Dear All,
It has been rather a busy and momentous week in Lake Wobegone – reaching 65, finally leaving NIAB, a lecture on Cambridge University, winning a quiz, walking 10 mile, attending a concert and meeting all the family.
The quiz was actually last weekend in aid of the Village Day Care Centre and a team of 6 of us streaked ahead on the last of 12 rounds to beat 14 other teams. It was so long this quiz that people were past caring after 3.5 hours!
On Monday our U3A group had a talk in the “Old Schools” about Cambridge University by Tim Holt the head of Communications. He has a team of 16 to deal with the press, commercialisation, branding and politics. Facts there are 18,000 students at CU, 12,000 undergraduates and 6,000 post graduates. It costs an average of £17,000 to keep each student so their budget is over £300m without research inputs. 7% of children attend private schools but CU intake is 41% from private schools. They have the lowest dropout rate for any UK university. 15% of the undergraduates are from overseas compared to 50% of the postgraduates. In the “Old Schools” there is a benefactors staircase where you can have your name engraved proving you donate over £1m. Enough facts already!
I had a good send off on Tuesday and was presented with a book on meat (as I am always on about vegetables), a vegetable chopping board, £200 in vouchers and the Bentley Nelstrop medal. I have spent some of the vouchers on a croquet set as a reminder. I also received 50 emails from growers, seed companies and advisors that I have worked with. Even though I have phased out gently it will still be a wrench after 42 years.
Presentation
I celebrated 65 years with the usual 10 mile walk starting in Woodditton and proceeding via Kirtling and Saxon Street. It was an expensive round in the pub! In the evening Kate cooked a romantic candlelight dinner for two.
Kirtling
On Friday I picked Kate up from work after lunch and we drove to Hutton to start wall papering for Esther (who was at an exhibition in London with Mary-Ann). We fixed the lining paper then the girls took us for a celebratory meal in an upmarket Italian Restaurant.
Saturday we finished the wallpaper then started on the garden. Ben arrived for lunch.
Kate had to call in at work then we attended a fund raising CEEM concert at St Neots in the evening. It was a bit of a rush but worth it as it was very well done.
Wall papering – start
Garden Work? Party
We have folks round today to complete the celebrations and a Tea and Talk with a harpist at chapel this afternoon.
So it has not been dull if you add in an Events Committee Monday, last Astronomy and Church Business meeting Tuesday, lunch with an old colleague, fielding numerous emails about an RHS problem answering 50 retirement emails plus some gardening Wednesday. Just as well that I have given up work otherwise it would not all fit in!
love
Mike & Kate
PS I have a new mobile number 07535 876256
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