This week has been one of those where lots of big jobs get started and several don’t quite get finished. Our builders and plumbers have been working hard on the ensuite in the Cow Shed – installing the shower, the screen, and the toilet cistern. Our joiner still needs to finish the vanity unit and install the skirting boards and architraves, but the room is definitely starting to come together.
The Cow Shed kitchen is also gathering shape. We had to wait for the sink to be replaced after we spotted a manufacturer’s defect. Now though, it’s in position and the cupboards have been readied for the worktop templating which also took place this week. The worktops are due to be installed this coming week (in the Cow Shed kitchen, ensuite and in the laundry) which will really help to finish the rooms off.
Our joiner has been busy in our laundry too. We’re expanding our laundry so it’s ready for having the third barn open too (despite being a few years away), with additional storage cupboards both floor-to-ceiling to store the additional bedding, and above the worktops to store all the laundry tablets and whitener. The room is a little cramped now but it’s going to work perfectly. Our plumbers have installed the second washer dryer in the guest laundry too so if we have two separate groups of guests staying there won’t be a wait to do any washing.
We’ve been getting through a few smaller jobs too. We made a start oiling the internal doors in the Cow Shed – we learnt from moving into the Shippon that solid oak doors show up water droplets and can bow if they’re not oiled, and so we want to make time for two coats of oil on the Cow Shed ones. So far we’ve managed one coat on both sides – but as our builders return on Monday we’ve brought the doors into the Shippon to find some dust-free space to finish off a second coat. It’s a little interesting manoeuvring around the various boxes bought for the Cow Shed and now two large doors laying down!
At long last we’ve replaced the bathroom/ensuite taps and toilet handles in the Farmhouse. We replaced the taps in the bathroom a while ago – since then everything else has looked a bit old-fashioned. So when one of taps needed replacing in the ensuite, we took the opportunity to replace the toilet handles in the master ensuite and the bathroom too. It looks so much better now everything has been brought up to a modern spec.
We’re delighted too to have made our first Cow Shed booking, despite not being ready to open! Our most recent guests not only sent us the most amazing card after their stay to say thank you – they have also booked both the Farmhouse and the Cow Shed for a later visit. We’re delighted that they have so much trust in us, having stayed for a week in the Farmhouse, that they’ve booked the Cow Shed without seeing it ready!
On Saturday John took our current guests down to the neighbouring farm so their granddaughter could see the animals. We’re really grateful to our neighbours to let our guests visit and show them round, especially with the amount of work they have to do. This time they had three-week-old calves, three new pigs, a few remaining lambs and the usual dairy herd.
We did take Sunday off to walk to Dalwood Vineyard as one of the pub hikes that John organises with some of the local villages. I think we ended up with almost 30 people walking this time, which is by far one of the largest groups. It’s still early in the season so the grapes haven’t started forming on the vines, but it’s still lovely to go and drink wine amongst the vines and hear all about the grapes and how they’re grown. It’s very easy to spend most our time working on our job list but it’s equally important to enjoy where we live too.
Ley Farm Cottages 