Shopping doesn't get closer than this!

We finally managed to tear ourselves away from Cropredy, but not before one last gig in the Brasenose Arms.  We had an excellent dinner in the pub on Saturday night followed by almost 3 hours of blues music courtesy of The Wirebirds.

The group were superb but unfortunately the last hour was a bit spoilt by them being joined by a female singer who wasn't very good at all.

We've had some wonderful sunny weather recently and I've re-planted all the troughs on the roof ready for my summer display. Wouldn't you just know it though, the first couple of nights we had a forecast of frost. The first night I wrapped the troughs in plastic bags but that was quite awkward, so the second night I just moved them under the shelter of the solar panels which worked brilliantly and although the temperature dipped to -2'C the plants were unharmed.

All along the Oxford Canal we've seen plenty of these markers. Does anyone know what they are? At first we thought they may be mile markers but on some stretches of the towpath they are too close together for that.

On the days when we haven't moved, we've walked for miles around the local area and along the towpath. Some stretches are in a dreadful state of repair and you certainly wouldn't want to walk down here at night as there are too many holes.

It was so warm and sunny I couldn't resist having a bit of a nap before we turned round and walked back.

This is the lock cottage beside Bourton Lock.

I wonder if it'll ever be renovated. It's such a shame leaving it to rot away.

We're now moored in Banbury, beside Castle Quay shopping mall. It's extremely busy here and there's a warden wondering around who registers every boat as they arrive/leave. I don't have a problem with that though as the 48 hour mooring limit needs to be enforced as it's a prime spot for over-stayers.