A bright sunny start to the day,the no vacancies board has gone up with a full house for the weekend.
Helen has been busy baking cakes most of the day and we have printed and laminated some new menus for the tearooms, we open tomorrow for the season.





I had to go down to Hawkshead this afternoon to post back a dressing gown a guest had left behind.
All the weekend guests have arrived by 9pm, Margaret showed the last ones in for us, they where due between 9 & 10 but they arrived a bit early before I got back to Buckle Yeat after we had our tea.

We had to go to Kendal today and although it was wet here it had been dry all day over there.
We called in at the shop for a couple of minutes and spoke to Alan and Dad, then picked up a bit of shopping up town and then got home about 5pm.


Slaters Bridge at Little Langdale


Breakfast time on the farm.

We took these shots a bit earlier in the year,(I know it's cheating but it was grey day here).
We have not heard from Matthew since Tuesday he and Sarah are on a trek down the deepest canyon in the world apparently.
Helen is on the phone at the moment to Lorna a blind lady who stays with us, this might take some time.

A really nice sunny day with rising temperatures, we got some outside jobs done,ie painting the outside loo, burning a massive heap of garden rubbish and getting out the garden tables and chairs in readiness for the opening of the tea-rooms this weekend.





These are some pictures of the different types of wild fowl at the ornamental pond in Grange-over-Sands.

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We had to go to Grange this afternoon for some baking goods and while there we called in at our Rachel's for a coffee and cake, very nice, how could it be any different.

We have just had an email from Bradda one of our regular guests checking out the Tower Bank situation, we do our best to keep tabs on what is happening with the pub,all in a professional manner of course, it's all part of the job.

A wet grey day so no walks possible, as it turned out Peter was here till lunchtime getting the hot water system up and running.
We had six guests due and they are all here by 8:30pm.
We had a visit from Andrew,Nancy and the delightful Ellie this morning, its the first time we have seen them since they moved away from the village and the Tower Bank. Ellie was off school because of the council workers strike which took place today.





These are a couple of pictures of the spring flowers which are starting to burst into life.

This is a picture from yesterdays walk up to Moss Eccles, the path is blocked by a fallen branch, snow, not wind brought the branch down. It was incredible the amount of trees and branches brought down by the snow.



It has been a grey drizzly (is that a word) sort of a day, we have had Peter the plumber in today replacing the hot water cylinder, the job is not finished yet but it will have to be tomorrow, we have people arriving.

Quite a good day with higher temperatures than of late.
We had 10 for breakfast and then when we finished at about 1:30 we set off up Coopers Lane and then back down into the village, it was our last Sunday afternoon off before we start teas next week , so we pitched up to the Tower for a Sunday pint,they seemed to be providing soup and sandwiches all afternoon.
One or two locals were in Denis & Margaret came in and introduced themselves to their new neighbours.
Tonight the rain has set in, but if it rains when it is dark, perfect.

No prizes for guessing where I have been today, down the M6 to pick up Denis & Margaret
on their return from Spain, the flight was on time but they had a slight delay in reclaiming baggage.
While waiting I listened to the Merseyside derby on the radio, a 3-1 win for the red half of the city.
We got an email from Matthew and Sarah this morning, they are in Nazco which is in the Southern Peru, they plan to head inland soon into the mountains ready for the trekking part of the journey.
We are off out for a drink at the Tower later, better not be to late in though the clocks go forward tonight so an hour less in bed.

A miserable damp day all day.
Denis rang this morning from Spain, they are home tomorrow.
I had to go down to Hawkshead this afternoon and pick up Denis's medication ready for his arrival back home.
We have just the one room free tonight,a party of eight are in along with two brothers.
The garage rang this afternoon to tell me the car was ready to pick up, I will leave it till tomorrow and then carry on to Liverpool airport to pick up Denis & Margaret.
I had a note from Seattle America this morning, a teacher who showed the picture of the lambs to her class and wondered if we could keep her updated with the progress of the lambs, I am not sure they want to know.

What an eventful day,on the way back from Ulverston we had to call in at Grange-over-Sands and just as the we parked up the transmission went on the car.We rang the AA and they came and decided the car had to go to Kendal, they sent for a lorry and the lorry took the front nudge bars off our car, he of course blamed everything except himself.
Anyway everything is sorted and they provided us with a hire car all in the deal with Landrover.



It has all been pictures of snow till this week and now it looks like it will be pictures of lambs.

Due to all the car problems and being late home we called in at the Tower for supper and enjoyed it very much, there was quite a few locals in early doors which is always good.

Another fantastic sunny morning.
We have to dash of to Ulverston this morning to stock up on some shopping.
Helen rang some long standing customers this morning, Derek & Vicky, it's Dereks birthday today 65 years old and retired as well.

Spring arrived today although at 8am the temperature was -2 degrees.
On the way to work this morning I saw these new born lambs in Post Office Meadow they must be the first of many belonging Gary & Rosie at Hill Top Farm.
We had a walk the long way round to Sawrey stores for the paper and then back along the footpath into Near Sawrey.






Come in number 2 your time is up, this is one of Pauls at Belle Green Farm.



It was such a fantastic day we then had a walk to the Fish farm on Esthwaite Water, plenty of boats and fisherman about and plenty of trout being caught, we watched these men landing a fine specimen, it shows how cold it has been though because there was still ice at the edges of the lake.

We heard from Matthew & Sarah this afternoon they are still in Peru in a place called Ica. They are staying there for a couple of days

The Japanese girls left this morning and are on their way to Haworth in West Yorkshire and an Irish couple who had been in for a couple of nights also left to catch the ferry from Stranrare.



We managed to get a walk in this afternoon and went up Coopers Lane round Moss Eccles and back down into Far Sawrey where we picked up the papers from Sawrey Stores.



This is the Sawrey iceberg still there on Tuesday and it is a full week since we had any significant snow, will it be there forever?

I don't know any Birmingham football fans.

Another day that helped the big thaw, we had a couple of guests arriving today and I had to go into Kendal this afternoon so we never got out for a walk.
The clocks go forward this weekend so we will get more opportunity's to get out for a stroll in the evenings.
I called in at the shop and saw Alan and Dad, Ally has just come back from Spain where he met up for a drink or three with with Denis & Margaret. He brought us back a nice bottle of wine and some reading material from Nerja.





We had a delivery of paving stones this morning, Roger is coming to sort out the bottom of the steps at Denis & Margarets house.

At last the technology works.
These are pictures from yesterday on our walk.







The Japanese girls have arrived and we are now waiting for an Irish couple who rang this afternoon, so not a bad night as it turns out 6 guests in all.
Denis was on the phone from Spain this morning and it will not be long before they are home.

Still got a problem putting pictures on the blog, it is a server problem apparently.
The snow is thawing slowly and it is a dry day, we are awaiting two more Japanese guests who are booked in tonight.
I have just been watching Liverpool gain a comfortable victory against Newcastle at St James Park.

For some reason we are unable to post pictures, will try in the morning.
We managed to get out for a walk today and headed down the dub then cut up into the woods, a big mistake because walking was very tricky because of the snow.
We heard a couple of woodpeckers tapping away and in the snow saw lots of tracks of deer and rabbits.
We called for and paid for the papers at Sawrey Stores.
A full house at Buckle Yeat tonight and most are eating at the Tower Bank Arms.
Matthew was in touch again this afternoon and is moving on to a place called Pisco tomorrow, apparently pisco is a famous S. American drink.

The snow lingers on into mid March, it was the week before Easter this time last year and the camp sites would be filling up. A night in a tent would not seem like a holiday to me in this weather.



This is the spring plants at home trying to show that spring is on the way.



All the guests in early evening, so we headed to the Tower for a quick drink I had Guinness, it is St Patricks day after all. There was quite a few locals in we had a good night.

Peter the plumber was in action today and the bad news is I think we need a new water cylinder, the problem is finding a blank day to carry out the work, looks like a week on Monday is the first day we have free.



This is the pile of snow left by the snow plough, there piles of snow like this all over the village.

Matthew and Sarah are in Lima Peru at the moment, they have just completed a 10 hour overnight bus trip,I think they are making their way to the mountains to begin their trek to Machu Picchu.

These pictures of snowmen came through this morning, built by Alan, Joe & Charlotte, pictures taken by Alan aged 8. I think we have a snow-man and a snow-woman.





The village is full of parcel delivery people this morning, most are going to Hill Top shop to stock up ready for 1st April.
Rejoice! the ferry is back in operation this morning

I have never seen so much snow, lots of branches down with the weight of snow and the snow ploughs are out trying to get all the side roads cleared.







These pictures were taken by Margaret and Rachel yesterday, hopefully there was nobody in the tent or the mini.
When I went for the paper today I was lucky to catch a man with a plough on the front of a tractor, I managed to talk him into Buckle Yeat car park to try and move some of the snow, we have people coming tomorrow.
We have just looked at the ferry web cam, click on the link in the side bar to view,it seems the ferry might be back in operation soon,they look like they are testing it.

Yet more snow today,this first picture is the snowman on the Tower front,a bit of a jaunty angle!



This is some tables and a chair outside the pub, it won't last.



We had a message from Ellie,my god daughter, she was really upset the snow stopped her going to school (not).
Margaret ( birthday girl) sent some more shots of the snow, I will put them on tomorrow.
We had a call from my brother Alan who is in Spain and has today met up with Denis & Margaret, they all sound to be having a great time

The snow carried on into the night, but all the guests managed to get away this morning,two had passage booked on the I.O.M ferry, two on the Windermere launch,the Japanese girls I took them to the ferry, and two had to drive to the Northeast.
By lunchtime the roads were improving.

I can only remember more snow in Sawrey only once, that was about 6 years ago and it was February.
No one was moving very far in the village and it did not stop snowing till nearly 4pm and then tonight it started snowing again.



This is Rachel our niece longing for a go on the kids playground



All these pictures where taken my sister-in-law Margaret



This is a snow sculpture by the Japanese girls, I think it is Peter Rabbit, well who else could it be.
Ellie B. my god daughter has been on the phone tonight, she was hoping school would be open tomorrow (not).

I hate football!!!!

We awoke to a heavy fall of snow and as I write this at 1pm it is still falling steadily. A couple of Japanese girls are having to stay an extra night, there is no way to get them around to wonderment with these road conditions.
The snow plough has been through the village twice already.
There seems to be a snowman under construction on the Tower Bank car park.
Pictures later.

A full house tonight lucky 13 for breakfast in the morning,if the weather man is to be believed and the snow arrives in the quantities they predict they will not be going anywhere fast in the morning.
I have been going to Sawrey Stores every morning for our papers and a neighbours whilst his daughter is on holiday.
This picture is the impressive fruit and veg display, it looks like a stall in the famous Barcelona market.



These two shots are the jetties at Waterhead.





We are off out later to sample a pint and a glass of red wine at the Tower Bank, the new people seemed to have settled in quickly and look to have a busy house tonight.
They opened for food this weekend and the first reports we have heard are good.

Yesterday two ladies, Mother and daughter checked out and went for a walk up on Claife, at about noon the mountain rescue ambulance went hurrying through the village and it turned out the older lady had slipped on a rock and broke her leg. I spoke to her daughter who was obviously a bit fraught but she was full of praise for the Langdale Mountain rescue team who turned up and carried her Mum to safety,the ambulance took her to Lancaster and the daughter followed in her car. Hopefully she will make a swift recovery.

Hola again from South America! Trujillo in Peru to be precise! We arrived in this city today, its relatively big with a very nice central Plaza - as all the towns seem to have! A bit of drizzle this afternoon, which keeps the temperature down a bit. We´ve been struggling with the heat a little. Better than snow I guess! We hope to visit some pre-Incan ruins tomorrow so hope its coolish but dry. As I type, its quite noisy - we think the fesivities are something to do with the upcoming elections here on the 9th of April. As dad said, we´re in the best place if there is a coup! Our hostel is nice although the shower looks dangerous! Think cold is going to be the best option!

Adios

Matthew & Sarah

A misty start to the day but the sun did shine for a few minutes.
Helen was busy restoring a nest of tables to their former glory, we picked them up in Kendal yesterday and the transformation is fantastic, we might go into the furniture renovation business.
I had the glamorous job of re-fitting a toilet seat, then painting the post that the Buckle Yeat sign hangs on.
We also scrubbed the flags in front of Buckle Yeat.
All jobs done and the heavens opened.



Just as we where turning of the computer this afternoon Matthew came on line and we were able to actually talk for about 10 minutes via the MSN system, incredible really clear reception from another hemisphere

What a miserable day, rain and mist all day. We set off to Kendal and I don't mean to repeat myself but no ferry so we had to round by Ambleside. We called in at the shop for some cleaning gear and saw Alan and Dad, Dad was quite happy that Chelsea failed last night, lets hope Liverpool can go one better, I am under orders to keep Matthew in Peru up to date via text messages.
We had lunch in Artisan the restaurant attached to Booths supermarket. We both had salad Helen's had salmon and I had chicken, very tasty.





Nice weather for ducks.

Just as it going dark the clouds are breaking and the rain has stopped.

It's a week into March and winter has arrived, a covering of snow and then a cold rainy day.
A walk was out of the question, the only high point was chatting to Matthew via MSN.





Only one couple in today, again no ferry so the village is pretty much deserted.
Off to Kendal in the morning after breakfast.

No guests this morning so we took the chance to get a few jobs done at home and then came up to Buckle Yeat at lunchtime.
We had another e-mail from Matthew in Peru, very hot!
Just the one guest still to arrive he is expecting to get here mid evening and as I write this I think he has just pulled into the car park.
Helen has just gone home to prepare our tea.
False alarm the missing guest still missing, hope he has not gone to the ferry.
It has been another nice day but the rain is on the way according to the weather man.

After we got all the jobs done this morning we set off down Dub Lane and on to the main road and then through to Cunsey, we then walked along the shores of Windemere.





We rang Denis this morning in sunny but apparently cool Spain, they are both well and into the last three weeks of their break.