Winter in Ireland

9 January ‘10





Good day to all, family and friends!



It started to snow with us for the so many-eth time since 21 of December and it has also melted as many times as well and with temperatures now falling to -10 and -12 we are experiencing the coldest spell in 50 years. We feel for our neighbours in England and Scotland where temperatures dropped to -21!!!!! We are not at all equipped to cope with weather extremes like this and there is not enough salt or grit to cover the roads and the cars do not have the correct tyres and even the 4x4’s are struggling to cope!

In the mean time the southern hemisphere are warm and praying for rain is some districts! I must say I do not mind the cold, snow and even the ice, as long as it is dry! The problems starts when it is wet and cold, I started to suffer from cold feet here in my senior years and especially the left foot seems to be frozen all the time so I sit with a hot water bottle between my feet most of the day. At night my electric blanket warms up the bed, and then get switched off when we get in!

The fire gets an enormous big lump of wood on it when we go to bed and that burns slowly to early morning and Barry can start the fire with the ambers from yesterday!

I am still at home and I got the feeling that the hospital is glad I am not there as work has not picked up yet and the night staff have to do shifts in the old age home and I really do not feel up to it yet!

I am to see the surgeon on Tuesday and will know then where I stand in relation to Lap Coli (key hole surgery) soon or in the future. Every now and then I get a reminder that something is not kosher and hope to get through the day or night without having to go back to hospital A&E.

The 1st Minister in Northern Ireland‘s wife has brought the family is disrepute and had a love affair with a 19yr old. She lost the plot that is for sure! What is so tragic is that every news paper and every TV station takes great delight in highlighting every little detail of the affair.

Our own little island are still in the red and will be for some time as they keep on borrowing money and when they will be able to pay it back , no one knows!

Patrick(Finbarr) and Amanda are snowed in and have not been going about as the roads are too dangerous.

He started his own company ‘consulting’ “Brand Experiences Ltd” and can work from home which helps tremendously. Amanda‘s boss sends the driver to pick her up with a 4x4, it is such a worry otherwise. They are both very well and we can’t wait for our grand child to be born.

Birthday wishes to Corli who is 1 year old today as well as to Mari-Janke who has her birthday on the 16th. I have no other birthdays in my book and if I miss one please enjoy in the good wishes for the best year ever!

Thank you to all who so wonderfully keep in touch. It is heart-rending and lovely to know that you are all well. Thank you for all the lovely photos via email and per post. For the reading matter and news! Hope sincerely that we will see some pictures of the wedding that took place on 18th Dec.

I would love to know what all the young people are studying at university as the youngest of that group of grand children are now all out of school. I would like to know the end exams went. The news says that only 60% of matriculants passed. Congratulations to Retha with her matric student’s results, something to celebrate in the educational climate the country finds itself!

Hope that the young Doctor working in Melbourne will give report of his progress and the younger brother now in Brisbane by himself!

How is the young man in Hoedspruit? There are so many of you that I cannot keep track. Hessie& Attie and their 2 young women, Oubaas and Gerda with their 2, Gerlof with their children all out of the house as well. Kathleen and Tim, and all her experiences working in SA!

The geese are now like children, they run towards us when we enter the lower field waiting for a treat, usually a bit of bread. They love company but stay indoors when it is so cold. Barry has to take water from the house for them as all the water pipes are continually frozen

The wild bird population is large with visitors from Scandinavia, and the Arctic. It is fascinating to watch them and how they have a pecking order, colour changes in the winter and definite characteristics.

We have a visiting preacher from Kilkenny tomorrow and I was left to choose the Hymns and have kept it real reformed! Still the best day of the week!

I will greet you with warmth, remember to lock the doors, watch every step you take, drive safely! May it rain where it is dry and may every crop on the lands be fruitful and market prices good!

Love to hear from you all

The Dunnes in a snow covered Cranleymore!