29th January 2012

29th January 2012.

Dear All,

The Monday “Quality time” trip was to Welney this week to watch the swans and ducks being fed. Due to the mild weather a number of the Bewick swans have stopped en route but they have still recorded over 4,000 most nights. As it was bright and sunny most were still out “improving?” local farmer’s crops.

Welney

Our film on Tuesday was “Midnight in Paris” which was very enjoyable and has been nominated for a few Oscars. I took the garden club at Bottisham in the evening – they are flourishing because the club in the next village has closed and members moved on.
Art Appreciation covered Titian, Tinteretto and Carpaccio – any questions can be taken and referred! This is the last for a month as our tutor is away on a course in February.

We managed our swim on Wednesday and the walk this week started at Horseheath via Study Camps – it was fairly sticky as it had rained heavily in the night.
We have had a CEEM rededication service tonight preceded by a Board meeting and open meeting for interested supporters. It was well attended and Kate prepared tea for attendees.

Walkers shedding mud

The sunshine tempted me to start sowing some broad beans on Friday and top dress crops which needed it, could be tempting fate as the weather forecast has warned of snow and plummeting temperatures.

(for Ben) Dave Lill resigned as Over manager after 21 years last weekend. This week they beat Lakenheath (top of the table) by 4 v 1 with a weakened team – could be a tip for Ipswich?


New season Tomatoes in Moldova


love


Mike & Kate

22nd January 2012

22nd January 2012.

Dear All,

Not too much to report this week as I have been suffering with gout and slightly immobile. The brave new world of Monday outings had to be restricted to a trip to Homebase and the garden centre and we began redecorating the bathroom room.

Redecoration

Otherwise I attended a funeral on Monday at the Crematorium for Sheila Thoday, an old farmer’s wife who attended our Alpha Course.
The Tuesday film was “In a Lonely Place” a 1950 Humphrey Bogart offering in B & W. We swam on Wednesday but the Art Appreciation was cancelled. Kate went walking on Thursday starting in Saffron Walden, I stayed home and hobbled and painted. In the evening I attended a village meeting formulating plans for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Friday evening we were guests at the Day Centre Volunteers meal on the back of presenting the fund raising quiz.
Yesterday we drove down to Streatham to survey Ben’s flat with the aim of seeing what decorating needs to be done. Mary-Ann joined us for lunch with Andy and Amélie arriving later to pick her up on the way to visit friends.


Streatham High Street

Library Clock Tower

Uncle Ben

Enjoying Solid Food


love


Mike & Kate

15th January 2012

15th January 2012.

Dear All,

As part of the “Brave New World” of joint retirement, Kate and I had a “Quality Time” outing to Stamford on Monday. We did not get a crack of dawn start due to a meeting and traffic problems but eventually arrived about noon and explored 2 of the Town Trails. I had driven through before but never stopped to explore. It was a very interesting exploration with many, mainly stone buildings, most with a story to tell.

Yesterday was the Church Social so Kate sweated away catering for 50 guests and I presented the usual “Review of the Year”. The food was excellent: Pate or homemade mushroom soup, Chicken Dijon, roast potatoes, swede and green beans, various sweets (choice of 8), cheese and biscuits, coffee and mints – not bad for £5.
Kate accompanied me to the U3A film club, this week it was “A Separation” a modern Iranian film which explored the tensions and consequences of a couple wanting to divorce. Not a barrel of laughs but it was attention grabbing and a good insight into Iranian life.
The Art Appreciation subject this week was Durer as well as the architecture of Vierzehnheiligen church in north Bavaria.
We both watched “Edwin Drood” on Tuesday and Wednesday and enjoyed it. Thursday’s walk started at Little Walden near Saffron Walden and travelled 11 miles via Ashdon. The going was much better than the previous week but the last couple of miles are always a challenge.
Rachel and Will are recent additions to our congregation, last Sunday Will and Rachel’s parents arrived home from the am service about 12.30, after a quick dash to the Rosie their second child was born at 1.50 - 3 minutes after they arrived!
We have been out for lunch at Merv and Pat’s today.
love


Mike & Kate

8th January 2012

8th January 2012.

Dear All,

A Happy New Year to all readers. Christmas seemed to be a decent long break and as we have seen most of you I need not dwell too long on the news.
Esther coped very well with hosting us at Christmas and it was great to have Mary-Ann, Amélie, Ben and eventually Esther and Andy here afterwards.

It was of course exciting to have Amélie visit for the first time and introduce her to all the locals. She behaved very well and smiled at all and sundry and did not forget to sleep well at nights – but what would you expect from a near perfect grandchild?
Ben biked up on Christmas Eve in 6 hours but the return journey on the 29th took 7.5 hours in wet and windy weather.
Kate, Ben and I cycled to St Ives on Tuesday 27th along the guided bus cycle track, it is an excellent surface. We were out Wednesday evening at the Fosters, Thursday at the Twiss’s (neighbours) and Friday at the Cox’s in Cambridge who are walking friends.
Dave and Jen called in on the way back from Jacky’s on Monday 2nd. On the next day we met up with Kate’s sister Sue and husband in a wild wet and windy Bury St Edmunds to plan an overland trip to Poland in May to attend their son’s wedding and deliver his car.
Kate joined the walking group on Thursday at Chevington near Bury St Edmunds. It was a tough baptism as it was still very windy and sticky underfoot. We saw a couple of large groups of red deer en route.

Deer near Hargrave

On Friday we attended the U3A walkers New Year party at Newnham College. It was a good event as everyone took food and there were presentations from the various holidays and I delivered a quiz.
I have dug in all the muck that was delivered before Christmas and sawed up a good pile of logs.

love


Mike & Kate

18th December 2011

18th December 2011.

Dear All,

Highlight for Kate this week has been presentations to mark her retirement – even though she has a week to go. Takeda were very generous donating an I-pad, a copy of “Rosetta Stone” for Spanish, some tokens and a smart flower arrangement. Those far eastern folk have a great respect for old age!



Presentation

Highlight of my week was having a load of manure delivered which amounted to 38 barrow loads and warmed me up on a cold day. We had our first snow on Friday which did not settle here but it was “white over” at Little Chesterford.


Manure delivery

Our Thursday walk was a relaxed circuit of Cambridge, STOPPING at places of interest and a mince pie and mulled wine halt at one of our member’s houses. We saw several historic buildings that I had not seen before.

Remains of Barnwell Priory

Chesterton Towers

I popped into NIAB on Tuesday to see how they are coping without me. The site is unrecognisable with houses springing up like mushrooms.
The Tuesday film was “The French Can Can” and Art Appreciation covered Van Eyck, Raphael and Cranach.
I fetched a Christmas tree yesterday from Fenwick’s plantation – still the best value for money at £1 per foot and this year complete with cones. Football watching was rather cool but 3 v 3 result helped keep the spectators interest.
Christmas plans seem to be firming up in that Kate, Ben and I have been invited to Esther’s for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Mary-Ann, Andy and Amélie hope to join us for Boxing Day and then Esther and Andy have to return to work so those who are able will come to Over with Esther joining for the weekend – at least I think that is what is planned!

love


Mike & Kate

11th December 2011

11th December 2011.

Dear All,

Well it cannot be delayed – Christmas draws on. This week we have shopped, posted parcels to far flung nieces and nephews, delivered the church cards and finalised (?) plans as to who will be where and when.
Kate and I travelled to Hutton yesterday to meet up with Esther, Mary-Ann and Amélie. Amélie was very bouncy and Esther had purchased a storage unit, table and filing cabinet from IKEA which needed assembling. Actually the construction was easier than expected, I guess they are improving all the time?







U3A film was “12 Angry Men” – reminiscent of my jury experiences!
U3A Art Appreciation was Leonardo, Venice and Florence
U3A walking was fairly local starting at Eltisley and visiting Caxton, Cambourne, Bourn and Great Gransden. 10.3 miles, firm underfoot but very windy.

love


Mike & Kate

4th December 2011

4th December 2011.

Dear All,

On Saturday Kate and I went to the Fitzwilliam Museum to see the two current exhibitions: “Vermeer’s Women – Secrets and Silence” and “Treasures of Vienna”. Not bad and good value as they were both free!



Vermeer, The Lacemaker

Fitzwilliam Museum

Our solar panels are producing electricity but registering them with the power company has proved far from straightforward and needed daily progress chasing phone calls.
We had a meal at Ely in the “Old Fire Engine House” with some of the walkers on Monday – it was very good. Kate had already been out at lunchtime to celebrate a success at work – a project she has been working on for 2 years has been upgraded to “drug discovery”.
The U3A film was “Of Gods and Men” 2010 based on a true story about some French monks in Algeria peacefully co existing with the local Muslims until a gang of militants became active and abducted them. It was well done but 30 mins longer than it needed to be.
Art Appreciation was on Michelangelo and after Kate joined me and we started Christmas shopping.
Walking started in Arkesden and visited Brent Pelham and Clavering, a mere 11 miles.

Clavering
I had lunch with some old NIAB colleagues on Friday and then finished digging in the mustard for green manure.


Digging complete

The Over match was abandoned after 20 mins yesterday as one of their players suffered a very bad broken leg and the ambulance took about 45 mins to arrive.
We have been out to lunch with the Whitfields, opposite today – first time in 40 years!


love


Mike & Kate