The first year
The 31st of December 2025 marked the end of “The Pijjery’s” first year. During 2025, globetrotters from the United States, Dubai, Canada along with visitors from England, Wales and of course, Scotland all ‘found’ Stobo! Regardless of where they come from, something happens to everyone (including us) when you close that wooden gate and enter the Pijjery. It’s not a boom or a bang or fireworks or anything like that, it’s just that time slows down and stress floats away up to the skies. Easterknowe seems to weave a magical spell of contentedness, calm and peace.
It’s just wonderful taking people through the gate in the garden and then waiting …
and it always, always comes…there is just a …
‘WOW’!
followed by a
‘Perfect!’
and then they close the gate and we hardly see them again until they leave!
Year one was, of course, a learning curve. A very steep learning curve some times. There were quite a few design issues that caused problems for some guests - someone couldn’t sleep with the low green light from the router that was hidden under the cupboard, another guest wanted more room for ‘stuff’ on the bedside table, someone forgot to close the velux windows (problematic when it rains) and on and on However, the snags were all noted down and when we closed for January, in came Richie and his tools to sort everything out.
We had the wow factor in the main room but the bathroom just wasn’t up to scratch and there was something definitely missing in the bedroom as they say. By the middle of February, we should have sorted out most of the known snags and given both bedroom and bathroom something of a facelift.
Most of our guests come to relax and re wind. The outstandingly awesome and jaw dropping Borders scenery helps and we do encourage people to explore the miles and miles of trails surrounding Easterknowe. In addition we have our Californian Yoga and Fitness teacher who comes out to teach and practice Yoga with our guests and… and to top it off … in December we installed a sauna which is utterly dreamy. We’re calling our health and well being services ‘Absolute Pijjery!’
One of our super glamorous guests from America (who was quite obviously keen on health and fitness) went jogging sporting a glorious sun tan and an amazingly short pair of short shorts with a very cropped top. A chap on a quad drove unusually slowly as she exercised through Stobo. He can’t have been local and must have been lost because he kept turning round and heading back towards our visiting Jennifer Lopez look alike! It also looked rather like his quad was overheating. What was seriously annoying was that not only was this particular guest stunningly beautiful, she was also seriously nice!
So, onwards as we march into year two. Excitement, trepidation, challenge - it’s all ahead. What we do know for sure is that we’ll have fun on the way!
You may be wondering why we call it the Pijjery? It all stems from our daughter aka ‘the naughty Pixie’ who, once upon a time many years ago, decided to change G’s for J’s. So when we found the old pig doors in the building we assumed once upon a time this was home to grunty, snuffly pink pigs and thus a Piggery. Factor in the Naughty Pixie’s interpretation and ‘the Pijjery’ was born!
