daytime

Sunday, 4 December 2022

4^th December 2022

Dear All,

Highlight this week has been replacing our old outdoor metal 1000 litre water tank with a new shiny plastic one. The tank was installed when the house was built 70 years ago and has been leaking for a few months and been patched to no avail. It was however very heavy and I could not move it on my own. Fortunately Edwin our local handyman arrived to erect a gate on our side passage to thwart badgers from across the road. Edwin is a character who loves to talk but if a project catches his imagination, he is very resourceful. I mentioned the tank and he said “We had better get it out before we install the gate”. I got inside and scooped out a few inches of sediment and the remaining water to lighten the load and we just managed to move the tank and trundle it to his truck on a sack barrow. Installing the replacement was lighter work but needed a lot of preparation levelling the platform with slabs and cement and creating an inlet for the down pipe. I have never used so many tools in one day but it was worth it.

Removed

Loaded

Installed

U3A “Next Question” was back this week after two weeks interruption with a slight change of cast. We had 3 quizzes: Animals, Dates and Bridges.

Q. Which animal born in 1996 and died in 2022 is now stuffed in a museum in Scotland?

A. Dolly the Sheep.

Q. Which couple had a pet called Dino?

A. The Flintstones.

U3A “Napoleon” this week covered 1812 and the disastrous Russian campaign. 450,000 set out and only 120.000 returned.

Later “Stan the Computerman” accompanied me to Swavesey to purchase a refurbished second hand laptop as my old one lacked ports which are needed these days.

Wednesday was the “Tank Day” and baby Nathan Burrell made an appearance, brother to Grace and Arthur who we looked after while the fun was happening!

The Thursday walk started at Great Chesterford in murky gloom with prevailing mist which despite the forecast barely lifted all morning. Despite the gloom it was a decent walk with little mud underfoot.

Grumble Hall in the Mist

Resting Drill

Well head

“Biographies” on Friday featured “Thomas Meagher” a 19^th century Irish rebel who was transported to Tasmania but escaped and fled to the US and led an Irish regiment in the civil war. He became Governor of Montana and died in mysterious circumstances – probably assassinated aged 44.