Last busy weekend before Christmas – we are fully booked for this weekend (including those who are here for the week) so plenty to do today. Typical that on the day some leave we wake up to a beautiful morning, even if cold. Nice morning to take the dogs for a walk. Three cottages out this morning and with one cleaner down I did my usual bit of helping with beds. Six cottages back in today and four to clean. We managed it – just -finishing by 3pm. Chris & the handyman finished the cottage they were working in, did a couple of odd jobs in some others and spent most of the day tidying and clearing up in the gardens and around the courtyard. First guests, who were here this time last year, arrived about 3.30. We then had a long gap with the next guests here just after 6pm. By now I was starting to worry as to where the rest of my guests were! The next four all arrived between 7 & 8.30 so all present and correct! Now I can sit own for the evening!

Supposed to be a relative easy day, usual bits, trip down to Bakewell and a couple of hours of gardening. It was not to be. Took the dogs out for their walk after breakfast. Our B&B guests left after having a look at the vacant cottages. One cleaner up to do the B&B rooms and public area. Had planned to go to Bakewell in the morning but by the time everything was done it was 12 15. Also had a couple of deliveries and one of the cottages left early as they had not been well. Chris had been finishing off some jobs in one of the cottages. Had lunch and Chris went off to his photo session in Over Haddon. Post brought a nice surprise in the form of a calendar from one of our Australian guests earlier in the year. Emailed a thanks. Just as the cleaner was leaving a phone call from one of my other cleaners to say her daughter was not well and she wouldn’t be able to make it tomorrow. I had hoped for two cleaners tomorrow as we are full for the weekend. The cleaner who was already here was able to stay on so as one the cottages had left she went to make a start just as we had a power cut! She was able to get most done before the power came back and she was then able to hoover. I was dismantling the cot when our oil delivery arrived and the phone went… Heard from one regular guest who has not been well but who has made a booking or early in the New Year When Chris came back I went down to Bakewell and for once was able to use my residents parking permit. When got back our latest B&B guests had arrived. Had a chat with them later in the evening as they live in the next village from where we used to live (although we did not know them). After tea phoned my nieces and wished them Happy Birthday. Sat down to another interesting episode of the Hotel Inspector (which will not be on for the next three weeks due to football).

Its that day again. Despite a 9 am breakfast we were away by 10.20 even with all the washing and walking the dogs. In the center of Sheffield there are many individual furniture and electrical retailers and we stopped first at one of the electrical retailers to see what they had available. Then onto Makro where we did our usual two rounds, one for the larger paper goods (mainly toilet rolls) and one for the rest of the goods with a spot of lunch thrown in as well. On the way back we stopped at the Dunelm on the way out of Sheffield and were home by 4.30 much to the delight of the dogs! Had a light snack and put everything away before siting down to Heroes (seeing as football was on the other side!) Another interesting episode, never get much blogging done when it is on. Not many episodes left.

Up and saw to the washing, emails and dogs before we set off to Buxton for the annual Peak District & Derbyshire (PD&D) Tourism Conference. A chance to find out what is happening next year and meet up with others in similar lines of business. Additionally a number of Master Classes had been arranged and we had signed up to three. The day finishes with a guest speaker so a full day. With tea and coffee on arrival said hello to a few people I knew before settling down to the welcome speech. This followed a review on tourism numbers and a look ahead at next years funding. Like all destination tourist boards the PD&D has to ‘fight’ for its share of funding for marketing and tourism. The Lake District gets twice as much as the PD&D but has three times as many staff. Due to its unique geographical location the PD&D has a high number of day visitors which doesn’t bring in the income for accommodation. The area has had the fortune of being used for film locations such as Pride and Prejudice and more recently the series Jane Eyre, which has brought a lot of ‘set jetting’ and revenue to the area. Next year sees the release of at least one major film set in the area and it is hoped tourism will benefit from this.

The first Master Class was held by the PD&D PR person who told us a lot of interesting facts about the area that we may not have known. One fact that I did not know is the heather moorlands of the PD&D are the largest outside of Scotland and they are disappearing at a faster rate than the rain forest! We need a pop star to campaign for it! The second class was about Customer Service and was interesting. Then it was lunch time but there was a long queue for the buffet lunch so we walked into town and I bought a couple of Birthday cards for my twin nieces. We got back in time to grab a bite before the third class. This was about Marketing on a budget. All these classes had good advice and information for small businesses. We then went back to the main meeting area to hear Ruth Watson (of Channel 5’s “The Hotel Inspector” fame). She is as sharp in real life as on TV. She talked about how she has got to where she is today and then talked about Quality Standards. Our accommodation is Quality Asassed and they have recently changed the standards. We have been assessed under two different standards for the self catering and B&B in the four years we have been here. No system will fit all but she was quite angry that the word ‘excellent’ and ‘quality’ were not always used in the same sentence. Surely you should expect excellent service from an establishment whether it is rated two or four star. I had a chance to have a brief word with her afterwards whilst Chris went off to find somebody else he wanted to chat too.

We came home as we were expecting some B&B guests who arrived just before 6pm. After tea I phoned my sister who had attended her graduation ceremony today in St Albans. She could only have two guests so our dad and my nephew went. Started to blog whilst watching Spooks but only got a few sentences down. A lady can only take so much excitement!

Rushed to the window as soon as the alarm went off. It was quite foggy so couldn’t see far but enough to see that the path was clear. Felt a little relieved but until I could gauge the state of the drive I would not be happy. Had breakfast and out with the dogs. Still a covering of snow i th fields but the drive was slushy – was worried the drive would be icy. This would not be good for a day with two cottages out and three back in as well as laundry and rubbish collections. Two cleaners up today with plenty to do. Going round was a bit more time consuming as I wore a old pair of shoes so my normal shoes did not get wet but taking them off and putting them back on again was time consuming.

All finished before the first guests arrived by which time the fog had lifted and we could see the hills in the distance and where there was still snow, reports indicated snow was worst to the west but during the day most snow here did melt. All guests in between 3-4 pm so time to breathe and plan the next few days. Chris went to the Bakewell Photographic Society in the evening and I caught up with emails, bills and paperwork. Sat down about 9.30.

It as a windy night and when we woke their was a very thin layer of snow in certain spots. It was quite sleety. Both B&B rooms and two cottages out with two cottages back in – both for a week. Took the dogs out but didn’t linger as the wind was quite strong. After all guests had departed went down to Bakewell to get a paper and empty the bottle bins. One cleaner up and two cottages turned around.

After lunch finally spent some time finalising next years prices. Just need to sit down with Chris and confirm matters. Both guests in between 3-4 pm by which time it was trying to snow. By 5pm some snow was starting to settle. Cooked a roast dinner and sat down just after 8pm. There was quite a covering of snow by the time we went to bed.

Up early and took dogs for walk before breakfast which was late again. Two cottages and one B&B out with both B&B and two cottages in. After breakfast went down to Bakewell and got provisions for the weekend. One cleaner up this morning to do two cottages and B&B room.

First guesst to arrive were here just after 3 pm. They were in fact our very first guests back in 2003 and that time came as a part of a walking group. They have been since but it was still nice to see them again. The next guests arrived about half an hour later. As I returned back to the house I noticed that the setting sun was catching Andrews buildings so I rushed through to the front and took some pictures. The first b&b guests then arrived followed about an hour later by the second guests who have been here before.

After tea dealt with emails, which I had quite a lot of today. One was about a gift voucher, we get quite a few requests at this time of year so Chris has also added a page to the web site. Sat down to the Tudors after booking a table for a meal out tomorrow.

A beautiful sunrise with a frosty start. This morning we had an 8am breakfast so I had a chance to catch up with some things. One cottage out and one back in so one cleaner up to turn around the cottage and a B&B room and the public areas. Post brought one of the many trade catalogues that we get, this one on tables and chairs for the leisure industry. Always a good read. Sales rep from Bullsemen phoned and had to disappoint him as will not be ordering any. Always enjoyed reading their brochures but now they know we are not a working farm doubt we will get any more. Also got regular farming magazine addressed to previous occupants. Always enjoy the articles on the new big ‘toys’. Too cold to do any gardening so concentrated on things indoors. Cottage guests arrived about 3.30. Beautiful sunset. Chris took some photos. Went down to Bakewell at 5pm to get hair cut. After tea did some accounts then sat down to watch the Hotel Inspector.

With both B&B couples having a late breakfast this put everything behind. Today two cottages and one B&B leaving with one cottage arriving. One cleaner up who did the leisure area and two cottages. Said goodbye to the heifers who were taken back across the road. So no more cows in our fields for this year but there is the possibility we might have some sheep grazing. Watch this space.

Chris and the handyman carried on with their work in one of the cottages and I spent an hour tidying up outside. I also made a potato head for this evenings WI meeting. It is the 60th anniversary of the Over Haddon WI. Tonights meeting had a potato theme. First the AGM part. Joanna is going to be Secretary next year with the President and Treasurer carrying on in their posts. I volunteered to join the committee. Then we had a couple of games of potato rolling, a bit like bowls. We had baked potatos followed by potato and chocolate cake!