Free Parking Day

The Free Parking notice was at all the car parks - this one is at West Saint Helen Street. In addition to an 'Up to 50% Off' sale at Woolworths

there was also a Craft Market on the Market Place today.

As well as the crafts, hot punch was served by the Sea Scouts

and Save the Children had a charity collection.

Over 70s Only!

This event was for over 70s only!

It is all part of the annual Over 70s Christmas Party hosted by the Mayor. Among those who came to perform were these Abingdon lady singers

and the Abingdon handbell ringers.

Didcot, Venus, Jupiter

It has been colder.

Rowers, from Abingdon School, were out after the sun had gone down. Didcot Power Station is behind.

Venus and Jupiter are just above the trees.

Start of Advent

However many times you gather them up, the leaves just keep falling.

Fallen leaves gather round the fringes of the crazy golf

and along fences near the water feature at the Abbey Meadows.

All a bit dull and soggy.

When it got dark there were two bright lights very close together near the moon: Venus and Jupiter.

(The last picture is not mine but it shows what it was like on Dec 1st. They had drifted a little further apart by Dec 2nd. We are at the start of advent, the season of wonder. )

Penlon Place

A flashback to 2006. You can just see the corner of the tropical-looking building that served as the sales office for the estate.

Recently, in its place a wall has been built. A few trees have been planted, and a circle of grass laid.

I remember when our children were little we used to go to St Edmunds Church, and park in the Penlon grounds. Penlon have since moved to the nearby Science Park.

Co-op Building - November progress

There is a 'To Let' sign in one of the upstairs flats. The downstairs windows were put in late last week and coloured vinyl prints added. There are cold storage shelves being put inside the shop. We are probably looking at a February opening date now.

The pavement, and a cobbled area in front look finished. There used to be parking bays opposite the Co-op, which were taken away while it was built.

We learnt earlier in the month that there are plans for the Post-Office to move in with the Co-op.

No Antique Shop But...

Abingdon does not have an antique shop - I know of - but it does have the Sue Ryder Charity Shop. The current manageress has established a line in furniture. This chair, one from a set of four, the others are stored elsewhere, is a Louis XV. There was a rather interesting rocking chair next to it this morning but when I returned to take a second look it was gone.