There was the Abingdon Farmers’ Market this Friday (20th November), and there were about a dozen stalls.

I see their Covid-19 risk assessment included:
* All traders wore face-masks
* Food and drink could only be taken away
* No samples of produce
* A one-way system
* No groups larger than 6

My blog risk assessment includes not taking any close up photographs to avoid getting in the way, and taking just a few pictures while walking once round the outside.

There was a Local Excellence Market in Abingdon today. It rained all morning and brightened up in the afternoon.

On the Poppy stall could be seen a Veterans Dog. These dogs are trained to support veterans, of the armed services, to lead a full life.

Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council have announced that there will not be the usual Remembrance Day service or parade. Organisations can lay their wreaths at the war memorial from Friday. People can also mark the two minutes silence at 11.00 am on Sunday 8th November from their doorsteps. The Town Council will host a Remembrance presentation on its website www.abingdon.gov.uk so that people can view the War Memorial from the safety of their own homes.

At the Market were Christmas decorations and gifts.

Since the market, the PM has announced a second lockdown from Thursday until 2nd December. Non-essential shopping will not be allowed during that time.

Abingdon Country Market were also there. They told me – this morning – that their next Market was on 14th November. Food is essential so that could possibly still go ahead.

I got a pile of books from the library. (Reading is one of the pleasures of lockdown.) The library were up to their Covid-19 limit of twenty people but it still looked empty. They will probably close during the lockdown, along with pubs, restaurants, churches, fitness centres and community centres. Schools will remain open during the second lockdown.

Today I had my first coffee and croissant on Abingdon Market Place since the start of the lockdown. When I sat down, the outside seats at R&R, Costa, and Throwing Buns were in sun; and the seats at Java were in shade.

I noticed the usual queue outside the National Westminster Bank – a very popular bank. Pablos Lounge have reopened this week.

I started a survey of face masks to see what was the most popular colour: 3 blue, 1 pink, 1 black and counting … then noticed a man with a Black Sabbath T Shirt taking a selfie in front Abingdon County Hall Museum.

The doors of the museum appeared to be open but, looking later, I discovered that was only the outer doors. In the interim, the museum are publishing some lovely pictures of exhibits on Abingdon Museum on Instagram.

I flicked through a book, purchased at the British Heart Foundation, and edited by John Betjeman and John Piper, called ‘Murray’s Berkshire Architectural Guide‘

At one point it says, ‘Despite the fact that the huge industrial city of Oxford is only six miles away, Abingdon remains resolutely Berkshire. Not even the presence of the MG motor works and a large, noisy aerodrome kills the essentially market and country quality of this meadow-set, river-bordered, old brick town.’