Sunday 27 Dec 2009
Good day all family and friends,
Last Sunday morning we were met with snow, it continued throughout the day, sometimes less severe but other times it really snowed!!!! Coming out of church the view of the high pine trees covered with snow was spectacular. I remembered that I had my mobile phone in m jacket pocket en turned around very carefully, as I have been the one who was warning the older people to be careful, took 2 photos and turned back my first step back to the car was fine but the next one I put my foot down on another ones footprint and in a split second I landed on my back. Fortunately I was so well dressed with 2 prs of socks that the bones were well protected. Home I realised that I must have stretched the ankle and knee muscle on the right side , I had a blue foot for a few days but nothing serious, but an accident like that can happen so fast!
It kept on snowing for 3 days intermittently and the roads were a health and safety hazard, not to talk about the falling temperature during the night. Daytime -2 and then a drop to -9, the snow just starts to melt and then it ices over it. So it came that we were sliding to church this morning early, must say that your driving skills are truly put to the test in such circumstances ,We reached church in one piece but we were only 10 people.
Christmas day was very cold, we did not have new snow but none the less, it was a white Christmas.
Barry and I spent the day warm in front of the fire eating our specially cooked chicken with roast potatoes and Christmas pudding all by our selves, saving space for the next day, yesterday, Finbarr and Amanda arrived at 3pm and we then enjoyed a second festive meal with trifle and all!
They brought us the newest in technology, a digital photo frame, and you can look at your pictures at your leisure.
The days are already a slight bit longer and the intensity of the sun has definitely increased. The birds have doubled in numbers as Barry has been feeding them the geese feed (turkey fattening pellets).
Because of the thickness of the snow there were no insects and very little food in nature available and Barry took it upon himself to make sure the birds ,who would in any case survives, are kept alive and well!. It meant that w had an invasion of several different kind of visiting birds like the starlings, the arctic thrush, green finches, gold finches, and then of course our own birds, the red robins, hedge sparrows, bull finches, blue tits, and black birds. All the crows and Mag pies eat whatever is left.
We also noticed yesterday for the first time the rat the size of a small cat, moving ever so confidently between the birds, in and out of its hole in the ground. He must enjoy all his privileges as the pleasure of eating bird food is coming soon to an end! Poor rat!
With the bad weather we were wondering if Gerlof and Sandra got away as the airport at Gatwick were closed since late Tuesday evening!
The cathedral in Longford built in 1850 has burnt down on Christmas Eve. A great loss for the
Architectural heritage and off course for the community, it was such a definite landmark in town.
There was no water pressure as all the water pipes were frozen and the fire brigade had to pump water from the canal through hosepipes to quench the fire. Later in the day it got better and they could use the proper fire fighting equipment.
Another week at home and then a visit to the GP to hear if I can go back to work I would have been home 5 weeks then + the 8 days in hospital 6 in all.
I am back on organ duty at church and it is good!
I will greet you all now with the New year in sight and pray and hope that all your dreams will come true ,that you will experience great wisdom, that you will be able to endure the trials and tribulations that lies ahead end that you will count your blessings every day!
Special Greetings to our tante Poppie! May she experience the love and wonderful dearness of our Lord.
Travel safely, lock your doors, watch your step. May the summer be warm ,may it rain where it is dry!
Regards from a melting freezing wet Cranleymore
The Dunnes
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Winter groete uit Ierland
Saterdag 19 Desember 2009
Goeie dag familie en vriende!
Vandag blaas ons nie wasem nie want dit het van -2 reeds na 3 grade gestyg. Daar was selfs a lagie sneeu op die grond en gras vanmore! Gister was ‘n ander storie, 10vm temperatuur was -6 alles was gevries, alle pype, die tuinslang het nooit ontdooi nie en Barry moes met ‘n emmer water uit die huis na die ganse bring! Teen 3nm was die temp -2 en die ys het nog net so dig op die gras gele as vroeer in die oggend. Die son het geskyn maar met bitter min effek op die Ierse aarde.
Dit wil voorkom asof die Copenhagen storie nie ‘n sukses was nie alhoewel die meer gegoede lande hard prober het om Afrika op hul kniee te kry. Hulle weet ook maar min van hordes kontrole, want daar was sommige dae chaos!
Ek is nog steeds tuis maar nou voel ek nie so sleg daaroor nie want die hospital het gister vir die Kers en Nuwe Jaar toegemaak! Net die oue te huis is oop!
Die werk word ook bybetaal deur die welsyn sodat ek ‘vol’ salaries ontvang , dit is nou met 18% minder as verlede jaar die tyd! Ons is dankbaar dat ek ‘n werk het en al is die inkomste drasties gesny hou ons kop bo water en ons is dankbaar vir al die seёninge wat ons Hemelse Vader oor ons gebied!
Ek neem aan dat niemand werklik eposse lees die tyd van die jaar nie en dat almal veels te besig is met ander dinge. Dus sal ek die wat wel per ongeluk die komper aangeskakel het, nie verveel met ‘n elle lange brief nie!
Ons was 8 Suid Afrikaanse vroue wat Woensdag oggend tee gedrink het, dit was heerlik! Dit gons soos ons praat, elkeen het iets om te vertel en ander luister aandagtig!Die samesyn so, van jou eie mense ,is tog baie kosbaar!
Ons is byna by die langste nag en die kortse dag en dan is daar weer hoop!
Ek is terug op orrel diens by die kerk en sal more se diens waarneem, dit is ons Kersliedere diens en vir die heel eerste keer gaan die kindertjies ook sing!
Tee en koek word na die diens bedien en dan verkeer ons almal baie gesellig, die enigste tyd wat Barry kans kry om met ander mans te praat!
Ek het my eerste vrugte koek gebak en was maar skraps met suiker en botter ook bietjie met die eiers afgeskeep, dit was lekker maar effe droog, Gister het ek toe die 2de een gebak, moet die byna regte hoeveelheid van alles , suiker met die 1/2te verminder en die margarine/botter ook met die helfte en die keer smaak dit nou regtig lekker , ek het stukkie van die korsie geproe en is erg trots op myself! Om nie eletrisiteit te mors nie ek het ook ‘n growwe broodjie gebak wat ook baie goed smaak! Enig iemand wat gewig wil verloor hoef net op ‘n vet vrye diet te gaan , dit werk soos niks anders nie!!! Ek het nou 7kg in 1 maand verloor, Maar nou moet ek bieg ek eet net uit ‘n klein bordjie en niks wat soet is nie! Ek is nie honger nie en het ook nie ‘lus’ nie en dit help natuurlik baie ,ook doodsbenoud die pyn kom terug en ek weet nie of ek dit vir ‘n tweede keer sal oorleef nie!
Dis tog te lekker om briefies te ontvang en te hoor van almal se doen en late en ek hoop van harte dat Hessie ons iets sal laat weet van die Attie se troue!!! en ook dat daar tog sommiges is, wat die briefie sal lees.
Verjaardae in my boekie is maar min, Paul en Jacob verjaar die 24ste Desember en gister het Oubaas en Gerda se Helene verjaar! op dieselfde dag as wat Oupa Gerrie se verjaardag altyd was.Ons beste wense word gestuur vir ‘n pragtige dag en God’s seen vir die jaar wat voorle!
Baie spesiale wense aan onse Tante Poppie ! ek het ‘n pragtige foto van haar ontvang en sy lyk nog besonder goed!
MAG HIERDIE KERSFEES ‘N TYD VAN GROOT VREUGDE WEES VIR ALMAL WAT JESUS CHRISTUS AS HUL VERLOSSER AANVAAR HET! MAG ‘HY’ JULLE RYKLIK SEёN IN DIE NUWE JAAR EN JULLE BEHOED EN BEWAAR!
Ek groet vanuit ‘n Cranleymore,’n lekker wintersdag met helder sonskyn en blou lug.
Barry en Christina(Stien....)
Goeie dag familie en vriende!
Vandag blaas ons nie wasem nie want dit het van -2 reeds na 3 grade gestyg. Daar was selfs a lagie sneeu op die grond en gras vanmore! Gister was ‘n ander storie, 10vm temperatuur was -6 alles was gevries, alle pype, die tuinslang het nooit ontdooi nie en Barry moes met ‘n emmer water uit die huis na die ganse bring! Teen 3nm was die temp -2 en die ys het nog net so dig op die gras gele as vroeer in die oggend. Die son het geskyn maar met bitter min effek op die Ierse aarde.
Dit wil voorkom asof die Copenhagen storie nie ‘n sukses was nie alhoewel die meer gegoede lande hard prober het om Afrika op hul kniee te kry. Hulle weet ook maar min van hordes kontrole, want daar was sommige dae chaos!
Ek is nog steeds tuis maar nou voel ek nie so sleg daaroor nie want die hospital het gister vir die Kers en Nuwe Jaar toegemaak! Net die oue te huis is oop!
Die werk word ook bybetaal deur die welsyn sodat ek ‘vol’ salaries ontvang , dit is nou met 18% minder as verlede jaar die tyd! Ons is dankbaar dat ek ‘n werk het en al is die inkomste drasties gesny hou ons kop bo water en ons is dankbaar vir al die seёninge wat ons Hemelse Vader oor ons gebied!
Ek neem aan dat niemand werklik eposse lees die tyd van die jaar nie en dat almal veels te besig is met ander dinge. Dus sal ek die wat wel per ongeluk die komper aangeskakel het, nie verveel met ‘n elle lange brief nie!
Ons was 8 Suid Afrikaanse vroue wat Woensdag oggend tee gedrink het, dit was heerlik! Dit gons soos ons praat, elkeen het iets om te vertel en ander luister aandagtig!Die samesyn so, van jou eie mense ,is tog baie kosbaar!
Ons is byna by die langste nag en die kortse dag en dan is daar weer hoop!
Ek is terug op orrel diens by die kerk en sal more se diens waarneem, dit is ons Kersliedere diens en vir die heel eerste keer gaan die kindertjies ook sing!
Tee en koek word na die diens bedien en dan verkeer ons almal baie gesellig, die enigste tyd wat Barry kans kry om met ander mans te praat!
Ek het my eerste vrugte koek gebak en was maar skraps met suiker en botter ook bietjie met die eiers afgeskeep, dit was lekker maar effe droog, Gister het ek toe die 2de een gebak, moet die byna regte hoeveelheid van alles , suiker met die 1/2te verminder en die margarine/botter ook met die helfte en die keer smaak dit nou regtig lekker , ek het stukkie van die korsie geproe en is erg trots op myself! Om nie eletrisiteit te mors nie ek het ook ‘n growwe broodjie gebak wat ook baie goed smaak! Enig iemand wat gewig wil verloor hoef net op ‘n vet vrye diet te gaan , dit werk soos niks anders nie!!! Ek het nou 7kg in 1 maand verloor, Maar nou moet ek bieg ek eet net uit ‘n klein bordjie en niks wat soet is nie! Ek is nie honger nie en het ook nie ‘lus’ nie en dit help natuurlik baie ,ook doodsbenoud die pyn kom terug en ek weet nie of ek dit vir ‘n tweede keer sal oorleef nie!
Dis tog te lekker om briefies te ontvang en te hoor van almal se doen en late en ek hoop van harte dat Hessie ons iets sal laat weet van die Attie se troue!!! en ook dat daar tog sommiges is, wat die briefie sal lees.
Verjaardae in my boekie is maar min, Paul en Jacob verjaar die 24ste Desember en gister het Oubaas en Gerda se Helene verjaar! op dieselfde dag as wat Oupa Gerrie se verjaardag altyd was.Ons beste wense word gestuur vir ‘n pragtige dag en God’s seen vir die jaar wat voorle!
Baie spesiale wense aan onse Tante Poppie ! ek het ‘n pragtige foto van haar ontvang en sy lyk nog besonder goed!
MAG HIERDIE KERSFEES ‘N TYD VAN GROOT VREUGDE WEES VIR ALMAL WAT JESUS CHRISTUS AS HUL VERLOSSER AANVAAR HET! MAG ‘HY’ JULLE RYKLIK SEёN IN DIE NUWE JAAR EN JULLE BEHOED EN BEWAAR!
Ek groet vanuit ‘n Cranleymore,’n lekker wintersdag met helder sonskyn en blou lug.
Barry en Christina(Stien....)
Irish Greeting
12 Dec 2009
Good day to all, family and friends,
So we speed to the end of the year and Christmas is on hands.
We only celebrate Christmas in a very close family way , we do not exchange presents because that means that precious monies have to be used for trivial things , we rather give each other the love and companionship that is needed to make Christmas a blessed time!
We have noticed that the recession is talking and there is much less hype about the mass commercialism that overtook this country in the years past.
The weather has stabilized and we are into our 3rd day of beautiful blue skies, bright sunshine even with the sun hanging low in the south there is a glimmer of friendliness on every-ones faces, we became very dark and gloomy in the weeks past, There are still parts of western Ireland that is totally under water, we cannot understand why the government did not declare it a an emergency state. They take children to school in a boat with an engine on massive lakes covering the farmlands; there are no roads to be travelled on!
We have been very fortunate that the water ran off the land as we live on a hill and our grounds are relatively small in comparison with other farm lands! We went to Castlecomer yesterday to pick up the last of the silver that was not sold and in spite of being winter it stays beautiful! The road is good and the traffic volume was remarkably low for a Friday and we travelled the 156km in 2 +1/2hrs. Some of the roads have not been converted to main roads yet and you slow down to 60km/hr.
There are no flowers to speak about at present, I took some time in the middle of the day on Thursday to cut out all the dead and rotten pansies in the baskets and they have already brightened up!
The birds are always a joy, their mannerisms are fascinating to watch and Barry hung the 2 peanut feeders where we can watch them from the 2 windows looking out over the back garden.
The bigger birds, the geese are ever so cute, they know me now and don’t run away any more but Barry they adore as he feeds them and take care of their accommodation! He cleans the donkey house 2x a week and gives them clean straw, they do not mess where they sleep and that makes the cleanup process much easier and the used straw is then placed on the compost heap and we hope that we will have excellent compost for the vegetable garden next year¬
I have not returned to work yet as the Dr did not think it a good idea, I have to consult with the surgeon on the 12th Jan to get the operation booked! So far so good, I am well aware that something is not 100% but copes well and with my fat free diet, the possibility of having another attack is slim.
I am at the point of baking Barry my 1st fruit cake and as soon as this letter is posted I will concentrate on the preparation of it all!
One of the many visitors brought us a fruitcake and he ate the whole thing within 4 days, it was not ‘n big cake but it seems as if I have neglected him grossly with treats!
We had our budget and people are furious, they did not increase personal tax but will take on scale from 4% for the lowest earners to 20% to the highest earnest in public service, a levy. This includes all social welfare pay-outs and the most vulnerable are the ones that will suffer the most! The banking fraternity laugh all the way because they are the ones that brought this terrible state on the nation and they still earn their millions in spite of the fact that the government had to bail them out of bankruptcy! The worst is that that they cut the duty on alcohol in order that the people will spend their money rather this side of the border than in the North. There the liquor is dirt cheap!
Many of the SA friends visited SA in the last month and the last of the family will also travel soon!
The wedding of Hessie and Attie’s oldest son Attie jnr and his fiancé is the great attraction and I sincerely hope that all will go wonderfully well! May the family enjoy blessed and wonderful fellowship!
I am still not on duty at church as Joy is doing the honours!
We send our fondest regards to our tante Poppie that will have her 101st Christmas this year and we pray that she will stay well!
It would be lovely to hear how the matriculants experienced their exams and those who were writing university exams, thinking of Thilo in Saudi especially, the wonderful achievement of the daughter of Haya and Kobus, Anneke. Is still to be praised! All the others that did so wonderfully well! Our heartiest congratulations!
All of you who are going to travel please do it safely!
Lock your doors! Be alert and careful in everything you do!
Do take care
Warm regards from a stabilised weathered Ireland!
Good day to all, family and friends,
So we speed to the end of the year and Christmas is on hands.
We only celebrate Christmas in a very close family way , we do not exchange presents because that means that precious monies have to be used for trivial things , we rather give each other the love and companionship that is needed to make Christmas a blessed time!
We have noticed that the recession is talking and there is much less hype about the mass commercialism that overtook this country in the years past.
The weather has stabilized and we are into our 3rd day of beautiful blue skies, bright sunshine even with the sun hanging low in the south there is a glimmer of friendliness on every-ones faces, we became very dark and gloomy in the weeks past, There are still parts of western Ireland that is totally under water, we cannot understand why the government did not declare it a an emergency state. They take children to school in a boat with an engine on massive lakes covering the farmlands; there are no roads to be travelled on!
We have been very fortunate that the water ran off the land as we live on a hill and our grounds are relatively small in comparison with other farm lands! We went to Castlecomer yesterday to pick up the last of the silver that was not sold and in spite of being winter it stays beautiful! The road is good and the traffic volume was remarkably low for a Friday and we travelled the 156km in 2 +1/2hrs. Some of the roads have not been converted to main roads yet and you slow down to 60km/hr.
There are no flowers to speak about at present, I took some time in the middle of the day on Thursday to cut out all the dead and rotten pansies in the baskets and they have already brightened up!
The birds are always a joy, their mannerisms are fascinating to watch and Barry hung the 2 peanut feeders where we can watch them from the 2 windows looking out over the back garden.
The bigger birds, the geese are ever so cute, they know me now and don’t run away any more but Barry they adore as he feeds them and take care of their accommodation! He cleans the donkey house 2x a week and gives them clean straw, they do not mess where they sleep and that makes the cleanup process much easier and the used straw is then placed on the compost heap and we hope that we will have excellent compost for the vegetable garden next year¬
I have not returned to work yet as the Dr did not think it a good idea, I have to consult with the surgeon on the 12th Jan to get the operation booked! So far so good, I am well aware that something is not 100% but copes well and with my fat free diet, the possibility of having another attack is slim.
I am at the point of baking Barry my 1st fruit cake and as soon as this letter is posted I will concentrate on the preparation of it all!
One of the many visitors brought us a fruitcake and he ate the whole thing within 4 days, it was not ‘n big cake but it seems as if I have neglected him grossly with treats!
We had our budget and people are furious, they did not increase personal tax but will take on scale from 4% for the lowest earners to 20% to the highest earnest in public service, a levy. This includes all social welfare pay-outs and the most vulnerable are the ones that will suffer the most! The banking fraternity laugh all the way because they are the ones that brought this terrible state on the nation and they still earn their millions in spite of the fact that the government had to bail them out of bankruptcy! The worst is that that they cut the duty on alcohol in order that the people will spend their money rather this side of the border than in the North. There the liquor is dirt cheap!
Many of the SA friends visited SA in the last month and the last of the family will also travel soon!
The wedding of Hessie and Attie’s oldest son Attie jnr and his fiancé is the great attraction and I sincerely hope that all will go wonderfully well! May the family enjoy blessed and wonderful fellowship!
I am still not on duty at church as Joy is doing the honours!
We send our fondest regards to our tante Poppie that will have her 101st Christmas this year and we pray that she will stay well!
It would be lovely to hear how the matriculants experienced their exams and those who were writing university exams, thinking of Thilo in Saudi especially, the wonderful achievement of the daughter of Haya and Kobus, Anneke. Is still to be praised! All the others that did so wonderfully well! Our heartiest congratulations!
All of you who are going to travel please do it safely!
Lock your doors! Be alert and careful in everything you do!
Do take care
Warm regards from a stabilised weathered Ireland!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Greetings from a devastated Ireland
28 Nov 09 Saturday
Good day to all far and wide, north and south, east and west, near and dear!
Our island is under water with severe consequences. People are devastated and stranded on the little patch if land that there house is build on. Many a villages has been evacuated, the water run 3ft deep through their properties. The old people have been removed to nursing homes they lost everything! Busnisses ruined!
In all the trouble and all the dire need for help not a person in this country has mentioned the help of the Lord or convened a prayer meeting to pray that the rain must stop and the flooding subsided. The Lord is so far removed from the Irish that it is frightening. Catholic and Protestant alike. Talk about a wake-up call, if these weather patterns are not regarded as part of the global warming then who is talking!?????? But no-one is listening!
I also had a wake-up call and mine was very personal I landed for 8 days in hospital with severe cholisistitis. The swelling and inflammation was so severe that I needed 3 different kinds of scan and nuclear x rays, ultra sound/scans to determine where the stones went to and if there were any! Still waiting for the last result but fortunately the big boss. Mr Ash(Egyptian I think) was lenient and allowed me to go home until the operation is scheduled early next year. Blood result not back to normal but I will survive!
Not a good way to lose weight but it kick started it any way after fasting for 4 days and fluids for 2.
Fortunately I don’t get hungry anymore and have no desire for food every mouthful is an effort. I am also paranoid that the pain will start again and I don’t think I will be able to stand it a second time.
I am home now, after a week+, long days in hospital and my friends from ward and hospital where I work, were wonderful, Finbarr drove from Dublin fetched his dad and came to visit me when the weather was at its worse, Since then Barry drove every day in for 2 hours as the hospital is 35km away in the same town I work. Mullingar, a teaching hospital and every morning and some evenings I had the rainbow nations of doctors around my bed. There was not one Irish born dr in this surgical group, from the lightest pale yellow skin to the darkest of Africa.
I ate for the 1st time last night a small bowl of Barry’s stew FAT FREE and did not get sick, my diet so far consisted of grated apple, fruit juices with only trace fat in it and a weetabix for breakfast I got some fat free milk yesterday but until then I only had black rooibos tea over this breakfast. As every bite I take should be as near to fat free as possible. A dry piece of brown toast to nibble on in between.
I eventually get full use of my liquidiser by making smoothies for lunch!
Today the forecast is some drier weather and the winds less severe with some sunshine; we are still waiting for the sun temp this morning -3.cel.
Barry was very lonely but thankfully he had the geese to look after and that helped they are lovely they have put on weight and are clean. They come to him now and talk to him. They are still afraid of me
They only knew me 3 days when I disappeared. They are treated as princes or what- ever they may be, we did not sex them and will wait patiently to see what happens when the breeding season starts, they may be all male for all we know!
The fog is still hanging heavy outside, just been to the shop for Barry’s paper. He threw some bread to the geese and I took a photo from far away, as soon as I come near they run away!
The temp has risen to 0 and the fire never burnt out last night and we could start it from the left over embers and the house is lovely and warm.
The birds are cold and hungry and Barry provides diligently oats, and peanuts, they do not eat fruit, and we fill them up with bread crumbs and everything that stays over in a plate. Green finches, gold finches, hedge sparrows, bull finches, black birds, red robins, lady /male wagtails, the black crows and magpies are also frequenting to grab the left- over.
So many are going to SA for December and I hope those who are there enjoy it and those who plan to travel do it safely! Those who are going to attend weddings, may it be a lovely occasion!
The very sad report regarding the abuse by priests in the catholic church was released this week and I am not here to judge but I believe that they are the anti Christ in themselves, they blatantly lie and deny that they did anything wrong. Some have admitted but many are still denying the facts. Very very sad!!!!
I believe that a large number of family members had birthdays and still to have, our wishes are with them all for a good blessed year ahead. To all those who so brilliantly achieved in their final years, CONGRATULATIONS! Those who are still writing exams and studying hard everything of the best!
Our special regards to tante Poppie and we hope that she is keeping as well as can be expected.
Be careful while driving, lock your doors, and watch where you go.
May it rain where it is still dry, and we pray for those who have been affected by the tremendous floods, and take care!
Love and warm regards from us in a cold shivering Cranleymore!
The Dunnes
Good day to all far and wide, north and south, east and west, near and dear!
Our island is under water with severe consequences. People are devastated and stranded on the little patch if land that there house is build on. Many a villages has been evacuated, the water run 3ft deep through their properties. The old people have been removed to nursing homes they lost everything! Busnisses ruined!
In all the trouble and all the dire need for help not a person in this country has mentioned the help of the Lord or convened a prayer meeting to pray that the rain must stop and the flooding subsided. The Lord is so far removed from the Irish that it is frightening. Catholic and Protestant alike. Talk about a wake-up call, if these weather patterns are not regarded as part of the global warming then who is talking!?????? But no-one is listening!
I also had a wake-up call and mine was very personal I landed for 8 days in hospital with severe cholisistitis. The swelling and inflammation was so severe that I needed 3 different kinds of scan and nuclear x rays, ultra sound/scans to determine where the stones went to and if there were any! Still waiting for the last result but fortunately the big boss. Mr Ash(Egyptian I think) was lenient and allowed me to go home until the operation is scheduled early next year. Blood result not back to normal but I will survive!
Not a good way to lose weight but it kick started it any way after fasting for 4 days and fluids for 2.
Fortunately I don’t get hungry anymore and have no desire for food every mouthful is an effort. I am also paranoid that the pain will start again and I don’t think I will be able to stand it a second time.
I am home now, after a week+, long days in hospital and my friends from ward and hospital where I work, were wonderful, Finbarr drove from Dublin fetched his dad and came to visit me when the weather was at its worse, Since then Barry drove every day in for 2 hours as the hospital is 35km away in the same town I work. Mullingar, a teaching hospital and every morning and some evenings I had the rainbow nations of doctors around my bed. There was not one Irish born dr in this surgical group, from the lightest pale yellow skin to the darkest of Africa.
I ate for the 1st time last night a small bowl of Barry’s stew FAT FREE and did not get sick, my diet so far consisted of grated apple, fruit juices with only trace fat in it and a weetabix for breakfast I got some fat free milk yesterday but until then I only had black rooibos tea over this breakfast. As every bite I take should be as near to fat free as possible. A dry piece of brown toast to nibble on in between.
I eventually get full use of my liquidiser by making smoothies for lunch!
Today the forecast is some drier weather and the winds less severe with some sunshine; we are still waiting for the sun temp this morning -3.cel.
Barry was very lonely but thankfully he had the geese to look after and that helped they are lovely they have put on weight and are clean. They come to him now and talk to him. They are still afraid of me
They only knew me 3 days when I disappeared. They are treated as princes or what- ever they may be, we did not sex them and will wait patiently to see what happens when the breeding season starts, they may be all male for all we know!
The fog is still hanging heavy outside, just been to the shop for Barry’s paper. He threw some bread to the geese and I took a photo from far away, as soon as I come near they run away!
The temp has risen to 0 and the fire never burnt out last night and we could start it from the left over embers and the house is lovely and warm.
The birds are cold and hungry and Barry provides diligently oats, and peanuts, they do not eat fruit, and we fill them up with bread crumbs and everything that stays over in a plate. Green finches, gold finches, hedge sparrows, bull finches, black birds, red robins, lady /male wagtails, the black crows and magpies are also frequenting to grab the left- over.
So many are going to SA for December and I hope those who are there enjoy it and those who plan to travel do it safely! Those who are going to attend weddings, may it be a lovely occasion!
The very sad report regarding the abuse by priests in the catholic church was released this week and I am not here to judge but I believe that they are the anti Christ in themselves, they blatantly lie and deny that they did anything wrong. Some have admitted but many are still denying the facts. Very very sad!!!!
I believe that a large number of family members had birthdays and still to have, our wishes are with them all for a good blessed year ahead. To all those who so brilliantly achieved in their final years, CONGRATULATIONS! Those who are still writing exams and studying hard everything of the best!
Our special regards to tante Poppie and we hope that she is keeping as well as can be expected.
Be careful while driving, lock your doors, and watch where you go.
May it rain where it is still dry, and we pray for those who have been affected by the tremendous floods, and take care!
Love and warm regards from us in a cold shivering Cranleymore!
The Dunnes
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