20^th April 2025

 

           Dear All,

Highlight of this week has of course been Mary-Ann and the children coming for a couple of days and Esther & Emma travelling up for an evening to meet them.

Earlier in the week it was the annual chapel 10 pin bowling evening at Pidley. There were 23 of us bowling and a few extra came for the pre-session meal. As we were entertaining guests the chapel folk decided not to show them up and hog all the prizes!

 

 

Tuesday lunchtime I met up with Lawrie, David and Howell at Cambridge Wetherspoons for a catch up. Both Lawrie and Howell have problems which prevent them joining the scheduled walks.

Mary-Ann, Amelie and Albert arrived about 11am on Tuesday and first activity was an Easter Egg hunt. This had to be indoors as we had a rare 15mm rain overnight which was much needed.

On Wednesday we caught the Guided Bus to Cambridge visiting the Zoology Museum and Wetherspoons again! Mary-Ann wanted to shop in Savers which delayed our return journey this proved to be very fortunate as the bus before ours was involved in a serious crash with a Fire engine and another bus. 15 people were injured.

 

Zoology Museum

 

 

Wetherspoons

 

On Thursday we had a leisurely walk down to the river and back along the flood bank where Burling’s cattle had just been turned out. We stopped off at the Community Centre for refreshments on the way back. In the afternoon there was a session at Willingham Play park. Esther & Emma arrived for dinner and games before everyone left at about 9.45 pm with the Hove folks arriving home about midnight. It was good to see everyone and a pity they do not live closer.

 

 

 

 

 

The rain encouraged gardening this week so I have planted out seeded onions and lettuce and sown sweet corn, runner and French beans.

We had a 3 pm service on Good Friday with several visitors and a Sunrise service at 5.40am this morning and the sun almost came out!

 

 

Sunrise Service

 

. Over slipped up by drawing 0 v 0 against Hemingford yesterday so the top of the table is a 3 way close battle.

Best wishes

Mike & Kate

 

13^th April 2025

 

           Dear All,

We have had a very enjoyable expedition to Norfolk this week staying for 2 nights in Caister-on-Sea at the “Old Hall Hotel”. On the way on Wednesday we had a couple of stops, the first at The Fairhaven Woodland & Water Garden at South Walsham. This is a large area of woodland and includes South Walsham Broad with large patches of Primroses and Skunk Cabbage - a large yellow arum.

 

 

Wood Carving

 

 

Skunk Cabbage

 

 

Skunk Cabbage Patch

 

We then moved on to Ranworth Broad where there is a Norfolk Wildlife Trust site with an excellent hide with powerful binoculars through which we saw an osprey and several Great Crested Grebes.

 

 

NWT Hide Ranworth Broad

 

 

Pair of Great Crested Grebes

 

We had a wander along Caister sea front in the evening – it is not especially beautiful and it was absolutely freezing!

On Thursday we caught a bus opposite the hotel to Great Yarmouth. The town was much better than I remembered it from visits some time ago. We walked along the front to “Sea World” then turned north to the River Yare, where we had a conducted tour of the “Lydia Eva” a fishing boat which has been restored to useable condition. Then it was along to the Minster, which was closed so we could only admire the outside. We then returned to Caister and took in the Castle and Roman Fort. After a swim, we were joined by Kate’s sister Sue and husband John for dinner at the hotel.

 

 

Britannia Pier Great Yarmouth

 

 

The Big Wheel

 

 

Octopus in Sea World

 

 

Lydia Eva

 

 

Lydia Eva Wheel House

 

 

Great Yarmouth Minster

 

On the way home on Friday, we decided to see whether we could spot any seals on the Norfolk coast and called in at Horsey beach and were amazed to discover a vast number. I guess there 2,000 to 3,000 and a warden told us that there had been 10,000 at the peak.

 

 

Horsey Windmill

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few Seals!

More good news in that the parcels for Moldova arrived in Leova on Thursday and although the customs had opened a couple they had got through OK.

 

 

Happy Arrival!

 

We had our latest COVID jabs yesterday and I watched Over beat Witchford 4 v 1.

We are looking forward to receiving a delegation from Hove on Tuesday!

 

Best wishes

Mike & Kate

 

6^th April 2025

 

           Dear All,

After swimming on Monday Kate and I caught the guided bus to St Ives for a bit of shopping including paint for the garden table. Later I planted out the new strawberry plants, Malling Century and emptied the big compost bin.

Emma had a colonoscopy which was very painful and prolonged.

On Tuesday I finished digging after leeks, cut the grass and began watering as it is rather dry at present and no seeds have emerged. David phoned about the possibility of another family gathering including Stephen and Margaret Jessup.

We travelled up to Saham Toney near Watton in Norfolk on Wednesday to visit my old boss Bill Chowings. Jan Ingram came with us and we took Bill out for lunch and helped weed his garden. He turned 90 a week before and had a pacemaker fitted the following day but he looked quite well.

 

 

Lunch Venue – The Chequers at Thompson

 

 

Jan, Kate & Bill

 

Thursday was an ideal day for walking as it was dry, sunny and not too hot. We started at Shepreth south of Cambridge and took in Foxton and Fowlmere including Fowlmere Wildlife Centre. Spring flowers were much in evidence.

 

 

Shepreth

 

 

Celandines

 

 

Foxton Daffodils

 

 

The Lodge, Foxton

 

 

Fowlmere Wildlife Centre

 

In the evening it was another Over Produce Show Committee with the usual 19 point agenda!

After collecting fuel for the garden machines on Friday we were entertained by an extremely garrulous Solar Panel insurance salesman from Rayleigh in Essex. He had made two previous appointment which he had not kept.To put it mildly donkeys hind legs would be in danger!

Due to trouble the chapel are experiencing with a neighbour who has fallen out with the Play School who use the premises, I have had to write a formal “Statement of Truth” regarding access to the bordering lane which he is curtailing with a fence. Legal advice is being sought and their paperwork states that they charge £500 an hour!

Plants of the Week this time are Snake head Fritillaries and Mouse Plants.

 

 

Fritillaries

 

 

Arisarum prodoccideum – Mouse Plant

 

Over 1^st team did not have a game this week so I watched the Reserves beat Abington 2 v 0.

The courier arrived at 6.45pm Saturday to collect the parcels for Moldova. He only spoke Russian but nevertheless it was a relief after two aborted attempts.

We are off to Northstowe church this morning to support Philip who is giving a presentation about Moldova.

 

Best wishes

Mike & Kate