Blogs from Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe - page 2

So, now was the time to earn my paycheck. I was in England for a training session for a new program, near one of our main offices in Wallingford. The session was held at Jesus College at Oxford University, one of 38 colleges that make up the University. It was very nice and in a way, I think it helped our focus. At the time, students were still on break, so I think there were a few other companies holding sessions at the college and we were all accommodated in individual dorm rooms. I wish I had this room in college! I had a nice comfy double bed, my own small bathroom, and plenty of desk and storage space, as well as a mini fridge where I kept a few snacks and drinks. I patted myself ... read more

10 September 2019, Tuesday Abingdon to Wallingford day 10 on Thames Path, day 24 of travel. One misty, moisty morning When foggy was the weather We met with old friends Not dressed up in leather With apologies to this old nursery rhyme, we do join together for our morning walk. It is a very misty morning as we leave Cosenar's House for our 'daily constitution.' At Abington lock there is a demonstration of how the old wooden weir system worked on the locks. This we attempted to describe earlier when we talked to Steven, the lock keeper at Northmoor. The upper and lower weir paddles are shown and the bottom supports in the river bed. It takes a person in excellent shape to handle this system. The display, almost like an outdoor sculpture, was a tribute ... read more

8 September 2019, Sunday The photos are back so we have revised and edited this post. A rest day and visit to Oxford. No walking on Thames Path today. Day 23 of travel. Our breakfast at Lakeside Guest House features fresh fruit with granola and yogurt. We plan our day to explore the colleges and see downtown Oxford. Here is Karen's narrative of our day. Sunday - A day amongst the 'dreaming spires of Oxford.' We have a lovely breakfast in a sunny dining area and then are off to see the town. - According to a 2017 census the population of Oxford is 154,600 people. This is misleading as the traditional, 'old' part of the city where the university is located, is very compact. We have signed up for one of those 'pay what you ... read more

Now starting to get very excited about our Australian visit in just over a weeks time.... read more

A glimpse into the life of Lord & Lady Nuffield & a look around this millionaires modest abode - we certainly walked into a time capsule. William Morris (not the William Morris of Arts & Crafts fame) this William Morris, later known as Lord Nuffield was one of the world's greatest philanthropist of the 20th century. He brought cheap motoring to Britain, by introducing mass production processes in 1912 he registered WRM Motors Ltd for the manufacture of cars. Lord Nuffield was never extravagant with his money and gave much away to good causes. In 1927 he started to give large sums to hospitals particularly in areas where he had car manufacturing factories. His name is familiar in regard to many aspects of medicine Nuffield Orthopaedic centre, Nuffield Institute for Medical Research to name just a ... read more