going around the empty cottages doing odd jobs. I also lined a pair of curtains, one of those jobs I have been meaning to do for months.

Over the last few days Chris and the handyman have been busy in some of the cottages doing odd jobs and also fixing a leak in one of the cottages caused by crumbling mortar.

Sat down in time to watch Torchwood.

One of those days I wish would happen more often. After walking the dogs and laundry I set about catching up with paper work and had a good day getting bookings up straight, getting banking ready and sorting out filing for filing. Took the handyman down to Bakewell later in the day and went to the Bank and got some bits for the next few days. Managed to sit down in time for CSI but was disturbed by a phone call, luckily we were recording it.

A quieter day for arrivals, just two business men, but two cottages and one B&B out. Two cleaners up to keep the cleaning up to date. A busy day for bookings though so I was kept occupied. The handyman was up and he and Chris replaced some lino in one of the cottages. They had done one cottage last week. Now we have to schedule some others. Chris has also been making the time to do some work to develop the web site. We had always said we would review the web site after a couple of years so even though we continue to get good feedback. Laundry collected in the afternoon and kept busy in the evening with enquiries and bookings. Sat down about 9.30.

One cottage and one B&B out today with two cottages (already cleaned) back in later today. After breakfast set off to get the paper and found the B&B guests at the bottom of the drive. Their car had stalled and they were having trouble getting it going again. The cold and damp had affected another of the guests cars but with a bit of WD40 they were off. After lunch sat down and did the serious its. VAT returns, tax payments, goodbye money. Completed renewal forms for web advertising with a couple of sites and dealt with some emails and phone calls. Finished work by 7pm. One set of guests arrived just after 3pm and the other about 6.30.