Goodness me, aren't passwords a bind? Not having written anything since we got into the summer season LAST YEAR, I found it impossible to get back into the blog this evening. Seven goes at e-mail addresses and passwords later........here I am.   I got a wonderful password reminder called Dashlane on my computer;  this would solve all the problems.  Well, no. It's almost worse than useless. Sometimes remembers, sometimes doesn't. Last night , attempting to pay HMRC some money ,I was in despair that I would end up in jail for failing to submit the VAT form on line. Down in the shed was last year's file and, yes, there was the password.  

Enough. Here we go into the 2017 season  - our 19th with our cottages. We hope over these years we've kept standards up, done improvements, and kept you all happy. We do try, and still get as much pleasure as ever in running them.  We have the marvellous Neelie as our cleaner. Although he is really part of our other business and a master caster, he is also a whizz at looking after the Mains Cottages.  And VERY proprietorial about them.  So any complaints, he's the chap. 

It's been a great winter and already the gardens are full of the last of the snowdrops, cheery daffs, and camellias just beginning to make a showing. We have had odd visitors recently (although Mike and I have comandeered Douglas while our new kitchen is being fitted) . Hopefully that will be pretty well complete in a week or two.  When you work full time, these DIY tasks seem to take ages. And only Mike would insist on making and finishing all the doors himself to get the right colour. 

Main change in Carradale for you  old hands is that  Marcus and Mo have left the hotel - and Carradale . A new family - 4 ladies no less - are running the place. This only happened in September, so we'll see how they cope with a summer season! Otherwise - well the beach is still there and the latest fad is for all the year swimming so you may well see some stalwarts whizzing along with the seals in the Bay.  How long will it last?  Mike and I aren't tempted.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing both old and new faces in the coming year;  prices are the same as last year and hopefully we'll be seeing hordes of our EU friends visiting before they need passports........

trish