Still Pining for the Lakes District

I can't quite shake off my nostalgia for the English Lakes District. It is such a beautiful part of the world. I became so attached that I honestly felt as if I would be happy to spend my final days there. Many years later, through family history research, I learned my grandfather was born about twenty …

Leaving Michael’s Nook Country House Retreat

Perhaps I developed my fetish for spring cleaning from my months in Michael's Nook.  In the quieter times Mr Gifford had us stripping the house from top to bottom. He was an exacting boss, insisting on demonstrating the correct way to do everything from washing wine glasses, to vacuuming the stair carpets; polishing mahogany, and …

Another instalment in the Michael’s Nook Saga

As the winter of January / February 1979 wrapped us in its enveloping shroud, more guests decided to come to Michael's Nook. I can't blame them. Winter in the Lake District is a beautiful season. Ultimately I worked there every season except summer, when the place is so over-run by tourists that its charm is …