Warm groete

Saterdag 26 Mei 2012 Gegroet, lesers en ander, Uiteindelik het ons somer ge-arriveer! Sommer hier in die middel van die week het ellende verander in vreugde! Dit was die eerste dag ‘n wonderwerk om die son te sien en dan boon-op vir die hele dag tot laat die aand! Ongelooflik- die bloue hemel en die helder sonskyn waarna ons met hart en siel gesmag het. Alles het skielik begin lewe, met vuur en vlam het al die knoppe oopgegaan –die mooi kleure van al die blommetjies wat ons so sorgvuldig geplant ‘n paar maande gelede is nou ‘n lus vir die oog- Die temperature het van ellendig koud na 25° opgeskuif oornag! Vandag waai die wind bietjie sterk wat dit effe onpleseirg maak as jy nou nie van die wind hou nie maar andersins is dit ‘n manjefieke dag, die 4 de van sy soort hierdie week! My groot jas hang nou aan die kapstok en ‘n ligte somer bloesie het die se plek ingeneem! Die pere sit nog aan die boom en die appels is ook aan die vorm! My druiwe stok groei vir ‘n vale – ons het hom/haar geplant waar die son altyd skyn(hahaha) in goeie weer! Die aartappels staan hoog en gesond –sal seker moet sprei in die nabye toekoms. Die wortel plantjies is opgevreet deur of ruspers of slakke en die ertjies kom op. Vir ‘n geruime tyd het ons hierdie plante dopgehou en kon nie uitwerk wat dit is nie daar ons nog nooit sukses gehad het met Iereses nie was dit die wonderlikste ding toe die blou iris vanmore ‘n verskeining maak! Die rose is oop en die Clematises blom met diep meroon blomme! Die grond bedekking wat ‘n blou blommetjie aan het is te pragtig en die miniatuur dahlias is vol in blom Die jasmyn ruik tog te heerlik! Die wonder van die natuur oorweldig my elke dag! Die ou voeltjies wat dood is, is seker maar deel van die natuur en so moet ons dit aanvaar! Die swaeltjies se nessies lyk te pragtig, opgekikker vir die nuwe kleintjies , uitgevoer met sagte dons en noudat die hitte gekom het is daar hoop op nuwe lewe oral! Die groen velde en welige bome is byna oorweldigend sommige bome het eers in die laaste paar dae blare gekry want dit was steeds tekoud!. Die ‘May flower’ so genoem omdat gedurende Mei tot volle blom kom en dan later in bessies verander is baie laat maar het ook skielik binne 48 die heinings begin oorneem ! Kilometers van wit blommetjies! Nuut skoon ongeskonde! Die hanekamme wat ons geplant het die hoofmaal van die slakke geword en 12 plantjies is opgevreet en verwoes. Sal maar weer probeer noudat dit warmer is! Op die politieke front het die leier van Sinn Feinn nou net klaar sy TV toespraak gegee gedurende hulle jaar vergadering en natuurlik die ‘NO’ stemming aangepor het- Gerry Adams- ‘n uitstekende leier en spreker het die heersende gowerment goed in hul plek gesit. Ons stem vir die ‘Stability Treaty’ of wat jy dit ook al wil noem, Donderdag – sal nog sien of ek die moeite gaan doen! By die werk gaan dit woes- ek het die afgelope 2 weke harder gewerk as ‘n slaaf in oer tye en waardeer die tydjie wat voorle sonder werkstress geweldig!’n Volle 2 weke – ons hoop om die dak en huis te verf! Barry het reeds gese-‘ Just you wait- they will call you while on holiday” Hoop van harte hulle het hom nie gehoor nie! Verjaardae: Doodse stilte in my boekie! Sou ek iemand uitgelaat het Jammer maar hoop die jaar is goed! Siektes: ag ek was so jammer omtehoor van Sandra se ma en die Limfklier knoppe – klink nie goed nie maar ons dra haar in gebed aan die Here op. Nicholas – ons nefie in Cork het sy groot brein operasie Donderdag gehad en gaan goed aan- wou nie met my oor die foon praat nie want sy nek is te seer- as hy maar weet wat hulle met sy nek aangevang het tewyl hulle sy skedel oopgesaag het! So ver so goed en ons dank die Here daarvoor! Jacomien is tuis en die ellende iets van die verlede- net so dankbaar dat alles daar goed afgeloop het! Ons predikant is nie wel nie en ons mis hom maar bid en hoop dat hy gou weer terug by ons sal wees om sy gawe as herder en prediker teenoor sy gemeentelede kan vervul! Ons besoekende diere is van oneindige plesier en ons ontdek elke nou en dan iets buitengewoons . Die kripvarkie en familie bly in die hoop ou takke in die onderveld en ons het hul ingang in die lang gras gekry en waar hulle buite verkeer- ‘n hele familie! Vanoggend ook fisante gesien.die klein jakkalsies lyk besonder goed –uitstekend gevoed deur die Dunne’s- hul jassies blink en die sterte is wonder mooi! Die katte is te pragtig! Met meneer Lukas gaan dit uitstekend! Hy kry al die aandag en praat soos ‘n vierjaar oue kind! Onnutsig en met sy mooi geaardheid ‘n voortdurende plesier! Die wet hier het die klits kwyt geraak eeue gelede want sommige van die wette dateer uit 2 eeue terug- ander is onglooflik onprakties en enigiemand kan uit hul tronk oplegging uitkom as hy net slim genoeg is! As jy bv. Moord gepleeg het en as ongeskik of ‘mal’ verklaar is – word daar nie ‘n ‘skuldig’ teen jou geregistreer nie en sou jy dan ontsnap uit die geestelike inrigting is jy vry soos ‘n voel! Nou ja more is die beste dag van my week en ek sal die voorreg hê om voor die orrel te sit en het reeds al die psalme en gesange gekies! Sielsvoeding word deur Werner ‘n Hollander gelewer en is gewoonlik baie goed! Die debakel oor SA president se ongure skildery het die koerante hier getref so-ook die korrupsie in die polisie! Nou ja soos julle reeds weet word hierdie briefie nou net aan die gestuur wat daarvoor gevra het! Soos genoem die brief en ander skrywes sal nou op my blog verskyn! Heerlike sonnige groete uit ‘n skitterende Cranleymore Barry en Christina

Greetings from a shivering Ireland

Saturday 19 May ‘12 Good day to all, Family and friends, The disastrous weather has taken its toll in our garden and it is with great sadness in my heart that all the baby birds died during the arctic spell of a week or two ago, we realised that the parents stop going into the Blue Tit’s nest and after 3 days Barry investigated and found 5 little birds dead. After our round in the garden and lower field a few minutes ago we found after bizarre behaviour of the starling couple all week and him sitting on the telephone wire all alone a very sad situation -they kicked out the dead birds and we found them all on the grass! We know that there is still some babies alive in another Blue Tit’s nest and hope and pray that they will survive. In a program during the week the weather were discussed and the records showed that May was colder in Ireland than in the ARTIC! I have not been exaggerating. I go to bed with the electric blanket on otherwise I get up after my 7 hr sleep with still frozen feet! At night I have a human hot water bottle in the bed but even this has lately been failing as Barry has been frozen internally – he just never seems to get warm at all! We cleaned out the fire place and took away all the equipment and we have to get supplies of turf and wood otherwise we would have lit the fire – in the mean time we are burning oil! I do not have to tell you about the weather it is like a head on collision with human nature and the casualties are high. We have also had a disastrous week in politics and it is unbelievable how these parliamentarians cannot get it right as to- what to say, when to keep quiet and when to talk the truth. They make the one blunder after the other and think the people has to belief them and follow them like the Pied Piper of Hamlin- in my eyes they all border somewhere between the lower ranks of the ape species which is in fact an insult to the ape species. The referendum on the Fiscal Treaty has caused havoc- In the mean time the Grecians have their own problems of trying to stay head above water and England, the wise, on the side, advising but not participating! I have worked many more hours this week than what is allowed and were suppose to work tonight but when they realised I have already exceeded the allowed hours they found a day nurse to do tonight’s shift but I am back tomorrow night! I do know of friends but no family that had the immense problem of a mother or father that had dementia- of all the patients, does not matter how sick or difficult the nursing aspect could be the patient with impaired brain function is surely the most difficult to nurse. I was so tired this morning I nearly collapsed- I never had a change to drink or have anything to eat as the medical side was allocated to me last night after I spend all week in the Respite unit. Peter has advanced dementia and suffered from severe cellulites of both legs- ‘Olifantitis ‘is a mild term. This lot got all infected and needed triple anti-biotic therapy which is given intra -venously. This in itself is already a foreign concept to Peter and the sensation of the antibiotic running cold into his vein is the straw that broke the camel’s back and he decided to remove the cannula without any further ado- he somehow cut the intra venous line and bled like a pig in the slaughter house in his bed- all around the bed and down the passage to the toilet where he spends most of the night totally incontinent and not able to use a urinal and the pad gets pulled off and torn into pieces. I started washing floors, cleaned toilets and even had to wash the carpet in the Transfer lounge where the patients arrive for admission early in the morning. When I complained this morning that these patients should not be between surgical clients I was answered with a blank look from the manager which was not much encouragement. In the mean time a retired Garda – used to shouting orders and expect immediate attention keeps on shouting ‘Nurse. Nurse at the top of his voice! He was in total control of himself walking with a stick 4 weeks ago and developed a chest infection, admitted to the general hospital and has never been the same again! He chokes in everything as he thinks he has to throw his head backwards to drink water – I explained to him that he is not a bird and that he has to drop his chin on his chest before swallowing which means you have to hold this head that has not dropped in 50 years to his chin in order for him not to choke- that in itself is very strenuous as he is as stiff a s a board! In between I had patients that have had big operations and did not feel the greatest- that was a night in which the Lord tested me every inch. I washed the floors connecting the passage to the toilet 7x during the night – and then all around where ever Peter was walking and piddling! We do not have help at night and have to do everything High quality nursing and ‘skiwi’ work all at the same time. We also have had a week of disaster in the garden – proudly we planted on Tuesday our first carrots – but by this morning there was not a carrot in sight- something devoured it to the ground! There are no paw marks of an animal like a rabbit or something else and we can only think that slugs must have several the leaves from the little carrot in the ground. It was very sad to see the leaves lying on the side – the rest of the plants are looking not to bad in spite of the continuous bad weather. The roses looks as if they have been casted in stillness as there is no movement in 3 weeks only the buds sitting there waiting for a miracle! The pears are still there I counted up to a hundred! Apples are still in flowers but we hope that there will be some fruit on them as well! Now, the news of the year. We bought a grape vine and we are pampering it as if it is made of gold- at night it gets covered up and during the day it enjoys the sunless atmosphere! We planted it where the sun, when shining, always shines and with the 7 bunches of grapes in minute formation and all in perfect condition –our excitement is great. In exchange I have to take some of my orange trees back to the nursery! My orchard is getting too big for the indoors window sill -it will be a good place for them to go to as he has an enormous hot house. Birthdays! Sandra in Exeter will be a year older on the 22nd and Gerhardus in Roodepoort on the 25th. May you both have a lovely day and a splendid year ahead! I was going to miss church tomorrow but with the change of duty I will be a member of the congregation in the children’s service and are looking forward to their contribution. I have said more than enough- thank you for all the lovely letters- Joy in Brisbane and the Reineckes in Sasolburg and those who regularly stay in touch, especially. To Jacomien in Vryheid who had an operation on Thursday – our fondest regards and best wishes for a speedy recovery! To all those writing exams – Ireland, England and elsewhere! Everything of the very best! I have now got ten frozen fingers and will join Barry in the lounge under a warm blanket! The news of the painting of the President of SA which made the headlines was somewhat gross to say the least! To us a big embarrassment! Take care and have security at the top of your list. Letters and photos are most welcome! Kind regards form Barry and Christina in a summer that does not exist!

Groete vanuit 'n bibberende Cranleymore

Sondag 13 Mei ‘12

Goeie dag allemaal, familie en vriende,

Hier beleef ons ongure weersomstandighede temperature van 7-9°

Die wind huil met ‘n  dringende boodskap van ysige aanraking,’bly uit my pad want ek sal jou murg vries’ en ek beleef dit toe persoonlik toe Barry dink ek glo hom nie .Ek word ½ 3 wakker gemaak en na ‘n koppie tee lok hy my buite toe en sedertdien het ek nog nie weer warm kon word nie-ek weet nie wat ek aan hom gedoen het om so gepynnig te word nie ek dink hy kon nie verdra dat ek heerlik warm is na my slapie nie en wou my laat ervaar wat die voëltjies en ander lewende wesens daar buite beleef.

Nou is die verwarmers aan en ek sit onder my warm kombers 4 dubble gevou in die hoop om weer warm te word. Ek het meer klere aan as in die middel van winter!

Genoeg van die weer. Van vroeg vanmore het ‘n Chaffinch mannetjie met homself teen die kombuis venster geveg- dat hy nie moeg geword het nie was ongelooflik – teen 5uur vanmiddag kom ‘n ysige vlaag reen en hy besluit toe om die aftog te blaas. Die venster is nou smutzsig en die vensterbank vol voëlmis. Hoop hy het genoeg gehad en begin nie weer in die vroeë oggend ure met die ritueel nie. Ons get baba ‘Blue Tits’ en die Starlings het die nes verlaat. Iets anders wat eienaardig is dat die swaeltjies gekom het en het weer die pas gevat want dit is te koud- hulle is seker terug na mid Europa in die hoop dat dinge hier sal verbeter.

As dit nie vir die Rhododendrons was nie het ons maar min kleur in die tuin gehad. Die tulpe is weg gewaai die daisies probeer hard om bietjie kleur te bring maar dit was nog te koud om selfs somer plantjies in te sit want ons het gister oggend nog ryp gehad. Die rose wil nie oop gaan nie want daar is nie genoeg hitte nie. Die aartappels en uie staan gesond en regop in die groente tuin, die ertjies het hul verskyning gemaak en daar is vrugte aan die peer en appelbome en ons hoop dit bly sit!

Ons kleinseun Lukas en sy ouers het verlede Sondag ons harte verheug. Hy hardloop na die heining toe hy die beeste sien en skree aahouded luidkeels ‘Hello Cows! Hy het nader al 20 beeste by die draad, ons was bang dat hulle hom sou storm maar hulle het met groot verbasing na die klein mensie gekyk en toegelaat dat hy hul neuse aanraak. Hy was in sy element! Vol streke en praat asof hy al jare op die aarde is! Hy bly ‘n kind met ‘n mooi geaardheid en huil en neul glad nie- hy word op ‘n nuwe manier groot gemaak en ken dissipline op ‘n ander manier as wat ons kinders mee groot geword het, tog werk dit wonderlik. Hy weet baie goed wanneer hy dinge gedoen het wat ongeoorloof is en probeer gou om sake reg te maak. Ons het hulle besoek terdeë geniet. Natuurlik totaal en al teveel ge-eet! Skaapboud, gebakte aartappels met 3 groentes en boordpoeding as nagereg!

Ek het sedert Donderdag gewerk en laas nag was dit baie besig en ek het eers na ½ 10 vanmore tuis gekom en het maar met ‘n swaar hart bed toegegaan want ek sou nie die kerk haal nie – nie tyds gewys nie ook nie met wakker bly nie-het tehard gewerk maar dis nag werk en alles is wel ek gee glad nie om nie. ‘n 90 Jarige non het gisteraand gesê dat sy heeldag gewag het dat ek moet kom, sy mis my gedurende die dag- en dit beteken vir my so baie!

Op die politieke front gaan die debat oor die ‘fiscal treaty’ steeds voort! Hulle maak jou siek! Die wat die ellendes veroorsaak loop die strate van vreemde stede ongehinderd en sonder ‘n gewete vir die wroeginge wat hulle in hul gierigheid om ryk te wees ,veroorsaak het.

Verjaardae- niks in my boekie nie maar sou daar iemand wees wat wel verjaar! Veels Geluk!

Aan die jong mense wat eksamen skryf wens ons net die beste toe. Daar mag natuurlik ook ouer mense wees wat nog studeer en ook aan hulle net die beste toegewens!

Ons besoekende wilde diere gee ons steeds groot plesier! Ons dink daar mag dalk meer as een klein jakkalsie wees –hulle kom baie laat want dit word nou baie laat donker 10min na 10 was dit nog skemer. Ek het ‘n pragtige foto van die sonsopkoms geneem net so teen 10min na 5 vanmôre. Ongelukkig was dit ook die einde van die mooiheid want ‘n uur later het die wolke begin inrol!

Ons dink aan almal wat nie gesond is nie en hoop van harte dat daar beterskap naby is . Ons dink ook baie spesiaal aan Jacomien Rohrs wat heel moontlik ‘n operasie sal moet ondergaan! Retha verseker asb vir Jacomien dat sy baie spesiaal in ons gebede en gedagtes is.

Die weervoorspelling net aan die gang en op die oomblik word dit beskryf as ‘pretty poor weather’ reen wind en koue! Hael en donderweer! Dit is kouer hier, in ons voor- somer, as in SA wat byna in die middel van hul winter is en waar die son heerlik skyn – tel jul seëninge! Intussen is die eiland emerald groen- te pragtig!

Wees altyd versigtig en onthou die gek om die hoek!

Groete van ons in Cranleymore waar ons bibber van die koue terwyl ons vir die somer wag!

Barry en Christina

Greetings from a fair day in Cranleymore

Saturday 5 May’12 Good day to all, family and friends, After a week of all the weather patterns possible, making their appearances here in Cranleymore, we are having a good day little sun, every now and again, but it is DRY and little wind! Temperature outside 12°, inside the cottage at least 2 degrees less as we have not been lighting the fire this week, I worked the whole week and Barry cover himself with a fleecy blanket and stay warm that way at night. The garden is still looking fine but the tulips were battered by high winds which caused them to loose their petals and the colours are now somewhat diminished. The rhododendrons are in full bloom and make up for the lack of colour, warm red and bunches of flowers too beautiful! We are waiting patiently for some warmer weather so that the roses can open up, the buds are there, many of them, but they are all waiting for some heat! I counted on one branch of the pear tree a hundred fruit-may it stay! even if ten develops, it will be a bonus and we will have our first fruits this summer. The apple tree is still in flower and we hope that the fruits will be just as plenty –there is a lack of bees are present as it is far too cold for them- they do little work when it is freezing outside. The nasturgium seeds that I planted nearly 2 months ago are making an appearance and we hope it will give us a great border for the summer. My cordless keybord that I have been using for about 7 years has given notice – it will not print the ‘n’ . I have the laptop now on my lap as the desk is too high. We are back from a roundtrip most importantly to LIDL to get something into the fridge, vegetables, dairy products, vegetables and fruit. God willing we will have the children visiting tomorrow and as always we find time dragging , we hope the weather holds, Barry cut a good pathway round the perimeter of the bottom field which give a lovely walkway and there is so much to observe , all the insects in the grass , the veld flowers new leaves and the birds giving warning signals that they have their nest in the vicinity and we are intruding! From there we went to the hardware shop who very kindly have ordered for us the specially mixed oxide paint to paint the roof with. The manufacturers only do the paint in red and green but have agreed to specially mix black for us- the only people in Ireland using it! Painting requires a sunny day and that is on our request list! Bypassed the town and went to Ballinalee where we visited the butcher. When he saw us, even before we were inside the shop, he already had out lamb out- he knows now how I want it cut up and that there must be very very little fat on it. The butchers here have their own abbatoirres in their back yards, we have found this butcher’s meat the best quality in Longford. Via Costcutters where we buy the newspaper and bread for Barry, home. Washing has been done, the house cleaned and now it is only the grass cutting left. The new lawn mower is a front wheel drive and takes you on a run and you have to keep up with it- you have to mentally and physically ready to do it otherwise you fall behind. The canvassing for the YES and NO votes for the Fiscal Treaty is on the way and we have decided that we will not be entertained by this lot- one reporter said it is like a popularity contest and the whole meaning of the sincerity of the problem has been lost because people might vote ‘NO’ because they are cross with the government about the house, water and septic tank charges- which might cause the country a problem according to the ‘yes’ people as the EU International Monitary Fund might not lend us any more money if we vote ‘no’. In England the Labour party is making progress to oust the LIB-DEM’s Gerlof will be able to explain that better as he lives there! Tomorrow is the best day of my week and I will be in front of the organ as I will be working the next 2 weekends. The food for our souls are precious! The kindergarden of wild animals are an experience. Professor arrives now even in the middle of the day and will eat anything you give him, Blackie looks thin but his coat is shining and he does not eat just anything, I think he is spoilt rotten and he loves Barry, does not run away from him anymore but still very weary of me. He sleeps in the shed or the donkey house and sometimes on the windowsill. We have seen the foxes and they look very good! The porcupine has been scarce. We have baby starlings and young red robins, the ring neck pigeons are beautiful birds and on Monday morning we watched them mating in the back garden and then they continued to build their nest with sticks in the hedge. We hope they stay! Birthdays: None in my book! If any-one are having a birthday and I am not aware of it Enjoy the day! Those who are studying for exams-everything of the very best. At work things have turned sour- this man whom I have not trusted from the very beginning has left us nearly on the brink of bankrupsy- We are still being paid but many people have been let go and he owns thousands to providers and where all this is going to end , is worrying. I trust that the Lord will provide and are praying for a buyer and a good outcome I think and hope that the doctors will step in. I enjoy being back on night duty, have been working very hard but I do not mind as long as it is at night! Last Sunday’s special service was spiritually inspiring! The roof lifted with glorious song and music all to the glory of our wonderful Saviour and God! ....and that brings me to the end of my writing for today! Be always careful and security conscious. Take care Regards form Barry and Christina