Saturday, September 5, 2009

Greetings from Ireland

Friday 4 Sept 09

Good day to all, far and wide, and some nearer!
Walking (sloshing) through the bottom field, under water, I realised once again the preciousness of living in the country and not in a town or city,
We are officially now in autumn and the black berries are late and so is the raspberries. With my little container I walked along the fence and picked every black berry that was ripe and not devoured by insects.
The raspberries stand 6ft tall and are only starting to have fruit now, so on the stove at this very moment I am cooking blackberry/raspberry jam!
You cannot eat the fruit from the plant as it is not safe, you can get parasites from it as it grows wild that is the black berries, and there is not enough raspberries to warrant a separate cooking session.
Now the picking of blackberries comes along way, during war times the government gave permission for people to walk onto farm land to pick the berries as a source of food, the berries are rich in Vit C and filled the tummies of hungry people in a time of need!
We are very fortunate that there is no ’time of need’ and in spite of the recession I am still employed and earning better money than I ever enjoyed in SA. Therefore with thankful hearts we start and end each day! The redundancies at work have been stopped for the time being after 4 people were let go last week. A Union meeting with management on Tuesday brought this about as there were some irregularities in the process when it came to the Nursing staff employment regulations, meaning that we can all breath freely and the sleepless nights for some are over, I have to admit that I never felt threatened but was prepared in any case should my hopes be shattered!
Last night I was all on my own with 2 patients, went well as they were both stable, I did about 10 Sudoku’s and 10 Code Word Puzzles, looked at a very sad but realistic film of an alcoholic mother and what a terrible decease it is, the devastation it brought into the family and the trauma to the children, good after midnight.
Here at home I would like to sing the praises of my husband, he is just unbelievable, never stops and every week there is something new he starts.
Since Monday this was the events! Polish guy came back and although Barry said he will not take him on again, his heart softened and I think he was glad.
Visit to the Hardware shop, purchasing the new gate, chicken wire netting etc.
3rd Railway sleeper cemented in, fence between road and garage completed.
The donkey house tidied up and all goods lifted up off the floor and space made for the chickens and geese that we plan to get. All possible holes in the fence around the bottom field secured.
Tuesday the Pole had to go to the welfare to sign on for his money and Barry did the plumbing that was disconnected when the new room were created and my extra washing machine made redundant, A New water pipeline was created with a tap. All with stopcocks so that the water can be turned off by the turn of the screw driver!
The delivery from the hardware shop was wonderful till we realised that the support post onto which the hinges have to go is on the wrong side, disappointment was great, but Brian in the shop promised that he will correct it by phoning and to find out if there is one in the manufacturer’s yard that is the other way round. He forgot to phone back and we were in despair!
Wednesday
In the mean time it is still raining it started now there some 12 weeks back! With the Pole at hand things moved very quickly and soon the fencing was secured on both sides of the shed
Contacted the hardware shop and he apologised but there is a gate available and will be delivered as soon as it arrived.
Thursday. While I was asleep the 2 men took the old gate off and placed it between the shed and the railway sleeper , now the bottom field are separated from the yard! It really looks good!. This all take precision work especially with Barry as perfectionist and the Pole who could not give an iota,
The new hinges had to be secure into the pillars at the gate and that was even more difficult as it needs to be precise. Wonderful stuff that goes into the holes to hold the enormous bolts, hardened like steel!
Now the front is open and suddenly we have no security!!!!as if a farm gate would have stopped any-one! The gate did not come.
Friday.
This morning a miracle happened and there was a patch of clear sky with brilliant sunshine and off Barry went to cut down 3 irritating trees,
Their shadows are so thick that the ground underneath them never dries
And they interfere with the electricity cable and we were warned to cut then down, it is fast growing trees and in 3 years time they will be well grown again! We cut them down the year we arrived on the ‘estate’ 4 ½ years ago!
Then it happened the gate arrived and by the time I got up just before 2pm the gate was in place!!! And it looks good!
Now fully secured we will sleep well tonight!
The bird children are spoilt rotten, sits and wait every morning for Barry to get their breakfast- we counted quickly one afternoon about 40 eating at a time! Too beautiful! The days are becoming shorter quickly the sun rose at 06h45 this morning and it is now dark at 9pm. Temperatures in the morning down to 6-8 and does not rise above 14 any more!!!!! And off course even if the sun shines, it still rains!!!!!!!
Birthdays are few in my book We think of Maryke in memory whose birthday it would have been tomorrow the 5th and then of Michael Knight, Annette’s husband, maybe Paul can let him know that after so many years I still remember!
To all who so regularly talk to me via email thank you, Joy in Australia especially, Trish is quiet and so is Sue in Canada! Hope all is well.
Thilo in Saudi please let me know how you are!
Hope it rains in the dry area, that all the crops reaped and sown are good, all the animal thriving, all those studying , enjoy and everything of the best to Pauli from Gerlof and Sandra that is returning to SA
You must all take care, be watchful, and never forget to secure the doors and windows, trust in the Lord and be well!
Thankful regards from the Dunne’s on a floating Ireland

Groete vanuit 'n immer nat Ierland

Vrydagnag 28 Augustus 09





Eienaardige uur van die dag/nag om ‘n brief te skryf dus wat sê ek

“ Goeie nag allemaal, of Goeie dag allemaal”

Hoe dit ook al sy…ek hoop dit gaan goed met almal,

Ek is groen van jaloesie wanneer die Kanadese familie lede so spog met hul dag temperature en ons sit reeds diep in die herfs met oggend temperature van 8 gr wat vir die laaste 2 dae nie hoër as 12 gestyg het nie, die blare val vinnig en die wind is koud en die hemele donker en laat baie water uit op die eiland!!!!

Ons is voos van nattigheid.

Soms gebeur dit wel dat die son deur die massa wolke breek en dan spring ons soos hase rond om alles te doen tot die volgende moment wat die hemele weer open!

So was dit dan ook vandag , toe ons wakker word skyn die son, by die tyd wat ons sit vir ontbyt het die weer verander en ons moet die lig in die kombuis aansit om te kan sien en momente later giet dit!

Die plan was om Longford toe tegaan vir dinge wat ons nie in LIDL kan kry nie en vir Barry om met die forum te praat oor sy pensioen wat hy nie kry nie want ek werk! By die tyd wat ons ry is die hemele oopgetrek en die son skyn, ons ploeter deur die water tot by die kar en ry Longford toe in mooi weer. Kry toe ‘n kleur inkpot vir drukker wat uit Noag se ark kom en bietjie mielies , Woollite en Sensodyne tandepasta. Het al oorweeg om die spul tande wat so sensitief is te laat trek want hulle gee my soveel verdriet vanwee die dun lagie glasuur wat om hulle sit en sommige van hulle wat net gevulde kraters is,maar dan dink nee, sal maar uithou tot ek regtig nie meer kan nie want ek het sedert die verstandstande uitgehaal is op 20 jarige leeftyd nog nie weer ‘n tand verloor nie…dus deurdruk is al wat oorbly!

Ons was net terug in die kar toe die hemele weer oopmaak en ons in gietende reen terug ry huistoe. Die simpel mense by die Welsyns dept. dink ons steek iets weg en wil nie vir Barry pensioen gee nie want hy verklaar nie al sy inkomste nie, sê ons het geld wat inkom van beleggings in SA en dat ons grond daar besit ens, die is nou uitgeklaar en hy moet wag vir 4 jaar tot ek ophou werk en dan kan ons albei pensioen kry maar anders nie!



Terug by die weer .so het dit aangehou 2 ure reen en 1 uur droog…Gister het hy die anker stut van die nuwe hek , ‘n ‘railway sleeper’ ingesement en vandag die 2de een, die aarde sal vergaan en die 2 railway sleepers met die fondasie van ons huis sal oorbly, dit is verseker! Maar baie trots want ek mog die kruiwa (leeg) van een punt tot by die ander stoot en ook die graaf agter Barry aandra, die vlakaanwyser, die dingetjie met die vloeistof in wat tussen die 2 strepies moet wees’level’ in Ingels, aangee en die reen uit my hare skud elke nou en dan, die moeilikste is die deur die lense van my bril kyk in die reen, maar hierdie taak moes vandag klaar,en as jy moet wag vir die reen om eendag optehou mag ons veels te oud wees om enigiets te doen. Barry meng daardie sement soos koekmengsel, ongelooflik, ek mag net die tuinslang vashou en aangee, hy doen die res, maar dit is nou maar so ,ek weet nie wat gaan word as alles nou reg en verbou is op die stukkie grond nie ….net om te noem die nuwe kamer is pragtig.

Hierdie kamer het ‘n daklig ‘sky lite’ of wat ook al, primitief, stuk perspeks tussen die sinkplate wat ons daar gelos het toe die plafon ingesit is en dit lyk wonderlik en gee heerlike lig en sonskyn, wanneer dit skyn. Die muur tussen die werkswinkel en die nuwe kamer is soos in Arnolda se huis nou ‘n ‘dry wall’ vals affere wat met hout en vulsels opgemaak is. Die vloer is gelê met 18mm ‘plywood’ planke 8x4vt,bo-op insolasie wol vir hitte behouding, vas getimmer op dwars balke wat op hulle eie weer in die sement vloer vas geskroef is. Die vloer is nou geveneer en blink pragtig. Die venster met dubbel glas is deur Barry self ingesit en die deur , met ons twee tesaam gehang . Nou moet dit gemeubileer word! Gaan Maandag veiling toe miskien sien ons iets moois.



Ek weet regtig hoekom ek al hierdie goed vir julle skryf nie maar anders sou dit maar ‘n kort ou briefie gewees het.

Die werkers by die oue te huis op die dorp is nou in hul 15de week van staking. Die nuwe eienaar van die plek het ‘n persverklaring gemaak en gesê waarom hy nie kan ingee aan hul vereistes nie en hulle wil nie sy verduideliking aanvaar nie, ellende , die ou mense is nog steeds binne en word blykbaar goed versorg deur studente wat vir die somer werk gesoek het maar die universiteite gaan eersdaags weer begin en dan gaan hy ‘n problem hê.



Hier by ons gaan dit bitter sleg. Gister oggend is 3 mense ingeroep en die deur gewys, hulle het hul persoonlike leêr ontvang en ‘n koevert en moes dadelik die perseel verlaat!

Vanoggend is een persoon wat reeds 28 jaar lank hier werk ontslaan!die 4de een.

Die unie het tussen bye getree met die staf verpleegsters( dis nou ons) en die ontslag van die nurses bietjie gekortwiek deur een of ander ding in die wet en nou sal daar Maandag na beraadslaging met die unies en die bestuur verdere aankondigings gemaak word.

Die moraal van almal in die saal is baie laag en almal is op hul hoede want as die foon lui mag dit hulle wees wat moet gaan,en blykbaar was die dag baie moeilik en byna ondraaglik met spanning gelaai!



Dit is nie net hier waar dit sleg gaan nie ‘n Dr het vertel dat ‘n teater verpleegster wat tuis was deur die sekuritiets wag in kennis gestel is en hy die sleutels vir teater by haar moes kry en sy summier ontslaan is.Hier doen die bestuur van die hospital dit darem nog self!



Genoeg ellendes en daar is omtrent ellende in die wereld met kind wat ontvoer was toe

Sy 11 was en nou gevind is, die spul weermag mense in SA wat die Unie geboue beset het, en die varkgriep wat die kinders neer trek!



Die Eloffies van Exeter moet haas op pad wees terug huis toe…hoop daar is baie fotos te sien op Picaso soos Arnolda dit doen!



Ek weet nie van verjaardae vir groot mense nie maar hoop dat as daar iemand verjaar

Hulle dit sal geniet. Ek weet wel van een klein mensie wat op 2 September 4 jr oud word en ek sal later ‘n kaartjie stuur en dit is Leane in Roodepoort

Lekker verjaar jonge juffrou!



Iewers is daar eimand wat voorberei vir eksamens en ek hoop dat dit goed gaan ,dan is daar ander wat ‘n nuwe jaar binne tree veral as jy in die noordelike halfrond woon en alles van die beste vir hulle!

Baie groete aan tante Poppie ons hoop dat dit nog goed gaan!

Het die klomp Scholtze toe al bymekaar gekom met al die ander niggies en nefies en bietjie fees gehou? Ek wag om tehoor!Eloff,. Coetzee ens

Anke het haar opvolg ondersoek gehad 24ste en ek hoop dat dit goed gegaan het.

Karin laat weet hoe dit met Stefan gaan…



Nou ja dit bring my dan aan die einde van die week se ge’waffel’

Onthou die gek om die hoek, wees altyd op jou hoede,

Sluit die deure en neem geen kanse nie.

Wees versigtig waar jy trap!

Mag dit reën in Australie, en al die oeste in Swartwater goed afloop.

Die trou relings in Pta voorspoeding gaan, en enige ander troues wat aan die gang is, vergeet ons nie! Mag alles goed gaan met varke en beeste hoenders en veral die mense op die plaas in Reitz. Haja, nou sal hulle vir Kobus waardeer, dit gebeur so in die lewe, maar ons hoop dat hy die verandering goed sal hanteer!

Baie liefde groete vanuit ‘n immer gietende Eiland in die Atlantiese oseaan en ‘n bitter klein wyk nl Cranleymore naby Edgeworthstown in county Longford.

Die Dunnes