Greetings from a lovely autumn day in Craleymore

Saturday 8 Sept’12 Good day to all, family and friends! They say here in Ireland that our good weather comes the day that the children go back to school and never a truer word was spoken. We have had 5mm of rain in 2 weeks and most days was wonderfully sunny, little breeze and dry days- the odd day in between may have been cloudy with a drizzle here and there but the farmers are jumping for joy and are working through the nights to get the crops in. We had to water the garden- that has not happened since May! The evenings are shorter and the mornings darker but we are smiling, the spirits are high and tomorrow are another day! I enjoyed every minute of my leave and we travelled quite a few kilometres in the week past. Our last trip was to Enniskillen searching for Polident Ultra fixation dental powder. This is an essential part of some people with false teeth and the Distributors seems to be Smyth Cline Beecham but the product comes from Spain and there in none available in Ireland and we were advised to go North in search of the powder. Alas there was none there either and after walking the main street up and down 3x uphill and downhill ± 3km and eventually we bought beef sausages which rather should have stayed in the butcher shop. What is in it looked good while uncooked but after a cooking session the contents changed to rubber and something else. The next day I gave the house an autumn cleaning while Barry cut the grass. The week flew with me working 3 nights and after the 2nd night my knee and referred pain into my hip caused me to take a pain killer, being a disaster when it comes to medication I could not find any Paracetamol and took a Solpadol 500mg (paracetamol and 30mg Codeine Phos) ,went to bed, only to be woken 1hr later with the most severe stomach pains nausea and vomiting and swelling of my face and broncho spasm all at the same time- I really thought that it was the end-I felt so awful- after a few session to the bathroom and the wonderful care given by Barry the cramps and pain eventfully subsided and I fell asleep at 2pm . When I was woken at 5pm I looked very funny my eyes were still half closed swelling still present and my chest still tight, but I had to go to work there was no way out- thankfully I survived and am still around to tell the story. Now I have to add another drug to the list of allergies already 2 pages full. We are now performing hip and knee replacements as easy as a tonsillectomy. The new method being used is wonderful and patients get up and walk the same afternoon. I just have to get my courage together and have my knee done. The garden looks still very good for this time of the year. The roses received a new boost after being cut back about 2 weeks ago, the sweet peas are absolutely gorgeous and the nasturtiums have developed into a wall of flowers! The snails do not fancy the dry weather and everything is growing well. We started to pick tomatoes and tasted 2 grapes similar to Catawba!??? The one pear is still there and a second pick of peas are due. The morning the swallows fledged Barry witnessed it and it was very exciting-they are still around and sleep in the donkey house but not for long any more, may be another 2 weeks and then they will start gathering. On the political front the situation is hard to describe as words cannot do justice to the blubbering politicians trying hard to drown every-one in this country especially the Min. Of Health- he gets the ‘SPOON’ for stirring the best. Tomorrow is the best day of my week and I will be singing as Joy is playing the organ! We received the good news about baby Christiaan who has doubled his birth weight, the Lord has heard our many prayers and we will continue to pray for this little miracle! Birthdays! Congratulations to the following having a birthday. Finbarr 13th, Ron Starns 14th, Jennifer de Lange 14th Gwynneth Staples 15th. May the year ahead be very good! We both saw the foxes on different nights and they look very good! The signs of the hedgehog are everywhere to be seen. Blackie still is the best cared for ‘visiting cat’ in the world. The birds in their hundreds give the most joyful sound to our garden we are so fortunate to be living in the country! We read the news about SA every day and not to mention the disasters there we are happy moments we share with you with the wonderful performances of the Paralympics athletes. Congratulations to Gerhardus and co on performing this great task of setting-up a theatre in working order within 24 hrs and winning the cup! That needs to be done! Thank you for all the interesting letters from Leopold and Gerlof, both really having to bit off more than what is fair! Thank you Isabel for your interesting informative letter. Thank you to those who very diligently send a few lines after every letter- that is so much appreciated. There are members of the circle of friends and family that has neglected the rest painfully.....you know who you are and it is up to you to rectify! We greet you from a very pleasant autumn in Cranleymore! Take care - at home and on the roads! Barry & Christina