icy stuff!

Salt Mines staff kitchen, this morning. Milk fridge been a bit temperamental lately, so Ula (the help) volunteered to give it a clean. Deary, deary me. What rubbish housekeepers we are. All this ice stuck fast around the ice box. Practically needed a shovel for the bottom of the fridge too. Obviously all clean and sparkling now. I would like to point out that this disgraceful state of affairs is no reflection on the cleanliness of the Salt Mines holiday units. Its obviously just like the cobbler's children who have no shoes. Guest accommodation spotless, own back kitchen leaves much to be desired.

growing girls

Here are the pups, now about 14/15 weeks old (already stopped counting). Still biting and chewing, making muddy footprints all over and generally getting under everyone's feet. Nevertheless, great fun, very affectionate, and still proving a popular draw with visitors. Eating for England, obviously growing and learning that a sad eyed stare can bring most things that you want right to your nose.... Other photos are the screen on my lovely, and not very old, laptop. It will only start up in safe mode, normal starts bring a variety of screen, all involving many colours, sometimes looking like an inkblot, sometimes straight lines, but no discernable information. I took it to PC World where it started up like a dream (why, why?) and received a bit of advice. As a result I went home and mistakenly took it back to factory settings (oops) thereby losing EVERYTHING! This has not cured the problem. Still only starts in safe mode. THese snaps of the screen are for the next time I can drag up enthusiasm to visit PC World (or hell freezes over). I have bought a new laptop, but it doesn't seem able to load the photos onto the blog (why, why?) and is sssllllooow. AGain, I have no idea why, its a perfectly standard, new machine with normal drives and memory quota. Its like it is being strangled. I have spent some time on the phone to the internet provider but it hasn't improved matters. Once again I feel like a caveman wandering about in a dark and cobweb strewn cave, with no light glimmering through. Hoping for a miracle for both laptops (or my technical know-how - that really would be miraculous).

Back to the salt mine. This week have at least 4 units occupied by the grubbiest, stickiest, dirtiest guests you could ever wish had avoided your establishment. They have all booked again for next season (deepest joy) but I shall be delighted to cancel those holidays and send back the deposit if the units are left in the condition we are anticipating. Dreading Saturday changeover, and have recruited all able bodied men, women and children to be on standby in case extra help needed with those glorious toilets and wet mattresses. Weather being kind (mostly) guests all happy in sunshine, and not long until children return to school, so not all bad!

salt mine sightings

One of the buddleias at the salt mines was, yesterday, absolutely covered in butterflies of all types. You could put out your hand and touch 10 or 20. It was absolutely beautiful. Even the campers were entranced. Just goes to show, even the darkest places have hidden delights. Yella horse excited, has been introduced to apple trees, and has learned to pick his own! Its okay, there are none in his field, he must be accompanied to reach the trees. Don't want him with tummy ache after all his other troubles! But he loves them! One filthy unit today, an inch of dingy brown fat in the grill pan, absolutely disgusting toilet and shower. Yuk.