I love them - five fluffy gooslings were hatched this week. I can't stop following them around the farm, I dare not touch them as father goose is mighty fiesty when I get too close, but they are adorable. I've been reading about Pilgrim Geese, they self sex from birth so I think I have at least 2 females and 2 males but one could be either!!, they are the gentlest of Geese and are great at keeping the weeds down, aparently they taste nice too but thats not going to happen.

Anyway enough animal talk - !!!
We finished the decking platform area over by the orchard, it has beatutiful un-spoilt views over the lakes and the island. Perfect for holiday picnics and evening drinks as the sun goes down over the glistning water. We have landscapped around it so now it has a lovely lush grass bank and a pebbled beach area by the lake with a bench to ponder on. We have even managed to fix twinkling lights around it and it really is bliss to lounge on the loungers - watching the bats and swallows at night or the herron and kingfishers during the day.

Then we finished the Zip Wire platform - its adult proof and perfect to lauch your self off if your feeling adventurous.
I'm now off to to look at my goosies!!! again!!!
Contact me for bookings - Lodge Farm really is a great place to stay.

I've almost forgotten life in the caravan, knocking down walls, salvaging bricks and a nose full of black dust!!! err!!!

Now it's all full steam ahead on bookings, of course in our mad frenzy of advertising we got scammed by a very enthusiastic company who said for only £120 they could put us up the top of google searches - - still waiting, in the hands of the credit company and I am telling everyone about Worldwide Marketing Solutions based in Manchester - They are a SCAM.

But positive advertisers are The Norfolk Show ground, whom did the Spring Fling last week, Silas my son was in the paper talking to a cow!! from Cravendale. Next weeks The Game and Country Fare (we have a vintage cafe staying here who will be working it at the show) and not to far away is the Royal Norfolk show which reminds me of the time I worked there and shook hands with Prince Harry - with my hands smelling of Sardine Dip!!!

We also advertise with The Thearte Royal for traveling productions - my children have high hopes of getting One Direction in and Will I AM probably doubtfull and I've ruined any chance of the Royals visiting with my "fish touch" - !

Anyway its full steam ahead this week with my new toy a £25 iron press from gumtree, it makes ironing the many "Egyption Cotton sheets" more tolerable, at least now I can sit at a stool with a cup of tea and the radio on while I jiggle and press the sheets to a better perfection that I managed before with a common old iron.

We have got a fantastic deal on for selected dates in April & May for LakeView, we are advertising short breaks thats Friday to Monday or Monday to Friday for only £255, inclusive with 2 double bedrooms sleeping 4 and of course LakeViews - - thats as little as £15 per person per night, obviously too cheap, I wish I could go - Availability.
I've worked out the 9 little geese are due to be hatched the weekend of the 26th April - - boy, I can't wait. Over and out, I am off to do some ironing.

The geese have decided to make a nest right behind my car space - so now ever time my son Silas gets out of the car they think hes up to no good (which to be fair to the Geese, often he is!!) and they make a charge for him - which he think is very funny, the geese on the other hand are just trying to protect their 3 lovely big eggs, which would make a lovely omelete (only joking)!!!

Then out of the blue we get a phone call "Is there any room at Lodge Farm to land a helicopter - Well actually there is!!! So the owner of "The Range", lovely fellor, landed in our garden while he was whisked of to inspect his fab 14th Norwich store. So we had a great time giving the helicopter a once over and my son is now left wondering wether he should be a pilot or an entrepenur. But it was great watching it come in to land - very envigorating as we got blown backwards as it took off again - Please come again Chris Dawson, becasue next time I would love a little fly above Lodge Farm to take some pics or just watch the magnificent site of a black helicopter coming in to land - leaves flying everywhere and that wonderful noise - - phooor!! I'm in love with helicopters now.

As from today we have all three holiday barns occupied - what a result and of course now we are advertising come along to Lodge Farm, room for a helicopter.
Still some availability for LakeView in April and May - please call for prices and availability.

Well - its been a long slog but we are there. All barns are ready and they look stunning. We'll be taking some pictures next week and adding them on line. Compliments are coming fast and hard at the colour schemes and the fixtures and fixings. It was only the plumber that didn't like the lime in the courtyard - but it turned out he was colour blind so who cares!!! We have the brick layer here last week finishing of the B.B.Q area in the couryards walled garden and I've just got to so a bit of pointing this weekend and its done - - - Lovely Jubbly! Next I've got to focus on doing the decking down by the river when the nice weather comes - I hope it comes soon.

I've been loving the bits of decoration and buying all the bits for the holiday barns, can't wait until the plumber and electrician finishes, just a few days delay with this beautiful snow - which makes the farm look amazing. The lakes frozen over and you can see fox tracks over the snow covered lake. The Deers have been all over the place but the chickens hate it. I recon by the way we are whizzing ahead we'll be ready by Mid-March. Especially since the carpenters are nearly finished - all doors up, all skirting - just another varnish and its ready for the touch up and furniture.

Can't wait to get the first bookings. If your reading this and fancy booking, contact me with the code "Mums the Word" and I'll give you a great discount and the fist person in each barn gets a present and bottle of wine along with the usual sweets and welcome tray!!!

I had a guilt free Christmas eating Turkey while the Geese tapped on the dining room window requesting another bread throw!!! We had a few crusts left over from making the bread sauce - so they were happy.
It's all been go go go with the painting - both The Dairy and The Courtyard have been painted now with their theme colours, The Dairy is a romantic Retro Red to go with the Cream kitchen which has just gone in while The Courtyard is a georgeous zesty vibrant Lime. We are on the fast track to having them both ready by March - Can't wait.
Roll on a great year for Lodge Farm Holiday Barns - may some lovely people have some great breaks away and may we keep the sharks for the doors (Geese are fine but Sharks are a problem).
Happy New Year

It's true the geese are getting fat, not because I am going to eat them for Christmas - No Way!!! but because they pinch all the chickens food.

Anyway, we are rolling on with The Courtyard and The Dairy with the new business loan money. The plasterers are whipping through it and I've booked everyone else in so roll on March and all three will be ready or at least nearly ready. Of course our Christmas will be spent painting but I will take time out to cook the Turkey and amuze the children in between gloss and varnish.

One poor old plasterer ran away from the geese he thought they were cornering him in but they were only after his sarnie which he had fed half to the chickens - don't get them jelous.

Found a lovely tea shop in Norwich - TALC, Tea and Little Cakes they do great breakfasts and excellent teas, plus looking forward to Middletons Steak House opening up on the same road Timber Hill. Well worth a try when you come on over to Lodge Farm Holiday Barns for a great relaxing break away in Norfolk.

Nick wanted to hijack my blog this week to tell you about Lodge Farm's Commendation at the South Norfolk Design Awards but I wouldn't tell him the password!!! So, we now have another achievment to add to our Angel award for bringing Lodge Farm out of the National endangered list.

Anyway after being broke, overdrawn and really broke over the last few years of renovating Lodge Farm and the Holiday barns we have managed to secure a Business loan which will enable us to push ahead on getting both The Courtyard and The Dairy barns ready for an Easter opening. The plasterer arrives on Monday and the kitchens are booked in for mid December. So we'll be painting like mad before, over and after Christmas - but I can't wait to get on with it all especially the theme colours.

Unfortunately we wont be left with a Penny and certainly not the Penny's I need to finish "The Milk Bar" Lodge Farms American Diner but oh-well, we cant have everything. My son asked me what I really wanted for Christmas and I said I would love to walk in to the Diner and see it all ready - - but one day I will and I'll be so proud. Meanwhile I'll just have to tease my self with watching "Diners, Drive-in's and Dives" on food network every week.

But it's great news that we can finely take that last push to get all the barns done and so far LakeView has been booked 7.5 weeks out of the 8 since we opened and it's proving very popular especially the view over the lakes and all the little extras we put in to make that break away even more special.

Finally its done - LakeView is ready for holiday makers, so roll on the booking. Visit England come to grade us this week and we've been pre-told a high 4* is in the pipe line. The pictures and prices are finely on the web. So nothings stopping us now, apart from money to get the other two done! But Lake View is looking great, the solid Oak furniture looks fab, the Aubergine colour wall looks lovely, the 32 inch DVD, TV is in place and the Egyptian cotton linin is on the brand new thick matressed king sized beds and the place is cleaned, polished and spotless. The black slate patio came up a treat and the B.B.Q is all in place ready for some hot weather.

Tomorrow sees the return of our builderd Digger - the last job - The Drive way. 20 tons of hoggin and gravel are being delivered tomorrow and I cant wait to see it compleated. The gates been ordered and our fencer puts in the post this weekend - so by next week we'll be searching for things to keep us busy!!! - Chance will be a fine thing.

Come on give us a try - Contact me for specials and weekend treats.

It's been a lovely Summer here at Lodge Farm but it's always good to get back in to the swing of things when the children go back to school. Today i've been un-packing all the kitchen equipment I've bought over the last few months for Lake View and loading up the cupboards. Just a bit of touching up to do after those naughty electricians and plumbers!!! and its then putting the new beds together. The patios have been laid in both The Dairy and Lake Views private gardens with black lime stone - it looks stunning, can't wait to bring the wooden furniture in. The roofers are finishing of cladding the new brickwork with black ebony wood and next week the builders come in with their big digger to level of the driveway and throw some shingle down - - job list compleate! Welcome to Lake View at Lodge Farm Holiday Barns!!! As soon as we get some more money we'll get The Courtyyard plastered and of we go again.