Saturday 9th August

Oh poor Victoria. I got up to go to the loo about 4am and was greeted by “there are mouse remains on the floor by my head!” I put the light on and yes, sure enough, there were entrails of two mice :-( I went back to bed and was just nodding off when I heard “there is a live mouse in here now!!” I got up and discovered a dead vole with Millie standing guard over it! Victoria must have thought it was alive as Millie kept batting it around! It was quickly despatched to a watery grave. It was really nice having our galley slave back for breakfast as she cooked bacon and egg sandwiches :-) Victoria left us about 10.30am and we set off to Oxford. We got water, yet again, above Abingdon Lock and cruised on. The next lock was Sandford Lock and it is huge – not only in size but it was 8ft 10ins deep. The young female lock keeper (probably temporary) was so busy picking her nails that she couldn’t be bothered to help us with our ropes! Usually locks are on average only 6ft 6ins deep and it’s quite easy to throw the ropes over the bollards but I could hardly see the bollards let alone get a rope over them! Eventually as we drifted into the middle of the lock she came to our assistance!! After a stop for lunch we arrived at Iffley Lock where we kept seeing extremely well dressed people crossing the lock gate. I asked the lock keeper what was going on and he said they would have been to a wedding in the village of Iffley and were walking to the Isis pub on the other side of the river – it did seem strange! We arrived in Oxford and managed to get the last mooring spot – what is it with us and getting the last spot! I was rather disappointed as it was a long way from the city. There is mooring on the Oxford Canal so Richard walked to have a look but he said he was full – mostly with liveaboards :-( In the evening we walked into the city to find somewhere to eat – we really had no idea where we were going or what type of food we wanted! The city was full of young people – it did make me feel rather old :-( We found a street that seemed to have lots of restaurants in so wandered down and settled on Fire and Stone – a pizza restaurant with pizzas from all over the world! I found it quite difficult to choose and ended up in the USA with a Texas. Richard joined me in the States and had an Acapulco. Both pizzas were lovely and the service was excellent. We walked back to the boat very slowly as my knee was objecting to walking so far.