Trip to Oxford

[wellinghall]

Creatrix and I went to Oxford on Friday - she had a Gaudy, and I went along to keep her company and meet up with some Taruithorn people.

After checking into the Randolph* (which had what must have been the last hotel room in Oxford), I wandered along to the Turf, and almost immediately met footnotetoplato. It wasn't long before others turned up - parrot_knight, rustica, narahttbbs, dr_biscuit, exactlyhalf, colinbj, freya_9 (who it was nice to meet for the first time), shanith and half of arda_unmarred. Tales of Taruithorn past were trotted out, and future banquets, Oxonmoots &c planned. I really enjoyed the evening - thanks for coming, everyone.

I got back to the hotel just before Creatrix. We had a quiet and comfortable night's sleep, although we woke too early (ie at our normal time of 6.30). We eventually wandered downstairs to breakfast, then out into town to do some shopping. One pair of trousers, one peacock-pattern waistcoat, and several books later, we went into the Ashmolean. This is very much an "Ashmolean Lite" at the moment, as they are having major rebuilding works, but still worth seeing - especially the "Treasures of the Ashmolean" exhibition - 200+ of their major items in one room. We had lunch at the cafe there - covered market for food - back to the hotel - cup of tea - collect our luggage - and back home.

*I read that the architect's original designs for the Randolph were toned down before the place was built. The mind boggles.

EDIT: List of attendees now corrected - thanks, parrot_knight!

Comments

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

Good to see you - I'm glad the hotel proved comfortable. I'd like to return to waistcoat-wearing - I once had a few but if they are still around anywhere suspect that they would no longer fit me, or rather I would no longer fit them...

I think that it was footnotetoplato rather than osymandias who was with us.

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

Indeed it was.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

*mutters something about youngsters all looking alike to me* ;-)

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

Thwen is the cute dark one found near Cealdis, and Elan has lighter brown hair - both wore it long at the last banquet tho

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

It's keeping track of (1) real names, (2) LJ names, (3) LJ nicknames, and (4) faces that confuses me! Can I borrow your bathchair?

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

Can I borrow your bathchair?
Sir, I had to sign for this one. However, if you wish you may ask Matron and she will arrange for a conveyance to be assigned to you. If you're polite enough she may even deign to smile at you.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I do rather like wearing waistcoats. I confess to having been slightly disappointed when I first saw the hotel room, but a quiet & comfortable night's sleep did make me feel rather happier with my choice.

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I have a distant memory of there being an age of almost competitive waistcoat-wearing in Taruithorn; but latterly only overconvergent has worn them, and now he has moved to Bristol. I shall have to return to the fold...

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I confess I didn't know he wore them (or, indeed, that he had returned to Bristol). Another option would be to get kargicq and jhgowen down to Oxford more often ...

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

Hasn't jhgowen moved somewhere exotic again?

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Yes ... *nods sadly* ... although Geneva is a bit closer than Japan.

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I'd missed the Geneva move, I think. These gadabout material scientists...

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

"These scientists", almost, they keep dashing all over the place. I think my dad still thinks it strange that my sister and I have moved more than 50 miles away - he and his four brothers and sisters still live within about 10 miles of each other, and almost always have done so, apart from things like National Service. For that matter, most of my cousins live in the same area, although this generation has flown the nest a little bit more - one of us even lives abroad!

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

My cousins are slightly more scattered; though about half of them form a core who still live in the north-east. My parents siblings all live within forty miles of each other.

[romancinger.livejournal.com]

That's interesting. Our family started the 'moving away' business two generations ago, starting with my grandmother and her sisters, who went from Dorset to London to work (and subsequently married men from different parts of the country). Highlander's family did much the same, several moving to central England from Scotland. The younger generations have continued the trend.

Maybe it's in the blood - family history also boasts two elopements, one emigration to S Africa, and a chap who became an early film director in Hollywood!

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

My mum is more used to the idea of families living further apart, but then, she lived in England for several years while her parents were in India.

[kargicq.livejournal.com]

I must admit, I'm down to two regular waistcoats (one or the other every work day) and two for special occasions. I think I feel a shopping trip coming on...

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

One of the good things about autumn is that I can start wearing waistcoats again :-)