Oxford out and about with friends

Monday, 22 September 2008 20:23

Sunday was a good day. We spent it with friends and that is always special now we are itinerant Water Gypsies

John attended the morning service at St Barnabas - a sung mass - St Barnabas is Anglo Catholic so it was smells, bells and sung everything. He really enjoyed it and the young vicar gave a "good sermon". The church has wonderful acoustics for music and so it lends itself to sung services and also concerts. The beauty of the inside of the church lifts the spirit along with the worship.

Afterwards we caught a bus to Kidlington to meet John and Carolyn for Sunday lunch. We ended up at the Jolly Boatman, canalside and a beautiful setting.  It was a shame that the food and service did not match. We ordered the roasts and they were very average. After a very long wait they were delivered first and they cooled rapidly whilst we waited for cutlery and sauces.

John went to order our deserts and we though he had got lost or even gone home he was so long. He was only in a queue of 4 but the organization in the pub was hopeless. He paid at the same time as he didn't want to wait until 6 o clock before we could leave.

It wasn't until we got back the the boat I remembered that Maffi had mentioned it was under new management and they had had a problem too. Our recommendation - if you want to have a good Sunday meal out do not go to the Jolly Boatman in Thrupp until they sort themselves out. December 2010 - we would now thoroughly recommend the Jolly Boatman - see comment below!

However continued to enjoy the day, walking down to Osney and reliving our journey up. We had a good chat to the lock keeper who told us we had missed some fun when we came up. A narrowboat became wedged across the river trying to moor above the lock and it's stern was almost "embedded" in a noddy boat. it took quite a number of strong locals to pull it right as well as a team from the EA!

Then "Lo and Behold" who should appear around the bend of the river but Milly M with Maffi aboard. Actually we knew in advance as he had called John as we were walking down

John hitched a ride and we walked back to help with Isis lock. Then the evening was spent in very convivial company in The Old Bookbinders pub with Maffi and Bones, both recently returned from their holiday on the Rochdale canal.