Greetings from Ireland

21 November 2008







Friday evening.





Good day to all, family and friends,





This letter most probably will stretch over a day or two as I write in between scrabble playing and the rest. We should be Master champions by now and sometimes it really goes well and other times with 4 I’s 2 v’s and h to start the game ..takes some thinking! We enjoy it all the same, every game is different and we never get bored with it!



The weather is typical Haas Das weather” rain sometimes and sun shine in other places” We cannot complain it has been a very mild November and we are dreading the cold…and it surely is on the way… today was really good and so was yesterday Tuesday it rained all day but Monday was great sun shine. As long as there is no north wind all is well!



On the political front , the min. of Finance is waking up slowly but surely and realised that the very rich is taking the country for a ride….and he changed a few things and they will now have to pay 3% of their income extra and above all if earning above €250,000-00 .

The recession is definitely here and the banks will have to amalgamate in order to survive! Any one who had shares are really now at the short end of the stick and I feel for them. Fortunately we do not fall in any bracket of the finance world where we have to worry! I still have a job and for that I thank the Lord , so many people lost their jobs, daily, people are paid off and the future seems bleak for the building world. Thousands of houses built during the boom are standing empty and even if you want to buy ..the banks do not give mortgages if your collateral is not 100% .



Nature has changed into a bleak stark naked affair with trees stripped of the foliage and the grass being over grazed gone yellow from all the rain. The slurry that the farmers spread on the lands all ran off into the streams and into the water system and we are now officially on bottle water even to brush your teeth!



With great thankfulness I still work and then only 3 nights a week on the same pay! The hospital is going to close every 2nd weekend from Saturday 2pm to Monday morning from January 2009. Being on night duty makes my job slightly more secure than other positions.

All the bulbs have been planted and the Hyathins??? x 9 are 1 inch high in their pots! The Cyclamens from last year got leaves again and I hope they will flower again!



Being informed through various methods and emails the situation in SA makes my heart bleed! Knowing that all is in Gods hands is the only consolation!



Happy birthday to the twins Paul and Mendel for today Renate in Dar Es Salaam on 23rd and Nine in Canada 29th! Those of you who are not mentioned apologies ! Best wishes to you all!

To those busy with exams ..my very special thoughts are with you.

Joleen I hope you survived the series of injections!!! Let me know how you are!

Thank you so much to Althea for the lovely letter you certainly made up!!!very special thoughts for my friend Trish in SA.

Joy thank you for your regular letter it is so wonderful to hear from you and all the others that write so diligently thank you very much!

The letters from Zambia is always well received and from Kokanja!!!! Those with farms can tell us a bit more – I hope that the weekend on the farm in the Free State will be lovely! Enjoy !!!!

Congratulations to Paul in Dar…. With the new position.!



Being off for 7 nights gives us a change to make a few trips as the petrol price is lower than in 4 years!!!! Will tell you next week where we went!

Well I manage to finish the letter before the call came from the lounge!!!



Take care

Be always careful



Love and regards

Barry& Christina(Stien…etc)