Sonskyn groete vanuit Cranleymore

19 Februarie’13 Liewe allemaal, familie en vriende, Daar is seker nie nog mense op aarde wat so bly is om die son te sien as die Iere nie- wat ‘n wonderlike dag, wakker geword met die son wat by die venster inskyn.Nou weet julle seker al dat jy nie hier saam met die hoenders opstaan nie maar rustig bly slaap tot tyd en wyl die lewe daarbuite begin ontdooi het! Die lug was buitengewoon blou hier in Cranleymore met die son wat alreeds ‘n hele paar grade noord beweeg het en heelwat warmer is as ‘n paar weke gelede. Temperature is, veral dae wat die son skyn, laer as bewolkte dae en die hoogste vandag was 8 °! Daar was geen wind nie en het ons die geleentheid gegee om hierdie uiters belangrike taak van snoei agter die rug te kry. Ons het erg terug gesnoei wat ek het nie verlede jaar die rose gesnoei nie, ek is nie seker wat om met die vrugte bome te doen nie – laat weet asb- ek het die dooie stukkies van die druiwerstok afgesny, die framboos bessies en appelliefie is goed terug gesny- as ek terug dink aan die vrugteboord in Calvynsingel kan ek gesnoeide vrugte bome in my gedagte sien. Ek moet ook nog my 4 appelboompies wat in groter potte oorgeplant moet word as ook die 12 lemoen bome! Ek het druiwe pitte in die grond gedruk en ek dink 5 van hulle het opgekom. Alles het reeds begin uitloop en waar ek kon het ek stiggies in die grond gedruk. Sal maar sien wat gebeur. Al die dooie dinge is uitgetrek en Barry sal op ‘n volgende geleentheid die vuilgoed verwyder- ons het ook ons oggend koffie in die tuin geniet –heerlik met die gesing van honderde voëltjies in die heining agter ons. Wat ‘n wonderlike voorreg en dit is met groot dankbaarheid dat ons sulke momente so lank as moontlik vasvang in die hede want wie weet wat môre se weer vir ons bring! Ek het baie hard gewerk die afgelope twee weke met 3 busse elke dag van die Noorde met 8 pasiente, die laaste bus arriveer 9nm en neem dan die laaste 8 weer terug. Die afgelope week was groot operasies en meeste van die mans wag al tot 4 jaar vir hul prostaat operasies- niemand wil aan hulle raak nie want of hulle harte is al op die laaste trap van hul lewe of iets anders het reeds die gees gegaf maar niks is teveel vir hierdie klomp Ierse Pakistanies nie en moet asb nie die Suid Afrikaners vergeet nie, durf alles aan! So –ook is die ellende van bloeding en ander post operatiewe probleme ‘n groot probleem – Na regte moet pasiente ten minste 3 ure wakker wees van algemene narkose voor hulle mag huistoe gaan maar die narkotiseurs maak hulle gou wakker en hulle kom totaal wakker terug in die saal en na 2 ure het het hulle reeds ge-eet en die toilet besoek en is weer oppad terug Noorde toe. Die groter operasies bly vir die nag en gaan dan met die volgende bus ,wat in die môre arriveer met pasiente, terug. So het ons gemiddeld elke nag 26-30 pasiente in die saal gehad –sommige wat eers 11nm uit die teater kom- soms sit ons vir die eerste keer teen 5vm om ‘n koppie tee te drink! Jy moet jou werk ken en weet hoe om bloeding te stop en op te let vir ander probleme! Nou ja, na 9 jaar in akkute verpleging dink ek dat ek myself soms oortref, besef nie eers wat alles iewers in die brien gebêre is nie! Ons moes ook Sondag aand ‘n pasient terug neem teater toe – ‘n Pakistanie Dr wat in Belfast werk het kom help en hy sal nie maklik weer terug kom nie- hy is ‘n slagter en het geen respek agtergelaat nie veral nie nadat hy ‘n man van 66 jaar wat ‘n sirkumsisie moes hê , en aangehou bloei het, die volgende oggend, die bloeipunt toegewerk het sonder verdowing- die man het byna flou geword van pyn-en ek het albei sy hande styf vagehou en so hard as wat hy skree het die trane oor my wange gerol – dit was wreed verby- ek het geopjekteer en gevra waarom hy nie die man lokale verdowing wil gee nie maar hy het gereken dat dit die prikke van die naald dieselfde pyn sou veroorsaak as die van die naald waarmee hy toewerk. Ek hou nie daarvan om Dokters te rapporteer nie maar die slagter het ek dadelik gerapporteer! Ek kom eers na 10vm tuis –vreeslik ontsteld en die idioot ry deur Belfast toe min gepla! Nou ja gelukkig kom daar darem altyd iemand tot ons redding en ons eie uroloog het hom onder hande geneem en vertel dat ons hier op mense opereer en dat hy nie weer toegelaat sal word om in ons hospitaal te opereer nie. So kom ek toe aan die einde van 5 lang hardwerkende nagte en slaap byna vir 16 ure van moegheid. Gelukkig voel ek nou weer goed uitgerus en sien weer kans vir die volgende sessie. Op die politieke front gaan dinge maar beroerd! Die spul aan bewind het mos toe die beloofde paaiemente teruggesoot tot vér in die toekoms in en nou word daar getwyfel of dit wetlik was en ons staan alweer op die rand ‘n ander fianasieële krisis. Iewers moet hulle geld spaar en elke keer is dit die mense wat die mees belangrikste dienste lewer wat aan die pen ry- die polisie, verpleegster en die brandweer – die rykes word net ryker en die armes net armer! Hulle wil nou hê die verpleegsters in die algemene sektor asook die ander moet meer ure werk vir minder geld! Al die jong mense het al die land verlaat want hulle kry nie werk nie en die wat hier bly word uitgemergel tot op die been. Ons laat ellendes agter ons en beweeg nader na die natuur- die jakkalsies blink van goeie voeding- gewoonlik is hulle maar ellendig maer en lyk lelik van hongerte maar nie die wat hier kom eet nie- hulle is vet en gesond! Die voëltjies gee ons steeds oneindig baie plesier- die goue vinkies is pragtig bietjie skaars maar hulle kom en dit is wat belangrik is! Ons eerste affodille blom met die kroukusse geel en pers tussen-in, baie mooi! Die kinders kom die 10de Maart kuier –dit is my eerste naweek af en Lukas wil die koeie sien, hy is baie lief vir enige dier - ook groot belangstelling getoon vir slange wat by hulle inkopie sentrum ten toon gestel was het selfs een om sy nek gehad waar ons ‘n foto van het. Glad nie bang nie en hulle moet hom gereeld dieretuin toe neem! Ek het Sondag diens gemis en voel erg verhongerd maar ons sal volgende week weer terug wees, ek voor die orgel ,al het ek die vorige nag gewerk,want dit is my beurt om te speel! Verjaardae het by my verby gegaan en ek wens almal wat verjaar het Veels Geluk met net die beste van gebeure vir die jaar wat voorlê! Ryklike seën en voorspoed! Renate Röhrs, Garth Kruger, Rozanna Kruger! Ek het heerlik gelag, die trane het gerol oor Haya se storie van die paspoort foto en natuurlik al die nuus van die kinders. Die reis verhaal van Gerda was ook verslind! Elke brief word verslind miskien nie dieselfde dag as wat hulle arriveer nie maar in goeie tyd! Ek het ook ‘n heerlike lang brief vol nuus van Br Mendel ontvang, baie dankie Tjaart dat jy so gereeld my briewe aan Br Mendel gee! Baie dankie nogmaals aan almal wat so gereld skryf- dit is wonderlik om julle nuusies te deel. Ons harte is baie seer en ontsteld oor die Pistorius ellende- dit maak elke dag opskrifte in ons hoof nuus bulletin- baie erg! Die vrouens wat hier in die vroeë 50tiger jare in die Magdalene werkshuise geplaas was of deur die staat of families –en deur die nonne bestuur was- maak hier weer hoof opskrifte vir die onreg wat hulle aangedoen was omdat hulle of arm was of ‘n kind verwag het- hulle was erger as slawe behandel ,somtyds wreede dinge beleef veral die wat as kinders daar aangekom het. Hulle wag nou dat die Taoiseach eksuus sê, vir wat die regering toegelaat het gedurende daardie tyd!. Nou het ek alles kwytgeraak wat daar te vertelle is. Ek sal nie volgende naweek kan skryf nie want ek werk weer en dan vlieg die weke verby! Wees steeds baie versigtig en bly voorbereid op enige ellende! Baie liefde groete aan almal- vanuit ‘n blou hemel en pragtige sonbeskynde Cranleymore Barry en Christina

Greetings from Cranleymore

9th February 13 Good day to all family and friends, Temperature 8° and very mild, no wind for a change, and although very cloudy, no rain! The daffodils are all making heads and the tulips are not far behind! I have to do the pruning this coming week and hope sincerely the weather will allow me! The poor farmers –the fields are so wet and those who do not put their cattle in a shed finds them knee deep in mud! Not good for their hooves and bones. The Ballinasloe Horse & Animal fair, usually held in the 1st week of October were shown on TV a few nights ago and we were appalled at the condition of the animals, Most of the animals traded are from the travellers community and they do not care about the ponies, dogs or rabbits- The ISPCA equivalent to SA SPCA has a full time job rescuing animals and removing them to the veterinary department for either being put down or for treatment if possible- so very sad. Off-course the horse-meat debacle is now stretching into Spain and even Norway and Sweden- no-one knows how long this has been going on and as Gerlof says – everyone is still alive –just sell it to who-ever like horse meat – cheap- but as it is the reputation that is so important thousands of € horse contained lasagne, and burgers will land on the burning stakes rather than taking it through to the poor hungry people in Africa, and all over, for whom there is always an advert on the TV with the flies crawling around the snotty noses and in their eyes- no mother has only one hand and she can easily get rid of the flies but it seems as if they love to see the flies around these poor children who are not taken care of by their own governments –these poor people’s governments are usually in war with some other country and every cent goes into weapons and their own pockets! It is a disaster and here we destroy the meat because it contains horse meat! The lot of politicians in Dublin came to some agreement about the promissory notes given by the previous Government to pay back the money borrowed to keep the banks going, paying it now back over 40-50 years , instead of liquidating the whole lot immediately- but that would have deprived them of their share of payments due to them and therefore the working man and women had to make the sacrifice by paying Social tax, extra high tax and high interests on any money on loan(if you are so fortunate to get a loan)/ during the middle of the night- the lot liquidated the Allied Banks of Ireland and had to fly the Lepricorn(our President) back from Italy to come and sign the papers. Our grand children’s children will now have to pay the debt made by people who did not deserve to ever have been allowed to handle money! One can become very bitter because of the fact their god was, is and will forever be MONEY. The financial dilemma that is present in this country is beyond comprehension and suicides are at the order of the day- the people in general have no idea under what stress some families exist and financial burdens they carry- and living in a country where God is not an option they take their own lives thinking that is the only way out! Sad events like this never come near to you until you are shaken cruelly into realization that it is happening to people you know- The carer who worked with me on Sunday night asked in the morning, if she could leave a few minutes earlier to give her husband a change to get her home and still be in time for his job- {I know her husband – he worked for 2 years with me, a wonderful compassionate man hard working} Director of Nursing for a Nursing home in Mullingar. He was not outside when she left the building- thinking that he might have overslept, she got a lift home and as she opened the front door she saw him, hanging from the staircase! It is just such a terrible shock- hard to understand – but- we know so little about what goes on in people’s lives and who will know what drove him to do it! There are cancers and ‘cancers’ the one we try to cure as soon as it is discovered but the other one – more deadly than the 1st get pushed into the background-many a time- not to be spoken off or to deny the existence of same- bringing more heartache than can be imagined! To step away from people that speaks one language and do another........................ The birdlife in our garden is a wonderful experience of beauty and song- we feed surely a hundred birds at a time and not knowing how many come from some-where else – the numbers increase every day! We have also been introduced to baby Blackie- looks just like his father- with white dot on the chest- and all- the first time they both ate from the same bowl the little one gave dad a clout in the face and demand to have all the food for himself it was fascinating to watch how the father stood back and allowed the little one to finish the milk and all the food! We first saw this cat eating the corn on the ground underneath the feeder- very wild -he ran away when we called him but his dad must have communicated with him because he eventually had the courage to come nearer and enjoyed a meal, meant for his dad! We were watching quietly from the kitchen window. He has found shelter with his dad in the donkey-house under the black plastic! The foxiest come at irregular times and we think mother is either looking after young and cannot get away at her regular times as you all know looking after children means your time is not own any-more- or -they are coming from far away! It is my turn to play the organ tomorrow and by now I know the Hymns very well and look forward to bring glory to God for all the blessings he bestow upon us every hour of the day! The weekly nourishing food for our souls- essential for our spiritual well-being- such a privilege. Birthdays: some have had a birthday during the week- I did not get to write last week as I worked all weekend!(Bus loads of patients coming from Belfast- NHS getting rid of their patients who have been for years on a waiting list). Nine became a year older on the 5th – Kathleen in England &Belinda on the 8th (yesterday) Phillip Josling on the 12th and Brenda Dunne in England the 13th! Happy Birthday to you all! May it be a very good and blessed year! Hope sincerely that Mader get the work- although far away from Gerlof and Sandra – it is still in England! We are also sharing in the joy that Jeanne got a job and that Christiaan is now in UOVS- as I used to know it- surely something else now! Sorry to hear that MarieJanke work so hard –but there are times that we all have to do it! Hope sincerely that the dragons belonging to Devlin who laid the eggs will have off-spring very soon! We Skyped with Finbarr and family this morning and had the joy to see my grandson Lukas- could not hug him but do enjoy listening to him and looking at him! I have horrible off duties and will be working every weekend form next week until 7th March – hope to visit them then! Do remember to send photos, stories, events, family and friends experiences- as you know I regard this line of correspondence as my umbilical cord with the family and SA. I also welcome (Dr) Tertius Venter to my address list and hope that he will become part of my letter family! Time for me to get the chicken in the oven- remember if you do not want to read this- hit the delete button! May the week ahead be good, filled with the nearness of our Lord in your lives. Stay always alert and be careful on the roads! Warm regards from Cranleymore where the temperature has dropped since I started this letter! Barry and Christina