It was a hot day with temperatures up to 32°C. Not a cloud in the sky.

The hole in Bridge Street was filled in yesterday and tarmacked today, with the temporary traffic lights now removed – to the relief of drivers.

At Abbey Meadow, the open-air pool was brightened by sun umbrellas and people with beach towels.

Over by the splash pad, children ran screaming through the fountains of water

The town began to have a holiday feel.

It rained most of the morning until sunshine brightened the Market Place about midday. The market stalls were arranged with their vans, like a Wild West corral against the rain.

The Fruit and Veg stall had its usual poetry: “Lovely nanas, lovely nanas! A pound a bowl. Lovely nanas!” Alongside were stalls selling bread, and Indian cooked meals. And vans with meat, fish, and eggs, but none of the non-food stalls.

By mid-afternoon, more rain came, followed by lightening and thunder and ice cubes that made the ground slippery.

The flag on the County Hall was for Holocaust Memorial Day 2025.

Sunset brought stronger wind and rain, giving Abingdon almost every weather in a single day.

People are not able to walk to Tesco or the Fairacres Retail Park by the scenic route at the moment as it is again under water. They have to walk by the Marcham Road. At Fairacres, Homebase still seems to have stock to sell off. The person I asked hadn’t been told a final closing date yet.

The fields near Tesco are frozen as we go through a cold snap this week.

Last Saturday, I wished the Abingdon parkrun success in the coming year, but unfortunately, the event scheduled for 11th January 2025 has already been cancelled due to frozen flooding. It seems well-wishing isn’t always enough.

This morning I was surprised to wake up to more snow.

The narrowboat wreck at the weir was successfully removed around December 31st after an earlier attempt on December 23rd. The River Thames is currently running high again and so the salvagers took their chance while they could.

Another boat is damaged and grounded on the wharf near The Upper Reaches. The Upper Reaches itself has been neglected for several years. Andy Ffrench in the Oxford Mail reported talks were going to take place between the Vale of White Horse District and the long term lease holder a few weeks ago.

The birds seemed to enjoy the thawing snow, with blackbirds and thrushes and this Robin searching food in the soft ground.

Traffic is back to rush hour peaks with people back at school and work. The above picture shows the slow crawl along St Helens Wharf.

There was also a lot of traffic going through, or to, Abingdon over Abingdon Bridge.

The snow is pretty while it lasts.