20^th June 2021

 

Dear All,

I have had four meals out this week so things must be getting back to normal? On Tuesday I met up with three walking mates at the White Horse, Oakington for lunch and catch up. One of them, Howell has an interesting life story. He was raised in North Wales near Liverpool but emigrated to USA when he left school. He joined the America army and ended up in the Korean war. After he enrolled in a university and to pay his way joined the Chrysler Motors production line in Detroit as a welder and still has the scars from sparks on his arms. After graduating he started a company with a colleague selling revolving projection machinery for adverts but it did not work out so he took up teaching in Detroit which was hair raising in mostly black schools. He had a spell in the Norwegian merchant navy before returning to the UK as a customs officer, a statistician and a care worker.

In the evening I had a first Garden Club talk for some time at Swaffham Prior and another walking group member Jutta, who lives in the village invited Kate and I for dinner before the talk. She is German by origin and lost her husband 4 years ago. She has carried on living in their home a large converted barn in which she must rattle!

The third meal was at Coton after the Thursday walk. I went by myself this week as Kate had a medical phone appointment. The weather was drizzly and overcast and several degrees cooler than earlier in the week, the route took in Madingley, Madingley Hall and the 800 Wood planted to mark 800 years of Cambridge University.

 

 

Coton

 

 

Madingley Hall Gatehouse

 

 

Madingley Hall

 

The fourth meal on Friday was in Southend where Kate and I travelled to meet Esther, Emma and Emma’s mother Ruth to suss out a possible venue for a get together to mark our Golden Wedding when restrictions are lifted. It was the Roslin Beach Hotel where E & E spent their brief honeymoon. We wanted somewhere south of here to be more convenient for the rest of the family, however we decided it was not ideal as it was a long way, had limited parking, expensive and Southend was not looking it’s best in the rain!

 

 

Southend (Pier in the distance)

 

 

Roslin Beach Hotel

 

 

Ruth, Emma, Esther & Kate

 

I recorded 26mm (over 1” rain Thursday/Friday, we certainly needed it but these days it never seems to know when to stop.

We had a surprise delivery this week of a cheese hamper from Dave & Ellie (who we went to Derbyshire last year) to mark our 50 years.

 

 

Cheese Hamper

 

And I am grateful for the cards and gifts from my daughters to mark Father’s Day – I am unwrapping them slowly to make it last!

 

 

Father’s Day Loot

 

You may have noticed that there is a football tournament going on? I have watched several matches, especially now it has started to rain. It all seems to be following a pattern: England struggling to keep up with expectations, Germany coming good – but you never know!

Kate seems to be responding to the steroid treatment, but it is early days.

With love

Mike & Kate