CB24 5PD

29th October 2023

 

Dear All,

We have spent most of the week in Aldeburgh helping Esther celebrate her 50 years. We began the week with a swim then delivered a chest of drawers to the Burrells who moved to Norwich on Tuesday. We left for Suffolk after lunch through scenes of heavy rain and flooding during the previous weekend. The venue was a four-storey house on the seafront with six bedrooms nearly all en suite. Albert gave us an estate agents tour of the property and we met the assembled cast: Esther & Emma, Mary-Ann, Andy, Amḗlie & Albert, Emma’s sister Clare plus husband Rory with their children Immy, Toby & Judah and grandmother Ruth.

 

 

Gunfleet the blue house on the right.

 

Kate and I did a tour of the town and walked up to the Britten memorial the Scallop.

 

 

The Scallop

On Tuesday Emma, Mary-Ann and Albert all braved the sea which was a little calmer than the day before. Later we were joined for lunch by Kate’s sister Sue and husband John then in the afternoon we walked in the opposite direction to the Martello Tower and boat club.

 

 

Hardy Crew

 

 

Martello Tower

 

Ben arrived by train after 9 pm and was picked up from Saxmundham station by Emma and Mary-Ann.

Wednesday began with another swim by the hardy members joined by Ben then most of us walked to Thorpeness where Amḗlie and Albert demonstrated their skill in a rowing boat!

 

 

Skilled Mariners!

 

There were plenty of games and puzzles in the house to keep everyone amused and the children developed the skill of decorating stones from the beach some of which they displayed for sale on the wall opposite the house and accumulated a surprising level of pocket money.

 

 

First Jigsaw

 

 

Stone Craft

 

On Thursday Esther and Emma treated Ben, Andy, Mary-Ann and myself to a tour of Adnam’s Brewery in Southwold. It was a very informative tour and concluded with a taste session of seven of their beers. I didn’t realise how many different hop varieties are used to give a range of flavours.

 

 

Brewery Diagram

In the afternoon Kate and I walked along the bank of the river Alde then back through the marshes.

 

 

Marshes

 

We had been largely self-catering throughout the week but in the evening, Andy treated us all to a meal in Prezzo’s

 

 

Prezzo’s

 

 

Albert savouring the chocolate dip

 

Rosie and Helen arrived in the middle of the night around 2am.

Friday the sun shone for the early swim and Kate and I departed after lunch dropping Ben off at Wickham Market station.

 

 

Calmer Sea

 

 

Rosie & Helen crafting

 

On Saturday we squared up the garden and allotment ready for going to Yorkshire on Monday! Over beat the previously unbeaten Newmarket Reserves 1 v 0 in a very good game to go 2^nd in the Cambs Premier league. In the evening Pat & Merv had booked us in to “House of Games” in the church hall which was quite enjoyable but a bit rushed.

 

Mike & Kate