20th January 2019

Dear All,

Another Review this week, this time at our Walking Group’s annual social at Newnham College. We did not hold it last year as Newnham was having structural repairs and although we had used another venue in a church hall two years ago, our leader Philip is a trifle snobbish and did not rate it as highly as Newnham so cancelled the party last year! The formula is good though as it is a “bring and share” but far more competitive than church lunches, so the standard of offerings is very high. Philip, of course, vets the proposed offerings in advance and makes helpful suggestions if the menu is not balanced.

The new U3A term is underway and I am on a course on “Wicken Fen”. The first session was about how the fens were formed and was very well presented by one of the Wicken Fen volunteers. In the evening we had rather a painful church meeting discussing the appointment of female Deacons which eventually was agreed almost unanimously – if a little begrudgingly in some quarters.

On Monday evening I went to a cricket umpires course to keep up with the ever changing rules. The main difficult areas are lbw, wides and no balls for height – but I am sure I didn’t to tell any of you that!

I set up the Germination cabinet in the greenhouse on Wednesday so we are, as ever, looking forward to spring also having purchased seed potatoes and onion sets this week as well.

Our Thursday walk started at Kirtling, south of Newmarket and took in Upend, Saxon Street and Woodditton. The route takes in some of Sheik Mohammed’s racing studs which are of course in immaculate condition. There were actually snowflakes on the ground as we started but the sun came out and remained with us for the whole the whole time. Walking when it is cold and sunny is always good so it was an excellent morning.

Near Saxon Street

Near Woodditton

Golden Crab apple tree

“Biographies” restarted with “Agnes Jones” a nursing prodigy of Florence Nightingales, who started serious health care in the Liverpool workhouse in the 1860s and eventually succumbed to typhus having worked herself into the ground at the age of 35.

Over won a chilly cup tie against a team from a higher league yesterday: Cambridge University Press 2 v 4 Over, which nearly made up for both Ipswich and Colchester losing. We were on the streets last night; it was rather chilly and more lively than anticipated. There were three fights and we escorted three serious drunks to Nightlite. The council and churches have laid on extra beds for the homeless during this cold period. We still found over a dozen sleeping on the street and though we told them all about the provisions they all said they knew and weren’t interested!

Love

Mike & Kate