Festive winter greetings from Cranleymore

Saturday 17 December’11

Good day every-one, family and friends

Just a Memo today- very seldom that I am busy on a Saturday but with a pot of soup on the stove that needs delivering to the church at 2pm and the disagreement of how to transport it, as well as arranging a time to practice for the solo tomorrow at the Christmas Carol service –time has become difficult to manage. Joy who will accompany me has 3 little children attending the school Aftercare centre Christmas concert and has to fit all sorts into her day as well!
The weather has been fantastic –the sun is at present shining, might not last very long but while it does we are all smiling and the wind is not blowing which put a spring in your step! We had our first snow Thursday night and it was as always very beautiful- everything white and clean! The temperatures have been very mild and we cannot complain!
I am off until next Wednesday and will only work if there are patients admitted via the Emergency Dept. The same with Friday night! Then I am off until New Years Eve! I will only work if there have been admissions which seems to be unlikely as they cannot find a doctor to cover the ED . Our radiographer is also on holiday and it means that we have to find some-one else to do X-Rays. Hopefully the boss will close the hospital and we will all have a rest!
Garden -wise –nothing left except the winter onions and some Brussels sprouts. Flowers and roses nearly gone! The Azalea is still flowering in spite of the snow! The orchids on the windowsills in the big lounge are still in flower and the big orchid might have a flower or 2 open on Christmas day!
We have a gathering of about 200 birds mainly small ones enjoying the seeds and peanuts that are distributed by Barry at 3 eating points all in view from the kitchen windows. The foxes not eager to be viewed but we know they are there as they leave their visiting deposits on the grass. Blackie sleeps sometimes in the shed and arrives every 2nd day for his food and milk! Professor sadly has disappeared!
We are thankfully- both well, I was very worried that I might pick up a cold from the nurse who worked with me the last 3 nights but with high dosages of Vit C and careful exposure to cold I managed to steer clear!
The family in Canada must be enjoying it as we have not heard anything from them! Hope Gerhardus has a safe journey back to SA from Germany. Those who are staying at home- enjoy it as well and those who are travelling please remember the fool around the corner as my Dad used to say!
We praise the Lord for the miracle of Nicole who fell 3 floors from a balcony and apart from cuts and bruises did not have anything else wrong with her- another girl- who I have little information of, was also pushed off a balcony and are now paralysed! This happened somewhere near Umhlanga- the guy who are responsible got away.
Birthdays! Helene in Zambia ‘s birthday is today and our wish for you is a wonderful year filled with blessings
Karen du Toit here in Ireland has her birthday on the 21st Happy Birthday Karen, and Paul en Jacob, my brother Mendel’s twins have their birthday on the 24th! Happy Birthday to you both!
It is the festive season and unfortunately there is very little of the Birth of Christ present in this Country it has become a fight for commercial survival. We hope to have Finbarr, Amanda and the best of all Lukas our grandson here on the 26th. They will have their 1st Christmas in Dublin with Amanda’s family and then we have a 2nd Christmas in Cranleymore!
Just back from the church, the soup is delivered and the church is undergoing a metamorphosis! All very festive! Looking forward to my best day of the week!
To all of you- far away and near- we wish you a Blessed Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!
Be careful in everything you do, hold safety as a priority in your minds!
Winter greetings from Cranleymore
Barry and Christina