Greetings from a cloudy but pleasant Cranleymore

Saturday 16 July’11

Good day to all, Family and friends.
We have had a glorious week filled with bright sun shine, some cloud, no winds and intense warmth, something we lack desperately in our summers!
We are happy, smiling and do not have a care in the world! Thank the Lord! It is somewhat cooler today but still lovely! The Island is green from east to west and north to west!
With the good weather and the dryness Hay making was at the order of the day. The older farmers still turn the hay; pack it under tarpaulin and 100s of old tyres to keep for the winter. The younger and more sophisticated you are the better the machinery. The enormous tractors with the cutter behind comes in and cut the hay, It lies for about 48 hrs and is then gets picked up by another fancy tractor and contraption that bales it and wrap a piece of plastic around it to keep it in place and as it is finished it drops off the back of the platform. The next tractor arrives and with something like a fork lift, pick up all the bales and stack them at the end of the field where another tractor with another fancy machine picks up the bale wrap it neatly in black plastic from side to side up and down and when finished drops same. The next tractor comes with the trailer designed to pick up bales and with the same forklift utensil stack the bales on the trailer and it is taken away to where- ever!
That is all very fancy but not the end of it! Some farmers allow the cattle to come and graze the rest of the field, mostly the sides where the machine COULD NOT CUT FOR ABOUT A WEEK. Remember the weather is still good and then it happens. The slurry that was gathered during the coldest part of the winter in big slurry tanks arrive now by tractor and spreader. The next 48 hrs is nearly unbearable the smell is from an unknown place-far removed from human habitat but then deposited right next to you! The flies comes with it and not just flies but real big “ brommers” You can hardly breath and every vent is closed , you dare it not to go outside or you will be overpowered by the fumes of 6 months fermented manure! It so happened that the Irish have Cemetery Sunday where they beautify every cemetery and honour the dead with a service. In Killoe they were busy with this service in a country church cemetery. THE FARMER WHO OWNS THE LAND RIGHT NEXT TO THE CHURCH AND CEMETRY COULD NOT CARE A HOOT AND WHILE THE PEOPLE WERE HAVING A BARBERQUE HE CAME ALONG AND SPREAD THIS REFINED PERFUME RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE THEY WERE EATING!
The outcry was loud and clear ...but as always no one listens and life continues, and we went through the exact same event- the fumes were of such magnitude that I experienced a broncho spasm and needed to take my inhalers for the 1st time in a year!
The country is once again plummeted into disbelief about the hierarchy of the Catholic Church that allowed the child abuse to continue and where it was reported to cover it up and the ambassador from the Vatican was asked to leave but that is also just talk as the Catholics control the Government in such a way that they are like clay in the evil doers hands! The schools with the exception of the Protestant schools and very new in the country are all in the hands of the Bishops and Cardinals and Priests and Brothers and they all cover up for each other! The Government is in the process to change this but it will take some years, that is for sure. Child abuse is rife, in every aspect of life but it is so sad that where it is the most detestable there it is aloud! They all need a lot of prayer and maybe they do not know that God can see behind doors and in the dark and does not matter how much they deny it –“ I have nothing to apologise for- I did nothing wrong” they will one day stand in front of the Most High Judge and all will be revealed!
Away from the church and its problems – the hospital is moving with speed into being a very well serviced centre of excellence! The Cardiology dept opened last Monday and the new Cardiologist is apparently a man that knows his work, the Emergency department is opening on Monday coming and we are all on standby! The x-ray CT and MRI dept is up and running and a SA person is working there, I have not met her yet but there are many SA Doctors and workers in the field of medicine especially here in the Midlands. Some SA doctors arrived – Cilna and Husband Rina and Husband and Cynthia and Husband! we hope you enjoy your stay!! This country lack common sense in great chunks The numbers of student allowed into the medical school is curtailed to only say 150 per year, may be more but not much more- Only those who achieved the highest point are allowed to apply- they study for 5 years and then when finished leave the country instead of staying and working for the government for at least 2 years( They can specialise in other countries in shorten time than in Ireland) – That means that an enormous drive to find newly qualified doctors has been going on everywhere but mostly in Pakistan to cover the shortage of doctors in the hospitals! On the 11th July the previous lot of Dr’s move on and it left a big hiatus – no new drs to fill the posts! It is a desperate situation but they still do not stop the exit of newly qualified drs in spite of the problem! IDIOTS!
My heart is in the Boskamp with all those eating biltong and having a braai every evening, watching the animals come and drink at the waterhole and listen to the sounds of the bosveld night.
I hope that you all are having a blessed time together!
Tomorrow is the best day of my week and it is my turn to play the organ! We have a visiting preacher and the last time he was there he preached from a book not to be found in our pew Bibles which upset the older people tremendously- this time I was assured it will not happen again as I am the only one that tell this kind of thing to our own minister! May all who attend services on this special day be filled with food for their souls especially those that has been severely traumatised in the last week. Laurel we keep you in our prayers.
Birthdays! 20th Werner Scholtz, slightly older that myself but still young! A very good and blessed year is our prayers for you!
Little Leandri du Toit whose birthday I was just been notified of on 21st- Happy Birthday to you Young lady I will send a special email card to you!
We remember our dear Tante Poppie in love – her birthday would have been on the 23rd.
My Bother Johann who passed away many years ago(1984) would have 71!on the 16th
IF I MISSED A BIRTHDAY IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT AS I WOULD NOT HAVE THE DATE!
We are watching the British Open but in the mist as I could not improve the picture from the Analog Channels- will have to get a man out to check a few things. I had hoped to convince Barry to get Sky but he will not bite- Does not matter how I try!
The garden is a feast of colour! The roses against the wall looks exceptionally beautiful a mass of pink roses in the corner the most glorious dark red bush with many roses on The white rose next to the house is so Beautiful- I measured the diameter which is 6” it is so heavy it pulls the whole stem down! Sweet peas are available in every colour and shade! The nasturtiums are lovely – the baskets are passed their beauty but still gives colour! The vegetable garden- outside – not in a tunnel like Biancha’s, is doing well! The cabbage heads are big and solid! Spinach still growing strong, carrots so sweet it tastes more like sweets! The onions are strong and the peas are ready to pick!
The potatoes are standing in full bloom and we will not need any shop potatoes for a while when they are ready!
The apples on the trees are swelling out and sit bright red on the branches! I cooked some black current and raspberry jam – very lovely!
Bird life is very exciting- mamma’s feeding little ones, the red robins fledged yesterday and our cats visiting realize if they wait till it is dark they get nothing so have been arriving much earlier in order to be fed! Spoilt out of this world! The days are much shortened Sun rise was 24 past 5am on Thursday morning! Last night it was darkish by 22h30! The moon too brilliant for words!
I have nothing more to say – those who live in places where their safety is not for granted- please take care !
It just started to drizzle and it is very soothing- not cold at all!
Those who do not want to receive this letter please notify me in order to remove you from the email list! Just thinking that you regard it as tripe and delete it without reading it, saddens me, I rather not send it!
Greetings from a cloudy but lovely day in Cranleymore!
Barry & Christina