Keeping Busy

Here’s our kitchen all set for our next guests who arrive this afternoon. We’ve been busy since Lockdown lifted mid-July for Scotland.

After a few shorter 3 to 4 night stays were booked in quick succession, we received a few week long breaks, which takes off the pressure of turning the cottage frequently, but also means that we have a very tight window in which to prepare for the new guests, usually in the morning with them arriving late afternoon.

Where we can, we let guests depart late but same day changeovers require sharp departures. We are lucky in that our guests were leaving early anyway and, with Covid cleaning protocol to be followed, they understand. They appreciate that we did exactly the same for them just prior to their arrival.

As regards Covid cleaning, our protocol is pretty much the same, we’ve just had to change the chemicals used. Also, we tend to clean, sanitise and change a room and once complete, we don’t go back in. Also more mindful of common touch areas such as cupboard handles and switches etc.

It’s not that much more of a burden and the methodical approach helps get through it a little bit quicker if we’re honest.

Kitchen with shiny newly mopped floor below!

Freshly mopped kitchen floor with a sprig of fresh mint on the table

Uisge Beatha

Uisge Beatha.

Aqua Vitae.

The Water of Life.

Whisky.

Had the opportunity to visit Glen Turret distillery over near Crieff last week. It was a warm, wet, overcast day. The mist was down for the afternoon. Everything was green and leafy.

It was quite fitting then to visit a distillery located beside a burn in spate and fed from the waters of Loch Turret. We had an excellent tour, taking us through the entire process from beginning to end. The distillery is the oldest in Scotland – 1775 – and is currently moving away from supplying into whisky blending (Famous Grouse) and into building its own brand as a single malt. We got to sample a dram or two as part of the tour. Don’t worry if you are driving, you can put your samples into a wee container so you can enjoy them when it is safe.

Glen Turret is located at Crieff and is approximately a 25 mile drive from our cottage.

Tòiseach Úr : Fresh Start; New beginnings.

Sunshine for Easter weekend

Looks like things were timed just right for this weekend – no end of sunshine, warm weather and the tulips in front of the cottage in full bloom.  It’s a shame that they won’t last very long.  We have summer flowers growing at the moment but will need to find something to bridge the gap.   But for now… these will do nicely.