Where did August go? In a flash! Two big family birthdays took up part of my time, as well as plenty of guests. These photos are of the covered patio space I created. It now has a couple of extra log stores, making it even cosier. I think it will be a popular spot to sit in the autumn.

September sees a few festivals around here. In Hastings there is Coastal Currents - an art festival, with Open Studios and other events. Rye has its well-established Art Festival. There are also plenty of live music events in this area. This month is booking up fast but there is plenty of availability here in October and November at the moment.

Charlie is doing really well. He looks a bit worried as I was taking too long over the photo! Seven months into his time living here he has settled in and knows this is home. He still gets a bit nervous about the guests and barks at them until they sit down to eat, then he has his head on their knee and is the best of friends!

This may turn into a monthly blog as I have so little time to write regularly on here! July was my busiest month ever at the B&B so I apologise to anyone who found me too frazzled. I think everything still went smoothly, and everyone who wanted dinner got dinner at the time they wanted it. The grass even got mown twice.

So what events are coming up within an hour's drive from here in August? Brighton & Hove Pride is in Hove from the 3rd to the 5th. Hastings Pride is on Sunday 25th. The Rye Jazz & Blues Festival is on 22nd-26th.  Ardingly's Summerfest family festival is on 10th August at the huge showground.
Eastbourne's annual International Airshow is a very popular free event 17th-20th August.

If I hear about more events I'll try to post them up on here or on Instagram and Facebook.

This is a very busy month for me. I've realised that I only have one day off! It's always a challenge balancing being busy with the business, and keeping on top of other things, like the garden. Small bits of the garden are nearly complete - the fruit cage is cleared but I need to level it out before I can put the weed membrane down. Then the scaffold boards can go around the edge to help keep the weeds and grass out a bit. Hopefully the foxes and badgers will be deterred from getting in there, at least until the fruit arrives next summer! Every bit of the garden is in need of attention, and it covers nearly half an acre. It takes two hours to mow the lawns. I have many projects planned, when I have the time and money!

I've been able to watch quite a lot of Wimbledon tennis whilst cooking the guest meals (I have a couple in for 2 weeks, having dinner every night!) and I watched the end of the football this evening, as my guests have been watching it.

On Thursday I found time to vote. Let's hope the change does us good.

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.

We had lovely weather here over most of the holiday weekend. A friend came to stay and we popped up to the Spring Fair at St Stephen's church, where I picked up this lovely enamelled brass bowl from India for 2 pounds! I was hoping to do a boot sale on Sunday morning but it got cancelled due to the heavy rain overnight. My guests enjoyed the garden and the cosy summerhouse.