12t^h July 2026

 

           Dear All,

 

It was carnival time again this week – they have switched to every other year which is more manageable. The chapel book a double slot featuring goodie bags for children, a tossing game, a quiz and a heap of lego. It was of course very hot but seemed to go well but the accompanying fun fare gets larger and more expensive each time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier in the week we met up with some former NIAB colleagues for lunch at Girton golf course and erected the electric fence round the Sweet Corn at the allotment. Rabbits have also been nibbling squash which is unusual but I guess it is a source of water for them.

I have planted lettuce this week and resown them and salad onions.

On Monday we were back at Addenbrookes Vascular clinic for more tests following which I have a date for an operation for the removal of plaque from my left side carotid artery on 22^nd July.

Best Wishes

 

 

Mike & Kate

 

5^th July 2026

 

           Dear All,

I feel as though I should issue a Medical Bulletin like they used to do for the Queen when she was poorly! I have enjoyed 3 hospital visits this week with a 4^th lined up for Monday. Monday I was summoned to the Vascular Studies Unit at Addenbrookes and after a wait of 1.5 hours a scan revealed a TIA. Tuesday I had a puncture in my bike and this necessitated a trip to St Ives to purchase a new inner tube.

On Wednesday I was back at the Spire for a consultation about the numbness in my arm which showed as degenerative disc narrowing on a MRI scan. The doctor decided that it was not serious and recommended Pilates.

On Thursday I was summoned back to Addenbrookes for a CT scan - I could sell postcards of various views of my body! Monday’s appointment is at the Vascular Surgery clinic so hopefully there will be some sensible action.

Adrian came for lunch on Thursday and on Friday I started cutting the hedge on Shaw’s side .I had time to finish a quiz for Over Carnival which is next Saturday.

Friday evening Kate cooked a meal for the Moldova Matters committee. We are currently a little short of money as one of supporting churches has stopped its funding.

Derek has supplied several bags of rabbit manure this year so we invited him and Joyce for afternoon drinks yesterday and donated a few vegetables as payment.

We have carted a boot full of water up to the allotment every day for the last month.

Ben has been cycling in the French Alps this week testing out part of the Tour de France course to see if it is suitable for the race and sent back some spectacular photos.

 

 

 

Best Wishes

 

 

Mike & Kate

 

28th June 2026

 

           Dear All,

On Sunday the week began with the celebration of Carol’s mother Etty’s 105^th birthday. There was a buffet after the morning service which we briefly attended before joining Esther and Emma who had come up to celebrate Father’s Day.

 

 

   

Sadly there was no swimming on Monday as the pool was being cleaned but we were entertained by 3 Irish gentlemen who knocked on the door offering to initially clean our solar panels and then extended the offer to pressure washing the roof tiles. We accepted their offer after negotiation and were pleased with the result although watching dancing around on the roof was nerve wracking.

 

 

At lunchtime I met up with 3 walking mates for a meal at Over Community Centre.

Tuesday I was back at the Spire for results of my MRI scan which showed some degenerative changes to the vertebral column and impingement of the nerves accounting for the numbness I often experience. I have another consultation next week to decide what next.

I mentioned a couple of times when my leg had also gone numb during the consultation so as an added bonus I have a possible TIA scan on Monday!

Otherwise it has mainly been watering and gardening. Harvesting garlic and onions and planting late squash. We also removed the electric fence which has been successful again.

Thursday there was another Over Show committee and Friday a Chapel Events committee.

On Saturday I was Judging Stapleford Produce Show where the standard is not high but gradually improving.

Ben arrived Friday evening with his curtains for Kate to line.

 

 

Best Wishes

 

 

Mike & Kate

 

21st June 2026

 

           Dear All,

We had another enjoyable week in Derbyshire after attending the penultimate service at Sutton Bonington where we were both interviewed.

En route we called in to open gardens at Middleton.

 

 

Middleton Old Vicarage

 

 

 Middleton Village

 

Monday is traditionally Bakewell market day studying the cattle a sales and the street market. After we drove to Castleton planning to visit the Blue John caves but discovered the last tour was 3pm.

 

 

Bakewell Cattle Market

 

Castleton

 

On Tuesday Kate and I called in at Bolehill to visit Phil, Mandy and Natasha catch up on family news then moved 500 yards down the road to visit Kate’s old school friend Elisabeth who has been battling cancer for many years. In the afternoon we visited Ashbourne and Tissington.

 

 

Ashbourne Football museum

 

 

Tissington

 

On Wednesday we did join the tour of the Blue John tour which was quite an experience involving 260 steps down and up with little in the way of safety measures.

 

 

Blue John Cave

 

Blue John Rocks

 

Wednesday was Sue’s birthday and Bill treated us all to High Tea at the Rutland Arms hotel in Bakewell where they had their wedding reception.

 

 

 

High Tea

On Thursday Kate and I signed in for a tour of Chatsworth house and gardens, we had done the gardens before but not the house.

 

 

 

Chatsworth House

 

 

Ceiling of Entrance Hall

 

 

The Cascade

 

 

 

 

 

The Rockery

 

We took Bill and Sue for a meal Thursday evening and got off to an early start Friday morning we were in Bar Hill Tesco’s by 9.40am.

Friday we had a visit to a local onion farm which was very interesting.

Best Wishes

 

 

Mike & Kate

 

13t^h June 2026

 

           Dear All,

Not too much to report this week and we are off to Sutton Bonington and Derbyshire tomorrow hence the earlier posting. We are invited to our old college at Sutton Bonington because they are planning to pull down their 1700s Baptist chapel and build bigger. We are part of the history as when we were undergraduates we helped dig out the baptistery which had been filled with brick rubble during a quiet time for the church.

We are going to then join up with Kate’s sister and brother-in-law at Darwin Forest Country Park, near Matlock.

We have been picking Strawberries and Raspberries most days and now well into new potatoes. I also picked our first tomato but as it was less than 1cm diameter I will not be bragging about it!

The news from Moldova about Marius the lad we have been supporting through leukaemia treatment was not so good as the Turkish hospital wants another 50,000 euros to complete his treatment. However people have been incredibly generous so far.

We did a local walk on Tuesday renewing friendly conversations with Burling’s hybrid Stabiliser bulls.

 

 

 

 

The rain has been very welcome this week and everything in the garden looks more cheerful.

Esther had a second eye operation on Thursday at Southend. The operation is to put a film over the cornea to make it smoother. She says this time it has been more painful and she is off work for a few days.

I attended the last session of the U3A Travel writers group on Friday where the book for discussion was “Mirrors of the Unseen” by Jason Elliot written in 2006 about Iran. It was a very interesting insight to the history, art, architecture and daily life of the country but plenty long enough at over 400 pages. Some of the architecture is incredible especially as it so old.

 

 

 

 

Best Wishes

Mike & Kate