I’m posting this a week late as I got waylaid last week travelling to mum’s to sort out a few things – I’m there again now after a fabulous weekend at Mercia Marina. More on that to come, hopefully before the next event on Saturday!

Doing our best in Burton

Splendid scenery surrounded us all weekend at the Burton Floating Market in Shobnall Fields on 13th and 14th May. Sadly the crowds stayed away – the challenge with this location is its seclusion it seems!

Hidden amongst a mass of urbanisation, we’d tried as The Roving Canal Traders Association to promote the event locally as much as possible. Local papers and radio for some reason didn’t engage with us as they have magnificently in other areas recently.

The people who did hear about us and came to check us out seemed to love us. There was a huge variety of traders. Probably one of the largest RCTA organised this year at 15 trade boats – and of course Funtastic Facepainting.

We had a number of fairly new traders amongst the group too which was fabulous – and a last night BBQ get-together was enjoyed by everyone. There’s something very special about gathering under the stars and chatting collegially about how things went.

Who sold what …

Which dogs tried to pee up whose ropes …

How marvellous that Mark got the local council to bring us rubbish bins (there’s no CRT facilities nearby, and a local walking by on Monday remarked how incredibly tidy it was, as normally there’s rubbish strewn all over the area from a few undesirables who amalgamate there).

Admittedly I ate too late that evening, had one or two glasses of red wine too much, and omitted to remove my contact lens before heading to bed rather late. I put another one on top in the morning, without realising, and wondered why I couldn’t see much. Barry asked facetiously if I’d got two in, not imagining for one minute I had! Long days, late nights, drinking on an empty stomach – not conducive to making sensible decisions …

Special visitors

On Saturday evening we had a special visitor, our friend Tony who lives nearby. Both his daughters and their families live in New Zealand which is how we know him.

Then on Sunday afternoon, Andrew Denny, Waterways World Deputy Editor, magically appeared through the undergrowth at the side of my gazebo.

Both men are very dear to us – and we got to see them both again at Mercia last weekend!

I was thrilled that a few folk posted photos on my Facebook page – check them out on my facepainting blog.