12^th March 2017

Dear All,

This week’s excitement was breaking down on the M25 Wednesday night returning from Hove. We had only been on the M25 a few miles when the car started to judder and lose power. Kate was driving and managed to get into the inside lane and we saw a sign for “Emergency Telephone” which was useful as there was no hard shoulder on this stretch and the M25 is not much fun especially in the dark. We are in an “Assist” scheme and were promised help within an hour – 2 hours later a breakdown truck arrived and the Polish gentleman in charge said “it’s too complicated and dangerous to do anything here, do you want to go to a garage or home?” We opted for home arriving just after midnight. The car still isn’t fixed as our local garage ran a diagnostic scan which indicated “electronic fault in injector circuit” which they couldn’t fix so the car had to be picked up again and taken to the main dealer in Cambridge, who are so busy that they cannot look at it until Wednesday. Any way it could be worse and if your life is slipping by too quickly I can recommend 2 hours standing by the M25 in the dark to slow time down!

Wednesday had started wet in Hove but once it stopped raining we walked Albert to Brighton in his push chair as this usually ensures he nods off. He is now walking confidently and consequently very proud of himself. Highlight of the day for him was stomping through puddles in his wellies! Amélie lost her first tooth this week so was excited by a visit from the tooth fairy.

On the Phone!

Grandma in Charge?

Gappy!

On Monday we had a load of turf delivered to cover the area of lawn Kate had dug up pre op. to try and eradicated the rampant bamboo. Adrian helped lay the turf and as our contact had over ordered, Kate and I ended up digging up another three strips of lawn to use up the new turves.

Men at Work

Before the 3 extra strips

I was speaking at the Garden Club at Willingham on Monday night and then “Just Vegetating” on Tuesday while developing a cold – which of course developed into “Man Flu!”. Generously I have now passed it on to Kate who is less than grateful.

The topic this week was “Minor Vegetables part 2” including Artichokes, seakale, sweet potatoes etc and the recipes were: Celeriac and cheddar cheese soda bread, Celeriac, chicory, orange and cashew nut salad and Roasted fennel and pine nut polpette.

We didn’t walk this Thursday due to the excitement of getting back late and trying to sort out the car but I caught up in the garden planting shallots, onions, broad beans and peas and pricking out the remaining tomatoes.

On Friday I biked to the guided bus which was awkward as I was taking the projector into “Biographies” for someone to borrow. The subject this week was “Julia-Margret Cameron” who was given a camera for Christmas in 1864 and within two years had an exhibition at the V & A museum. Photography in those days was of course a complex chemical experiment to develop the glass slides so was a formidable undertaking.

Yesterday Mervyn turned up first thing and has lent us their old Peugeot until ours is fixed which is very kind of him. I then assembled a new cold frame and put together a presentation on “Beethoven” for a lady to deliver in “Biographies” next week. This involved scanning 30 photographs – so she owes me!

In the afternoon Dave Harrower and I travelled to Chatteris for another nail biting top of the table clash won by Hardwick!

Ben is off to America again next week; this trip includes Boston, a 20 mile race and the Niagara Falls.

Love

Mike & Kate

5^th March 2017

Dear All,

“Well Brian – it was a trip of two halves”, this refers to our Friday and Saturday day visit to Lincoln to celebrate the end of Kate’s radiotherapy sessions. Friday it rained non-stop both during the journey and the first days sightseeing. On Saturday the sun came out and it was a different world. We had accommodation at “Bishop Grosseteste University” which is the former Teachers Training College. This was a little strange as the campus seemed largely deserted for most of the time we were there even though it was normal term time.

On Friday we had a conducted tour of the Cathedral which was excellent and the building magnificent. We then walked down “Steep Hill” (which really is) via the ancient “Jews House” to Brayford Pool (the old harbour) before returning to the campus then later returning to the centre for a meal at “Browns Pies”.

Castle Hill, Information Centre

Carved wall in the Cathedral

On Saturday we walked the length of the Castle Ramparts with splendid views of the city and surrounding countryside, before joining a conducted tour of the rest of the Castle and Prison. We also inspected one of the four remaining copies of the “Magna Carta”.

After this we visited the “Usher Art Gallery” and the “Museum of Lincolnshire Life”. The Museum was again brought to life by a local guide. It is housed in an old barracks and besides recreating old shops and trades has a large collection of old farm machinery especially wagons and carts and the first military tank that was made in Lincoln. The guide owned a modern “Penny farthing bike” and demonstrated mounting, riding and dismounting at the end of the tour.

View of Cathedral from Castle Ramparts

Kate and George III

Wagon Wheel exhibit

Horace on Penny Farthing

It has been a museum week as after swimming on Monday I had arranged a conducted tour in Cambridge of “The Whipple Museum of the History of Science” for the chapel. This contains a collection of apparatus used in pioneering experiments e.g. Darwin’s microscope, teaching aids, large collections of globes and historic items such as Sinclair’s ZX 81 computer.

Orrery

In the evening it was the Cricket Club AGM and I was granted permission to buy a new mower!

“Just Vegetating” this week started “Minor Vegetables” such as Salsify and Scozonera and Kate’s recipes were: Sweet Potato gratin with coconut and chilli, Squashsage and chestnut roll and Swede with honey.

In the evening we went to Warboys for a talk on “500 years since the Reformation” by an Australian called Stephen Tong.

We were treated to live music for the first time in “60s Music” by “Kim & Lee”. Kim was Kimberley Rew was guitarist with “Katrina and the Waves” and wrote both their 1985 No. 1 hit “Walking on Sunshine” and their 1997 Eurovision winner: “Love Shine a Light”. He played brilliantly and I have never heard a guitar played better.

Our Thursday walk started fairly locally at Graveley and took in Offord D’Arcy and Offord Cluny. It was not the most exciting walk but it stayed dry and the pub was good.

Love

Mike & Kate

26^th February 2017

Dear All,

Wednesday saw the last of Kate’s daily expeditions to Addenbrooke’s so relief all round for now. She has a follow up consultation on the 5^th April for discussions about the next step as she does not want to take the prescribed tablets (Letrozole) because of the possible side effects. Evidently other tablets are available but so far so good as she has come through this stage very well determined not to let it get on top of her. One surprise was that a charity donated a “Goodie Bag” to celebrate the end of the radiotherapy sessions.

Hospital Goodie Bag

Swimming was back on the agenda on Monday and we were joined by another recruit, Jenny who has moved into the village and started at chapel after she and her husband Tony had a career working for the YMCA in some tough localities in London.

In “Just Vegetating” this week I taught “Potatoes” and Kate introduced Homity Pie, Latkes and Delia’s Potato Chocolate cake.

“60s Music” was “Poetry in Motion” mainly deciphering the lyrics of  “Procal Harum” and the meaning of “a whiter shade of pale”! It was interesting but the presenter was a little full of himself. Kate celebrated the end of her sessions by going to Pilates! But wisely opted out of the Thursday walk which thanks to Doris was quite challenging.

We met at Ousden 4 miles south of Newmarket and the attendance was well down on normal “when the going gets tough – the smart stay at home!” There was some underfoot mud, plenty of surface water and severe gusts of wind which were a little unnerving as so many trees were littered with fallen boughs.

Near Ousden

  

Water Force

  

Damp Underfoot

Running Deer

In the evening we were invited to a former walking colleague -  Sandra’s for a meal. She had to retire from our group as she tripped on a paving stone at Southwold January 2016 and broke her hip.

The “Biographies” group turned up at our usual meeting place in the Friends Meeting House on Friday morning and it was mysteriously locked and deserted. We eventually found an alternative room in the University Union building but so far have not discovered what happened. This week’s subject was “Gertrude Bell”. No I hadn’t heard of her either, but she was a sort of female Lawrence of Arabia. She was a writer, traveller, Political officer, administrator, spy and archaeologist in the Middle East. Because she had travelled extensively in the area she was recruited in WW1 get Arab support and after was involved in the Cairo Conference and running Iraq.

We have a baptism at church today which is a major undertaking uncovering the baptistery then filling and heating the water.

I watched a full blooded top of the table clash yesterday as Hardwick beat Great Shelford 2 v 1 with a last minute goal. Both sides were fortunate to end with 11 men!

Love

Mike & Kate

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