23rd January 2022

 

Dear All,

U3A term started this week so the timetable filled dramatically. On Monday we started “Just Vegetating” again, this was postponed from the autumn which explains why the week is now busier than planned. We began with Carrots & Parsnips and the recipes were:

Carrot Marmalade

Miso Parsnips

Carrot Cake

Parsnips and Carrots in marmalade and Harissa.

The new venue was OK but a few teething problems including insufficient plates and cutlery and an oven with its own agenda!

On Tuesday I signed up for “Cognitive Psychology” on Zoom – I may be out of my depth but it seems to be about the study of the mind and how we perceive things. So, do you see a duck or a rabbit in this picture?

 

Duck or Rabbit?

 

We had a church meeting Tuesday evening when Gordon was re- elected as a deacon and Jenny Miles retired.

On Wednesday it was back to “UK History 410 to 1966” for a second term. This week it was all about King Alfred subduing the Vikings. In the afternoon we went to Emmaus at Waterbeach to supplement the plates and cutlery for the course – 10 plates £2. 50!

In the evening Over Garden Club had an interesting talk about Madingley Hall. It was built in 1543 and passed through various private hands until 1948 when it was sold to Cambridge University – the Hall, 2,500 acres, the village pub and all the houses in the village bar 3 for £50,000! Capability Brown was involved with designing the gardens and lake.

 

 

Madingley Hall

 

The Thursday walk started at Cowlinge south of Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds. It was sunny throughout and not as sticky as the previous week. Unfortunately, the pub landlord and his wife went down with Covid the day before so lunch was cancelled but we found a café next to Highpoint prison in Stradishall and it was excellent value for money.

 

 

Damp & Frosty start at Cowlinge

 

 

Boyden End

 

 

Cowlinge Village Pump

 

“Biographies” on Friday featured “Izaac Walton” of “Complete Angler” fame. The lady presenting spoke too quietly so it was not as interesting as it might have been,

 

 

Izaac Walton

On the family Zoom on Friday evening, we learnt that both Mary-Ann and Ben have had difficult weeks at work due mainly to staff shortages. Ben had been working late and was due to work all weekend.

I watched West Wratting 1 v 1 Shelford (5v4 on penalties) on Saturday in clear sunny conditions. In the evening it was the usual Review of the Year which I presented on Zoom for the second year.

 

With love

Mike & Kate