30th July 2023

 

Dear All,

 

Not too much to report this week as summer holidays kick in. With a couple of wet days, I began preparation for next term’s Biography presentation. This time I am trying Thomas Cook the travel agent, but as I got into it, I think I will add his son John Mason Cook as he was integral in expanding the Tourist business. On Monday afternoon I had a check up and tuning for my new hearing aids.

Our fish tank sprang a small leak so Kate has been successfully wrestling with sorting that this week which involved partial drainage and applying special water proof sealant.

On Tuesday Nat West sent an advisor to make sure we are looking after our vast wealth to the best possible advantage! Later Mervyn called to say he had a large collection of shoes and clothes cleared from next door after his neighbour passed on – would I like to collect any? Well, I am not proud and came away with 3 sets of footwear, a couple of shirts, several pairs of socks, two jackets and a belt. I may not win many “Best Dressed Man” competitions but you can’t look a gift horse in the mouth!

As our normal U3A Thursday walk was at Thaxted and the weather forecast was not promising we decided to give it a miss this week and do a local walk on Wednesday. It was a good decision as the weather was good and the walk interesting spotting the recently acquired Konik ponies in the Ouse Fen, loads of butterflies and Damsel flies and carpets of thistles, ragwort and mayweed.

 

 

Konik Ponies

 

 

River Ouse at the Staunch

 

 

Red Admiral

 

 

Barleycroft Lake

 

 

Mayweed Carpet

 

 

Brownshill Staunch

 

On Thursday we bravely faced filling in the 96 sheets we had downloaded for Lasting Power of Attorney – spoiler alert you children will shortly being sent forms to fill in as Attorneys! Friday was a little busier as I began with cricket pitch preparation then we were asked to check the garden in Histon of an ex-walking colleague who had passed on and his widow was worried that she had Japanese Knotweed. The plants she was worried about were not JK but there was a strand that was, so we had to remove it. As we were close to Cambridge next stop was Curry’s as our TV was playing up and we bought a replacement. Setting up a new Smart TV has proved quite challenging and we still haven’t got all the required channels! This was followed by Tesco’s, a trip to the post office and visits from Adrian and Janet. I managed to fit in a practice loaf of bread as it is Over Produce Show next Saturday.

 

 

Practice Loaf

 

Over won an exciting match on Saturday chasing 184 they won by 1 wicket with an over to spare.

 

The Cambridge News Photo section this week was “Waterways” and I offered:

 

 

The Duoro Valley, Portugal

 

Ben has sent in a few phots from Georgia where the weather has been hot for cycling at 37°C and topography rather mountainous. Meanwhile Mary-Ann, Andy and family have been on the Isle of Wight sheltering from the rain!

 

Love

 

Mike & Kate

 

 

 

 

23rd July 2023

 

Dear All,

 

Monday was a longish day as after swimming we dug 2^nd early potatoes at the allotment. I followed this with a haircut and bean and tomato harvest. About 6.30pm there was a loud knock on the door and Joyce, Derek Medlock’s partner from two doors up appeared in a very shaken state. She claimed Derek had gone berserk shouting and raving and she was terrified as he had put her in hospital twice with broken bones. They do not live here but in Nottingham but kept the bungalow as an occasional stop over spot. Kate calmed her down but she was too frightened to go home and eventually phoned her son in Nottingham to fetch her. He arrived at 10.30pm having been diverted off the A1 and took back to his house. Derek left next morning having done a quick search for her on the village Green! We do not know how this story has played out yet.

Tuesday was the church AGM which this year was preceded by a successful “Bring & Share” meal.

On Wednesday I accompanied two of our walking colleagues to Chelmsford to watch Essex v Kent in the Cricket County Championship – the 1^st day of a 4-day match. Essex had a very good day dismissing Kent for 207 and scoring 104 – 0 in reply. Meanwhile Kate attended the Garden Club Summer Social – albeit briefly as she mistook the starting time!

 

 

Sir Alistair Cook in full flow

 

We were leading the walk on Thursday which was local at Fen Drayton lakes. It was good conditions for walking being dry and fairly cool. We stopped at a couple of hides to view the birdlife.

 

Elney Lake

 

 

Moore Lake

 

 

Geese, Ducks, Cormorants and Gulls

 

 

Path by the River Ouse

 

 

Fen Drayton architecture

 

On Thursday Kate and I were interviewed by Kate Baker a young lady studying for a MSc in Gardening and the Environment especially Wildlife. We tried to explain that some sort of pest control is essential in the vegetable garden while in the flower garden it can be different.

After we had to go to Coton Garden centre for sealant as our fish tank has sprung a slight leak.

Kate and Gordon celebrate 50 years of marriage this week and held a reception at their house in Haddenham on Saturday afternoon. Neither Over cricket team had a game scheduled this weekend which was fortunate given the weather.

Pastor David is on holiday for a couple of weeks so we have a guest speaker this morning from the London City Mission, he came up last night and stayed with us. His name is Emmanuel Chanda and his family originate in Zambia.

 

 

Emmanuel

 

It has been another productive week in the garden with Runner beans beginning and French beans, courgettes and cucumbers coming out of our ears!

 

 

Love

 

Mike & Kate

 

 

 

 

16th July 2023

 

Dear All,

 

Last week I felt quite young turning out for the cricket team, this week I had a hearing test and having acquired hearing aids I do not feel quite so young!

To try and reduce the amount of water we have to haul to the allotments I helped install a new 250 litre tank against the building in the cemetery. We have enjoyed several damp days this week so the tanks are fairly full now.

Our Solar Panels stopped working which we did not notice until we came to record the last quarters reading. We had a couple of guys in to check the problem which they both agreed was a faulty Inverter for which one quoted a replacement at £2,100 and the other £800! Hopefully it will be replaced on Tuesday.

Our walk on Thursday started at Hall’s Green near Stevenage which is a good journey for us made more interesting by the shortest route being resurfaced and smaller roads close to the destination being closed. It was a good temperature for walking with just a 15-minute shower. The crops in this area were not as good as we have seen in recent weeks with several fields of long grass and a few with just weeds. The route took in Luffenhall, Weston and Warren Green and Weston churchyard features the grave of a 14-foot giant called “Jack O’Legs”.

 

 

Leaving Hall’s Green

 

 

Jack O’Legs Grave between the 2 stones

 

 

Weston Park

 

 

Break

 

We have begun the build up for the Over Produce Show with a committee meeting and various jobs following that. I have the Entry Chart to get ready as we have reduced a 4ft wide chart into 3 smaller ones.

During a few wet periods I have been scanning slides into digital form and came across a series taken when we descended on Beaumont to decorate Dad’s hall and stairs.

 

 

Decorating Gang

 

 

Lunch Break

 

 

The Cambridge News theme for photos this week was “Busy Bees” and I had this one published:

 

 

Bees cooling off during a heatwave.

 

Sue Whitfield opposite us is 80 next week and there was a great gathering of the clans this weekend – they have 3 children and 11 grandchildren, 10 of whom assembled and 8 have partners so it a reasonable crowd! We were invited to a Pizza party on Saturday night then they are all attending Arbury church this morning followed by a meal at Swavesey windmill.

Two had flown in from South Africa, one is in Japan soon to be in Detroit and another is going to New Zealand shortly so they will be well spread.

Talking of which Ben is off to Georgia and Armenia with his bike next weekend!

 

Love

 

Mike & Kate

 

 

 

 

9th July 2023

 

Dear All,

 

Highlight of this week was arguably me coming out of cricket retirement for the umpteenth time to play at the age of 77 yesterday. We were playing the top of the table Fordham with 10 men and although we did not muster a great score of 80, we had then 7 for 4 at one stage. Then a Sri Lankan chap came in and smote 50. I was last in the batting order and did not trouble the scorers but fielded like a spring chicken! And have officially been recognised as the oldest player to represent Over! I was not the only oldie playing with three of us clocking up 211 years!

 

 

Les (66), Mike (77), Dave (68)

 

I delivered my 283^rd Garden Club talk at Willingham on Monday and this will be the last for a while as I have not accepted any more bookings at present – turning out on winters nights is not much fun and, in the summer, I would rather be gardening.

Tuesday morning, I spent a happy hour or two preparing a wicket for the mid-week team that hires our pitch only to find an email cancelling the fixture when I returned home.

In the garden there has been plenty of harvesting this week and I have planted out late leeks and swedes. Kate has harvested loads of currants and gooseberries. Two badgers have appeared on the nightcam but we still cannot find out where they are getting into our heavily barricaded garden.

 

 

Casablanca

 

 

Tuesday’s Harvest

 

 

Mini Cue – Lunch Box

 

I spent some time cutting back a Yew hedge which over shadows my allotment on Wednesday – it belongs to the next-door house and creates a pronounced edge effect to my crops.

Amḗlie was 12 on Wednesday and her joy was increased by her teachers being on strike! Celebrations included burger and chips with friends and a trip to the cinema to see the latest Spiderman film.

 

 

Amḗlie and friends

 

Next day back at school she was photographed at school with their local MP Peter Kyle at a dyslexia event.

 

 

MP at school

 

Our Thursday walk started at Balsham this week and took in West Wickham and West Wratting. Crops again mostly looked well especially sugar beet and a surprise was a field of Cannabis (low chemical!)

 

 

Icknield Way Trail

 

 

Sugar Beet

 

 

Cannabis

 

 

Love

 

Mike & Kate