Welcome Pack
Welcome to Fieldfare Lodge!
CATS: First, and most important, please DON’T let the cats into the Lodge, and certainly don’t feed them. They look like butter wouldn’t melt – but please, don’t encourage them or let them in.
The Welcome Hamper is cute – but it will get it your way when you’ve emptied it. Leave it in the summerhouse and I’ll magic it away.
THERE IS A LITTLE STEP STOOL under the sink for guests who are not as tall as I am. Slight oversight there on my part – the top shelves of the cupboards are quite high…
The Induction Hob needs a 2 second press to actually wake it up, after that one touch does everything else. The switch for the extractor fan is behind the toaster.
The lights under the kitchen units are controlled by the little remote (probably stuck onto a knife in the knife block).
Lap Trays are in the bottom shelf of the TV cabinet.
WOOD BURNER On our risk assessment the stove is the best candidate for burning the house down. Please take care when adding fuel to a hot fire, and only deal with the ashes when everything is cold. No hot ashes in any of the bins, anywhere, please. Cold ashes can go in the pail outside your back door (we put the ashes round the apple trees, or give them to the chickens for dust baths!).
Radiators in the living room and bathroom are connected to the thermostat on the meter cupboard, but also have their own valves. Have as much heat as you like. There’s a page in the welcome folder about adjusting the temperature.
Radiator in the bedroom is electric and very efficient. Have it as hot (or not) as you like.
Please don’t put anything other than loo roll down the loo. The septic tank will just not cope with anything else. Wet wipes are especially problematic. Disposal bags are provided, and we (and the tank) thank you for using them.
WASHER/DRYER in the old summer house. (The display isn’t desperately bright in the sunlight, so if you run into programming difficulty just give me a shout – I’m usually around somewhere).
CHEST FREEZER in the old summer house.
BOOT DRYING, COAT RAIL, FAN HEATER in the old summerhouse.
Camping/picnic chairs (2) are in the old summerhouse, the picnic set and rug are in the wardrobe. Ice blocks to keep your Pimms cold are in the freezer in the summer house.
PARK your car on the drive. PLEASE drive out onto the main road forwards – if you need to reverse do take extra care. The bend is blind and cars do come down the hill very fast.
(MIDDLEHAM BRIDGE carries a single carriageway, and priority is for cars coming FROM MIDDLEHAM. If in doubt, just wait. It beats having a punch-up on the tarmac).
GARDEN you have a little raised patio area with bistro table and chairs and a bench somewhere in the garden, depending on where we moved it when we mowed… The cushions for your chairs and bench are bagged up in the old summerhouse. Feel free to move your furniture around the garden to wherever you think the view is best.
Your little dustbin is just outside your back door.
Recycling bin is just outside your back door – everything except food waste please. We will sort it before it overflows…
MILK bottle – please leave in the recycling.
SKY and Netflix instructions are in the folder.
Wi-Fi – SKYPLKAB and the password is V3kxWjHpS8s2
The hot water takes a minute to get from the tank to your taps – but when it does it is very hot.
The draining rack fits onto the little grey tray – to contain the flood when washing up ☺️
The Drawers under the bed are pretty big (and, as an aside, the chairs which fit neatly into the little white table, fit into those drawers brilliantly. This could prove useful if you want to use the table, but can’t cope with the hassle of fitting the chairs back in the table every time).
Maps are available – just ask.
Lift to the pub – just ask.
Lift to the beginning (or from the end!) of a walk – just ask.
Bird feeders – if they run out there is a green bin on your patio with more seed and/or nuts. Help yourself.
You may be lucky enough to see The hedgehog. He eats the bird food too. Feel free to help him to a handful if you like. He’s quite tame, if remarkably elusive.
IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE you need, want or are wondering about do please ask.