This evening in the Margaret Brown Gardens a child was laughing with glee as all the gulls circled round trying to catch the crumbs of bread thrown into the air.

This is a bit like spot the ball. Which gull is going to get the crumb?

Unlike most English towns, it is not just the gulls that try to catch bread thrown in Abingdon. The people of Abingdon get very excited about trying to catch current buns thrown from the County Hall on important Royal (and other) occasions.

The next bun throw will be for the Queen’s 70th Anniversary in 2022. Some people are calling it the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee but that sounds ugly to me. Silver, Golden and Diamond sounded nice, but not Platinum.

Silver jubilee, for a 25th anniversary.
Golden jubilee, for a 50th anniversary.
Diamond jubilee, for a 60th anniversary.
Platinum jubilee, for a 70th anniversary.

This is the time of year when people are getting their Covid-19 booster jab. They should have had their 2nd dose of a vaccine at least 6 months ago and be either: aged 40 or over, care workers, or with a health condition. The official list of allowed people is here. Some lucky people get it done in Abingdon at the charter.

Many travel to the Kassam Stadium where they are currently using the Pfizer vaccine. There is a non booking route, some of the time, but check your 2nd dose was at least 6 months ago. Some people go away disappointed.

This weekend St Helen’s Church have their Christmas Market. It is usually one of the best church sales.

One planet Abingdon have a Toy Swap. So clear out your cupboards and swap your toys and save the planet by cutting down on landfill. The details are at https://oneplanetabingdon.org/etn/toy-and-game-swap/.

The Christmas Fayre at the Baptist Church was on, today, Saturday 20th November 2021. On entering, a man with a top hat and face mask gives you a card, with the times of the services this Christmas time, and a token for a free drink at the 35 Ock Street Cafe.

Through the door, and up to the balcony and this is the view: a cross, five Christmas trees, a red carpet, and stalls.

Then you go downstairs to look round the stalls and buy some books and a jigsaw. You are tempted by a knitted octopus but then think, ‘what would I do with it?’.

On the way out you pick up Contact, the monthly magazine of Abingdon Baptist Church. There is a message from the minister, Steve Millard. It says, ‘As I’m sure most of you are aware, Heather and I will be moving at the end of November; we are moving to Coventry, and I take up my role as Minister of Laurence Saunders Road Baptist Church on 1 December…’.

You go into the 35 Ock Street Cafe and have a quick look at the exhibition and see Steve Millard.

Finally, you get your coffee and find a place to read the rest of the Contact magazine.

The Traveling Wilburys played the Abbey Cinema in Abingdon this evening. The group is made up of Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, George Harrison (look-alike sound-alikes) and drummer . They not only played Wilbury songs but also individual songs by the individual artists. There was a near capacity audience.

Merchandise included Traveling WilBearys, CDs, pens and T Shirts. A signed guitar was raffled and won by the man with pink ticket 491.

The audience left the concert after one encore. The band did not play a second encore.