There were only food stalls at the Abingdon Monday Market.
Fine snow fell during the night and collected between the stones of the Market Place.
It felt cold with temperatures below zero and the pavement was slippery in places.
Temperatures remained below zero throughout the day. Snow flakes were falling a lot of the day but they fell so sparsely that each flake or granule could be seen.
The weather forecast predicts more cold days.
It must be a tough time for retailers. The Peacocks store in Abingdon is now empty. The closing down sale only got down to about 20% off, then lockdown happened and now they have cleared the store.
The proprietor of Abingdon Sports retired and the premises has been showing as Under Offer for a few weeks.
One shop in West St Helen Street has been empty for a year. It was a nail salon before moving to Stert Street, and will now become a different nail salon.
There was blue sky at lunchtime in Abingdon. The Margaret Brown Gardens are still closed with barriers because of the risk of somebody falling in the fast flowing river.
The water has gone down a little and there is now some grass in front of the Cricket Clubhouse.
Further along Wilsham Road one boat has sunk.
We walked across the green grass of Caldecott Recreation Ground.
We heard and then saw a thrush as we crossed over the River Ock. The Ock Valley Walk is also still shut with barriers.
There are lots of crocuses in the Albert Park.
I am told that Volunteer Drivers from Abingdon Volunteer Centre are using Malvin’s home number as he cannot get into their usual room to put an answerphone message on. They have three drivers but with the link to other volunteers including Covid volunteer network they are helping people.
Malvin will be helping when the Abingdon Country Market happens on 13th February and 13th March. Subject to health and safety – the markets may be outside.
Somebody was meditating on a seat in the Abbey Meadows. That is one way to escape lockdown.
The new town council notice boards are no longer blank. A map of Abingdon town centre has been placed below two sheets about services that are closed at the moment, and the slogan – Stay Home – Protect the NHS – Save Lives.
Abingdon Museum is closed and have a project recording people’s stories of lockdown.
People in their 70s are now getting the virus vaccine. The government announced today that over ten million people in the UK have had one of the vaccines. Some people from Abingdon are going to the mass vaccination centre at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford. I saw others queuing at the charter day center today for their jab.
Another news report said that a single dose of AstraZeneca vaccine could cut transmission by 67%. Teachers, the police, and shop workers, come into contact with lots of people as part of their job, but I don’t think they get the vaccine yet. The priority is on safeguarding the most vulnerable.