29th March 2015.

Dear All,

Last weekend our neighbour opposite announced that they were changing their patio and we could have the old slabs if we could use them. It was quite a large patio and although I eventually collected 60 slabs this was less than half the total area. It is being replaced by smart large sandstone pavers which I guess will not work out very cheap!

I have so far laid 47 in a path to the bottom shed and a standing area along one greenhouse.

New Path

The “Italian Cities” course drew to a close on Monday with a session on “Naples” With Vesuvius due to erupt any time the authorities organised a practice evacuation last year which in true Italian style ended in gridlock and farce as everyone seemed to follow their own agenda and not the agreed plan.

Bay of Naples

Castle Nouvo

Galleria Umberto

The walk this week started at Northill near Biggleswade and although there were a few showers it was not too bad. Kate managed to walk this week even though not 100% but has been exercising following a visit to a physio.

Pussy Willow

Silver Birchs

Old Warden

We had a NIAB Wrinklies lunch on Tuesday, Tom is due to visit again on the 8^th April.

Sowing, planting and grass cutting this week but still a bit chilly so the spuds are still in the bedroom chitting.

I watched a top of the table clash between Shelford and Hardwick yesterday then we were invited to a meal at John and Vera Lee’s together with the Howards.

Love

Mike & Kate

22 March 2015

22nd March 2015.

Dear All,

Spring seems to be on the way and gardening is clicking into gear. Next door has been sold without coming onto the market so we will almost certainly lose access to that garden. I am applying for an allotment but meanwhile I have started digging up a bit of the lawn and also decapitated the bamboo. This has been incredibly invasive with suckers showing up about 7 meters away.

Italian Cities featured “The Vatican” this week with one session to go. We have booked to go on the spin off trip to Italy in November.

I met up with John Law on Monday to plan the next Moldova outing at the end of April.

I celebrated my birthday on Tuesday by attending a Church Meeting! Thanks to all for cards or presents. We actually went out Wednesday evening for a meal at “The Old Crown” at Girton with the Kitsons, Howards, Fenwicks, & Kate F (Gordon was busy elsewhere).

Kate missed the walk this week resting her damaged muscle. She has actually seen a physio who has diagnosed the problem as a strained Iliopsoas muscle and although it cannot be directly strengthened surrounding muscles can, so she has some exercises to do.

The walk started at Hatfield Broad Oak and was fairly dry underfoot.

Hatfield Broad Oak

The last “Biography” of the year was “Handel” and I had to scan and project 25 photos for an elderly music teacher. This was followed by an end of term meal.

While we were queuing up to get into room we had a very brief glimpse of the eclipse – about as long as the memorable view of the Northern Lights last year!

Kate was cooking for Messy Church yesterday. I was sent home feeling achy so was able to watch most of the rugby yesterday.

Love

Mike & Kate

15th March 2015

15^th March 2015.

Dear All,

We had an excellent week in Austria. The journey to and fro was the usual “Uncle Graham” ie 8 legs but thoroughly researched for economy and efficiency, so car to Harrow, 2 underground trains to Heathrow, flight to Munich, train to Munich East, train to Kufstein on the Austrian border, train to Blixlegg, bus to Alpbach – and of course it all worked like clockwork!

The Walk to Breakfast

View from our Window

Reith lake

Our accommodation was in 2 buildings, we slept in Haus Rossstall and ate in Haus Andreas, but we soon got used to that as it was family run and very friendly.

We had a heavy snowfall on the first day of at least 6” and this lasted the rest of the week when the sun came out for most of the time.

We walked up and down the valley by different routes, took the cable car to the top of a ski slope and walked down, walked up and down a toboggan run and explored a historic village and a lake resort. Mary was apprehensive as she is still recovering from a broken arm but she survived well and failed to fall over even once! I suffered a heavy cold, Kate had a muscle problem and Graham a sore back – but we still claimed to enjoy it all!

We did not walk on our return on Thursday but opted to finish the decorating in Ben’s old room.

I planted onion sets, garlic, shallots and peas so spring must be coming.

“Biographies” topic this week was “Rudyard Kipling” – named after where he was conceived – so nothing new Becks and Posh!

Apart from this there has been an Events Committee, a gardening Column, 2 football matches and last night we were on “Street Pastors” in the cafe getting to bed at 4.45 am. It was a reasonably busy night with a steady flow of the sadly inebriated and one ambulance casualty who was suffering from facial bleeding and memory loss.

Love

Mike & Kate

1^st March 2015.

Dear All,

On Tuesday we met Ben at the Horniman Museum en route for Hove. The museum was well worth seeing with a large collection of stuffed animals, a huge collection of musical instruments, Egyptian and African sections, an aquarium, a large garden and a few animals. After, we travelled to the Crystal Palace to view the concrete dinosaurs.

Horniman museum outside

Horniman inside

Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

Brighton Seafront

Revellers!

Brighton Eye

On Wednesday, Kate, Amélie and I walked from Hove to Brighton Pier, then caught the bus back to Hove before walking again to Hove Park. I am fairly sure Amélie slept well that night.

On Monday “Italian Cities” covered “Siena” and on Friday “Biographies” topic was “Viscount Montgomery”.

Siena

The Thursday walk was the one Kate and I reccied a couple of weeks ago starting at Litlington. Unfortunately this was the only wet day in the week so plenty of mud and dampness.

We received a “runners up” prize for our cricket wicket this week – a certificate and two bottles of wine.

The walls of Ben’s old room have now been painted, so the end is in sight!

Decorating

We plan to leave for Austria with Mary & Graham on Wednesday, so no letter next week.

Love

Mike & Kate