This is my last post on this blog

Mon 23 May 22: I’ve had difficulty uploading this photo and it seems I’ve got to the limit (3GB) for a free WordPress site. It’s been running since 18 June 2014 and that means a little under 8 years and 2897 posts. This is the Cavendish School which serves autistic and other special needs pupils and I was the trustee of the Morris Education Trust (later the Eastern Learning Alliance) responsible…

Sun 22 May 22: Vanessa Kelly. I’ve know Vanessa for a long time. She’s a tireless campaigner for the rights of cyclists

‘Official’ (re)opening of Histon Library @cambslib @HisImpLF @TomStukeley

Sat 21 May 22: it was great to be there and see the library in its refurbished space and to celebrate its reopening and the announcement of longer hours. I remember, in the darkest days of the Tory administration at the County Council, uncovering an officer plan to shut it down. I’m not sure how I did it but I managed to get that idea off the table and then I worked hard with the County Council…

Back to Germany for another Kölsch beer @GaffelKoelsch

Fri 20 May 22: Fridays seem to come round dreadfully quickly these days but then it’s been a busy week. Great to enjoy a good Kölsch beer but then the bar is set pretty high by what’s simply a standard beer in Germany. Very refreshing, not too gassy and a really nice pour!

2 weeks after: it still feels pretty good @pippaheylings @stevehunt4hiop

Thu 19 May 22: the Lib Dems won all three Histon & Impington seats at South Cambs District Council for the second time. We/they must be doing something right. Left to right: (new) councillor Sunita Hansraj, county councillor Ros Hathorn, Sarah Smith, councillor Martin Cahn, JDJ, councillor Pippa Heylings, ex-councillor Steve Hunt. Many other made the success possible and the thank you card list…

Great lunch @LaMargheritaCam @ChurchillCol irregulars

Wed 18 May 22: it was quite a challenge eating Italian in the UK after I’d had a week in Sorrento but la Margherita rose to it with excellent food and an interesting Italian craft beer (Mastai Birrai Umbri). I was attending a Churchill Irregulars lunch, left to right above: Geoff Booth, Phil Hilton, JDJ, Meredith Lloyd-Evans and Iain Braitchie.

More good food chez Jenkins

Tue 17 May 22: scallops with a tomato salsa and baby spinach

Getting cavity wall insulation today

Mon 17 May 22: this should really have been done when the house was built but in those days heating bills weren’t that high and builders just wanted to keep costs down. Doing it now should save me 10-20% of my gas bill each year.

Learning from my travels

Sun 15 May 22: just back from Italy where I learnt that the best spaghetti is just about the simplest. Cherry tomatoes, a little fish and a drizzle of olive oil. Perfect.

The worst book I’ve read/started to read?

Sat 14 May 22: it was written in 1999 so although you wouldn’t expect social media and mobile telephony you would expect a credible plot and some local empathy. But no. A threadbare plot, a central character who can do everything and an unconvincing local narrative. Rubbish. Mr Largent was a teacher of creative writing so you worry about those who were taught by him.

Excellent fresh red beer @MalqueridaDamm @histonsmoke.

Fri 13 May 22: Hint of orange and hibiscus but delicate. Great for summer drinking

Faces of Histon: Jon Pavey

Thu 12 May 22: back to business in Histon & Impington and I have a meeting about Abbey Fields with Jon Pavey. I worked with Jon on the Neighbourhood Plan and he’s a ‘good man’.

Sadly we have to fly home

Wed 11 May 22: it’s been our first Italian holiday since Sicily in April, 2019. Maybe we need to plan to return later this year to compensate for two blank years.

A slice of the Mediterrean from the Villa Crawford

Tue 10 May 22: there’s a story here, Villa Crawford is the hotel we should have stayed at but we got shunted to the Grand Hotel la Pace which has neither the charm nor the cliff top position. I’m currently in a dialogue with the tour company about compensation …

Lots of greenery on Monte Faito

Mon 9 May 22: this must be one of Sorrento’s best kept secrets, the Funivia calbe car up Monte Faito. That puts you into Italian woodland with all shades of green.

The Italian equivalent of a National Trust volunteer

Sun 8 May 22: this guy was keeping watch at the Villa San Marco. It was free entry but there were few people there to disturb his thinking.

If you’re in the neighbourhood you’ve got to visit Pompeii

Sat 7 May 22: it’s vast and impressive and made doubly good if you’ve got a good guide. Ours was Dario who was passionate about his subject and gave us the necessary context to understand what had happened.