16th October 2016

Dear All,

It has been the start of the new U3A term this week, Kate has enrolled for a course on “Joints, Muscles and Nerves”, I am back on “Biographies” and we are both going to “60s Music” as well as “Rambling”. We are not teaching “Just Vegetating” until after Christmas as we plan to miss a couple of weeks in the USA this term.

“60s Music” is headed up by Rob Turvey who some of you may have met at my 70^th. It is nostalgic trip but amazing how many of the records don’t seem to sound quite as good as they did then!

Q. What was the best selling record of the 60s?

A.” She loves You” – The Beatles

Q. What was no.3 on the list?

A. “Tears” – Ken Dodd!

The topic of “Biographies” was Brendan Bracken. He was quite an influential politician but I had never heard of him. He was born in Ireland, ran away from school at 14, sent to Australia, conned his way into teaching jobs, became an MP then Churchill’s private secretary in the war and Minister of Information after the war. He was a Jeffrey Archer type of character who was always stretching the truth and claiming things that were fantasies.

I had a garden club talk in Hitchin on Wednesday night talking about “Costa Rica” and Thursday missed the walk in favour of visiting the seed trade open days in Lincolnshire accompanied by David Cook and Lawrie Gray. We managed 6 out of the 7 sites mainly featuring new varieties and developments in Brassicas. The main trends were developments in long stemmed broccoli to replace Tenderstem and the reintroduction of Collards.

Collards

Calabrini long stemmed broccoli

New purple cauliflower

Sakata display

New Beauty Heart Radish

Elsom’s Kale trial

We were on Street Pastor duties on Friday night and it was fairly busy with new students and the continued increased presence of street life folk. The two low points were finding a young couple of street people in a doorway who had been urinated on by a drunk and a boy who had only been on the streets for a couple of weeks – he had gone to sleep and someone had stolen his shoes. “Jimmy’s” the Cambridge night shelter is full every night and the excess have to rough it, but folk come in hoping for easy pickings from tourists as well as access to the night shelter facilities.

We both had ‘flu jabs yesterday, (me for the first time) and helped Gillian & Richard Law celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary at the Crown in Girton. We are out again lunchtime today joining the leader of “Biographies” David Miles-Dinham for his birthday.

Love

Mike & Kate

9th October 2016

Dear All,

We have been down to Hove again this week entrusted with looking after Albert for the first time now that Mary-Ann has returned to work. Before we left on Tuesday, Kate’s sister Sue and husband Bill called in on the way to a reunion at Stratford upon Avon. On the way down we stopped for a walk at Devil’s Dyke on the South Downs from where the views were excellent.

Albert is having to adjust to Nursery so is understandably a bit clingy, but was fine once Mum was not around. We walked along the seafront away from Brighton towards Portslade and had lunch at a seaside restaurant owned by Fatboy Slim. After we sat on the beach and moved a few tons of stones! There was one hardy soul swimming and another optimistic topless sunbather. Amélie seems to be coping with school quite well and is very good with Albert.

View from the South Downs

Devil’s Dyke

Keen Gardener?

Hove Beach Activity

Our Thursday walk started just up the road at Dry Drayton and took in familiar places: Bar Hill, Lolworth, Boxworth, Knapwell Woods and Childerley Hall.

The Black Horse, Dry Drayton

Later in the week it has been fund raising. On Friday it was the annual quiz for Over Day Centre. Kate had compiled the questions and there over 50 attending. It seemed to go well and my job was easier as we had a working sound system so less shouting.

Last night we attended a concert at Little Paxton in support of CEEM and Moldova. The music was from “Damascus Road” a local St Neots group and there was an excellent curry midway.

Keen gardeners amongst you will know that autumn digging has begun and it is time to plant shallots, garlic, and broad beans for over wintering.

Love

Mike & Kate

2^nd October 2016

Dear All,

It has been a fairly busy week culminating in Harvest Festival this weekend. On Monday, after swimming Kate and I did a recce for Thursday’s walk that we were due to lead from Abbots Ripton. We also have the Day Centre Quiz next Friday so Kate has compiled the questions and I have been computerising them.

This week we hired the Cricket Association trailer of equipment to carry out the winter maintenance on the square. I cut the pitches on Tuesday then on Wednesday it was scarifying, fertilizing, reseeding and applying 50 bags of Ongar Loam. There were three of us but it takes a bit of time and the equipment is showing signs of ageing so there were a few breakdowns. In the afternoon Kate and I travelled down to London for a theatre trip in the evening using tickets paid for by my children for my 70^th. We saw “The Entertainer” with Kenneth Branagh in the lead role at the Garrick Theatre.

Before the performance we had explored round Kings Cross a little: Camley Street Park, Regents Canal, Old St Pancras church and the new Francis Crick building. Later we took the tube to Charing Cross and had a quick visit to the National Portrait Gallery before meeting up with Ben for a meal before the show. Ben has achieved a promotion at Kings but still putting in long hours. We got home at midnight and were up for walking next morning.

Regent’s Canal

The Hardy Tree, St Pancras churchyard

Francis Crick Building

The walk was not in spectacular scenery but the views northwards were panoramic and decidedly autumnal.

Abbots Ripton, The Abbots Elm

The rest of the week centred round collecting material for the Harvest Festival. I took Jim Burr for a ride to Biggleswade to collect a few extra vegetables on Friday morning then Kate and I were on a St John’s ambulance First Aid course at Cherry Hinton in the afternoon.

We had a men’s breakfast yesterday with a heavy metal guitarist as speaker. I watched football in the afternoon, and we had the Harvest Supper in the evening.

Esther is in Lisbon this weekend, part work, part holiday and we are due in Hove again next week.

Love

Mike & Kate

25^th September 2016

Dear All,

We had an enjoyable week on Exmoor although the walking was fairly up and down and generally quite hard work. We stopped at Nether Stowey on the way down as we have some serious English Literature adherents in the group and they read “The Ancient Mariner” in the grounds of Coleridge’s cottage – very U3A but performed very well.

Exhibits at Coleridge’s Cottage

We stayed in Simonsbath taking over the pub and the Hotel which was old and family run. The hosts were excellent and told stories of the local history and helped with the walking routes.

View from the Hotel

We had a damp start on Monday and did a walk near the coast at Lynmouth taking in Watersmeet and the Valley of Rocks. It was waterproofs all day and as it was warm we were very quickly soaked from both sweat and rain. We managed two casualties on the first day – not a great start, one case of severe vertigo (Ian for those who met him at Swavesey) and one fell in the river and cracked his head (Jan Ingram for those that know him). Both recovered but it is the joys of stretching activity with the elderly! The weather improved thereafter and waterproofs were not needed again.

Start of the First Walk

On Tuesday we started at Dry Bridge on the moor and headed for Shilstone and Rockford. Unfortunately we suffered the next (and final) accident when after 3 miles or so Felicia slipped on a narrow leafy path leading down a stream and was in serious pain with a damaged arm. Kate and I returned to collect our car, which took a while and collected her Ian and Mary – an ex doctor and headed for A&E at Barnstable with Ian following in his car. It was only 23 miles but seemed to take forever as she was crying out with every bump in the road. When we reached A&E they were at first a bit slow to get going but eventually once the wheels were in motion were very good and the X Ray revealed that her shoulder was dislocated and nothing was broken. When it was relocated she recovered very quickly. As we had missed the rest of the walk Kate, Mary and I headed for Ilfracombe and explored the Tunnel Beaches and the harbour including Damien Hirst’s “Verity”.

Tunnel Beach, Ilfracombe

We did a circular moorland walk on Wednesday starting from the hotel taking in Exhead and ending up on “The Two Moors Way” following the river Barle. At our briefing Philip had assured us that “the climbs would be gentler than Whitby”. By the end of the week he was admitting that he was mistaken – a fairly rare event!

Two Moors Way

On Thursday we drove to Porlock down the infamous Porlock Hill and walked the Coastal Path to Culbone church where Coleridge had composed “Kubla Khan” and we had a recitation of this by Ian in the churchyard. The long walk then struck inland up some fairly steep climbs to Porlock Moor and back down the valley to Porlock. We did about 12 miles each day but there was very little flat walking and on this day climbed 2,900 feet – almost the height of Snowdon!

Culbone Church

Porlock from the top of Porlock Hill

The other piece of information from the briefing that did not materialise was that” the moors are teeming with ticks” and several of our number rushed out to buy tick removers. In fact, in a party of 34 humans and 1 dog, no tick damage was recorded!

We had a long journey home on Friday taking 8 hours with traffic jams and toilet stops.

Love

Mike & Kate

17^th September 2016

Dear All,

We are off to Exmoor tomorrow, hence the early letter.

After swimming, the dentist and rotovating on Monday I had Garden Club talk no. 207 at Wickhambrooke. Kate was in Cambridge for the first of a new session of “The Dickens Fellowship”  who this term are “Nicholas Nickelby” and I managed to arrive just in time to pick her up.

We were in Hove on Tuesday and Wednesday stopping off at Stanstead on the way down to view an industrial dish washer for the chapel which is having a kitchen facelift.

Albert was due to visit a nursery prior to Mary-Ann returning to work in the near future. We were down to collect Amélie from school as the times clashed. Albert was not feeling too well with a high temperature and possibly teething so he was not on top form for his debut.

On Wednesday we walked to Brighton and back along the seas front. The new tower was in operation with the “doughnut” going up and down. Mary-Ann, Esther, Natasha, Amélie and Albert tried it out on the second day. I managed to see the last session of the Sussex v Worcester cricket match which was an exciting finish with 11 runs in it.

Our Thursday walk was in the Fens starting at Haddenham taking in Witchford and Grunty Fen – not spectacular scenery but level walking.

Grunty Fen

This morning I was judging again this time a new show for me at Fowlmere. The standard was not great but they were very friendly and appreciative.

We have two passengers tomorrow one of which is due to arrive shortly so I will finish now.

Love

Mike & Kate

11^th September 2016

Dear All,

On Wednesday Kate and I went to Moggerhanger to see “Charming China” a photographic presentation organised by John Law. There were over 300 large photos mostly displayed outdoors in the walled gardens. It was very good and is on until the end of the month. John is heavily involved with Moggerhanger but it is far from easy and as yet, not very profitable. He lost most of his strawberries and raspberries with vine weevil and is now concentrating on tall Bearded Irises having taken on a National Collection.

Part of Outdoor Display

Indoor Section

Ancient Potting Shed

Sample Pictures

Iris Empire

Thursday saw us walking from Arrington via Whaddon, Orwell and Wimpole Hall. It was still shirtsleeves and good going and Wimpole is always interesting.

Break

Wimpole Estate Building

Friday was car MOT and service day. When we bought the car we also paid for a warrantee scheme covering unforeseen expenses with these operations for 3 years. In retrospect it was a mistake as Marshalls garage is on the edge of Cambridge and the choice is a long wait or a bus trip into Cambridge to pass the time. I chose the latter and surveyed the Grafton Centre, Starbucks, the Sedgewick Museum and the Central Library.

On Monday we had a “Philip Briefing” for our forthcoming walking trip to Exmoor (we leave next Sunday). The briefing is part of the enjoyment as various options are laid out for walks and meals and menu options – you would never guess he was in the military!

Meanwhile I have been working on Joy Larkcom’s book revision which has so far involved receiving 32 emails – but the end is hopefully in sight!

The strawberry bed replanting took place this week and we are waiting for new raspberry canes.

Love

Mike & Kate

4^th September 2016

Dear All,

We haven’t been far this week, even the Thursday walk was fairly local starting at Stow-cum-Quy and took in Lode and Quy Fen. It was warm and a good walk, it is surprisingly rural for an area so close to Cambridge.

Quy Fen

Lode Mill

I played cricket on Bank Holiday Monday – a friendly within the club. I took 2 wickets, held a catch, hit a couple of fours, strained a groin and have a sore arm. I think someone is trying to tell me something!

This weekend marks the finish of the cricket season and the 2^nd XI played in the rain yesterday making a mess of the pitch, justifying it by saying “You have the whole winter to put it right!”

I spent a day swapping the strawberry bed and the raspberry raised bed over in the fruit cage. It was serious rotovating, adding compost and relaying Mypex. Kate has taken strawberry runners and I have ordered new raspberry canes.

Joy Larkcom, who we visited in Cork a few years ago, is busy updating her book “The Salad Garden” and I have been helping her revising the variety sections. This has involved more work than I expected but the end is in sight.

We were on Street Pastors on Friday night. It was fairly quiet – which makes it seem longer. The strangest sight was a line of six lads sitting outside a shoe shop queuing all night to buy the latest “Jordan Air” trainers for a bargain £125 per pair. They explained that they would be worth £250 next week.

Our pastor David Smith has returned to South Africa for a couple of weeks as his father is declining rapidly and he wanted some “quality time” before his demise. We expect Dave Garlick this evening to update news from Ecuador.

Mike & Kate