Day 21 - 3rd day in Oxford

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Mooring here evokes memories of Thomas the Tank Engine– the sidings are just the other side of some trees and Castle Mill stream and every evening trains are shunted into the sidings over a couple of hours or so and next morning at 6am they're all moved out again! It's not a problem, more of a time warp really. And of course St. Barnabus' chimes all the hours and quarters but not between 10pm and 7am, so that's good.







I had to sweep detritus off the boat this morning – the perils of mooring under trees which, off course, hampered any painting today. So I lifted the stern boards and cleaned out a winter's accumulation of gunge from the gullies.







It was market day in Oxford and it was really good – bought the sandpaper and screws that I needed but the real novelty was the fruit and veg stall. It was huge and capital E shaped. Self-service – you picked up an already filled small basket of whatever you wanted, went to one of 4 checkouts where they emptied the baskets into paper bags – very efficient. Prices were about 25% of what Sainsbury's charge too. Such a shame that fridge space is so limited on board.







Forgot to mention yesterday that Hattie needed some valium after a vicious attack. We were walking along the towpath, Hattie nose to ground as usual, when a cat leapt off a moored boat right in front of her, spitting and snarling. Well it got the reaction it was looking for – poor Hattie had nowhere to run so I came to her rescue – again!







John's back now so we're travelling again tomorrow.

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Photos

My sort of boat
It's red and sells sweeties!