Started the day responding to a comment on ‘Nextdoor F’ which isn’t something I usually do as so often people can become vitriolic about something harmlessly meant. And then it’s more like a rant site and our town already has one of those! However I thought this a rather biblical story: a lady has been putting a box of used books outside her gate all year for passersby to take a book and enjoy. She was therefore very upset and affronted when yesterday a car drew up and a lady took the whole box of books! So upset that she posted the happening on ‘Nextdoor F’. The response has been amazing! Not only have quite a few people offered to bring replacement books but the word has now spread that outside this lady’s house you can pick up a book to read and I feel many more people will benefit from her kindness. It just felt to me like the story of loaves and fishes!
D day for me – first vaccine. Have heard so many depressing stories of side effects that I have booked tomorrow as a holiday in case I am laid low and take to my bed. We couldn’t have got closer to a vaccination centre – literally a three minute walk from the boat. Downside is we have workmen banging away on both sides of the canal and drills going in the background!! We literally are moored in the midst of a construction site!! We also need the services of a laundrette and a supermarket both of which are a five minute walk from here. Immediately ahead of us is another lock, a water point and (spoiler alert- potty talk!) an Elsan and beyond that the bridge used by the local drug addicts. Seeing as we don’t want to move beyond the facilities until we are ready to leave the town, so that we can avail ourselves of them at the last minute, this mooring seems the best option.
Loaded up with a bin bag of washing each, we made our way to Superdrug and R waited outside like a bag man! The vaccination procedure was slick and quick. They have only been in operation a week so the timing for me could not have been better. Either side of me were construction workers from the big build, grateful to have to sit down for 15 mins post vaccine, in no hurry to return to work! Once done, R and I dealt with the laundry and made use of one of the many takeaways, me remembering the advice to drink a lot post vaccine. So instead of dehydrating myself with coffee I treated myself to a large fruit smoothie and a litre of Evian, knocked back in 10 minutes, and then felt a little sick! Never one to do things by halves, perhaps I should have taken my time rehydrating! The feeling quickly past and I felt I had done my duty to my body – I struggle to drink enough water at the best of times so I thought it best if I just got on and did it before I got distracted and forgot! Back on the boat we had a big bowl of homemade soup, again with fluids in mind. I once read you can rehydrate yourself with the foods you eat, especially vegetables. I used up nearly all the veg I could find yesterday in my batch soup making and added a large spoonful of curry powder so no one vegetable dominated the flavour. The curry certainly did its job – I nearly blew our heads off and personally had to add a large dollop of yoghurt to my bowl!
I can’t think of Banbury without the nursery rhyme ‘Are you going to Banbury Cross to see a white lady on a white horse’ going through my mind. Visions of sitting on my dad’s knee bobbing up and down to the verse and then dropping nearly to the floor on the last line as his knees parted. Squeals of laughter and demands to play it again! We had to go and find ‘Banbury Cross’ and it brought back memories again of coming here with mum and dad as a child. Strange the things we remember from our dim distant past. I used to love nursery rhymes and yet it is probably 20 years since I last regularly sang them to our children.
We enjoyed wandering around Banbury, a very eclectic large town with a diverse demographic, most notable in the many different ethnic food shops. It was market day in the lovely market square and Banbury was once renowned for its market. Today it was depleted of stalls and people – one fruit and veg stall; a cheese stall; a small bread stall and a burger van. A lovely flower stall with reasonably priced tulips so I couldn’t resist a bunch for the boat, even though space is at a premium. The lady working in the laundrette was very down about Banbury saying how much it had changed, and not for the better. From an outsiders eyes I thought it had a lot going for it especially with all the new development around the waterside. It’s a bit gritty which I like. It feels real. I am sure not without its problems but it’s big enough to be interesting and yet not so big that you feel lost in it. Who knows how it will survive the pandemic – you can’t help but wonder which of the shut up shops will manage to ride the storm. A lot of the town is pedestrianised so it’s ideal for wandering around, browsing the shops, enjoying a coffee and watching the boats pass through.
We spent a quiet afternoon on the boat, although outside wasn’t quite so peaceful until 4.30 when all the workmen packed up and went home. Did my Joe Wicks routine in case I don’t feel up to much tomorrow. Its a bit like waiting for the sword of Damacles to strike – so many stories have I now heard of adverse reactions to the vaccine that I am playing a waiting game to see what, if anything develops!
On the recommendation of my brother, we watched a true story on iplayer called ‘The boy who harnessed the wind’ and I would recommend it as a film full of hope and a reminder that those who have vision can change the world, or at least a tiny corner of it.
NarrowboatTLC 