Twitter snow ball roundup

2 Replies

I follow 180 different feeds on Twitter. Many of them are Abingdon based.
Snow ball roundup
Some people who used to do blogs have moved over to twitter. Last week I read from, one such, @nbthegreenman, ” of the frozen canal, and then a little later …

“It’s minus 8 outside already. Has someone stolen the Gulf Stream?”
Snow ball roundup
Things were touch and go over coverage of a Rugby Football match at The Kings Head and Bell @KingsAbingdon , last night.

“Everyone lost the rugby? Or just us?”.

Then a few minutes later “SIX NATIONS France v Ireland postponed moments before scheduled 2000 GMT kick-off because of a frozen pitch” now it all makes sense.”
Snow ball roundup
Every evening I get a tweet from Oxfordshire County Council “Salting update: gritters will be out across the county from 7pm this evening.” At first it seemed a OTT, but not for the last week. Even the new grit bins have been opened, and are being used.
Snow ball roundup
From Abingdon Camera Club @AbingdonCamera … “Next meeting 16th February, Felicity will talk about Photos by the Riverside, followed by Chris on DSLR exposure. Come and bring a friend.”

The Camera Club run the annual Abingdon Arts Festival photo competition, where there is also an under age 16 section. Closing date 3rd March. Entry forms and rules are available at Abingdon Camera Club .

Soon at the Broad Face @TheBroadFace there will be “live entertainment with Roy Alvin’s Reeds United.”

Lots more where these come from.

Snow and Ice and a little creative thinking

9 Replies

Snow and Ice
I wondered whether I would be able to get to work when the snow was falling. The on line forecast predicted snow before midnight on Thursday, lessening overnight, then getting very cold by Friday night… So far the forecast has been spot on.
Snow and Ice
By Friday morning the snow had stopped and public transport seemed to be running to time – possibly not the wrong sort of snow, or possibly we are getting better at it.
Snow and Ice
Friday night did turn very cold and icicles had formed above the weir this morning (Saturday).
Snow and Ice
I’d love to see a few inches of water left in the outdoor pool for times like these so it could open as an ice rink. The idea is probably not feasible but it would be good to see the area being used out of the swimming season in other ways.
Snow and Ice
Another recent idea that somebody suggested for the Diamond Jubilee, which got into the Herald, was to move Queen Victoria back to the Market Place. A well placed piece of art there would be good. Maybe something called the Bun Throwers or Bun Catchers would do.
Snow and Ice
Work has now started in earnest on the land behind the Abbey Gardens to build the care home. A large drill has been operating there.

Another recent idea to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee, that made the Herald front page, was a bandstand. This has long been suggested by the leader of one of Abingdon’s two brass bands, and the people in the care home would get free entertainment.

Concerning our exaggerated gables

1 Reply

Back Street
The History of Abingdon by James Townsend was published in 1910 and the final chapter STREETS AND HOUSES describes East and West St Helen’s Street.
Back Street
“ … East and West St. Helen’s Streets with their exaggerated gables retain something of their mediaeval aspect. ‘Westseynteleynstret’ appears in 1375, ‘Seynteeleynstret’ in 1404, and ‘Estseyntelynstrete’ in 1405 in the Account-rolls.
Back Street
Fore Street and Back Street are names still in use for East and West St. Helen’s respectively.”

A hundred years after Townsend’s book, the overnight snow might give the streets back a more mediaeval aspect if it were not for the cars, street lamps, and pavement barriers. The houses in both streets still retain their exaggerated gables – even some of the modern ones – like ours.

House in need of TLC

15 Replies

House in need of TLC
It is sad to see a house being allowed to fall into such a state of disrepair on the Oxford Road in Abingdon. This house is on land that has enough space for two houses and since it will need so much work doing to put it right, building two houses makes sense from a developers point of view – as an investment.  But to me it still looks at interesting house. which made a good home, and could have done so still.