5th February 2023

 

Dear All,

Monday’s swim was followed by “Just Vegetating” this week: Brassicas. Kate prepared Cauliflower curry, Swede in honey with hazelnuts and Cabbage and carrot stir fry. Afterwards I pricked out the first Tomatoes, Cabbage, Cauliflowers and Lettuce and sowed peas in gutters.

I had a couple of days digging at the allotment as winter Brassicas had all perished for the first time in recent memory. We entertained Arthur and Grace after school on Tuesday as Rachel seems to be struggling at present. The combination of his first year at school and becoming a middle child with the advent of a new baby have not improved Arthur’s behaviour but I guess it is understandable.

On Wednesday Norman Ingle was here for lunch as usual then in the evening the CEEM committee met here for dinner followed by a meeting, so Kate has had an exacting cooking week. The meeting was encouraging as Gordon Foster has joined to oversee financial matters and we hope to return to Moldova this year if things work out OK.

Kate and I were leading one of the walks on Thursday starting at Therfield north of Royston then heading south through Kelshall, Sandon, Chapel Green and Hay Green. After a recce the previous week we had planned a route to avoid the worst of the mud even though this meant a little more road walking than we would like. In the event, after a dry week the going underfoot was reasonable and we spotted a herd of deer which is always an event.

  

Near Kelshall

 

 

Sandon

  

Sandon Church Lytch Gate

  

Sandon Manor Dovecote

 

Both Adrian and Lorna called in the afternoon and I had a Medical Prescriptions review which involved a 45-minute wait in the surgery! – a good of making your life seem longer!

I was in charge of “Biographies” on Friday as our leader was cut off in Hitchin courtesy of ASLEF. The topic was “Rosalind Franklin” the scientist denied a Nobel Prize when Crick, Watson and Wilkins received theirs for the discovery of the DNA double helix. It was an interesting session not least because one of our members is Vivian Perrutz the daughter of Max Perrutz one of the gentleman reported to be involved with the Nobel decision! Sadly Rosalind was careless with the radiation used in the experiments and contacted cancer and died aged only 38.

 

 

Rosalind Franklin

 

The garden was dry enough for serious weeding yesterday so I tidied up the garlic, shallots and onions and transplanted the surviving Broad beans.

Football was quite exciting: Over 3 v 3 Newmarket Reserves with a couple of really good goals. We missed most of Friday’s family Zoom call after our visitors and a delayed trip to Tesco’s but we gathered that Ben is off on his travels again next weekend this time to Budapest.

We have been sending John Law in Turkey English language books on a regular basis and this week we received some Turkish delicacies in the form of a mixed fruit and nuts selection and something that looks like jelly sausages with pistachio nuts inside!

  

 

Love

Mike & Kate