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For the 4th year on the trot i went to the Peaks Booze and Blues Festival and the festival itself, unlike previous years was a complete disappointment. Last year there was 200 beers on offer and this year although I was told there was 140 beers they didn't seem to crack most of them open and maybe 50 were on offer. The festival was very poorly attended and there was no atmosphere. They're moving to a new location next year and I think maybe the pub is under new management and certainly the guy on the door said the festival nearly didn't happen at all and went ahead despite strong local opposition. There were still some great brews on offer, particularly Bumblehole - which inevitably was refered to as bumhole all weekend.

28 of us went away together for the bank holiday weekend but we only went over to the festival site on the Saturday due to the weather. I understand Leicester had torrential rain, happily we didn't but it did rain on and off all weekend particularly on Sunday and a few people gave up and went home. However most stayed and on Sunday Sam, Rob and I went to pick up some beer from the festival to take back to the campsite and spent the afternoon and evening ( I went early evening for a pub meal at the Coach and Horses because I couldn't be arsed to cook ) and there were 18 of us and 2 dogs in Rob and Sarah's tent.

Sitting in that tent; with the rain drizzling down outside, wrapped up in a billion layers to keep warm, surrounded by my friends, the kids giggling, with a beer in my hand, I had a moment when I knew that I was content and happy.


a few of us on the walk to the pub



Philippa pulling a face



Phil's cheeky grin



Rob making faces at his baby daughter Holly



Richard on the way back from the festival decided we needed firewood



Plus I finally bought a new tent which made a huge difference to the whole experience. I can stand up and cook in it and for a few hours on Sunday I sat contentedly in it listening to Memoirs of a Geisha on my iPod.