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Still here in Kidlington.

Had the first part of my tooth surgery done the other day which consisted of removing the root of the old tooth.

They had put a stem and cap. The stem had fractured the root and the cap fell out. They advised that the root was beyond repair and options included 1)bodge 2)removal.

I opted for 2)removal although it was more expensive.

Chewing gum is bad for your fillings and caps

‘Dental experts’ tell us chewing gum can aid in the dissolution of plaque. Chewing is healthy….

What they don’t tell us is that the chewing of gum for significant periods of time isn’t so good for caps, fillings and other artificial oral constructions made in place of your teeth.

Evidence

Since I started doing this job full time. I’ve been chewing gum more routinely. Every day in fact. When I work, I (used to) get in the car and have some gum.

My fillings I’ve had since I was at secondary school. The cap I had done when I was at school also. 35 years ago.

All fine for 35 years. Had the cap stem re-cemented when it came out around 18 years ago, otherwise, all fine.

As soon as I chew gum every day. Filling comes out after 4 months. Stem snaps root after 11 months.

I’m not putting this down to chance.

Summary

Only one thing has changed in my oral habits and that’s chewing gum.

Dental work is very expensive

No coincidence the fact that a)you can’t get an NHS dentist nowadays b)dental work goes from expensive to eye watering.

I’ve had an idea! Chew more gum…

Not..

Offside mooring on the Oxford Canal

Had the CRT send me a ‘move along’ email the other day.

Even though I’m not moored on their land, (I’m moored on Cherwell Council land), they decided to send me an ‘overstay notice’.

The CRT send out and overstay notice when a continuous cruiser boater has been in one location for more than 2 weeks.

There are exceptions to this for example: When a boat is moored on private property or in a marina, or the boater has special circumstance or an arrangement with the CRT.

A bit of history

James Brindley began construction of the Oxford canal in 1774.

Initially, in 1774, it only made it to Napton in Warwickshire and coal had to be transported by wagon the rest of the way into Oxford.

To save money on spiralling costs of construction, the canal construction companies had to look at ways so they could fully complete the project.

The high cost of the land and the other aspects of the project meant that the builders were desperately looking for ways to get the canal open and start making them money.

On most other canals, the companies took steps to secure the offside bank. A precautionary measure, it meant that the canal construction companies owned the towpath, the land under the water and a very small buffer of the offside bank.

Not the case on the Oxford Canal. Due to the cost cutting that those builders and engineers did back in 1774 to 1778, the whole stretch of the Oxford Canal from Napton into Oxford were built under a strict budget and not spending money on that offside margin allowed them to finish the full stretch.

British Waterways, now Canal and River Trust do not own the perimeter land on the offside bank of the Oxford Canal. They failed to purchase it.

Legally, civil court precedent has meant that although CRT have collected licence fees for boats occupying the water on this section, they’ve been unable to charge Oxford Offside moorers the traditional ‘Waterside Mooring’ fees that apply to waterside moorings in the rest of the country.

Don’t think they haven’t tried, they have, and failed… Just up in Cropredy, there’s a whole row of boats permanently moored residential on the offside bank where the landowner pays the CRT nothing.

This is simply because the act of mooring on private land doesn’t cross the CRT’s property, as such, they have no rights apart for the rights of the boat on the water, which is the Licence Fee.

I already pay my licence fee.

This current mooring is on Cherwell Council land.

Although the CRT are sending me overstay notices. I know that down in these parts, there ain’t a lot they can do.

Otherwise…

Life continues…

Christmas shopping in Oxford

I went into Oxford on Monday last week.

Felt a bit bored and had seen in the local newspaper that they had a Christmas market, that the cycle activists were trying to have shut down as it blocked their cycle route.

I thought that was a good a reason as any to make a visit.

Oxford is like a little London in many ways. Not least by some of the architecture.

There are still many places to explore.

After I finished my shopping, I dropped into the Lamb and Flag for a warm before taking the bus home.

Got a couple of presents, so it wasn’t a total waste of time.

There’s still more shopping to be done, no doubt this will drag me down to explore more of Oxford, do more shopping and more warming up in the various pubs.

I’ll let you know how that goes…