22nd February 2015

22nd February 2015.

Dear All,

We have had a busy few days at Hutton helping Esther with decorating and her Respite Care preparations while minding Amélie as Mary-Ann was in Dusseldorf  helping Andy pack up and clean the flat.

Esther’s kitchen was painted – ceiling and walls, damp patches and mould removed in the bathroom, small bedroom, second bedroom and front door painted. Grass was also cut and hedge trimmed.

On Saturday afternoon we visited Thorndon Park and bravely traced the “Gruffalo Walk”. It was rather muddy but for Amélie this added rather than detracted from the experience. Mary-Ann and Andy arrived back 6.30 pm on Saturday so we were able to see them before departing.

Serious Decorating

A Gruffalo

Thorndon Park

Bonding

Good natured William being decorated

On Monday “Italian Cities” visited Pisa – the tower leans 15’, and Lucca which seems to be a good place to visit.

Pisa Duomo & Tower

Pisa Baptistry

Lucca

I have spoken at two Garden Clubs this week: Fen Ditton on Tuesday and Over on Wednesday before departing for Hutton – so we did not arrive very early.

Decorating Ben’s old bedroom continues, albeit fairly slowly and I have started sowing things in the greenhouse: broad beans, peas, potatoes.

Love

Mike & Kate

15th February 2015

15th February 2015.

Dear All,

Two walks this week: on Wednesday we reccied starting from Litlington near Royston. It was well worth the effort to try and avoid some of the worst of the mud but it was an interesting route taking in Steeple Morden.

On Thursday we were near Newmarket at Woodditton and Saxon Street where the soil was much lighter and not nearly so claggy.

Downton Hall Gatehouse

Litlington Village Lockup

Near Woodditton

Saxon Street Old Water Tower

We had a second week on Florence in “Italian Cites” covering Orsanmichele, The Duomo, The Camponile, Mercato Nuovo, Piazza della Signoria, The Palazzo Vecchio, The Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, Museo di SanMarco, Galleria dell’Accademia, San Lorenzo and Bargello – do you feel you have been there!

The Duomo

The Duomo Baptistry Door

The “Biography” subject was “Gabriele D’Annunzio” described as the John the Baptist of Fascism. He was an Italian writer, poet, journalist, playwright and soldier largely responsible for Italy joining the 1^st World War. He was also a serial womaniser despite being 5’ tall and described as ugly, but with a beguiling voice. Mussolini modelled himself on him even though he did not like him.

We had a visit from Gary McDermott the head of “Street Pastors” in Cambridge on Wednesday night. He is keen for us to be trained up and enlisted.

Love

Mike & Kate

1st February 2015

1^st February 2015.

Dear All,

Serious decorating began this week as the last room with wallpaper came under Kate’s eagle eye. The wallpaper strips easily but there is a layer of sticky glue/paint that has be scrubbed off inch by inch.

Ben’s Old Room

It was Hilda’s funeral Thursday afternoon so we did not go on the usual long walk with the mob, but did our own thing from Newnham to Granchester along the river, tea with Jeffrey Archer, then back to Newnham (one of those statements is incorrect!). It was mainly sunny and not too muddy. The funeral was quite well attended for a 99 year old, with the highlight being a poem composed and read by a teenage great granddaughter.

The Cam at Newnham

Granchester Meadows

“Italian Cities” studied “Venice part 2” mainly the islands of which there are 118! and “Biographies” was a learned discourse on “Christiaan Huygens” a Dutch scientist who discovered the rings of Saturn, discovered Titan and Orion, wrote major works on gravity and energy, described the shape of the earth, accurately produced formulae for pendulums, invented the magic lantern and developed accurate theories of probability and yet is largely unknown in the UK who laud Newton who was operating in the same fields at the same time.

Murano

Burano

The germination cabinet seems to be working so I have several lots of seed underway.

My next Garden Club talk is on “Cuba” so I have been mugging up on that as my knowledge is a bit rusty.

We had our first brief settling snowstorm yesterday but it soon turned to rain. Three of us travelled to Godmanchester for football only to discover it had been cancelled.

We are off to St Neots tonight for the annual CEEM (Moldova) rededication service.

Love

Mike & Kate