10th January 2021

 

Dear All,

Undoubtedly the news this week had been dominated by the sad death of Megan. Kate first saw her in the Rosie Maternity hospital as a very premature baby weighing 1lb 6oz wrapped in film, when her survival was not guaranteed, to lose her after 18 years is devastating for the family and our thoughts and prayers are for them. To add poignancy, we received a card from Megan thanking us for her Christmas cash the same morning that we heard the news.

More mundanely we have had electricians in for a day and a half this week. We accepted their estimate on 15^th June but somehow with Covid and everything else it did not get to the top of their to do list. Their tasks were:

Supplied and installed consumer unit with individual RCBO’s for each circuit and appropriate surge arresting devices

Adapted wiring to allow all circuits to come from a single consumer unit

Installed earthing to incoming gas and water services

Installed earth electrode in ground mounted pit to front of garage

Issued relevant certification

Replaced angle batten to downstairs toilet light

Installed earth to kitchen socket

a)                  That explains why they were a long time, b) who would have thought we could have slept easily in our beds knowing all these needed doing!

It is amazing how much we rely on electricity these days for heat, light, computing, cooking etc. so one and half days seemed a long time.

 

 

New Consumer Unit

 

We have walked most days in a variety of conditions: sloppy mud, frozen mud, freezing fog, bright sunshine, wind and calm. Our main walk on Thursday started from home, through the orchard to Swavesey, past the windmill to Fen Drayton Pits then the river bank and back via Webb’s Hole and Overcote Road. Fortunately, this was the best day of the week with sunshine and mainly frozen under foot. There were sections on the river bank where the mud had melted and these were heavy going. Nearly all the local paths are in poor condition as they have had such a heavy foot fall in wet weather and although the floods have retreated there is still plenty of water about.

 

 

Swavesey Mill

 

 

Swavesey Lake

 

 

Thoughtful Heron

 

 

Mere Fen

 

 

Melted mud on river bank

 

 

Freezing Fog Yesterday

 

I have started germination tests in the propagator – earlier than usual but it occupied the days without electricity. We have a bumper crop of Parsnips this year so Kate dug out Jamie Oliver’s recipe for soup which is very good and is the only one which does not involve cream.

 

 

Germination tests

 

 

We managed to get some cash to Moldova this week for a wedding and a new baby and my last posting to Turkey arrived in only one month instead of three for the previous despatch.

I am presenting a Review of the Year next Saturday on ZOOM so I guess you could all tune in if you are at a loose end!

 

With love

Mike & Kate