22^nd  January 2017

Dear All,

It was - 6°C last night and the coldest in a week of frosts. I have started some germination tests in the homemade propagator this week and ordered seed from a couple of companies and been given some from a third so the despite the scene outside the new growing season is underway.

This Morning

The Propagator

The car also responded to the weather with a flat battery on Monday, but recovered after rapid charging.

“Just Vegetating” this week covered “Alliums” and the enthusiasm seems to be maintained.

“60s Music” was “British 60’s Girl Singers”. We were told that four girls – Sandie Shaw, Lulu, Dusty Springfield and Cilla Black scored nearly 60 top 40 UK hits between 1963 and 1970. A whole raft of others including Petula Clark, Helen Shapiro, Clodagh Rodgers, Jackie Trent, Mary Hopkin and Marianne Faithful also enjoyed success.

Our Thursday walk this week started from Brinkley, south of Newmarket and took in Burrough Green, Stetchworth and part of the Stour Valley Path. It was frozen underfoot for most of the time and the sun poked out intermittently.

Icy Sheep

Stour Valley Path

On Friday I missed “Biographies” as I had to address the “Sandringham Disabled Gardeners Club” – a round trip of over 100 miles but they were a decent audience. Kate accompanied me to share the driving. Sadly HRH didn’ t make it as she was tired after attending the WI the night before!

In the evening were amongst the guests at Over Day Centre Volunteers meal; we evidently qualify due to the quiz we present. There was a good atmosphere but they are going to have serious fund raising challenges as they have lost £40K from their council grant.

Yesterday was “Lego Morning” at chapel. This replaced Messy Church and is gradually gaining momentum with 35 children and parents present.

Lego Session

Football watching was a tad chilly yesterday but we watched a good top of the table game which ended Great Shelford 3 v 3 Eaton Socon.

Kate starts radiotherapy on the 2^nd February for 3 weeks.

Love

Mike & Kate

15^th January 2017

Dear All,

It is not a great time to be involved with the NHS as there are so many sick people about! Kate had an appointment at Addenbrookes on Monday for 10.10 am to arrange follow up scans and radiotherapy – she was eventually seen after 3 pm and told they were too busy to scan her and given some pills that see cannot take until after the bone scan! She was then summoned back on Friday at 8.10 am. This time she was seen promptly and had a body scan to target the radiotherapy and given a discrete tattoo but still has to have the bone scan and timetable for the radiotherapy. Still, small steps and some progress!

I attended the funeral of Richard Austin, one of my cricketing colleagues on Monday. He had a Pilipino wife and her 7 year old son gave the first eulogy!

We began teaching “Just Vegetating” again on Tuesday this week presenting “Carrots and Parsnips”. It seemed to go well but as usual the main excitement was Kate’s cooking and recipes. This group are quite keen and even asked for a book list!

“60s Music” on Wednesday featured the work of Burt Bacharach who as of 2014 had written 73 US and 52 UK top 40 hits – I expect you can all name a few? They include “Trains and Boats and Planes”, “What the World Needs Now”, “Alfie”, “What’s New Pussy Cat”, “Wishin’ and Hoping”.

Our walk on Thursday returned to the area close to Stevenage where we were two weeks ago this time starting at Halls Green taking in Weston and Graveley. We got back just before the heavens opened. Kate did not walk as she anticipated a heavy few days mainly catering for the chapel New Year Social last night.

Halls Green

Elderly People!

The “Biographies” subject this week was “Eglantyne Jebb” the founder of “Save the Children” We had a short sharp snow flurry in the morning but it did not settle.

  

Eglantyne Jebb

The Social went well with over 50 attending. Kate was i.c. food and I presented the review of the year again!

Love

Mike & Kate

8^th January 2017

Dear All,

We had a very enjoyable 3 days in Norfolk over the New Year staying with Ian & Felicia at Pockthorpe near West Rudham. Sunday was wet so we only ventured to Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve. The birds were being fed from all the hides and were present in large numbers. We saw Woodcock, Bramblings, Goldfinches, Tits and Finches of all descriptions.

We failed to see the New Year in and retired to bed about 10 pm!

Monday was completely different with clear blue skies so we walked from Holme next Sea to Thornham for lunch and back again past the site of “Seahenge”. Apart from the expected shore birds we saw a flock of Twite. Twitchers were abroad in number looking for a reported rare duck.

With Ian & Felicia at Holme next Sea

Our Thursday walk was fairly local starting at Stapleford and picking up the Genome Path and the Roman Road around Wandlebury. There was a good frost underfoot so none of the usual mud nonsense! Kate managed the short walk but is still limping a little.

Genome Path

The Roman Road

We are still harvesting Brussels sprouts, leeks, parsnips, celeriac and beetroot from the garden and allotment and I have been reconstructing the propagator with a new heating cable.

Last night was the U3A Ramblers New Year’s party which was held in a new location this year at St Andrews Church hall at Chesterton as Newnham College, the usual venue, is being knocked about. Everyone contributes food which is excellent as it becomes a little competitive! I had the dubious honour of presenting a Power point review of the year.

Love

Mike & Kate

18^th December 2016

Dear All,

Tuesday was a long day. It did not start well as we arrived at Addenbrooke’s before 7 am and the nurse greeted Kate with “it has been very busy on A & E and we haven’t any beds in J3” When the operating list was read out Kate was not on it and they eventually discovered that she should have been in a different ward despite her paperwork saying otherwise. When she arrived at the correct ward she was greeted with “You’re late”. Unfortunately she was the last on the list so had to wait until 4.40 pm for her op. She came out of theatre at 6.30. I collected her at 9.45 pm as they are keen to vacate beds but I think she would have been happier staying in overnight as she was feeling sick and delicate. She has been taking it “easy” since – or her version of “easy” and gradually improving every day. She will not know the next step until after an appointment on the 30th. The operation area is very sore so sometimes it is difficult to sleep the hours to which she is accustomed!

Friends and family have been very good with many phone calls, cards, visits and bunches of flowers. Esther even found a jigsaw puzzle with Wirksworth on it in an effort to encourage relaxing.

Before she went in for the op. Kate was determined to eradicate the remnants of our super strain of bamboo. This counts as one of my major gardening errors. It serves me right for nicking the original cutting from “Ormonde” in Ipswich when Jose was in residence. It proved to be the most vigorous strain possible and although we cut, sprayed, burnt and eventually dug up the main clump last year the runners had spread 15 feet in all directions. Kate decided that half the lawn should be dug up to physically remove these runners and she chipped away at this for several weeks. Several dustbin fulls have been despatched and hopefully the majority has now been eliminated. We now need to replace the lawn!

Just about done!

I joined the Thursday walk as Kate was happy to be left and friends called in anyway. The walk this week started at Balsham and took in Horseheath and West Wickham. It is an area of outstanding glutinous mud and quite a slog as our boots ended up like lead weights. The day started misty and the sun never really got going.

Near Horseheath

The final “Biographies” session took the form of winter readings and quizzes – I presented Tom Lehrer’s “Christmas Carol” – spoken not sung!

We hope to be off to Hove for three days from Christmas Eve and have been invited to spend some days with friends in their cottage in Norfolk over the New Year as long as Kate’s appointments and state of health allow it.

Meanwhile I hope you all enjoy Christmas:

“Christmas time is here by golly,

Disapproval would be folly,

Deck the halls with hunks of holly,

Fill the cup and don’t say “when”.

Kill the turkeys, ducks and chickens,

Mix the punch drag out the Dickens,

etc – you know the rest?

Love

Mike & Kate

31st December 2016

Dear All,

Kate’s appointment went quite well yesterday in that the operation has been successful and the lymph glands were clean. She now has to have two scans (one for bone density), radiotherapy for 3 weeks and tablets for 5 years. It is quite a treadmill once you are on it, but there are plenty of reasons to be grateful.

We had an enjoyable Christmas at Hove. Esther had been down since the 20^th to child mind while Mary-Ann was working. Ben, as usual, cycled but with so much luggage due to Christmas presents that it took him 6 hours – the South Downs can be a challenge! Kate and I were staying in an “Air BnB” nearby which worked well. Albert still does not sleep for long periods partly due to persistent eczema but is usually cheerful in the daytime. He is standing but not quite walking yet. Amélie is showing signs of artistic talent and at Christmas was obsessed with a game on a tablet where she racked up scores higher than anyone else. Of course we did manage one game of “Skinny” but Albert was not an asset when we tried “Upwords”! After church we had a walk along Brighton front which was a bit like Piccadilly Circus!

  

On Boxing Day we had a leg and lung stretcher at Devil’s Dyke in bright clear weather with spectacular views along the Downs.

Devil’s Dyke

We decided to help Ben’s return journey by delivering his luggage to Streatham. The traffic was bad as we approached the M25 and continued into London on the M23 with warnings that there was a 90 minute delay approaching the Dartford Tunnel. We therefore decided to drive home through London with the help of the SatNav which we achieved via the Rotherhithe Tunnel (which was a surprise as we were aiming at the Blackwall Tunnel!)

I walked on Thursday but Kate rested mainly because her leg is playing up. We started at Walkern in Hertfordshire and numbers were down due to weather/distance/Christmas duties but it was frozen solid for most of the route and scenically undulating.

We are off to Norfolk when I have finished this letter staying with Ian & Felicia, who some of you met at my party.

Best wishes for 2017 – 2016 has some questions to answer!

Love

Mike & Kate

11^th December 2016

Dear All,

We were in Hove again this week; fortunately the M 25 was free flowing in both directions so the journeys were fine. Albert is gaining speed on all fours and zooms from room to room and up the stairs if not watched! We did some Christmas shopping in George Street and walked westwards along the seafront towards Portslade while he slept for much of the time. Amélie was in her school nativity play which we were able to view on Wednesday evening. Andy had described her performance “a bit like Lance Corporal Jones in Dads Army – a step behind the others and sometimes turning left when the rest turned right!” However she looked angelic as an angel!

On Thursday Philip was struck down with stomach pains so Kate and I had to lead the short walk with little notice. The walk started at Wicken and we were able to include a good deal of a previous walk which started at Burwell and took in Wicken Fen. There was more wildlife in evidence than often is the case on the fens, we saw deer three times, three raptors, a pair of egrets, 30 Konik ponies and flocks of lapwings. We did end up covering 9.2 miles which was a tad long for the short walkers!

Near Burwell

Wicken Fen

The subject of “Biographies” on Friday was Sir Richard Doll – had you heard of him? No neither had I! He was an epidemiologist credited with being the first to link smoking with lung cancer, asbestos to lung problems and radiation to leukaemia.

In the evening I had a Garden Club talk at Barrow near Bury St Edmunds – a small group but very friendly.

Yesterday I watched football in the rain before we attended the Over Pantomime this year it was “Dick Whittington” and was very good – Oh no it wasn’t – Oh yes it was!

Love

Mike & Kate

4^th December 2016

Dear All,

It has been a fairly normal week with swimming, church groups, 60s music, walking, Biographies, gardening and football. However we have also been entertained to two meals out, been on Street Pastors duty, helped friends move house and I attended men’s breakfast yesterday.

We have had a new kitchen fitted at chapel thanks to an anonymous donation and we added an industrial type dish washer fitted this week so we had a training session on Tuesday morning.

Before

After

Dishwasher Training

“60s Music” featured top sellers from 1966 which included Frank Sinatra, The Four Tops, Nancy Sinatra, The Kinks, The Troggs, Manfred Mann, Herb Alpert, The Beach Boys, Dusty Springfield, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Titch, The Who and Rolling Stones. Some improvement on the early 60s but still a few ropey ones!

Our Thursday walk started at Abinton Pigotts and took i Steeple Morden and Guilden Morden. The ground was still firm after a few days of -5°C and the sun stayed out so it was very pleasant and 48 turned out.

Near Litlington

A few walkers

A Touch of Frost

The “Biographies” subject was “Edward Lear” who although most famous for his nonsense poems primarily made his living from drawing and illustrations.

We had been invited out on Wednesday to Sandra Buchanan’s an ex walking colleague who fell and broke her pelvis at the New Year. She had a replacement and has started shorter walks again. Last night we were out again at Matthew and Rachel’s a young South African couple from church.

Street Pastors was fairly busy especially between midnight and 2.30 am with several Christmas parties in action and we were able to sort several “tired and emotional” folk. Most thankfully had supportive friends with them which helps no end. The worst case was on his own and had to be despatched to Addenbrookes as he failed to respond and his blood pressure dropped dramatically. I got to bed at 4.45 am and was up at 8.15 am for Men’s Breakfast where the speaker was John Searle an colourful ex professional poker player who became a pastor and started “AquAid” which supports a large number of projects in Africa particularly Malawi.

Stan and Maya, a Bulgarian couple from church are moving from Willingham to Fen End, Over this weekend. Kate helped with some painting on Friday and we helped move some furniture yesterday.

Love

Mike & Kate