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It’s all go on board Areandare – a huge catch-up!
I’m frequently in awe of those prolific bloggers who manage to write, edit and publish a post a day – at the moment even a post a week feels out of reach. Apologies readers, there’s so much going on in...
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The Stupendous Standedge Tunnel – better late than never
I know, it’s quite ridiculous isn’t it, this post is from our time at the end of July in Marsden and the Standedge Tunnel, almost six weeks ago. Oh my, how time flies. Our trading hasn’t been as...
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Six weeks grace – seeing a bit of boating business!
Things are beginning to calm down a little here in Worcestershire, so much so I even managed to squeeze four days and nights back with Barry from Friday to Tuesday for a taste of ‘normality’. We...
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Meeting many people and trading at Middlewich
Whatever happens this year in relation to Barry’s visa, one thing we know without a doubt is how incredibly fortunate we’ve been to meet so many lovely people – mainly through this blog! The past four...
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Showers, sunshine and socialising in Stone
It’s certainly been an interesting weekend here in Stone at another of the Roving Canal Traders Association Floating Markets. Arriving on Thursday afternoon, we slotted in between ‘Here be Dragons’ and...
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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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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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Appearing on the cover of Waterways World …
Many readers will be aware before Barry was a master home brewer, he’d been a professional photographer. In fact 35 years of his working life was spent photographing weddings, family portraits, the...
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Adapting to the realities of running three businesses from a narrowboat!
It’s around five years since Barry and I first began formulating the possibility of finding ways to make a ‘sustainable’ living, continuously cruising aboard a narrowboat. Running three businesses...
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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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Huddlesford Heritage Gathering and Barry’s 20 Questions in Canal Boat
Amongst the 2,000 miles of interconnected navigable canal and rivers in England and Wales, there remains sections in the process of restoration – some more actively than others. Lichfield, a cathedral...
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Boat businesses – it’s all go on and off NB Areandare
Winter may be the time of hibernation for many animals. We may have come to a standstill in relation to continuous cruising, but definitely not in regards to ‘working’. Making self-employment on/from a...
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Our winter plans so far
Isn’t it fabulous that Barry’s posting his favourite images of 2015? I’m loving seeing scenes I’d forgotten about, and remembering why we’ve chosen this lifestyle. The Inland Waterways contain such a...
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Meandering up the Macclesfield Canal for our first festival of 2016
It feels like longer than five months since our last festival at Stourbridge in October. Fortunately we’re not totally reliant on such events for income. Winter has been slow for The Home Brew Boat...
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A blustery boggy Bugsworth Basin – but a brilliant first trading weekend
‘The Wizard of Oz’ turned out to be a very appropriate theme for the Buxworth Community Gala. There were times I wondered if Dorothy herself had returned, and the storm-like conditions were taking us...
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St Richard’s Festival Droitwich – our third time trading
Festival season for narrowboat traders is finally getting in full swing – starting this weekend. While many of our colleagues are at Norbury Canal Festival, we’re happily back in Droitwich for the...
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An up and down weekend at St Richard’s Festival in Droitwich
“Stay in the gazebo or you’ll catch your death!” Adults often say the most ridiculous things to children without thinking. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at this startling statement uttered by a...
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Floating Market Fun in Fazeley Followed by a Photo Shoot
I’m loving gathering information for our weekly ‘Trading Tales’ feature – we’ll publish a new one every Friday at 12 midday, as long as I’m given stories to share. You won’t be surprised to hear the...
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Mercia Marina’s First Floating Market
Returning to Mercia Marina last week, for their first Floating Market, produced many more magical memories for us. Shortly after mooring up on the trade boats pontoon, at almost the same spot we spent...
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Busyness on land and water – heading to Blisworth for the weekend
What a fun experience facepainting (mostly) adults at an evening wedding reception in Leamington Spa on 30th July. I’m so thankful I took the plunge to build ‘Funtastic Facepainting by Sandra‘, an...
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