21st December 2014.

Dear All,

Seasons Greetings on the shortest day – from today the days are getting longer!

We had the electrician in on Monday to connect up the wiring that I had laid in trenches for both greenhouses as well as fix a fancy new fixture for the hall.

Kate had gone to Addenbrooks to visit our 98 year old neighbour, Hilda, who had a fall the previous week. She greeted Kate with “have you come to take me home?” “No – I have come on the bus”, “What’s the matter with you – have you forgotten how to drive” From which exchange you can see she has not lost her sharpness! She had demanded to come home after the first day in hospital only to be told that she needed a blood transfusion – “Oh well, my cleaner can do that!” She came home last night so it remains to be seen how that settles down.

We were down at Hove again this week and on Wednesday visited two couples we know at Middleton-on-Sea; David and Cathy Whalley and Derek and Marian Betts.

David was a contemporary at Nottingham University and is now suffering from dementia. We met Derek and Marian on the Turkey holiday and got on well with them.

Amélie was in good form and heavily into glitter at present. We are still finding sparkly additions to our clothing.

It was the U3A walking group Christmas stroll and meal on Thursday. We started at Barrington, a place with a spectacular Village green and walked to Foxton for mulled wine and mince pies at our leader Philip’s house, then back to Barrington for a Christmas meal for about 54.

The Royal Oak, Barrington

Merry Seasonal Mud

Barrington Village Green

Yesterday was the Christmas Messy Church, the numbers were quite good and a few of the children fairly excited. Clearing up seemed to take for ever.

Our lodger moved out for Christmas yesterday, she is going to London to stay with her brother then taking over the Manse for week while they are away.

We are expecting Mary-Ann, Andy, Amélie and Ben on Tuesday and Esther either then or Wednesday.

I hope to collect Brussels sprouts from Biggleswade tomorrow – that’s when Christmas really kicks in!

We hope Mary's pain is bearable and are not surprised that she is both being stoical and turned down the operation.

Love

Mike & Kate