More Opportunities to sightsee, skate and meet Santa in one place in our area next weekend, start here, then move on to Usk for the reindeer. Fabulous! http://www.blaenavonchristmas.com/

No less than two tilers busy in Vanilla Cottage square-ing up to the task of making old and very unstraight walls all shiny bright and new. One cussing upstairs in the bathroom, and one cussing downstairs in the kitchen . Good luck guys. There might be a right angle there somewhere but you will have to search hard for it! At least now the electricians are done you can shine a light on the problem.......

Guests at Foxes Reach and at Tintern Abbey Cottage are well aware of the excellence of our local shop in Brockweir and its amazing range of local produce .The prestigious BBC Food Awards have now recognised it too. Congratualtions team! http://wyedeantourism.wordpress.com/2011/11/26/brockweir-has-the-best-lo...

If it moves salute it. If it stays still paint it white. So learns a young British Army sqaddie. Some of them should come and work at Vanilla Cottage. Everything is being undercoated ( white), bleached ( white), tiled ( white) , grouted ( white) or scrubbed ( knuckles white). In some cases all of that. All the linen is being renewed ( white). Is there a theme going on here? . Please just let the snow stay away till we are done. Would not be all white to have that right now.......

Mike the roof has been revitalising the chimneys at Vanilla and was just finishing off the pointing when the guys indoors wanted some warmth to dry their plaster- so I lit the woodburner..........Anyone want to hire a kipper?

To all our many guests from across the big pond. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving .We hope to see you at Monmouthshire Cottages again before too long.

Jo the Joiner busily fitting the posh new kitchen at Vanilla Cottage- looks so bright and shiny ( not the poor joiner who is covered in dust!). Cant wait to play house!

The workmen at Vanilla are creating magic. They have stripped out the kitchen and the bathroom and have replastered everything. We are sorry to see the traditional lath and plaster go- but it was crumbly and the smart new finish is looking great and lets us add more modern lighting. In Wales we really do put job titles onto names (James the post for example) so its wonderful that the plaster repairs are being done by...Phil the holes.

Absolutely dont miss the Usk Christmas festival with real reindeer coming to town!
http://www.usktown.co.uk/news/296-usk-christmas-winter-festival.html

Due to the renovations at Vanilla cottage we have a slimline Bosch dishwasher and a 1450 litre green oil tank for sale. Both in perfect condition and both now on e bay.Here are the links. Both totally genuine. Please bid!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150701288996
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150702512567