19^th February 2017

Dear All,

12 down, 3 to go in terms of Kate’s visits to the Addenbrooke’s house of fun. This week has been much like last week in terms of frustration with the appointment system. All times are notional and no indication as whether it will be a short (20 mins Friday), medium or long (2 hours Wednesday) wait. As warned, she has been feeling more tired this week but still coping remarkably well. She did forego the walk last Thursday, but still finds it hard to sit back and do nothing – I think it is a Derbyshire characteristic, but I have observed it in Essex and other counties as well!

We missed swimming this week as the half term timetable does not fit in very well. We were teaching “Legumes” in “U3A Just Vegetating” Tuesday morning and Kate prepared Bean Masala, Kachori and Falafel (all recipes available on request). In the evening I had a Garden Club talk at Linton and on Wednesday night another in Over. Three talks in two days is not quite how retirement should work.

Malcolm & Ruth Firth were visiting from Riga and took a service on Tuesday night. Both the Firth parents are in a bad way, Michael is paralysed after a stroke and Lily has dementia and did not recognise Malcolm.

On Wednesday Kate and I went to Simpson’s Nurseries at Fordham to buy some fruit trees. Simpson’s is the best tree nursery hereabouts and they currently have a field clearance sale. We were after Fan shaped trees to go on the new fence our neighbours have erected. We purchased a Golden Gage, Plum Jubilee and a Conference Pear, all half price.

Fan shaped Plum tree

 I had to go back on Thursday to collect two of the trees as they had not been lifted on Wednesday and called in on Roger Morley and ex NIAB colleague who took over “Boyce’s Seeds” and father of Stephen (who my children will know). Roger has just had his fifth heart operation but is planning a cricket comeback this year!

“60s Music” this week was much better billed as “A Selection of Soul Classics from the 60s”. It included Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Percy Sledge and Aretha Franklin.

I did the Thursday walk which started at Howlett End, 4 miles south of Saffron Walden. As you can see from the photos the sun shone and the mud was tolerable – not nearly as bad as 2 weeks ago.

The White Hart, Howlett End

Cole End

Approaching Wimbush Green

Friendly Observers

The “Biographies” topic this week was “Dmitri Shostakovich” the Russian musician and composer. He had the ill luck to coincide with Stalin and lived much of his life in fear of elimination but somehow survived. He wrote 15 symphonies, the first when he was 19 years old. His nervousness about being bumped off led to heavy smoking which eventually killed him. He did however have time to marry 4 times and was a keen football supporter and referee.

We were invited to the Kitson’s for dinner on Friday evening and were back there for coffee yesterday as Geoff Barnes was on a fleeting visit (he now lives in Fressingfield, Suffolk).

Kate cleaned the fish tank this week so we have restocked it – mainly Neon Tetras and Red Platys with a single Placostomus to eat the algae.

Restocked Tank

I watched Brampton v Eaton Socon yesterday in somewhat warmer conditions than of late.

A few more seeds have been started in the propagator this week: lettuce, cabbage, cauliflowers and tomatoes. Also as our walk leader Philip is currently on a 3 month cruise! round South America, I have been entrusted in raising his tomatoes.

Most of you will know that it is the biennial? “Cousins Reunion” this weekend at Esther’s. I believe Rosie, Jackie, Helen, Mary-Ann and Albert have gathered for craft work and news updates (gossip?). Amélie has stayed with Andy which seems to suit her very well.

Love

Mike & Kate

12^th February 2017

Dear All,

It has been a busy week, especially for Kate as she has fitted a daily radiotherapy session in with normal activities. She has had a mixed week with the NHS. Her appointments are very precise: 3.18 pm, 5.48 pm etc. and sometimes this works but on two occasions she has had long waits. On Tuesday she did not get home until 8.30 pm from a notional 5.46 pm appointment due to a problem with a machine and on Wednesday arrived for a 4.00 pm appointment and was told that the computer had her down for 5.15 pm and she would have to wait. Nearly two hours later it turned out that the receptionist had forgotten to book her in and the radiographers did not know she was waiting!

She prefers to travel on the guided bus at present as it goes right to the door at Addenbrooke’s but I have taken her in a couple of times and can park at a walking friends nearby, but as he is having a sort of breakdown it is never a quick stop! On Friday I was allowed to go into the session with Kate to observe the process. The actual linear accelerator machine is fantastic and hopefully very accurate. (the picture is from Google!). She is coping very well at present but gradually becoming a little sore. She is characteristically stubborn about not stopping to do anything but expects to feel more tired as the treatment goes on. (7 sessions down, 8 to go).

“U3A Just Vegetating” this week covered “Salads – Fruit” meaning Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers and Aubergines not fruit salad! because as Alan Coren once explained “Knowledge is knowing that a Tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad!”

“U3A 60s Music” was more difficult this week as the topic was “Psychedelic Music”: Jefferson Airplane, Traffic, Pink Floyd, King Crimson etc. I am afraid I was not on the same wavelength but Kate was more appreciative. In the afternoon I was invited back to NIAB for a seminar on “NIAB in the Digital Age”. One of the speakers was “Head of Crop Bioinformatics” which left me feeling that I had not retired too soon!

We were leading the walk on Thursday which started at Eversden and circled round the Wimpole Estate. Although the weather was overcast it was not too bad underfoot and it did not rain so was easier than the week before.

Wimpole Farm

Manor Farm, Gt Eversden

Lt Eversden

Badger Sett, Eversden Wood

In “Biographies” on Friday we were introduced to “Galileo” and all the struggles he had with the Catholic church in supporting the theory that the earth rotated round the sun and not vice versa.

We were on Street Pastors Friday evening and Kate typically insisted on coming. The weather being damp with the odd snow flurry meant that there were not too many people about and no serious incidents. It also affected the rough sleepers and although there were still a dozen or so out there were far fewer than recent weeks. One chap said “I was in Jimmy’s (the local night shelter) last night but I can’t stick it for more than one night at a time!” The police were late for our briefing as they had been arresting three people for drug offences on their way to the meeting.

I didn’t watch football yesterday for the first time in several weeks partly due to the weather but also because my normal spectating mate Dave had gone to watch Arsenal. He is a solid member of the “Wenger must go” party so all his usual complaints will have been topped up by another indifferent performance by the Gunners yesterday!.

Love

Mike & Kate

5^th February 2017

Dear All,

This week’s headlines include a trip to Hove, two walks and Kate beginning radiotherapy.

On Monday after swimming we did a recce for a walk we are leading next Thursday starting from Eversden and taking in the Wimpole Estate. We have covered some of the route before so used the car to check some parts, but it was muddy especially through the woods so we have had to reroute in places. In the evening we were invited to a meal at Judith and Ray Gay’s in Cambridge together with Ian & Felicia Gordon. Judith is Irish and was successfully treated for breast cancer a few years ago. Ray was a professional trumpet player who retrained as a solicitor and worked for the legal department of the BBC. The meal was largely cooked by their only son Tom who was sent to Ampleforth School at great expense and has yet to settle to steady employment.

Tuesday began with “Just Vegetating”, this week “Salads – Green” then I dropped Kate at Addenbrooke’s for a bone density scan while I parked at a walking colleague’s nearby. We then drive down to Hove in rain for most of the journey, so visibility was not great due to spray.

Wednesday morning was wet so we could not take Albert for his usual constitutional. However by 12 noon he needed a sleep so we decided to take him out anyway. Kate put him in his pushchair and he was fast asleep instantly before we had reached the front door, so we waited for the weather to improve and he eventually slept for 2 hours. He managed a 10 step marathon while we were there so will soon be jogging round the garden.

  

Amelie Industrious  

                          

    

  Curly Locks

 

How to enjoy a Melon

Our Thursday walk started at Brent Pelham and took in Furneaux Pelham and Hormead. It was very muddy and ended in the rain and one of those days when you had to remind yourself that we are doing this for pleasure!

Kate began radiotherapy in the afternoon (having walked) then went to Pilates in the evening so as yet the treatment is not yet slowing her down!

Her second session on Friday was early morning so she travelled in with Helen, an Addenbrooke’s nurse from chapel, and was back by 9.30 am.

“Biographies” subject this week was “Michael Morpurgo” the children’s author. He initially entered Sandhurst to train for the Army then took a General Degree at Kings College, London and tried teaching. He got on well with the children but not the staff and after three schools including St Faith’s in Cambridge moved to a small primary school in Kent where the headmistress encouraged staff to read stories to the children at the end of each day. He told some of his own stories and the headmistress sat in and was impressed and managed to get one published. He didn’t make much money until “War Horse” took off. He has now had 107 titles published and been elected to be Children’s Laureate.

Love

Mike & Kate

29th  January 2017

Dear All,

We were pleased to welcome Esther for the early part of the week as she was on leave. It was a dual mission to check on her aged parents and finish a curtain which had been in construction for many months. She accompanied us to “Just Vegetating” – “Brassicas” this week and a NIAB Wrinklies lunch in the Old Crown at Girton.

Finished Article

On Wednesday shopping in Cambridge was followed by a visit to Anglesey Abbey. We joined a guided tour of the Winter Garden and snowdrop collection. The Winter Garden is excellent with displays of coloured barks and they currently boast 350 snowdrop varieties. They are late this year and will look better in a couple of weeks.

 

 

Our Thursday jaunt was very local this week beginning at Oakington and taking in Longstanton, Rampton and Westwick. The temperature was bearable when you were walking but decidedly chilly when you stopped and the sun declined to shine. There are not many walks when you spot not one but two thatched churches.

St Michael’s Longstanton

All Saints, Rampton

The subject of “Biographies” was “Nikolaus Pevsner” an expert on art and architecture most famous for his 46 volume, county by county guides “The Buildings of England”. He was born in Germany in 1902 and initially praised some of the early Hitlerite policies but being Jewish soon fell foul of the Nazi race laws and had to escape to England. One of his pieces of wisdom was:

"A bicycle shed is a building; Lincoln Cathedral is a piece of architecture. Nearly everything that encloses space on a scale sufficient for a human being to move in is a building; the term architecture applies only to buildings designed with a view to aesthetic appeal."

Mary-Ann sent a clip of Albert taking his first steps yesterday, so he is now officially a “toddler”!

Love

Mike & Kate

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