Spring at last!

Weekend 9/10 April’10

Dear Family and friends,

Today was Tant Poppie’s Thanks Giving Service and we were in thought and spirit with the family!

I wanted to remember tant Poppie and wrote my thoughts down and in the end 5 folio pages later I realised that it was a bit much and in the end there was just a few lines in remembrance of a dear Aunt!

Weather Report:

Hazy sunshine with a slight breeze, dry (that is the most important) and pleasant!
After last week’s escapades we are happy for every dry day, every little sunray that breaks through the cloud cover! It rained so much Tuesday night that the back lawn was like a shallow swimming pool! Water ran like a river just behind the fence (in Jimmy o Schaugnessey’s land) without hindrance. Next to our house, North side
(The side that is deprived of sunshine, except early morning) we had our own pool! The drainage was not good enough for the gallons of water that came from the fields above us and accumulated at the lowest point which was against our house’s outer wall! Barry will have to redesign the drainage system around the house and alleviate the problem for the next flood.

If all goes well he is going to attempt to cut the grass later this afternoon- evening really as the sun is now setting just after 8.30 pm. Will report on that later.
The back fence, the yard fence between the lower field and the house represents the finest specimens of daffodils you can imagine! The bulbs we planted the very first year have come to their real glory this year and then we planted about 100-150 extra bulbs in October, to reward us now with bright yellow, flowers where ever you look!!

We have decided to leave the veg garden for this year, with our dear friends and children the geese attending to the plant growth and grass cutting in the lower field. The plan is to have a lean-to added to the shed to have a kind of protected area (hothouse effect) where we will plant a few selected veggies in pots. The slugs are very active and it becomes a full day job just to control them alone!
The roses now have leaves on and we are waiting on the flower plum trees to bloom!

For the last 4 years we have tried to grow tomatoes but it is no good! There is not enough heat to get them to ripen, much cheaper and easier to buy them of the shelf!
The strawberry plants are growing well and we hope to enjoy a good crop of very delicious fruit around July-August!. The crab apple trees have leaves and the blossoms are not far behind. The normal apple and pear trees are still in the budding stage!

Saturday Morning.

Today is Gerda’s Birthday, living in Zambia
We hope and pray that you will a lovely day abundant blessings from above, good health and lots of surprises!

My brother Mendel, living in Groot Brak River, will be 80 years old on the 13th!!!!Hope I have that correct) Paul as you are only email link to him will you convey our best wishes to him, I will also send a sms! Technology is wonderful!

I do not have any more birthdays for this week but if there is any-one having a birthday! Enjoy the day!

The weather held yesterday and the 1st cut of the grass for 2010 were in progress at about 5pm your time. In spite of the wetness it went well, and suddenly the place looks more cared for!
The Meteirin, our equivalent of the weather bureau, mentioned this morning that the month of March was the coldest in 23 years and it was also the coldest winter since 1963!!!!!
Barry has gone deaf in his left ear, so bad that we are at the shouting stage! I arranged an appointment with the hearing assessors for Wednesday and we will have a verdict then! The testing is free but any hearing aid we have to pay for. He can go via the HSE but he might be old and over the hill before he gets his turn as there is a waiting list for 24 months!
We are otherwise well! My leave is a patient waiting game and when the phone rings I jump, run and answer with haste, but alas, still nothing happening, Amanda says she is not a very patient person and this waiting period is teaching her endurance and perseverance( not that she has a choice in the matter) hahaha!
Tomorrow, as always, is the best day of the week and we have the Moderator of the Presbyterian(nearest to Reformed Churched here in Ireland) as visiting preacher.

Psalms and Hymns well practised and tea before the service as he has to leave and preached in Mullingar as well! He and his wife will be presented with a hamper put together by one of the members!
Victor Murphy (farmer and Historian)the oldest member of the church now 86 has been the treasurer for over 60 years and we will acknowledge his services as well, at the same time. I did a card in calligraphy and hope that it will go well!

For those who do not want to know about the geese saga, have a good day and weekend! Till next time (Exit now)

Prince Scruffie, has been accepted by his harem and is now king of the castle! If he is doing his work, remains to be seen! Since last week Thursday, we started to collect the ‘new’ hopefully fertile eggs and they add up to 23 today, The old eggs(58) have undergone a metamorphosis and have become food for the crows, geese and magpies and who ever visits when we do not look! We cooked them in a big pot for about 20 min, cool them down and break them with a shovel into bits! What a waste! And that because of our ignorance!

The blue tits nest in the box is lined with the softest materials you can imagine and we can watch them going in and out of the box from the kitchen table!

Wonderful to read all the news from far and wide and Haya, we keep Kobus in our thoughts and prayers and hope that whenever the operation is, it will go well and that recovery will be 100%. I always wonder how I will perceive the news that I have cancer and have decided that only the heavenly Father can soften that blow!
Also glad that Arnolda was with you in time of need!

I call an end to my waffling and hope sincerely that you will overcome the publicity worldwide of Eugene Terblanche’s murder! We watch the SA Golfers with dismay as they falter around Augusta!
Remember security, around the house, in the car and on the streets!
Keep well
From a happier husband and wife in Cranleymore. WHY??
They promised temp‘s of 15-17 Cel later in the day , the sun shine the skies are blue and there is no wind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barry & Christina