Peace and Quiet...

I’m just sitting here doing a few ‘at computer’ jobs, waiting for last guests to arrive for Valentine’s weekend. It’s very quiet and peaceful – everyone else is out, so there’s just me here. The night outside is dark and cold, cloudless and freezing, but in here it’s warm and toasty.

Today somehow feels like the end of winter… we’re busy with guests again this weekend, who are enjoying a real treat for Valentine’s. There’s lots of chocolate and roses around, and all kinds of special little treats and touches here and there. In a short while it will be March, and then Spring brings Easter and suddenly it’s all-systems-go again...

We had a list of maintenance jobs we were going to sort out at leisure over the winter whilst we had fewer guests around. We finished the most important one yesterday, just hours before a busy weekend, so you can see how committed we’ve been to that process! It’s been good to have some rest. Still, everything that needed to be done did get done (most especially that pesky shower door in Aidan that would never close properly – fixed – yay!) and tonight this feels like a really special place – again.

I love the lighting in here in the evening especially. It creates a lovely atmosphere, and guests who arrive in the evening always gasp when they walk into the Cuthbert room. I'll take a snap on my phone, and include it here, but I'm not really sure it will do the scene justice!

Jill and Hannah worked really hard today, turning what started the day looking like an odd-job man’s cabin, with tools and stuff all over, into this gorgeous and atmospheric haven. And I’m enjoying relaxing, reflecting, and having it all to myself. The ambience will be perfected in just a few moments, when I pour that glass…