Answers to Christmas Quiz - December 2014

Thank you for all the entries for the Christmas Quiz - there were 15 hidden words, both sacred and secular, associated with Christmas.  The winner was Valerie Hitchcock of Tennyson Drive.  Well done Valerie!!

Answers:

Candle - Gift - Present - Tinsel - Card - Manger - Eve - Stocking - Tree - Angel - Bell - Carol - Holly - Santa - Donkey

Christmas again! How would we spend it this year? I must make a list or I would panic and leave something out. To start with, I was wondering if the house looked presentable. If Martin’s elderly aunt saw it in its usual state, she might have a cardiac arrest. I searched for the musical snowman Gerry bought last year but failed to locate it. Never mind. Identical ones were usually in stock in garden centres in December, but then, I don’t go to a garden centre every day. The phone rang. Elaine answered it and came back looking belligerent. “Aunt Ethel wants to bring Oliver,” she said. Oliver was Aunt Ethel’s son and the black sheep of the family. “They’re coming in the car Oliver bought when he got his licence back,” said Elaine. “Well, we’d better not leave any alcohol lying around.” I’d never seen her this antagonistic. “And I hope he gives me something better than the “I love London” keyring I got two years ago.” 

Steventon Bridge update

For those that aren't aware, the closure of the Steventon Bridge is now on hold, until possible alternative solutions to avoid the long closure, is examined.

Details here:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/great-western-route-modernisation/oxfordshire/

Children's Corner - Colouring Competition - Christmas 2014

A big thank you and a well done for everyone for taking part in the childrens' Christmas 2014 colouring competition!!  Such talented artists, and so difficult to select the winners.  In the end, our independent judge chose 2 entries - 1 from each category - up to 6 years and over 6 years.  All entries will be displayed in the windows of Jephson flats Common Room, Bridges Close.

Up to 6 years Winner - Evie age 4

Over 6 years Winner - Caroline age 1

Reminder

Don't forget the 2 excellent competitions in the recent newsletter too!!

The adults Hidden Christmas Words - entries to be submitted by 5th January, and entries for the childrens Colouring Competition to be submitted by the 22nd December.

Pop both of them into 18 Mill Road!!!  Prizes for both.

Gardening - The Garden in December

Martin Gulliver writes:  So ... Christmas in the garden, eh??  Let's face it no one wants to garden over Christmas, unless it's digging up fresh parsnips on the day, which I did a few years ago - they tasted fab.  However you will have need to have sown those back in March - so where were you??  How about making a centrepiece for the table?  Buy a small piece of oasis from the flower shop and then cover it in bits and pieces from the garden.  Ivy is a good cover-all, and then add anything with berries...holly, pyracantha, cotoneaster...get them before the birds do!!  Leave the arrangement in a saucer of water so that the oasis soaks it up, and it should last well.

If you really need to get some Boxing day exercise, you can always check the garden over for broken branches that need trimming, weeds that need pulling, empty any bird boxes, and keep bird baths, seed and nut feeders full.

Talking of birds, they will enjoy bacon fat and rind, as well as pieces of cheese - they adore stilton but nothing too salty.  A stroll down to the river on Boxing Day is also nice - feeding the ducks, swans, moorhens...and by the way - if it has red on its beak it's a moorhen, if white, it's a coot.

Finally, if you really want to stay in, at least look out at the garden and make any plans for the new year - what to move, plant, repair, dig up...and make a careful note.

Merry Christmas!

Marcham Road crossing update

Here's the latest update on the Marcham Road crossing, taken from The Abingdon blog:

Councillor Neil Fawcett tweeted today:

Sadly the County Council Cabinet voted unanimously to allow the moving of the Marcham Road crossings in Abingdon

The lights will be moved and was proposed by the developers as a traffic mitigation measure in view of the 159 dwellings on Drayton Road.

For a full report, please visit The Abingdon blog.

Ann Goddard

We're very sad to announce that resident Ann Goddard from Bridges Close, passed away towards the end of last year.  She was a well known and familiar figure on Tithe Farm, where she'd lived for over 20 years, and was often seen around walking her little dog JJ.  Ann was a retired school teacher who previously lived in Drayton, and was the Residents' Association Treasurer until ill health prevented this.  She will be missed.

Abingdon Minor Injuries Unit

A slight change to the latest Newsletter posted recently:

Abingdon Minor Injuries Units times are 8am to 10.30pm - note this is from Saturday 1st November and is for the winter months only.  This service is available 7 days a week.

X-ray opening times at this MIU are as follows: Monday to Friday 9am to 6.30pm, Saturday 10am to 6.30pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm.

AGM - 18th November 2014

Our next newsletter has now gone out and some of you may have already had your copy.  We look forward to receiving your entries for the 2 Christmas competitions!

The last Residents' Association meeting in November was our AGM.  In line with the constitution, all residents who come to the meetings make up the committee.  We should also elect a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Treasurer and a Newsletter Editor.  Maureen Buckingham will be our Chair, Lorna Downs our Vice-Chair, Anita Wickens the Treasurer and Kay White the Newsletter/Blog Editor.

If anyone should want to see the accounts for last year, these are available by contacting the Treasurer.  Contact details are on the blog and in the newsletter.

We look forward to being able to carry on with our successful revival of the newsletter plus the TFLRA blog.

Christmas Lights

The festive Abingdon lights were turned on at the Extravaganza on Sunday - by Elianne from Mill Road, who was chosen to do the honours from a draw.  Well done Elianne ..... Abingdon will certainly now look pretty for Christmas!!