It was 7am, 15°C and raining when I turned the hair dryer off this morning, Soot had got us up at 5:30 AM, the hens were all up and clucking, and I gave them each three blackberries (making them very excited – as they love blackberries), and some plums were being harvested.

After breakfast, I made a quick trip to the GPs surgery, and back at home, I forgot when I got back because I had to rapidly tidy my hair, stop a loud squawking outburst from the chickens (and they really didn’t want to stop), properly dress myself, stuff my lunch into an empty yogurt pot from a cupboard and stuff that in my bag, and Soot was setting his wonderful example of relaxation when we left at 11.15am. Leaves were dropping like mad from the trees, because of the drought, in Hill Wotton, we were on the main road by 11.22am, STANKS was over the top of a big road sign, an unmarked black police car with blue lights flashing was trying to wiggle its was through the traffic as we approached the Longbridge roundabout, and the motorway was joined at 11.26am. A massive forklift transporting truck was passed and lorries were everywhere, Mum was whimpering for no apparent reason, a Peugeot had a random blob/sticker on its back window with ‘FAKE BAKE’ on it, and the River Cherwell was crossed at 11.47am. Silverstone Racetrack was signed shortly afterwards, red kites were gliding above the road when ’40-QUEUE AHEAD’ signs started flashing, and junction 9 was reached at 12pm (and a tanker that said ‘SUCKLING TRANSPORT’ was going the other way).

We left that road and entered Oxford at 12.12pm, a BP garage had petrol at 172.9p/L, tiny signs for BASS THERAPY were taped to other signposts, I peered at the map a lot, and we reached Eynsham – which had ½ its houses looking very nicely built and village-y and the other ½ looking post war style, and we parked in front of a shop called Evenlode DIY that seemed to sell a massive variety of stuff, and said BOTTLED GAS STOCKIST above its door.

We didn’t move for a while (and I ate my bit of cheese), and when we did move – at 12.37pm, Mum decided we’d go inside St. Leonards Church opposite (built around 12th century).

It looked as if someone was cleaning in there, and the altar had a small Henry Hoover in front of it and around 100 seats, and we had a little look around.

A small green flipflop was stuck on a metal fence round the front, flat roofed flats were next door, and a massive graveyard was walked through while we tried to find a cafe. Lyall & Co° was the one stopped at – where each table had a mini cacti on, and we sat in the window to do some people watching. A ginormous double decker bus to Oxford stopped and a lot of people got on it, The Red Lion pub opposite had a man outside who was double the width of the bench he was struggling to stay upright on, some toddlers on a table on another cafe had no shoes or socks on; and it was 1.35pm when we left again.

About half a mile down the road there was an old bridge and a 5p toll was paid to cross it, to an ancient man with very few teeth wearing a fluorescent jacket who was stood in a disintegrating portaloo sized wooden shed and by 1.45pm we were by Farmoor reservoir. Seagulls were flying around, it was breezy while we sat on a wall and ate a bit of our lunch, Mums hair was standing on end, a few speedboats were whizzing around, the sun felt really hot, sailing and windsurfing lessons were on offer, and lots of people holding 2->3ft long model boats were appearing when we went back to the car just after 2pm (and it was 23°C). We followed a cyclist for quite a long way, paid another 5p at the toll bridge, went back through Eynsham, and after a short stretch on the main road, we got to Cassington Village to join other members of the Silverlinings Group at 2.21pm, and to see some wonderful pottery made by a member.