6^th July 2025

 

           Dear All,

 

Last Sunday evening we were invited to walking friends for an outdoor meal self-cooked on a hot plate. It was a very enjoyable evening but both their house and garden are absolutely immaculate with no weeds or anything out of place.

Yet another week without rain so things are looking a little careworn in the garden but amazingly still cropping quite well.

On Tuesday we hosted an Albanian lunch as we invited Alan Winfield who taught the “Balkans” course at U3A to meet Paul Davies from the Albanian Evangelical Mission. They seemed to get on very well exchanging tales and experiences of their times in the country.

Ben joined the family Zoom from his hotel in Sao Tome and Principe having successfully completed his marathon in 11^th place out of 21. He said that after 100 meters the coloured runners were out of sight and he only saw one other runner during the whole 26 miles!

 

 Sao Tome

On Wednesday Kate was preparing lunch when she was suddenly struck with a severe back pain “Like being shot with a bullet”. She rested for the rest of the day with pain killers and was content to let me go to the Thursday walk while she did a gentle local walk. However 10 minutes before I was leaving she changed her mind and decided she could attempt the 8.3 miles – which of course she did manage! I think my Dad would have muttered “Where there is no sense there is no feeling!”

Our walk started at Woodditton and took in Dullingham and Stetchworth. It was an excellent walk and not too hot. Being close to Newmarket there were numerous Horse Racing studs as well as several eco flower fields and not many fields producing food! I hope someone knows what they are doing? Butterflies were plentiful but not much other wildlife.

 

 

Eco Field near Woodditton

 

 

Race Horse Stud

 

 

Borage field

 

Dullingham Church

 

 

Woodditton Village Sign

 

On Friday it was time to get the entry sheets for the Village Show updated and printed, a local surveyor has a large scale printer and does the job for nothing. In the afternoon we prepared the cricket wicket which despite being watered on Thursday was still cracking up. However it did not play badly as Over scored 239-4 and beat Fordham 229-7 by 10 runs.

Amelie was 14 on Saturday and spent some time in the sea with her friends.

 

 

One of these is Amelie!

 

 

 

 

 

Best wishes

Mike & Kate