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