daytime

Sunday, 21 November 2021

21st November 2021

Dear All,

We missed swimming on Monday as we were having a Smart Meter fitted following a plethora of emails as the date was changed numerous times. We are trying to ignore watching the £ & p clocking up on the display. Mary-Ann & Andy were hoping to move this week but unfortunately their buyer dropped out at the last minute so it is back to square one – there really has to be a better way? They have already had more viewers and the Housing Association that they hope to buy from have given them more time. To add to their household gloom Albert was very upset at not getting his preferred roles of King or Camel in the school nativity play and sobbed for 45 minutes – he is narrator which I am sure he will perform very well.

On Tuesday we took Arthur to Coton Garden Centre to restock the fish tank and buy a few Christmas presents. He was greatly impressed by the singing reindeer and the large replica railway engine.

Arthur and the Engine

Headlines for this week’s History session were:

Events Outside Mercia

Church Councils

The Anglo-Saxon Class System

And

Northumbria and Wessex

The Class System was:

Anglo-Saxon Class System

Ætheling

Ealdorman

Thegns

Reeve

Ceorl/Churl

Villein

Slave.

I am sure I don’t have to amplify the differences to you but if you are unsure send a stamped addressed envelope…….

Our Thursday outing started at Hardwick and took in Comberton and Toft. It was dry and sunny (only 2mm rain so far this month).

Near Hardwick

Comberton Pond

Autumn Leaves

New Cow breed in Toft

Adrian called to have his photo taken to renew his bus pass. Kate was going to sort the paperwork but needless to say it did not sail through as they had him down for a different expiry date to the one on his current pass!

Would you buy a 2^nd hand car………

Biography subject this week was John Monash. He was an Australian WW1 General praised at the time for possibly being the best on the Allies side but since largely forgotten – even in Australia (the presenter is Australian). He survived Gallipoli, Passchendaele and Ypres. He was driven, had a strong self-belief, a brilliant organiser but with a large ego and libido, ambitious and not very nice – perhaps all necessary ingredients for a successful military figure?

Sir John Monash

I met Kate after the class to view another possible site for “Just Vegetating” after Christmas as the Friends Meeting house have stripped their kitchen and it is not likely to be restored in time. We were shown round St Clements in Bridge Street near U3A HQ and it looks suitable.

St Clements

We has a message that Ben might not make the family Zoom on Friday as he was in Tallin. He had not mentioned this the previous week, just that he had the week off so it was a bit of a surprise. He had contacted Mary-Ann for information about Helsinki as he was hopping over there for the day.

Esther and Emma have plans to replace a garden fence and erect a garden room this coming week so they have some preparation to do

I spent yesterday morning helping Adrian again, one more session should complete the job?