4^th March 2018

Dear All,

We have escaped the worst excesses of the weather this week compared to pictures coming out of Beaumont, Hove and the BBC. Not to say that it hasn’t been cold, as we have had at least -5°C most nights and one of -7°C, but nothing to interfere greatly with the daily rounds. I took Kate down to Hutton as planned last Sunday afternoon and she stayed in Hove until Tuesday morning and managed to catch a train to Cambridge despite numerous East Coast cancellations. Albert had his stiches and binding removed successfully and seems to recovering, although obviously a bit sore. Mary-Ann and the children returned to Stockholm on Wednesday, their flight was fine but they had a long delay for a train from the airport. The temperature there has been as low as -15°C. (as Wikipedia would say – all facts need checking!).

Meanwhile painting was going on and eventually we have completed the hall, stairs and landing (apart from the radiator which has not been cool recently).

I attended Over CC AGM on Monday night and have handed over the chapel cricket fixtures to the village team. We have run the chapel team for about 50 years but we are all getting older and it was the only way I could get 76 year old Mervyn to retire!

On Tuesday I met up with ex NIAB colleagues for a meal – this time at Girton Golf Club as the usual nearby pub is closed for renovations.

Kate and I had a walk round Over Fen on Wednesday and our normal Thursday walk took place as usual, but starting nearer to Cambridge at Barrington than the planned start at Great Easton. 18 hardy souls turned out and it was bracing but enjoyable once you had warmed up. We called on Glynis & Richard Fenwick who had just returned from Sri Lanka and were adapting to the temperature contrast of +30°C to -5°C!

Over Fen End Pond

Royal Oak, Barrington

Hardy Souls

River Cam and Haslingfield church

Our “Biography” subject this week was David Bohm a Theoretical Physicist who contributed unorthodox ideas to the Quantum theory (keep up!), his father was a Hungarian Jew and David was a member of the communist party so attracted attention from the HCUA (House Committee for Un-American Activities). He was acquitted but sacked from his job.

David Bohm

In the afternoon I had arranged a chapel visit to the Museum of Cambridge (formerly the Folk Museum). We had a conducted tour from an enthusiast which helped bring it to life. It is situated in an old inn and contains 400 years of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire history. In the evening we were invited to John & Sally Lane’s for dinner as a reward for minding their hen flock (3) for a couple of months.

Old Tavern

Apple Peeler

All local football was cancelled yesterday so my usual fellow spectator Dave Harrower and I played Table Tennis.

Due to illness and holidays numbers are reduced for today’s services and Kate is on flowers, door duty, children’s talk and crèche followed by entertaining for lunch – it is a day of rest after all!

Love

Mike & Kate