The source of a lot of the Love in Abingdon this Valentine’s Day was Centre Stage – now housed in Coxeters.

Love had spilled out throughout Coxeters. Here it is at the Lunchbox.

And here it is in Abode Interiors.

It did not end there.

Love is at Smiths the Chemist

and love is the Finishing Touch.

As the River Thames overspills its banks…

Things look quite different.

This coot swims across a footpath we normally walk along.

The red sign at Abingdon Lock warns ‘Caution Strong Steam‘. An aeroplane is coming over very low.

There are two boats moored on the reach between Abingdon Bridge and Abingdon Lock: Marnie II is still OK…

but B&B on Thames, Abingdon (aka Norah g) is in trouble.

As the comments from yesterday’s post say: the level of the River Ock has stabilised, and is receding further upstream.

This picture by John is what he calls the ‘Ock Mini Dam.’

The environment agency have a notice in this week’s Abingdon Herald announcing the demolition of St. Helens Mill footbridge. So unless anybody can come up with convincing environmental grounds why it should stay, it could be gone by the end of March.

This second dam is where the River Ock meets the Drayton Road. No plans to demolish this.

(For more Flood Pictures: see Gulliver’s Travels, or NB The Green Man in the local blogs list.)

Thanks to Mel who runs the jewel factory for this picture of the River Ock from a bedroom window in Meadowside at lunchtime. Mel says a fireman neighbour has a stake stuck near the growing river, and the river was still rising at 7 PM.

The Ock Valley Walk was completely under water when we went for our evening walk, and we did not attempt it.

Out on the Ladygrove Estate, the rising water can be seen here near Orpwood Drive as the sun went down.

Here it is round the playpark.

Tesco was evacuated a few minutes later at around 6 PM as the car park flooded. The water did not come across the carpark as quickly as during the July 2007 floods.