I (mostly) love our life. The infinite variety, frequent uncertainty, and adventurousness we experience. Occasionally it becomes overwhelming. Especially the recent 14 weeks non-stop working portion! I'm confident 2018 promises to bring many gifts our way; I'm also anticipating a few challenges. Mum will be a cause for concern as her Alzheimer's continues to take … Continue reading Feeling the benefits of inserting a pause
Mercia Marina
This is Mercia Marina not Morroco!
Having taken up the invitation of a trade mooring at Mercia Marina in the winter of 2015, we got to know the office staff there quite well. Barry more than me which is just how it is while I'm a regular member of the 'sandwich' generation and consequently often absent from Areandare. Once we left … Continue reading This is Mercia Marina not Morroco!
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 November and December 2015, there was a knocking at the canalside kitchen window. We like to believe the playful swan attracting our … Continue reading Mercia Marina’s First Floating Market
Leaving Mercia Marina and heading back onto the cut
I've had a bit of a break from blogging here for a few weeks while Barry's been posting his favourite photos of 2015 - hopefully he'll be taking heaps more images in 2016 to delight you. It's been an interesting experience having a fixed trading mooring at Mercia Marina - an opportunity we're very happy … Continue reading Leaving Mercia Marina and heading back onto the cut
Barry’s Favourite 50 (which turned into 70!) Images from 2015 – Part 7
Sadly our year's cruising was coming to an end even sooner than we'd planned, as due to a couple of lock and bridge closures we needed to be at Mercia Marina by early November, a month earlier than expected. On the way down from Birmingham the signs of changing season were becoming more obvious with … Continue reading Barry’s Favourite 50 (which turned into 70!) Images from 2015 – Part 7
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 wide diversity of beauty, no wonder Barry's so enraptured by it (I quite like it too!). Latest news from Mercia Sitting still at Mercia … Continue reading Our winter plans so far
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 boat work I recently read entrepreneurs leave behind 40 hour working-weeks to find more freedom and flexibility in their life. This resonated … Continue reading Boat businesses – it’s all go on and off NB Areandare
Settling into our winter space at Mercia
We're settling in nicely to our trade mooring at Mercia Marina - you can't quite make us out in the photo above as we hadn't got the banner up when I took this shot yesterday! We're in front of the blue boat, which is behind the large white boat in the distance ... Said large … Continue reading Settling into our winter space at Mercia
Moored up at Mercia Marina for the winter
It's been a busy three weeks for me since I last posted on 11th October. I've been down to Brighton for a long weekend to see my youngest daughter, and up to Malpas for a week to see my eldest daughter and two gorgeous grandsons. Meanwhile Barry's traded at his last festival for 2015 at … Continue reading Moored up at Mercia Marina for the winter