Dear All,
There is a character in “Lake Wobegon” – Clint Bunsen, who would
only get ill when everyone else had taken their turn. Well Kate and I have been
a bit like that this week – it was a quieter week so we have both succumbed to decent
colds! We did a recce on Wednesday hoping to shake off the beginnings of
snuffles but what started in sunshine developed into a very energetic cold wind
and ended in a snowstorm. This brought the colds on quite well so we had to
miss the Thursday walk this week.
Before the recce I had been back to NIAB to study their soil steam
sterilisation technique as one of our contacts in Moldova is planning to buy a
sterilisation machine to offer as a service for tunnels and glass houses. The
machine is like a mobile boiler which heats water under pressure and pumps the
steam under a heavy plastic sheet. The soil has to be worked and moistened to
allow the steam to penetrate 8”.
Steam Steriliser
I have done a little sowing and planting this week much of it under
protection in the greenhouse but managed to slide some early peas out of a
gutter and cover them with cloches.
Our “Biography” subject this week was “Constantine the Great” a
formidable organiser but ruthless having disposed of his son, one wife and
mother-in-law on the way. Somehow he managed to embrace Christianity mainly as
he saw it as a way of bringing peace to the Roman Empire. His other
masterstroke was moving the capital of the Eastern Empire to Constantinople. He
was preceded by Constantius his father and succeeded by Constantine II,
Constantius II and Constans I – they were not very imaginative with names! He lasted
31 years as Emperor after a period in the previous century when there had been
9 emperors in 54 years.
Constantine the Great
Watching Over was hard work yesterday as there were swirls of hail
and they were thumped 5 v 1.
Today is Mervyn Howard’s 75th birthday and he had a gathering at the
Social Centre last night. He is looking very fit for 75 and tomorrow he and Pat
are off to Barbados.
We have just returned from a baby dedication this morning followed
by a shared meal. The parents are South African Matthew and Rachel, Grace Jane
was born only 2 weeks ago.
Love
Mike & Kate
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