25th September 2011

25th September 2011.

Dear All,

We have just returned from a week in South Devon with the Kitsons and Fosters. We left early on Saturday morning and stopped for breakfast in Droitwich Spa. We stayed in a smart house at Kingskerswell which is between Torquay and Newton Abbot.

The Gang

On Sunday we attended church at Paignton and dined at a posh hotel for a bargain Sunday lunch. Later we went on to Brixham and inspected the Golden Hind,

Golden Hind,Brixham

Paignton

On Monday we travelled north to Castle Drogo then crossed Dartmoor to Princetown, returning via Dartmeet.
The forecast for Tuesday was poor so we visited Plymouth spending time at the Aquarium, the Barbican and the Hoe before going to the cinema to see “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”.



Plymouth Aquarium

Bench Tor

On Wednesday we did a short walk round Bench Tor in the south of Dartmoor (Kate F. is still struggling on longer walks after her heart op.). This walk gave good views of the area without too great an effort.
Kate F. was not well on Thursday so 4 of us walked round Cockington in the morning and in the afternoon the men played Pitch & Putt while the ladies walked along the seafront of Torquay and Paignton.
On Friday they dropped me off at Riverford to discuss the consultancy project I have have been carrying out for them while the others went to Buckfast Abbey and Buckfastleigh. In the afternoon we all went to Exeter to meet one of Carol’s old schoolfriends and spend time exploring mainly the cathedral.



Totnes Castle

Buckfast Abbey

We were back in Over just after 4 pm yesterday and then attended a concert at Fulbourne organised by Hilary Allen.
Tom Webster is down from Scotland for a fortnight, I had a day with him on the Friday before we left and plan to have a meal with him tomorrow night. He seems to be coping with his artificial leg very well.

love


Mike & Kate

11th September 2011

11th September 2011.

Dear All,

Kate and I enjoyed 4 good days walking in the Cotswolds. The first day we started at Adlestrop of Railway poem fame and walked via Castleton, Cornwell and Daylesford 9.2 miles. We began in drizzle but it quickly improved.


Start at Adlestrop

We stayed at Kingham near Stow in the Wold our leader having negotiated a decent discount for Dinner B&B.
On Monday we started at Boughton on the Water and repeated much of the walk some of did for Kate’s 50th: Lower Slaughter, Upper Slaughter, Naunton and back along the river – 14.2 miles

Tuesday started a bit rough with wind and rain but again it cleared up. We started at Stanton on the western scarp and followed the Cotswolds Way to Stump Cross and Snowshill – 11 miles.


Near Snowshill
Wednesday we started at Charlbury and followed new paths through Wychwood Forest and Finstock – 8 miles, before driving home.



On the Cotswolds Way

On Thursday just for a change I joined the normal walk at Burwell for another 9 miles via Wicken and Soham – rather flatter and less scenic than the Cotswolds.
We are having our fascias changed for plastic and the contractors started on Thursday.
Highlight of Friday was a ticklish Cemetery Trustees meeting regarding someone planting trees on a grave without permission. I thought it looked better than before but our cemetery secretary takes the job rather seriously.
On Saturday I judged Shelford Show. The standard was quite high even though there were only moderate entries.




Winning Entries
In the afternoon I watched Over lose in the Cup and in the evening we went to the Cricket Club end of season dinner.
We have been entertaining today: Norman as Rosemary is in Russia and a Bulgarian family Stanislav and Maya (nice name!) plus Daniel 3 and mother in law.

love


Mike & Kate

3rd September 2011

3rd September 2011.

Dear All,

Early letter this week as Kate and I are off walking in the Cotswolds tomorrow until Wednesday.
Last week I had an RHS trip to Preston near Hull to visit a tomato breeder who is trying to include blight resistance in outdoor varieties – he had 150 varieties in large pots and an indoor glasshouse demonstration.


Blight resistant tomatoes

Seedless tomato

I had another RHS appointment near Wisley on Tuesday so we stayed with Mary-Ann and Andy on Monday night and Kate was able to demonstrate grandmother skills while I was inspecting chard and runner beans.

Guess who?


Chard range

Chard trial


Tozer’s Runner Bean trial

Swimming and gardening on Wednesday and a good walk on Thursday starting at Guilden Morden. It was sunny for a change but involved a ploughed field or two as the farmers were well on with only an odd field to combine. The walk was followed by pitch preparation and a net session so I slept fairly well!


Alpaca’s on Thursday’s walk

I was helping my ex colleague Andy harvesting runner bean trials on Friday and this morning I was judging Bottisham show where I met another ex colleage Mike Corbett who asked after my children. The show standard was not very high so was fairly easy to judge.

love


Mike & Kate