1^st July 2018

Dear All,

After walking Thursday, Street Pastors on Friday and playing cricket yesterday I am a little stiff this morning. However this is nothing compared to Andy who has been taking part in Stockholm’s “Walk ‘Til You Drop”. He completed 18 hours when there were just 65 left – last year it stopped at 80 hours!

It has been another fairly busy week as on Monday evening we arranged a walk round the RSPB site at Fen Drayton Lakes guided by the warden. Some of the lakes were covered by birds and others completely empty all down to the depth of the water. They currently have a Giant Reed Warbler which is not common in the UK.

Briefing at Fen Drayton Lakes

A Quiet Lake

On Wednesday we hosted the people from our “Just Vegetating” course for lunch and a look round the garden – we had erected a couple of gazebos to shield them from the heat. Thirteen turned up so we had enough food left to invite the Kitson’s and Stoyanov’s to clear it up in the evening.

“Just Vegetating”

Lifted Alliums

Thursday marked the 16^th anniversary of the U3A Walking group (I am in my 11^th year) and the 80^th birthday of one of the founder members so our walk this week included a celebration picnic with strawberries and cream and prosecco in the woods above Royston Heath. The weather was of course, ideal for a picnic.

Ascending Royston Heights

The Class of 2018

Some of the Originals (in the centre)

Keeping the cricket wicket going has involved several soakings but it is still looking a little brown with a few cracks appearing. We were on Street duty on Friday night. We had no police for the briefing and did not see any on foot all night – just a few in cars – the high visibility plan did not last long! The streets were not too busy but there were plenty of rough sleepers and a couple of serious drunks. The main problem was that when we got back to St Andrews at 3.30 am an alarm was ringing. We thought it was the intruder alarm but it turned out to be the fire alarm which we could not turn off. Eventually the Fire Brigade arrived and it was discovered that someone in one of the flats attached to the church had pressed the alarm – either accidentally or on purpose and it could only be deactivated by a special tool – which incredibly the Fire Brigade do not carry! By this time the church caretaker had arrived and he had such a tool in his office. While we were waiting the confusion was aggravated by a drunk man climbing over the 6’ security gates to relieve himself in a flower pot, then letting himself out via the complex lock arrangement!

The cricket team were short yesterday and I was asked to play, which was not ideal after being up all night and in baking heat but I survived and did not embarrass myself – but we lost.

Kate has been on serious currant picking duty this week as red, white and pink currants have all produced in abundance. Luckily we have a lady with a jam making business in Fen End who takes in the excess.

Currant Affairs

Love

Mike & Kate