15th November 2026

 

           Dear All,

After our swim on Monday I had an eye test and needed an upgrade so now have varifocals for the first time.

Our World War 1 class this week was on Trench Warfare and how the patterns evolved from straight lines to Angled, Zigzag and Crenelated. Also our tutor brought in examples of French, British and German hard hats as they developed to try and minimise shrapnel damage.

 

 

French Adrian

 

 

British Brodie

 

German Stalheim

 

We had a church meeting in the evening with further discussions on the possibility of employing extra help.

The car was serviced on Wednesday after a delay as our friendly freelance mechanic known locally as “Diesel” had trouble sourcing the correct oil. I cut the grass hopefully for the last time this year.

We did a little more manure shifting on Thursday – Kate insisting on using the fork while I held the bags! I had a 4^th physio session and it seems to be helping slowly.

On Friday it was my turn to present a Biography and this time I chose Robert Louis Stevenson. His grandfather and father were both civil engineers specialising in lighthouse building and he was expected to follow on but was set on becoming a writer. He had serious health problems all his life and eventually settled in Samoa for the climate but died aged only 44 years. He wrote 13 novels e.g. Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Jekyll and Hyde and all are still in print more than 130 years after his death. He also wrote numerous short stories, essays, plays, travel books and poems.

 

 

Robert Louis Stevenson

In the evening it was the chapel Games Evening including pool, putting, Jenga, Table Football, Jigsaws, Beetle, Chess, Wii, Bendominoes and Pizzas.

 

 

 

 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday saw the first frosts of the winter so Kate has been busy transferring delicate plants to the greenhouse.

 

 

Over won an exciting game 3 v 2 against Wimblington having been 2 v 0 down at half time.

Derek and Joyce called in for a cup of tea having recently returned from America visiting rabbit folk.

 

Best wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

8th November 2026

 

           Dear All,

After our swim on Monday we called on Merv to check him after his thyroid op last week and being Merv he was just unloading after a trip to Tesco’s. Switch forward to Friday and his wife Pat was in for an op for a prolapse that she had been waiting for 2 years. She had been in the hospital for 5 hours and was all ready when the op was cancelled due to an emergency and she was sent home!

World War 1 this week covered the Dardanelles Campaign which of course was badly planned and led to Churchill’s forced resignation and up to 135,000 fatalities.

I was called in for more post op blood tests on Thursday before another physio session.

Biographies topic was a little known Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland who came up with an explanation of the Northern Lights.

 

 

Kristian Birkeland

 

On Saturday we returned to Hutton to help Esther catch up in the garden as she has not had much time to spare with her serious nursing duties. We managed to make a considerable difference as the before and after shots show.

 

 

Before

 

 

After

 

After

 

 

Before

 

After

 

Emma still has considerable pain and ironically her mother who lives nearby tripped on an uneven pavement and broke her patella and is in pain on crutches.

Andy started a new job this week for an UK company which will mean less travelling and more company after years of working at home.

Best wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

1^st November 2026

 

           Dear All,

Ben finished his marathon in 5 hours 15 minutes accompanied by a dragon in 98% humidity! He has so far raised £2,492 which exceeds his target of £1,500.

 

 

 

World War 1 class this week covered the British Expeditionary Force joining the war to support Belgium and France and being initially successful then having to retreat as far as Paris. The French lost 27,000 during their first battle with Germany.

We spent a couple of sessions bagging muck at the allotments and bringing it home. I then cleared the bottom glasshouse and dug muck in. In the process I dug the Sweet Potatoes which yielded pretty well.

 

 

We harvested an excess of ornamental gourds this year and Kate has managed to offered them free at the gate and has managed to get rid of nearly all of them all.

I also gave our large Pumpkins to the children next door and they have been busy carving this week.

 

 

 

The wind played havoc with the veg cage at the allotment so it was a bit of a job to untangle it and re-erect it this week.

I had my second physio session on Thursday working on my painful knee and numb arm – I think it is helping!

Mervyn had an op. on Thursday to remove part of his Thyroid gland.

The Biography topic this week was Abraham Lincoln the 16th president of the United States, from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War, defeating the Confederacy and playing a major role in the abolition of slavery.

 

 

Abraham Lincoln

 

On Saturday we travelled down to Hutton to visit Emma and Esther following Emma’s serious accident. She is still in pain and not yet fit to stand. Esther has been a fantastic nursemaid!

 

 

Esther & Emma

 

 

Support

 

Assisted Hair wash

 

We were glad that we did not stay too late as we arrived home in thick fog.

 

Best wishes

 

Mike & Kate

 

25^th October 2026

 

           Dear All,

We missed swimming this week and I had a TIA telephone consultation and need to have a full blood assessments.

U3A World War 1 class covered the triggers which led to war which included Austria worried by Serbia, Germany giving Austria a blank cheque, Russia supporting Serbia, Germany wary of France and Russia, France wanting to reclaim Alsace/Lorraine, Britain fearing Germany dominating Europe and everyone mobilising,

In the evening the Swavesey History topic was John Clare the Peasant Poet, Born in remote countryside at Helpston near Peterborough as a twin in 1793, he was the weakling yet his sister, Bessie, died young to John’s lifelong sadness.  The house where he grew up is now a museum in his memory.  His mother was illiterate but his father had some schooling and John seems to have been an intelligent person.  He worked in the local fields but was an inadequate labourer due to lack of height and strength and changed to being a limestone burner producing quicklime.  Aged 13 years he heard his first poem which was about springtime which thrilled him and he started to write poems celebrating the beauty of the natural world with detailed descriptions of flora and fauna, and a keen awareness of the rhythms of the seasons.

 

 

John Clare

 

On Wednesday our former walk leaders Philip and Margaret called after a 4 week cruise to collect some Broccoli plants that we have been looking after which they ordered while away. It was Kate’s turn to lead the Bible study group this week on Daniel chapter 1.

Garden Club in the evening was on plant names and was more interesting than the title promised!

On Thursday I started with a haircut then had my first ever physio session with an American lady working on my sore knee and numb arm.

Biographies this week featured a virologist Lionel Crawford who the presenter claimed was an unsung hero. His research helped us understand how viruses contribute to cancer and screening has saved countless lives but he received very little recognition in his lifetime.

 

 

Lionel Crawford

 

On Saturday there was a special Church meeting to discuss the way ahead for an ageing congregation, nearly everyone tuned up and there was good discussion about whether we should employ an assistant.and what else we should try.

After I watched Over 3 v 1 Soham Res in a deluge.

Ben runs his Sierra Leone marathon today and has sent a few photos.

 

 

 

 

Mary-Ann, Andy, Amelie and Albert have travelled to Lanzarote for half term.

 

 

Best wishes

 

Mike & Kate