Elks in Oxford

On Saturday 19th August 2006 the Elks met for the weekend at an hotel in Oxford.

Wendy and I set off from home around 12 noon having decided to take the unglamorous route which is M5, M4, A34.

Traffic was mainly southbound it being the Bank Holiday next weekend and we had a pretty good run achieving penalty point speeds for most of the journey.

Stopping at Chievely services, which resembled a cattle market on a busy Monday morning, we joined the herd for a brief visit to the facilities before beating a hasty retreat back to the car.

As we arrived in the carpark of the Hawkwell House Hotel so did Adrian and Ali and Barbara and Ian. Perfect timing.

We booked in and made for our rooms, agreeing to meet in the bar in an hour or so's time.

By 3pm we were occupying a fair size corner of the lounge bar and had arranged the tables and chairs to suit. Rounds of drinks were bought and consumed and stories told amid much hilarity. Eventually Marian and Ian arrived and joined in the jollity. An entertaining and enjoyable couple of hours passed until it was generally agreed we should rest and change for dinner. We agreed to meet up in the bar for dinner at 7.30pm

Well, we met up and had, what was for Wendy and I, a rather mediocre meal. Unfortunately we were seated at one long table which restricted the conversation to immediate opposites and those on either side. Following pudding and a slight disagreement with the hotels interpretation of a cheese board we adjourned to the lounge for coffee and more chatter. Disappointingly the sparkle that ran through the pre-dinner get-together had disappeared although it was good to catch up on family news and we all had a few laughs.

An enjoyable breakfast the following morning included such highlights as tinned figs, huge prunes and powdered? eggs! Then, with bags packed and bills paid, we met up again in the lounge for coffee prior to our departure.

Getting away around 12 noon we had decided to take a more scenic route home. We picked up the A417 which took us across the Cotswolds and headed for Cirencester where, after a stroll around the town centre, we had lunch at The Fleece in the High Street.

Home around 5pm, tired and a little disappointed but grateful to Barbara for organising the event.