Tuesday 21 July 2009

Going green?


Going Green?

How green are you? It seems to be all the craze these days. The Old Vicarage Guesthouse has just got a Green Tourism award – a silver award at our first attempt! For months now I have observed Maurice and Ruth putting in long life light bulbs, water saving devices in the loos, installing water butts, even replacing old windows with double-glazed units, not to forget a brand new condensing boiler.

Me? I'm all in favour of saving energy. I choose the sunniest spots to lie up in. I don't chase around after the wildlife, I wait for it to come to me! I firmly believe in getting through each day with the least expenditure of energy (I think Maurice is in favour of this approach too). The Old Vicarage has always been wildlife friendly with its ivy covered walls, hedges and some trees including two lovely English Elms. Maurice has put up boxes including a bat box would you believe. This year he went the extra mile with a box for swifts!! So far they have ignored it even though he played a tape of swift calls to try to attract them – what a carry-on!! Swifts are amazing in that they never land on the ground as they can't take off again. Recently we had an exciting incident when a grounded swift was attacked by a territorial starling. I was sleeping in the drawing room and missed all the fun, but apparently the starling was dive-bombing the swift and would have killed it only Maurice intervened and saved it (see photo). He put it in a bag to recover and later released it from a top floor window and it flew away and rejoined its family in the streets nearby. For more information on swifts look up London swifts

So, here's to more “green” tourists and more wildlife to enjoy around the Old Vicarage. Maurice and Ruth will even help with bird-watching trips in North Northumberland and the Borders. We have great places within easy reach such as Holy Island (Lindisfarne NNR); St. Abb's Head; and the lovely valleys of the Cheviots. Must go and check up on the birds in the garden again.

Findlay.

Wednesday 15 July 2009

Not sure what to make of being upgraded to 5 stars – my “front-of house” role should really be appreciated even more than it is. Perhaps I should be on a better diet. Maurice is so slow sometimes when I try to drop the hint about the boring food from the Co-op. There are one or two flavours that I tire of very quickly. I know it winds him up terribly when I refuse to eat the offerings. He doesn't know what I have been eating or how some neighbours like me too!!

Maurice and Ruth seem to be very pleased with their new status as 5 star. It does reward all the hard work they have put in here over the last 4 years to welcome people to Berwick-upon-Tweed. They have been out changing the signs, but I noticed that their web-site still has a 4 star logo! Honestly, you just can't get the staff these days! Anyway, if it brings in more guests then I will have even more knees to choose from in the drawing room.

The season is really in full swing now, we seem to have been full all month. Had to get my “jab” recently which was a bit of a shock when Maurice grabbed me and hauled me off to the vet. Bit nerve-racking with all those strange dogs and cats coming and going. Have to go back for the follow-up soon too. Mixed feelings about that, but nice to have the protection. Overheard comments about the expense of it all, but I know they love me really and value my contribution to this establishment. By the way, there is a photo of me also on the web-site (www.oldvicarageberwick.co.uk) if you look at the one showing car parking – that's me on the right walking up the drive towards the photographer. I knew something was going on and wanted to be in the picture! There's room for 5 cars off-road and easy parking outside as well – but I really don't like cars, which I may tell you about some other time.

Bye for now – Findlay xx

My First Blogg!!!

Hello there – I am Findlay the cat and I live at The Old Vicarage Guesthouse in Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, England – just. I say “just” because we are very close to the border here in North Northumberland. I have been asked to respond to my fans, people who have stayed here at some time and have mentioned me in dispatches. The owners of The Old Vicarage (Maurice and Ruth) have often commented on how popular I am. I play my part in welcoming guests and am often found sprawled across someone's knee in the drawing room. I am banned from the dining room but have the run of the place generally – except for those rare occasions when a guest is allergic to cats or does not like me at all, and I am banned from just about everywhere!

I even get a mention on trip advisor – that internet site that people can look up for reports on places they might want to stay in. We're very lucky to have lots of great reports – check out the latest ones to see me getting a mention.

I'll be keeping you informed about life here – at the moment breeding season for all the birds around is in full swing and I am keeping a close eye on the broods of sparrows, blackbirds etc. which are on my patch. If I can't catch any, I make sure that none of the neighbouring moggies do! It's a full time job patrolling the grounds. I sometimes stay out all night in the great weather we've been having here in the north-east. It does annoy Maurice somewhat when I refuse to come in so he can lock the cat-flap.

There's lots to tell about The Old Vicarage, including being upgraded to five stars – speak to you soon. Bye for now -

Findlay xx