What Christmas ?

The presents were all brought early, the house was decorated, most of the cooking was done and there was only the last minute fresh shopping to buy, and there was still a week to go. !

That's where on reflection I went wrong. Never should you have time to relax before an important event. The stress levels need to be at maximum until at least the day before, otherwise disaster strikes, normally in the form of illness. As soon as you relax those germs can take hold and you are struck down.

On Sunday 18th December Les took to his bed, I managed to last another day. We stayed there through Christmas and New Year. Flu followed by bronchitis!  Christmas was cancelled and we felt like s.....!  However our darling daughter came with the children and cooked the lunch on Christmas day and looked after us. The grandchildren enjoyed themselves and Father Christmas still came. It was always going to be a difficult Christmas anyway as it would be the first one without my lovely mum, who we lost last year.

It's now the 19th January and we have started welcoming B & B  guests again. Les and I are fighting fit again, I have a cupboard full of goodies that didn't get eaten, booze that didn't get drunk and crackers that didn't get pulled.  But even though it wasn't the Christmas we were planning I don't mind. Oh don't get me wrong, for much of the time I was upset,  but now I feel great. When you have had a period of illness you soon realise how lucky you are, feeling well is fantastic!   There is nothing like waking up in the morning and looking forward to the day ahead, taking your first trip outside into the fresh air and seeing all the wonderful countryside around you.  Life is good again. However I am never going to relax again,  ever.!!

Autumn thoughts

Suddenly there is a chill in the air and am thinking I need to put the winter duvet covers on the beds. I have left it so late this year as the weather has been so mild. We are now in the beginning of November and we have had the first frost of the year. But it has been the most fantastic Autumn with the best colours I think I have ever seen.  Apparently, it’s been the lack of rain that has caused this unusual phenomenon, no doubt that will soon change with blustery days and rain but we will make the most of the weather while we can.

It has been a busy few months for us. The arrival of our second granddaughter Daisy at the beginning of September caught us a bit on the hop, as she came two weeks early.  She was a tiny 5lbs and half an ounce (very important that half an ounce) but she is doing very well and is of course equally as gorgeous as our other granddaughter Florence, who is now a very inquisitive two-year-old, who brings joy and laughter to Les and I.   Grandchildren are such a blessing.  

Business has also been buoyant probably due to the lovely weather and we are now embarking on our usual stretch of maintenance and decorating. Most rooms always need a bit of a freshening up after a busy season so it will be out with the paint brush over the next few weeks.  We normally close one room at a time so that we can still stay open, so if you are reading this and thinking of a late break just give us a ring and we can see what we have available. 

Next stop Christmas.

A square that became a blanket

Crochet was always something I could do! My paternal grandmother was a wonderful and creative craftswoman, making exquisite lace with a crochet hook and fine cotton, which she used to edge her white linen tablecloths. She also embroidered beautifully and knitted many of my childhood 'woollies' .  So it was just a matter of course that she would teach us what she knew, and she did. So as I said crocheting was something that I could do and although I visited it in the 1970's during my 'hippy' period to make shawls and bags etc. it is only in the last few years, since the birth of my first grandchild, that I have started in earnest again with hook and wool.

I started with a plain while shawl for the new baby and subsequently have made a few more as presents. Then I decided to explore more colourful items and, with all the odd bits of wool I have managed to gather, started making granny squares.


I didn't really know when to stop so kept going and after several months of making 2 or 3 in an evening I had enough to make a blanket. I must say I am really pleased with it and it is wonderfully warm and cosy. I have put it on our bed and with the summer we are currently 'enjoying' it is a necessary addition on top of the summer duvet that I confidentially put on all the beds back in June.

So now I am embarking on a bigger project and that is to make covers for all the beds in the B&B.  I really must be mad!!!

30 years today

Thirty years ago today, 1st March Les and I moved to Celyn Villa.  It seems incredible that so much time has gone by so quickly.

It had been Les's long held dream to move to Wales as his  father was from North Wales and he had spent most of his holidays here, hw loved the beautiful countryside and slower pace of life.  Luckily he was able to get a transfer with his engineering job and like any newly married love struck wife I followed : not realising that I was coming to a different world. 

Back then we were living in the 'south of England 'Les being brought up in Kent and me in Sussex and Surrey.  We had both travelled extensively and worked in busy jobs, Les battling the M25 and me in the busy world of advertising and recruitment.   

So moving to a small village in North Wales was indeed a leap of faith.  We brought Celyn Villa, then a old three bed cottage in need of refurbishment and moved in. It was snowing, cold and there was no heating on when we finally arrive after our 250 mile journey. I also remember that there wasn't a light bulb in the place! 

After unloading the lorry (friends had helped us to move) we made up the beds and headed out to find something to eat. We went to the Stamford Gate Hotel, which in those days had a silver service restaurant and and we had Steak Diane and Crepe Suzette - how things have changed. 

Back then, there wasn't a decent pub for miles, no supermarket or A55.  I can remember Les coming home from work and tell me that he had found 'Sainsbury's' near Chester.' Luckily things have changed since then,  but what it did have was the wonderful countryside, seaside, hills and mountains that we love.

Over  the last thirty years we have extended and improved the house beyond recognition.  I worked in Chester for 16 years we had our daughter and are now grandparents.   

But I think Les and I both agree that apart from the big family life changing events, we have both been our happiest since we started the bed and breakfast 14 years ago.

The combination of being able to work from your own home, with each other, and meeting wonderful people from all over the world is one that we didn't even dream about  when moving here 30 years ago.  

I don't envisage for a moment that we will be here for another 30 years but hopefully long enough to keep enjoying this lovely part of Wales, and welcoming guests to our home.

 

 

Les has got his spurtle ready

Suddenly it feels like winter. We have it seems enjoyed the last of the mild autumn days and after a week of high winds and rain, the temperatures have dropped and  it feels like winter is upon us. It dosnt seem possible that Christmas is just around the corner,  but yet the cold weather is somehow reassuring.  I love the changing seasons and it seems wrong to have sunshine at Christmas like they do in so many parts of the world.

But the real treat for winter is porridge.  It's a time when you can tuck into a bowl of yummy, thick goodness that warms you, fills you and nourishes you like no other breakfast can. 

So many people have changed there breakfast habits to include this most simple of morning rituals.   Whether for health reasons or just for the enjoyment of it, it is now one of our most popular breakfast requests from guests. 

Salt or sugar, golden syrup or plain, nuts, yogurt or fruit. There are many ways to enjoy this most humble of morning treats.

We pride ourselves on the breakfasts we serve our guests, and have received many compliments over the years about how good they are. So this time of year why not enjoy a bowl of goodness either before your cooked breakfast or instead of it. 

 

Les has his spurtle all ready. In fact if truth be told we have porridge in summer, winter, spring and autumn. It gets our vote most mornings.

 

 

Presenting our new Blue Room

Over the past few weeks Les and I have been busy getting our new letting room ready.  The Blue Room, it is now up and available to book.  It is a large double with Kingsize bed and modern ensuite shower room.

Whilst Les was busy painting I was making the new window seat, curtains and cushions to complement the room.  It has all the usual requiurements: flatscreen TV, tea and coffee making, hairdryer etc. . 
Les also made the little blue table that holds the kettle and cups etc, which he is particularly proud of.



So the next time you stay with us why not book the Blue Room or any of our other two rooms, Lilac and Rose which are equally comfortable.  They will be having a face lift too during the winter months.

Glorious offerings from the garden

How remiss of me not to have blogged for so long. My excuse is having a new granddaughter who is of course the apple of our eye - 10 months old already where does the time go.

Talking of fruit it is the season for jam making and so far this week Les has picked over 8lbs of gooseberries, 10lbs of blackcurrants and a lot of raspberries. So I have had a couple of days jam making to ensure that there are plenty of supplies for breakfast.

 Have made the gooseberry and blackcurrant ( 2nd batched boiled over though - woops) so far, but am debating whether to try making raspberry jam as I haven’t tried it before. I have a recipe for ‘no cook raspberry jam’ but it doesn’t keep longer than 2 months so I may just freeze them and enjoy them through the year in puddings.

If anyone has a good recipe for raspberry jam I would love to hear from them. 

Oh well that has been my ten minutes sitting down at the computer, back to the cooking now. Evening meals tonight for four guests.