5^th February 2017

Dear All,

This week’s headlines include a trip to Hove, two walks and Kate beginning radiotherapy.

On Monday after swimming we did a recce for a walk we are leading next Thursday starting from Eversden and taking in the Wimpole Estate. We have covered some of the route before so used the car to check some parts, but it was muddy especially through the woods so we have had to reroute in places. In the evening we were invited to a meal at Judith and Ray Gay’s in Cambridge together with Ian & Felicia Gordon. Judith is Irish and was successfully treated for breast cancer a few years ago. Ray was a professional trumpet player who retrained as a solicitor and worked for the legal department of the BBC. The meal was largely cooked by their only son Tom who was sent to Ampleforth School at great expense and has yet to settle to steady employment.

Tuesday began with “Just Vegetating”, this week “Salads – Green” then I dropped Kate at Addenbrooke’s for a bone density scan while I parked at a walking colleague’s nearby. We then drive down to Hove in rain for most of the journey, so visibility was not great due to spray.

Wednesday morning was wet so we could not take Albert for his usual constitutional. However by 12 noon he needed a sleep so we decided to take him out anyway. Kate put him in his pushchair and he was fast asleep instantly before we had reached the front door, so we waited for the weather to improve and he eventually slept for 2 hours. He managed a 10 step marathon while we were there so will soon be jogging round the garden.

  

Amelie Industrious  

                          

    

  Curly Locks

 

How to enjoy a Melon

Our Thursday walk started at Brent Pelham and took in Furneaux Pelham and Hormead. It was very muddy and ended in the rain and one of those days when you had to remind yourself that we are doing this for pleasure!

Kate began radiotherapy in the afternoon (having walked) then went to Pilates in the evening so as yet the treatment is not yet slowing her down!

Her second session on Friday was early morning so she travelled in with Helen, an Addenbrooke’s nurse from chapel, and was back by 9.30 am.

“Biographies” subject this week was “Michael Morpurgo” the children’s author. He initially entered Sandhurst to train for the Army then took a General Degree at Kings College, London and tried teaching. He got on well with the children but not the staff and after three schools including St Faith’s in Cambridge moved to a small primary school in Kent where the headmistress encouraged staff to read stories to the children at the end of each day. He told some of his own stories and the headmistress sat in and was impressed and managed to get one published. He didn’t make much money until “War Horse” took off. He has now had 107 titles published and been elected to be Children’s Laureate.

Love

Mike & Kate