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Fourth Fantastic Festival full of fun …
Life’s returned to a semblance of normality recently, as I’ve been back on board Areandare since Friday evening. My elder sister, Kath, covered me for the weekend so I could return ‘to work’. I find...
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Home Brew Boat beer tasting at Bumble Hole
We stayed in Birmingham a little longer than planned – it’s such a buzzing city and we do enjoy our visits there. Yesterday we moved the short distance to our next Boating Festival at Netherton, near...
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Bright and bustling in the Black Country
There’s certainly nothing dark and smoggy about The Black Country this weekend. What wonderful, down-to-earth and friendly folks we’ve had the pleasure of meeting so far. Barry had an endless stream of...
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Caught on camera
A lovely lady called Pip Norton contacted us a few months ago, to ask if we’d be interested in being a part of a documentary she’s producing about Roving Canal Traders. We didn’t hesitate to say “Yes...
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A splendid birthday weekend at Parkhead Canal festival
I’m only a mere ten days late posting about the sunny smiles that lit up our souls at the Parkhead Festival, on the last weekend of September … Birthday celebrations I have to admit to feeling a little...
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The Delights of Droitwich and Exciting News about Crick 2015
Our return visit to trade at St Richard’s Festival in Droitwich was a great success despite the unseasonal weather. I even got the bag of winter clothes back out from under the bed to put my long...
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Getting a soaking at Alvechurch AND en route to Crick
We’re currently ‘speeding’ along at 3-4 mph to the Crick Boat Show. Barry’s driving in the pouring rain which promises to accompany us throughout the day. Unfortunately we don’t have the luxury of...
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Being human on the waterways
It’s an infinitely fascinating life living on a narrowboat, cruising and trading on the canals as we do. Unfortunately the weather’s been attempting to drown us with squally showers and intermittent...
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A cracking time at Crick after a challenging start
Wow! What a wonderful weekend we had at The Crick Boat Show – in spite of a particularly challenging beginning. Our arrival on Friday turned into a bit of a tense and troubled time, as due to what...
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10 of our best bits from Blisworth Canal Festival 2015
We’d heard tales of the fabulousness of Blisworth Canal Festival via Helen and Andy, aka ‘Wild Side’, who’d regaled us with tales of their annual experiences over their past few trading years. Sadly we...
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A bostin weekend at the Black Country Boating Festival 2015
Having had three very pleasant kiwi visitor episodes in August and early September, the most recent lasting eleven days and nights, we’re understandably a touch out of synch on blog posting. I also...
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Barry’s Favourite 50 Images from 2015 – Part 2
The next stage of our trip took us from the Alvechurch Festival through to Crick, back up to Middlewich for the Folk and Boat Festival, then up the Shropshire Union Canal. Once we’d passed through the...
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Trading Tales – The Jam Boat
This week’s Trading Tale features a couple who’ve been greatly missed on the cut so far this year. Sometimes life throws us a curved ball and we take time to readjust and refocus. We’re hoping to see...
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Moving boats – and a return journey I never expected to make
It’s been another full, fun and fascinating week for Barry and I living our ‘life less ordinary’. You know the saying ‘… like ships that pass in the night“? Well that’s been us more so than our...
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Having a blogging break …
It won’t come as too much of a surprise to hear that blogging has taken a backwards step in our busy lives for the time being. We’re not boating until early April – instead we’re enjoying three months...
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Delighted to return to Droitwich
One of our first events as Floating Traders, was St Richard’s Festival in Droitwich in 2014. Our dear friends Helen and Andy, from Wild Side, had already been trading there for a couple of years, so it...
View ArticleHalf way already and loving Lichfield
Hard to believe but today we’re seven weeks into our fourteen week commitment with Calendar Club at The Three Spires Shopping Centre in Lichfield. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun … Barry and...
View ArticleChristmas craziness with three weeks to go
One of my favourite sayings is the serenity ‘prayer’. You know the one that says “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change and courage to change those I can.“? Last week’s weather...
View ArticleThree Fabulous Festivals of 2018
The Home Brew Boat first began trading at canal-related festivals in Droitwich April 2014. Over the following three years the cruising plan was primarily based around planned events from April through...
View Article10 of our best bits from Blisworth Canal Festival 2015
We’d heard tales of the fabulousness of Blisworth Canal Festival via Helen and Andy, aka ‘Wild Side’, who’d regaled us with tales of their annual experiences over their past few trading years. Sadly we...
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