Sunday, 5 December 2021

 5th December 2021

 

Dear All,

Early signs that Christmas is on the way locally with the lights eventually being turned on at the Green and the Garden Club Christmas party. The lights were a low-key event after the Saturday weather caused a postponement but there was carol singing, mince pies and a cove with red coat and flowing white whiskers.

 

 


Lights & Carols

 

The Garden Club do involved a quiz, photo competition, Secret Santa and raffle. The quiz had 6 rounds on trees, fruit and vegetables (in which we did well), national gardens and Over history (moderate) and ladies in gardening (in which we performed badly). Did you know that the patron saint of gardeners is St Dorothy? We won the quiz (a team of 6), I got a 1st and 2nd in the photos, some plant labels in the Secret Santa and chocolate Matchsticks in the raffle – so a good night all round.


 

Winning photo

 

Mini crisis this week with the fish tank leaking and causing considerable dampness in the cupboard below. As it is only the second tank we have had in 50 years we decided to replace it rather than patch it up. This is quite serious business trying to move the old one, keeping the fish and plants alive and swapping in the new one. The old one was half drained for moving and letting the area dry out, the new one is taller and this meant having the electric socket moved involving filling and painting – so we have not achieved completion yet. When we have there will be a 3’ vivarium available to the highest bidder!

 


The Old Tank in emergency mode

We did a walk recce on Tuesday at Orwell as we received a leading request at short notice as someone dropped out for next week. Our Thursday walk started at Chrishall and took in Duddenhoe End, Littlebury Green and Elmdon. It was a bit sticky underfoot but mainly sunny after a cold start.

 

 


Near Chrishall

 

 


Jerseys Lunching

 

 


Half a mile of Sugar Beet clamp!

 

We were so involved with fish tanks on Wednesday that we both forgot to tune in for our History session. Fortunately, the tutor puts his presentation on-line straight away so we could catch up. This week it was about conflicts between Mercia and Wessex with Wessex becoming top nation, the Book of Kell’s, Vikings attacking Iona and Wessex and the arrival of Alfred who was sent on a pilgrimage to Rome at the age of 3!

Kate and I met up with ex NIAB colleagues for lunch at Girton Golf Club on Tuesday. It was good to catch up with them even though the discussions tend concentrate on ailments and medications!

The Biography subject this week was Charles James Fox a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned 38 years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the arch-rival of the Tory politician William Pitt the Younger. He was very bright, very spoilt by his father and an immoral womaniser. In his youth he wanted to watch the demolition of a wall on his father’s estate but the workmen completed the job before he arrived so his father made them re-erect the wall so Charles could watch the demolition!

 


Charles James Fox

 

Esther and Emma went to Hyde Hall on Friday night to see the illuminations which look quite impressive.

 


 

Hyde Hall

And Over beat Fulbourn 5 v 1 yesterday in rather more pleasant weather that the previous week!

With love

Mike & Kate 

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