14^th May 2017

Dear All,

We have just returned from a week walking in Bulgaria. It was a great holiday and we can thoroughly recommend it. We stayed at Yagodina in the Rodolphe Mountains in the south of Bulgaria only 30 Km from the Greek border. Our accommodation was a small family run guest house which served traditional Bulgarian food. The scenery was spectacular – we were at about the height of Snowden and climbed about 300 m most days. In a week’s walking we only saw one other hiker and he was looking for mushrooms. It was about as remote as you can get in Europe with steep limestone gorges and tree covered slopes. The area is home to bears, wolves and wild boar but we only managed to see chamois and deer of the larger animals but also several birds and reptiles. Plant wise there were numerous orchids, wild iris, and roman hyacinths and several unique indigenous flowers.

We were in a party of 10 and the others were all interesting characters with tales to tell and our leader, a Bulgarian girl was excellent displaying great enthusiasm and knowledge of the area.

I have taken a few photos and hope to put them on Dropbox before long!

love

Mike & Kate

16th April 2017

Dear All,

Ben cycled up yesterday taking five and a half hours and plans to return this morning. We have just come in from a 6 am Sunrise Service in the orchard. As usual, the sun was shy about rising in public and had to be photoshopped into the pictures.

Albert has survived the first session of his two stage operation. I guess it was a little traumatic for him - and his parents. Mary-Ann sent a photo of him in recovery!

Kate and I had a rare shopping expedition to Cambridge on Monday after swimming. I needed a few more things for Moldova and Kate purchased a shelf ladder from the Futon sale.

Shelf Ladder

I did a Moldova presentation to our home groups on Tuesday and a “Modern Vegetable Varieties” talk to the NIAB Retired Association on Wednesday. In the evening we went to the theatre to see “Abigail’s Party” which was very good.

Our Thursday walk began at Chevington south of Bury St Edmunds and took in Hargrave and Chedburgh. The weather veered from hot in the sun to distinctly chilly when it went in and the ground had set like rock around wheelings and horses hoof marks.

Chevington Church

We marked up the cricket square on Thursday afternoon and began serious grass trimming ready for the new season. I have been replacing wooden slats in the front of the bike shed. The wood was shaped so I ordered it from our local wood yard and it was not cheap!

Our Wisteria at the front has come out this week and looking magnificent.

Love

Mike & Kate

9th April 2017
19 Willingham Road,

Over,

Cambridge.

CB24 5PD

Dear All,

Kate had a consultation at Addenbrooke’s on Wednesday. It went well after an initial scare when they asked for a scan on her right breast as there were some lumps that they were not happy about. The outcome was however favourable and they have agreed that she need not take any tablets at present having studied the possible side effects and balanced this against the possible gains. She has to go back again in July.

We had an “Esther Day” on Tuesday tackling her garden which she has not had time to master due to the Respite Care she is undertaking. After cutting the grass, weeding the front garden and raised beds, clearing out the greenhouse, harvesting last year’s potatoes, Planting tomatoes and sowing 2 of the raised beds – you could see where we had been!

 

A few before & afters

I fetched the cricket roller from its winter quarters on Wednesday and have rolled the square a few times so I guess summer is just round the corner? Kate has cleaned the glasshouse panes this week and I have renovated the “George Day memorial” garden furniture. Dad helped me make these about 25 years ago and like “Trigger’s Broom” there is very little of the original wood left but they have great sentimental value.

Our Thursday walk was fairly local starting at Great Wilbraham and taking in Little Wilbraham and skirting Fulbourn. It was warm and sunny throughout and firm and dry underfoot. Philip our ex military leader joined us for lunch but 10 weeks on a cruise round South America has left him far from fit.

 

We were on Street Pastors on Friday night. It started fairly quietly but as usual got busier after midnight. The worst incidents both occurred in night clubs: a head butting with copious blood and a case of very serious projectile vomiting. In both cases the bouncers eject those involved and leave them to fend as best they can. The sick guy needed considerable attention but fortunately his mates eventually claimed him at 3 am chucking out time.

Albert had a pre op session this week and has to have a small op. next Tuesday. He cannot eat or drink beforehand and this will exercise him very greatly!

Love

-->

Mike & Kate

-->

2^nd April 2017

Dear All,

We were down at Hove again this week, fortunately without breaking down but we were very aware of the spot when we drove past! The weather was not great but we managed to walk to the beach as well as carry out some shopping for the next Maldova trip. Amélie is showing signs of artistic talent – especially on any available wall! and Albert seems to pick things up very quickly and is not what you would call a fussy eater!

 

Before travelling down on Tuesday we attended the funeral of Phil Doggett an ex deacon and fruit grower in the village. He was a classic case of being stuck in the wrong job as he was a sensitive soul who loved reading and writing but ended up doing a practical job that he was not cut out for. In later life he took to going round dustbins collecting items that could be cleaned up and reused – but he did not reuse them but stored them in his house and sheds which gradually overflowed.

We had an excellent walk on Thursday starting at Clophill in Bedfordshire. Philip Shaw was meant to be leading the short walk but has returned from a 10 week cruise round South America somewhat worse for wear with a persistent chest infection. His wife described the cruise boat as “a bed of infection” with 13 people being invalided home. It did not make me want to go on a cruise but I guess it was just a poor example? The walk took in the “Greensand Ridge” and several woods. The first bluebells were just showing in flower and there were copious celandines, primroses and anemones. We saw three buzzards – one very close and a roe deer.

Maulden Mauseleum

Greensand Ridge, Clophill

Another good week in the garden planting late potatoes, celeriac, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflowers and tomatoes and sowing parsnips, salsify and carrots.

Merv and Pat returned from St Lucia having underestimated the power of the sun on the first day with red and peeling flesh!

Love

Mike & Kate

26^th March 2017

Dear All,

There were two highlights this week: getting the car back and meeting up with Mary, Graham, David and Jen for a meal at Bishops Stortford.

The car was eventually repaired on Monday after 12 days. Fortunately Peugeot agreed to pay for the parts even though it was out of warranty as we had a full maintenance record and it had only done 38,000 miles. Replacing and reprogramming a full set of injectors and diagnosing the fault would have cost £2,055. We had to pay labour cost which were £434 – bring back the Austin A35!

Monday was a busy day as I began with having a wisdom tooth refilled and patched up, continued with a meeting over lunch with John Law to discuss the next trip to Moldova, then off to the doctors for the results of MOT blood tests and ended with the annual chapel outing to Pidley for 10 pin bowling. We had 35 turn up for either the meal or the game and it seemed to go very well.

On Tuesday we visited Oakington Garden Centre to stock up on slug pellets, fertilizer and a few plants and seeds. Later I harvested the last of the Brussels sprouts at the allotment and dug the land. Sprouting broccoli was also coming on stream and needed picking.

Gordon Foster had been to hospital in London to have a cyst removed from a very delicate part of his anatomy; he expected to be kept in for 3 days but was released the same day and turned up for a church meeting in the evening.

We hadn’t met the Browns and the Days for some time and Graham suggested meeting at a venue equidistant for us all so Wetherspoons at Bishops Stortford was chosen. It was a good venue despite the complications of the town’s one way traffic system. We had planned a short walk but the weather was not conducive so we settled for a stroll round the Castle Park.

Venerable Group

Our Thursday walk started at Kneesworth west of Cambridge and took in Melbourn and Meldreth. It was a mixed walk as the section along the River Mel was excellent but it also involved crossing the A 10 four times and the railway line. In the absence of the normal pub we ate at a “Yuva Nepalese Restaurant”. Despite having pre-ordered service was extremely slow and some of our group are not famed for their patience!

River Mel

The U3A term has finished so we had more time free this week which was useful as the weather allowed some serious gardening to begin. On Friday I cut the grass, planted early spuds, peas, lettuce, cabbage and cauliflowers and sowed peppers, aubergines and salsify, declamped the dahlias and planted the earliest tomatoes in the greenhouse.

The magnolia trees in the front are in full blossom and so far have escaped the usual frost singeing.

Love

Mike & Kate

19^th March 2017

Dear All,

We were on Street Pastors duty last night – hence the delay in this offering. It was a very lively night with at least four violent incidents. The first arose when two inebriated girls attacked two adults for no discernible reason and left them bleeding heavily. They were patched up by our folk in “Nightlite” then one of their friends went looking for the perpetrators and had to be restrained by the police. Next we were called to M&S doorway where a rough sleeper had been attacked by one of his “mates!”. He had slammed his head into the floor then kicked him – again under the influence. We took him to the cafe (Nightlite) and they patched him up but he was sent to Addenbrooke’s to check for concussion.

We were not directly involved in the third incident but were in the vicinity when eight police cars and ambulances screeched up included an “Armed Response Unit”. It seemed like overreaction as there had been a fight outside one of the night clubs and a girl had been hit and her boyfriend intervened and two guys had been knocked out. Seeing police with guns was a bit alarming! Finally near finishing time (4am) a gang of large coloured lads were falling out with each other with much shouting and pushing and shoving but the police were quickly on the spot. In between we had picked up over 120 bottles (to prevent them being used as weapons), swept up some broken glass, distributed numerous pairs of flip flops and bottles of water and stood up a few fallen bikes. At least when you are busy the time goes more quickly!

We still haven’t got the car back. Marshalls got round to diagnosing the problem on Wednesday and decided that it needed a new set of injectors. As this would be expensive they said that as it had been purchased and serviced by them they would consult Peugeot about getting the bill reduced as “a goodwill offering”. This was eventually agreed – they will pay for the parts and we have to pay labour. However the parts have to be ordered – so watch this space! We have been very grateful to borrow Merv,s ancient Peugeot 307.

After swimming on Monday I had a trip to the clinic to have some blood samples taken (for a medical MOT) then to the dentist as I lost a chunk of tooth. This hopefully will be patched tomorrow. At lunchtime (prepared by Kate) the chapel “Events Committee” met here to plan forthcoming activities.

Tuesday was the last session of “Just Vegetating” covering “Oriental Vegetables”. The class presented us with a £100 John Lewis voucher which was very touching.

I had another Garden Club talk on Wednesday evening at Benington near Stevenage. My Sat Nav was in my car and I had forgotten how much you rely on it finding villages in the middle of nowhere in the dark.

The Thursday walk started at Arkesden south of Saffron Walden and took in Clavering. It was much drier underfoot than recent weeks and very pleasant with spring springing up everywhere.

Arkesden

Break

“Biographies” ended with “Beethoven” presented by a rather vague ex music teacher. She wanted to use Power point but did not know how so I put it together for her and acted as projectionist. Unfortunately she changed the order of pictures so it was quite a game keeping up with her. After we had an end of term lunch in “Cote Brasserie”. Friday was also my birthday – thanks to all who sent cards and presents – greatly appreciated. In the evening 12 of us had a meal at “The Old Crown” in Girton.

We started yesterday with Street Pastors training on “Homelessness” and “Community”. The first session was very good taken by an ex homeless man who has been heavily involved with “Jimmy’s” access centre. This caters for 24 people (and 2 dogs!) every night and tries to process inmates onwards to hostels, move on houses or council accommodation. There are actually 300 hostel places in Cambridge which largely explains why it is a popular spot for the homeless and perhaps why homelessness in Cambridge has increased by 100% in the last year. A recent development is “Street life tourism” where people having been travelling from London, put on tatty clothes, beg all day then change and go back home! Evidently in Cambridge the going rate for begging income is £12 an hour!

The garden is springing to life  and I have sown beetroot, salad onions and lettuce this week. Our apricot tree is covered with more bloom than ever before. – no late frosts please!

 

Apricot Blossom

Love

Mike & Kate