Winter Greetings from Ireland

7 November 09

Good day to all, family and friends
Some of you may know the term ”hutspot” where everything you have left are put into one pot and outcome a stew like dish ,lip smacking tasty. Here it has been done with every element available in the weather pot, all thrown in together and we have strong winds, continuous rain, some brilliant moments of sunshine, lasting 10-20 seconds, early ,very early evenings and gray mornings! This is called WINTER!
During the week, as I was on my way back from work, Barry thought some-one was calling him urgently from outside, opened the back door quickly and answered”Yes....!?”, bewildered looking around, seeing no-one he heard this urgent call again and looked up to see a flock of swans flying fairly low in formation over the roof, struggling against the strong winds and making these nearly humanlike calls to each other. He says it was one of the most beautiful sights he has seen in a long time- sorry I missed it!!!
Hours of deliberation, bullying of the 1st degree, disregard of human feelings the following materialized at work.
The manager of the Nursing home resigned and left within a week, With the financial crisis the senior management cannot appoint a person from outside and the post has to go to some-one internal BUT no- one wants to work there as resources are scarcer than chicken teeth and the work very demanding and patient care of utmost importance. The normal nursing staff agreed to 18% cut in hours but with development the managers were put on the spot and told , one of you have to take over in the nursing home, the most senior of them was told to go down and when she said , she does not think she will be able to cope with the short staff and cut hours she was told , that all the managers will now work only 20 hrs a week and the staff nurses will keep their hours and the cut will come from the ward management because none of them want to work there and their argument “ the reason the previous manager left” he was an excellent administrator and very good in organising but with no staff and 2 women continually interfering and refusing his request , he had enough and up and out. He is going to a Nursing Home with excellent credentials and outstanding record with Hiqa the control board looking after the well being of Nursing Homes. Many tears were flowing, and morale lower that low we have to continue with this unbelievable behaviour of the Director/Manager of Nursing and the Human resources official. No one of us dare to become a “whistle blower” regarding the bullying because the walls have ears and you cannot trust the nearest and dearest to you in this situation.
Very many of the staff in theatre had the SWINE flu , a anaesthetist came to work not feeling the greatest ,not realizing he had the “swine flu” and gave it to the rest of them! Barry and I are careful with keeping our immune system on high alert and we have not fallen ill yet. It spreads very quickly and you become very sick, and needs to be nursed in the home situation in isolation.
With all the rain the beauty of the pansy baskets is out the door and rotten flowers are everywhere to be seen, when the rain stops you quickly pick at them but within minutes you have to desert your post in order not to get wet and sick! With the high temperatures of 2 weeks ago the bulbs all started to grow and we have many standing heads 2” above the ground. The winds are so strong that whatever you put over them gets blown away and the soil makes them grow quicker. We just cannot win!
Tomorrow is Sunday and as ever the most important and joyful day in my week, I am working tonight and will arrive here tomorrow ready to take the uniform off and put clean clothes on and back into the car, on our way to church. It is wonderful how I can manage staying awake going to church and all through the service and other days I am asleep before Barry has pulled the door closed!
Thank you for all the lovely photos I received, I look at them often and enjoy!
Angie, Frik and now we are awaiting the wedding cd/dvd, Georg has fallen of the earth and I am still awaiting a photo of that wedding!!!!!!!
Sam in Brisbane is celebrating his birthday tomorrow, may it be a joyous event! May the exams go well and the year ahead full of new adventures and experiences!
All who are writing exams, whatever kind, read your questions well! Every best wish is with you!
Glad to know that Arnolda and family are safely home after a very traumatic start of a midterm break. Hope sincerely that you were properly insured!!!!!! As the house is now half empty it might be a good idea to leave it empty and make plans to move down under, rent a place in the mean time and I am sure the Ausies will give anything to have the expertise of the 3 ,mother father and daughter in their midst!
I also hope that the Occupational Health AGM went well!
I pray and hope that you will all be very careful and diligent in locking your doors and watch your going about!
May it rain where it should, and other must enjoy the warmth of central heating during the next week of unsettled weather conditions. Gerlof , I enjoyed your writings about Prague.
Our sincere and warm regards to tante Poppie and hope she is keeping well!
Ours warmest regards
The Dunnes from Cranleymore