A Room With A View

It is almost like being a student again, staying here at Oxford University. Most of my contemporaries would by now be in hotels, or B&Bs, or Airbnb's - but not the SconeLady. She wants the up-close-and-personal experience even if the reality of it is not glamorous. These are, after all, student rooms. 

But it is rather sweet - two large windows facing out onto the gardens, a living room, kitchenette, downstairs bathroom, and loft bedroom. All the amenities, in fact. Just not the glamor. Leaving my bags, I dashed off to reacquaint myself with many favorite Oxford bits - Addison's Walk, the Bodleian Library, the Martyrs Memorial, the dining hall wherein famous Oxonians have eaten, and then - oh no! a truly sad moment came as I approached The Eagle And Child. The Eagle And Child was the pub where long ago the Inklings met - friends including Lewis and Tolkien who liked to discuss and read aloud each other's literary works. And here is the sad part:

The Eagle And Child has been closed.

It's true! I wouldn't have believed it if you had told me about it in advance. But there it sat, empty and looking rather down at the tooth with a crooked sign hanging from the front door. 

I stood looking at it hopefully as if the proprietor might open the door and say, "What are you waiting out here for? Come on in!"

But the proprietor never came out. I crossed the road to look at the Lamb And Flag, another pub familiar to Lewis fans. It was closed! The Eagle has been there since 1684 and The Lamb since 1772. What!?

I REFUSE to look at this in negative terms though. Maybe they are just refurbishing? Or perhaps just changing hands. Whatever it is, there are still lots of other wonders in Oxford to look at and walk to. 

Last night was Choral Evensong at Christ Church where people were lined up outside in hopes of getting a seat. There was quite a buzz, and we at the end of the line worried out loud about our prospects. But the cathedral was so huge that there turned out to be plenty of room for everybody. The young men and boys in the Cathedral Choir were also exceedingly great, but in a different way than the one at Magdalen. I suspect it will happen like this at every Choral Evensong: beautifully different.

dining hall in Magdalen College

Addison's Walk

The spot where the Oxford Martyrs were burned at the stake

Tomorrow I will tell you about going to St Ebbe's Church for morning service. Another beautiful difference! You could tell before you went inside the church that something good was going to happen to you. This very day!

See you along the Way!

the SconeLady