21st January 2024

 

Dear All,

U3A term started again this week which filled our week fairly well! After swimming on Monday Merv delivered us to the Friend’s Meeting House in Cambridge for the first session of “Just Vegetating” – Carrots & Parsnips. Kate with little respite from the Social on Saturday produced: Harissa & Marmalade roasted carrots, Carrot cupcakes, Carrot Marmalade and Miso & Honey Parsnips.

On Tuesday we were signed in for “French History” with Adrian Roberts – an ex-school teacher and excellent lecturer. The lesson covered the end of the Hundred Years War in 1453 through to the death of Francis 1 in 1547 via the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520.

Ben is currently in India and sent some photos during the week:

 

 

Family Photo?

 

 

Delhi (I think?)

 

On Wednesday I probably chose the wrong day for a haircut as it has been distinctly chilly ever since! Church groups was back at Kitson’s with Bob seeming much better followed by Garden Club taken by a lady expert on Beach Combing and involved audience participation

Identifying tub fulls of collected objects.

We were leading the walk on Thursday starting at Eltisley and taking in Caxton of gibbet fame. When we did the recce 2 weeks previously it was really hard work with deep mud, overcast skies and an hour of rain. This week it was entirely different starting at -5C so was frozen and firm underfoot and sunny throughout.

 

 

Icicles at Start

 

 

Leaving Eltisley

 

 

Approaching Caxton church

 

 

Eltisley cottages

 

Friday “Biographies” recommenced with a talk on Hedy Lamarr who was both an actress and an inventor. She was born in Austria of Jewish stock. Apart from being a leading Hollywood star she also, with no formal training and being primarily self-taught, invested her spare time, including on set between takes, in designing and drafting inventions, which included an improved traffic stoplight, a tablet that would dissolve in water to create a flavoured carbonated drink, and a guidance system for torpedo’s. She still found time to be married and divorsed six times!

 

 

Hedy Lamarr

 

Virtually all local football was off on Saturday due to frozen pitches.

It was Mary-Ann’s birthday this week and Amḗlie presented her with a picture that she had produced – not bad for a 12-year-old!

 

 

Hove Seaside by Amḗlie

 

Regards

Mike & Kate