13th January 2019

Dear All,

This week has been largely building up to the church New Year Social last night. Kate was in charge of a 4 course meal for nearly 50 with Jane Gregory and I presented a review of the year. It was also my turn for the epilogue. The meal was excellent (creep!) carrot and ginger soup or prawn cocktail, roast beef, roast potatoes, red cabbage and peas, choice of 8 desserts, cheese and biscuits – not bad for £6 per head.

Trying to keep up the New Year exercise regime it was swimming Monday, a walk round Over Fen Tuesday, exploring Wisbech and Crowland Wednesday and the normal walk on Thursday.

Tuesday was sunny and good conditions for walking. Sadly not for biking as one of our local men – Edgar Monks of swimming pool fame, was out in a convoy and in the process of overtaking hit the handle bars of one of his colleagues and fell off in front of a van and was run over and killed.

Sluice gates at Overcote

We hadn’t visited Wisbech for some time – and it had not changed much. There are some very impressive old houses on the banks of the River Nene and a very large church. The town has a rough reputation; I played football there twice, once the game was abandoned at half time as the opposition refused to retake the field as one of their number had been sent off. The second time the referee on the neighbouring pitch was knocked out by one of the players! Nowadays we hardly heard English spoken on the street.

Wisbech River Nene

Crowland is a bit like “The Land Time Forgot” It has an interesting Trinity bridge with three sections and a historic abbey which was well worth the visit. Crowland was an island before the area was drained and a monk went there for solitude but he helped the future king of Mercia who promised to build an abbey if he became king.

Crowland Trinity Bridge

Crowland Abbey

We were leading the walk on Thursday starting at Hempstead and taking in Great Sampford and Radwinter. Dick Turpin was born in Hempstead and William Harvey, the discoverer of the circulation of the blood, is buried in the church. The main highlight of the walk was an impressive avenue of Aconites near Great Sampford.

Aconites

Our pastor David has been suffering from flu all week so it is all hands to the pump to sort services today. I sat next to him at a meeting on Monday and have been slightly below normal since Wednesday, but it seems the flu jab is fighting the worst effects.

Love

Mike & Kate