9th June 2019

Dear All,

The Fund Raising tea hosted by Kate and Gordon at Haddenham yesterday was well supported and raised £742 for the Moldova “Meal Deal” projects. Meanwhile news has come in from Leova that one wall of their church has collapsed and they have been experiencing torrential rain with the prospect of the River Prut overflowing. The walls are made of mud bricks and have been developing cracks for a year or two so it is not altogether surprising, but serious nevertheless as the repair estimate is 8000 euros – which they do not have.

I spent a day strimming the overgrown graves in the cemetery on Wednesday, usually Mervyn helps but he has had an operation on his arm and is not strimmer fit!

The car needed a new set of four tyres this week so we are safer but poorer!

Thursdays walk started at Toppesfield near Haverill and took in Great Yeldham and the Colne Valley. The crops in this area were as good as they had been poor the previous week, Wheat, Barley and Rape crops were all even and weed free. The pub in Toppesfield was community run and the chef has another job, so it was sandwiches all round, which was fine especially as it was very quick service.

Toppesfield

Great Yeldham

Kate in the Rape

Parkland Cattle

Dereck Medlock and Joyce have been around for most of the week tidying their bungalow and garden which has been empty for 3 or 4 years. He cannot bring himself to sell it as he would like to move back, which is unlikely. Also the valuation keeps going up so it is a good excuse to hang on. He was working on his old rabbit sheds – which my family will know well and surprise, surprise when Adrian called for a cup of tea he spotted a rat strolling across our garden! We had them round for tea on Friday, he is still heavily into rabbits keeping “too many” and judging in this country and abroad.

Friday night we attended Over Players latest offering: “Dame Agatha’s Greatest Case” a murder mystery spoof. It was well done and very funny.
Ray Asplin only lasted a week in the hospice and died at the weekend.

Love

Mike & Kate