15th December 2024

 

Dear All,

We did manage a swim this week with the temperature back to normal. I then had the last sessions of the two U3A Zooms. In “Balkans” we finished North Macedonia mainly Ohrid and Skopje.

 

 

Skopje

 

“Eat Well..” covered Skin, Glycation and Ageing. The lecturer then left to catch a plane to Australia.

On Tuesday we attended the funeral of Les Gawn at Boxworth, he was only 68 and he had severe chest problems probably due to early exposure to asbestos. There was a large turnout and it was very emotional.

 

 

In the evening it was the AGM of the Swavesey & District History Society. They had asked for 10 minute contributions and I had prepared one on “Beaumont” but in the end they concentrated on the storey of John Shepperson an eminent local farmer and historian who died earlier this year and did not have time for other contributions.

Ben joined our family Zoom from Tunisia where he has been spending a few days.

On Wednesday we had a trip to the dump to off load a few things then collected a sheet of glass from Cottenham to repair storm damage to one of the green houses.

The church group meeting concentrated on Christmas memories especially a discussion about the changes we have seen in our lifetimes.

Our Thursday walk started at Burrough Green and took in Brinkley, Willingham Green, Weston Green and Carlton. It was very misty to start with and it did not really clear all morning.

 

 

Leaving Burrough Green in the Mist

 

 

Sheep (not Gorillas) in the Mist

 

 

The Old School House, Burrough Green

 

The final session of “Biographies” featured a Quiz which I presented based on the one we did earlier in Over, then we shared an Italian meal in a local pub.

 

In the evening Kate and I attended the Over Pantomime which was “Sleeping Beauty” The standard was quite high for a village effort.

 

 

As the sun shone on Saturday I managed a little gardening then watched Shelford 5 v 0 West Wratting as Over did not have a match.

 

Regards

Mike & Kate

 

8th December 2024

 

Dear All,

Swimming continues to be hit or miss as we arrived at Impington to find the pool closed due to a boiler failure.

Balkans this week was Albania part 2 and North Macedonia which like many countries in the area has a huge mix of nationalities.

 

 

Samuel Fort, Ohrid, North Macedonia

 

“Eat Well” included Kidney problems, Mental Illness, Coffee and Lycopene. Evidently 2 cups of coffee a day are good for you but more becomes problematic.

We walked on Tuesday this week starting at Nuthampstead which was a US airbase in World War II and took in Barkway which was on the stage coach route to London and Reed. It did not rain but there were areas of mud.

 

 

The Woodman, Nuthampstead

 

 

War Memorial

 

 

Memorial Plaque

 

I had a RSV jab on Wednesday which made me feel a bit achy for a couple of days. Later I met up with Kate & Gordon and Paul and Annette Davies in an Italian Restaurant in Ely. Paul works for the Albanian Evangelical Mission and I am trying to arrange a meeting for him with our “Balkans” lecturer.

On Thursday, Lawrie Gray came to help me sort the seed donated by Fothergill’s for Moldova. We managed to catalogue 650 vegetable packets – just the flower seed to go! I managed a little gardening in the afternoon swapping a gooseberry bush with rhubarb and removing the peppers from the top Greenhouse and mucking and digging the area.

Biographies topic this week was Shirley Williams and being a Cambridge audience about half the class had met her in person!

 

 

Dame Shirley Williams of Crosby

Kate went to visit Marjorie Johnson who had a fall and ended up badly bruised with a sore back and is now in a recovery home in Cambridge.

All local football was cancelled on Saturday so it was serious Christmas card writing and Compilation dispatching. We managed a bracing walk round Over Fen.

 

 

Fen End

 

 

Cook’s cattle

 

 

Burling’s Bulls

Regards

Mike & Kate

 

1^st December 2024

 

Dear All,

We managed a swim on Monday and dropped off a present for Nathan Burrell’s 2^nd birthday at Rachel’s workplace in Histon. “Balkans” this week started Albania. Our lecturer worked there as a volunteer teacher and had led tour parties so knows the country quite well. It has had a very checkered history including 42 years under Enver Hoxha who fell out with Tito, Stalin and Mao in turn and supressed all religions.

 

 

Albania

 

“Eat Well – Live Longer” continues to be depressing as we studied the effects of diet on Blood Cancers, Parkinson’s disease, Liver & Kidney disorders.

On Tuesday I drove to Kentford to pick up two boxes of seed from Fothergill’s which they have donated for Moldova – the small job of sorting 2000 packets awaits! After the family Zoom session we did a twilight walk round Over Fen.

Kate broke a tooth 3 weeks ago and the first appointment she could get was Tuesday this week. The dentist took so long explaining the options and struggling with a camera which was playing up, she did not have time to carry out any treatment. Fortunately Kate was able to get another session on Wednesday to patch it up.

In the spirit of Black Friday I ordered a new computer this week as guided by “Stan the Computerman”. He spent several hours swapping and saving files but when I came to check most of the recent ones were missing, so he came back again on Saturday to sort this out.

 

 

One of 13 colour options!

 

Our Thursday walk started at Guilden Morden and took in Litlington and Steeple Morden. It was frosty but sunny so ideal walking conditions. Our efficient leader had brought J cloths to cover a very slippery icy style – Health & Safety!

 

 

Leaving Guilden Morden

 

 

Between Litlington & Steeple Morden

 

 

Health & Safety

 

 

Steeple Morden Church

 

It was my turn to present at “Biographies” this week and my topic was William Cobbett of “Rural Rides” fame. He started as a Ploughboy but had a remarkable career visiting America twice and France after the Revolution. He was fearless in upsetting all authority and eventually was elected to Parliament. His Rural Rides took him to virtually every county in Southern England and recorded a very accurate picture of the suffering of Agricultural workers. (More on this subject available on request!)

 

 

William Cobbett

Kate came in with me to listen and after we began a little Christmas shopping.

Mary-Ann and family have inherited a chicken run from Esther & Emma and are now the proud owners of 3 fowls.

 

 

Pollo, Daisy & Grey (at present!)

 

It was the Grand switching on of the Christmas lights on Over Green on Saturday evening together with carol singing and numerous food and gift stall, - it does seem as though Christmas is on the way!

 

 

Merry Singers!

Regards

Mike & Kate

 

24th November 2024

 

Dear All,

We did not manage our usual swim on Monday as one road from Willingham was closed and another had a huge queue for traffic lights so we turned round and abandoned watery exercise. I used the time to transplant autumn raspberries. I then had the usual two U3A Zoom sessions, “Balkans” finished Bosnia then covered Montenegro which only has a population of 636,000 and is very mountainous with one road from Mt Lovcen descending to Kotor via 58 hairpin bends!

 

 

Montenegro

 

“Eat Well & Live Longer” was a bit depressing covering Pancreatic, Oesophical, & Prostate cancers.

On Tuesday I helped Geoff Pake clear the tomatoes out of his greenhouse then we did a short recce at Papworth St Agnes for a walk we have led previously but never found the correct path. In the evening, I went to Swavesey History Society for a talk on Agricultural Workers in the 19^th Century – how people survived on 11s per week for a 60-hour working week.

I managed some digging on Wednesday clearing up where we had a bonfire while Kate lifted Dahlias for the winter.

We were leading the walk on Thursday starting at Graveley and taking in Papworth St Agnes and Yelling. We started in rather chilly frosty conditions but the sun came out to make very pleasant walking.

 

 

Graveley

 

 

Early Frost

 

 

Approaching Papworth St Agnes

 

 

Graveley Wind Farm

 

 

Graveley Shelter

 

The Biographies subject this week was Elizabeth Garrett Anderson who was an English physician and suffragist. She is known for being the first woman to qualify in Britain as a physician and surgeon and as a co-founder and dean of the London School of Medicine for Women, which was the first medical school in Britain to train women as doctors. She had a real battle to get accepted for training and was the only woman doctor for 19 years. She was also the first lady mayor in England in Aldeburgh.

 

 

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

 

We had a Men’s Breakfast on Saturday with a man called Jonathan Gibson who had initially worked for Lloyds of London then changed to be a cabinet maker, worked in Chuna, trained as a junior school teacher, joined a building firm before setting up on his own offering electrical work, plastering, tiling and plumbing while studying for an MSc!

Kate was part of the catering team for the breakfast and is currently preparing for the Chapel Bring & Share meal. Over beat Ely Res 6 v 1 yesterday in rather wintery conditions to maintain their position at the top of the table. In the evening, we joined Merv and Pat and three others for “Call My Bluff” in the Church Hall. It was preceded by a meal and although very well organised went on rather too long.

 

Finally, a photo from last week as every National event of importance is marked by woolly additions to the village post box!

 

Regards

Mike & Kate