Before going away last Friday, we were several tent pegs short, and I went to our local outdoor shop to try to find some. Unfortunately they had just sold their last two lots.

On the way back home I passed Crystals, the shop in Lombard Street.

Steve, the manager, came out of the shop and said, “Do you still need the tent pegs?”

“What???” I couldn’t remember telling him we needed tent pegs.

Anyway, Steve left to find some tent pegs from his flat nearby.

There was a simple explanation: my wife had told Steve we needed tent pegs.

(Moral of the story: It can seem like magic when somebody unexpectedly helps you.)

The Market Place has been fenced off since February for a redesign. Today, for the first time, the fences were taken down.

People were sitting on the new seats, where the trees will be. Workmen were taking away the fences.

A stone commemorating the Royal Charter is now to be seen at the centre of the paths.

The Monday Market has been held in the Civic Carpark, but at long last it will return to its rightful place this coming Monday.

The only thing remaining is to plant some trees, and plant some flowers, and send out a dove to see whether the floods have completely gone yet.

The new skatepark has been built in time for the summer holidays. At long last the BMXers, and skaters, can do stunts at places other than the disability ramps and stairwells and boundary walls of Abingdon’s public buildings.

The Skatepark, made from reinforced concrete, can be found next to the Vale leisure centre off Audlett Drive. The Sophos office can be seen in the background.

Coming home tonight, after three muddy days at a festival of World Music , I was suprised to find ‘world music’ happening in the courtyard of the Kings Head and Bell in Abingdon.

There were a group of north country clog dancers called ‘The Old Speckled Hen North West Morris Dancers’. There were also a group of belly dancers in the pub courtyard.

The clog dancers hadn’t come down from Lancashire, nor were the belly dancers Turkish.

The clog dancers said they practice at the Milton Heights Community Centre from September to April at 8 pm, and would welcome new members. The belly dancers meet at the Abingdon Dance Studio off Swinburne Road.