Christmas is always on 25th December !

Christmas comes every year at the same time. Why is it then that the end of November is upon us again and I am starting to panic? How did the year creep up on me so quickly again. I am normally such an organised person (well I think I am) but how did we get here so soon. There is no way that I will start any present shopping in October, and November always seems a little too early but then December arrives and suddenly its only 3 weeks to the big day. I did order some Christmas cards with Celyn Villa on but they turned up as post cards instead. Having rung the supplier and ‘told him off in the most polite way I could’ I did receive a full credit so if you receive a very nice Christmas post card from us you will know why.

Of course our business is running a B&B and we continued to be busy. On top of that we have carried out quite a few improvements, the new shower, carpets, beds etc. We also had a visit from a professional 'Blogger' and her family who visited the area for the first time, she wrote some nice things about us in her blog which we were thrilled about. So all that running around has used up any spare Christmas preparation time I might have had before now.

I have just come back from a few days at my parents, so lovely to see them both and of course helping my dad look after my mum who had a stroke last year. But dad got a dreadful chest infection whilst I was there and he took to his bed – so I was looking after both of them! I did get to baby sit my new niece though. Her mum and dad’s first evening out since she was born. She was so good apart from the two dirty nappies (saved up just for me) but it was a joy to feed her and spoil her just for a bit. The next time I see her will be Christmas and she will be 4 and half months by then. Where does the time go….

One of our regular guests who comes over from Spain to visit her 92 year old Mum asked me if I would do them a lunch, so yesterday I cooked at midday instead of in the evening. Six of their family came for an early Christmas get together, they had a great time and I started feeling quite festive. Hence the panic I think. Most years by now I would have made Christmas chutney, pudding and cake not forgetting the sloe gin and the freezer full of homemade goodies.
But this year I HAVE DONE NOTHING. Thursday is 1st of December I will definitely start then!!!

Remembrance Day

November is here cold, wet and foggy. That’s today. But what a fantastic month October was. I haven’t blogged for a while (well ages actually) due to a very busy couple of months. We have been making improvements in the house. New carpets, showers, beds to name but a few things.

It’s now Sunday afternoon and I have spent most of the day on the computer – catching up. So thought I should blog whilst I am here. I watched the Remembrance Sunday service on the TV today and whilst London was bathed in sunshine, it was overcast and dull here in Carmel. However the weather really fitted my mood today and I always get upset when I watch all the old soldiers march past the cenotaph. But the saddest thing is that it is not just the old soldiers now that we should be grateful to. Being born not long after the second world war I was brought up to respect all of those who fought during the world wars but how sad is it that even today we are still losing brave service men and women to conflicts that it seems will never be solved.

I have often blogged about technology being incredible and the things we can do today are fantastic. Is it better that we can keep in touch so easily or not? How many people who are away would love to receive a letter instead of a quick text? The fact that we can tell the world everything that we are doing instantly via Facebook and Twitter is amazing but does it really give us the time to stop and smell the roses. When I think about those old soldiers and their loved ones who only received letters very rarely is seems so sad, yet I am sure that those letters were full of news and love and were read and re-read many times. A tweet or a text seems to be here one minute and gone the next but unlike that letter they are in fact here forever.

A pile of old letters tied up with ribbon seems a much more romantic notion than a text. Maybe that’s why we have all started blogging – it fulfils that part of us that misses writing letters.

New baby, Liverpool and my latest TV appearance!!!

Another busy month with lots of activity in the B&B but I finally managed to get to meet my new niece, the lovely and beautiful Emilie Elizabeth. What a joy this little bundle of cuteness has brought to her proud Mum and Dad and the rest of the family.

We also managed to have a night away in Liverpool as although we have visited many many times we wanted to spend some time at the museums which we had previously missed. We did both the Maritime and The Slave Museums, both very different but both very interesting. With the local connection here in Holywell with the triangle trade it was fascinating and fairly harrowing to get a taste of what those dreadful days were like for many. Afterwards we needed a bit of light heartedness and took a ride on the big wheel; we then had an ice-cream and felt like real tourists. Liverpool is certainly worth a visit these days.

But the real fun was on Wednesday night, because at 7.30pm on BBC1 Les and I were on TV! Erddig the wonderful National Trust House near Wrexham were I volunteer was the subject of the TV programme National Treasurers Live. Volunteers were asked to go along and make up the audience and in the opening scene you can just see me in the distance in my Servants outfit on the left hand side of the screen. But our 3 seconds of fame came when we were moved from the crowd in the kitchen, to the hall under the bells and Dan Snow the presenter stopped in front of us to ring them. So that now being my third appearance on TV, it will probably be my last. Third I hear you ask (or not) but for those who don’t know about my TV career let me tell you now.

My first appearance was back in the early 70’s when Nationwide (like the One Show I think) came and filmed us at 7.30am on our commuter London bound train at Christmas. We always had a party, Mince pies and sherry for all. I think then I had about 10 seconds of fame. Thirdly my appearance in 2009 on Britain’s Best Dish which was my star appearance if only for breaking a glass when trying to Brulee the top of my dessert.

Still all was not all lost and I went on to win the heat. But although fame is not really my thing I did learn how much time and effort goes into making a half an hour TV programme, no wonder it costs so much money.

Harvesting the crop

Suddenly things need to be picked, bottled, frozen and potted again. Earlier in the summer the soft fruit (raspberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants) were either frozen or made into jam. But yesterday we harvested 20lbs of plums. We try to serve homemade jams and marmalade to our guests every morning for breakfast. And as I recently opened my last pot of 2010’s produce it was timely that today I have been making plum jam. It’s amazing to think that my one days jam making has produced enough to last another year. Nature’s bounty at its best.

The apples are nearly ready too although they have a much longer ‘tree life’ and we can go on picking them into October. We also have lots of pears and although they are lovely to eat I always feel they are less versatile for preserving. I have pickled them and bottled them in the past and also turn them into lovely deserts. But luckily I have found a Harmony Jam recipe which contains pears and apples so I will be trying that soon.

I remember as a child seeing lots of jars lined up in the larder, sadly I don’t have a larder mine have to go into the garage and a cupboard. When they are lined up waiting to be opened and spooned on fresh homemade bread it gives me a really satisfying feeling. That even though we live in a high tech, fast moving world jam making has stayed the same for generations and it makes me feel grounded and homely. Although to be fair I must confess to listening to my IPOD whilst I chopped, weighed, boiled and bottled!

August and welcome to a new neice

Running a B&B as I have said before is an unusual way of life. Our days go from being extremely busy with no time to stop and look at the view, to more peaceful days when we have no guests at all. In addition we are involved in other things like the Flintshire Tourism Association, Holywell and District Twinning Association, our family and friends, our hobbies of painting for me and wood turning for Les. Oh and then there's the garden too. We did have a day off on Tuesday and met up with my nephew and his family and we all went on the Ffestiniog Railway, which was great fun.

Of course we are now in the middle of the busy Summer Season and most days are rush, rush, rush. It makes blogging difficult. I realise I havent written a word since June but I have found a few minutes today to write a line or two. (I should be ironing instead).

I'm not a big fan of August. The other problem of course is that everyone else is on holiday and we are not! And now that we are in August it makes me realise just how fast the year is going again. I always feel that the first half of the year upto July is somehow a slow climb, and of course the expression 'all down hill from here' seems to apply to August onwards. I wonder if it is the fact that we are heading again faster than we like to another winter and yet another Christmas (sorry to mention that word so early on but in four weeks or so the shops will start filling up with gifts and decorations for that 1 day a year that most people go mad for).

However on Monday 8th August little Emilie Elizabeth weighing 6lb 11oz was born to my brother and his wife and August dosn't seem so bad at all. It was Les's birthday yesterday so it's been a week of celebrating. A new baby girl to buy presents for and to spoil, what could be better!

On Reflection !

Reflection is a wonderful thing. (Not the sort it the mirror, I try to avoid that these days!) But reflecting on this past week has been interesting. A busy B&B time is always challenging but when you add in a bit of extra plate spinning and that stack of cards, so carefully placed, start to fall - you think you must be mad.

One of the taps in a guest en-suite decided to seized up and we called the plumber, after he left the washing machine decided to play up, then we called the Engineer who luckily mended it. (£££ later of course). My hand blender broke in the middle of blending soup. I burnt my third batch of Welsh cakes and Les dropped the home made biscuits - all this on one very busy day. Then a friend popped in the told us of a bereavement and our very silly little problems that were stressing us out were put in to perspective.

Last night we went up the River Dee in Chester, a friend had hired a boat for her birthday party. It was a warm and sunny evening with a little breeze, good food, good friends and a few glasses of wine. Les and I even had a dance. It was a lovely evening.

This morning after breakfast one our our guests said "'that was the nicest breakfast I have ever had, anywhere' then went on to say how nice their room was and that they would definitely come back again for a longer stay next time. Compliments like that make it all worth while.

So on reflection a very good week. Bring on the plate spinning I say.

Sunshine, Vintage cars and a beach hut

In our effort to visit all corners of the British Isles we went off to Lincolnshire for a week in the caravan. It was the first time we had visited the county and found it a delightful and enchanting place. The Lincolnshire Wolds seem to be the only area that isn’t flat and as we meandered up and down gently rolling hills we were struck by the beauty of the farm land and little villages.
We stopped in a small place on the coast called Sandylands, next to Suton on Sea and a 15 minute walk took us to exactly that, a wide and long sandy beach stretching for miles edged with the faded grandeur of authentic circa. 1930’s beach huts. In fact we hired one whilst we were there and it was so much fun.

I had been told that visiting this area was like stepping back 30 or so years and it was a real breath of fresh air to find just tranquillity and peace in a sea side town. However despite its remoteness and lack of apparent sophistication we found as good a delicatessen that I have tried anywhere, serving wonderful homemade goodies, a fantastic fish and chip shop and a great pub serving excellent food. Coupled with lovely friendly people it really was a special place to visit.
There was a Vintage Car Show on Sunday in Louth so we decided to go. It was great real old fashioned family fun with lots of old cars beautifully restored by their dedicated owners.

We ventured as far as Lincoln another day and had a look at the lovely cathedral and castle. A really beautiful city with interesting architecture both old and new.

Apart from that we really didn’t do much apart from walk the dogs, read, relax, drink some wine and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Well that was last week - back home now with no more plans to get away again until after the summer so B&B Hat on again – cakes to bake, beds to make …………………………