26^th January 2025

 

Dear All,

The pool was rather crowded on Monday but it usually is at the beginning of the year as folk start to keep their New Year resolutions! “Just Vegetating” this week was “Alliums” mainly Onions and Leeks and Kate prepared: Leek and Sauerkraut Gratin, Shallot and Chestnut Tart Tartin and Red Onion and Cucumber salad.

I started a new U3A course on Tuesday entitled: “Our Earth, yesterday, today and tomorrow” and we were introduced to the Atmosphere, the Hydrosphere and the Lithosphere and various speculations about the age of the Earth, first life, oxygen atmosphere, first land animals and first humans. In the evening there was a church business meeting and two new deacons were elected – Adam and Helen Swain.

Adrian and Norman Ingle were both here for lunch on Wednesday and the second lot of seed for Moldova was delivered from Tozers.

The Thursday walk started from Orwell and circumnavigated Wimpole Park. The weather forecast was not promising but it did not start to rain until we were back in the pub.

 

 

Charcoal Kiln

 

 

Wimpole Hall

 

 

View of the lake and Folly

 

 

New Orchard

 

 

Mossy Boughs

 

The “Biography” subject on Friday was Alexander von Humboldt - He was a German naturalist and explorer who made ground breaking discoveries in geography, ecology, and Earth sciences. His mother wanted him to be a civil servant but after she died he used his inheritance to travel including 5 years in South America. He is credited to be the first person to use the term “Scientist”

 

 

Alexander von Humboldt

 

In the evening we had a New Year social for the ramblers in a new village hall in Girton. There was a “Bring & Share meal” then I gave a slide show of some of the recent walks and holidays. It was an enjoyable evening and a good venue.

I had to miss football on Saturday as we were booked into a CPR training session in the Community Centre. A local paramedic taught us about recognition of the symptoms, CPR

 and use of a defibrillator.

 

 

Practice Dummies & Defibrillators

 

 

The Procedure

 

Over won their cup semi-final without me on penalties after 2 v 2 draw with Ely reserves so can look forward to a final later in the season.

 

Kate has been patiently constructing a difficult jigsaw puzzle since Christmas – it needs to be finished this week as we need the table for a CEEM meeting!

 

 

Regards

Mike & Kate