Mary Mackie – författare

A warm and funny account of what it is like to live in and run a National Trust house: Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk.When Mary Mackie''s husband became Houseman at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk she suddenly found herself running one of the most elegant 17th-century houses in East Anglia. During their first year living in the National Trust house she was endlessly running up and down corridors, making visitors welcome, keeping unwelcome visitors at bay, arranging concerts, dinners and vast cleaning programmes. But leavening all the hard work were the exciting discoveries - hidden staircases, treasures in the attic and an ice house in the woods. COBWEBS AND CREAM TEAS reveals the tribulations and excitement that occur in any house open to the public, and it assures us that living in a National Trust house provides only the certainty that life will never be dull, or idle, again.

A funny and enlightening account of life in a National Trust house.Perfect for fans of SECRET LIFE OF THE NATIONAL TRUST and ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL"The next time we went down to the cellar we found that the ceiling over the stairs had collapsed in a welter of dust, cobwebs and ancient lath and plaster. I had wondered why our stairs were more draughty than usual..."If you thought living in a stately home was all gleaming banisters, visiting aristocracy and priceless antiques, then Dry Rot and Daffodils is a must-read. Throughout her years living at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk Mary Mackie has encountered dry rot, leaking roofs, visiting children who leave bubble-gum on the antiques - and a complete lack of privacy.Full of anecdotes that are always enlightening, often funny and sometimes almost unbelievable, Dry Rot and Daffodils is a wonderfully entertaining account of what it''s really like to live in a National Trust house.