Entertaining Folk

For one week a year the seaside town of Sidmouth comes alive with buskers, street entertainers and morris dancers everywhere you look and live music sessions in all the pubs. Our first two days at Sidmouth Folk Week were chilled out and relaxed, drinking in the atmosphere and getting to know the town before Ann-Marie’s first dance spots on the programme. Each evening we both managed to join Herbacious Border; a random collection of dancers who get together to dance Border Morris on the seafront at 6pm.

Wednesday & Thursday started early with a Molly workshop, followed by dancing with Pig Dyke in and around town. Friday was a later start which gave our Pig Dyke friends the opportunity to throw us a farewell party on Ann-Marie’s last day of dancing with the side. The festival ended with a torchlight procession along the seafront, Ann-Marie with Pig Dyke and Dave with Herbacious. At the end of the procession all the torches were extinguished in the sea and there was a fabulous firework display.

Saturday morning we were up and away early heading out of Devon, feeling sorry for the holiday-makers queuing up on their way in. We waved to Stonehenge and carried on to meet Ann-Marie’s extended family at the annual BBQ in Wendy & Dave’s lovely garden in Shepperton. Surprisingly, the threat of rain held off and we had a really good day. Between us we’ve seen more aunts, uncles and cousins in the last couple of weeks than we have for years. This travelling lark is definitely a Good Thing.

Things have been a bit busy since then. Dave started work on Karen’s new porch on Sunday and on Wednesday he took the Kon-Tiki over to Wendy & Dave’s to take the gearbox out. Ann-Marie’s Dad has a friend called Brian who’s a wizard mechanic. Brian agreed to rebuild our box, so at midnight on Wednesday, Dave and Pete found themselves in a shed with Brian and a stripped gearbox. The good news is that all the noise was being made by a little cage in one bearing which is replaceable; the rest of it is in good-as-new condition. Brian should have it all back together next week and – fingers crossed - it’ll be back in the van by Thursday or Friday. On Thursday we went mad with a bow saw and secateurs in Karen’s back garden, coppicing the Hazel trees and letting in a lot more light.

This weekend we’re off to Derbyshire for Frankie’s 21st birthday BBQ, another party to look forward to!