Daisy Cottage Renovations - 28 April 2008

We went to Daisy Cottage yesterday to catch up on what is happening there. Six (working) days into the renovations and things are moving pretty fast.

All the walls upstairs (bar one supporting wall) have been torn out and the rooms rejigged slightly to make them a more even size and so we now have four similar sized double rooms. The long narrow room which was at the top of the stairs has been divided to give us 2 en suites and in the picture with the lilac coloured wall above you can see the en suite to be for bedroom 2 with the en suite for bedroom 3 adjoining it in the background. The first 2 pictures show bedroom 1 and bedroom 2.

The tiny single bedroom (bedroom 4) has been made into a larger room simply by taking it's wall out to the staircase edge - the landing there served no purpose other than to enter the smallest room. The wall in the room next door (bedroom 3) has been moved too and so now the rooms are more equal in size and both doubles. The picture on the left above shows bedroom 4 before and on the right, as it is now ~ much more roomy.

The staircase is ready to come out for the new one to be put in ~ and not a moment before time. It seems that it was ready to collapse and only the carpet on it was saving someone crashing through it. Thank goodness I wasn't aware of that on my trips up and down it before! The above picture on the right is of the hall and staircase prior to works commencing and on the right as they were yesterday.

Downstairs the new doorway has been opened under the staircase. This was originally to lead to what was to be the downstairs bedroom and en suite but after much discussion with the building foreman yesterday we came to the conclusion that the room was too small and too dark to be a bedroom and so the room which it adjoins it, the second living room, (keep up!) will now be the downstairs bedroom and half of the original bedroom to be will be the en suite. The other half will be a walk in hot press for me to store sheets, towels, spare dishes etc. Great solution. The picture on the left shows the new hotpress space leading out through the new door opening into the hall and the picture on the right shows the downstairs en suite to be.

The kitchen is completely pulled out ~ it was pretty dire and not at all salvageable. I still haven't decided on what sort of kitchen to put in and am leaning toward freestanding units at the moment, but we will see. I'm sure I'll change my mind a hundred times between now and actually fitting a kitchen.

In the living room we were discussing the fireplace and what to do with it. I really did not want a conventional fireplace and the foreman said he and builder John (the boss) had been discussing it and came up with an idea for us. Keep the shape that is there, and face with sandstone which is quarried locally and then top with 2 railway sleepers. This is an excellent idea as the fireplace is quite large and should show off the work very well.

So, all in all we are delighted with the progress thus far. At this rate we are hoping it might just be finished in under the quoted 8 weeks. Impatient? Moi?

No Dresser - Yet!

So. Saturday morning dawned, a beautiful sunny day and after breakfast it was off to the car boot sale. I'd spoken by phone to the dealers on the Friday night and they'd said they wouldn't be able to bring their big van and so no dresser, but that didn't stop the trip to the car boot sale! Once there I spotted the dealers who have the dresser and of course went over to check out their wares. Sadly, nothing of much of interest to me except a small glass doored cupboard. How much? €4. Four euro! Mine! A guy we know was looking through some old records 'our' dealers were selling and called to me 'you're supposed to haggle Catherine!' which I know is the idea, but as I replied to the guy - how can you haggle with someone who is practically GIVING the stuff away?

I haven't a clue what the cupboard will be used for or where it will go in Daisy Cottage but it was so pretty, not to mention a total bargain, I had to have it. It might look rather nice in a bathroom or maybe on a table in a bedroom, I don't know but I do know that it will look beautiful wherever it ends up.

I then wandered around the other stalls but once again, nothing of interest. I happend to evesdrop on a possible purchaser investigating a chaise longe. The seller was telling him what a good buy it was (as she would) and the purchaser was touching and moving the item to further investige it's condition. A while later I passed that way again and the same man was still there and this time had what I assume was his wife propped on the chaise, obviously trying to get her to agree to what a great buy it was. The same couple were still there nearly an hour later as we left! And was the chaise nice? No. It was absolutely vile. Firstly, I am no fan of these items and secondly it was covered in the most horrid dark red velvet sort of material. But I suppose that's what these places are about - what I hate another might love and what I love, another might hate. Someone could even be writing a blog right now on the 'horrid little cupboard some woman bought'. Of course, they'd be wrong - it's a lovely cupboard!

Himself found a stall selling cds and as we are totally out of cds (NOT!) he had to spend time there. Which was great for me - freedom to scour the glasses and dish stalls without someone beside me reminding me that we didn't need any more dishes. I did about 2 circuits of the cbs and saw nothing that attracted me. I was getting desperate ... surely there was a dish or a glass just waiting for a new home? Onwards I tavelled and still nothing. Passing himself I stopped to see how he was getting along but he was so engrossed in poking through the cds he only grunted. I was bored so I reminded him that the match (Chelsea -v- Man. Utd.) would be starting soon. That moved him and he paid up and off we walked, him clutching cds on their way to join the four thousand or so he already has, and me glumly empty handed (the little cupboard was already safely installed in the car).


And then I spotted something - a glass butter dish with lid, the sort which would have been seen on practically every Irish kitchen table years ago. They weren't expensive then and are not particularly collectable now but it was just the memories of childhood days of holiday in Ireland that endeared it to me. The stall owner was the same lady I'd bought the green glass ware etc. from two weeks earlier and we had a little chat and she was showing me old plates she had but I resisited. Not because I have learned to say 'no' to temptation but rather that they didn't interest me. I bought the butter dish for all of four euro and I'm delighted with it.

Later in the day my lovely neighbour (my pen name for her) popped in to see what I had purchased at the cbs. She love the cupboard and then I showed her my prized possession of the day, the butter dish. Now my lovely neighbour is in her seventies and she said she remembered as a child her mother having the same sort of butter dish. So cleary they are older than I thought. But it's still for everyday use of course and has already had it's first trip through the dishwasher cycle and survived.

And so, no dresser but I'm happy with my two purchases - and I only spent €8. Nice.

Tomorrow is Dresser Day!

So tomorrow I get the chance to go to a car boot sale again! Remember I told about the dresser two weeks ago here: http://daisycottagedonegal.blogspot.com/2008/04/old-addiction-reborn.html ? Well, tomorrow is two weeks since that last visit to the car boot and I hope to be there nice and early. Of course to see the dresser, and the sideboard which the lady assured me was very old. To quote her: 'It's coming from a woman who never parted with a thing in her life - and she's 75!'. But dressers and sideboards aside, the dishes ... and glasses ... they are calling to me - and there's still 24 hours to go until I get loose on the goodies!

Himself is being very good about the trip to the car boot tomorrow, mainly I suspect because he wants to get peace to watch his beloved Chelsea play tomorrow afternoon. Not that I mind watching the odd Chelsea match, especially if the devine Didier Drogba is playing.

But back to my car boot day out - even though I am saying 'no more dishes' 'no more glass stuff' I know for a fact that I will be employing my 'glass radar' to seek and find any bits that I just couldn't do without. It really is an addiction in the full meaning of the word. From dictionary.references.com:

"Addiction: the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma."

Yes, I definately would have severe trauma if I ceased to be able to search the dish/glass stalls when at a car boot sale.

I wonder what other finds I will have tomorrow?

Daisy Cottage renovation now under way!

The builders went in on Monday morning and as I can't be there during the week, I am getting daily updates on what is done. So far the ceilings upstairs are all out, the mishmash of doors are out, and the place is now stripped. Eeek! I know I want things to be done quickly but there is something unsettling about being off site and all this activity going on in Daisy Cottage. Mind you, having spent a lot of the past year with renovations going on here in our home I'm sort of glad of the distance.

The doorway into the living room and the door way into the kitchen/diner are to be raised as they are a bit too low for anyone nearing 6' and so both are to be raised, which sounds a major job to me, what with the very thick walls, but it has to be done so I'll just have to bite my nails and hope the house doesn't collapse!

The whole staircase is coming out too and this will then open up more space beneath to put in a door to enter the new bedroom/en suite to be. I now have to think about what sort of carpet to buy for the staircase. It will be the only part of the house with carpet as I think a wooden staircase is too dangerous. I think a pale carpet would be the job but then of course too pale is not at all practical. Oh dear, more decisions.

On the subject of flooring, luckily all the floors in the bedrooms upstairs have good solid wood floors hiding under the carpets and so these can be sanded and varnished. Downstairs we will fit wood floors in the living room, hall, kitchen/diner and new bedroom. While I had a notion to put tiles throughout the downstairs, I think wood is a better option as it is a lot warmer to walk on and will be more in fitting with an older house. So wood it is.

Hopefully we will get down at the weekend and see what's happening and take a few pics too. I'm so excited!

Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints

After lunch and our visit to the ponies we drove over to Daisy Cottage and then took a trip to the shoreline near the cottage. It's a quite little place with a couple of wooden picnic tables, a couple of benches, and lots of sea!

Himself decided to have a snooze after his hearty lunch and I left him in the warmth of the car to brave the cold outside and take the opportunity to take some photos of the shoreline. I was hoping I might see dolphins again, but sadly no.

The afternoon was sunny but boy was it freezing down by the shoreline, and quite windy too. After taking a few pictures I had a read of the information sign at the edge of the shore. It told me I could expect to see a huge variety of birds there including the following: Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Brent Goose, Curlew, Fulmar, Gannet, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Kittiwake, Lapwing, Little Tern, Mallard Duck, Puffin, Razorbill, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Roseate Tern, Storm Petrel, Tufted Duck, White-fronted Goose, and Whooper Swan. And what did I see? One lone seagull of indeterminable type soaring and gliding above me. Ah well, no dolphins, no variety of birds. Still, the view was pretty amazing.

Back into the car, himself refreshed after his little snooze we moved on to travel along St. John's Point.

St. John's Point is a long narrow strip of land jutting out into the ocean and is the most southerly point of south west Donegal. Dunkineely, the village where Daisy Cottage is is the point from where you can travel the road all the way down St. John's Point. There is a complete 360 degree view from the point, and on a clear day you can see the coastline of North Mayo and Sligo to the south, Killybegs to the north, Doorin Point near Donegal Town to the east, and the highest approachable sea cliffs in Europe, Sliabh aLiag to the west.

I wanted to get photos of the lighthouse which dates from 1844 and is at the very tip of the point and also of the tiny coral beach near the lighthouse.

We drove right down to the lighthouse but I would recommend it might be better to park at the coral beach and walk the couple of kilometers to the lighthouse. The reason being is the tiny road is very narrow - just one car width, and it proves a bit of a trial if another car appears travelling in the opposite direction. But the day was cold so we ventured forth in the car.

In a field beside the lighthouse a herd of cattle lazily chewed their cud, oblivious to the fantastic views which surrounded them. They were probably wondering as we were at the braveness, or barking madness, of the group of men who had just returned to dry land from the freezing waters after a dive off the Point. I think I'd have wanted something a lot warmer than a wetsuit to protect me! Do they make hot water bottles and electric blankets to dive in? P'raps not.

Back down the track to the little coral beach. I had to get out to touch the sand - it looked so peachy and pink from the car. It is made up of the finest little teeny tiny stones and I just wanted to stay there a while enjoying the feel of these tiny rounded stones which would not be at all uncomfortable to walk on barefooted. But just not that day brrrrrr!

I was so tempted to take some of the beautiful grains of stone home with me but the words of the old Indian, Chief Seattle, always comes to mind at such times

'Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints'

A Crafty Lunch, Dachshunds & Ponies

After leaving Rossnowlagh on Saturday afternoon we made our way back to Donegal Town for lunch. Along the road in a field to my left I spotted some cute little ponies but as himself was starving, stopping to see the ponies was not an option. Well, at that moment anyway, but I knew of course I'd get back to them later. Of course I chose not to share this knowledge with himself just then. So, undecided where to eat we thought we would see what the cafe in the Craft Village had to offer.

The Craft Village is just on the fringe of Donegal Town and was set up in 1985 to lease units to local artists to make, display and sell their works. http://donegalcraftvillage.com/ There are units with crafts such as bog oak carvings, paintings, hand woven clothing, jewellery and so on but we were there to dine not shop so we quickly dragged ourselves away from the window displays and found the cafe, Aroma.

It was busy when we arrived but we were greeted straight away with a friendly welcome and offered seating on one of the high stools or perhaps share a table with someone. Not being budgies we opted for the share a table option. Our waitresses asked a man dining alone if he minded sharing and he graciously agreed. The place is very clean and welcoming and all food is made on the premises - and I had a quick peak into the open kitchen and am glad to report that that too is clean. The cafe sells a variety of breads, scones, and other delictibles to take home too. And, deservedly, they got a good write up in the Bridgestone Guide. http://www.bestofbridgestone.com/listman/listings/l0351.html

We were brought glasses of water immediately and sipped these while checking out the blackboard menu. Lots on offer, with all main courses coming in at €11.50 which is perhaps expensive for lunch but it turned out to be worth every cent.

Himself had the "Oven baked chimichanga with spicy mince topped with tomato salsa, cheddar, served with basmati rice and sour cream" and declared it good - not as spicy as we would make ourselves, but still very tasty and filling. I opted for the "Asparagus and avocado salad with honey & mustard dressing with brown bread". I counted at least 6 different leaf varieties in my salad all coated with a tangy honey mustard grain dressing. The asparagus was fresh and perfectly cooked and the salad was scattered with cherry tomatoes and red onions along with slivers of creamy avocado. Delicious.

While we were waiting to pay I noticed the waitress delivering two paninis to another couple of diners and the presentation looked excellent - the panini cut in half and overlapping on the plate which also had a fresh salad accompanying the panini. The bill for our two meals, one cappuccino, one large sparkling water and one large still water came to €31.50. And we'll definately be back.

Outside the cafe on the way back to the car we met a collegue of himselfs who had also attended the course in Rossnowlagh that morning. He and his wife were heading to their holiday home in Portnoo, another beautiful beach area. They have long kept Dachshund dogs and they proudly introduced us to their furry family of two gorgeous, red, long haired Dachsunds and the little old lady of Dachshunds who is the grand old age of 16 years and looks very delicate and they told us is treated like an invalid with every comfort offered her in her golden years.

Into the car again and himself assumed we were heading to Daisy Cottage and that area but first I had to get back to see the ponies! Satisfied by the hearty lunch he agreed on this mission and was reasonably happy to comply. Until that is we ended up driving for miles and miles trying to find the field of ponies again. Eventually I spotted them and we pulled over and got out, me with camera in hand. How glad was I to see not only the ponies but the cutest little foal too.

The ponies were obviously curious about these two humans crawling under barbed wire and stumbling over the lumpy ground to see them and came cantering down their field for a closer inspection. I was so sorry I hadn't thought to buy some carrots to bring - they were so friendly, pushing their little heads forward to nuzzle up. The mare and her foal approached too but more hesitantly and did not come near enough for us to pet, a good mother protecting her baby. I reluctantly bade them farewell and we continued on our journey

.

Beaches and Shorelines - Rossnowlagh

On Friday night we stayed in the Sandhouse Hotel, Rossnowlagh. http://www.sandhouse-hotel.ie/

Himself had a course to attend the next morning in the hotel so we made the most of this appointment and treated ourselves to a night in the hotel. Rossnowlagh itself is really just the beach, the hotel, a diving school, and a shop or two. It's beauty is somewhat marred on approach by far too many holiday homes scattered willy nilly on it's green fields. I'm sure it is lovely to have a holiday house in such a beautiful place, but I fear the 'planning powers that be' who allowed such a mishmash of developments must have been suffering from delusions if they thought such developments would in any way enhance this scenic area of Donegal.

The hotel itself is situated right at the edge of the most amazing beach. Miles and miles of silver sand and views over to St. John's Point to the right and the distinctive outline of Benbulben in Sligo visible on the horizon to the left.


Sunset over Rossnowlagh Beach
Before going down to dinner we got the chance to take photos of a beautiful sunset over the bay. We must have looked slightly crazy standing out on the balcony in the freezing cold clicking away with our cameras. A rather bemused looking Scottish Terrier watched intently from a nearby bedroom window and I could almost hear him saying 'these people are mad!'. Half an hour later and with frozen fingers and noses we deposited our cameras back in the bedroom and headed down for dinner.

A roaring fire greeted us in reception and from there we made our way to the bar to enjoy a pre-dinner drink while we read the menu. I chose prawns and smoked salmon to start and seabass for mains. Himself had the chicken and ham terrine and the seabass too. A short wait and dinner was served in the homely dining room. We both enjoyed our meal and rounded it off with a creme brulee for himself and a cheeseboard for us to share and two excellent coffees and 2 Remy XOs. The only odd thing was that we were told on the menu that the seabass was filled with tarragon but on arrival it was filled with thyme. Still, they both start with 't' I suppose.









View from the bedroom window

The next day was a glorious sunny day and perfect for a wander along the beach. In the morning after breakfast I watched a group of people attending the surfing school there. It's quite amusing to sit in the warmth of a bedroom looking out at people, probably freezing even in their wetsuits, falling and tumbling time and again into the waves! Lots of people were walking on the beach alone, or with children and others walking dogs.










Cars are allowed on the beach and so we drove the whole length of it to check it out. There is so much space on this beach I just can't imagine it ever being over crowded. On Saturday there was a lone fisherman, some men running horses in traps, and a few minibuses spilling out lots of kids to play football and enjoy a day at the seaside.

Rossnowlagh Beach is around 33km from Daisy Cottage so I'm sure we'll get the chance to visit it more often once the house is ready. It would be perfect to pack up a picnic and spend a day enjoying the fresh sea air and miles of space. And maybe even afternoon tea in the hotel. A couple of years ago we stopped off at the Sandhouse and were served delicious homemade scones and coffee so hopefully they are still offering this but we didn't have time to check it out on this visit.

An Old Addiction Reborn!

I have to admit to being totally addicted to buying antique/old dishes, glassware, plates etc. I had this under control by going cold turkey at the point when we had to rent a storage unit to hold all the boxes of dishes I have gathered over the years. From then I have strictly avoided antique shops, car boot sales and the like because the addiction hovers over me at all times!

But now I am back in the loop. And all because of Daisy Cottage.

It started off so innocently, I wanted to go to a local car boot sale last Saturday seeking bedside cabinets which were old and in keeping with the age of the house. My idea being that I will find suitable pieces and do them up myself to add a selection of pretty or unusual pieces to compliment the new furniture I will be buying.

So, off I went, husband and grandson in tow. It was all going swimingly and I found 2 matching bedside cabinets, well made and just in need of a little tlc. I went to ask how much and the lady said: sorry, they've just been sold to that man seconds ago. I could have cried - they were so perfect for Daisy Cottage. The seller called to the guy who had just bought them and said how much for this lady (me!) - his wife called back, increasing the price they had paid (which the original seller had told me) fivefold! I was furious and of course didn't buy them but furious too because if I'd been a few moments earlier ...

Anyway, I bought a very nice little chest from the woman who sold the bedside cabinets. It is solid wood and with a bit of sanding and a nice fresh coat of white paint will be ideal in the cottage for storing toys or perhaps spare pillows.

Wandering around, the glass on sale was calling my name and I could resist the temptation no more. I bought a gorgeous green dish with a lid and a tiny green glass dish. I have nowhere to put them of course but they were so lovely how could I not buy them? At another stall I bought one of my favourites - sets of dessert dishes and a large matching bowl, glass, circa 1950s. I have many such sets usually in blue or pink and a couple in green glass. The set I bought on Saturday was a sort of golden colour, which I'm not madly fond of but hey, it was my type of set. I also bought a cute little stemmed glass which would be ideal for a dressing table - either mine at home or one in Daisy Cottage. As Oscar Wilde said 'I can resist anything except temptation'.

But I did acquire a couple of pieces of furniture too. A white wicker 2 seater sofa, 2 matching chairs, and a matching table. All in perfect condition (with just a little touch up of fresh white paint). Initially I bought this set to use for the patio/bbq area of the cottage but it looks so perfect out on our terrace at home I am torn. I also got 2 very heavy wood chairs which will be absolutely perfect for Daisy Cottage.

And more good news. The woman who sold me the chest and the 2 heavy chairs tells me they have an old Irish dresser that I might be interested in. This is very exciting and if it is right will look fabulous in the kitchen in the cottage. I will get to see it in a couple of weeks so fingers crossed it is right and of course the price is right!

So now I have the perfect excuse to feed my old addiction - hunting for nice bits and pieces for Daisy Cottage.

And the builder said ...

So. The builder, John, has just left. Over coffee we discussed the works to be done in Daisy Cottage after his assessing it earlier today as posted in my earlier posting 'The Begining is Nigh'.

His assessment of our 'works to be done' list:

1. New central heating system - Definately needed and will be done.

2. Re-wired fully - Definately needed and will be done.

3. New staircase Once again, definately needed and will be done. This means we will have extra room below the top end of the new stairs to creat the doorway mentioned in no.4 below.

4. Open under stairs to create a new doorway - Yes, this is possible and will be done.

5. Put an en suite into the area we have allocated as a bedroom downstairs - Yes.

6. Some new windows - Luckily Builder John says most are perfect with only a couple to be replaced.

7. New bathroom upstairs - Most definately needed. Builder John nearly went through the floor! Glad to report he didn't!

8. Two new en suites upstairs - Yes and both will be wet rooms which I favour. We did this at home in our house and they are great. No glass doors and shower cubicles - perfect.

9. Renovate the attached 2 storey shed to make a games room upstairs and a loo and a laundry downstairs. - No. It seems the games room, the extra laundry room and the small living room are a bad idea at this stage. The work and time involved to bring these 3 rooms up to standard would be prohibitive. The cash saved by not doing them just now would go a long way buying all the furniture and fittings we will need. So, I suppose it makes sense to go with what Builder John says and put them on the long finger. For now.

10. Patio area outside to accommodate bbq - Yes. Builder John has drawn a great idea for a cover for the patio area involving wooden uprights and a slate roof. The area will also be paved and a brick bbq built there. It should look great.

Other works to be done include:

The existing floors downstairs are to be taken out and replaced with semi-hardwood flooring throught the livingroom, hall and kitchen/diner. This is what we had wanted and now it seems it is possible to do all this without adding too much to the cost. That means the only carpeted area will be the staircase itself and that is for safety - wooden stairs are too slippy for any degree of safety.

All interior walls will be replastered and coving will be put in the hall, living room, and kitchen diner. I want tongue and groove in the hall so hopefully we will be able to do that also.

There will be a stove put in the diner area and an open fire left in the living room which will make Daisy Cottage cosy even in the winter.

And the best news? Builder John reckons all the work should be complete within our time slot of 8 weeks. He and his team will commence work this week - cue lots of photos for my blog!

The only thing I have to do for the moment is just get down there and say what furniture we want to keep and what is going into the skip so hopefully I will get down there at the weekend and pick through what is worth keeping. I know I want to keep the old table and I love the old fashioned kitchen chairs so they too will stay. There is an old sideboard in the diner which I will keep and a wash stand in one of the rooms upstairs which I like. Other than those few items the rest, beds and all, will hit the skip this weekend.

The Begining is Nigh!

So. Today the builder, John, and his team are assessing the house. Later today I will hear how much has to be done and how long this will take. Of course my husband and I have our own list of things to be done but the builder will be telling us things we can't see that need to be done. And as he is quite skilled at renovating old houses, we are hoping he will have more ideas for us to consider.

The main things we want to do are:

1. New central heating system

2. Re-wired fully

3. New staircase

4. Open under stairs to create a new doorway

5. Put an en suite into the area we have allocated as a bedroom downstairs

6. Some new windows

7. New bathroom upstairs

8. Two new en suites upstairs

9. Renovate the attached 2 storey shed to make a games room upstairs and a loo and a laundry downstairs

10. Patio area outside to accommodate bbq

And why:

1. New central heating system

The central system currently in the house is rather ancient and probably not very efficient anymore so it would be best to replace it at this stage rather than have to do it later. That and the fact that when we put a new central heating system into our own home last year we noticed the change in the level of heat output immediately.

2. Re-wired fully

The switches and plugs look fairly modern but I fear that they may be covering an older system and I am paranoid about electrical safety and so for my own peace of mind and the safety of anyone who stays in Daisy Cottage I would be happier with the entire house being re-wired. And this way too we can wire in fire alarms to the system which is another safety aspect I feel is absolutely necessary.

3. New staircase

If you look at the picture above you will see that the old staircase has a very definate list to it. Although it does feel very sturdy and is not at all rickety, I for one could not live with a leaning tower of pisa style staircase!

4. Open under stairs to create a new doorway

At the moment the only way into the area where we want a downstairs bedroom is through the small livingroom and of course that would not be ideal. Therefore I want to close off that door and open one out in the corridor under the top end of the lower staircase.

5. Put an en suite into the area we have allocated as a bedroom downstairs
The new bedroom will be suitable for those who do not do stairs and so as all the other bathrooms will be upstairs it is vital that this downstairs bedroom has an en suite. Plus, it will be a handy loo for day time use for kids.

6. Some new windows

Most of the windows are in good condition. The previous owner replaced the old windows with hardwood double glazed windows but some of the back windows are not new and definately need replacing.

7. New bathroom upstairs

The family bathroom that is there at the moment is a shambles. Horrible old suite, a plastic water cystern, tiles hanging off the walls, dodgy floor - and just look at that colour! Dreadful. That and the fact that the window is too low for the safety of kids in my opinion so I will have that replaced with a smaller, higher window. The room receives a lot of light so the slightly smaller window will make no big difference to the light.

8. Two new en suites upstairs

Although this is probably not strictly necessary, and we will be losing one bedroom to make them, I feel that nowadays most of us want the luxury of our own shower/bath/loo. And given that the house can hold 9 adults easily, you can imagine the queue for the bathroom each morning if we only had 2.

9. Renovate the attached 2 storey shed to make a games room upstairs and a loo and a laundry downstairs

Games room to be

The games room is fairly vital I feel. It would be great for any rainy days or lazy days that the kids have something to do and a games room is ideal. I would love to keep the old stone walls and the vaulted, beamed ceiling which you may just be able to make out in the photo above. And we want to add a loo & wbh downstairs from the games room which would save those using the games room from having to run into the house to pay a visit.

Laundry to be

We want a laundry separate from the house utility area so that the washing machine and tumble dryer in the main house are not given too much of a battering with the amount of sheets, towels, and so on which will have to be washed each week. Plus it will give us a place to store all the baby paraphinalia we have there rather than taking up room in the house with it.

10. Patio area outside to accommodate bbq

The above picture shows the bbq area to be at the right of the picture. The path to the left leads to the garden which lies beyond the small stone wall at the end of the bbq area. Having a bbq/patio area is another important thing in my opinion. Even with our Irish weather we do get some lovely sunny days! And in the summer we have very long evenings with darkness not falling until between 10pm and 11pm. These factors make dining al fresco a joy and Daisy Cottage has such a large area of outdoor space that we might as well use it for a place to eat, drink and relax.

And now I wait for the builder to arrive with his take on what's to be done, and how long it will take to complete. On the time factor we were hoping for 4 weeks but it may be longer of course. As we don't intend letting the house until late summer even an 8 week job still leaves us plenty of time to decorate and furnish. Longer than 8 weeks? I don't even want to consider that one - I am so impatient to see the house in all it's shiny new glory!

'Things to Do in Donegal' postings - WHY?

Why start 'Things to Do in Donegal' postings?

Well, as I wait for the renovations to begin I thought I could dedicate some time to sourcing as much information as I can about various activities available in Donegal. The reasons for this project is two fold: one - I will eventually need the information for future guests at Daisy Cottage to save them doing lots of homework on the area prior to their visit or even having to begin searching when they get here, and two - it is something I have long intended to do to add to my http://www.welovedonegal.com/ website. And now my Daisy Cottage project and the knowledge that I will need the information to be ready once we are ready to rent to future guests has given me the kick up the derriere I needed to get going on it!

Having just completed the 'Things to Do in Donegal - GOLF' posting, I can see it is going to be quite labour intensive. That particular posting took me around six solid hours of research to find all the information there. I always check and double check information I find, whether I find it in magazine articles, newspapers or on the net, thereby ensuring I can get the most accurate and up to date information possible.

So, yes, I can see it is going to be hard work but the result of that work means I can post the information with a degree of confidence that it is accurate and will be helpful to visitors to our county.

The 'Things to Do in Donegal' which I am currently working on is 'Fishing'. The research is going well but there are so many outlets for this particular hobby, compiling it all is quite labour intensive so it may take another week to add. Future 'Things to Do in Donegal' will include such things as horseriding, surfing, hillwalking, adventure sports, diving, and so on.

Things to Do in Donegal - GOLF

Donegal Golf Club, Murvagh

Golf is almost a religion with many in Donegal and the county's courses have become a huge attraction for golf fanatics from all over the world. There are many top rate courses with the two golf courses at Ballyliffin named in the top 30 of the top 100 courses in the whole of Ireland and the UK.

A couple of years ago, very early one beautiful misty morning, we were up at the top of the ancient ringfort of Grianan Ailigh just outside Letterkenny, taking pictures. There we met an American man, like us taking pictures and enjoying the views. We got chatting, as you do when there is just a few lonesome souls gathered on a misty morning. He told us he was regularly in Donegal on business and said that to round off the few days he was next heading to Ballyliffin Golf Club telling us it was the best in Ireland and one he always looked forward to getting back to. High praise indeed!

Along with enjoying the fine courses in Donegal, players can also enjoy the fabulous views from most, if not all of the courses. That and the clean, pollution free fresh air.

Here are a list of the courses, after which I have added their proximity to Daisy Cottage:

Ballyliffin Golf Club
Ballyliffin, Inishowen. Tel: +353-(0)74-9376119
The Old Links - 18 hole - 6600 yards
Designer: Updated by Nick Faldo
The Glashedy Links - 18 hole - 7217 yards
Designers: Pat Ruddy & Tom Craddock
Par: 72
http://www.ballyliffingolfclub.com
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 74 miles/120 km

Ballybofey & Stranorlar Golf Club
The Glebe, Stranorlar. Tel: +353-(0)74-9131093
18 hole - 5922 yards - Par: 68
Designer: P. C. Carr
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 29 miles/46 km

Buncrana Golf Club
Buncrana. Tel: +353-(0)74-9362279
9 hole - 4250 m - Par: 62
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 62 miles/100 km

Bundoran Golf Club
Bundoran. Tel: +353-(0)71-9841302
18 hole - 5688 m - Par: 70
Designer: H. Vardon
http://www.bundorangolfclub.com/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 30 miles/48 km

Cloughaneely Golf Club
Ballyconnell, Falcaragh. Tel: +353-(0)74-9165416
9 hole - 6088 yards - Par: 70
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 50 miles/80 km

Cruit Island Golf Club
Kincasslagh. Tel: +353-(0)749543296
9 hole - 5141m/5619 yards - Par: 68
http://www.cruitislandgolfclub.com/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 44 miles/71 km

Donegal Golf Club
Murvagh, Laghey. Tel: +353-(0)74-9734054
18 hole - 7271 yards - Par: 73
Designer: Eddie Hackett
http://www.donegalgolfclub.ie/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 19 miles/30 km

Dunfanaghy Golf Club
Kill, Dunfanaghy. Tel: +353-(0)74-9136335
18 hole - 5350 m - Par: 68
Designer: Harry Vardon
http://www.dunfanaghygolfclub.com/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 62 miles/100 km

Greencastle Golf Club
Greencastle. Tel: +353-(0)74-9381013
18 hole - 5211 m - Par: 70
Designer: Eddie Hackett
http://www.greencastlegolfclub.com/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 77 miles/124 km

Gweedore Golf Club
Maghergallon, Derrybeg. Tel: +353-(0)74-9531140
9 hole - 6201 yards - Par: 71
http://www.gweedoregolfclub.com/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 45 miles/72 km

Letterkenny Golf Club
Barnhill, Letterkenny. Tel: +353-(0)74-9121150
18 hole - 6239 yards - Par: 71
Designer: Eddie Hackett
http://www.letterkennygolfclub.com/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 41 miles/66 km

Narin & Portnoo Golf Club
Narin, Portnoo. Tel: +353-(0)74-9545107
18 hole - 6854 yards - Par: 73
Designer: Eddie Conaughton
http://www.narinportnoogolfclub.ie/

North West Golf Club
Lisfannon, Fahan. Tel: +353-(0)74-9361027
18 holes - 6239 yards - Par: 70
Designer: Thompson Davy
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 59 miles/95 km

Otway Golf Club
Saltpans, Rathmullan. Tel: +353-(0)74-9158319
9 holes - 4234 yards - Par: 64
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 54 miles/87 km

Portsalon Golf Club
Portsalon, Fanad. Tel: +353-(0)74-9159459
18 holes - 6185 m - Par: 72
Designer: Pat Ruddy
http://www.portsalongolfclub.ie/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 62 miles/100 km

Redcastle Golf Club
Redcastle, Moville. Tel: +353(0)749385555
9 hole - 6046 yards - Par: 35
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 69 miles/111 km

Rosapenna Golf Club
Rosapenna, Downings. Tel: +353-(0)74-9155301
The Old Tom Morris - 18 holes - Par: 70
The Sand Hills - 18 holes - Par: 71
www.rosapenna.ie/golf.php
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 68 miles/110 km

St. Patrick's Courses Golf Club
Carrigart. Tel: +353-(0)74-9155114
Magheramagorgan Course - 18 hole - Par: 72
Designer: Eddie Hackett
Tra Mor Course - 18 hole - Par: 71
Designer: Joanne O'Haire
Tel: +353-(0)74-9155114
http://www.stpatricksgolflinks.com/
Distance from Daisy Cottage: 63 miles/101 km

Dolphins in Donegal. Update - Baby Dolphin!

After the sighting of dolphins last Saturday I emailed the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group http://www.iwdg.ie/?id=1 and sent them some of my pics. A very nice guy emailed me back to confirm what I initially thought that the dolphins were Bottlenose dolphins. To read about the sighting http://daisycottagedonegal.blogspot.com/2008/04/dolphins-in-donegal.html

I looked over my pictures again and started zooming in on them to see if I could see any more details and to my absolute joy I can see what I am sure is a baby dolphin swiming very close to its mother! I have enlarged the picture so that others can now have a look-see - just look very closely under the dark fin and you can see a paler, baby sized dolphin.

http://www.iwdg.ie/ is a great site too for finding where one might see dolphins (and whales) in Ireland so for sure I will be spending lots of time on that site so that next time we are out and about with the cameras we will be more ready to take pictures should we be lucky enough to spot dolphins again.

Another site with information about Irish dolphins: http://www.irishdolphins.com/index.asp

Garden, BBQ & Sunny Daffodils

So, on Saturday last another area we looked at was the garden of the house. Currently it is a jungle but a bit of grass cutting and tidying up will sort a lot of that. Our plans are to make the first little garden into a designated BBQ area, paved and with a brick built bbq. You can see this area in the first picture above. And handily, there is another small shed nearby which will be handy to store fuel for the bbq.

That first area is sectioned from the second garden by the little stone wall and gate you can see in picture 1. I think it would be a good idea to cover the bbq area with some sort of 'see through' roof (not over the actually bbq though). We did this at our house last year and it makes sitting out all evening so much better - no cold dew falling at darkness! I wish I'd thought of it years ago!

As there is a second garden the roof on the bbq area will not stop anyone who wants to sunbathe as they can sit in the second garden - should we get lots of sun. In the second garden (shown in picture 2 above) there is a tiny orchard - just a few apple trees really, but I love the look of them at the bottom of the garden and a nice bonus to have some organic apples to make apple jelly come the autumn. In picture 2, just at the left of the picture is an old lean-to hot house the previous owners used but we will clear that to give us even more room in the garden. It is a total eyesore and not an asset in anyway.

Under the jungle there seems to be old stone walling all around the entire garden and bbq to be area and I hope when the jungle is eventually cleared this will be an attractive asset to the outdoor area.

Just outside the backdoor and before the bbq area to be there is a yard which is big enough for 2 cars so I suppose we will just cement over that and put up another fence and gate leading to the bbq area which should render the garden fairly safe for children to play well away from the road.

The gardens are proving to be the place where least bother with decisions is. Most of us love a bbq and most of us love a garden so there isn't such a lot to decide. Plus on looking inside the shed behind the house where the games room will be located we think there is enough room to put a loo and whb which will be great for those outdoor days rather than having to treck into the house to use a loo.

If only all the other decisions we have to make were as easy!

And on top of that we found lots of very pretty daffodils growing in the garden and I picked a bunch to take home - pictured here in their vase and brightening up this overcast day in Donegal.

The Lap of Luxury

This weekend, as we were to spend sometime at our holiday home on Saturday measuring up and making decisions on works to be done etc., we decided to make a night and day of it and checked into Harvey's Point on Friday night as a lovely treat. http://www.harveyspoint.com/home.asp It is only 10 miles/17 km from the house so an ideal spot for us until the house is ready for use.

The hotel is right on the banks of Lough Eske (shown in the photos above) and a stay there really is a night in the lap of luxury. The service, the comfort, the food and the wine, the location - everthing is A1. Okay, it is expensive but it really is a treat to enjoy just once in a while. The bedrooms there are the biggest I have ever seen - and because we have stayed on a number of occasions, we get a free upgrade to a Deluxe Bedroom. The 'ordinary' Executive bedroom is excellent too but sure with a free upgrade, why not go for Deluxe?

We enjoyed an excellent meal and I had possibly the best starter I have ever eaten. "Duck Liver and Foie Gras ParfaitStewed Onion, with Maderia, Pickled Pear and Brittany Brioche Bread". It really was absolute heaven. There is a set menu and yes, it is quite expensive at €65 per person but as a special treat and to enjoy the very best of ingredients and cooking, worth every penny. Or cent should I say now? The restaurant is also open to non-residents and definately worth budgeting for during a stay in the area.

After our meal we had our coffees (with a Remy XO for me and an armagnac for him - I did say we were treating ourselves!) on the paved area overlooking the lake. It was just perfect and so peaceful , until that is some of the folks from a wedding being held on the premises came outside and made noise which disturbed the resident geese. This set them off on a very noisy 'barking' spree! But, 'though they were noisy, they were very funny to watch as they waddled about looking cross and giving out like disgruntled old folk (the geese I mean, not the wedding guests!).

There was a Celtic Night of music in the cocktail lounge but we passed on this as we had to get up early to go over to our cottage and from previous experience, we know a night in the bar can run very late.

Fresh Fish Daily & Body Warmers

Yesterday we travelled the few miles from our holiday home to the fishing port of Killybegs. This fishing port is the biggest sea fishing port in Ireland and lands over half the catch of the entire national fishing fleet. The places is buzzing with locals, fishermen of all nationalities, and visitors to the area. If you would like to read more on Killybegs click on this link http://www.welovedonegal.com/killybegs.html










At the portside there is a unique little shop selling all manner of bits and pieces from heavy duty outerwear to postcards to buckets and spades for kids to gifts. A real time waster of a shop but we love it and visit it each time we are in Killybegs to see what's new there. Sometime ago my husband bought one of those wind up torches - I'm not sure if we've ever used it but you never know when we might need it during a power failure, 'though guaranteed, come the power failure we won't be able to find it! Yesterday was so cold that we bought a couple of huge body warmer jackets. They aren't the prettiest of things but, boy, are they warm.

Beside the port there is a van where a man sells a selection of the fish landed that morning. He is there 6 days a week so it is a case of fresh fish (almost) daily! From the selection there we bought some squid and some line caught cod. Today I sliced and gently fried the squid in a little olive oil and garlic and it was delicious. The cod I will bake tomorrow - drizzled with a little olive oil, a few chunks of lemon on top, covered with some tin foil. Served with some steamed baby potatoes french beans it makes a perfect meal.

There was a car boot sale on in the village too so of course I needed to check it out. There was the usual mishmash of stalls - one of them had a beautiful mahogany wash stand with marble top and a matching dressing table, both of which I would love to have purchased for our holiday home but as I have nowhere to store them I had to drag myself away. There was also a huge stall selling lots of fresh fruit and veg including some newly dug baby potatoes which we bought. I think this market may be on every Saturday and if so what a great place to collect fresh veg to go with the fresh fish from the van.

On previous visits to Killybegs we have enjoyed meals in a number of places, the best to date being one called 22 Main Street http://www.22mainstreet.com/ It is a cute little place tucked in behind an equally charming bar. We enjoyed a meal of really well priced fresh seafood (naturally) and later adjourned to the bar where we had a great night's craic with locals and the barman. A friendly bar and restaurant to which we hope to return often once our house is ready.

Daisy Cottage - Decisions - Aga do or Aga don't

Another decision to be made about the cottage is whether or not to keep the Aga stove. We swing form yes to no on a regular basis and as yet we have yet to decide 100%.

Yesterday, we decided it must go. This decision was based on a number of facts:

1. It takes up a huge amount of room in the kitchen.

2. It is plonked in the middle of the kitchen side of the kitchen/diner making it very awkward to fit cupboards around.

3. It would need to be restored, and at what cost?

4. It's conversion to oil is rather clumsy looking.

So for now, it is going. For now ...

But then again there are also pros for keeping it:

1. Well, it's an Aga and so iconic and I'd feel a total philistine for taking it out.

2. They are way too expensive to buy one to replace it at a later date should we rue our decision to remove it.

3. It would make the kitchen very warm.

4. It fits the country cottage setting well.

I love ranges and we are actually having one put into our home in Letterkenny tomorrow (sadly not our Aga as it is too big for our kitchen at home). But I am used to ranges and so know how to use them and cook on them. But we do have to take into account the fact that we will also be using our cottage for holiday lettings and as such, are there many people willing to try cooking on it? I seriously doubt it given the amount that is written about the temperamental nature of an Aga. And even if some people were willing to give it a go, it takes a lot of time to get it right and to heat it up (about 8 hours) - time no-one will want to spend getting to know an Aga while on holiday I'm sure.

Oh, decisions, decisions! I have a feeling this one will run and run.

Should it stay or should it go? Click on the poll at the top right of the page.

Fish and Chips!

After all our hard work driving around the area yesterday, measuring the rooms in Daisy Cottage, and the excitement of seeing the dolphins, we treated ourselves to a fish and chips in the village diner, Baskins Cafe. This homely little diner served us well - we walked in from the freezing day outside where hailstones had now decided to fall, and into the warmth of the cafe.

They serve the usual options of burgers, chicken, and so on but given that they offer a fresh fish of the day we had to go for that. The fish of the day was haddock and when our order arrived we each had two big portions of perfectly cooked fish encased in a crispy batter along with scrummy fat chips. That along with a big pot of steaming hot tea, and bread & butter, made an absolutely delicious and very welcome meal. And all that for just under €18 for the two of us!

This wee diner is apparently a favourite of a certain famous American actress, SJP, who with her husband Matthew Broderick has a holiday home in a nearby village. I'm not sure if, given her incredibly slim figure, this means that the food there is totally fat free and without calories? I fear not, but believe me, the fresh fish and chips are worth the odd calorie!

Beaches and Shorelines - Inver

About 3 miles/5 km away from Daisy Cottage is a beautiful beach at Inver. Inver is a tiny hamlet with just a few houses who's owners enjoy the enviable location of being just a few steps from this sandy beach. It is very peaceful there and any time we have been the beach has been deserted, save the odd person walking along it's sandy shoreline.

In the hamlet there is one bar, The Rising Tide, but it seems to keep rather obscure opening times because we have never found it to be open, but we will keep trying!

Past the bar there is the ruins of an old church and graveyard which is a great place to wander around in absolute peace and quite although I must warn that the ground is somewhat lumpy and pitted and with the long grass you could easily stumble - so should you explore there, take care.

Beaches and Shorelines - St. John's Point

The nearest shoreline to Daisy Cottage is St. John's Point which is approximately one km/half a mile from the house. The panaromaic views there are stunning and yesterday we drove the length of this road which starts low from St. John's Point and rises up to give fabulous views of the seas below and the coastline there. I would imagine for the hardier folks it would be a great walk but hey, the day was cold and we were 'working' and had lots of driving to do so couldn't spare the time ... well, that, and we were being lazy.

The picture of the Point I took yesterday shows the ruins of what was once a castle. The castle was built by Niall Mor McSwyne in the mid to late 15th century. The McSwynes were a warlike clan who came to Ireland from Scotland as gallowglasses (mercenary soldiers). Niall Mor McSwyne died on the 14th of December 1524 and is buried near his castle. The headstone from his grave can be seen encased in glass on the wall of St. Mary's Church in nearby Killybegs.

Beside the ruins is the small hotel and restaurant, Castlemurray House, which is a very popular spot with many who enjoy their fine food and hospitality and is a great asset to the area drawing as it does many people from all over Ireland. http://www.castlemurray.com/site/index.aspx

Dolphins in Donegal

We visited Daisy Cottage yesterday to take some measurements and assess ideas for the work we want to carry out there. While there we decided to take a drive around the area to see what is available for future guests of our house, distances to places in the vicinity etc.

One of the drives we took was to see how far the various shorelines and beaches in the area are from our house. The weather started off as a beautiful sunny day but quickly became bitterly cold and overcast (and later alternated to blue skies but still cold!).

And at one of the nearby shorelines we were awarded with the most amazing view - a school of dolphins leaping and thrashing through the choppy waters. I know that there are dolphins and whales off our coast but this is the first time I have seen them for myself, so it was a very special moment I can tell you.

As I said, the weather had changed and, disappointed at the grey skies, I was packing away my camera when my husband said 'Look, Catherine! Dolphins!' You can imagine our excitement! Out of the car and into the freezing wind to get nearer the slipway wall we were parked beside to see them. I was totally torn between looking at the dolphins and changing lenses on my camera to capture these special creatures. Unfortunately my freezing hands were barely working at this stage and I spent too long changing lenses and so ended up with not so great photos but I console myself with the fact I have actually seen the dolphins and managed to capture a hint of them.

~~~

Sites with information on dolphins and whales in Ireland:

http://www.iwdg.ie/

http://www.irishdolphins.com/index.asp

About Daisy Cottage

Daisy Cottage is an old two story cottage in the centre of the small village of Dunkineely in south Donegal. The cottage dates back to at least 1903 making it over 100 years old.

On the ground floor, street level, we have a living room to the front and a smaller living room to the back of the house, a large kitchen/diner which runs the width of the house, a utility area, and another room which we hope to convert to a downstairs bedroom with an en suite shower room. At the moment the kitchen houses an old Aga stove which has been converted to oil. It is in a bit of a sorry state right now and we can't decide whether to keep it or sell it on. One day the decision is to keep it, the next we are all for selling it. Decisions, decisions!

Upstairs, the first floor, there are five bedrooms and one bathroom and yet again, more decisions. At first we were going to convert the smallest bedroom into an en suite for the master bedroom but now we are considering converting the central bedroom into two en suites, one for the master bedroom and one for another double bedroom. This would leave us a double bedroom, a double bedroom with en suite, another double with en suite and a single bedroom. That is the choice for now, but knowing us it could change!

Outside we have an enclosed back yard which is big enough to park a couple of cars, a small garden which we intend to pave and build a bbq area in, and then beyond that we have another garden and tiny orchard. Even in it's overgrown state, the garden is lovely and the apple trees only add to the appeal. We won't do much with it other than have the trees trimmed and the grass cut to slightly less than the jungle level it is at at the moment.

There is a two story shed attached to the back of the house the ground floor of which we will convert to use as a laundry (for the housekeeper). Our thinking behind this is that we can keep the utility area in the main house for guests' use only. The upstairs will be converted to a games room and house a snooker table, darts board, etc. to be used as a games room - useful on a rainy day as we mums will understand!

So that's just a little about the house and our ideas. So far!

A Little Bit About Donegal

If you look at a map of Ireland you will find County Donegal up in the North West corner (top left).

County Donegal is one of the largest counties in Ireland and a great place to live or visit. We enjoy the benefits of living in what is still largly a rural part of Ireland and yet a drive of a little over 3 hours will have us in Dublin or Belfast in little more than a 2 hour drive.

The county has hundreds of miles of coast line and probably more large sandy beaches than any other county in Ireland, many of which are Blue Flag beaches which means they meet high standards of water quality, safety etc. Ireland in the current year has 80 Blue Flag Beaches of which 11 are in County Donegal. You can read more here http://www.blueflag.org/Criteria/Beaches.

There are mountains and cliffs and thousands of acres of dramatic scenery to take in. A few miles from our cottage is Slieve League, the highest accessible sea cliffs in Europe at 1972 feet/595 km, making their height over twice the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The weather here is temperate all year round, benefiting as we do from the effects of the Gulf Stream which sweeps round our coastline. While like the rest of Ireland, we do get plenty of rain, Donegal hit a record for the most hours of sunshine in Ireland in July 2007, so, gladly, it's not all rain!
If you would like to read more on Ireland and Donegal, visit my website: www.welovedonegal.com

Why Daisy Cottage?

Why name our cottage Daisy Cottage?

The previous owners had simply called it 'The Cottage' but I wanted something a little more evocative, more memorable. I ran various names past my husband and he mostly did that 'yes, dear' thing. I honestly think had I suggested naming it The Castle he'd have said 'yes, dear'. Men!

So, the naming was left up to me. Which was probably for the best.

We have a tiny orchard at the end of the garden, or yard, to the rear of the property and I toyed with the idea of names related to that. Names such as Apple Blossom Cottage. However, the orchard is completely hidden from view to those passing the cottage and so I eventually discounted that idea.

As the cottage will also be used for holiday rental I wanted something that was fairly easy to remember and something I could develop on. The idea to name it Daisy Cottage came to me early one morning recently and at first I wasn't sure. But the more I thought about it, the better I liked it.

Daisy Cottage Donegal had a ring to it that I liked. Daisies always make me think of sunny, summer days and as the cottage is for holidays, well it just seemed perfect. And so Daisy Cottage was born ...