27^th August 2017

Dear All,

Highlight this week was our Friday trip to London to belatedly celebrate Kate’s 70^th birthday courtesy of our family. We met at the Tower of London and spent the morning there. It was, as usual, teeming with folk but well managed and something for everyone. Albert enjoyed climbing all the steps and Amélie was impressed by the Crown Jewels. We then walked along the Embankment to the Globe Theatre and were treated to a “Midsummers Night’s Dream Tea” in the Swan Restaurant. This was very grand as you can see from the photo.

Our usual swim on Monday was thwarted by a pump breakdown. On Tuesday we were down at Hutton sorting Esther’s estate. This week’s invitation was to fix a new doorbell, free a stiff tap, weed the front garden and borders, cut the grass, pick blackberries and raspberries. In addition we had time to refurbish the swing seat, prune the raspberries and construct a new compost bin out of pallets. It is always rewarding to be able see a difference at the end!

We walked from Broughing near Buntingford on Thursday. It is a village of interesting architecture and some history including H.G. Wells installing his pregnant mistress there. The local landowner planted 3 woods after WWII and named them after British disasters so we passed Ypres, Suez and Munich Woods!

Broughing

The local football season is underway and I have watched four matches this week, partially because there was a tournament in memory of a village worthy.

We have harvested a bumper crop of Sweet Corn this week – about 40 cobs. Fortunately there was a BBQ last Saturday and again this lunchtime.

Mary-Ann and Andy took part in 50 kilometre walk for the “South Coast Challenge” yesterday. Mary-Ann reported that “her feet are hurting and going over the Seven Sisters was exhausting” but they made it keeping up 5 km per hour, so we are very impressed.

Love

Mike & Kate

20^th August 2017

Dear All,

It was the annual chapel outing to Hunstanton yesterday, I am not sure how much people enjoy it but it has become a tradition! We are able to use the Union Church Hall for free (or a donation) and this is an excellent base for coffee when we arrive, fish & chip lunch and tea before departure. There always seems to be more weather at Hunstanton and this year was no exception as although it kept dry it was distinctly breezy. We hold a serious “Pitch & Putt” competition after lunch and this year there was an unprecedented three way tie for the winning position. On the way back we were all invited to a BBQ at Kate & Gordon’s at Haddenham and this is always popular as well as we are joined by a few who do not make the trip. 

 We had an extra day at Hove this week as it is the school holidays. We took the children to Hove Park Wednesday morning where there is a large playground and sand pit and in the afternoon braved the beach as the sun came out. Albert is fascinated by water but not too sure about waves! Mary-Ann just works mornings on Thursdays and Albert goes to nursery, so we were in charge of Amélie on a rather wet day, but when it eventually stopped raining we tried crazy golf which Amélie won “because she got round first!” We left after lunch and on the way back called on friends we had met in Turkey – Robert & Heather Hadland who live in Bexhill. Heather is Hawaiian and Robert is father of Sarah Hadland who appeared in “Miranda” amongst other things.

I did a bit of precarious ladder work on Friday clearing moss off of the flat roof and out of the gutters and edging tiles back into position where they had slipped and were blocking the gutters. The distance looks a lot further up there than it does on the ground!

We are expecting Dave and Ana Garlick this afternoon to report on Ecuador.

Love

Mike & Kate

13^th August 2017

Dear All,

It was a busy day yesterday as we came off Street Pastors at 4 am and had to be up to stage entries for the Over Produce Show early in the morning. The show is under new management as the old boys from the British Legion who have been running it since the days of Cain & Abel are getting long in the tooth and handed it over to a new committee mainly from the Garden Club. The new committee are details people and have held 5 committee meetings with and average of 4 – 5 pages of minutes! Still they have done a good job and the number of participants rose from 20 to 50 with nearly 400 entries and made over £660. I was expecting to judge again but they were keen to get as many entries as possible. I managed 5 x 1sts, 3 x 2nds and 5 x 3rds and was second (by 2 points) in the Veg and 3^rd overall. The Veg winner is very good, growing in drain pipes etc and the overall winner was a lady who submitted 70 entries!.

Friday night’s patrol was not too busy which was good, as we were in charge for the first time. The streets were not too crowded with just one serious incident as a lad was thrown out of “Fez” for fighting with a doorman and unceremonially deposited on the pavement where he cracked his head. As he was unresponsive we were not sure whether he was concussed or just inebbriated and ordered medical check up as a precaution. As it happened the police turned up before the ambulance and took over. Apart from this incident we had plenty of chats with Streetlife folk and revellers giving away several bottles of water and pairs of flip flops.

We have been “hot bedding” this week as after Ben left on Sunday he was replaced by two Bulgarians who are friends of friends and were over for a wedding and stayed for two nights and were then replaced by Mandy & Natasha down from Wirksworth for a night.

On Wednesday night we had a trip to the Arts Theatre in Cambridge with Bob & Carol to se “The Play That Goes Wrong” – it was very funny and would highly recommend it if you have the chance.

My cricket pitch colleague, John Lane and I travelled to Wisbech on Tuesday to look at a replacement mower – unfortunately it was no better than the one we already have. The man who cuts the outfield has been on holiday for 2 weeks and had arranged for a replacement to stand in while he was away. Sadly he ended up in Addenbrookes and after 2 wet and warm weeks the grass was seriously long so the cricket team all turned up with small mowers to cut the whole out field – it was a sight to behold. Virtue was rewarded as for the first time this year both teams won on the same day!

Our Thursday walk started at Broughton this week which is north of here near Kings Ripton not far from Huntingdon. After a wet and miserable day on Wednesday we were relieved that it stayed fine and was a decent walk. Hopefully the weather has turned now for harvest as some wheat crops are starting to look a bit sad.

The Crown, Broughton

Old Farm House, Broughton

Break Time

Gardening continues: Kate has planted a new strawberry bed, we have harvested spuds and I have planted lettuce, fennel and sown crimson clover and mustard for green manure.

Tom Webster phoned from Scotland while I have been writing this. He is 94 now and stil manages to be cheerful and keeps exercising his dog 2 or 3 times a day and goes out for meals several times in a week as well.

Love

Mike & Kate

6^th August 2017

Dear All,

We have had a very enjoyable holiday in Aldeburgh with the family. Our accommodation was a 3 storey house in sight of the sea with steps down to a contained garden, which kept the children (and grandpa) happy for much of the time.

Mary-Ann collected Esther on the way, which was fortunate as she was not feeling too good initially. Andy arrived from Holland via Harwich, Manningtree, Ipswich and Saxmundham. Ben had tickets for the Test Match on Saturday and came by train that evening but had to leave Monday for a colleague’s funeral. He returned by bike on Tuesday (190 Km) and left Friday to Cromer and stayed here last night – over 500 Km in all.

We explored Aldeburgh on Saturday first by following the “Where’s Wally” trail then took in “The Scallop” and local playground.

On Sunday we were in Southwold for serious crab fishing in the harbour then walked along the coast to the pier. Ben swam most of the way but it did not look too inviting! We called at Dunwich on the way back.

Monday we took in Easton Farm Park which is very well set up for children and adults with a working blacksmith, several Suffolk Punches and a complete array of farm animals. Amélie had a great time stroking rabbits and Guinea pigs, bouncing on a giant inflatable cushion and having two pony rides. Albert was brave enough to feed the chickens but drew the line at anything larger! Some of us called in at Wickham Market on the way home.

It was Thorpeness on Tuesday, rowing on the lake and visiting the “House in the Clouds” and windmill. Andy had to leave for Croatia in the afternoon and the rest of the party went to the Red House – Benjamin Britten’s home which now hosts music and craft activities. Amélie made a bug house and was featured on their web site. The house has a large garden with games laid out and the highlight was spotting a grass snake in the pond. In the evening Kate’s sister Sue, who lives in Beccles, came for a meal together with husband Bill, daughter, son-in-law and two children. It was a tight squeeze but it was good to see them.

Wednesday it was Framlingham Castle which again accommodated children with fight displays, armour to try on, walks round the battlements and a giant slide. Highlight here was successful kite flying. We called at Snape Maltings on the way back and encountered our first serious rainfall.

Thursday’s outing was to the “Oasis Camel Park” near Halesworth. An unsuccessful smallholder had turned his land over to a camelids theme park with about a dozen camels, plus alpacas, llamas and guanaco together with other livestock such as meercats, rheas, deer and pigs. There was a small museum, a lecture and opportunities to ride camels and donkeys as well as crazy golf.

Everyone left on Friday and Kate and I took the opportunity of crossing over to Orford Ness – a short boat ride from Orford Quay then explore the wildlife and abandoned military installations. It is now largely run by the National Trust and was interesting to explore.

The garden had of course run riot while we were away despite asking a few folk to help themselves.

Love

Mike & Kate

23^rd July 2017

Dear All,

Kate and I joined the Over Gardening outing to Norfolk yesterday. First stop was Peter Beales Roses at Attleborough for coffee and a look round. They have a very attractive display garden as well as useful café.

Peter Beale’s Rose garden

Rose “A Mum in a Million”

The main attraction was East Ruston Old Vicarage Garden on the east Norfolk coast near North Walsham. Two guys brought the run down vicarage in 1973 and gradually built up 32 acres of garden divided into small areas with different themes. It is definitely one of the most interesting gardens I have been to and would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

Kate and Rolls at East Ruston

House & Dutch garden

The Exotic Garden

The Entrance garden

  

                      View of Happisburgh Lighthouse                             

Painted Lady

We had begun the week culturally by attending the “Shakespeare in the College Gardens” performance of “Hamlet” in St John’s garden on Monday evening. It was a fine night and an excellent performance with a decent crowd.

We had the church AGM on Tuesday and on Wednesday I borrowed a pressure washer to improve the performance of the cricket mowers which soon get clogged in damp weather.

Our Thursday walk started at Chippenham, near Newmarket taking in Fordham, Landwade and Snailwell. Landwade is one of the smallest parishes in the UK consisting of one farm, a large house and a privately owned church – a bit like Blackadder’s Rotten borough! We were treated to one short shower but otherwise it was an enjoyable walk including Chippenham Fen Wildlife reserve.

Chippenham Water Pump

Chippenham Fen

Landwade church

Friday saw us in Cambridge for a Street Pastors briefing as we are to act as “Seniors” on our next outing as they are short of leaders this summer. The security system in St Andrews church which acts as our HQ, is a thing of wonder and complexity and we were given a very thorough induction by the caretaker!

We should be in Aldeburgh with the family for a week from next Friday so no letter.

Love

Mike & Kate

16th July 2017

Dear All,

It was Over Carnival yesterday and Mary-Ann, Andy, Amélie & Albert came for the weekend and Esther and Kian (one of her respite care lads) came for the day. We had a chapel stand as usual with a quiz, game, children’s goodie bags and lego. It all seemed to go quite well, the weather held up and there was a good attendance. The local Raptor Centre made guest appearance.

Float

Chapel Quiz

Albert on the Game

Refreshment Time

We had been down to Hove again this week by way of Bishops Stortford U3A where I was addressing their Garden Club. For the third time running the journey was in wall to wall rain. On Wednesday we pushed Albert to Brighton where he enjoyed the beachside playground and explored the pier.

Our Thursday walk started locally in Cottenham and circled the Fen taking in Rampton following Cottenham Lode. The crops were not as good as the previous week but there was some decent hay being made.

Hay Making

Swan Family

Mervyn and I finished strimming the graveyard after swimming on Monday. Kate meanwhile had been comforting Rachel (our South African friend) whose daughter Grace was screaming and uncomfortably hot.

Our Apricot tree has always been reliable but this year has been exceptional.

  

Apricot Tree

Love

Mike & Kate

9th July 2017

Dear All,

Kate had a check up on Wednesday and was given an all clear until her next mammogram. She also had a blood test and an X-Ray on her hip which has been playing up. She celebrated on Thursday after our walk by being violently sick and feeling awful so had to be rushed home where she recovered quite quickly after a shower and a sleep.

The Thursday walk started at Howletts End, near Thaxted. The crops in the area were excellent: uniform and fairly weed free. We took in Brocks second hand agricultural machinery show ground, at Cutlers Green, which is now massif.

Wheat near Howletts End

Brock’s Machinery Showground

Kate pre collapse

Apart from that we haven’t been far this week. Kate has been painting windows and fence panels, I have demolished part of our old coal bunker to accommodate the three dustbins. This produced 10 bags of brick rubble which we took to the tip yesterday.

Bin Bunker

I have also been tunnelling a track through the 6 feet high brambles behind the chapel to allow a painter to access the windows. While I was doing this the lady next door came to chat and said “I am surprised you haven’t done something with this area as it belongs to the chapel” which is a major surprise to us as our deeds state that it belongs to them. I have also started strimming the overgrown graves at the Cemetery – this is not one of my favourite jobs as strimmers seem to be especially temperamental!

We chalked up a rare victory for the Chapel cricket team this week. I managed to bowl 2 overs for 6 runs but when batting faced a whole over of a slow bowler lobbing balls out of the sun and didn’t see any of them.

We were invited to a BBQ at Matthew and Rachel’s yesterday together with their toddler Grace who Kate sometimes looks after.

The garden and allotment both seem to be going fairly well after last week’s rain and courgettes have entered “would you like some?” stage. Tomatoes and cucumbers are underway in the greenhouses where we also have melons, sweet potatoes, peppers, aubergines, ginger and peanuts.

Bottom Greenhouse

Peanut

Melon

Love

Mike & Kate