Saturday 30 Oct’10
Good day to all, Family and friends,
The sun is shining and it is wind still, it is still fairly early in the day and there will surely be a change before this letter is finished!
The last 3 days was rain, rain and specks of sunlight in between and again rain! The Southerly wind was warm but strong!
The leaves fall like snowflakes and the colours warm red to golden yellow! Beautiful!
A rather hectic week for us! Sunday after church we left for Dublin, I should really Castleknock as it is a suburb far out of the hub of Dublin and easily assessable! All went well and we had a lovely afternoon with our grandson Lukas! He was just 6 months old on Saturday. He eats well, shows his preferences very clearly but Amanda is very strict and he gets just the best of everything, home cooked and lots of veggies and fruit! He can laugh, so inspiring you to laugh as well! Wonderfully content and happy child! All praise to the parents!
The garden is out of bounce at the moment! We did notice that some of the daffodils that were left in the ground are now visible, the baskets need dire attention but with all the rain we decided not to waste money and will wait for the early Spring!
Monday was a dull day with the sun just appearing for moments and the wind blowing us off our feet! Tuesday was preparation day as we decided after long deliberations to leave on Wednesday @9am for Cork! Barry has been putting this visit off for many years and it had to be done! Booked a hotel room for the night in Kinsale on the little harbour, very lovely and still full of visitors!
The 1st part of the journey was old road with some highway in between but we got onto the motorway at Port Loaish and from thereon we drove straight to Cork, here is a stretch of road of about 162 kilometres with not one petrol station or restroom off the motorway, you have to take a turnoff into a town to be able to fill your car or have a cup of coffee! The road is very good and 1 ½ hrs later we entered the tunnel under the sea to get into the outer suburbs of Cork Journey time from front door to 1st stop 3hrs and 10 min. Google predicted another 35 min but we did not use that!
The place has changed so much since our last proper visit in 1997( the visit in 2003 was just 2 nights and spent with the family then, no sightseeing.) As we were early we enjoyed a leisure drive to the coastal village of Kinsale where the hotel was and enjoyed the wonderful autumn colours small roads zigzagging through woody areas and small villages with enormous housing estates – the beauty of the hills destroyed for progress and greed! We had tea with Barry’s brother Frank and his wife Breda and had a good chat, which was on our way, left then on the 2nd part of the journey so surprised at the development! The village of Kinsale is on the sea and I love the sea! Unfortunately it rained and we had to wait for a good hour before we could explore the small and narrow streets!
Barry remembered it as it was years ago and he was very sad on the one side but also impressed with the growth! The hills covered now with housing estates and the beauty of the countryside destroyed.
We had dinner with Sharon and the twins Christopher and Nicholas at the hotel, the very best behaved young boys, very well mannered and a pleasure to have a conversation with. We last saw them at the age of 8 and now they are 15jrs old! Doing well at school and partaking in community activities to the full! Very talented as well! All honours to Sharon for bringing up these boys so wonderfully, what a pleasure it was to see and talk to them!
Thursday morning we did the nostalgic tour of where Barry grew up, Douglas, the old house made way for a highway, although some places were still standing! Like the Toomey’s house across the road! Visiting familiar places now unrecognisable! Frank and Breda went with us to the cemetery and we visited the grave of Barry’s parents and other family members who passed away!
After a lovely lunch with them we hit the road again and while putting in petrol, with the pump not working we read the notice. Pay before you get petrol, difficult as I like to fill up my car before a long journey and now you have to guess- they must have had a lot of people putting in petrol and drive off! Little bit inconvenient but we had enough to get us home!
The Lord granted us once again save travelling mercies and we were home at ¼ to 5. The geese were totally mad with gladness for seeing us! That was the first time they were ever left alone for a night! They survived and were none the better off for staying outside for the night! We did plan it like that as the night was going to be very mild and we knew they would be fine outside!
They do restrict our movements in many ways and we seriously consider selling them if not all, at least some!
Just back from a visit to the village where I had to get some cortisone cream and Periton antihistamine for my face as that came up again; as we were travelling back I could feel the tingling going on in the left cheek. I am so highly allergic and all we can think of is that I rubbed cheeks with many people and on Thursday morning we also met Linda, Frank and Breda’s daughter and she might have had a cream on her face with anti ageing component in, which I am super sensitive to, even any of the other ladies with make-up on could have caused it! Just my left cheek!! In the chemist just after I put my card back in my bag I heard a mighty bang behind me and there at the door an old lady good over 80yrs fell! She hit her head on the cement and her glasses cut her nose, she was slightly heavy and had 2 swollen feet and knees matching, I did my good deed for the day and after some 1st aid and the assistance of the Pharmacist we got her up onto a chair, cleaned the face and steri-stripped the cuts, cleaned the bruises and applied some dressings! Taking her history she told me she had a knee replacement in July and that the knee is now very sore! I checked every thing thoroughly and when I was happy that she was well and proper orientated we helped her into the car which her son brought nearer and with advice of getting to an A&E or Midoc a.s.a.p they left! Barry wondered what happened to me as I am usually back to the car before he paid for his paper and bread!
Thank the Lord she was fine when she left and a good ½ later I was back in the car!
The weather as promised is starting to change and temp of 8 degrees might drop as the sun is disappearing fast behind the clouds! Sometimes it even rises when clouds take over, but we are well prepared for the winter and after 2 days of -2 already behind ours back we do not mind, it has to come and tonight we can sleep an hour longer as we enter winter time! I think it is foolish and not good for your health but the authorities have other concerns! The fire gets lit early afternoon and is very warm and cosy!
Thank you for all the lovely letters in the post, I sincerely appreciate them and read them over and over! Haya, Hessie, Arnolda, Gerlof, Nine, Leopold, Paul in VdBijl, Joy in Brisbane, Gerhard in Mazibuku, Sue, and thank you for the “Sambok” Zumbuck ointment Annarie en Nico!!!!! It is on the way, it was confirmed!
In brackets!:
[We had a very lovely get- together of the SA friends with Marthie’s birthday and great was the “ gezoem van die bye” the humming of the bee’s the way we were talking! Memel, Newcastle, represented! It was great!]
Laurel, Nanette, Karin, Isabel and my dear cousin Retha!. We do think of all those who are not well and sincerely hope that healing is taking place, physically or mentally! And in faith! I am not good with face book and do not entertain it often and therefore hope that the rest of the family are well.
Birthdays according to my records is Sam in Melbourne on the 8th
May your year be excellent! Any-one else our best wishes! For those who are studying , do well! An update on how Nicole fared in Miss Teen Roodepoort would be lovely!
Tomorrow is the very best day of the week! Hymns and Psalms practised and our own minister back in the pulpit we look forward to food for our souls!
I waffled now long enough, Gerlof, I hope you and Sandra enjoy your granddaughter as much as we enjoy our grandson! They are without a doubt very special!
Watch your steps, lock the doors and stay safe!
Greetings from us in Cranleymore, full of warmth and good wishes!
Barry & Christina
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Laat herfs groete uit Ierland
18 Oktober’10
Goeie dag allemaal, familie en vriende!!!
Saterdag was ‘n pragtige dag en dit was soos ‘n ‘totsiens’ aan die mooi weer van herfstyd! Gister en vandag was donker en grys, nie te koud nie maar die wind geniepsig! Die herfs kleure is asemberowend mooi!
Ons het laat middag vir die eerste keer die vuur aangesteek en nou sit ons gesellig voor die kaggel! Ek het bietjie slegte dienstye gehad en toe ek Saterdag wakker word kon ek net ‘n koppie tee drink voor ons die pad gevat het om ‘n landgoed veiling te besigtig.
My kar kan die pad na Old Castle sonder my aan die stuur beredder want ons ry net soveel keer na die veiling kamers as wat ek werk toe ry! Die here huis het aan Oliver Plunket behoort , gebore 1625 op die landgoed , later vermoor en onthoof en sy kop is nog te siene in een of ander museum.Die landgoed is tussen die heuwels en valleie van County Meath geleë! Baie mooi! Die oorspronklike huis bestaan nie meer nie net die Romynse pilare vir die ingang vanuit die 12de eeu staan nog en ‘n latere gebou wat nog steeds in gebruik is, is waar die veiling plaas gevind het! Majestieus!
Verder gaan dit dit maar hopskots met my en die ontsteking in my kakebeen en is ek weer op 2 antibiotikas om ‘n einde aan die ellende te bring! Nine ek het gedink ek ‘gaan’ so sleg het ek gevoel, ek wens dit nie my grootste vyand toe nie!
My orgideë blom en is te pragtig! Die 2de blom periode vir die rose het ‘n pragtige dos pink rose teen die muur vertoon. Ons het van die potte leeggemaak en die grond in ‘n nuutgemaakte blom bedding gegooi en môre sal ons omtrent 50 affodille daar plant. Die diep potte se grond vries gedurende die winter en die dalias se bolle vrot dan en ons vergeet elke keer om hulle uit te grawe en in die donkerte te bere tot somer tyd.
Ons gans kinders is pragtig! Hulle kan ‘n lang gesprek met my voer ,ek sien hulle min veral as ek werk maar hulle lewe soos konings en koninginne ek bring ou brood wat weggegooi is vir hulle en dit is vir hulle heerlik ,hulle is nie gepla dat daar effe muf aan sit nie!
Ons het ‘n muis plaag ! met die dat ons nie meer ‘n kat het nie het hulle huis gebou onder die turf en hout in die skuur. Barry het nou 11 tot dood veroordeel met die slagyster en vrot kaas! Hulle hou baie van die gans kos en kom snags hulle knuppel dik eet! As daar kleintjies was sal hulle nou dooi want daar is nie meer ouers oor om kos te gee nie. Baie sielig maar dit is nou maar soos dit is.
Ons kan net nie besluit wat om met die ganse te doen nie, verkoop of aan hou nie! As ons hulle hou beteken dit dat ons nooit kan weggaan nie wat ook nie goed is nie! Maar ons het baie geheg aan hulle geraak!
In my vorige brief het ek genoem van die klein ystervarkie(hedgehog) wat onder die strooi geslaap het, dié het inmiddels weer verdwyn. Daar sal seker ander nag diertjies in die omgewing wees want hier is niks wat hulle sal verwilder nie!
Ons sal die komende Sondag DV na kerk Dublin toe ry om ons kleinseun te gaan besoek, Finbarr en Amanda ry elke maand hierna toe, nou is dit ons beurt om ‘n middag by hulle deurtebring.
Ek sit met die skoot rekenaar voor die kaggel, heerlik warm en knus! Die water in die tenk kook behoortlik en elke nou en dan moet ons ‘n kraan oopdraai en beitjie water uit die tenk laat sodat koue water kan inloop en sodoende verhoed ons dat ‘n ontploffing. Ons dink ook aan Paul en Hanlie en hoop van harte dat dit gou beter sal gaan met Paul!
Ons het gelees op die komper nuus van die sneeu op die Drakens en Lesoto berge,snaakse lente vir SA! Ons staan op die rant van winter, dae is baie korter en in 2 weke draai ons die klok nog ‘n uur terug, ons het selfs ryp gehad die afgelope week!
Soos Gerlof het ons ook die wonderlike redding van die Chilliaanse mynwerkers tot op die laaste man dopgehou.
Ek is op soek na Sambok salf, as daar iemand van die SA vriendinne Ierland toe kom ,sal ek dit baie waardeer my been is besig om stadig maar seker aan die brandsiekte en melaatsheid omtekom. Die eerste letsel was na ‘n netel aan my geraak het en nou het dit oorgegaan na kroniese dermatitis en niks van die Ierse salwe wil werk nie! Ek gee op. Ek het opgehou lemoene eet ,volg nou ‘n graanvrye dieet maar dit maak geen verskil nie. Die bloedtoetse wat hulle geneem het neem 3 weke om terug tekom, ek wonder of hulle dit maan toe stuur vir ontleding!
Ons dink baie spesiaal aan Isabel en hoop dat die uitslag van die angiogram goed sal wees en dat alles met ‘n pilletjie beheer kan word en niks drasties verkeerd is nie!
Dit is altyd vir my van groot vreugde om ‘n briefie van die familie en vriende te kry ,dankie Nine, Gerlof, Isabel, Retha wat gereeld skryf, en nou en dan ‘n verdwaalde brief uit Delft wat altyd uitstekende leestof is! Selfs net ‘n lyntjie of 2 gee my darem ‘n idee of dit nog wel is met julle! ‘n paar nuwe epos adresse word nou bygevoeg en ek hoop julle sal laat of julle die brief gekry het. Caylin kan jy my Elsje se epos adres stuur, sy het dit vir my oor die foon gegee maar dit was duidelik verkeerd want ek het na 5 eposse nog niks van hulle gehoor nie!
Wees altyd versigtig en onthou die gek om die hoek!
Ek het niks meer om te skryf nie en ‘University Challenge’ is nou aan die beurt en ek geniet die program baie dus groet ek met laat herfs groete.(Exeter Universiteit het gewen!)
Barry en Christina
Goeie dag allemaal, familie en vriende!!!
Saterdag was ‘n pragtige dag en dit was soos ‘n ‘totsiens’ aan die mooi weer van herfstyd! Gister en vandag was donker en grys, nie te koud nie maar die wind geniepsig! Die herfs kleure is asemberowend mooi!
Ons het laat middag vir die eerste keer die vuur aangesteek en nou sit ons gesellig voor die kaggel! Ek het bietjie slegte dienstye gehad en toe ek Saterdag wakker word kon ek net ‘n koppie tee drink voor ons die pad gevat het om ‘n landgoed veiling te besigtig.
My kar kan die pad na Old Castle sonder my aan die stuur beredder want ons ry net soveel keer na die veiling kamers as wat ek werk toe ry! Die here huis het aan Oliver Plunket behoort , gebore 1625 op die landgoed , later vermoor en onthoof en sy kop is nog te siene in een of ander museum.Die landgoed is tussen die heuwels en valleie van County Meath geleë! Baie mooi! Die oorspronklike huis bestaan nie meer nie net die Romynse pilare vir die ingang vanuit die 12de eeu staan nog en ‘n latere gebou wat nog steeds in gebruik is, is waar die veiling plaas gevind het! Majestieus!
Verder gaan dit dit maar hopskots met my en die ontsteking in my kakebeen en is ek weer op 2 antibiotikas om ‘n einde aan die ellende te bring! Nine ek het gedink ek ‘gaan’ so sleg het ek gevoel, ek wens dit nie my grootste vyand toe nie!
My orgideë blom en is te pragtig! Die 2de blom periode vir die rose het ‘n pragtige dos pink rose teen die muur vertoon. Ons het van die potte leeggemaak en die grond in ‘n nuutgemaakte blom bedding gegooi en môre sal ons omtrent 50 affodille daar plant. Die diep potte se grond vries gedurende die winter en die dalias se bolle vrot dan en ons vergeet elke keer om hulle uit te grawe en in die donkerte te bere tot somer tyd.
Ons gans kinders is pragtig! Hulle kan ‘n lang gesprek met my voer ,ek sien hulle min veral as ek werk maar hulle lewe soos konings en koninginne ek bring ou brood wat weggegooi is vir hulle en dit is vir hulle heerlik ,hulle is nie gepla dat daar effe muf aan sit nie!
Ons het ‘n muis plaag ! met die dat ons nie meer ‘n kat het nie het hulle huis gebou onder die turf en hout in die skuur. Barry het nou 11 tot dood veroordeel met die slagyster en vrot kaas! Hulle hou baie van die gans kos en kom snags hulle knuppel dik eet! As daar kleintjies was sal hulle nou dooi want daar is nie meer ouers oor om kos te gee nie. Baie sielig maar dit is nou maar soos dit is.
Ons kan net nie besluit wat om met die ganse te doen nie, verkoop of aan hou nie! As ons hulle hou beteken dit dat ons nooit kan weggaan nie wat ook nie goed is nie! Maar ons het baie geheg aan hulle geraak!
In my vorige brief het ek genoem van die klein ystervarkie(hedgehog) wat onder die strooi geslaap het, dié het inmiddels weer verdwyn. Daar sal seker ander nag diertjies in die omgewing wees want hier is niks wat hulle sal verwilder nie!
Ons sal die komende Sondag DV na kerk Dublin toe ry om ons kleinseun te gaan besoek, Finbarr en Amanda ry elke maand hierna toe, nou is dit ons beurt om ‘n middag by hulle deurtebring.
Ek sit met die skoot rekenaar voor die kaggel, heerlik warm en knus! Die water in die tenk kook behoortlik en elke nou en dan moet ons ‘n kraan oopdraai en beitjie water uit die tenk laat sodat koue water kan inloop en sodoende verhoed ons dat ‘n ontploffing. Ons dink ook aan Paul en Hanlie en hoop van harte dat dit gou beter sal gaan met Paul!
Ons het gelees op die komper nuus van die sneeu op die Drakens en Lesoto berge,snaakse lente vir SA! Ons staan op die rant van winter, dae is baie korter en in 2 weke draai ons die klok nog ‘n uur terug, ons het selfs ryp gehad die afgelope week!
Soos Gerlof het ons ook die wonderlike redding van die Chilliaanse mynwerkers tot op die laaste man dopgehou.
Ek is op soek na Sambok salf, as daar iemand van die SA vriendinne Ierland toe kom ,sal ek dit baie waardeer my been is besig om stadig maar seker aan die brandsiekte en melaatsheid omtekom. Die eerste letsel was na ‘n netel aan my geraak het en nou het dit oorgegaan na kroniese dermatitis en niks van die Ierse salwe wil werk nie! Ek gee op. Ek het opgehou lemoene eet ,volg nou ‘n graanvrye dieet maar dit maak geen verskil nie. Die bloedtoetse wat hulle geneem het neem 3 weke om terug tekom, ek wonder of hulle dit maan toe stuur vir ontleding!
Ons dink baie spesiaal aan Isabel en hoop dat die uitslag van die angiogram goed sal wees en dat alles met ‘n pilletjie beheer kan word en niks drasties verkeerd is nie!
Dit is altyd vir my van groot vreugde om ‘n briefie van die familie en vriende te kry ,dankie Nine, Gerlof, Isabel, Retha wat gereeld skryf, en nou en dan ‘n verdwaalde brief uit Delft wat altyd uitstekende leestof is! Selfs net ‘n lyntjie of 2 gee my darem ‘n idee of dit nog wel is met julle! ‘n paar nuwe epos adresse word nou bygevoeg en ek hoop julle sal laat of julle die brief gekry het. Caylin kan jy my Elsje se epos adres stuur, sy het dit vir my oor die foon gegee maar dit was duidelik verkeerd want ek het na 5 eposse nog niks van hulle gehoor nie!
Wees altyd versigtig en onthou die gek om die hoek!
Ek het niks meer om te skryf nie en ‘University Challenge’ is nou aan die beurt en ek geniet die program baie dus groet ek met laat herfs groete.(Exeter Universiteit het gewen!)
Barry en Christina
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Greetings from a 'warm' Ireland
Saturday 9 October’10
Good day to all, family and friends!
It is with sadness that we as family remember our dear cousin and friend Aggie Dewey who passed away earlier in the week! Our sympathies to her children, grand children and family. We remember her always smiling and ready to help!
For family members that do not know, Aggie was the daughter of our dear tante Hetta van Breda, who was a sister to my father( Gerrie Eloff).Elsje is her sister and Hurter her brother(Hanlie in Dar Es’father.)
Weather pattern has gone high-wire this week. The AZORES get the blame for everything but I am not sure where this warm southerly winds have their origin from but instead of having the start of winter everything has been delayed, temperatures are daily above 15 and do not drop below 10 at night. Forecast for today when the fog lift will be 21 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!Hope sincerely the sun manages to get through!
The week past had its ups and downs. It seems unfair that your own tooth can poison you but that is exactly what happened to me! I never do anything in half measures, I go full-out! This famous tooth going back 18 months, lost its filling and I mentioned that it was going to be removed by a Specialist Oral Surgeon on Thursday but to spice things up a bit I started to feel unexplainably awful on Monday afternoon just before my rest prior to going to work that night. Thought nothing of it and shrugged the rigors off as tiredness.[I cleaned the house that morning without my faithful Dirty Devil( the vacuum cleaner)as it gave notice and I swept all the carpets with the broom. You kind of have to clean the carpets even if you do not get the dust out as we live in the country and we walk in every possible kind of muck, mud, stones, goose manure etc.]When I got up after shivering for 2 ½ hrs in bed, under a winter duvet, with severe pain over the liver area nausea out of this world, I realize something is drastically wrong! Between spasm I phoned the surgeon who did the lap choli and he said to get to the hospital a.s.a.p. with a temp of 38.2(my normal temp is usually 35.6).
They were once again wonderful in helping me, I jumped the queue and was attended to almost immediately.! Every possible blood test was done blood gasses you name it and then when the doctor eventually stopped to take the history, as I know stopped vomiting and could converse, they realised that I was toxic from the infection in the tooth and that the Erythromycin (allergic to Penicillin) which I took made me sick and did nothing for the tooth infection! Realizing that I have an appointment for Thursday they immediately started on Intra Venous Antibiotics, there I found myself as sick as a dog with temperatures flying between 39-40 for the 1st 24 hrs with every joint aching and every muscle sore. It felt as if the toxins were pouring from my skin, I felt sticky and smelly with the most awful taste in my mouth, no toothpaste or mouth rinse helped! Thank the Lord that they picked it up quick enough and by Thursday morning 6am I received the last 3 doses prescribed antibiotic via the 3rd cannula inserted during these few days. I had no usable veins left by then.
Barry picked me up from the hospital at 10am and we were 1½ hrs early for the appointment. I looked at the clock in the surgeon’s treatment room and at 12.35 the tooth was out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe it! My first ever tooth to be pulled!
He only takes out difficult teeth and impacted teeth. He knew exactly what to do and did it well! I kept on bleeding for a while as I was on Clexane (prevents clots) while in hospital, but eventually could go to bed at eleven that night knowing that my ordeal was over! Snuggled up to my own pillow and slept through the night!
Apart from the enormous gap in my teeth (no one can see it, I just know about it) I have recovered100% and take care of mouth washes and salt water rinses. religiously!
I thank all my South African friends who visited and brought lovely gifts and essentials like rooibostea!
Back home Barry came to a stand-still; he does not re-act well on me being hospitalized! He stayed at the phone in case I may call, He did look after his geese children but that was all. He also cooked for himself and survived.
Yesterday he performed all the tasks of the week in one day, while pulling out the straw for the geese he noticed a strange brown prickly ball under the straw? A Hedgehog, all curled up and fast asleep! We do not know how long he /she have been there? We thought it was too early for hibernation and as they forage usually during the night we hoped that he was just resting. Fortunately Barry did not poke him with the garden fork! Where there is one there will be another one, they usually stay in pairs! Lovely! The grass was also cut after nearly 3 weeks of growth; it was just too wet to dare go into the forest! It looks lovely today, cared for and manicured! The “ Estate”( which is about 2 acres) is in good shape! We do not say anything about the baskets or pot plants. The orchid with the 3 stems of flowers is in process of opening, I am so exited!!!! The hothouse plants are flourishing!
The sale of the Hospital to VMF Group made the front page of the Westmeath Examiner, the local paper and the rumour going round is that this man Mark Gordon has €10million to spend to make this a state of the art hospital and clinical facility! Great news!!!!! He must have kept the money under the bed because it definitely did not come from a bank!?
On the political front all is not kosher, they fight with each other, with the opposition, with back benchers and with the voters the enormous amounts of money that has been squandered is unbelievable, and no one is to blame and the whole world is laughing at this Buffoon Government with a Prime Minister that has lost the respect of the country! Very sad! I can understand why Paul urges us to pray for those in power as they do need it desperately!
Tomorrow crowns the week!!! The very best day out of 7!!!! All the hymns are well practised and we are looking forward to the next soul enriching sermon. It is unbelievable that we here in Corboy parish are so privileged to have a man of God, gifted with scripture explanation and in my life time I have heard many a preacher and good ones believe me, but this man is exceptional. I have urged him to let me have the last series of sermons in a word document but he is so humble, he feels it is not good enough!
Well my special prayers go to 3 families, and they will know who they are- that the work started in the hearts of members of these families it will grow and flourish under the care of the Holy Spirit. Those who are feeling that life is unfair and those who feel that they cannot cope! Trust and obey!
Mother and son got through the 1st week of separation and Amanda were challenged with now being a mother, partner and house-wife. PF(Finbarr) is working very hard and long hours and we pray for success in his business, Little Lukas enjoys the attention of devoted women, young and older and flourish apparently under it all! He is just smiles when he gets home, eats well and sleeps well! Model child!
Birthdays are my friend Linda today, Hildegard on the 12th and Jaco van M the 14th.
May you have a wonderful, happy day and may the year ahead be filled with good experiences, many surprises, joy and good health!!!!!
Always lovely to hear from those who write regularly and those who does not write so often!
Take care of your safety, home, road and where-ever you find yourselves. We were devastated by the shootings at Northgate.
The Commonwealth Games shows SA with 7 gold medals! We are very proud!
Warm regards from us in Cranleymore!
Barry & Christina Dunne
Good day to all, family and friends!
It is with sadness that we as family remember our dear cousin and friend Aggie Dewey who passed away earlier in the week! Our sympathies to her children, grand children and family. We remember her always smiling and ready to help!
For family members that do not know, Aggie was the daughter of our dear tante Hetta van Breda, who was a sister to my father( Gerrie Eloff).Elsje is her sister and Hurter her brother(Hanlie in Dar Es’father.)
Weather pattern has gone high-wire this week. The AZORES get the blame for everything but I am not sure where this warm southerly winds have their origin from but instead of having the start of winter everything has been delayed, temperatures are daily above 15 and do not drop below 10 at night. Forecast for today when the fog lift will be 21 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!Hope sincerely the sun manages to get through!
The week past had its ups and downs. It seems unfair that your own tooth can poison you but that is exactly what happened to me! I never do anything in half measures, I go full-out! This famous tooth going back 18 months, lost its filling and I mentioned that it was going to be removed by a Specialist Oral Surgeon on Thursday but to spice things up a bit I started to feel unexplainably awful on Monday afternoon just before my rest prior to going to work that night. Thought nothing of it and shrugged the rigors off as tiredness.[I cleaned the house that morning without my faithful Dirty Devil( the vacuum cleaner)as it gave notice and I swept all the carpets with the broom. You kind of have to clean the carpets even if you do not get the dust out as we live in the country and we walk in every possible kind of muck, mud, stones, goose manure etc.]When I got up after shivering for 2 ½ hrs in bed, under a winter duvet, with severe pain over the liver area nausea out of this world, I realize something is drastically wrong! Between spasm I phoned the surgeon who did the lap choli and he said to get to the hospital a.s.a.p. with a temp of 38.2(my normal temp is usually 35.6).
They were once again wonderful in helping me, I jumped the queue and was attended to almost immediately.! Every possible blood test was done blood gasses you name it and then when the doctor eventually stopped to take the history, as I know stopped vomiting and could converse, they realised that I was toxic from the infection in the tooth and that the Erythromycin (allergic to Penicillin) which I took made me sick and did nothing for the tooth infection! Realizing that I have an appointment for Thursday they immediately started on Intra Venous Antibiotics, there I found myself as sick as a dog with temperatures flying between 39-40 for the 1st 24 hrs with every joint aching and every muscle sore. It felt as if the toxins were pouring from my skin, I felt sticky and smelly with the most awful taste in my mouth, no toothpaste or mouth rinse helped! Thank the Lord that they picked it up quick enough and by Thursday morning 6am I received the last 3 doses prescribed antibiotic via the 3rd cannula inserted during these few days. I had no usable veins left by then.
Barry picked me up from the hospital at 10am and we were 1½ hrs early for the appointment. I looked at the clock in the surgeon’s treatment room and at 12.35 the tooth was out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe it! My first ever tooth to be pulled!
He only takes out difficult teeth and impacted teeth. He knew exactly what to do and did it well! I kept on bleeding for a while as I was on Clexane (prevents clots) while in hospital, but eventually could go to bed at eleven that night knowing that my ordeal was over! Snuggled up to my own pillow and slept through the night!
Apart from the enormous gap in my teeth (no one can see it, I just know about it) I have recovered100% and take care of mouth washes and salt water rinses. religiously!
I thank all my South African friends who visited and brought lovely gifts and essentials like rooibostea!
Back home Barry came to a stand-still; he does not re-act well on me being hospitalized! He stayed at the phone in case I may call, He did look after his geese children but that was all. He also cooked for himself and survived.
Yesterday he performed all the tasks of the week in one day, while pulling out the straw for the geese he noticed a strange brown prickly ball under the straw? A Hedgehog, all curled up and fast asleep! We do not know how long he /she have been there? We thought it was too early for hibernation and as they forage usually during the night we hoped that he was just resting. Fortunately Barry did not poke him with the garden fork! Where there is one there will be another one, they usually stay in pairs! Lovely! The grass was also cut after nearly 3 weeks of growth; it was just too wet to dare go into the forest! It looks lovely today, cared for and manicured! The “ Estate”( which is about 2 acres) is in good shape! We do not say anything about the baskets or pot plants. The orchid with the 3 stems of flowers is in process of opening, I am so exited!!!! The hothouse plants are flourishing!
The sale of the Hospital to VMF Group made the front page of the Westmeath Examiner, the local paper and the rumour going round is that this man Mark Gordon has €10million to spend to make this a state of the art hospital and clinical facility! Great news!!!!! He must have kept the money under the bed because it definitely did not come from a bank!?
On the political front all is not kosher, they fight with each other, with the opposition, with back benchers and with the voters the enormous amounts of money that has been squandered is unbelievable, and no one is to blame and the whole world is laughing at this Buffoon Government with a Prime Minister that has lost the respect of the country! Very sad! I can understand why Paul urges us to pray for those in power as they do need it desperately!
Tomorrow crowns the week!!! The very best day out of 7!!!! All the hymns are well practised and we are looking forward to the next soul enriching sermon. It is unbelievable that we here in Corboy parish are so privileged to have a man of God, gifted with scripture explanation and in my life time I have heard many a preacher and good ones believe me, but this man is exceptional. I have urged him to let me have the last series of sermons in a word document but he is so humble, he feels it is not good enough!
Well my special prayers go to 3 families, and they will know who they are- that the work started in the hearts of members of these families it will grow and flourish under the care of the Holy Spirit. Those who are feeling that life is unfair and those who feel that they cannot cope! Trust and obey!
Mother and son got through the 1st week of separation and Amanda were challenged with now being a mother, partner and house-wife. PF(Finbarr) is working very hard and long hours and we pray for success in his business, Little Lukas enjoys the attention of devoted women, young and older and flourish apparently under it all! He is just smiles when he gets home, eats well and sleeps well! Model child!
Birthdays are my friend Linda today, Hildegard on the 12th and Jaco van M the 14th.
May you have a wonderful, happy day and may the year ahead be filled with good experiences, many surprises, joy and good health!!!!!
Always lovely to hear from those who write regularly and those who does not write so often!
Take care of your safety, home, road and where-ever you find yourselves. We were devastated by the shootings at Northgate.
The Commonwealth Games shows SA with 7 gold medals! We are very proud!
Warm regards from us in Cranleymore!
Barry & Christina Dunne
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