20^th December 2015.

Dear All,

Black Eye Friday warning issued as police and Army take to Cambridge streets

By Cambridge News  |  Posted: December 18, 2015

By Tara Cox

Police deal with a late-night incident

The highlight this week was our Friday night stint with “Street Pastors” in Cambridge. The night has been christened “Black Eye Friday” due to activities in previous years. We did not see much violence this year but, of course plenty of over indulgence and consequent sickness and helplessness. We were in the Nightlite cafe which for the occasion was shared with 12 Territorial Army, 12 St John’s Ambulance, a couple of NHS and up to 20 police for the briefing. I guess it was based on previous experience but this year seemed a tad over the top. It was reasonably quiet up to midnight and not over populated after but those who were brought in were fairly serious cases with a few needing drips or ambulances to take them to A&E. One of the NHS men was from A&E and he said that 33% to 50% of cases admitted to A&E have mental problems and the system to treat them is failing badly.

Our worst case was brought in by the SPs at 3.30am and the TA turned him away saying it was too late so he was sent to us and the St John’s folk so instead of getting away at 4 am we were there until 4.40 am, bed at 5.30 am!. All in all the TA were not a great asset and there seemed to be too many not very useful people about, but some very sad cases came in and most were helped to a degree.

On Thursday our walk began at Ridgewell and took in Stoke-by-Clare where we were given mince pies and mulled wine by one of our members before walking back to via Baythorne End (where Esther might remember bailing out of the car!) to Ridgewell for a Christmas lunch.

U3A Ramblers being addressed by Philip

Baythorne End

I fetched a Christmas tree from Fenwick’s plantation on Tuesday. Richard planted about 200 several years ago and only sells a few each year. Consequently the remainder are about 15’ tall so have to be felled and cut to the required length. Still at £1 per foot are still the biggest bargain around.

Friday it was Ken Elsom’s 90^th and we dropped in for a drink and yesterday Carol Kitson reached 65.

I watched Over 3 v 2 Cambridge City Res. in shirt sleeves yesterday – unseasonable for the shortest day.

Christmas preparations seem to be well underway. We expect Esther and Ben for Christmas Day together with Adrian Hart, with Mary-Ann, Andy, Amelie and Bert late on Boxing Day.

Best wishes to everyone, We hope your Christmas and New Year go well.

Love

Mike & Kate

13^th December 2015.

Dear All,

We have been down to Hove this week as Andy has been in Dusseldorf. It was Amélie’s first Nativity Play and I was privileged to go along with Mary-Ann. There was a cast of thousands and Amélie was 6^th angel – but with the best halo and wings!

Bert continues to develop in a very solid way and is very serious about eating, sleeping and an occasional bellow. We were able to fit in a little Christmas shopping while we were there, mainly in the next street which is very handy.

Before that we completed teaching “Just Vegetating” this week covering “Oriental Vegetables” including birthday celebrations for one member and we were generously donated £75 worth of garden tokens. We were then asked for lunch at the Milbournes, Graham was one of the NIAB Directors and an enthusiastic member of the course.

Our Thursday walk was local starting at Oakington and taking in Longstanton, Rampton, Westwick and Histon. I did the “short” walk as my back was not 100% but it ended up as 9.7 miles so not that short!

Histon

In the evening we attended the Over Pantomime which this year was “Jack & the Beanstalk” and was very good.

Our last “Biographies” of the term featured a couple of quizzes, readings about winter and some snacks. In the evening I had my last Garden Club talk of the year (number 199 in total) at Barrow near Bury St Edmunds

Love

Mike & Kate

6th December 2015

6^th December 2015.

Dear All,

Not too much to report this week as I went to bed with slight back ache on Tuesday night and woke up in considerable discomfort on Wednesday and it took me about 15 minutes to get out of bed. I got a cancellation doctor’s appointment who ruled out gall stones, trapped nerves and slipped discs and diagnosed “just mechanical damage! – it could take 4 weeks, take these powerful painkillers” I have no idea where it came from or what triggered it but it has severely restricted my activities this week. Meanwhile I had generously passed the “man flu” on to Kate so we have been a rum pair this week.

We managed “Just Vegetating” on Tuesday but have missed Home Group, Walking, Biographies and Spanish – the latter because Kate’s tutor was also indisposed.

I did manage the Men’s breakfast yesterday which was well attended (23) and the speaker was Shaun, the manager of Over Community Centre who has been on a Mission to the Dominican Republic mainly building houses for people living in ghetto conditions.

Men’s Breakfast

So no gardening, no housework! but plenty of time for preparing Annual Reviews and Christmas letters etc. I hope things improve next week.

.....and here is one for Mary

Love

Mike & Kate