rewley road swing bridge, looking good, first-times since 2019, covid memories, looking to the future, kellogg, lord lambourne, her majesty and the chocolate ice cream

 

Happy to report that the Rewley Road Railway Swing Bridge is looking good, part-way through its restoration (nearing completion, I imagine). Quite different to the state of it in March 2020, when I photographed it on my way to work for the last time before the Covid lockdown. (See also post from Saturday, March 26, 2022.)

Loved taking part in the Taylor Institution Library Open Doors event last Saturday and showing people round the wonderful building. The first time the event has run since 2019. Another set of first-time-since-2019 tours took place this Friday as part of the University Open Day.

After Open Doors, I had my packed lunch at Kellogg (including a delicious Lord Lambourne apple from our tree) before some intensive assignment marking in the library. College was very quiet - the calm before the storm of term, with everyone, presumably making the most of the last days of the Long Vac. In the evening I met J at the Holly Bush on Osney Island for a pint before supper at friends'. Hadn't been back to the Holly Bush (now much expanded) for years. The supper party still gave one the feeling of making a further step towards getting back to normal.

Lots of memories and thoughts about the past and future, as well as wondering what will happen next.

Thinking of the Queen too, of course, and all she did for this country. I have a memory of being introduced to her when she brought Prince Andrew to Heatherdown for the start of his prep-school days and all the other new starters had to line up with our parents to meet her. Not that I can remember much of that time, apart from how like schoolboys and schoolgirls parents suddenly became in her presence. More vivid was a time years before when I was standing with my mum and dad watching her process on the back of a Land Rover down the course at Badminton horse trials. I was eating a big chocolate ice cream and the Land Rover happened to stop where we were. She looked at me and made her eyes very big. 'That looks good,' she said. I can't remember what I said - probably hid behind my dad's legs in self-conscious embarrassment...