13th February 2011

13th February 2011.

Dear All,

For those who didn’t know Kate and I are to become grandparents. Mary-Ann and Andy are expecting a baby in early July and there is photographic evidence to back that up! I understand it predicted to be a girl so Andy Gray and Richard Keys are unlikely to be required as god parents. All advice on parenting and naming to Mary-Ann and Andy, any tips on grand parenting to us.


20 week scan

We had a great week winter walking in the Dolomites with Graham and Mary. As I hope you will have seen from the post cards it is a beautiful area. We enjoyed a week of perfect clear blue skies and the hotel and food were excellent. The area is brilliant for skiing but does not cater so well for winter walking, so it exercised our local tour guide (Graham) to find interesting accessible walks – which he did of course, even though they often involved 6 or 7 buses. There were lowland valley walks but higher up is more interesting and these tracks they do not clear or sign very well. We used rubber boot grippers with metal studs which were a huge help especially when the path was icy.


Dolomites


Scott and Shakleton

Relaxed explorers

Snow paradise




Pelargrino



Ice road Truckers!


We stayed at Campitello which is 2 hours 15 minutes up the Fassa valley from Verona. The last day we had time in Verona to explore the Coliseum and stand under Juliet’s balcony.

Juliet’s balcony

Verona Coleseum

Having spent Saturday night in Harrow we travelled to Terling on Sunday morning for the christening of Kate’s sisters second grandchild Alfie, followed by lunch at Hutton with Esther, Mary-Ann, Mandy and Natasha.
Otherwise it has been back to normal, work, Astronomy, Cambridge Present we had and audience with the City’s new MP Julian Hubbert, which was quite interesting and walking. Thanks to a week of high altitude training walking seemed a bit easier this week even though it was 10 miles in constant drizzle starting at Gt. Abington just south of Cambridge.
Kate and I erected the frame of our new fruit cage yesterday and this morning our church group lead a Family service which seemed to go quite well.
I had another surprise at work this week as I had been awarded the “Bentley Nelstrop Medal” for contribution to NIAB. I thought it was for up and coming young scientists so it was not expected (and as I was away I still haven’t received it any way.)

love


Mike & Kate