Halloween Party

At about eight or nine O'Clock this evening, I heard loud noises upstairs. Then somebody, sounding like my daughter, shouted down "Daddy, Can you drive us to a party in North Abingdon."

"Ok" I said.

But when they came downstairs, it did not look like them.

Nethertheless I drove them, but went like the wind.

Pumpkins, Dragons, and Ghosts

Frugal Food closed down for the final time today.

Local Roots had a display of large local pumpkins.

Fabulous Flowers had lots of small pumpkins.

The Book Store had two authors: Mark Robson who writes about dragons and David Melling who draws dragons.

At Mostly Books they had been making ghosts (from lollipops).

Can You Retire at 60?

I saw this poster in the window of the Coventry Building Society in Abingdon. 50 is behind me already, 60 is some way ahead but I do not realistically expect to be retiring until at least age 65 - maybe even 70.

Green Flag Award

Over 1000 UK Parks have received the Green Flag Award and one of them is the Abbey Gardens. The award says '“The Abbey Gardens are located near to Abingdon Town centre and have recently been restored to the way they looked in their Victorian heyday at the end of the 19th Century...' To read on go to the winners.

This time of year it is looking less green and more yellow and red...

and of course Gold.

Kings Head and Bell Re-Opens Friday

Workmen were finishing off the refurbishment last weekend.

Foundation Inns have brought the pub back from the brink, and it is looking good.

So after two years in the wilderness the Kings Head and Bell is about to re-open - minus the fountain. There are more pictures before the work was done at the Kings Head and Bell website
.

(Thanks to Carl - now back in Florida - for the final picture.)

Sweeney Todd

Board A at Abingdon Library has this Sweeney Todd display for this week. The production of the Sondheim musical by The Abingdon Operatic Society starts at the Amey Theatre today, and carries on through Halloween.

Their website has in bold writing... PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PRODUCTION IS NOT SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.

In Victorian England, Sweeney Todd has just escaped from the penal colonies having been convicted for a crime he did not commit. The former barber has only one thing on his mind ― cold revenge against the corrupt judge who framed him, ruined his wife and stole his daughter to raise as his own. Teaming up with the dazzlingly demented Mrs Lovett, a struggling baker of meat pies, the “Demon Barber of Fleet Street” cooks up an hilariously macabre revenge scheme that fulfils both their needs in very unexpected ways!

Ock Street to Stert Street

The clocks went back this weekend and as a consequence there will need to be more night-time pictures... Here is the first... Fantasia Bridal Abingdon have moved from their shop in Ock Street to a more central Abingdon location on Stert Street - next door to Mostly Books who become Ghostly Books on Halloween.

Mama Mia Italian Market

The Italian Market did NOT bring the Italian weather with them - just an assortment of bread, pastries, olives, biscuits, sweets, cheeses and cooked meats.

It was called the 'Mama Mia' Italian Market, but when I walked through, and back a bit later, nobody was singing Abba Hits - not even..

Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world

Over the way in St Nics, all the Abingdon Artist paintings on display, were on sale for just £35. Just two months to Christmas and, according to government statistics, the recession has not lifted here in the UK, unlike most of Europe ...

Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world