Walking: the Oxford Canal and the Cherwell

The days when I most want to stay huddled under the duvet are the ones when I most need to drag myself out for a walk, so even though the sky was grey and I really didn't want to get up today I forced myself to put my boots on and leave the house for a short walk.



We walked up the canal to Shipton-on-Cherwell, and then came back through the woods along the Cherwell and across St Mary's Fields; just under five miles in total. It's a while since we did the walk through the woods rather than coming back via Hampton Gay and Hampton Poyle, and while they are sadly bluebell-free woods the trees were coming into leaf, the weather has been so dry the paths weren't muddy as they often are and the nettles haven't grown too high yet. We spotted a fairy ring in the meadows and heard a cuckoo as we walked up the canal. And I'm sure I do feel better than if I'd just stayed in bed.

In which I fail to book train tickets

Turn computer off ready to go to bed.

Remember I need to check train times. Check times in app. Note that I could get advance singles for £10 less than standard return. Discuss return train options with T, agree which train seems likeliest, click book. App gives error message.

Try to book on T’s computer. Can’t check out as guest as email already registered. Can’t log in as no idea what password is.

Turn on my computer. Password not saved in browser. Request password reset. Look at password requirements and decide I’m too tired to think of something that meets them. Turn computer off and go upstairs.

While brushing teeth, think of another couple of options password could be, or could be changed to. Also realise that I could check out as guest using the version of my email address without a dot between first and last names, as gmail thinks they’re the same. (This is surprisingly useful as I often find myself unable to use my main address on services where I’ve deleted no-longer-used accounts.)

Go back downstairs, turn computer on again. Search for tickets. Get through to railway company website only to discover that no cheap tickets now appear to be available for outbound train.

Scream and head off to bed, half an hour later than originally planned.