Greetings from Eire

...and a very good day to you all!


8 March 08

This place is just too much for words to describe...I got up after a nights work at 2 pm as I am off tonight and was greeted by the most brilliant sun shine and blue blue skies...had a cup of tea and noticed a shadow ever so slightly falling over the back garden ...after tea I went to practise the hymns for tomorrow and still the sun was magnificent...the Irish just lost to Wales and crocodile tears are running freely over the Irish cheeks...and while this lot comes to grips with the loss I decides to start the weekly letter and within seconds the whole atmosphere changed... it became darker and darker the wind is howling and the rain is lashing with enormous vigour against the windows.... all in a few minutes!!!!!!!

Well that is Ireland in full swing ..trying its utmost to free itself out of the claws of winter and groping in the strong wind at spring which is out there somewhere..

The trials of 3 murders ,which took place over the last 2 years has been concluded in the last few weeks of which one was a S A man Mulder who murdered his wife and got life sentence, Foley who killed his wife for no specific reason but that she irritated him and Kearney who was money mad killed his wife after only being married 3 years... and because Foley only got 15 years he hoped that he would get away with a light sentence as well but although it looked like a copy murder he got life sentence. In Ireland the size of the Free State with a population of 4 million people murders like that is big news and is splashed all over the front of the papers and every gory detail described in every possible way and then follows the 'impact' statement by the family...what awful tragedies and you wonder what is life all about... there seems to be no value in human life anymore - not here or anywhere on this earth..if it is not suicide bombers then it is senseless gangland murders for drugs or men who wants to get rid of their wives and pure crime. Enough horror....there are also good news in the papers like everywhere else..and those looking in from the outside sees it totally different than those who live in the circumstances!

Tomorrow is my favourite day again and I cant wait as I missed out 2 Sundays in Feb because of work...also a special day as the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland will be visiting our humble parish of 20 members ...the Hymns chosen are well known and we are planning to lift the roof singing!!!praising our heavenly Father for all the wonderful blessings bestow upon us daily!!!Stephen Lockington our minister is a very able preacher and brings his message over with such enthusiasm and scripture correctness that it is always a great spiritual experience to go to church.
Now , some of you has been wondering where we stand in the renovation programme ...during the heavy winter months it almost came to a standstill but we visited our favourite hardware shop and got the gutters!!!! we will have to wait for the rain to subside before we can venture in assembling the roof drainage system with success as you get quickly wet while working on the edge of the roof and the rain coming down at the same time...and that happens without warning...the weather forecast was one of high seas and enormous waves and plenty of rain and possible flooding to the east of us....just never ending!!!

Daffodils and crocuses are in bloom all over and what a beautiful sight- we have about ten daffodils in bloom but most probably about 50 by the end of next week..... we are also waiting in anticipation for the blossoms of the pear and apples trees to appear.....the prune tree as it is called --in spite of being chopped down last year has grown with eagerness to show us it will not be beaten and is covered in blossom buts.

The days are wonderfully long and we will be moving into summertime on 30th March ...daylight saving time....it should mean that summer is on the way but....we will have to wait and see.

Birthdays for this week is Jaco in (Helderkruin)Jhb 14th Nicola in Dublin 11th and not sure of the day the young Paul in Dar es S.... watch the post for a card!

Thank you Angie for the lovely photos of Dimitrij's birthday bash and the letter, Thilo I hope you were able to fit everything in before you go on holiday the 12th assignments and the move...Dorothy has fallen off the earth ..Have not heard from you for a while...I hope Joy is keeping well in Brisbane ..My niece will be over there in yr vicinity for a couple of weeks attending some medical conference and also to visit their son studying at Bonds ? university. Arnolda you will be on yr way when this arrive at yr desk and I hope you will have a good trip! Thank you to all my friends that keep in touch ...the family letters are ever so wonderful to read and I wonder where Haya is ...have not heard from her either...farm stories are wonderful and never stop telling us what is happening please..Hessie and Haya. Thank you Aggie for the photo of the newly wedded couple ...lovely ..for those who do not know ..Elsje a daughter of my 'tant Hetta' son got married!
I sincerely hope that the women Christian get together in SA which took place today was a great experience to all who attended.

I have come to the end of my waffling and hope you are all well
Take care

Barry & Christina(Stien)