Banbury

On our seventeenth anniversary, we decided to head off in different directions. Banbury has been exhausted with regards to Christmas shopping and last night I received an order through my Etsy shop for some gloves. This meant I needed to purchase some yarn and with the Wool Warehouse in Leamington Spa not far away, it made sense for me to head in that direction whilst Mick headed to Oxford.

We said our goodbyes at the station and then stood on opposite platforms waiting for our trains to arrive. Mine came first and whisked me away northwards.

The Wool Warehouse is in Sydenham on the south side of the canal, so I followed the Grand Union Canal eastwards from the station. Only two boats were moored in the centre.

The good graffiti was all still in good order, I chuckled at the graffitied instructions, presumably to a painter, left at one of the bridges.

Walking past the student block I caught a glimpse of a very big eye. The Muck Rock cat that has caught most boaters eyes is still there and wonderfully positioned for it to spot you on the towpath. Muck Rock has this year created some more artworks around Stoke, which is where her father is based. I’ll be looking out for them next time we pass through.

With only the need for 100 grams of yarn I had a good look around the shop at the Warehouse. I was very good and refrained from buying any more as all the hiddy holes on the boat are now full!

Then I walked back across the canal, then the river and started to hunt round for the last bits of my Christmas shopping. The normal High Street shops fill the north to south running Parade with more in the Royal Priors Centre, but I was hoping for shops that bit different and not just full of Christmas tat.

Berylune came up trumps. Filled with rather nice things that I had to choose between. I managed to finish off my present shopping bar one thing, there wasn’t really anything for Tilly!

Back in Banbury Mick soon appeared home, he’d been slightly successful in Oxford. We stoked the fire, hid our purchases, gave Tilly a cuddle along with her Ding Ding before donning smarter clothes and heading out for a meal to mark our anniversary.

Blimey it was cold! So to warm up we headed straight into Pawpaw where we’d eaten last year. Pawpaw is located more or less in the bus station, romantic! But last year they did a very nice Chinese meal for us. Chinese isn’t the best choice for a gluten free diet, but I so love crispy aromatic duck, so we took a chance. We avoided ordering anything obviously bad and had a very nice meal for a reasonable price, finishing off with another glass of wine back on Oleanna.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 2 different directions, 1 band stand, 7 miles walked, 100 grams alpaca, 1 bus station, 1 bored cat, 1 chinese meal, 1 bottle of wine, 1 chilly night, 1 cosy boat, 17 years together.