Mayor of Ock Street - 2009

Today was the election of Mayor of Ock Street. After the ballet box was made ready for the good citizens of Ock Street, dancing began at around 10:15 outside the The Black Swan. This years' visitors were...

Chipping Campden who say on their website 'Morris is life affirming ... and a bit daft.'

Saddleworth were also there

with colourful hats, and tough northern cloggs that left a lasting impression on Abingdon's pavements.

and Berkshire Bedlam can be seen performing a dance that is so dangerous they never rehearse it. Their website says they are "rated amongst the top 99% of all Morris sides in the country"

and the hosts were The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers.

As always between the dances there was some parading around.

The Mayor came to watch, and then to help in the counting of the votes.

And at 4:15 the result of the election was announced, and very close it was too. Mr Roger Cox was re-elected for the third year in a row with a slender majority of two. That microphone is from BBC Radio 4 who are covering the event for their Saturday Morning Program - to be broadcast at 9 am on 27th June.

In these dark days where many of our elected MPs have been found to be on the make, I hope that Roger, the Mock Mayor, whose only payment is an occasional free beer, will set a shining example to our nation.

No Fishing Today

There are a lot of fish to be seen in the River Ock.

I believe they are attracted by the faster water when they are spawning. For the last few weeks, possibly tailing off about now, large numbers of fish could be seen shoaled together in a short stretch of shallow water.

There is no fishing from March 15th to June 15th because it's the Close Season.

Abingdon Water Sports Together

Sailing boats are often to be seen out on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings on the River Thames in Abingdon.

But there were no sailing boats out on the river this Wednesday evening. I saw only a couple of canoeists paddling back to base as the rain swept in.

Inside the Sailing Clubhouse the lights were on. It had turned into a social evening rather than one for tacking and jibing.

By the way, they did tell me, there is to be an Abingdon Watersports Activity Day at the Sailing Club at Wilsham Road on 11th July, between 10 and 3. It is a chance to try out sailing (with the Abbey Sailing Club) , rowing (with the Abingdon Rowing Club ) , and canoeing (with the Kingfisher Canoe Club ). The three water sport clubs share this area of riverbank off Wilsham Road with the army.

Now Completed

The plot of land fronting Penlon Place looks like it is completed.

The delay was reported by the Herald back in March - one company went out of business and after some legalities, the sister company, Barretts, completed the work.

It has been two years since the work started.

Now Open

During the floods in 2007 this play area was under water, and again this year.

Late last summer the project began to put in new equipment. The site got cleared. The contractors - for whatever reason - took longer than planned. It may have been recession related. When they did put in the equipment the ground was wet and the matting did not lie flat.
So there has been a wait for warmer weather so that the ground can be levelled. It finally opened a few weeks ago with a new style information sign.

The Wall Revealed

The new murals on the wall near the Reynolds Way shops have been revealed, and to celebrate there was a pig roast. The murals are a mix of old and new...

A sea picture (from 2002), A play-ground painting (from 2009)...

A street scene in South Abingdon (from 2009). To see the others you will have to get down there.

Underneath Umbrellas

"Keep stylishly dry in a rainy Abingdon under a beautiful umbrella!"

This stall, raising money for the Abingdon Breakaway Club, went for colour.

These church people praying for healing were more restrained.

The students from the performing arts course at Abingdon College had one HUGE umbrella. They were dancing and singing...

I was asked during the singing "What about sound for a change?" Here it is, if a little shaky...