Cold sunny greetings

Saturday 3 November’12 Good day to all, family and friends, Just in from our Saturday trip into the village for the necessary provisions for the weekend. The temperature reads 6° but the wind factor brings it right down to 3°. Except for the days that it have been raining we had frost every morning- beautiful bright sunshine mornings but by 2 in the afternoon it is steadily growing darker with dark ominous clouds hanging low- at times too heavy and then it pours, a moment later the bright sunshine finds a pathway thought the darkness to brighten up the heavens –not lasting long though, and then we are back to the same regime. Officially winter only arrives on the 1st of December but in our world it has already arrived. Tuesday-night we had good rains 20mm. I empty the rain meter every Thursday as that was day it was installed and the top layer was still frozen at 12midday. We are watching a lovely program on BBC Autumn Watch- those who are far away may be able to access it via the web – the photography is magnificent.. They also discuss ECO dilemmas and disasters like the Ash tree with the fungi that is killing the trees-. The bird life in our garden has been battered by a few deaths in the last few weeks – we were worried that it was the cat, we have never seen him go after any birds but you never know we do not watch him all day long as well as some death occurred while he was on his 3 day trip away from here but we have a visiting hawk and the Magpies are vicious by nature. The latest bird we found in the strip of garden in front –looked like it was dropped from on high. Very sad but on the other side we also saw the pheasant yesterday wandering up and down on the other side of the fence- too beautiful- so in spite of us giving left-overs to the foxes there are still other wild life about. The garden is now just spot-spot green where the evergreens are still alive the rest has turned into dry stalks and other to jelly. The most wonderful sight is at church where the leaves have almost all fallen and we drive into the gate over a carpet of the lovely coloured leaves. The autumn colours are brilliant and the wonder of nature just too majestic for words. Tomorrow is as always the best day of my week and tomorrow the very best for a long while as our own minister is back in service and we cannot wait to hear him preach again. I am behind the organ and the Hymns well known by now played through on my keyboard. We will also have our monthly tea at church and for that we enriched the purchases with lovely goodies. I am not good at baking and the homemade cakes are much better than what I can dream of making. On the political and financial front, it was a very sad week. Sean Quinn, a self-made millionaire –who started off as a young man with a loan of £100, 40 odds years ago, has been jailed yesterday for non compliance with court orders to divulge where he stowed the billions he got from the bank during the Celtic tiger- just after he got the money the disaster hit the finance world and the banks collapse but he got away with the money Investing it in oversees businesses- India and Russia. The people that offered him the money and enticed him- walks the streets scot-free and without a care. Men that have molested young girls and rapists are posted bail and they go free but where it comes to money the justice system has a total different rules setting. It is true that he did wrong –he admitted it himself but the receiver or liquidator would not give him a change to retrieve the money or listen to any reason and now he, as 66yr old, with heart problems, slept behind bars and will be there for another 12 weeks. In the mean time the fiasco of our bank debt will not go away and the Taoiseach and Angela Merkel had another chat which the outcome of –is never fully divulge to the people. Even sadder is the fact that cyber bullying has caused the death of 2 teenagers within 6 weeks from each other, one of 15 and the other would have turned 14 this week. Not having young children in the house any more I am not sure how this works but please if there is any-one out there with young people that have access to computers and smart phones –be aware. It happens before your eyes! We want to congratulate every-one with their Birthdays and I have only one name on my list and that is of the young father in Melbourne, Sam Kruger! Have a wonderful day and a very good year! Every-one studying and writing exams- -we wish you just the very best! We also remember Sandra’s Mom who is not well and most of all Nine, Stefan and baby Christiaan. Also the near family that is so involved with this baby’s illness and fight to survive. Joy who is most probably already in SA – hope you had a safe journey and enjoy every minute of this trip. I have another week off and have eventually unwound. My concern for all of you regarding safety at home and on the roads or where-ever you may find yourselves is that you will stay alert. Thank you to all those who answers my letters so diligently- even those who by accident remember to write. We are really waiting on an update on young Evie! Just now she is walking and we did not even know about it! So many of the children grow up –big news when they are born and then it withers down to a note here and there or maybe some news from some-one somewhere. I greet you from Cranleymore where the wind makes the sun feel cold! Barry and Christina