Miserable weather means no photos, the final couple of the New Year gang have arrived along with their granddaughter Holly. They rang this morning to say they were coming and it was just as well because the couple who took their room last night wanted to stay on. They had come to Sawrey because they had been to the cinema the previous evening to watch Miss Potter the movie and so wanted to see the locations, I asked if they recognised any of the village and they said they did, I didn't spoil by saying none of was filmed in Sawrey. Non the less it was our first booking as a direct result of the film.
We have been busy most of the day preparing for tonight's buffet at Buckle Yeat, I have a couple of games lined up and so there should be a couple of funny photos for tomorrow
The wind is getting up this afternoon, hopefully it will not be as bad as forecast.

All change at Buckle Yeat this morning, the New Year gang all arrived, well all but John and Mags, he was not on top form this morning they hope to arrive tomorrow, we managed to re-let the the room for tonight.
Denis and Margaret have been off to Kendal and picked up our wallpaper for next weeks job.
Alan is up for the weekend and will be dragging us out to the Tower no doubt.
The village has been really busy today with quite a lot of children about.
A good win for Liverpool again after the midweek debacle.

I'm afraid it's another grey damp day, high winds are on the way. The ferry is still operating at the moment which is good because we have to go to Kendal later and buy yet more food, we do a buffet for our regular New Year people on New Years Eve, we have cooked a ham and tomorrow we will poach a salmon.
We have a couple or rooms available tonight, a bit of bad planning on our part, with the weather being so miserable I can't see anybody calling but you never know.
Still lots of people are looking for Hill Top, I think the hype of the film Miss Potter is starting to attract even more visitors.
We had a strange request late last night, 5 ladies checked in Anvil cottage, a self catering place in the village, they discovered the agents had forgot to leave them towels, so they rang our door bell and asked to borrow some, of course we did but I could not imagine ringing a complete strangers door bell after dark and saying "could you lend me 5 bath towels" if you don't ask you don't get.

14 for breakfast this morning, a busy time. The village is really busy with lots of walkers about, the day is miserable but people are trying to get out for a walk, the pub looks full, it always is these few days after Christmas.
For the last few days I have been driving with the low fuel warning light on, I feel it a waste of a journey to out specially for diesel and planned to get some tomorrow when we go shopping, however I thought I better just nip to Ambleside and top up, I got as far as Hawkshead and ran out, great!
I rang home and Matthew came to the rescue, he spotted his mate's dad Richard and guessed he would have some diesel to spare, they are builders and have a couple of wagons on the road. Saved, Richard had a 5 gallon jerry can full so he gave me that, I filled up and then went to Ambleside filled my car and refilled Richards can.
Just one couple left this morning and the new guests have just arrived, we should be able to brave the elements and get a walk.



A gloomy view across Esthwaite Water taken from Hawkshead trout farm.

The rain that was forecast arrived early afternoon and it is a pretty miserable looking day.
We are up at Buckle Yeat preparing for the incoming guests, two rooms have arrived early.
Whilst we are waiting I am trying to catch up with my VAT returns, great fun at this festive time of the year but it has to be done and right after the New Year we will be very busy replacing the staircase at Buckle Yeat, that job is all in hand, stairs measured and ordered as is the carpet and wallpaper.
Hawkshead seemed quite busy this morning, I had forgot to order bread so went and picked some up.
Matthew is working in Ambleside today and then I think he gets a couple of days off.
The grocery delivery man has just been and he said it was snowing in Grizdale forest, it feels cold enough for snow.

Christmas lunch in the Kirby household.
We had an excellent day yesterday, we met Denis and Margaret in the Tower Bank,it was busy as usual, lots of people from holiday cottages and quite a good mix of locals.
The rest of the day was as it will have been all over the country, good food and plenty of good red wine, Alan supplied the champagne.







Dad and Alan went home after breakfast and Matthew was at work in Hawkshead, me and Helen went a short walk up the tops, it was misty and very cold.
Bad news on the footy front a loss away to Blackburn.
Back to work in the morning, a full house coming in tomorrow.
The ambulance went through on Christmas day with the siren wailing, apparently it went down ferry hill but we have heard no more.


Christmas lunch for the animals.
Re the Christmas day ambulance, check out the comments, best wishes to Claire.

Christmas eve and at last people have to stop shopping, well at least till the sales start.
We spent the morning preparing as much as we could for tomorrows lunch, my brother Alan and Dad have come up for a couple of days, they will stay at Buckle Yeat and will come down to our house for breakfast.







This afternoon it went very cold, we went a walk round by the church, through the woods and back into the village, Helen's mum came with us.
Dad and Alan have had supper with us and then gone up to Buckle Yeat to get their glad rags on and we will meet them in the Tower Bank a little later.

A strange Saturday with no breakfasts to supply, we could get use to this. Helen was busy busy busy with tonights tea and some early preparations for the big day.
I went down to Hawkshead for some free range eggs from the Honeypot, a great little shop. We usually get them from Amy at Hill Top but her hens have stopped laying, she works for Fiona at the Honeypot so I took her Christmas present down, Helen has always gets her a little something.
Whilst in Hawkshead about 10 lads on bikes went through the village dressed in full Santa suits complete with beards and hats, they were shouting "Merry Christmas" as they went by.



We had a walk this afternoon up Coopers lane and by Moss Eccles, it was very still and no people about.





These two picture are taken from the same vantage point, the top one is Far Sawrey and the second is Near Sawrey.

We are in a pattern of misty murky weather and it looks no better over the weekend.
We are shut at Buckle Yeat till just after Christmas, it feels strange not to be expecting guests in on a Friday.
After resolving the dishwasher problem (at a price) we discovered a leak on the hot water boiler, thankfully I managed to fix that myself.





These two pictures are of the children's playground at Tarn Hill, the lads have been busy and moved the big boulders, extended the playground and replanted the beech hedge, it looks really tidy now.
Me and Helen took the a walk to the Sawrey Stores via the lane up to Moss Eccles and down past Scutcheon House and along Cuckoo Brow lane.
The ladies at Sawrey Stores have the shop stocked to the gunnels with all sorts of goodies.

Denis went to Hawkshead this afternoon and had a lucky escape, he was surprised by a deer jumping out in front of him and he was unable to stop in time, he hit the deer full on but thankfully the deer recovered and ran off and unbelievably there was no damage to his car, a large tuft of hair left on the bumper was the only evidence left, that was from the deer not from Denis.

Another dreary cold day, a few jobs to sort at home, Helen got on with cleaning the brass and I tried to sort out the TV reception in Matthews bedroom.

Another call from Denis for my limited plumbing skills then off to Hawkshead to post a parcel to Lorna, she is 60 on Christmas Eve so Helen has sent her a small gift.
Success with the TV and plumbing jobs, it isn't always that way.

I was on taxi duty tonight, Matthew is at Coniston for the works Christmas party
It was really foggy over the tops to Coniston and so visibility was very poor, thankfully it was not icy.
I got back just in time for the visit of the Christmas carolers, a group of villagers and 5 or 6 young children who go round both villages raising money for local charities.
The kids sang us one carol on their own but after we gave them some sweets they left the rest of the singing to the adults.

A frosty cold misty morning, I got a call from Denis, plumbing problems,not him his house.
I called in and replaced a couple of washers and said I would be back later to sort out the overflowing cistern.







We set off to the ferry and just missed it, so we waited in the gloom. Then across the lake and into Kendal for yet some more Christmas shopping and I had my haircut.
We got back about 5pm and replaced the washer in the cistern at Denis & Margarets.
We had our tea and settled down to watch the football and to my dismay found it had been called of due to fog, Helen was quite amused.

Another stunning day, what a difference a bit of sunshine makes.
We had to hang around this morning waiting for the engineer to come and repair the dishwasher, when he did arrive he proceeded to condemn the dishwasher as beyond repair without spending a fortune on it. We have decided to cut our losses and replace it, more expense.



We set off with our local Christmas cards and posted them as we went our walk,we took a detour up to Moss Eccles and then down into Far Sawrey with more cards to deliver.




This looks like a mist dropping in but it turned out to be a bonfire.

It was the regional premier of the Miss Potter film last night, it took place at the Royalty Cinema in Bowness, a few of the stars attended and it was on the TV news tonight, there was at least 3 features in different weekend papers, more hype.

At last a sunny morning, 8 for breakfast and they have all left, that's it now till the 27th December.
Me and Helen are going to Ulverston later today, Helen makes up some holly wreaths and we put them on mums, grans and Helens great aunts respective graves. We then will call in at my aunties who is not well.
The plan is after we have done our duty we will catch up with our Alan in town for a Sunday lunchtime beer and a bite to eat, very civilised.




Simon from Far Sawrey sent these two pictures from yesterdays childrens Christmas party.

Back on breakfast duties this morning, while we were setting up this morning I heard a knock knock and thought it was a guest try to wake her mum in the downstairs room, I heard it again and thought I would tell her we had a spare key if she was worried about mum so I opened the first door and no one was there, I then heard the old lady shouting for help, the poor old dear had sat on the bed and slipped onto the floor and was unable to get back up. I fetched her daughter and we managed to get her back on her feet and she was fine if not a bit embarrassed.

We had a visit today from god daughter Ellie with presents for us all, Luckily Helen had wrapped her Christmas presents up yesterday.

Denis and Margaret went and did their duty up at the children Christmas party in Braithwaite Hall, I think there was about 36 children. He looked the part in the new Santa suit.




It has been dry all day but not as cold as expected.
I watched the Liverpool game and was pleased to see another win, mind you Charlton were very poor.







Margaret was chaperone for Denis and took my camera to the party.

We have been at Buckle Yeat all day getting ready for incoming guests, not a full house but not bad for this time of year,just a couple of rooms free.

The weather is no better and I called in at Hawkshead this afternoon, it was very quiet.
Colder but drier weather is forecast, lets hope so.


We have also been busy making up 40 bags of sweets for Santa, aka Denis, to distribute tomorrow, he is going to be at Braithwaite Hall tomorrow all dressed up in a large red outfit.
Sawrey and Cunsey Childrens committee give all the local kids a party and a gift.




A couple of shots of the decorations at Buckle Yeat

The rain continues to fall, it has been the worst weather we have had for years, I know the lake district is prone to the odd shower but this is ridiculous. On the TV the other day it said 7" of rain had fallen on Honister Fell in a 12 hour period, that's a lot of water.

We went to Kendal this morning and the local authority seem to be keeping the drains clear so the roads are ok but the rivers are in full spate and Windermere and Esthwaite Water are full to the brim. It goes without saying the ferry is out of commission, two weeks ago you had to drive uphill to board so now it must be impossible.If you check the ferrycam you can see Windermere is almost on the road.

Kendal was quiet, probably due to the weather,we did a little bit of the festive induced shopping, it would be a doddle if you knew what to buy.
We also ordered the carpet for the stairs,the next thing to source is the wallpaper.
Buckle Yeat is back in action tomorrow, so we will be preparing for incoming guests.

Yesterday there was yet another film crew in the village and at Hill Top, I guess it was connected with the forthcoming Miss Potter film,the hype builds up.



Yesterday was a horrible wet and windy day and today was not much better, it's not the type of weather to take any pictures.
We went down the side of Esthwaite water this afternoon and it looked like the Irish Sea rather than a lake.
I have been struggling to make contact with the skip man but this afternoon he answered the phone and will be removing the skip full of old bathrooms tomorrow.

Yesterday was another awful day and we had a big turnout at Buckle Yeat so no chance to get out for a walk.

A much better day today with sunshine all day, we had a day off so we went for a good long walk in Grizedale Forest. We parked at High Cross then set off into the forest, all those trails look the same but we managed to do a round trip and we were walking for over two hours without getting lost.
Matthew has gone to London for a job interview, fingers crossed. He will be back tomorrow.


Coniston village with the Old Man in the background.




This one of the many mushrooms we came across today.

A busy breakfast then I sorted out the light at the front door and put some Christmas lights outside Denis and Margaret's. Helen and her mum were busy making mince pies.







No rain today so we went a walk, its ages since we got outdoors, we headed up Coopers lane then past Moss Eccles and on to Far Sawrey for some naan bread, chicken curry for tea.
There was a rally stage taking place in Grizdale forest and you could hear the cars all day, at one point you could also hear a lot of emergency service sirens,I am not sure if the two are connected,
Kept an eye on the footy this afternoon, a good win for Liverpool but Denis will be miffed, Preston got beat by their main rivals Birmingham.

At last a dry sunny day and at last the bathrooms are finished, I promise these are the last pictures.


This the downstairs room before the work


And after the work.




We had a busy day as the joiners did not get finished till lunchtime and just to cap it all we had the dreaded hotel inspector from the tourist board,I know they have a job to do but trying to tell Helen how to run a B&B is like teaching your Granny to suck eggs.

We got the Christmas tree launched at Buckle Yeat but will have to sort out the wall lights at the front door tomorrow.
We should have been full but had a late cancellation, one couple out of a six party had to pull out due to illness, they sent a couple of bottles of wine by way of an apology, there was no need for that but it was appreciated. A couple of regulars had rung up midweek for Saturday night so we gave them a ring and they are coming to take the vacant room.

It was mother in law Margaret's birthday yesterday and so we all went out to the Tower Bank for a meal, Max the young lad who works there took this picture.We all enjoyed the night with good food and wine.

This morning we headed for Kendal and were surprised to find the ferry operating, it wasn't this afternoon.
Torrential rain all day and a number of flood warnings are in place, Carlisle is bracing itself for more floods.The water level in Windermere is very high and I guess that is why the ferry was suspended.
Kendal was busy with Christmas shoppers,we called in at the carpet shop to try to choose a new stairs carpet at Buckle Yeat, the stairs need replacing so that is the next big project for us this winter.

A much brighter day, we had to go to Barrow this morning and take back the unused tiles for a refund. The bath panels arrived at last and when they have been fitted the job is complete, just in time because we are full this weekend.





The river Leven was in full spate, this is just below the bridge that gives its name to Newby Bridge.





We took a detour and took these pictures in Backbarrow, the Whitewater Hotel is on the site of former industrial buildings that used the river as a form of power, first there was a cotton mill and then it was used to make Dolly Blue a dye and a type of detergent, apparently it was called Reckitts Blue, Dolly Blue being a rival firm, locally though people called it the Dolly Blue works. I remember as a child before the Backbarrow bypass was built going through the village and as kids we loved seeing all the blue buildings, the stuff got everywhere.

We called at Stribers farm on the way home and bought the Christmas Tree for outside Buckle Yeat, all the way to Barrow we saw signs for "Xmas" trees,we were looking for Christmas trees.

  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOROTHY 89 YEARS YOUNG TODAY.
This my girlfriend from Derbyshire who is celebrating her birthday today.Dorothy and her daughter Judy are regular guests.



We were at Buckle Yeat all day waiting for the flooring firm to come and lay the the floor coverings in the bathrooms, the joiners finished this morning (bath panels not arrived yet). We started to sort out the decorations for Christmas in Buckle Yeat, why do the lights never work when you get them out, anyway we got them all going and Helen dressed the tree and before the weekend I will get the tree for outside.
The floor people turned up late and one of them was a young girl learning, they did a great job and we are very pleased.

Here in Sawrey it has been a wild and wet weekend, we had gales overnight on Saturday and we were quite surprised to have power when we woke on Sunday morning, tomorrow might be a different story though because the wind are picking up again and the weather forecast is for more gales overnight.

It is the world premier of the new film "Miss Potter" in Leicester Square London this afternoon. The film, which stars Renee Zelwegger and Ewan Mcgregor, is going on general release at the beginning of January, already the hype is kicking in with articles in many newspapers and film crews visiting Near Sawrey, there has been at least two crews in the village over this weekend taking shots of the village.

Liverpool at last won an away game yesterday and have just been drawn against Arsenal in the 3rd round of the FA cup a tough draw but at least it is at Anfield, we are due a win against the gunners.

My camera has not been out in this horrible weather and we have been busy finishing of the refurbishments at Buckle Yeat, tomorrow should see it all finished if the bath panels arrive.The flooring firm are due in the morning

These are a couple pictures from last week in Spain when we saw these aliens landing.