23rd January 2011

23rd January 2011.

Dear All,

Kate announced her intention to retire at work and they were surprised and asked her to stay until she had trained a replacement. An advert was drafted straight away so the process is underway.
I had a very interesting visit to the Cambridge CCTV Unit with our U3A “Cambridge Present” course on Monday. They have 138 cameras in the city centre and refer 5000 to 6000 incidents to the police each year leading to 1500 prosecutions and 600 fines. In addition, they trace 600 missing persons a year. The picture quality was impressive but there are only two people watching 30 screens at a time.

Guildhall CCTV Unit

Too many meetings this week: Youth planning Monday, Church business meeting Tuesday, CEEM Board meeting Wednesday.
On Wednesday I planned to zip into Cambridge on my way to Newmarket to buy a waterproof coat for the Dolomites. Unfortunately there was a power cut in the centre and all the shops I wanted to check were closed. The car park was free however so not all gloom!
I was going to Newmarket to address their U3A Gardening Club, 45 aged attendees, 90% ladies – the men must all be doping race horses.
Our Thursday walk involved catching a train from Whittlesford to Stanstead Mountfitchet and then walking back to Newport with a pub stop at Ugley halfway. Walking on an empty stomach was easier than with a full one so it was a “walk of two halves”. We caught the train with 30 seconds to spare such is the quality of military planning!

Tough Going near Stanstead

On Friday and Saturday I repaired the garden table which I made with Dad about 15 years ago. It is a bit like Triggers broom, it is completely original but every piece has been replaced over the years.

Table under Repair

On Friday evening we were invited to dinner with another couple of walkers: she is Dublin Irish and he was a professional trumpet player and currently a producer with the BBC.
Last night Kate and I were guests at the Day Care Centre helpers meal because of the fund raising quiz we present. It was a decent meal and we met folk we had not encountered before.
We should be in Italy with Mary and Graham this time next week so no bulletin.

love


Mike & Kate

16th January 2011

16th January 2011.

Dear All,

Back to normal this week with the U3A classes resuming and plenty of other meetings as well, culminating with the annual church social on Saturday night. Kate again masterminded the 4 course meal for 45 with military precision: plan, experiment, forage, assemble, cook, present. I did a Power point “Review of the Year” covering chapel, national and international events. This has become easier with the quality of photos available on the net, but the tendency is to produce a longer presentation – still nobody left or died during the event!
“Cambridge Past, Present and Future” resumed with a talk from local historian Mike Petty on Elizabethan (2nd) Cambridge. He has immense knowledge but dislikes modern technology so does not always put it over as well as possible.
In “Astronomy” we studied “Eclipses”; this was sandwiched between work and an evening planning church events for the year. I checked out our leek trial in the middle of the fens in the afternoon. This site is 2.3 miles from the road and as the farmer was harvesting the next field resembled the Somme with churned up black mud on a freezing cold day.
On Wednesday we had a Veg Panel meeting at Wisley checking Spring cabbage and tasting stored Winter Squash. Sampling 20 varieties of squash starts off OK but becomes a test of stamina.

RHS Vegetable Trials Panel

Squash Judging

I managed to watch Ipswich 1 v 0 Arsenal (shades of 1978 Cup Final?) but am not holding my breath for the 2nd leg!
Our Thursday walk started at Croydon near Wimpole Hall and visited Shingay and East Hatley. It was very sticky under foot and consequently hard work. I wrote the Garden Column in the evening.

Outside Croydon
The garden is wetter than it has been all winter so activity has been restricted to moving fruit to an area where the new cage is planned to cover everything and sawing up some logs.

love


Mike & Kate

10th January 2011

10th January 2011.

Dear All,

Happy New Year to you all, it was good to see nearly all of you over the holiday – and only just miss Dave & Jen by 30 minutes!
The weather and a few nasty germs had their effect on things but it is good to have a mid winter break and see so many family and friends.
Over probably had less snow than anywhere else – even Willingham but my annual expedition to Biggleswade was fraught as the road was like an ice rink. I did the usual missionary outreach with sprouts, 50 stems and 2 nets distributed round work, U3A and the village. About 50% of the recipients seemed to be coughing or sneezing or generally feeling under the weather.

Esther was here for 7 days, Ben 6 days, Mary-Ann and Andy 4 days and Eirwen 1 day. We managed a few quizzes, games of Skinny and walks as is traditional and the thin layer of snow added to the ambience.


Christmas Tea

Gingerbread House

We visited North Harrow on Wednesday and stayed overnight having seen Mary, Graham, Ali, Sylvie, Helen, Scott, Ewan, Robert, Rosie, Jonny, Charlie and Danny. We inspected the Copes impressive new extension and spotted parakeets by the stream in Pinner.

Rosie’s “baby Jesus” cakes

On Thursday we travelled up to Aston Clinton to visit the Revies our former neighbours, the parents had not changed much but both I would have passed both daughters in the street if I had met them! We had a walk in the Chilterns and saw some Firecrests.

Craig, Audrey, Kate



Hannah

We were invited to the Twiss’s opposite for drinks on New Years eve but due to not feeling 100% we were both in bed long before midnight.
Our raid on the sales was not initially very successful as we went to St Ives on Saturday and nearly everything was closed! We did a bit better in Cambridge on Monday but did not get carried away.
The Ramblers held their Christmas Party at Newnham College on Friday and this went well with about 60 attending. Everyone contributed to the food and was part of the entertainment with a rambling quiz..
On Thursday we walked from Kimbolton towards Graffham Water, a bit overcast but it stayed dry.

love


Mike & Kate