Dear All,
I have been to five talks this week – and unfortunately I was giving
four of them!
On Tuesday week 6 of “Just Vegetating” was on “Legumes”, mainly Peas
and Beans so there was a good selection of bean salads to sample as well as
Kate’s chickpea rissoles.
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Beans
On Thursday I had to miss the usual walk to give a presentation to
the “NIAB Trust” an august body of eminent growers and retired bankers who
steer NIAB’s aims and ambitions. They recently extended the funding that we
receive for Moldova and I had to report on progress and discuss other
possibilities of raising money. It seemed to go alright and they asked the
right questions.
In the evening, I was at Chesterton Garden Club then on Friday it
was my turn to introduce a Biography. I had chosen “C. B. Fry” who played for
England at both cricket and football, played in an FA Cup Final, held the world
long jump record, also excelled at rugby, shooting, diving, skiing, skulling,
boxing, tennis, riding and golf. He worked at the League of Nations, was
offered the kingship of Albania, wrote for numerous magazines and was author of
several books; he was a broadcaster, stood for Parliament three times and ran a
naval cadet training school. Apart from that I don’t know how he filled his
time! His party trick was to leap backwards from a stationary position onto a
mantelpiece – and he could still perform this aged 70. So not much to go at for
my talk!
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C B Fry
The fifth talk was a U3A lecture on “Alzheimer’s” by Dr Eric Karran
who is researcher in charge of the main Alzheimer’s charity. He was very clear
in explaining diagnostics (gappy folds in your brain), plaques (accumulation of
waste products in your brain) and tangles (neurons dying), symptoms – loss of
memory, reasoning powers, language, visual perception, executive function,
comportment, interpersonal behaviour and personality. The onset can be 15 years
before symptoms become apparent. Medicines like Aricept have a modest short
term effect and it is claimed to cost $604 bn per year or 1% of GNP.
Prevention? “what is good for your heart is good for your brain” so diet,
exercise, no smoking etc. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?!
We have also enjoyed a few meals out this week. I went to the NIAB “Wrinklies”
lunch on Tuesday then we were invited to one of our walking, Just Vegetating colleague’s
birthday meal in the evening. Kate lunched with the walkers on Thursday and we
had a Deacons & Wives meal at Kate & Gordon’s on Friday. Last night we
met up with Sue & Duncan Colquhoun and Hilary Allen for a meal and catch up
at The Chequers in Cottenham.
Mary-Ann started her new job this week, early days but it is walkable
in 30 mins.
Pictures just in from Moldova where work has restarted on the
extension to the pastor’s house at Leova to cope with a severely handicapped
daughter.
Love
Mike & Kate
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