Charlie and I have been seeking out the shade in this hot weather. Our favourite place to be is Highwoods, where there is still water flowing, albeit not as much as during the winter/spring! The third photo shows my very neglected and overgrown pond area, where the beautiful red water lily has miraculously managed to flower in spite of the pond weed (which I am supposed to remove regularly.) I have had a few days off and done a lot of cutting back in the garden, but there is still loads to do. Hopefully tomorrow or over the weekend I can tackle a bit more. I cleared a path today - the one next to the hedge, which gets inundated by the hedge brambles on one side and the comfrey on the other. That's when I spotted the water lily as I haven't been able to get near the pond because the bees were all over the comfrey. Charlie wasn't too happy that I was cutting back the long grass he likes to eat. He looks emaciated in this photo but I can confirm that he got weighed at the vets the other day and he is 32 kilos, mostly muscle!

The programme for Battle Festival in July is out now and looks really varied. I'd love to be going to some of these events but I'm busy all month, with only one day off! I'm grateful to be making up for some of the quieter months this year, and hoping for the stamina to get through July. Battle is easily reachable by car or train, and the 95 bus (from the Buxton Drive stop.) It is a pleasant town with all the shops and cafes grouped along one main street, leading to Battle Abbey which allegedly is where the Battle of Hastings took place in 1066. There are audio tours of the battlefield and ruined abbey buildings.

Running a B&B is not for the faint-hearted, or for the disorganised. In fact, however organised you are, your guests can still surprise you! They sometimes turn up with unannounced dogs and/or children, or arrive two hours before the check in time and are annoyed that you are not there! Also, things break, heating systems fail, the gas board decides to dig up the road outside your house... There are things you can never plan for.

I had no illusions that this would be an easy job. It is physically and mentally draining, which often leads to it becoming emotionally draining as well. The house and garden need maintaining, and the dog needs walking, on top of all the cooking, cleaning and laundry required for the business. My time is meticulously planned to accommodate all these things... well, most of them. The garden gets neglected, and often I have to ask someone to walk the dog, just so that I can keep on top of everything else. Menus must be planned and food ordered online (in order to get the range of organic products I need.) Bed linen gets ironed so that it looks smart and crisp (and drying it outside whenever possible gives it a lovely freshness that artificial scents can never replicate.) Every day the guest beverage trays need clearing and re-stocking, and I have to keep an eye on the dispensers of soap, shampoo and shower gel to see when they need topping up. Admin takes up a considerable amount of time too, dealing with bookings and enquiries about bookings, checking what time people want dinner and if they have any food intolerances or allergies, accommodating special requests for birthdays and other celebrations. It is a juggling act to fit my appointments and the dog's appointments (ha ha - we're having training sessions!) around the bookings, whilst also carving out a bit of space for me to relax!

On the plus side, I enjoy providing a welcoming and cosy environment for guests, and cooking them lovely, organic, vegan meals. Reading the reviews they write brings me joy too. I have met many interesting people, and so many guests have stayed here multiple times. It is great to have the flexibility to take days off sometimes to do things I enjoy, like walking in different places with Charlie the dog, doing some writing, or just flopping into a chair in the garden and reading a book, popping to the cinema or visiting a jazz club.

If anyone wants advice on running a B&B I'll always try to help! A lot of my success here is due to the B&B being vegan, as I attract guests from all around the world, many of whom had never previously heard of Bexhill! So find your niche, your USP, and give it a go!

This is the 'sheep field' at Broad Oak Park, just off the large car park. There hasn't been any livestock in the field for many years, and it was just gorgeous the other day with all the meadow flowers out. Charlie loves it. I haven't been posting much to the blog as the garden here at Nab Cottage is in need of so much attention, and I've been busy with guests too. I shall post a 'day in the life of the B&B' soon so you can see what's involved in running a business like this single-handedly. I'm off to prep dinner now as the first dinner booking is at 6pm. Check out my instagram and facebook to see the menu.