End August Irish Greeting

Wednesday 25th Aug’10



Good day to all, family and friends,



I am cheating as this letter will be a few days late and will cover 2 weeks.

The weather has been playing cat and mouse with us, Moments go by and you think AaaaaaHhhhhhhhhhhh!! Summer is back and the next moment you have to run for cover as the heavens will open without notice and you will be drenched, and suddenly it is cold! You reach for the cardigan again just to remove it an hour later when the sun is bright and beautiful in the blue, blue skies!

The temperatures has been falling steadily at night time and at some stage last week it must have dropped below (7)the marker set for the thermostat to kick in at the hospital and the heaters went on full blast, we nearly suffocated and the poor patients had all a free sauna, they say you do not get cold from something like that but I definitely did as I dripped most of the night and the fan was on and you walk passed soaked in perspiration ,cool down for a while and then moments later you are so hot that your clothes are sticking to you! I was also very generous and gave this not requested cold to Barry, and as a man he was much sicker from it than me, fortunately we are both on the road to recovery!

We were ever so privileged to have Finbarr(PF) or Patrick as he is known to all in Ireland, Amanda and our grandson Lukas visiting on Sunday! I could not come near him but that took nothing away from his charm! He is a boy through and through! He knows his own mind and if you do not act quick enough he will let you know in no uncertain terms! His development is far beyond the milestones and there is surely enough gray-matter for a profession in high places!!!!He is absolutely gorgeous!

Flowers looks really not good, only waiting on the gladiolas, some of the Dahlias have opened and brought some colour! Others are drowned or dying! Tomatoes are finished and we had a good crop this year, still a few green ones hanging on the dying storks! Roses may have a second sprout of flowers but if the cold come suddenly, that will also be something of the past!

Birds, by the 100s eating the gosling crumbs and the oats giving to them by Barry, brings us great joy! The late baby swallows peep over the edge of their nest in the donkey house, always hungry and ready to be fed! Hope they make it before the winter come, they still have to leave the nest, put body weight on before they can fly to SA!!!that is another good 4 weeks or more!

The geese are like children, if you do not give attention they make sure we are aware of their existence. The noise is unreal! The teenagers cannot cackle yet but are on the way with an in between noise that can be heard for a mile! The 3 goslings are nearly a month old and will soon be introduced to the rest of the family! Prince Scruffie, keeps guard over Mary and the 3 goslings as if he gets paid to do it! He never leaves her side, he on that side of the fence and she on this side! They keep the grass short and that pleases Barry to no limits as he can omit cutting the lower field, it is a big job and he is not getting younger!

We have the Polish worker and his son who is visiting from Poland working on the extension of the shed, digging the holes for the railway sleepers, cementing them in and then the framework for the roof and the wooden fence poles as walls, it will be used for shelter for the geese and turf or wood for the winter. The older shed is just not big enough. The donkey house far too small for the geese family! 2 will be going to a friend maybe next week that leaves us with 8 young geese and 5 older ones.

We are very fortunate to be counted in at the church for the wood that will come available. The church grounds are surrounded by 60-100 year old pine trees and has grown far too high. The roots are disturbing the graves as well as the foundations of the church and has ruined the stone wall around the church, so, sad as it is, the trees have to come down! It is also a health and safety risk with high winds and storms.

At work things have improved a little after the ballot was accepted for 5% hours and pay cut instead of the less 18% we were working under for the last 2 years! Worked has picked up and means that we are now working 3+4nights in a fortnight and sometimes more, all overtime has to be paid and not given as time over!

There has also been an inquiry into the professional attitude of the Manager and Nursing Director of the Hospital who sometimes would use abusive language, raised voice and unreasonable expectations especially from the theatre staff. The woman, conducting the interviews have had experience with such disturbing behaviour in the EU and we hope sincerely that matters will improve!

Last but not least on the list are those who have received exam results and I am waiting to hear how it went with Christiaan’s leaving cert results! The SA children and students are nearing their last quarter of the year and we wish them well!

Here I am thinking of Nicole, Stephan, Nico, Elaine, Reuben, all still at school. Mieanka?, has returned to JHB and I hope she will be happy!

And off course all the students at University!

I am also thinking very specially of my friend Trish and hope sincerely that she will get this letter and know that she is always in my prayers!

Glad that Rob and Thilo are back in Saudi Safely and enjoyed their trip to the USA.

Arnolda and Garth in Australia and the big trek through the desert, enjoy the get-together with the sons!

Gerlof and Sandra are due home soon and I hope they have a safe journey back!

My friend Marthie is visiting her Mom and family in SA and I hope she enjoys every minute of it! I hope she left here with only hand luggage as the orders and requests from all of us were plentiful!!!!

Cilna looking forward to you next visit, a pity you could not come with this time!

Gerda, have not heard from you since you left but hope that you are keeping well! The rest of the SA friends I will hopefully see with our weekly coffee date sometime soon!

Birthdays! Martie R is having a birthday on the 26th, Rachelle had her birthday Yesterday and I hope that the New year will be full of wonderful surprises and good health! Rachelle’s mom has been visiting and will soon be going back, I sincerely hope that she enjoyed Ireland!

Thank you to all for the good wishes that appeared on face book ,sms(txt)and by emails! Much appreciated!

All the people not feeling so well and children that are sick, I hope you all feel better soon! Haya how are the feet and Cobus’s back?

This then, greetings from Cranleymore where we enjoy cool, no wind but sunny weather today!

Take care, all of you!

Regards from house to house

Barry & Christina