When we decided to relocate to Northern Ireland from Germany to run a B&B, my northern Irish family did warn me about the weather. You see, we were very very lucky when we traveled over for house-hunting trips and they thought I’d be fooled into thinking it was the Med. The weather was fabulous every time – in October, March and April. But I am no stranger to snow at Easter and eating soup in such windy weather that it blows off your spoon into your face. Oh yes! I’ve been here many times before.
So, today the rain has arrived good and proper, so I’m having an indoors day, decorating our sitting room. The previous owners liked colours – very bright colours – everywhere! Now, as a florist I’m fond of colour myself, but lime green in the lounge? Seriously? And dark green in a tiny kitchen? I think not.
Being a bit strapped for cash after all the expense of moving and furnishing the house to make it a fabulous B&B, we had to go for the bargain of the day at the hardware store, and came home with two humungous pots of…..wait for it……magnolia! I know, but it’s neutral and it gives us time to think about what else would work in our small spaces where we actually live in the big house. And it’s so much calmer than bright green, that we might be able to relax in the evening when we’re catching up with our latest series on the tellybox.
As you can see, I’m taking a wee break for the first coat to dry before dashing back to finish it and get some curtains up now that the nights are drawing in – I can hear my Nanna saying those very words, bless her! And if I still have any energy left after the clear-up (don’t you just hate that bit?) I shall be baking an apple and blackberry traybake – gluten free, so that our darling daughter can partake of it when she comes to stay next week. I do lots of baking here because I like our guests to have something sweet to nibble on when they make a cuppa in their room. This weekend it’s good ole Rocky Road – lucky people! One of these days I hope we’ll have a tea-room here as well, but first I have to finish that painting! Toodle-pip!