Autumn greetings from Cranleymore

26 August ’12 Sunday Good day to all, family and friends, This morning we had our first experience of autumn with temperatures below 10°. It did warm up to 18° later in the day but we were well and truly reminded that our summer was just an illusion. The days we had good weather does not include all our fingers and since the rain meter has been installed we have had more than 100mm rain in 4 weeks. In fact it has been fairly dry the last 48 hrs. Last night we had another slug suicide session and the advice that I receive from Liza some weeks ago has been put into practice. My dear friend, Marthie Potgieter, realizing that Barry is definitely not going to buy the beer we need for the experiment; she gave me 2 tins of bear as part present for my birthday. That same night we put things into practice and have a photo to proof it, 20 slugs per saucer x 5 suicide on a large scale. The unpleasant devouring creatures for which I have a true revulsion, love beer and drink themselves into a stupor and drown! Cilna we do not have to pick them by hand anymore! After a strole through the garden before a nippy wind send us inside we inspected everything in detail. The tomatoes are starting to colour and there are many hanging on the tomato trees. We will have a few grapes with a bit of sunshine to ripen them. The few apples left, as 3 fell during the last week, looks good. We are still eating potatoes from the garden and tomorrow if the weather permits we will harvest some peas. The carrots are not very big but most delicious. The roses are going down fast but I will cut out drastically tomorrow in the hope there will be another spurt of growth. The nasturtiums planted from seed I gathered have overshadowed every plant bought in the garden centre and I am very proud! Our animal life consisting of hundreds of birds, 2 grey collard doves, Blackie the cat and the foxes as well as those we do not always see give us continuous joy and great entertainment. The swallows are now 2 weeks old –a late hatch and we hope they are going to be ok –there is still a long road ahead before they can even think of taking the air streams to Africa. Today, as always the best day of my week. After last week’s disappointing sermon , I should not criticize, but all meant well but he lost track of the critical point and lost track of time –we could not even sing our last Hymn as he has to rush on to Mullingar. Today we were so privilege to have an inspiring sermon, excellent food for our souls and great enthusiasm to praise the Lord with word and song! I worked last night, gave over report and left in good time to be able to attend the service. The attendance was good and the noisy children were not there-everyone could hear every word! Great were the thanks he received greeting the members at the door! We sang with the roof lifting, praising the Lord. At work things were difficult, I was called in to do a day shift on Tuesday which was more than a torture session. I was so tired I could not walk from the car to the front door, every joint was aching and every muscle in spasm! Why do I say yes to these special favours- every time I say I will not do it again, but when the call comes, I always yes. Stupid, I know! I also completed 3 nights with the ward filled to capacity each night. This week ahead I will have my other week of leave which were cancelled as it was going to be a heavy week and it was. Finbarr Amanda and Lukas were in Sicilia and returned on Monday evening and he has been working since! We had hoped to see them this weekend or maybe next weekend but that fell in a wave and was shattered against the rocks and now we will hope for a future date to see the little man in our lives as well as his parents. It started raining and the weather report for tomorrow is not good. We had hoped to make a few day trips but ...it does not seems if it will materialise. The schools are due to open Wednesday and all will return to normal. Birthdays: Martie Redelinhuys is a year older this day, Happy birthday! I have no other names in my book for August but on the 1st it is Barend Bornman’s birthday, 2nd Sept Leané Eloff in Roodepoort will turn 7yrs old. Happy birthday 5th Sept we remember Maryke- and Michael Knight will be a year older.. Cobus van Marle’s birthday is on the 6th and Nanette and Brandon Pienaar will be having their Birthday on the 8th Many happy returns! If there is some-one having a birthday and I have omitted to mention you it is because I do not know about it! Have a lovely day in any case! I have been working so much that I lost track of the doing of the politici but you can be sure that the action will commence very soon. The Paralympics will start and we hope it will go as smoothly with them as the other Olympics. Thank you to all for the lovely messages and letters I received on Monday. I had a wonderful day and felt very special! We have been watching with interest the Marikana Mines disaster and the follow-up. SA was continually in the head lines all over Euro news. Hope sincerely that those who were visiting SA and are on their way home will have a safe journey and those that are still on safari that they will enjoy a very enjoyable time. Remember that safety on the roads and at home is of utmost importance! I greet you all from a Cranleymore where Autumn has arrived.! Barry and Christina