30th August 2015.

Dear All,

On Tuesday we had an impulsive trip to London to see that new play “The Mousetrap”. It is in its 63^rd year and we saw the 26,146^th performance! It is certainly not the best play I have seen but it is interesting to see and wonder why it has lasted so long. An added bonus was that the cast included Timothy Kightley and I shared an office with his brother Simon for a number of years.

In the afternoon we went to the National Portrait Gallery for the first time which was well worthwhile and dropped in to Covent Garden to watch the street entertainment.

National Portrait Gallery

You wait for one bus then ten turn up!

St Martins Theatre

On Thursday I was at Wisley for our first meeting of the year looking at Kale, early Brussels sprouts and Leeks. The trials were much better than in recent years. As I was travelling alone I took Ken and May Elsom for a visit. The M25 was constipated both ways so it was 3 hours there and 2.5 back.

Kale trial

On Friday we had yet another stage of Street Pastor qualification with DBS clearance and in the evening we had a Pastoral Care session on “Bereavement”.

I was called out for cricket again yesterday against a team that needed to win to gain promotion and we were rather weak so it was a long afternoon – I think I need to retire for the 5^th time!

There have been signs of developments next door as the new owners moved some things in yesterday but are planning to demolish the garage and insert a caravan while they extend the property.

Love

Mike & Kate

23rd August 2015.

Dear All,

I have had a fairly energetic week for an old man of 69! Strimming, walking, pitch preparation, helping Esther, Cricket and a little gardening.

On Wednesday, Mervyn and I strimmed all the overgrown graves in the cemetery. It took most of the day and the strimmer we hired got quite heavy towards the end.

Kate and I were leading our Thursday walk which started at Moulton near Newmarket and took in “The 3 churches Route”: Moulton, Graveley and Dalham. Showers were threatened but held off, so it was an enjoyable walk. Moulton has a famous Packhorse bridge. As we drove through Newmarket there were several racehorses out on the gallops, probably because the going was soft.

Dalham Park

Moulton Packhorse Bridge

 Cricket pitch preparation was without my colleague John for the second week as he has been cycling round France – for some reason I never feel so frisky after the walk!

On Friday Kate and I visited Hutton to put in a shift for Esther. She left us a lengthy list of jobs which we managed to lose but we cut grass, tidied the front beds, emptied compost bins, pruned raspberries, cleaned out the greenhouse, reinforced the rabbit run, fixed a curtain rail, tightened a light fitting, fitted wheels on a chair and delivered one of the pews which was removed from the chapel. Workmen were fitting hoists in the bedroom and bathroom for her respite care duties, which are hopefully closer to realisation.

Yesterday I was drafted into the 2^nd XI as they were short. It was a good game which we narrowly lost after totalling 178, but hot and hard work so I did not need much rocking last night.

Dave Garlick was here this morning updating the church on his Ecuador project. As he arrived over an hour early I did not manage to produce this bulletin this morning. As usual he spoke very well and stayed for the monthly chapel lunch.

We have had an exceptional crop of figs this year which we have managed to keep ahead of the blackbirds. Sweet Corn harvest started this week.

Love

Mike & Kate

16th August 2015.

Dear All,

On the way to Hove this week we stopped off at Nymans, a National Trust garden near Haywards Heath.  It was developed by three generations of the German Jewish banking Messel family, from the late 19th century, and home of Antony Armstrong Jones mother. It has 35 “Champion Trees” i.e. taller, older or larger than any other of that species in the UK and prides itself on having colour all year round. It lost 486 trees in the 1987 storm and suffered a serious fire in 1947.

Nymans

Summer Border

Dry Garden

Blue Salvia

On Wednesday we explored Newhaven Fort, the largest built in the 19^th century and now contains an interesting museum as well as an adventure playground.

Newhaven Fort

Dads Army Audition

On Thursday our walk began at Great Easton, near Thaxted and at 11.5 miles was quite long enough!

Great Easton

On Friday I had to go to Spalding to check an out sourced RHS cauliflower trial being hosted by Elsoms Seeds. It was a very murky journey but the trial looks very promising.

Yesterday was “Show Day”. I was judging Fruit and veg, here in Over and Kate was on duty at Lolworth judging everything edible. The Vegetables at Over were of a high standard with two very good growers quite evenly matched. Most classes are reasonably easy to judge but 12 sets of almost perfect cherry tomatoes are a challenge!

Over had their first Saturday football match of the season yesterday and as the 1^st cricket team were home as well we were spoilt for choice.

The baby muntjac is still around and beans, cucumbers and tomatoes are still in plentiful supply.

Love

Mike & Kate

9th August 2015

9th August 2015.

Dear All,

Kate and I met up with Esther, Mandy and Natasha in London on Monday for Natasha, Kate and myself to climb the O2. Esther had brought the trip for Mary-Ann following her own successful conquest during her “40 year Challenges”. However circumstances have changed and most great mountaineers are not 7-8 months pregnant! It was not too difficult but rather windy and although overcast the visibility was good. After we met up with Ben for lunch on the Embankment.

O2

Hillary, Tenzing & AN Other

View South

Lunch

On Friday I went to Colchester for the Cricket Festival match v Surrey with two walking companions. It was an enjoyable day with sunshine and a decent Essex performance with regular updates on the Australians demise. In fact there has been quite a lot of cricket this week as we had a chapel match on Wednesday – rained off half way and I took Jim Burr to watch Over at St Ives yesterday.

Castle Park

Colchester Castle

Our Thursday walk started at Furneaux Pelham, between Buntingford and Stanstead. It was humid but dry so enjoyable with a good array of Hertfordshire cottages.

 Furneaux Pelham

Kate has been suffering with a sore tooth/gum and been referred for a scan and possible wisdom tooth extraction.

We were on “Nightlite” duty again last night – hence the delay in publication. It was very quiet until 1 am then busy thereafter. It was a tricky night as the church where we hold the cafe is smothered with scaffold outside and inside so we had to improvise to find enough space and all night life folks with dogs had to sit outside. The evening ended with a large skirmish outside the neighbouring night club but this did not affect us.

Love

Mike & Kate

2nd August 2015

2^nd August 2015.

Dear All,

On Friday evening I arranged a tour of the RSPB Ouse Fen project in Over where Hansons have been extracting gravel for a number of years. As they finish an area it is taken over by RSPB as a wetland project mainly planting reeds to encourage bitterns. This year they have counted 10 male booming bitterns so it appears to be working. The highlight of our visit was seeing one but their camouflage is incredible and it took several minutes to pick it out even after it was pointed out. We also saw a barn owl, marsh harriers, egrets, grebes and several small brown birds! The site is planned to grow to 700 ha after 30 years extraction.

Ouse Fen

Spot the Bittern Contest (not my photo)

 Ditto

We have removed all the pews that we are allowed to this week and electrics and radiators have been rearranged and walls varnished. The carpet tiles need to be sorted then things should look much better and more flexible.

Our Thursday walk this week started at Shepreth and took in Fowlmere, Foxton and Barrington. It was surprisingly rural for a route so close to Cambridge.

Barrington

Foxton

The Chapel cricket team trashed Huntingdon District Council on Wednesday and Over IIs trashed Sutton II yesterday but already some players are choosing to play pre season football friendlies.

Our juvenile muntjac has been around every day this week sampling here and there with fairly exotic tastes such as sweet potatoes, aubergines, gooseberries and apricots.

Plenty of gardening again this week: preparing a new strawberry bed, covering against leek moth and pigeons, digging spuds and picking beans.

Ben is safely back from China and seems to have had a good time. Esther is entertaining Mandy and Natasha and we are joining them in London tomorrow to climb over the O2.

Love

Mike & Kate