YORA

I spoke to some American friends here in Oxford and wished them a happy Thanksgiving yesterday. I mentioned to them that it was a tradition which we had not adopted here and that it was therefore sometimes difficult to be an American abroad on Thanksgiving. They thanked me for my concern but remarked that an American tradition which we had clearly adopted was that of Black Friday!

Black Friday – that day of mayhem and madness which descends upon the shop-going and internet-surfing populace, often bringing cold feet (not because of the temperature) and high levels of guilt afterward.

We at Oxford Spires Group & YORA real estate advisors however are celebrating not a day of Blackness, certainly not one of guilt or of cold feet. Investors in the property that we manage through Oxford Spires Group never get cold feet – only warm fuzzy ones! No misery or madness but a day of light, apt for it is the beginning of Advent, the season when Christians look towards the coming of the light in the form of Christ at Christmas. A time for us to not just continue to be but to continue to act in gratitude for the many, many blessings we have. The annual few days off fast approaching, the hope & possibility of turning off my phone – sitting down in a Xmas jumper and crawling around on my knees with the children’s latest toy of the year! Food – lots of food, late night runs to the gym – where possible and even a trip to Italy are in store this year! ‘Bellissimo”!

Finally, this is around the time of year here in Oxford, often when the heavens open and heavy rain descends… The local authorities close the locks in the centre of Oxford but open them on the outskirts – causing the floodplains just outside the central area to fill at biblical levels. So a percentage of the central areas around the train station, Osney island and West Oxford central are semi submerged!

Without luck & by design our properties are all on a slight hill in Botley West Oxford – well clear of the waters and impossible to get insurance!! You could say 4ward Thinking!

Happy festivities to all!