Reasons To Be Cheerful Part II

(If you're wondering what this is all about, click here.)

It's been a while since the last one of these (during which time I've actually had a Sunday roast at the Brewery Tap, which I'm pleased to report was excellent) - and so, without further ado, here's another...

#4 - Eggs Eggsetera

I'm now in my fifth week of living in Oxford, and all is well. My new place is cosy, cheap, shared with friendly housemates and within easy walking distance of the train station and city centre. Convenience is key, and one thing I really missed in Abingdon was a local food shop. Here I have a choice of two at the end of the road: one possibly the worst stocked shop in the world (yes, even worse than the Co-Op on Ilkeston Road in Nottingham, jokingly dubbed "Russia" by my housemate at the time in reference to the crowds of students queueing up for dietary staples like bread and vodka), and the other called Eggs Eggsetera.

Jenni lived in Staines for a year, when (this being pre Ali G) one of the most notable things about the town was a shop called Taps 'N' Things. Judging by the window display, the "things" in question were vacuum cleaners - it didn't seem to sell anything else. Eggs Eggsetera, by contrast, really does sell eggs and "things" of all description - the "Eggsetera" (a clever pun there, I think you'll agree) seems to cover practically anything else, from cider to cling film. There's not quite the same dedication to the cause as there is from Mr Egg in Birmingham, the takeaway near the Arcadian with an enormous fried egg hanging from the ceiling where you seem unable to buy anything that doesn't involve egg, but I'm not about to take them to task for daring to diversify.

Eggs Eggsetera is primarily a delicatessen, and a good one at that, you see. I can vouch for the quality of the fresh fruit and veg out the front, as well as the strong speciality cheddar and Spitfire cheese, Cumberland sausages and homemade butter fudge (even if it was actually tablet). Perhaps not the best place to do a weekly groceries shop, as it's not the cheapest, but who wants another arsing Tesco on their doorstep? It's more than enough to compensate for the fear that if it carries on raining like it has been today, I'll get back from my weekend in Wales to discover the house under water and the traffic on Botley Road consisting solely of rowing boats and bemused ducks.