New Year - New Beginnings

As always of course, and in common with a large part of the population, a New Year signifies the start of a New YOU! For me of course - this WILL be the year I lose weight and become gorgeous..... and as I sit here typing (purely to stop my fingers shoving food in to my mouth I assure you) I am fighting the most awful urge to eat chocolate - and it's pretty much been that way since 6.a.m this morning!!! Losing 10lbs was a great start and I was of course chuffed, but there's a long way to go yet. Still, if I can't do it this time with my very own chef cooking me gorgeous yet low calorie food, then I guess I never will!

Business although quieter, hasn't actually hit the 'dead as a do-do' phase yet - which has taken us all a bit by surprise I think. Even though we've had some absolutely freezing cold days here this last week we have had only a couple of quietish lunch hours, but evenings and this weekend have once again been very good - so we are all pleasantly surprised and of course very pleased.

SOH is in the kitchen this coming week as James is having a well deserved week off, but I think in an almost perverse way he's looking forward to it - and I am as well, as it gives me the office to myself for the whole week........ the tidiness of the office remains a bone of contention, but we're slowly learning to live with each other on this one!

The question of visitors to Salcombe has been hot on the discussion topic both in our pub and another blog (I noticed today) and is somewhat of a double edged sword for the place - as of course visitors and second home owners bring massive amounts of revenue in to Salcombe, and with my background in Housing I do have huge sympathy for the locals and their children who can't get housing here in their own home town. I also admit that at the moment it's quite lovely to be able to walk Beth off the lead without fear of being run over by a Chelsea tractor or lost in hordes of visitors - and yet, it is those very visitors who bring money into the local economy and provide us all with employment.......... so I guess in common with many similar holiday destinations its a case of learning to live with each other. So for now, I'm enjoying slightly more of the peace and quiet and planning for the next busy period - half term.

Hot on the planning list before half term are two huge topics: menu planning and the garden......... both of which to be tackled in earnest over the next couple of weeks. Looks like I shall give in to SOH on the children's menu debate.......... I wanted one - he didn't!! So it looks as if we shall go for one menu with smiley faces to show half portion availability! A good compromise, life's to short to argue about such matters! Then the garden has about 30 benches - all needing a bit of work, definitely cleaning and then re-staining. So a lot to do in a short time really.

Lastly, we positively encourage dogs in to our pub - we both love dogs, and there are some days its very like Crufts in here, but we have had some amazing dogs in this week..... amongst them - a fantastic Rhodesian Ridgeback, 2 beautiful Spaniels (named after the lady owners favourite champagnes!), 2 gorgeous rescue dogs - one of them so very nervous of everything and everybody! Lastly, Salcombe's first responder Deana bought her son's puppy in today a black labrador ages 14 weeks - just adorable. Which reminds me - we must fill up the dog treat tin............