House and cat sitting in Puttenham, Guildford, UK

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We seem to have found the proverbial place “where the sun don’t shine” !

Although it has been a pleasure to do this house sitting assignment, the weather has definitely been rather unkind.  Our four weeks are up this coming Thursday, when the owners Sarah and Stuart return home from ‘down under’, and it has been great to spread out in a nice large, warm house, with their two cats Saffy and Sidney for company.

Saffy is the most curious of the two cats

Saffy supervising in the office

Sidney in typical pose (next to radiator)

Hang in there Sidney!

Sidney supervising

We have experienced the coldest March in 50 years in the UK, with snow a frequent visitor from biting easterly winds coming off the Russian steppes.  When not snowing there has been occasional rain, and a few dry days but very little sunshine, with temperatures hovering around 3^oC on most days, and a notable high of 5^oC one or two days.  With the wind-chill factor it has really been in the minus figures each day for most of the month.

Anyway, the central heating has kept us warm, and the cats are a joy to look after.  They are both very playful, and enjoy batting golf balls to each other around the wooden floors, as they are intrigued by the noise they make.  They spend a lot of the day snoozing, with occasional forays outside each day when it’s not raining (they love playing in the snow).  Nights are spent sprawled out on any bed that takes their fancy, and especially around Jan who they love to bits as she plays with them a lot.

Spring time in Surrey

Sidney in the snow

d’Hobby snowed in

Although Jan has ventured out in the snow a couple of times, it has really been too cold for much walking around the local hills, paths and bridle ways, and there are plenty of those around this locality.  The North Downs Way runs right through the village of Puttenham where we are.  It is part of the ancient Pilgrims Way, which runs from Canterbury in Kent through to Winchester in Wiltshire, and is now part walkway, part cycleway.

There are no shops in the village, just one (very busy) pub and a church.  It is a 15 minute walk up the hill to the Hogs Back (A31) to catch a bus into Guildford, or there is one community bus which runs to Waitrose in Godalming and back again on a Thursday morning for shoppers.

However we have been getting out and about as we rented a car for a week, and then extended for a 2^nd week.  The Ford Focus we ordered from Avis was upgraded to a BMW M series 116 D (diesel) hatchback, which is lovely to drive, and is currently doing around 45 mpg so it’s very economical.  So far we’ve visited Windsor, Watford and Winchester to catch up with friends and family, plus shopping trips to Guildford and Godalming.

The Three Pigeons, High Street, Guildford

Farmers Market, High Street, Guildford

We also had a day out to a National Trust property at Polesden Lacey – a country estate in Surrey, where royalty and other prominent socialite guests used to be lavishly entertained at weekend parties by Mrs Greville, the rich widow of a brewer from Yorkshire  It is a stunning house and grounds, including formal gardens, which no doubt will be lovely when spring and summer actually arrive and flowers bloom.  It was all a bit stark and bare while we were there though.  However there were lots of people around as it was Easter Sunday, and a big Easter Egg Hunt had been organised in the grounds.

Polesden Lacey House

Polesden Lacey – the Saloon

We are due to leave here on Thursday 11^th April, and plan to head down to Cornwall for a week, as we would like to see the Eden Project near St Austell, and perhaps re-visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan.  Fowey and Charlestown are also on the list to visit – hopefully the weather will have warmed up a bit by then, as we will probably need to bus and bike around the area.

Ciao for now!