18^th March 2018

Dear All,

Well spring didn’t last long! I managed to dig the Brussels sprout land at the allotment on Tuesday morning then Wednesday’s rain made for difficult walking on Thursday and the return of snow yesterday and today saw a full reversion to winter. Still nothing compared to Stockholm where the latest pictures are again of frozen sea around Sodermalm. Another photo shows Albert strutting his stuff at the nursery Friday pm disco!

Frozen Sea around Sodermalm

Raver!

After swimming on Monday I had another trip to St Neots to try and sort the CEEM bank account – nearly there now but a painful business!

On Tuesday and Wednesday I had three talks in 24 hours. First on “Street Pastors” to Over Women’s meeting then “Moldova Update” to our house group then a rare daytime Garden Club at Sutton on “Vegetables in a Small Garden”. In the evening Dave and I watched a floodlight game Godmanchester v Histon played on the worst pitch we have seen for some time with players sinking ankle deep into soggy soil.

Thursday saw us at Balsham and the going was tough as paths and fields were all very wet and slippery but when the going gets tough, the tough ……………..

Gathering at Balsham

Near West Wratting

Large Ploughed Field

Catkins

As long as you have appropriate footwear!

Kate had her last Pilates class at her usual venue as her teachers are retiring. She accompanied me into Cambridge on Friday for some shopping then after “Biographies” we visited Felicia – who some of you met at my 70^th as she is recovering from a bowel cancer operation. Biographies subject this week was “Eugenio Pacelli” perhaps better known as Pope Pius XII, the incumbent during WWII, who attracted great criticism for knowing about the extermination of 6 million Jews but doing very little about it. But as was said he wasn’t the only one.

Eugenia Pacelli

Brian Tyrell rang in the evening and as usual asked about each of our children in detail and wished to be remembered to you all.

Many thanks to those of you who remembered my birthday. Dave and I watched a very chilly local derby : Over 2 v 0 Bar Hill then 12 of us had a meal at the Three Tuns at Fen Drayton: Kate & Gordon, Merv & Pat, Glynis & Richard, Sue & Duncan, John Lane & Jane Gregory (whose partners are both abroad).

Ben is running in a half marathon at Hampton Court today which might also prove to be a little chilly!

Love

Mike & Kate