20^th December 2020

 

Dear All,

DISAPPOINTNENT is the word of the week – on Friday the whole family were planning to come for Christmas, by Saturday night it was not possible. Esther, Emma and Ben are all in Tier 4 and although the Russell’s are still in Tier 2 they would only be allowed to visit on Christmas Day and not stay over. As we have not seen any of them more than once since March, we were obviously especially keen to renew acquaintance this year. The house is rather full of food as Kate has been baking for a couple of weeks – but I guess it will freeze?

However, there are many positives:

i)                   No one in the family has succumbed to the virus so far

ii)                 Jabs have started

iii)               ZOOM

iv)               The days start getting longer after tomorrow!

v)                  The badger hasn’t been back!

We managed a trip to St Ives on Monday to finish off the shopping and in the evening watched Alan Bennett’s “The Lady in the Van”.

On Tuesday we inflated the new camp bed which looks very comfortable with a built-in electric pump. It has also been the week for backing up the computer which I confess to only doing once a year.

 

 

New Inflatable bed

Our Christmas tree was delivered by Richard on Wednesday – this was necessary because ever since the travellers invaded the field next to the allotments a gate has been erected in the approaching lane, so non allotment holders cannot get vehicular access. Anyway, the price is still £2 per foot so £12 for a 6-footer. Next year will be more of a challenge as the next batch haven’t grown in the drought this summer.

On Thursday we walked locally with the group (of 6!) from Oakington to Longstanton, Northstowe, the Guided busway, Rampton and Westwick. It was a pleasant sunny day after a chilly start and although quite a bit was on solid paths, the other paths were really soft and muddy.

 

 

Longstanton

 

 

Wooden badger, Longstanton

 

 

Northstowe huts!

 

 

Westwick Park – blue sky and Mistletoe

 

I also received a donation of £500 for Moldova which was a nice surprise. I had a news update from one of the churches and Eugene and Alona, parents of 9 children at Leova have both had Covid but thankfully recovered.

Even though the U3A Biographies classes have finished for the term there was still interest in a chat ZOOM session on Friday which was a testament to the spirit engendered by the group most of whom have attended for several years.

I managed table tennis in the afternoon at St Ivo. Football was decimated by waterlogged pitches again yesterday, with the lockdown and weather Over haven’t played for 6 weeks. We went to Witchford v Eynesbury and saw Eynesbury lose for the first time this season.

Well try and have a Happy Christmas, two handed Skinny might not be a success and will probably have to post the “Deaths in 2020” quiz on-line!

 

With love

Mike & Kate