Last night was really cold as we discovered this morning when the magnolia tree that has been looking magnificent since I arrived last Thursday was singed by the frost. A thing of beauty lasts but a short while. Walked into Kidlington from Thrupp through a forest of bare trees on a public footpath that brought us out next to Kidlington Church. I have really enjoyed the variety of churches that we have seen on our travels. So many of them with their mixed architectural styles display an interesting picture. Obviously there are not many we have found to be open due to Covid19 so sadly we have missed out on the interiors. I have also been surprised by the loving care and attention afforded to many of the churchyards. St Mary the Virgin at Kidlington is a case in point. The graveyard looked lovingly cared for, with so many of the graves adorned by colourful fresh flowers.
I love the Oxfordshire villages with the beautiful light stone buildings. There was one by the church that made us smile due to the dates above the doors. R thought his extensive family in America would be amused.
There was a man standing outside the local Tesco store ushering people inside and I remarked it was rather a cold job on a chill April morning. He told me his car heater wasn’t working either so he was wondering how he could get some warmth in the car on his journey home. I suggested he buy one of those instant porridges that you just add hot water too. I always find porridge acts like internal central heating. He though this an excellent idea, especially if he added extra sugar! Perhaps I should return tomorrow to see how he got on. The jobs some people have to do which we just take for granted.
We returned along the towpath so it was a pleasant circular walk. Turning the engine on for an hour, I vacuumed the entire boat and then had enough hot water to wash my hair. R meanwhile assembled the firepit and by the time our friends arrived we had a glowing fire outside which helped keep the chill off as we caught up with news from home. The birthday cake was received well, with the homemade jam and I even made some letters and numbers out of chocolate to decorate the top. A few sparkler candles and a glass of bubbly, gave the day a bit of a celebratory feel. We went on the same walk that we have now done twice so I was confident that I knew the way. This confidence was misplaced as we eventually ended up in an unrecognised field! My canal map app luckily show the footpaths so we were able to get back on track but the walk was somewhat elongated! The rain held off, we all were layered up and we walked briskly so the chill of the day was held at bay. It was such fun seeing friends I had not seen since October. The wonderful thing about good friends is the ability to take up where you last left off and the time in-between is inconsequential.
Ra and C had asked us to attend a Zoom call with a couple being interviewed who had started a Christian festival called New Wine. It was fascinating hearing their life story which involved them living in Chile for a number of years as he was the Bishop out there.
Looking at iPlayer I came across ‘Keeping Faith’, series 3. I had previously watched and really enjoyed Series 1 and 2 and had no idea a third series had been produced. It was such a treat to watch two episodes although it did involve quite a bit of explanation to R who had never seen KF before!
NarrowboatTLC 