Tuesday

Hi

I really should try to come up with better names for my posts rather than "Tuesday"....but I have nothing....

So yesterday - after spending the day in agony with my back - I went to the Doctor, and I got painkillers - and I should be sent an appointment with a physio - in SIX WEEKS!! If I still have this problem in 6 weeks I'll be really pissed off!  I'm guessing that by the time the appointment comes through I'll need physio on something else!  I am losing patience with all the problems I keep having - I have planter faciitis in my foot - my back is killing - this time last year I had a dodgy back (in a different place).  Anyway - the painkillers are good - so thats a plus...

Me and Andy have just got the annex ready for the next guest - was good of him to help me - invalid that I am....

We just got a review off our last guest - a really good one - it says:

Just lovely. It’s an old house with real character and the annex has been well prepared for guests. Must be the biggest one bedroom apartment I’ve staying in through Airbnb. Working kitchen for those of you who want to cook, not a galley with a micro and a fridge like you usually get. Hosts were just great, lovely people engaging and easy to deal with. Local pub to walk to that’s a great local. It’s kind of out of the way even though you are so close to Taunton. Bedroom and bathroom were great. Definitely a “find”.

I like that one!  All of the reviews have been really good, and its awesome to know that people are enjoying it!

Andy is taking a few days off in July - and we have blocked the dates off so we don't get guests.  I need to ask a neighbour to feed the cats and I need to find somewhere for us to go - hopefully a weird and wacky experience for us to do.  

The weather is really warm today but there is rain too - we are supposed to be getting thunder storms followed by amazing sunshine by the weekend.  Watch this space for BBQ pics! :-)

I dont even know why I am writing this blog today - I don't really have much to say.  Oh....I have almost finished the four poster bed - putting curtains on it....I should have a pic...

It actually cost quite a lot to sort this out - over £200.  New curtains at the windows too to match the bed.  Andy closes all the curtains on the bed - he is aiming for a complete blackout and I'm doing everything I can - but he says bits of light are still coming in from around the window - even with shutters and curtains!  Maybe I should just buy him an eye mask - certainly cheaper! lol.

I'm not sure what to do with myself now...I need a shower - and the gardeners will be here at some point.  

Its nearly 1pm so Andy is going to want food soon. I've decided that food is my enemy.  I spent weeks dieting to lose a few pounds and have put it all back on in less than a week - I haven't even had major food frenzies or anything - just had normal stuff.  Its like I'm constantly fighting a losing battle.  Anyway - I'll make some lunch for Andy then jump in the shower - hopefully out and decent b4 the gardeners turn up because she always wants to nip to the loo!  Hoping they do something good in the garden today as we have made sure all the grass is cut!  Sorry for boring you with this post....I'll leave....

Thursday again

Hi

Wow I'm knackered - I end up doing much more when Andy is around - I don't want him to witness how lazy I can be when he is not here - even though when he is here he always says - just sit down and chill!

Today I have finished getting the annex ready - for our eleventh guest.  They turned up about 3pm - and they are soooo nice!  Plus they gushed about the annex so that will always make me like people!

I've been out to B&Q and bought poles to put up around the four poster bed in the guest room - where Andy also sleeps a lot because he gets kicked out of our bed for snoring!  I then went to Dunelm and bought curtains and bedding.  Managed to get the curtains up - but could only buy one pair in store, I've had to order the others online.  This is how it looks with one of the pairs of curtains up:

So - I'm hoping when all the curtains are up - as well as matching ones at the window (which Andy said not to get because it ends up too expensive - but I ordered them anyway!) it will look awesome!

I need to stop spending money though because I've bought too many things for the house lately! I need to rein it in!

Did I mention we hit all the criteria for Super-host on Airbnb?  Probably did....it wont come into effect until July 1st - but that's only 10 days away!

Weekend with Lissa

Hi!

So...I drove to Staines on Friday, it took about 3 hours but was fine.  I spent some time shopping!  Was really nice because it has been ages since I've had a look around for new clothes - bought a few tops and trousers - mainly from Next - and had a coffee and sandwich before heading to Lissa's.  She'd left a key for me but I only arrived about 10 minutes before she did.  Her house is looking really nice and cozy!

We ended up just sat on the couch chatting and catching up loads and having a drink - it was really good because me and Lissa can chat forever.  We went to bed not too late and not too drunk!  Unfortunately because I slept in their spare room it meant that when Antony started snoring Lissa ended up downstairs on the couch.  I was just peacefully drifting off to sleep when Lissa let out a proper scream from downstairs - followed by another and then a few more - I SHOT out of bed and ran...I found her at the bottom of the stairs surrounded by black and white fur!  Black fur from her cat and white fur from a cat that had let itself in through the catflap...she was screaming because they started to properly fight and she couldnt get them apart!  Antony (who is completely deaf in one ear) slept through it all!!  This was surprising because I'm sure both their neighbours would have heard it lol.  It took a few years off my life and was a bit difficult trying to get back to sleep with such a fast heart beat! lol.

Saturday - we took our time and then made our way into London for the show (Wicked).  We picked up the tickets and time to kill so went to the pub where Lissa managed to spill her drink all over my leg! lol.  Then we bought a bottle of wine in the theatre and made our way to our seats...we thought that somebody was sat in our seats but were told that we had much better seats in the stalls - not theirs!

The show was really good - although by the interval I was pretty wasted and spent the 2nd half of the show sobering up! lol.  Afterwards we went for a Mexican meal and cocktails which was awesome!

Took us a while to get home - and we in bed pretty soon afterwards!  Both nights we were in bed just before midnight - I'd say I was getting too old but Lissa is worse than me!

It was an awesome weekend and well worth the journey!  Andy did okay with the guests whilst I was away although he missed them at the door when they arrived (at first - then he heard them) and as they left (he was on the loo!) lol.  They still left an awesome review!

I drove back from Lissa's on Sunday - got home about 2pm - it was fathers day so I stopped off and got him a card and pressie (Bourbon) off the cats :-)

Wednesday

Hi!

Thought I'd just catch up a bit while sitting here doing nothing! I'll come back to that.

So...errr where did I last sign off....the airbnb - had 9 people stay now and 8 of those have left a review - all 5*.  The one that didn't leave a review turned up smelling of weed, and then I could smell it coming from the annex part of the house!  He disappeared for ages to, and then 2 ppl left when he came alone...  This whole visit left me feeling really uneasy, but when he left - other than the smell everything was okay!  I left him a short review not mentioning the smell - and he didn't leave a review at all - lol - I'm guessing he was concerned...?

We have quite a lot of bookings now - and after our next guests - this weekend, we should have met all the requirements to be awarded 'super-host" status on airbnb!  I'd like that because I just think that it gives people (me included, in the past) confidence that the person knows what they are doing. 

I've had a few days off in the first time, in what seems like ages - but since 24th May - 20 days or something? with guests every 3-4 days.  Busy!  The last guest left Monday and our next one is Friday - so Monday I went a bit mad vacuuming and cleaning our side of the house, making beds and doing washing, as well as washing annex bedding/towels and ironing bedding and making the bed.  By the end of the day - it felt great - and knowing I had days to finish the annex.  That night - my foot was KILLING me (planter fasciitis) and it was really annoying realising that it has not improved at all.  So - I decided that the next 2-3 days I was really going to keep off my foot and be lazy!  Andy was insisting too - but really I didn't need much persuading!  I must admit I'm loving it! hahaha! getting up and getting coffee and moving to the couch! lol.  I have done bits n bobs, because my conscience doesn't allow me to contribute absolutely nothing to...something! So, got lots more washing/drying/putting away done yesterday and made bread in the bread machine - and today I have used an old staple gun I found and put a plastic material thing I bought, over the lid on a box used in the bathroom, and eaten yesterdays bread!  It is 1.17pm and I haven't even bothered to get dressed! I have a dressing gown on and PJ bottoms - and my hair is so greasy i'd be embarrassed for anybody to see me right now! If somebody comes to the door I think I will hide!  My foot, by the way is hurting much less!  I plan on being a little busier tomorrow - have sorted for shopping to be delivered at 10am - it should contain hair dye (which I WAS going to do today, but I refuse to leave the house to buy some).

Other things we have been doing....we went to a garden center at the weekend and spent some money for the first time in ages!  We bought, 2 big conifers to place between us and our neighbor - one window overlooks us - otherwise we are completely secluded!  We also bought a stone bench with squirrels as the legs, a big stone snail we have named Gail, and a stone cat that we have named Roger (as our two little cats are named after Freddie Mercury and Brain May....Roger Taylor), and we got a rose bush as roses are one of the few things that we don't have in the garden!

The bench...



Gail the Snail....cats like her!



And...just a really cute picture of Mercky and May....



So....

while I've been sat on the couch for hours - I've been looking up stuff...like log stores (so expensive!) and airbnb stuff....but mostly about the people that lived in this house - I am obsessed! I'm trying to find our who built this house, when and why - and, as I said in my last post - Peard Jillard seemed to own it early on - possibly built it - but I found that he sold it in 1806 - and he apparently died in 1800!!  I have been trying to decipher his last will and testament to see if he left it in his will....can't make out anything to do with this house...

So - its this weekend I am going to see Lissa - and we do have a booking for that weekend now - so I think Andy will be doing the meet and greet! lol.

Apparently Connor is doing well - doing well in his job and enjoying it - thats as much as I can get out of him - Adam is packing up the flat as they are about to exchange contracts...

Andy is working very hard - and away a lot! I worry about him...he seems happy and confident - but it is on his mind a lot, he needs some time for himself...

Okay - I'm going back to doing nothing

:-) :-) :-)

Airbnb feeling more established!

Good morning!

I am lazing on the couch - with a headache for some reason - I have about an hour and then our 7th guest will be leaving - and later today another guest will be turning up! We now have six 5* reviews - which is awesome.  It can take quite some time doing the turnaround - and we have had lots of occasions in the last couple of weeks where I have had just a few hours between guests and have to get it cleaned and beds changed etc.  Up to now everybody has left the place clean and tidy - but I still have to clean etc.

I'm so happy that the airbnb is working! and it gives me an income...well...it makes me feel better about not being employed!  and I feel like I am contributing to our finances as it was me that did all the work, to get it up and running - and it was a LOT of work! Considering that the living room used to be a ladies toilets! I also do all the cleaning, preparation etc.  Andy helps if the turnaround falls on a weekend...

On the main part of the house I have now fitted all the trim around the fireplace, and painted the bricks - and in the last couple of days started on painting the room - its a big job though - a big room - and everything needs painting or sanding etc.  However, there is no rush so I am happy to do it bit-by-bit.  I've been waiting for about a month now for Andy to order a bracket to put the TV on the wall....apparently he can't decide - so I think if I want it done, I shall have to order one myself!

Andy is working away a lot lately, 1-3 nights away each week.  I don't mind so much, but I do miss him and it worries me that he works so hard.

I'm going to be going into London next weekend - Lissa got us tickets to see Wicked.  To be honest its a little bit of a pain in the butt - London is a long way - and expensive - I think I will end up driving to Lissa's on the Friday - train in and out of London on the Saturday and back on the Sunday - a lot of travelling. Luckily we don't have guests that weekend but if we end up getting a booking I am going to have to depend on Andy to change beds and get it spotless etc.  I don't like to leave him to all that because its quite a bit of work - and he works all week.

I have been doing a lot of research about this house and its residents - I have now found that it was sold in 1806 by Peard Jillard - I found a mention that Farnham Haskell lived here with his son in law - they were reverends at the chapel opposite the house.  Farnham Haskell died in 1779 - so that means the house dates to before 1779 (if the info I read is correct as I have no way of checking it).  I also went to Somerset Heritage Centre to see if I could find more info.  I did find a set of ledgers from around 1870 - it was written by Mr Thomas Patton - it contained family expenditure.  I was hoping to find out how much servants were paid, or find info about work done on the house but it seemed to be more about what he was paying his children.  Saying that there was way too much to read - I could do with spending a few weeks reading it all but its not that easy when you can't bring them home! It was awesome though holding them in my hands - and seeing his hand writing after I have been studying him and his family for over 2 years now!

Anyway - I'll leave it there for now - see you soon!!!