So I'm writing this at 12am, exactly one week since we closed after our opening night in the pub. I didn't go into this business under the delusion that it was going to be easy; I knew that the hours would be long, but I did have a romantic notion that I would be able to sit down for ten minutes on a quiet evening and write a few words here.

Yeah. Right...

So, day one, Thursday, we opened. We hosted a pool league match and I discovered that I had inherited the captainship of the team. We lost.

Friday started with weekly beer line cleaning. I got half way there, but had to call in backup from the ever helpful Adrian to get my valves set right. Mostly uneventful after that, with the exception of a brief cider shower (slightly less refreshing than it sounds). We had a shooting party in the afternoon, followed by an influx of locals, followed by another influx of locals and the slightly distressing discovery that we had run out of Calor Gas. And very late night...

Saturday we secured more gas and put on a pie and pea supper for the locals. A full house, with all the usual suspects (including local law enforcement). And an even later night.

Sunday afternoon we put on a great beef and lamb roast. All good local food and well received (especially by me)...

Monday we closed to redecorate the front bar. What was always the red wall is now properly red again. We went to look at the outside. We had dinner out. We got home and slept (at least I think that the was the order it happened in).

Tuesday was a bit of a blur, involving moving out of my old house and working on menus.

Wednesday we started a full lunch and dinner service with out new menu.

Thursday was more moving, more hours behind the bar. And another pool match. We lost.

More soon...