Garden Parties and a Trip to Grantchester

Shireen here--On Tuesday, July 5th, my parents joined us. They'd had a Long Journey, from Grey Eagle, MN, to Mpls (roughly two hours) by car, then from Mpls to Dallas, Texas, with a considerable layover, then Dallas to Gatwick, and from Gatwick to Cambrige by slow airport bus. That night, despite being tired, they joined us at a reception for the Davidson Program. It was supposed to be a garden party, but the weather didn't cooperate, so we met instead in a common room (equivalent of american lounge) and enjoyed strawberries and cream and Pimm's cup.

On Thursday, a big group walked along the river Cam (and through some pastures, complete with cattle, as well as a car park) to Granchester. This village is best known b/c Rupert Brooke, a poet who died in World War One, lived there. He used to have tea regularly at the Orchard, a tea shop with tables scattered under apple trees, and other early twenthieth century luminaries joined him there.

Jeremy took John and Edith to a nearby pub, while Jonathan, Alistair, several students, and I enjoyed deserts. Jonathan gobbled down a chocolate mouse cake, then proclaimed to the students, "If any of you can't finish your dessert, I can eat it." No one took him up on it.