Monday 28 June 2010

I'm home AND fighting fit!


Well then -'Hola' I'm home, fresh and fighting fit!!! I had a great few days away, didn't speak to anyone for 2 whole days unless I wanted something.... even had my hair cut with a few great mime features! A bit of sun on your body (lot of sun) and time to reflect does wonders for the soul, and boy did I do a lot of reflecting!!

Thought I'd start the blog with a picture taken this morning of our two 'babies' Rosie (black one) and Archie (blonde) it was very very hot here even first thing and with so much thick coat - Archie in particular is not enjoying the weather. Everyone else is though and we started off our BBQ sessions at the Victoria Inn, on Saturday and we were very gratified to have so many visitors to the garden, many on their way home from the beach!
So here we are ready for the 'season' good and proper, starting off with Merlin Rocket week this week - small boats sailing contests from around UK. More staff starting to come on board over the next couple of weeks - but I have to say for a Monday we have had a spectacularly good day. People are definitely making the most of this great weather and the estuary across from our pub is full of boats of all sizes.

I had another fitness training session with 'Reg' this morning, and bloody hot it was as well...... he keeps us in the shade as much as possible but blimey, it makes me sweat.... or is it HE makes ME sweat?? Part of my reflection on holiday was about trying to get my head in the right place to lose weight and get so much fitter - I did a bit of stomping up and down the prom in Spain, and then a bit of walking on the beach front like the locals - now THEY turn walking into a fashion show and an art form! Love to sit and people watch that................! Anyway 'Reg' gave me a little headmasterly chat last week about my eating (& drinking) habits and that combined with my 'reflecting' has (I think) helped me turn a little corner..... which is why when I'm not quaffing bottles of water right now, you can find me chewing on Almonds, Apricots and Raisins and all things healthy - well almost!

The World Cup - apart from God what a disaster - I'm not going to say much, apart from - WONDER IF I CAN GET A REFUND ON THE BIG SCREEN TV WE BOUGHT ESPECIALLY FOR IT!!!!! (for the White Hart Hotel, Modbury) Engerland - what a flipping disgrace you were! Bobby Moore must be spinning up in Heaven. But here are a few of our happy customers (this was the game before Germany) old and young enjoying the match.

Plus I must tell you we had our first trip advisor review for the Victoria Inn 'Hobbit House' en suite bedrooms and they LOVED IT!! We've also had great reviews in the guest books as well.......... so all that hard work is paying off.
Lastly, here is a rather nice photo of SOH I took when we were out for a quiet hour last night - he'll be over in Spain for a few days himself in a couple of weeks - time for him to have a break now, and then we'll both get a break together in October - hopefully! In the meantime, my list of to do tomorrow gets ever longer and the days seem to get shorter..........


Monday 14 June 2010

Me voy en mis vacaciones

Yep - I'm off to sunny Spain for a few days........ For my British readers - do you remember the theme tune from 'One Foot In The Grave'......?? Well a line from that is: Clapped out, rundown, too old to save!! Well - that is exactly how I've been feeling lately...... :(
So my lovely Husband and Son have persuaded me to take a few days out - get my head together, get lots of rest and much needed sleep, meditate, pray and generally enjoy the peace and quiet............ No booze (I'm on the wagon - see further on as to why!) ) lots of lovely Spanish fruit, and I'm packing my trainers to do a bit of walking - that is when I'm not asleep on the beach..... or listening to my Ipod or having a massage from one of those lovely Thai ladies that stomp up and down the beach! All on my own for 5 whole nights...... I won't have to talk to anyone if I don't want to or make polite conversation, I'm taking a very light suitcase, a couple of good books and I'm off!
Then of course the other exciting / good thing in my life right now is 'Reg' - my very own personal trainer. We were on visit 3 today - I've hardly lost any weight (not hugely surprising when I think what I've been eating and drinking - hence the alcohol abstinence) but already he says my heart is working better and I can do some stretches, exercises and step aerobic stuff that just 3 visits ago (yes just 3) defeated me or knackered me out straight away!
I still hate the first 5 to 10 minutes of our session ..... I won't pretend otherwise and then something strange and rather wonderful happens - I actually enjoy it! I even looked forward to seeing him today and doing the session!
The come the end of our session I want to do more, but 'Reg' won't let me, he says we have to build this up slowly and gently - perhaps it's the sweaty red face and the panting like I'm giving birth that tells him I've had enough........... :) But I am really getting quite a buzz from it and a real sense of achievement. So that is why I'm packing the trainers - I'm going to be one of those women that stride up and down the prom after sunset looking cool.......... ok - hot and sweaty in my case probably, but thats my intention.
So thats it tonight - no talk of work or anything else for that matter, I'll only get all miserable and whiney and thats not good for you or me! I have to pack and do a million things before I get on the plane.................

¡Hasta pronto queridos lectores................... (Do a Google translation!) X

Monday 7 June 2010

The Hobbit House - Newsflash

Ok, ok - please don't be getting bored with my 'newsflashes' it's just that I have so much happening at this time - I really don't have the time or the energy to sit on here blogging right now :(

But - at last, the Hobbit House - the Victoria Inn's new accommodation is up, running and being used - AND, more bookings in the pipeline!!!

Seb Joli - Salcombe's lovely young french photographer came and took some shots for me - so now our website can be bought up to scratch and along with the White Hart Hotel in Modbury, I can start to really market both of them strongly with TIC's and various other sites! If you know of any good sites that YOU use please let me know - free ones preferably.... ha ha.


Talking of marketing - I have been working with a great young man called Matt who operates http://www.devonsfinest.co.uk/ if you go to You Tube and put in White Hart Hotel Modbury - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-GYJIh5CdI you'll see this rather clever video clip he's done......... going to get him to do the same for the Hobbit House! I really like Matt - here's a person who does what he says he will!

Business has been exceedingly good at the Victoria Inn and over at the White Hart Hotel you can see every week getting just that little bit better.......... That must account for why SOH and I fell asleep in front of the TV at tea time tonight when we actually sat down....!!
If I have another late night this week - I'll try to sit and tell you more about life as a pub landlady at the moment - I tell you what though - boring it ain't!!!!!!!!!!





Wednesday 2 June 2010

It's coming together..............


Just a quick blog post - almost time to lock up for the night and call it a day........ but I wanted to show you a couple of pics and also let you know that the new Victoria Inn website is also now up and running.

Firstly - the Hobbitt House is starting to take shape - No 1 room is all pale green and white furniture - pretty cushions, don't you think?? These pics are a bit dark - but I'll take more tomorrow in the daylight......
It feels very restful though - I could hear the birds tweeting a treat this evening whilst I was in there.
No 2 will be pine, gardens greens and earthy browns with sparkly cushions..........photo to follow - not quite there yet.
But both rooms reflecting the garden setting that they're in. It's been blooming hard work today and very, very hot and my eyes are drooping as I type - and as for my poor aching back!!

Then over at Modbury - the White Hart Hotel now has 4 rooms up and ready for use, and again they all have very different looks - probably a bit more classical and typical of a great middle England town.............but I wanted them to reflect what I look for when I stay in a hotel........... nice laundry, fluffy towels, state of the art TV's, pretty colours............ etc!

As for the websites - well we now have both up and running - please check them out and let me know what you think of them......
Thats it - time to cash up and off to bed.............. first training session with Reg tomorrow! Wish me luck...........