Sunday, 1 November 2020

 

1st November 2020

 

Dear All,

How do you feel about another bout of lockdown? I guess it does not affect us as much as those working and rearing children but here we go again! Philip has already cancelled Thursday’s walk which we spent yesterday morning recceing and has optimistically said we will postpone it until 3rd December.

Sadly, the highlight of our week has been coping with the freezer packing up on Wednesday lunchtime, Kate rang round but we could not get a replacement delivered until Friday which was not much good as it was full to the gunnels with this year’s fruit and veg. as well as other things like meat and ice cream. In the end she located one in St Ives which we managed to fit into the car during a well-timed downpour.

 

 



 Mafeking Relieved!

 

We managed a trip to Oakington Garden Centre on Monday to collect winter pansies and stayed for coffee – we know how to live! Later we harvested the remaining peppers which are always photogenic!

 


 

Pepper Harvest

 

We had a surprise refund for the cancelled Garden Club visit to France this week, but still no joy from Air Moldova! Kate has advised me not to hold my breath!

 

Our last walk for a bit with the group started at Wallington, near Baldock and mainly chalky soil so not too much mud but it drizzled on and off so we ended up damp from either sweat or rainfall.

 


Wallington Rectory

 

 


Damp break

 

 


Autumn leaves

The “Biographies” topic this week was “Vladimir Nabokov” most famous for “Lolita” but the presenter thought “Pale Fire” and “Pnin” are the ones to read. He came from Russian upper classes from a wealthy family, his father had a library of 10,000 books and employed a full-time librarian! They had to escape the revolution by way of the Crimea, London, Cambridge where he took a degree and played in goal for Trinity College. Then on to Berlin, Paris and eventually USA and Switzerland. Some considered him to be the greatest writer of the early 20th century.

 


 

Vladimir Nabokov

Garden wise I planted out broad beans for overwintering and have begun a battle with mice which love to dig out the seeds – I have caught two and lost about 5 beans – so a draw so far!

I played Table Tennis again this week and watched another top of the table clash: Cherry Hinton 1 v 2 Gt Shelford.

The recce we did yesterday took us across the local RSPB bird reserve and the river and round Barleycroft lake and the gravel works, it was not too bad underfoot with the floods a sight to see.

 


 


Water, Water everywhere!

 

We are off to chapel soon for what may be a short-lived live experience.

With love

Mike & Kate

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