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February 2012

Finally, some proper seasonal views from the windows! The snow has arrived, all dry and crisp and twinkling under the clear blue sunny sky. Everything is looking fresh and now we can tell exactly what has been skulking around the garden on a night time whilst we sleep by investigating the tracks in the morning! The main culprit is of course Riley (the Lab) who has been churning up all the virgin snow and to be quite honest, has made a right old mess of it!

The unofficial hotel inspectors, J&H, have just departed after giving their verdict on the new Hazelwood room. After casting a critical eye over it and testing everything for 2 days, it was a resounding “perfect”…phew! We’re just waiting to get some great photos of it from Lovely Lizzie and then they will be uploaded. The goose down mattress topper should finally be here this week.

Billy Bragg is to play this years Galtres Festival, a couple of fields away. It’s always a highlight of the social calendar and so well attended by great local bands and artistes, and of course lots of local brewers keen to show off their quirky named ales and ciders. Let’s hope that this year the sun shines and the wet weather and mud is saved just for the likes of Glastonbury!

New Year 2012

A Happy New Year to you all and I hope that 2012 is a great year for you.
I was thinking i'd be able to upload pretty photos of virgin snow glistening under a wintry sky by now but alas no so it's very disappointing...but no doubt that will be May or Junes blog the way our seasons are nowadays!

Chris, the lovely builder, starts any day now in the B&B to make the Hazelwood room more grown up. So down comes the wall on to the landing and my lovely laundry cupboard and up goes a new one, swallowing up the newly created space to make one 50% bigger bedroom. But the problem is, where does all the junk from the laundry cupboard go? Simple: in to the shoe cupboard of course! Mm, but then where do the shoes go? Oh, I give up!! And then wonderful Charlie (the published poet) but who also doubles as our painter & decorator will follow on behind to spruce everywhere up with a fresh lick of paint and the most interesting conversations over coffee and roll ups!

The mouse “infestation” has increased again with the Christmas arrival of the stunning Hester (centre) She really is a beauty and has settled in to her new adoptive family well. She is showing artistic tendencies so we have high hopes for her eventually exhibiting in a gallery in London.

And talking of animals, Riley the lovely Lab is turning from cute puppy to teenager with attitude! He adores all the guests although does get a little too boisterous sometimes and has sent the odd child or two flying!
So, time to get on and start thinking about hitting the shops to buy…a new bed, chairs/sofa, wallpaper , carpet etc…yawn! I’m sure we chicks are far better at shopping for clothes, shoes, bags, make-up etc, and not boring beds and goose down toppers but so be it. But the best thing about being closed in January amongst all the muck & dust & plaster is…31 lie-ins!! Whoo hoo!!

Autumn 2011

The recent stunning late summer weather has resulted in the terrace being used to it’s full potential with guests sitting out late under the vast starry sky enjoying much chat and laughter.

Riley, the gorgeous doe eyed new member of the family, is settling in well and is really enjoying meeting guests but is a lot more interested in what they may have left on their breakfast plates, but needless to say, being a greedy Labrador, he doesn’t get even a scrap of any leftovers! But at least there’s always the spilt rabbit food, dirty old shoes, and chunks of wood for the boiler to eat instead!

…and talking of new additions, we are proud to announce that Harry & Doris (our lovely dining room mice!) are the new parents to twins, John & Heather. They arrived one sunny morning last week and we hope that they have a long and happy life together as a new family, overseeing breakfast service!

Any day now, the tractors will be arriving to plough up and drill the fields ready for next years wheat harvest and the air for those few days will be fragranced with freshly turned earth and diesel fumes…what a combination!!
Finally, what a fantastic weekend we had recently when we escaped away for a couple of days to Plas Dinas in North Wales, home of the scrummy Julian & Andy (fellow contestants from “Four in a Bed”) They looked after us so well that we were utterly spoilt and it was a wrench to come back home but every good experience has to come to an end at some time!

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