26^th August 2018

Dear All,

We had another trip to Wisley this week and unusually the journey was good both ways. We took Ann, a lady from the walking group, and she enjoyed the day out. The Panel were mainly assessing Aubergines but revisited the Chinese Cabbage and seeded Shallots – just Winter Cabbage to go.

White Aubergines

Remains of Chinese Cabbage trial

Dahlias

On Wednesday I was requested to go to Addenbrookes to give some blood samples as part of a BioResource study linking DNA and platelets – evidently my DNA matches their requirements! The main problem was finding their laboratory as Addenbookes is so vast now.

Our Thursday walk started in faint drizzle but this soon cleared and we had an interesting journey starting at Potton then round Sandy gravel pits and Sutton village. The Pits are huge and the older areas are naturally re seeding with heather and birch.

Sandy Pits

Heather Regeneration

Sutton Ford

Lots of child/hospital action this week. Albert banged his head and had to go to A&E, Andy tripped over him and fractured his wrist. They were climbing a wall and both fell. Carol & Bob Kitson had a new grandson Oliver delivered to Hannah and David their 3^rd son in Birmingham last week. However after coming home he was slightly jaundiced and losing too much weight, so he had to return to hospital. Rachel Burrell is heavily pregnant and was rushed to hospital on Thursday feeling unwell and thinking the baby was on the way but it was a digestive  problem but she has been kept in so far. She and husband Matthew were due to take a party to “Soul Survivor” this weekend so that has not worked out very well.

Plenty of garden and cricket pitch action this week and Over have started their football fixtures so I have seen two victories already.

Love

Mike & Kate

19^th August 2018

Dear All,

We arrived back from Stockholm at 3 am yesterday taking advantage of EasyJet bargain flights to Luton. In fact we were quite impressed with EasyJet as the flights were on time and the staff and communications were good.

We packed a lot into the week and it was excellent to see Mary-Ann, Andy, Amélie and Albert again. Amélie is very imaginative and very artistic producing her own strip cartoons but had to endure a lesson each morning from her grandparents! Albert is a cheerful soul and seems to be a strong character in an “all action” sort of way!

We arrived at Arlanda just after 9.00 pm on Monday and caught the train to Sodermalm. On Tuesday Kate taught a lesson on “Balance” for Amélie then we walked to Kungsholmen, across Riddarfjorden and back via Langholmen and the north of Sodermalm taking in a tour of the City Hall and picking up Albert from nursery on the way back.

Lesson with Grandma

City Hall

Wednesday was grandpa’s lesson on “Water” then we caught the boat to Vaxholm, an island about an hour away. We walked round the fort and took the bus back to Stockholm. On the way back to the flat we passed the square where the open air skating rink was in January, this was now packed with about 200 line dancers.

Vaxholm Fort

Line Dancing

Thursday began with a lesson on “Circles”. Then it was a short ferry ride to Djurgarden taking in the Rosendals organic garden including a peaceful lunch in their orchard. In the evening we took in the “Dragon Playpark” before meeting up with Andy and enjoying a session of Boules at which Amélie was very good while Albert preferred scuffing and rearranging the stones.

Rosendals Garden – Pick Your Own Flowers

Dragon Park

Friday was a long day, the lesson was on “Continents and animals” then we caught the train to the Botanic gardens and the Natural History museum. The Botanic gardens are extensive with some impressive vegetable plots. The Museum also was very well presented. We retuned with a large holdall of luggage which we could not in all honesty say “we have packed this ourselves!” catching the 11.20 pm flight from a deserted Arlanda.

Botanic Gardens

Tropical House

Natural History museum

How to eat Sweet Corn

The family are off to Hungary for a holiday today then Mary-Ann and the children return to Hove at the end of the month.

Ben is currently biking round Taiwan so we hope that is going well.

Love

Mike & Kate

12^th August 2018

Dear All,

Street Pastors again last night – two weeks running as they were short of volunteers. It was one of those nights when you wonder whether there any normal people left in the world! The regulation bouncer on the door of Nightlite, the refuge café, did not materialise so they had to close early as they are not covered for insurance without a security man. The man imprisoned for attacking a SP was everywhere shouting his head off and talking nonsense in a loud voice and gradually getting drunker through the evening. We also had a “zombie” a bloke spaced out on drugs who initially couldn’t be roused, then when he got to his feet just stared into space without communicating. He eventually wandered off and we breathed a sigh of relief only to find him collapsed on the street, and it was beginning to rain. What to do? We eventually phoned for an ambulance only to be told it would be 5 hours! After a half an hour he roused himself and wandered off again and we checked later and did not find him – you don’t win them all!

It was Over Produce Show yesterday and despite the weather the entries were up. I got a few 1sts: the Collection, Sweet Corn, Melon and a photograph and several 2^nd and 3rds. I was 3^rd overall and won the new cup for the photography section.

Collection

Part of Veg Bench

Part of Home Baking Section

Part of Plant Section

Photography Cup

On Thursday we did not make the U3A walk as it was Shirley Unwin’s funeral at 2 pm. Instead we did a local walk round Swavesey and Over Fens.

River Ouse, Over Fen

We went to Cambridge on Tuesday to visit the newly refurbished Zoology Museum. It has been closed for 3 years while they have spent £3.67 m on a facelift. It was reopened by Sir David Attenborough in June and is now excellent.

Zoology Museum, Fin Whale Skeleton

Butterfly Display

We plan to travel to Stockholm tomorrow – thankfully not on RyanAir!

Love

Mike & Kate

5^th August 2018

Dear All,

So the drought goes on – the temporary relief of the heavy shower last week has now disappeared and it is back to brown grass and watering. It is Over Show next Saturday and it will be interesting to see what has survived – or who has been heavily watering!

I had a Vegetable Forum meeting at Wisley on Tuesday and Kate came with me to share the driving. The downward journey was OK but coming back there was am 60 minute queue at the Dartford tunnel which delayed us sufficiently to hit the Cambridge rush hour. We were judging Chinese cabbage, Shallots and Aubergines and all three trials were quite good. Wisley was looking well but I guess they lavish more TLC (and water) than most.

Chinese cabbage

Aubergines

Wisley Exotic Garden

Hanging basket Petunia trial

We walked the 5^th section of the Stour Valley Path on Thursday from Long Melford to Stoke-by-Clare via Glemsford, Cavendish and Clare. The villages are all full of chocolate box cottages but you do not see much of the river until you hit Clare. It was, of course, rather warm – a two water bottle day – but tolerable.

Cavendish

Clare

Stoke-by-Clare

Philip Shaw (our walk leader) came for a PowerPoint lesson on Friday as he has to give a talk on their recent cruise round South America, with some emphasis on geology and the Andes, this brought back memories of Ecuador.

We dug the remaining main crop potatoes (Rooster) this week – good quality and low yield are the norm this year, but they should keep well.

We were on Street Patrol on Friday night. It was shirt sleeve weather all night and although not terribly busy we had five serious intoxicated individuals to deal with. The worst case was a 25 year old woman was very upset and initially would only talk to a street life lady with a dog. It later transpired that she claimed to have been raped earlier in the evening. An Irish lad from Galway had been helping with harvest at Warboys and was due to return home this weekend but claimed he had spent £300 and rather over indulged! Being Irish he remained cheerful even though he was rather sick and had trouble walking in straight lines.

Ben was in Stockholm last weekend, Esther and Emma this week and we are due on the 13^th. All are entrusted with luggage to bring back as Mary-Ann and the children are returning at the end of the month to re-enrol Amélie in school in Hove.

Love

Mike & Kate